That is all. :(

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UPDATE: I don't know why those little Twitter/Facebook buttons appeared all over my blog all of the sudden. I didn't put them there. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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School was canceled because of the snow, but I felt guilty just sitting in here doing nothing. I roamed around the house until about 9:30, then bundled up and shoveled a path to my car. My neighbor came over from next door and helped me out again, and, like the last time, another neighbor down the street came and snow-blowed the plow bank at the end of my driveway. I think I'm going to add a couple extra plants to the garden, so I can give proper thanks to my neighbors in the summer.
    

I'm feeling quite a bit better lately (certainly better than the last time I wrote).

The hip pain has largely gone away (for now?). I've had heartburn exactly twice (and might not have been related to the baby). I've learned to regulate my liquid intake (small drinks throughout the day rather than waiting until I'm parched and then chugging an entire gallon of water/orange juice) so that has mostly taken care of the shortness of breath and having to get up to pee during the night. No swollen hands/feet. No stretch marks (knock! on! wood!).

It's 7:30 and I'm exhausted, so this will be short (sorry!) but I wanted to let you all know my class hasn't killed me yet. It has been trying, though.

Today was the 3rd day of class - we finished chapter 9. 175 pages in 3 days! We also had our first exam today, covering the first 6 chapters. I don't want to be all braggy, but I think I knocked it out of the park. :)

But. I can almost feel the grey hairs growing as a result of this class.

Baby has had enough of it, too. Today he showed his displeasure by Riverdancing throughout the entire four and a half hours. :/

I haven't written much about the baby lately, mostly because there isn't a whole lot to say. He dances furiously for a few hours and sleeps the rest of the time (or just dances quietly?). A tough life.

I have not been having it so easy, though. I'm always tired (and hungry). I'm slow. My hips and lower back scream for days. I feel like I'm as big as the moon. Everyone wants to touch me and fawn over me and I just want to be left alone.

I know, I know, soon there will be better days. The baby will be here and Theseus will be home and I'll be happy again. Right now, though, this is just about the worst I've ever felt in my life.

My OB's office called me yesterday.
    

There's a freakin' dance party going on in there.

I'm not usually at a loss when it comes to home decor, except for the baby's room. For every other room in our house, I have a pretty good idea of how I would like it to look - general color scheme, a way to make it flow into/from connected rooms, what kind of furniture I'd like, etc.

Now. For those of you who have actually seen my house, you'll see that while there might not be a shortage of ideas, there is definitely a shortage of manpower. Much of our house remains in the condition it was in when we bought it, over a year ago. Come home, Theseus!! Seriously, when he gets back, this place will be awesome. You'll see.
    

Baby,

So... you're a boy! Of course, you already knew that, but it was exciting for me and your dad to find out yesterday.

You were sleeping for most of the ultrasound, so it was very easy for the technician to get all her measurements. She said you are just the right size! She showed me your legs and little feet, and just like last time, you kept one of your hands near your face. She took some more pictures for me - I'm going to have them all framed and hang them in your room. You'll be able to see them yourself in a few months.

Since your dad couldn't be there at the appointment with me, I asked the technician to write whether you are a boy or a girl in my notebook and then close it, so your dad and I could read it together later on the phone. He called me while I was driving back to our house and I pulled over at the milkshake place to look in my notebook. It was really a special moment for us. We can't wait to have you here where we can see and hold you.

We are both so excited to meet you!

Love,
Mom

Monday: It was rainy and miserable, and I was walking to my second class. I'd just about turned the corner of the building, nearly to the stairs, when --- tap, tap, tap, tap, tap

This is new. It was a quiet sort of feeling - if it were a sound, it would be the softest whisper, a stray leaf against the window, or the first drop of rain on the roof. Is it?

I paused for a second. tap, tap, tap

Yes. Baby.

tap, tap, tap, tap, tap