30 Week Update

10...

Rampant hormones, I has them. (And abuse of the caps lock key shall now commence to express my frustrations.)

I'm MOSTLY over it now, but I was informed the end of last week that the Sunday date that I had thought was set in stone for one of the showers wasn't actually going to be the date. Apparently the group that is hosting the shower doesn't get together to check calendars until after proposing a date and having it agreed to by the person/couple being celebrated. (DH and I are in total agreement - that's bass-ackward even if it's the way "they've always done it" per MIL) AND, so OF COURSE, the date which I had been given a month ago - didn't work for everyone - but the person "heading up" the planning hadn't checked with everyone else until RECENTLY. AND the date she was proposing (again without checking with everyone else first), was the following weekend which pushed it to 3 weeks out from the Estimated Due Date (EDD), you know, during the time the doctor said not to travel...grrr. Call me a reactionary first time mother, but that DOES NOT work for me. I don't care if combined the party givers have popped out 10+/- kids, they cannot make the value judgment that it's FINE on my behalf.

So, even though it means my MIL may not be able to make it thanks to another commitment SHE made (probably thinking that the date was set ... and the domino's start to fall) I've gotten word back that the weekend before works for everyone except the one person the planner has yet to hear back from. Oh.My.God. Pregnant women don't need this kind of stress. So, now instead of powering though and spending ONE weekend going to showers with a night-cap of baby class on Sunday night, it means that one day of TWO weekends in a row will be spent traveling to the same place, and the prior/following day will be less productive than two together.

Don't get me started on how I really hate that this shower is going to be held on a Sunday, so not only do I have to expend the energy to travel over an hour to & from and be social during (am introvert, social is an energy suck), but then also have enough in reserve to attend the baby class that evening. You'd think since the date changed anyway it could have moved to a Saturday, right? Apparently not.

All of the above withstanding, I am very grateful they want to do this for me, I just don't believe that the planning of a baby shower should in any way shape or form cause the expectant mother to stress out. Dates should be proposed, one should be agreed to, and that's the extent of the involvement the mother should have (with the exception of providing names and addresses for invitees whom the planner does not know personally) until she shows up. Does that make me a baby-momma-zilla?

In shoe shopping news, I ended up ordering another pair of the same exact flip-flop I've been wearing, just in a different color. Not exciting, but also much less humorous than the one shoe I tried on which hit at the exact widest spot of my swelling, giving my foot an exciting Minnie Mouse / Daisy Duck short and wide effect.

This weekend the in-laws, including the previously MIA brother-in-law, came over Saturday afternoon. My MIL and I fought heavy traffic on the interstate and went to the closest Babies-R-Us to do the in-store registry and take advantage of the coupon I had received for a $15 gift card. We found out a lot of things have changed since her boys were little - surprise! (Question: What exactly is a pack & play used for other than early changing, and naps/overnights? Is it the modern-day playpen, or has something else emerged to replace the playpens of the 70's/80's?)

We also found out that from now on, I need to be the one driving. Apparently my picture should be next to "back seat driver" in the dictionary. I'm going to blame it on the hormones. But it could be my MIL's driving. Possibly.

While we were doing that, the boys were busy painting the two walls of the nursery we wanted painted. DH did the cutting in, and my FIL and BIL rolled the walls. It could probably have used a second coat thanks to the number of areas which obviously needed to be touched up on Sunday morning when I went in to strip the tape I had put up in preparation (allowances have to be made for their painting using only late-afternoon natural light since the fan/light switch still needs to be corrected), but it looks fine without one thanks to DH hitting those areas while I supervised. (More with the "has to be done my way"... I sense a pattern here.)

So, crib is up, mattress is in, glider and ottoman are in place, the bedding set is waiting for a mattress pad and washing before going in the crib, I've gathered some books for reading, the walls are painted, there are a handful of crawlers and sleepers in different sizes, and one pack of newborn diapers in the closet...we're getting there. Dressers and chests still have to be changed out and possibly the twin bed put together with bedding(not a priority until we know it will absolutely fit), and I need to get bookcase sizing information to my dad since he graciously agreed to make one similar to the one he made when I was little. Oh, and once the low dresser is in, I need to get with a glass company to have a top made so it will be protected against spills and such once the changing pad is in use.

Little One is definitely filling out if the continuing growth of my belly is any indication. She also still enjoys hanging out with her back on my right side, which means sometimes I look down to a very lopsided belly. Also, have I mentioned the raptor like claws scratching me from the inside? I swear the kid's going to come out with fingernails longer than mine!

Since I am now on the 2-week plan, my next OB appointment is on Wednesday. We completed the hospital pre-registration/birth certificate paperwork on Sunday afternoon, so I'll take that in with me. I'm not sure what else will go on - but I suspect the usual: wee, weight, measurement, and possibly another internal check (Oh. Joy. Perhaps I shall request better fitting gloves?).

Apart from the walls getting painted, nothing else really exciting has transpired, so I guess that's a good thing. I'm thinking it may be time to start thinking about the hospital bag...but since the local hospital is 5 minutes away from Wal-Mart, I'm not too worried about forgetting anything.

And finally, I've decided a good weekday is one where all I do is go to work and go straight home. Any day when I need to do things like go to the grocery store or run other errands between work and home is a bad day, especially when it comes to the ankle of doom. What makes a good day or bad day for you?