Happy Valentine's Day...An anniversary, of sorts

Today marks the second anniversary of Rob's and my first official meeting. A mutual friend, Alice, had brought me out to the Rose Garden where he was working to go see some live music. Gene Nichols, a local legend, college professor, and musician extraordinaire, was on the schedule. Ours was a brief meeting - he served me a mug of tea - but I knew that what I'd suspected was there two months before when I first saw him was it.

Anyway, today Gene Nichols was playing in our town, so Rob, Zoe, and I walked over to the Arts Center to take in a few hours of his wonderful music. He started out the set with "Here Comes the Sun", the song he played at our wedding right after we were married. Rob also announced that it was two years ago, at another one of his shows, that he and I first met. Very special. Equally special was our post-show conversation with Heidi, a patron of every artistic event that goes on in our little town, who gave us her piano back before we got married. We were talking about our thoughts about the birth, and how we were doing it at home, in the water, etc. Her take on it was very refreshing compared to what I'm used to getting when people learn that I'm going a more traditional, less common route. Then she told us that when her first child was born, she thought that the placenta was the most beautiful thing, and then that she had the sudden impulse to lick her baby clean. Wow.

Later on, the three (or four, rather) of us went over to a Valentine's Day get-together at the home of our friends Rafi and Anne. There was a great crowd there playing music, eating Anne's amazing strawberry shortcake, and decorating valentines that were later strung up across the room. I wish I'd thought to bring along my camera. The music was terrific, and luckily we brought along instruments - Rob his trombone, Zoe her violin, and I played guitar (Rob and Zoe were both enormous hits, needless to say). The best Valentine's Day I've ever spent.

Oh, and Rob's confident prediction that our little gal would be born today didn't come to fruition. Guess she's just not ready yet. But I'm still five days away from the 19th.

A free agent

Tuesday, rather than today, was my last day of work. I'd planned on working through the week, minus Friday for my last midwife appointment, but when I felt like I was dragging myself through the day, holding myself up on file cabinets and such, I knew it was time to give it a rest. It's not like I was going to get the Big Hero award at my school for sticking it out to the bitter end. So I've spent the last two days at home tidying up, painting, taking walks with Rob, and trying to not watch the proverbial pot. Last night, the little one had a major burst of energy; she'd been more or less dormant for the past few days, but at bedtime she was responding to me rubbing areas where I felt her knees and feet poking. She's a ticklish one, to be sure, and was moving around to beat the band.
Two nights ago Rob took this picture of me (the first few he took from a most-unflattering foot-beneath-me angle - who does that? - till I explained to him that it's bad form), just so we have at least one shot of me while I'm good and pregnant. This is why I'm not overly enthused by having my picture taken while I'm aware. A feast for the eyes:
Now I'm off to finish cleaning the bedroom...

10 Days

I'm now ten days till the 19th, and I believe I won't be making it that far. The little one's been making her final descent; there's no longer the pain in my lower ribs that had been nagging me since early November, startling me awake at night and causing me to rest my hand between my rib and bra just to get by without undue discomfort. No more. And as of last night, she's slowed her movement considerably; where I normally feel her activity around 11 as I'm going to bed, and again when I rise in the morning, this did not happen the last time around. I'm not worried - I'm just taking this sign to mean that she's on her way down rather than in a coma. Ten days isn't unusually early. My substitute is here and shadowing, so if I have to leave work now, things will be under control. Just watching the clock now...