31.5 Weeks and Counting!

So, time keeps marching forward, and I keep growing. We're getting excited for baby and busy preparing. We've been taking our childbirth preparation classes and getting lots out of them. We just heard news of a friend of a friend who just had her first baby one month early! We're crossing our fingers that we'll get our expected 8.5 remaining weeks to prepare.

We just finished the process of switching doctors and hospitals and we're happy with the switch. We'll be delivering at UCSF, or at least that's the plan. One of the implications is that I get to do all of my prenatal care (I think) with a midwife and we have about a 60% chance of having a midwife with us for delivery, which would make us happy.

Last weekend Tara and Craig came to visit. Here's Tara, looking gorgeous, as always.


I realize that in that last picture, it's hard to see the enormity of my belly, so I tried a trip to the mirror to do it justice. Here's a good profile view of the shape. I can't tell you how many times a day people feel the need to tell me how huge I am. The other day, I walked into work and a friendly coworker that I don't know very well said, "Oh my god! You're enormous!" Charming. As if I needed reminding. Every once in a while, someone tells me that I look great or that I'm carrying the baby beautifully. That makes it all better.

Our friends Mark and Keisha had little baby Kaire recently. This was Kaire at 2 weeks old. I didn't take any more pictures, because I felt so guilty for shocking his little baby eyes with the flash. He was dazed for minutes. But Renard and I had a great time hanging out with him. There's nothing like holding a baby to make it all real.


I thought I'd throw in some pictures of the blooming yard. These are the lilacs that spend much of the year much less than attractive. But they're so beautiful when they bloom!



About this time last year, Ethan tore out our huge, gothic, square hedge and planted a bunch of climbing red roses. We've been watching to see if they will make it. Looks like they're doing great to me.


Thought I'd throw in the cats, just because they're so cute.

Tara and Kai helped me pick colors for the baby's room and then paint and Riley helped me with the second coat. My old friend Molly gave me this beautiful crib. The room is coming together, bit by bit.

When Tara and Craig came visiting last weekend, we shoped for storage solutions for the baby's room and came up with these baskets. Now we have a place for all of the clothes and things that we are about to accumulate!


That's the news for now!