34 Weeks

Crap. I lost a half pound this week! I'm at 138.8. I'm really going to have to step up the eating game. I don't know how I managed to LOSE weight! Luckily, I had to go to Brussels on business (thank goodness for European trains!), and brought home loads of fancy chocolates.

I am feeling really good. I think the baby has turned head-down in the last few days, as I am much more comfortable. Occasionally, my bladder or cervix is very uncomfortable, but it's much better than when she was sideways. It's funny. When I was pregnant with Miss M, she spent a lot of time wedged up under my ribcage on the right side. This baby hasn't really done much of that at all. I suppose it's in part because she's been sidewise (uncomfortable in other ways), and in part because it's the second time around, and things are stretched out, so she doesn't need to be scrunched up under my ribs. I feel little movements down low in my pelvis (hands, maybe?), and sometimes what might be a foot on my right side. She seems much more mellow than Miss M was, but that might just be because my memory of Miss M's pregnancy isn't as clear as it once was.

Brussels was fine. I really didn't want to go. I was cracking myself up thinking of how much I didn't want to go. Two years ago I would have been so psyched for the opportunity to go to Brussels on a business trip. How things have changed! T. was paranoid that I'd go into labor while I was there, so he insisted that he and Miss M come with me, which was nice. We've been to Brussels before, and it's not one of our favorite cities. Still, they caught a few museums while I attended endless meetings, and we managed to squeeze in one really good dinner. Miss M fell asleep at the restaurant (which mercifully had comfy bench seats) shortly after eating her dinner, so we had a long, relaxing meal, complete with dessert. Those moments are few and far between these days, and will only get more scant in coming months, so we really enjoyed it! I was hoping to get in the hotel pool, because it had been so nice a few weeks ago to be weightless. Unfortunately, the pool was ice cold--not exactly the relaxing swim I was looking forward to.

My friends surprised me with a wonderful baby shower last weekend. I truly did not know about it until I was heading to my friend's apartment, and then I sort of figured it out (a few weird things had happened, but I only pieced them together on the way there). I was wearing sloppy maternity clothes (jeans and a wrap sweatshirt, and ugly winter boots), and was completely mad that T didn't make me wear a better outfit! It was fun, though. We played one silly baby game (you couldn't say the word "baby". . .needless to say, I came in last). We got some great gifts (not that we needed anything): a wonderful old silver feeding spoon, some cool baby socks, a couple of cute outfits, and a year-long family membership to the local zoo, among other things. I particularly love the zoo membership and the feeding spoon--so thoughtful!!! They had gone out of their way to travel all the way across town to my favorite bakery for my favorite cupcakes, too. So yummy!

Today, I am going to see a play with a friend. My sister gave me the tickets for Christmas, and was hoping to go with me, but she had something come up. I'm really looking forward to seeing the play. T took Miss M hiking for the day with another friend of ours, so I have a few hours to myself before I have to leave. I've been reading birth stories (Ina May Gaskin's great book "Guide to Childbirth," which really put me in the right, positive frame of mind before MIss M's birth. I feel like I've barely focused on the birth at all, and I've been feeling a bit disconnected from the whole thing. Then it occurred to me go to back and read my old blog posts from the tail end of Miss M's pregnancy and her birth. It felt so special to read them, and so empowering to read back over what I wrote about her birth. There were things that I didn't even remember. It's funny how quickly you forget. Anyway, it has all made me feel more connected. Just six weeks to go! It seems unreal.

And now, I'm off to eat second breakfast and to take a bath.