Nesting Instinct

Whatever it is with pregnant women that kicks in and makes them want/need to prepare their "nest" ... Kate's got it. Bad.

Getting everything ready for our pint-sized house guest.

The other day she cleaned out every drawer, cabinet and box in our apartment with an efficiency I've never witnessed before. Deciding the fate of household items as if they were gladiators in her 900 sq ft Coliseum.

Thumbs down to ill-fitting and well-stained winter jacket. Thumbs down to high school duffle bag. Thumbs down to drawer stuffed with old dull knives. (And a surprising thumbs up to collection of overly-pungent vanilla-scented candles.)

The Last Last

Two months to go.

And feel it's pretty safe to say, having a baby is gonna change everything. But, before we get to enjoy all sorts of new things and exciting 'firsts' ... we have some 'lasts' to deal with.

As in the last time we'll do things before the baby comes.

Or ever.

This past Easter was the last we'll spend with just the two of us. When we head down to Big Sur in May, it'll be the last time we go somewhere without a baby in tow. And every time we go to the movies, it's possibly the last time we'll venture out of the house without arranging for a sitter first.

And I'm sure there'll be a lot more 'lasts' in the next few weeks.

Looking forward to the last time we enjoy expendable income, our last good night's sleep and the last time our apartment doesn't smell like tapioca.

Belly Status (30 Weeks)

It's still growing ... just like my high school science text books said it would. I guess they weren't lying after all.

Belly Flop

So while I was down in Los Angeles last week for work, Kate decided to find the steepest hill in San Francisco. Wait until the rainiest day of the year. And then run across the slipperiest part of the cable car track.

Only to belly flop right smack dab in the middle of the street.

In a cartoon world, she would have bounced on her belly and then sprung head over heels and landed on her feet again. But, in the real world, she just landed herself in the hospital.

Not nearly as fun. Or as funny.

They drew some blood, gave her an IV and hooked her up to a bunch of sensors and probes and whatnot. Everything checked out okay, but they still kept her overnight just to be safe.

In the end, she lied around in bed, watched Scrubs on TV and ate sherbert. Not much different from any other Tuesday night really.

Ultrasound Video (28 Weeks)

Another pretty cool and slightly creepy ultrasound video. And from the looks of it, I'm pulling out to an early genetic lead.

Baby Shower

Kate had her baby shower last weekend.

And being a baby shower rookie myself, I'm not really sure how to measure whether it was a success or not.

All I know is that by the time I made my entrance there were pastel colors everywhere, baby clothes hanging from the walls, buzzers going off, music blaring overhead, faces covered in cupcake frosting and lottery tickets flowing like wine.

Actually, it sounds a lot like my bachelor party.

Predictions

The Chinese conception calendar says we're having a girl.

Our friend Jess, who Kate shares an office with, thinks it's a boy.

Diane Ligotti's highly-scientific test of threading a needle and dangling it over Kate's wrist determined it to be a girl.

And the Asian woman who did Kate's nails could tell by the way she's carrying her weight that it's definitely gonna be a boy.

So there, it's settled ... we're having a hermaphrodite. (Which means we may have to rethink the names we picked out.)