Bad Bunny

Talkin' Tilly

1 cm...almost

We had our 39-week appointment today and found out my cervix is almost 1 cm dilated and starting to thin out a little. So we're making progress...slowly. Should we start taking birthday predictions?

A few other observations from the doctor's office:

• For some reason, my doctor always plays the most depressing selection of "muzak" possible. Within a 30-minute period this morning, I heard the theme songs to "Ghost," "Love Story," and "Terms of Endearment." What do these three films have in common? They are the tear-jerkiest of the tear-jerkers and perfectly good people die in them! I'm not sure what setting these would be appropriate song choices for, but I do know that I spent a good portion of my appointment waiting for Shirley MacLaine to bust through the door and demand that my nurse give her daughter the shot!
• There was someone or something pounding on the wall and screaming in the exam room next to ours. It might have been a small child...or a small velociraptor. We're pretty sure the pounding was its tail thwacking against the wall. The alternating tail thwacks and screeches went on for 20 minutes. This, along with the depressing music, really made for an enjoyable, spa-like atmosphere, as you can imagine.
• If speed-peeing in a plastic cup were a winter Olympic sport, I'd pick up the gold.

Since I haven't posted any belly pics since the infamous "where did my belly button go?" photos, it's time for a final comparison shot in my shorts and t-shirt.

3 weeks - 20 weeks - 26 weeks - 32 weeks - 39 weeks

38 weeks

We've officially made it into February and the 38th week! The Raijbaby's been a little quieter the past few days, so we had an ultrasound at our weekly appointment today just to make sure she's still comfortable in there...and she is. Everything looks great, and we found out our little girl weighs 6 pounds and 14 ounces right now! We also could see that she was sprouting some hair (and, fortunately, no beard).

Last night, we had the crib delivered and it looks beautiful. It's convertible, which means we can eventually change it into a toddler bed, a full bed, and even a day bed. We're still waiting on the matching dresser/changing table, but apparently baby furniture, much like babies, has a rather lengthy gestational period because we ordered this stuff in November!

Here are some photos of the crib and, more importantly, the start of the Raijbaby's eclectic music collection. Thanks to the Gorovsky grandparents for the furniture and to Dan for the CDs. Thank you also to the Raij grandparents for the stroller, car seats, and Pack 'n Play; to the Brandon family and Uncle Irwin for the video camera; to Uncle Brett for the Babies 'R Us gift card; and to the Cohens, Loks, Novotneys, Jacobsons, and Johnsens for some great clothes and other goodies. We are so lucky to have such generous family and friends.

Lullaby renditions of Queen and Radiohead...cause the Raijbaby already loves Freddie Mercury and depressing alt-rock.

36 weeks/Where did my belly button go?

Wow, 36 weeks! We're starting to feel pretty anxious over here but also a little more prepared now that we have most of the baby gear we'll need right away. Apparently, newborns don't need that much stuff, but we can at least say that the Raijbaby will have a place to sleep, some clothes to wear, and some diapers to, well, you-know-what in. On Saturday, we went to an expectant parents class at the hospital, where we got some good tips on feedings, changings, and what to expect those first few weeks (if you can ever really know what to expect). Today, we had both of our cars vacuumed and shampooed--de-Rubified, if you will. If there's one skill Ruby has, it's shedding! Now we can install the car seats on actual upholstery instead of an inch of dog hair.

As we prepare for the Raijbaby's arrival, my belly button has decided to drop below my level of vision. If I want to see my belly button (or what's left of it), I have to look in a mirror, as is demonstrated below. It hasn't popped out so much as stretched out. I don't really miss it, but it's a little strange when your body parts relocate. And that is one low-hangin' button.

35 weeks

Since I'm a little late with a New Year's-themed belly shot, our buddy Dan suggested a Tu b'Shevat photo instead. That seems fitting since Tu b'Shevat is the Jewish Arbor Day--New Year's for trees, if you will (and it takes place at the end of this month). The only problem is that the tree out back that I'd like to take a photo next to has a dead squirrel lying at the bottom of it. So I decided to avoid rabies and get a little crafty instead. Ruby, being a huge fan of trees (but more so of real trees with dead squirrels underneath), couldn't help but get in the shot. Here is the belly at 35 weeks and still growing...like a tree.

We've been invaded

...by baby stuff. And we have decided to ignore today's delivery of the stroller, car seat, and Pack 'n Play in favor of eating peanut butter cookies.

Not just a stroller and car seat--a "travel system." Now the Raijbaby can be catapulted into space to explore the galaxy!

The Pack 'n Play features another space-sounding term: "newborn napper station." We think it's like a lunar module that will allow the Raijbaby to achieve a state of sleepiness unattainable by such low-tech equipment as a bassinet.