Hello again

How about a few little updates and ramblings?

• I'm 37 weeks and a few days pregnant. At my doctor's appointment this morning, I was 3 cm dilated and 50 percent effaced. If I were to check my archives, I'm pretty sure I'd find that this was how much I had progressed a couple days before going into labor the first time. Therefore, I'm convinced the baby is on her way. My doctor was quick to say I could stay this way for another few weeks, but I just don't think that will be the case. We'll see. I could just be doing some wishful thinking. Which brings me to my next point...
• I'm. So. Completely. Over. Being. Pregnant. I'm having trouble sleeping. It's either heartburn, plain ol' insomnia, or too much kicking from the baby. On a really good night, it's a combo of all three. I waddle when I walk, my feet are swollen, and the simplest tasks are becoming impossible. Drying off after a shower, for instance, or removing my own boots at the end of the day. Forget it.
• While I desperately want the baby out of my body, I'm having a ton of probably misplaced guilt over wrecking Milo's life. Why am I doing this to him, shaking his world and asking him to suddenly grow up and be a big boy? He should get to stay a baby as long as he needs to.
• The nursery is still not quite finished, though we're getting close. I hemmed the curtains this weekend, and they actually look really good. Nice straight seams and everything. I'm getting better at this sewing thing. Frames still need to be hung, closet still needs to be organized, and cloth diapers need to be re-washed and organized. And the crib still needs to be put together, but I'm delaying that as long as possible so Milo won't remember it as being his.
• Milo loves playing in Sissy's room. That may have something to do with the step ladder that's been in there the last couple weeks. He climbs up, he climbs down, he climbs up, he climbs down. Repeat.
• I wonder how much Milo is understanding about his impending status as big brother. We've been reading books on it and talking about it all the time, but you know. He's not even two yet.
• We've been working on our bedroom remodel, and it's sort of on hold. My father-in-law can't hang trim for another few weeks at the earliest, so the room is in this semi-done state that is driving me crazy. If anyone knows how to hang trim and wants to dedicate a weekend to our cause, let me know.

I don't think you're ready for this belly.

Today I bought my first pair of maternity pants because, quite frankly, I’m tired of the partially-unzipped-rubber-band-around-the-button look. And I don’t find the Bella Band very comfortable, even though I seem to be in the minority there. Hence, it was time for maternity pants.

And, since I will be wearing the new pants tomorrow, I thought it was prime time for my first belly photo. First time to show you all, that is. I’ve been taking them for six weeks, though the roundness in the first couple photos was mostly dinner and my gas baby. So I’ll keep those pics to myself. If you twist my arm, by the end of the pregnancy I may give you a belly-photo collage and include the early pics. But this photo is me at 15 weeks, and I swear my little bump is a real baby, not a food baby.
(Being this shape is weird to me, by the way. Looking at this photo, my first thought is, sheesh, suck it in, fatty. Also, I am judgmental of my thighs. Isn’t that terrible? *shakes fist at society*)

(I think I’m going to love maternity pants.)

(One more thing: we took this photo in the coming-soon-ish nursery, thinking that as I change, you will see the changes to the room, too. Clever, no? But so far it’s not much to look at.)