28 Weeks

Hello, Third Trimester!

Some think this sounds morbid, but honestly: I'm relieved to know that if for some reason I went in to labor right now, Elizabeth would very likely survive thanks to modern technology and NICUs. I'd infinitely prefer she stay where she is for another 12 weeks, but it's a small comfort. Like making it through your first semester and knowing you have a much lower miscarriage rate.

Apparently, Lee and I both thought Elizabeth's middle name was going to be something different. I thought we had decided on Anne; Lee thought we had decided on Jane. Now we're open for debate again. Thoughts? I'm not sure if Vince Gill's song Liza Jane helps or hurts my affection for Jane. I also thinking naming my daughter after my favorite fictional character and author seems  a little much for one name. Of course I also adore Anne Elliott so the alternative is naming her after two of my favorite fictional characters. I have long considered Anne as a potential name though, before I knew and loved Anne Elliott, so does that make it less weird? In college I made calls to high school students encouraging them to come to Centre, and one girl I called was totally named Elizabeth Bennet LastName. It could be a family name, or maybe her mom and I should be friends.

Lee finally felt Elizabeth move. It was exciting.

I have my glucose test this week and I handled the blood work portion like a champ, meaning that I did not make Lee speak to me in his squeaky voice. He did have to sit right next to me though and I squeezed his hand.

I was kind of getting tired of reading birth books, even though I've only read 1.25, but I think I'm going to power through them. The more I can hype myself up mentally for this birth thing, the better. Lee and I agree that the only thing between me and my happy fuzzy image of a natural birth is my tendency to panic. I'm so good at panicking. I really do believe birth is largely mental so I will indoctrinate myself with everything (ish) Ina May ever wrote. (And yes I know that birth is unpredictable and the only thing that matters is that we all leave the hospital alive, but I also think it's important to have goals and plans for accomplishing large feats, like helping my tiny human out of my belly and into my arms for snuggles. Very much looking forward to snuggles.)

I have been consuming a ridiculous amount of candy and root beer floats lately. This prompts the following conversation with myself:
- You really shouldn't be eating all this candy.
- What Elizabeth wants, Elizabeth gets.
- You know you would never actually give Elizabeth this much candy.
Then I nom away anyway.

The nursery color scheme thoughts that have been floating in my head were finally starting to form into a solid plan...until Joann's sold out of my favorite yellow fabric. I'm hoping the room will be decorated by the time she's five. Basically we're looking at pink/yellow, teal/yellow or teal/pink.

I painted my nails last night for what is probably the last time before baby. I could barely reach my toes. Lee has been informed he might have to take over the feet grooming for awhile. I can't remember if I've told him he's also going to have to start bathing Zoey and scrubbing the bath tub because leaning over the tub is unpleasant. Hmm... Maybe he'll think of bathing Zoey as a form of torture and enjoy it.

Slightly-baby related news: I've been wanting to improve my photography skills for sometime but really haven't. I have oodles of online tutorials and articles bookmarked for me to read and study but I still haven't sat down to do it. So I signed up for a one-day, four-hour class at a local camera shop. It's not until June 25 so just in time for me to be ready to take oodles and oodles of baby pictures. (I kind of want to do a photo series like this one.)