WEEK 40! IT'S PUMPKIN DAY!

Just to be clear... THIS pumpkin weighs like 35lbs... hopefully very unlike our dear Hazelnut. He's more like 9lbs-ish and just over 20 inches long. His lungs are continuing to develop, and his nails and hair are apparently still growing!

Honestly, I didn’t think I’d make it to week 40 (my due date). I thought I’d go early because a) my Mom did, and b) I’m huge. But... here I am!

Okay, now THIS may be the last listy-loo...

1. The absolute most hilarious little interaction to occur during my entire pregnancy...

Little boy (with hands on my belly): Why is your tummy so fat?
Me: Because there’s a baby in there!
Little boy (moving hands to my sides): Oh… why aren’t the sides fat?
Me: Because some people only carry babies out front!
Little boy (now cupping my breasts) :Why are these so fat? I thought the baby was only in the tummy!

OH MAN! I was a tad caught off guard and thus sweetly responded with something about some women carrying babies everywhere (whilst barely containing my laughter). In hindsight, perhaps I should've taught the little gaffer a bit of a lesson about breast-groping (rather than completely reinforcing it)! Next time...

2. We’ve had a hot and beautiful summer, and Lowell and I FINALLY got to float down the river with Nicholas, Chelsea, and da poochies. We only have pictures of our cramped arrival as we didn’t have a waterproof camera.

The trip started out delightfully calm, beautiful and relaxing (well, at least for Chels and I who had luxury air mattresses and did NOT have doggies climbing atop our flotation devices WITH us), but over a 10-minute time period, the temperature dropped 15 degrees, and the wind picked up immensely causing choppy waters. We aborted mission and walked the 2kms back to our drop-off vehicle. Lowell joked that someday we would share with Hazelnut what we did 2 hours before he was born. Seriously though, we WERE pretty impressed (and a little shocked) that labour was NOT induced!

3. We were talking with friends about how most people can’t wait to get their babies out of them at this stage of the pregnancy, and Lowell said “We don’t feel that way…we love it!” Yes… WE. I guess that means that he DOESN’T mind giving daily massages, and perhaps this practise will continue? Lowell?

4. CARLYNNE'S HERE!! I hadn’t seen Carlynne since January (when we were about the same size). When I first laid eyes on her this week, my first thought was, “Carlynne lost weight!” I brought it up to Lowell later and said with concern, “Did she lose weight? Did she not look TINY to you?” Lowell agreed that she DID look small, then we realized what was ACTUALLY going on. We were both used to MY new normal (which is NOT so petite). This hang out time has GOT to be good for Carlynne’s self esteem!

It’s been a hoot having Carlynne around. We hang out all day, have quality gal time with mama, and have a daily scheduled nap time (always a must). Also, it’s kind of ASSUMED that we all congregate at Mom & Dad’s for supper every single night for family time. LOVE!

One of the first things Mom, Clyn and I did was get pedicures. (Note the swollen legs. One of the cute Vietnamese pedicure ladies walked by me, placed her hand on my shin and proclaimed, "Oooo! Swollen!" Yes indeedy.)

I had one foot painted pink and one foot painted blue. NOT because I want our child to be confused about his/her sexual orientation, but because we don’t know if we’re having a boy or a girl. Carlynne gave me the idea. Being a medical gal herself, she thought the medical team would get a kick out of it. I’ll report back.

5. I think Watson (Carlynne and Dan's 11-month old golden doodle) may be even more human than Kumeu (if that's even possible). THIS is apparently a familiar sight around BOTH households…

Also, both doggies have bed access...

But Watso’s human tendencies have expanded beyond Kumeu’s. Like… in the car. Following a trip to the dog run, both dogs WERE in the very back, then Watso climbed into the back seat and sat up regally. Carlynne and I stopped to run into a store and when we came back out, Watso was sitting elegantly in the FRONT seat (while Kumeu was obediently in the very back where he has recently been relegated because of the coming child). Next thing we know, Watso will be driving US to run errands.

This is the first time Watson & Kumeu have met, and they get along famously...

6. The stretchmarks on my stomach are now so expansive that it's almost a work of art... almost.

7. My feet have been RIDICULOUSLY swollen. We went to see The Help with the fam (FANTASTIC movie, by the way), and this is what my feet looked like when we got home...

hot.

8. Thank you for all the personal well-wishing messages... and also for the threats that I need to go into labour so you can win Starbucks/iTunes!

9. Lately I haven't been getting many comments about being pregnant with twins because I've confirmed that my due date is indeed very near. However, TWO DAYS AGO, I told a lady that I was due in TWO DAYS, and she continued, "with twins?" Hehe :)

10. When I asked Lowell if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, his immediate response was “no”. I asked him why not, and he responded, “What if I cut the wrong thing? Like a leg… or a penis.” I assured him that the medical team would likely be very clear about what needed to be cut. I think he WILL do it… that is, if he’s not already passed out in the corner.

11. This whole week has been amusing. When people ask me when I'm due and I respond with "on Sunday", they get a panicky look in their eyes like they're silently pleading with me not to have the baby right there in front of them. Entertaining for me!

12. There has been a lot of cramping going on this past week. I have a hard time telling the difference between menstrual-type, bowelly, and contractiony cramping, but regardless.... something has GOT to be going on down there.

13. I've mentioned my philosophy about not commenting on someone's pregnancy- no matter how obvious- unless they mention it first. HOWEVER, now that I'm on the obviously pregnant side, it seems almost rude when people DON'T acknowledge that I'm pregnant. Hmmmm.... I'm sticking with my philosophy though... it just ain't worth it.

14. Our labour kit is soooo packed and ready to go!

15. Some of you are really brave! You STILL haven’t voted and TODAY’S MY DUE DATE!! Ummm…. I’d get on that… NOW! Click here: http://goo.gl/Fxd0J

16. I'm now measuring about 43 inches around.

(This is Lowell playing with the camera, lighting, and a pregnant lady!)

17. This morning Lowell and I invited ourselves to the rents' place for a spontaneous breakfast, and we arrived bearing pumpkin spice lattes for all as it's PUMPKIN DAY. It was just a coincidence that Mom had homemade scones in the oven and a big bowl of fresh fruit cut up and ready for eats. Yum!

18. We're sort of banking on Hazelnut being born this week... mainly because we have no idea how one would top a 35-lb pumpkin!