There it is, in all its rounded glory. I'm 8 months along- that's 34 weeks as of tomorrow. So close, yet so far, dammit. Amber took this picture when we had a playdate with the kids this weekend, which was wondeful. You can see the glory of the maternity jeans (which I have finally resigned to- although I *did* put on my size 6 stretch-cords the other day and was fine.... muahahaha!) But all considered, I'd rather just be rockin' the sweats, especially on rainy days like this. It's been absolutely gorgeous lately- clear and cool, one of my favorite combinations. Cloudy and rainy is necessary at time, too, I suppose. I never seem to find time to write when it's sunny out- I can't imagine why! :) I used to have a hard time staying in school (especially once I got my license!) when it was sunny out, too. Carpe diem, I say! ...as long as you take care of your responsibilities first. That whole latter part took a bit longer to sink in, but that's what being a teenager is good for, right? :)
Today, the kids and I are taking it slow- Tobin is on his last placement tests (hooray!!) in homeschool and doing amazingly well. We've been working with flashcards about time and money, in a workbook for addition and subtraction and reading books like Cat in the Hat (of which I have a 1957 first edition copy in excellent condition- thank you, Me-Ma! :) and My Father's Dragon, which he LOVES. They are both very into dragons and dinosaurs and play games for hours (SOMEtimes, but they really do play long and well, when they do...) involving, "Pretend that I was an invisible comet dragon -but you didn't know I was invisible- and then you touched the comet and an invisible dragon came out and you said "Wow!", but not yet because we're ot playing yet and then I shot you with flames, but you had a magical cloak on to protect you and it was invisible- but I didn't know it was invisible- but you did and you put it on and..." ohhhhh, my. I'm glad they have each other, because after about the 20th instruction, I'm not sure if I'm the magical healing fairy of love (naturally) or a wolf-mother battling to save my son from the evil invisible (but I didn't know it was invisible) snow ninja. Hey, at least they're creative!
Randal has started his new job at Kendall-Jackson, which he LOVES and I love for him. His first day, he cooked 100 Maine lobster with guidance from the former seafood chef from the French Laundry. He & the rest of the chefs taste everything before it goes out, meaning Randal gets mouthfuls of amazing goodness throughout his entire workday, as well as wine to wash it down with- it IS aplenty at a winery, of course. It's actually a great work ethic, since the entire kitchen if filled with people at Randal's pace, who love the entire preparation process & presentation of food and who work tirelessly to produce mass quantities of it. He's still managing to have a day or two completely off per week between the two jobs, which is important as well. I'm so glad for him to have found something so well suited to his time & talents, not to mention the pay's much better than Oliver's, too! :)
As for me, I'm getting both excited and a twinge nervous about the impending labor & birth, but am definitely looking forward to holding a new little soul in my arms afterward. If I haven't mentioned, we've decided to have Annika at home, preferably in the jacuzzi tub I love to love so much! I'll have to get a picture of it in here- it was the clincher in deciding to rent this house. (well, and the location so close to my parents and grandparents) Last time, labor was only 2 hours long, only 10 minutes of which was spent at the birthing center before Aiden was born and the ride there- 20 minutes- was hands down the WORST part of it. Since I've had 2 natural births before, I have no issues about my mental of physical capabilities of birthing naturally and the midwife we've chosen has decades of experience delivering babies, her RN, a MA in Psychocolgy, certification for Hypnotherapy and probably a few others I'm forgetting. She is wonderful, informed, calm & positive- all things I look forward to bringing to the birth.
Well, I've got to get back to Tobin's flashcards with him, as well as get through some more laundry and dishes before Randal comes home from work. As always, I hope you are well & I'd love to hear from you!
quote(s) for the day, from two different spiritual guides, both of which help me in my mental preparation for all of this:
"Rain, after all is only rain; it is not bad weather. So also, pain is only pain; unless we resist it, then it becomes torment." I Ching
"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7
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