It wasn't permanent

The marker that is. Turns out it was a white board marker & it came off easily in the bath water. So don't you worry your pretty little heads about the hideousness that was the baby on my belly. I'm just hoping what pops out is a wee bit more attractive to say the least. Who knows though, newborns can be pretty ugly. What?! I said that? Ooops. Of course all babies are stunningly gorgeous & the apples of their mother's eyes. All babies are beautiful. Right?

Whatever. I know our bun is basically going to look like some sort of cone-headed elf, probably with dark curly hair & maybe some freckles to boot. Mmmmm... that actually sounds more like a hobbit. Great, I'm going to give birth to Elijah Wood. Maybe we'll have to come up with a name like "Burry 'Headstrong' Primstone, Shire-thain" or "Cecla Harfoot of Buckland" via the Hobbit Name Generator. Perhaps just "My Precious" will do. Nothing a little therapy can't fix later. You'll probably think the name we'll come up with is just as weird anyway. Please understand though that you can't totally blame me for it (though I do have total veto power) as I came up with a huge list of names that included some "normal" ones & buddy quickly scratched most of them off the list saying they either sounded like floor cleanser or donuts. So if you don't like the bun's name when we finally decide try to remember that it'll be fine for a hobbit-elf child that's related to weirdos like us.

So I bet you all are wondering "what's up?", or more like "what's down?". Not much as far as I can tell. Still having cramps, nausea & heartburn. I think I've probably dilated a bit because of the tingly stabby pains I've been getting for a while (best name for it ever: "beaver stabs" ). Nothing hurts more the lower left-hand side of my back though. We walked the dog (yes, he's still alive) two nights ago & all of a sudden I felt a popping sensation & then sharp pain as my pelvic bones seemed to magically separate from my tailbone. Ow, ow, ow!!!!! It still hurts like a freaking bitch when I stand up & walk around so I've been pretty much sitting on my ass or lying on my back most of my time so it won't hurt so bad & also so I won't say the "ow" word in front of Calvin any more than I have to. The man is seriously driving me nuts asking me if I'm in labour yet. Don't get me wrong - it's totally sweet that he's so excited & impatient & nervous, but it's like listening to one of those dolls that you pull the string from out of it's back so it can say the same thing over & over & over & over again. Or like when you were on a road trip as a kid & you asked "Are we there yet?" until your parents' ears bled.

Don't worry honey, I still lurve you.

Today I think I'm going tile shopping for a fun design project I'm still doing work on.... that is if I can manage to get dressed & into a car. I did a bit of work yesterday as well which I'm sure you're all thinking is crazy (why isn't she sleeping?) but it actually kept my mind off the cramps & back pain. I think I'll bake a cake today too so we'll have something yummy to graze on while we hang out with the midwives. That sounds ominous in a last-minute sort of nesting instinct thing.... cake baking to bring on labour. We'll see, maybe I'll make some muffins too. I have a suspicion I'll be making it to the midwife appointment tomorrow morning & she'll tell me I'm early labour. I seriously believe that the bun will make it's appearance on Friday sometime - no idea why, it's just the feeling I've had for a while now. I really don't think it'll go into November but who knows - I've got until the 4th & they'll start sending me for tests by Monday or Tuesday to make sure the oven is still in working order.

I'm really not that impatient for it to all be over even though the last two days have gotten a bit rough & very uncomfortable. I'll miss watching the squirmathon alien shows & the rib tickling. I'll miss being probably the cheeriest I've ever been in my life (Calvin thinks I should be knocked up all the time). I'll even miss the good-luck belly rubs I get from friends & the oh-so comfy maternity clothes I get to wear. (Who am I kidding? I'll still be wearing them months from now.) Even though this has probably been the hardest thing physically I've ever put my body through & the heartburn almost killed me I've really been blessed with a relatively fantastic pregnancy. Has it been the hardest physical thing I've ever done? I guess the hardest part is still to come, but if I compare this to hours of pointe class or the half-marathon or hiking up a mountain I think that this probably does beat them all, but only by virtue of the fact that in this case my feeling of total lack of control over what is happening surpasses the physical trials of the others.

Blah, blah, blah. I'm sure I'm talking out my ass again & that of course I know nothing until I have the bun in my arms & even then, nothing until it reaches the dreaded puberty years. Hell, I'm just taking things as they come & writing what comes into my head. If my ideas (or baby names for that matter) suck or are totally off the mark once bun arrives I have only myself to blame. That and the Guinness. Anyway, if anything changes today I'll post later.... if not I'll update after the midwife appointment tomorrow morning. Stay gold pony boy -stay gold.