Another New Baby in the Family

Baby Jenna Riley joined our family yesterday! She is the second daughter of Brian, my cousin, and his wife, Abby. She's looks so healthy and adorable and, judging from all of the pictures of her and her beaming big sister, Brooke, she is much-loved already. I can't wait for our daughters to meet soon -- Brian and I are very close in age and grew up together, so it is fun to have kids roughly at the same time. Welcome, Jenna!

Speaking of our little one, my doctor predicted today that I would go early -- which, of course, has me very excited. Predicting these things is, however, rather unpredictable, so I'll believe it when we're holding her in our arms. There is a full moon on Monday, though, so who knows. Maybe she'll be a July baby after all. For now, David and I plan to savor at least one more weekend of relative quiet by digging into our DVD collection and lounging on the couch. If we are really ambitious, we might even make it to the theater. But as a dozing Otter and comfy blanket call out to me, I'm doubting that possibility.

XO- Lara

Baby Corey is a Fashionista?

Anybody that knows me, and my boring wardrobe that consists primarily of various shades of black, is aware that I am the last person to produce a child that has a superior sense of style. But thanks to our friends and family, it appears that Baby Corey might actually have a chance. Witness the accompanying photos, which attempt to capture the adorable baby gift we received from our friend, Joanne, this weekend. In case you can't tell, she gave our daughter a clothesline of onesies, finger puppets, and -- of course -- several packets of Woolite. A very cute idea that I highly suggest people copy if they are in the market for a creative gift. Between this and the closet full of gorgeous clothes that are waiting for the baby, I'd say that Anna Wintour better watch out!

It's a Jungle In Here

Finally, the area rug has arrived and the nursery is 99% complete -- just need to hang a quilt and deliver a baby! We learned today that the little one is indeed head down and weighing in at a little over six pounds as of today ... so, happily, all is fine and on track. Now it is pretty much just a waiting game. David's birthday is on the 24th -- maybe she'll be tempted to come early so she can share her big day with her father and Uncle Brian?

Here are some more photos of the nursery (you can click on slideshow, but won't get captions; click on a thumbnail if you want the captions):

http://www.flickr.com/gp/8165328@N02/aU3pFj

Jury Duty

I've lived in San Francisco over two years now and have never been called to serve on a jury, so it is only fitting that now, as I prepare to officially enter full-term, the local judicial system has decided to order me to the courthouse on Monday. If SF is known for one thing, it is most certainly not its knack for making things convenient for its citizens (as any trip to the parking bureau demonstrates). I'm allowed to postpone to another time in the next five months, and then (since I'd be a breastfeeding mother) again for some other amount of time, but I've decided to just get it over with, since I can't imagine serving as a juror would be great any time in the next year. I doubt seriously that any lawyer is going to want a litigator on the jury anyway, and one who is about to push out another human within the next few weeks is likely not to make it very far into the selection process. And hey, if nothing else, being a juror will prove to be a much-needed distraction as I enter these final days -- I have zero attention span at this point. Which is an admission in itself that should sufficiently discourage any defense attorney from picking me out of the pool.

In other baby news that is, sorry, not very exciting, we've completed the hospital tour. A couple from our Birth University course was there -- having JUST delivered their new son. We saw him in the nursery; he was thirty minutes old! Between that and the very exciting news that our good friends had their little girl this morning, David and I are definitely facing the reality that is in our very near future: we are actually having a baby. So long as she doesn't arrive before tomorrow, when a policeman confirms we have a legally installed carseat, we'll be okay.

Hopefully we'll have something substantive to report on Friday, when I go to my first internal. Whether I've dialated or am effaced at all, it turns out, might not mean all that much in terms of when I'll actually go into labor -- but any information is welcomed fodder for endless speculation.

Off to enjoy my heartburn and insomnia!

XO- Lara

Quiet Week

I'm afraid I don't have much to report this week. Our nursery is nearing completion, but I'm going to wait until the area rug arrives before I post some pictures. We love it so far -- baby girl definitely has the nicest room in the house (is that a bad precedent to start?).

David said that I am nesting, as evidenced by my rearrangement of our bedroom today. She'll be sleeping in there with us for at least a few weeks, so I wanted to make the space a little more manageable for us -- especially during the late night diaper changing and feedings. Other than the hospital tour (next week) and getting the car seat properly installed, we're pretty much ready! At least as ready as we'll ever be. (We still have the tiny issue of the baby name to sort out, but that's a whole other can of worms we're avoiding...)

My not-so-deep-thought of the week is that pregnancy forces you to really connect with your inner child -- and I'm not speaking about the little one growing inside of me. I'm talking about regressing to old habits and likes/dislikes that I haven't even thought about since I was a kid. First there was the morning sickness of the first trimester, which only seemed to improve if I indulged in the foods I loved when I was about six: Spaghetti-Os, Pop Tarts, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Popsicles and endless bowls of cereal. Then came the exhaustion, first at the beginning and returning now again as I near the end, which has compelled me -- for the first time in decades -- to regularly enjoy naptime again. Indeed, poor David is more likely these days to find me snoring in a ball on the couch than anywhere else. My rediscovered childhood has continued with a peculiar desire to engage in activities typically reserved for the young. Yes, I forced David to accompany me to the zoo (it was my birthday) and even tried to get him to the county fair (no go on that one, unfortunately for me). I half expect to find myself hanging out at Chuck E Cheese in one of those pits of plastic balls by the end of this pregnancy. And then there are the weird hormone-induced temper tantrums and whining sessions; the tears that arrive for absolutely no reason when things don't go exactly as I planned. I have the emotional stability of a toddler. In short, being a grown up (and starting a family) has never made me felt so ... young.

And on that note, it is WAY past this kid's bedtime.

Good night. XO- Lara

Getting There...

Our nursery furniture FINALLY arrived last week! Don't have pictures yet...still waiting on a few decor-type items, but hope to have some up soon. Such a relief to have a place for Baby Corey to sleep, even though we are planning on having her in our bedroom for at least the first few weeks.

Now in week 35 and feeling huge and uncomfortable, mostly because the little one (who is no longer quite so little, at approximately five pounds) is seeking refuge in my rib cage. Ouch. Still trying to keep up with the daily exercise on the elliptical trainer, though I'm admittedly having to really search for motivation these days. Fortunately, Otter keeps me moving outdoors at least twice a day.

Until I get the real nursery pictures up and running, here is a photo of Otter making friends with some of the giant stuffed safari animals that will be taking up residence in the baby's room. He has kindly resisted his obvious desire to rip them to pieces and has instead decided to make them his new buddies.