Preggers unite!

Meet Sonja (German), one half of one of the couples we met in our childbirth classes. She is 37 weeks and due Nov 9th, but I reckon she's gonna go before me! Check out our bellies! We also have the same OBGYN and were sharing stories over dinner (my first experience with Raclette) at their place on Tuesday night. We've started walking and spending babe-free time together (while we have it!) as well. It's good fun.

39 weeks and counting

It's officially been 39 weeks, and I had my weekly appointment with the OBGYN today. I'm still not effaced or dilated and rarely have contractions, but the baby's head is continuing to descend (I thought her head was already down all the way?!). I'm in no rush to have the baby though. The doc tells me that the hospital has been crazy busy with multiple births everyday, as has she! I think I'd rather give birth when the hospital isn't completely chockers. 

Yey for lemons

This afternoon, Andreas and I went with a few friends to the CA Lemon Festival in Goleta. It was mostly for kids, but we throughly enjoyed the cornucopia of lemon and non-lemon food and festivities. Andreas had a very tasty bratwurst (made by real Germans nonetheless) with lemon ale in a fancy schmancy lemon festival mason jar. Some of the other lemon foods we enjoyed were fresh lemonade, lemon meringue pie, lemon ice cream, lemon pound cake, lemon cookies, etc etc. Twas a lemon-filled, yummy day.

UCSB's Grad Formal(er)

Stephen, Courtney, Andreas and I attended Grad Formal(er) last night. It's basically a night for graduate students and their partners to be whipped back in time to the high school days where formal and/or prom was the talk of the last half of junior and senior year. Unfortunately for them, this formal wasn't as fun or as memorable. But that's OK because it was nice to get out of the house on a Saturday night (even though we were on campus and had to pay $10 to be there!), dress up a little bit (I couldn't find anyone to lend me a moo moo), meet up with friends and attempt to dance to the lame music they played (a horrendous synthesis of 70's, 80's, and 90's, right in the middle of a single song!). We also had our caricatures done, which -again- I wasn't so pleased with (I mean, come on, LOOK AT MY FREAKING HONKER OF A CHIN)! Maybe I'm just getting more critical in my older age.

New camera experimentation

Tonight we tested out our new digital camera. It takes great photos! 

Also, this is the belly at 38 weeks. I had doctors appointment this morning and evidently I am not yet ready to give birth (not effaced = thick, not dilated = closed) for the second week in a row, although the baby is engaged and is very anterior (which are supposedly good things). I have a weird feeling I am going to be two weeks late...

Nursery

The nursery is finally finished- furniture and all. Check it out!

Santa Barbara Baby Shower

It really is coming down to the nitty-gritty now. Today was not only truly my last baby class (PEP baby basics- where the best part was a mom showing us how to bathe her REAL 5 week old son!), but also my second and my last baby shower. And it really was a shower because it actually rained in SB... nothing short of a miracle. Courtney, Sara and Sarah hosted a fantastic shower- complete with entertaining baby/pregnancy games, adorable presents, healthy finger foods and delicious homemade cupcakes and caramel/chocolate covered pretzels. What good friends they are. We had so much fun. Hopefully I can spend a bit more "child-free" time with them in the coming weeks.

Speaking of which, I have now reached 37 weeks, or will have on Tues coming. I could give birth any day now and it would be considered term (37-41.5 weeks is term). It's also only 26 days until my due date of Oct 30th. This is such a trip, but we are over the moon! Stay tuned for photos/video of the finished nursery...