It's important to be warm

*tick tick tick tick*
Today marks entry into the 9th month officially. Of course, given my moving target of a due date, I could easily be pregnant another six weeks still. I’m keeping that in mind so I don’t drive myself insane. Baby is willful and doesn’t want to engage. I’m sure he knows that my work schedule will not let up for another week plus and he’s taken it upon himself to be sure that there is no way he could be in place before I can give him my undivided attention.

I am looking forward to giving him that attention as much as he is. Once the projects end, I’ve set up several rewards for myself. Everything from lunches with friends to shopping for curtain fabric to painting the baby dresser set we got on Freecycle.

I am certainly not having a bad pregnancy, but it’s simply not fun either. Baby is moving a lot, but not around in such a way to get his knobby little noggin out from my right rib, where it’s keeping me from bending and breathing. He amuses me by sticking his butt out and turning my belly’s shape into that of an 80s era Bobby Brown haircut (yes, I mean The Gumby). On the bright side of baby positioning, I’m still sitting all the time due to working on the computer, and my rear is rather sore. It’s been mentioned to be that baby not engaging yet is probably doing me a favor as it would only make the swelling worse. Yeah, I haven’t even given birth yet and I’m talking about the health of my bottom. Consider me protective of my *ahem* fundamental system. The Gumby belly is a factor in all this as I happen to long-waisted and short-limbed, which makes keeping tidy more challenging in my less-flexible state.

Luckily I must have a certain glow about me that keeps strangers from touching me. I suspect they know on some level that I will hit them. Other pregnant women I know haven’t been so lucky and people have treated them as public property. There is good advantage to not be overly nice in the world. I get a few comments from the supermarket patrons, but nothing that’s even bordered on offensive thus far.

Speaking of women I know, the births in my circle have begun. S had her daughter and I’m anxiously hoping she’ll give me the full story once she’s back on her feet, or maybe when she visits the ‘burgh, if I’m not delivering smack in the midst of her visit. A few of those in my prenatal yoga have hatched as well. I get the snippets of their stories, as reported by our yoga teacher, and they run the gamut from fast, medicine-free to cesareans, just like the regular world. I’ve amassed an impressive collection of baby items from the moms I know and I have my shower this weekend. Presents! For me! I’ve never really had a party for the sole purpose of giving stuff to me before. Plus there will be cake. I’m thinking I might like it.

___

Now for the linkfest:
Origami is high on the list of things I’d love to be better at if I had the time. The fact that someone took the time to make a whale just adds to the inspiration. One fine day…

About a week and a half ago, my non-computer-owning yoga teacher and I were discussing the state of the world and how you can never tell if what you hear is satire or real news. That day, Bush had given his “I am the Decider” line and we went round and round about how it’s because he forgot the word “dictator”. A political friend sent me this amazing piece of hilarity later last week and I’ve been meaning to post it since especially as it has stuck itself firmly on repeat in my brain. Make sure your speakers are on, and if you haven’t heard The Beatles’ I am the Walrus lately, you might remind yourself. The link is a brilliant little piece of satire and works ever so well with the original beat. Impressive. I printed the lyrics out for my yoga teacher and she nearly peed herself just reading it.

This is totally random, but I found it will looking up the Gumby. Whoa. I gave up the search right there.

Filed by joy at 9:26 am under baby, random
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I <3 Etsy so much, and these cuddly monsters make me want to spend all my money right here, right now. Does my willful little pokey-monster want a disco gorilla, or perhaps the wolfman? Dear me…such problems. I love the little punk, but the safety pins make him a better toy for later.

Thus ends the cheery part of my post today. The rest of it is all whinging, so tune out now as you wish.

Dear gawd I’m so very bored of being pregnant. I’m uncomfortable at best, and often in actual physical pain. Nothing searing, but fairly constant and unpleasant. Even my skin aches, my sleep has no pattern, and I can’t breathe. My ribcage actually feels bruised. I’m well and healthy, sure, but happy? Please. I’m happy it’s nearly over. Another six weeks, give or take a few either way, and both baby and I will be much happier he’s on the outside.

I feel I have nothing interesting to say because what is truly working my brain is the constant longing to be at the end of pregnancy. I wake up hurting and go to sleep feeling beaten. It’s an unending list of things I can’t do, from reaching my feet to put on socks, to the fact that I’ve got the dropsy. My joints are wiggly and open and I’ve already spilled my shiny phone down the front cement steps, scratching it up horribly. Just as bad as the klutziness is that I can’t pick up what I drop. I can’t bend over, between the belly and the heartburn, so if I don’t have yards of room and I can’t pick it up with my toes, it’s likely going to stay on the floor. At least not having socks on is worth something there.

edit:
This evening I dropped the roll of TP into the toilet. Before flushing. I still don’t really understand how, but I know I’ve no one to blame but myself. *sigh*

Filed by joy at 11:30 am under baby, life
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Ah yes, the season of the paying of the tax. I wouldn’t mind so much if the government was spending it on anything I thought worthy. Ever wonder what the war (specifically the Iraq war, as opposed to our other failed wars in Afghanistan or the War on Drugs, or the War on Poverty, etc. etc.) is costing us? The internerd is here to help. The National Priorites Project has a running tab. You can compare the Iraq debacle to what it would cost to insure every child in the country, and other “pork-barrel” items.

If you’re feeling crafty as opposed to mathy, you can read up on how to make a budgetary quilt over at the American Friends site. Oh, those wacky, peace-mongering, investigated-by-the-FBI Quakers.

Filed by joy at 9:46 am under crafty, politics
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In an effort to not only amuse myself, but to get back in the habit of posting, I submit the content of two bumpers I ended up driving behind recently. Both made me laugh out loud.

1-
(two white text on black simple strip stickers)
Top: “You are going to die.”
Bottom: “Make love not sense.”
It’s the pairing that struck me so fondly.

2-
(in the style of the more well-known similar text, complete with the heart+heart-rate graph)
“a hamburger stops a beating heart”

It may be that my sense of humor has gone off on an odd wing, but I still think both of these are hilarious.

Filed by joy at 4:55 pm under life
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Ah my pretty city. You are hazy and challenging to navigate and I love all your hills and valleys and insanely placed roads. Personally, I’m a big fan of the little neighborhoods tucked-in between hills and cliff sides, though your skyline(s) are a sight to behold.

Ganked from I <3 Pgh, here is a photoseries of your loveliness. It also invites a “Where’s Waldo” game of where the shots were all taken from. Some are easy to guess, some I have no idea. Of course, I recognized the Butler Street view right away.

Filed by joy at 9:07 am under visuals
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I’ve been wanting to take this shot for ages. It’s the upgrade on the power station just a block away from the house. Every time I drive by, I envision them marching out of the fence and parading down Liberty Avenue.

Filed by joy at 12:12 pm under visuals
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