Proof We May Be Insane

Yep, here's the nesting we're doing. We couldn't just get new bumpers and wash all the baby's clothes. Nooooooooooo. We had to demolish a wall in the bathroom and tear down some tile and dry wall. It's moments like this when I realize how much more alike Jeff and I are than I ever realized. I think of myself as the dramatic, grand gesture sort of person. We always joke that I don't have a medium speed and I don't do gray because I am busy with either black or white. In other words, not a lot of sublty coming from me.

Then, 4 weeks before I give birth to our first child, Jeff decides to demolish the master bathroom. To his credit, he hasn't been glued to the baby message boards where July 2009 babies are being born early by the dozens. He's not worried. This is a man who is not concerned about any potential early dilation or passage of the mucus plug. Actually, this is a man who isn't worried about much of anything.

And here's the best part of the remodeling project-- aside from now being only about 10 days away from a new rain shower and travertine floor: Jeff hired a former boyfriend of mine to do the remodeling. Could I make this up? No, I couldn't. When I think of hiring one of his ex-girlfriends to come into our home and perform manual labor, I just about asphixiate from the weight of the absurdity of that fantasy. Not Jeff. He learned that someone I used to date is now a contractor who does really great work and he began negotiating with him about our project. Twice in 3 days I have called Jeff during the day to say hi and he has had to hang up on me because My Ex The Contractor has been either on the other line or ringing the doorbell.

As if pregnancy wasn't strange enough.

In the meantime, I am still working for two more weeks. I have a brief due next Thursday so after that I may really be coasting. I won't mention that I thought I was coasting until this brief showed up on my desk yesterday. It's probably not the worst thing in the world to have something to focus on besides my belly and my cravings. Friends keep asking me whether I have had any cravings, but the truth is I have mostly had aversions. There are foods I used to love that I cannot touch now: brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, curry, dates, hard pretzels. Just the thought of them sort of turns my stomach like it did back in my first trimester. I am told that the baby is doing a great deal of growing in these last few weeks, mostly packing on baby fat and getting her systems in order (circulatory, digestive, nervous, etc.) Not only am I much more hungry, I am having some pretty strong cravings. Today I thought I would die if I didn't get some peanut butter and mangos. I had to settle for peanut butter and pear, but I am going to get a mango on the way home because in some small way it feels like my life depends on it.

The baby is getting the hiccups more and more. She probably gets them once a day now, which is so fun. I can see my belly moving with her hiccups in a perfect little staccato rhythym. The other night she woke me up when she kicked me straight in my ribs. It didn't hurt, but if she doubles in weight in the next few weeks, she'll really be packing a punch. I am proud of her, growing so strong in there. Wait til she sees the adorable outfits waiting for her on the other side of the placenta. I am still tweaking the birth mix so it's a good thing she seems content to hang out in there for a little while longer.

In the meantime, I look forward to coming home from work everyday checking out the progress in our bathroom and timing my arrivals and departures perfectly so I just happen to miss my Ex.