1/20/10 Baby Update: 30 Weeks!

Let's do a baby update. I'm at 30 weeks, which if you're following along at home, means that we have t minus 10 weeks to go. (Probably less, although I'm hoping she'll stay put for at least 7 more). We just returned from our first baby shower with my family in Savannah, which was a lot of fun and deserves its own post as soon as I can get the pictures uploaded. (Stayed tuned). Since then, we've just been hanging out, doing our respective "thangs", which for her is growing, and for me is waddling around looking like I'm smuggling an airplane hanger under my shirt.

I keep waiting for this nesting instinct thing to kick in so that I'll clean my entire house from top to bottom. (Heaven knows it needs it). I've heard a million other preggos talk about how they just had an overwhelming desire to clean out all the closets or de-lint the dryer air ducts or whatever, and while I've never been one to feel energized about the prospect of scrubbing base boards myself, I'm game to try it as soon as this mysterious nesting energy shows up. Every morning, I wake up and ask myself, "You feel like scrubbing the bathroom today?" and every morning, my self goes, "HAHAHAHAHA...nope". Sigh.

I don't know what was up with Baby Girl last night! She kicked and punched and generally partied like a rock star ALL. NIGHT. LONG! Normally, she does her little thing from about 10 to midnight and then settles down so I can sleep. But for some reason, she decided last night would be the perfect time to Mambo #5 all night long, to the point that I couldn't get any rest. I even held Tony's hand to my belly because the heat from her Daddy's hand usually soothes her, but this time even that didn't work. It just gave her a convenient target to attack. Punch! Punch! Backwards somersault! Roundhouse kick! Atomic elbow to my kidney! All into the wee hours of the morning. Of course, she's peacefully sleeping now that it's the middle of the day and I'm awake, (which, if I was a mean vindictive Mommy, would make me want to run out and Jazzercize or something to wake her up), but I'm not, so I'm willing to let sleeping babies lie for now (unless this becomes a nightly pattern. Then we'll be having a discussion).

I'm happy to report that all my thank you notes from the baby shower are officially in the mail. And that I'm now an expert in how to do 500 variations of "Thank you for the (insert item). Baby Girl will love it!" (Actually, that's not a lie. Baby Girl got some primo loot from this shower, and enough clothes to dress an army of babies. We could outfit a Paris fashion house in onesies alone). So yes, we are blessed, and I am thankful, which is why it was so easy to write the thank you notes.

Speaking of Baby Girl, I just want to let you know that she does have a real name, but I haven't decided if I'm going to share it with the Interweb or not. I believe very strongly in giving your children a sense of privacy, especially when it comes to strangers on the internet, and I don't want something that I write today to come back to haunt her when her future 6th grade class Google searches her. (If nothing else, she should have that choice if she wants to share her pre-birth kickboxing exploits with the world). On the other hand, I'm not really thrilled with the nickname Baby Girl (it lacks a certain quirkiness, which is important to us around here), but I want to see what her personality is like before giving her a more suitable alias. So heads up. Baby Girl for now, but something better in a couple of months.

I guess that about wraps it up. We go in for our official 31 week ultrasounds on Tuesday to make sure Baby Girl is growing and putting on weight like she's supposed to, and word on the street is that next week's Teddybear U class will feature a video on c-sections (better or worse than hoo-has? You be the judge), so if nothing else, exciting times are ahead. By the way, I've loved reading all of your comments about your birth stories and interactions with THE VIDEO, so I thank you for that. They made me laugh and feel better all at the same time.

Babymama out.