38 weeks

It's suddenly struck me how weird it is that this baby could come tomorrow, or it could come in a month.  That is a really big span of time, right?

At this point, sooner already sounds better than later to me.

{this is my "I feel like a beached whale" face}

the last day of grad school

Today was my last rehearsal of grad school, my last class of grad school, and my last performance of grad school.

As it turns out, two years can go by pretty quickly.

Last night I had sent my friend and fellow student Melissa an email entitled "our day: the official plan."

The email read:

1. Drive to Boston together

2. Red Mango

3. Quartet rehearsal

4. Improv class

5. Dinner someplace delicious

6. Honors concert performance

7. Pinkberry

8. Drive home, having totally conquered life.

We had to alter my master plan slightly, because a) frozen yogurt twice in one day is too decadent even for the most significant of days and b) Melissa had a lesson during dinner time, but other than those changes, we stuck to the plan, and finished the day as life-conquerers.  Or at least almost-violin-masters.

We carpooled to school for the last time ever.

At quartet rehearsal, I took a picture of my bow beside Melissa's bow.  Our bows are siblings, both made by Pierre-Yves Fuchs.  I got mine last year and she got hers this spring.  We love our bows.

Tulips are still in bloom outside the church across from BoCo.

I went to my last improv class -- a class I've really loved, with a hilarious and insightful professor and wonderful fellow students.

Oh BoCo.  I think I'll probably miss you sometimes.

I thought the last day of grad school deserved a real dinner, and not just some hastily-packed PB&J from home, so Miriam and I went to Pho Basil.  I got drunken noodle with tofu.  Nom nom nom.

{Hey, I went to Pho Basil on my last day of school last spring, too!}

Then it was concert time.  My quartet had been chosen to perform in the Honors Chamber Music Concert, one of five groups selected.  We played Beethoven.

By the time we realized we should take a picture, Miriam had already left for home.  Oh well, three out of four is something, at least.

{A nice washed out picture... thanks, iPhone.}

Then it was time for Pinkberry.

I got peach frozen yogurt with strawberries, pineapple, and sliced oranges.

 

We enjoyed our expertly-swirled deliciousness.

And then we drove home.

The end of an era, I think.

Up next in life:

Commencement and/or having a baby, depending on which one comes first.

You never can tell with babies, after all.

something is askew

Google is a fun, creative company.

Do you want to know how I know?

Well, for one thing, go Google the word "askew."  

Or just click here -- I did it for you.

I love it!

37 weeks

Recently I stopped at Trader Joe's to pick up a few things.

People, it is now possible to buy eggs and yogurt with sell-by dates stamped on them that are after this Baby's due date.

This discovery blew my mind a little.

maternity swimwear

Even though I only have about a month of pregnancy left, I broke down and bought a maternity swimsuit. I got this one on sale:

Looks pretty cute on that model, right?

But wait... she doesn't actually look pregnant.

So it looks more hilarious than cute on me.

But still.

Everyone told me that swimming while pregnant is just the greatest.

THEY WERE RIGHT.

I went to the gym yesterday and christened the bathing suit with 20 laps in the pool.

{Related note: prayed not to run into anyone I knew at the gym while wearing a swimsuit at 8+ months pregnant.}

I felt like a normal person while in that pool. I felt great.

Then I had to get out of the pool.

And I felt like I weighed 500 pounds.

That wasn't the fun part.

Conclusion: Swimming while pregnant? Highly recommended.

ten little things

ONE

The perfect green smoothie:

spinach

frozen banana

almond butter

soy milk/coconut milk/whatever

generous amount of cinnamon

seriously delicious.

TWO

A boy in my Montessori violin class is always saying the funniest things. For example:

"Have you had your baby yet?"

"No, it's still in here."

"Oh. Well, when you get it out, can you bring it to violin class so I can check and see if it's a boy or a girl?"

THREE

And another humorous comment from him, upon seeing a bug on the window screen in our classroom:

"Ooooh, my killer instinct is tingling!"

FOUR

I ate a lot of hard-boiled eggs just after Easter. I've always been more of a yolk girl than an egg white girl (the texture of a boiled egg white seems squeaky on my teeth or something), so when I cut into this egg I found myself wishing all eggs could be like this. Look at the size of that yolk!

FIVE

You know you've played in too many pit orchestras when you walk through a high school hallway, hear a voice from a classroom saying, "When I want you to know, I'll tell you!", and think to yourself, "Oh, they're doing Fiddler on the Roof." True story.

SIX

I stopped by a farm stand today on my way home from running some errands, and found this sign pretty humorous:

SEVEN

I've been taking walks when I can, enjoying the nice weather -- although the 70 and 80 degree days are a little less delightful for me than they seem to be for everyone else, leading to swollen, puffy feet and hands that ache. But still, walks are great. I took one walk around the college where Nathan works, after picking him up for a quick "date" dinner at Panera recently, and then dropping him off again for a rehearsal.

So beautiful!

Some geese decided to waddle around with me.

{Us waddlers have to stick together.}

EIGHT

Another walk I took recently was a rather strange one: Nathan and I decided to walk our rototiller from property #1 over to our new house, which is about 1.5 miles away. We had left it in the garage at the rental property all winter, and now we need it here to till up some space so I can plant a vegetable garden. But of course, we can't fit it into his Honda Civic or my Ford Fusion. So we just walked it all the way here a few evenings ago, at about 8 pm, in the dark. An adventure!

NINE

How ridiculous is this? I think this grammatically incorrect sign has been displayed in the bathrooms at my school for my two years of grad school, with no one ever bothering to correct it and reprint it!

{One can only assume that they actually mean "use designated disposal boxes."}

TEN

Nathan and I had our first Bradley childbirth class last night. We have a wonderful instructor who agreed to cram what is normally a 12-week course for groups of couples into just three one-on-one sessions with us, given our crazy schedules.

I figure I'd better learn how to have this baby, given that he or she could arrive within the next month, right?

36 weeks

I was looking back at my earlier weekly dear baby letters, and while I remember thinking I was getting huge weeks and weeks ago, now I see those pictures and realize... that was nothing!

Will I look back on these pictures in four more weeks and think the same thing?

A frightening prospect! I'm already finding it difficult to put on my socks in the morning, or to reach down for the shampoo on the floor of the shower. And I recently stepped into a public restroom stall and went to close the door, only to find that I bumped it into my belly instead and had to do some maneuvering to get the door shut.

{Awkward, yes.}

One Little Month

April 11.

April 11 is one month away from May 11.

May 11 is Baby's due date!

One tiny month (give or take) left until we meet our baby... where has the time gone? It really doesn't feel like it's been over eight months since that positive pregnancy test one early September afternoon.

I commemorated the one-month countdown by trying out my first prenatal yoga class.

Actually, make that my first yoga class ever, pregnant or otherwise.

I really enjoyed it. I think I'll make it a weekly occurrence until Baby makes his or her appearance.

Also, I've been going for long walks now that my master's recital is over and my life is a little (or even a lot) less crazy. Spring is springing up all over, and the world is beautiful.

Joy in the Congo

From last night's 60 Minutes: Joy in the Congo.

I've never watched 60 Minutes before, but a student's mom mentioned this segment to me today and I looked it up online to watch it. I'm so glad I did. The story of this orchestra is incredible -- a symphony orchestra in the Congo that plays Western classical music with tremendous enthusiasm and dedication.

Next time I feel like complaining because I "have to go to a rehearsal," I will remind myself of these people, who walk 90 minutes each way to rehearsals almost daily because they want so much to participate in the joy of making music.

35 weeks

It's Holy Week, and that means lots and lots of hours spent in church, since both Nathan and I sing in the church choir. Just between yesterday and this evening, I think we spent seven hours in church services.

It's funny, I don't remember all the standing making my back and my feet ache as much last year. I don't recall the singing, or even just breathing for that matter, being so difficult. And I certainly don't think that last year I would have almost toppled over during the slow processing.

I suspect that all of this has something to do with a few {cough cough} extra pounds weighing me down, a little baby bottom pressed against my lungs, tiny feet kicking me in the ribs, and my center of balance being considerably abnormal these days.