The Best Visitors & 38 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy log: 38 weeks, 2 days. 12 days until the due date. 19 days until her final, final eviction date.

I just had the happiest week of my pregnancy. Truly. When we landed in England, I was a day shy of 6 weeks pregnant. None of our family even knew I was pregnant until we heard the heartbeat three weeks later. I've spent this entire pregnancy a continent and ocean (since our families are in the western US) away from the organic support system that is family. And there's just something about siblings. Something about those people who know precisely how to make you squirm in five seconds and laugh in two that are essential for my ultimate mental and emotional health.

For this past week, I got to have my sister. But, she didn't come alone - she brought a sweet friend whose quieter demeanor complemented our obnoxious Manthei socializing style. We are so loud. The loudest. Somehow, M. tolerated us--and even claimed to love us--and our little family of three was honored to host our first visitors in England.

When I told people exactly when my sister was coming, I got quite a few confused looks. Some asked me if I wasn't worried that the baby would arrive then, and I wasn't. Barring an emergency, I seem to be a long haul gestator. Others asked me if I didn't want her to stay for our little girl's arrival. And truthfully, I didn't. I wanted the girls to get to experience England and preschooler Landon and enjoy themselves. Oh, and I didn't want to have to sign them in on any base--including the one that houses the hospital.

So the baby stayed in and we went out and about. Some days our visitors went out by themselves and some days we went with them. And it was perfect. I feel more invigorated today at 38w, 2d than I have for most of my pregnancy. I *highly* recommend playing tourist and walking and climbing all day at this gestation. It's surprisingly energizing, and it makes a person feel as if she's doing something to speed the process along.

I'm currently taking votes as to when our little girl will arrive. She can't arrive later than June 15th, so as of today, there's 19 potential birthdays . Although, in full disclosure, it's noon here and I'm pretty sure she's NOT coming today. ;)

Comments

Why we don't believe in Santa Clause

It's happened many times this Christmas season. A well meaning adult will come up to my four year old in a public space and gleefully ask him what Santa Clause/Father Christmas is bringing him this year. And each and every time, my son cocks his head to side and clearly announces, "Santa isn't REAL." The reactions vary - there's shock, confusion, and even a bit of bemusement. Yes, Santa isn't real, but my four year old isn't supposed to know that. We've taught him to say "Santa isn't real at MY house," when other children are around, keeping the excitement alive for his friends and classmates. Despite that, plenty of Christmas time threads on mommy forums insist that parents like us are ruining Christmas, not only for our own children but for theirs. Even still, my four year old knows all about Santa and has asked for an Elf on the Shelf. (That's a no from me, son.) Most of the time he's content to muse aloud on the logistics ...

On Baby Girls & Elective Ultrasounds

Dear world, She's a GIRL! Or, as Lando says, a grrrrirrrl . I booked a private ultrasound for 17w,1d because the anatomy scan for Baby wasn't until after 22 weeks. It felt ridiculous to pay for an ultrasound when I'd be getting the same thing for free in just a few weeks, but I wanted to know. Badly. As a bonus, Landon was actually allowed in this ultrasound room--since the one at our hospital is in Radiology and children aren't allowed there--and I thought it would make a fun family outing. So away we went. Over the motorway in some unknown direction--I have no sense of direction here--to a cute little boutique in the middle of Nowhere, England. The waiting room was equipped with toys, which worked in our favor since we had to wait an extra twenty minutes since the other womb dwellers ahead of us weren't cooperating. That made me nervous. Maybe this was a horrible, rotten idea, and Baby would cross its little legs and that would be that. Finally, we...

Hourglass: Life Overseas

"How is that we've already spent two Christmases here," Stephen asked in a rare moment of verbalized surprise. "That means this year will be our THIRD Christmas," I replied in my standard over-enthused way. It's true. This year will make our third Christmas season in England. We have our social/travel/visiting lives scheduled until September, and while that delights my fun and people loving side, it horrifies the commitment averse side of me. But, what that also means is that we will soon be hitting our third round of all things England. That seems serious. Committed. Almost as if we really do live here. Life here has become routine, even that unpredictable inconveniences that pop up when your tether to your homeland is an APO box and (sometimes questionable) base services. For instance, (US) Amazon sent us size one diapers in a size four box, and Nova's 21 pounds of buttery chub will NOT fit into size one diapers. So now, I have to run o...

Everyday Susa

Search This Blog