9 months.

another long overdue update. can i first say i didn't even want to write "long overdue" because i don't want to type it into reality. April 8th.. that would be an ideal date for me... i'm not really sure why, but I am pretty over being pregnant, and that's only 6 days early. but anyway now for a quick update of what's been going on over the past month or so since my last update... or more than a month... please forgive any spelling/typo/grammar errors, i'm just really not in the mood to go back and correct this.

where to start. I am 37 weeks. That is considered "full term". So that's always nice. Baby Ben can come anytime now and it would be fine. I would like him to wait a bit longer because i do still feel like there is stuff around the house that needs to be done, but for the most part, things are done. And that is thanks to the fact that i have officially stopped working. March 11th was my last day, and ever since then i have been going, going, going trying to get tons done. While it's been really nice not working, it's been interesting too.

I worked at America World for 4+ years... that's a long time. So it's been an adjustment not seeing and interacting with people every single day, at least in the same capacity that i did at work. I also miss the type of work i did... helping unite families with their children, working on behalf of the orphans. It was good, sweet work. The environment was Christian and i was able to really see and watch the Lord work on behalf of these children and through these families. The job was definitely a blessing and not something that everyone has the opportunity to do. And of course i miss the friends i made/have there... but on the other side of that i do not miss my 1hr (on a good day) commute one way, or the stress that the job does have- considering you are dealing with very important matters... people's children. Of course there is stress, and lots of it. I know that this was the right decision for our family and i am so incredibly thankful and blessed that i am able to be a full time homemaker... or whatever you want to call it.

next. baby showers. i have been very blessed with 4, yup, 4 baby showers. I only have pictures from two of them (below), but was so blessed by all the people who were excited to celebrate this new stage in my life and Baby Ben :) thank you to everyone again.

now with a bit of "pregnant attitude..."

lastly, a couple things...

if one more person tells me to "sleep now" (b/c i won't be sleeping when baby arrives), i am going to scream. 1) sleeping now does nothing. there is no such thing as "stocking up on sleep" i can't put my sleep in bank and make a withdraw later. 2) i know that when baby arrives its going to be hard to get sleep. yes, i know. do you want to tell me again? are you trying to be encouraging? not working.

i also am not a fan of the question "how is the baby doing?". What, may i ask, is the point of this question? This, similar to the question "is the baby moving?". Are you trying to make me question how the baby is doing? b/c that's what you do when you ask this question. Umm, i think the baby is fine, i can't actually SEE him, my doctor says everything is normal- at least that was at my last appointment... a week ago... and yea he's moving, i mean maybe not as much as before, hmm... yes that is what this question does. and the point? i don't know.

lastly, what are your expectations when asking "how are you doing?". I am fine. I am tired- but i won't say that again because all i will get in response to that is "well sleep now!"... i am really uncomfortable... but then i get, "well at least you can sleep now", or "well it'll be over soon". So my new answer, "i'm fine, for being X months pregnant". No, i am not the person who loves being pregnant, but i am also not the person who has a bad pregnancy. I am just a pregnant person who will tell you how she's feeling, but really doesn't want to be told to sleep or that it'll get better, etc....

i say all these things really with humor. i've also heard "you'll get tons of unwanted advice/comments, questions, etc.". And i have, and i've dealt with them. I've never been rude, and i appreciate people caring... or just being curious, but i just lay all this out here now so you, as reader, know what not to ask/say to a pregnant person. That's all. I am really not angry and bitter about it. Just, you know, 9 months pregnant :)