I was all hot and bothered about boobies when I went to waterfront park to do my relaxation. En route, I see a youn gmom with her 2 month old-ish baby, nursing him right there for the world to see (well she used a receiving blanket, but there was no denying that he was having lunch). Warmed my heart and put me in a much better relaxation place.

Then I got into it. First time trying outside at the park, and it still worked. I can't believe I can gt into it, cause I'm such a nuts-and-bolts gal. But when the 12:30 drawbridge horn sounded, I opened my eyes in a groggy haze. When the lady told me I was going to come out alert on 5, I felt like a million bucks.

However, I still wasn't in enough of a state to use the ATM, and my card was retained, as I screwed up the password in my meditative state. At least t hey were able to get it immediately and I just have to wait 24 hours to use it again.

Had another peek at bambina yesterday. She's beautiful, all 2 lb 1 oz of her. Still a girl, and very active (which I knew ;o). Hubby got to be there, which was very exciting. He hadn't "seen" her in a while. The tech was great, taking her time, showing us all of her parts and tons and tons of face shots. She tried to do the 3d thing, which looked cool in real-time but she was just too wiggly for a still.

I guess if you have high BP they check for growth in the baby and premature aging of the placenta and fluid. That all looked great, but I'll likely have to go back. Maybe another shot at the 3d face.

She looks just like big bro to me in this one:

Let me tell you. It's not all that relaxing when you go out, find one shady spot that gets the harbor breeze, sit in the grass to listen to a relaxation tape and you can't figure out wtf is wrong with the (okay, like 10 year old) discman. Not that I've even tried to use it in the last 3 years, but it let me hear a bit of track one, and when I skipped to two, forget it. Maybe it doesn't like the heat either. It's hard enough to find 27 minutes of quiet time to listen, and I could even deal with whatever bit me while I was in the grass, but no. I figure that peanut m+ms will serve as today's relaxation.

Update: Apparently it was the heat. I can hear it *now*. Ugh.

Welcome to the third trimester. Apparently this pregnancy is going to be bookended with nausea. Or I have a little bug. It's not horrible but man. Maybe if it were 20 degrees cooler out I'd feel better.

A happy thing - we had our first hypnobirth class last night. That was really nice. Of the 4 couples, we're the only one who'd ever done it before. Ah the fun of watching men's first experience seeing a baby come out of a real live vagina on video. It was nice, relaxing, and I feel like it'll help us. I don't buy into 100% of it, but if we come away with some tools to relax, I know we can do this thing. I brought my discman today - I'll find a shady spot on the grass to do my "rainbow relaxation" at lunchtime. Realistically, that's the only time I have, toddler free.

Speaking of, Sue-sue is back full force. Last week without her was hard. All of the eggs in her hanging plant are now baby birdies (redpoles) so that's fun for all.

Tomorrow I get another peek at girly. I hope she's still a girl.

Dear owners of Sandlewood Pointe,

There is such a word as handle, and one sandal, but no sandle. Please check into these things before you put it on your sign.

Today during my nap I had my first real vivid labor and birth dream. The birth itself was amazing. I was reading about homebirths when I snoozed off, and in the dream, I don't think I was at home, but I caught her myself. That was pretty cool.

Apparently any bloodwork at our office gets run by the docs. Sooooo my blood is fine. But the BP is really higher than they want to see it at this point (duh).

So I have to switch to the doc. I know it's not a big deal but it makes me want to cry.

Really I shouldn't have any issues with labor + delivery. I'll still get my natural birth in the tub if that's what I want. It's just more a medical model that I'm afraid of. I love my hour long appointments. I love that they know where to get the good prenatal massages and take the good yoga classes. I know that a doc will prescribe BP meds, and that might be what I need, but I still feel . . . not good. Don't do this to a hormonal pregnant woman.

I feel so dumb because it really doesn't matter.

As an aside, the doc wants another u/s before I even get in there, so I'll get to see her again in a week.

Already she's different than her big brother. She's more lots of dancing and bopping and kicking, whereas Nino was all about the big body roll type movements. I can put my hand there and just feel a rat-a-tat like she's doing a dance. I love it.

Which put me in a better mood after going out, pressing the walk button at the crosswalk, the light turning red, visibly pregnant, and still no one stops. Run a red light to prevent a pregnant lady from crossing at the crosswalk when it's her turn? Rrg.

In general, on edge, as my exam results will come in the next 2 weeks or so. But any day could be it, really. Eek.

My child makes me laugh non stop. This morning I put on his baseball outfit. I asked him what it said on his shirt and he went "red sox!!" and did this little "rah-rah" dance. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything funnier.

My back hurts today. I need to go for a walk or something. And the a/c wasn't on in the office all weekend so I'm dying. I'm just gonna complain a lil bit.

Yesterday was niece B's high school graduation party. Who said she could get so old? She was like 6 when I met her. G was a superstar, it was fun overall. Hot but good.

Not much else this weekend. I know it's kind of pitiful when I notice and appreciate Pine-sol's new fresh scent. I'm okay with that. I haven't seen DiTi in 2 days though. Mao is very friendly. I hope all's okay.

What a fun, crazy weekend. Saturday was the big fun parade. Nino loved every second of it - fire trucks, bands (and dancing, of course), giant balloons, old cars. Saturday night made some new friends (college pals spent the night) and breakfast Sunday. Sunday night got to hang out with cousin Sophia ("I love my cousin") again. Monday morning breakfast in Gloucester, then to the pool party for a while, then to grandma's to hang out with the cousins.

And yesterday was our forced day off. Got stuck in boatloads of traffic trying to run errands and return something to Kittery. Ugh. Then we spent the afternoon at the beach with Susan and Marisa. That was fun.

Now back in it.

Susue has been called for a Grand Jury next week. I'm in total denial that this could affect my life. It could be up to 3 months. I'm hoping that her connections to the juvenile court will get her sent home. I'm only obligated to pay her for 3 days, and I could probably find a college student for whatever time I need, but I don't want to. I told her to buy a really big gold cross and act all obnoxious.

We'll see.

Whitney comes home tomorrow!! I haven't seen that baby in six long months!

Apparently last night there was a lobster in the crib. 430 am, and it was a crisis. So no going back in the crib. Thank heavens the a/c was op e rational but still, there really isn't room in that bed for the 4 of us, 2 growing by leaps and bounds.

This morning we talked about dreams and how it's not real.

Man alive was it hot this weekend. Spent altogether too much time in Debbie's inflatable pool. Was a bit better about wearing the sunscreen but still not good enough.

The farm was really wonderful. Truly wonderful. G-man loved holding baby birdies, feeding the goat a bottle, all of it. We washed our hands about ninteen times and I think that we've come out bacteria-free. The only bad thing at all this weekend was the stupid ticket for driving through a yellow light with a white license plate, in NH. Meanies. I'd have to go to Jaffrey to contest it. Because I have a sitter and/or vacation time to do so. Ugh.

"It was red when you saw it, and red when you drove through it."

Here is the boy feeding a baby goat.


And last night, we inherited an air conditioner - the standalone one. Sooo much better a sleeping night.

This little girl is now super twitchy. All the time, from little flutters to genuine jabs. She likes my affinity for chocolate.

And I'm fairly certain that I'm at least as excited about this farm trip as Nino. I have to stop on the way home tonight to get some picnic lunch supplies. It's supposed to be mid 80s. That's the part I'm least looking forward to - the smell of warm chicken guano. Hopefully we'll mostly be outside.

Nino has been asking to "go to the farm and hold a baby bird". So I have found a farm that will do just that. One Friday we're going. It's about 80 miles away, but we can work naps into the trip. I have a feeling that holding chicks is not PC any more - I think it was more common when we were little. Not to mention that his friend Noah and family will probably meet us there. He's going to be in heaven. And if there are baby animals "having momma milk" he might just pass out. I love that it's so easy and fun.

Great weekend. Friday I turned 30. Yow! Got hubby to take me for steak (yahoo for pregnancy mandated "protein"). Went into the North End for some super pastries. Still eating those. Then picked up Julie at the airport. Birthday party (and cake!!) showed up Saturday afternoon which was fun. Saturday night had a weird not-hungry-until-it-was-too-late experience, so we had pizza after driving all over creation. Fun to watch the peeps at the Hampton Boardwalk, but none of us were in the mood for Fry-Doe so we ended up at home again. Yesterday Fathers day with my dad and father of my kiddos.

Then, last night, after the airport, Nino was asking for "jooooooooo-weee" the whole way home, at least until he fell asleep. And this morning, he wondered "where that girl go?" He wants to go to her house and visit. I said okay.

And last night hubby finally agreed that this child will be Eleanora or Rosa, with him leaning toward the latter, myself the former. I will work on that one.

I'm so sorry my sweet angel boy. Your irritabililty, I should have known, was related to both ears being wildly infected. Thank you for just *saying* "momma, my ears hurt" when I was too dense to link it to your 4 am waking. You seem so much better after just two doses of the pink goop.

Additionally, at the grocery store waiting for the Rx, I bought two cartons of breyers on sale. No sooner was it in the freezer than we lost power for 9 hours. I don't even want to look. I'm so sad. Meat, chicken, soup, meh. Ice cream. No.

So between studying for my exam (which was Monday), nervous pre-ultrasound, yesterday, and thunderstorms Monday night, I needed sleep. Badly. And who decides he's going to cry, really cry, in the middle of the night until he's in our bed? Then, when he's in our bed, sleep all over me?

I love you boy, but I'm pooped. Tonight we rest.

Well, today we found out that we're having a little girl!! I'm so excited. Everything was perfect. Just seeing that little person, with all the right parts, it was amazing.

On a not as good note, my blood pressure was up. It's too early for that. Now I just have to be super careful and hope we can get things under control.