39 weeks, 3 days...

Hehe. It has started.  The emails, the texts, the calls.  No, no baby yet :)  Maybe I'll do a brief post each night to mitigate the messages...

But it officially feels imminent.  As P explained to E tonight, when we were discussing something we'd like to do before the baby comes, "Papa!  Papa, the baby could be born, anytime.  Tomorrow even!"  And though contractions keep me up part of the night and the FIVE pee breaks a night are helping me to really get used to that constant newborn need to nurse, I'm thinking it may still be a while.  P was a freaking hardboiled egg (ten days late!) and I haven't hit that ohmygod-I-can't-stand- to-be-pregnant-for-another-second feeling yet.  Yet ;)   In fact, other than the fairly regular belly bashing (gauging my girth seems to be outside of my abilities lately:), it all feels much easier.  I know not being sick helps (!) but its also at the point where I've been pregnant for So Long that it finally feels normal :)

But enough baby babble.  The stuff spread all over our kitchen table (above pic) made me smile the other day, so I had to snap a shot.  This is our life.  The child drags in nature at every event.  There were seedpods, a captured bug, a crown of sticky burs, a seashell and a few old cicadas thrown in to explore the mix.  I can't seem to keep up with the collections, so I think we might make a giant project out of it.  Or maybe two.  I have some plans for our rainy winter that I'm kinda excited about...

Meanwhile, the child is growing into a stage of happy helpfulness.  Of course, bursting with baby, this seems like ideal timing.  In fact, he even stated he'd like to do some "chores." We already give him money every month, its something he was interested in a year or so ago and he is still very happily collecting his savings.  (He's saving for a house;)  Then, a few weeks ago, he said he'd like to earn his money.  Tricky, tricky spot...

We told him we were all for him helping - super yay!  But that we weren't super comfy "paying" him to help.  That, to us at least, family just helps family, well, just to help ;)  Much like we give him his share of the family money, just cuz he's part of the family.  No strings attached. I make him breakfast out of love, not duty.  We had a nice chat about it.

At the end of the conversation, he'd decided to get his money in smaller, weekly (rather than monthly) installments and do chores each week.  This Sunday was the end of the first week and when I went to give him his Sunday sum, he reported he was no longer interested.  He'd like to help out just to be helpful ;)  He didn't take the money :)

This actually ties into the table, I swear :)  So, today, as I was fixing our food, he noticed the table was, erm, less than pristine, as he went to set out the silverware and plates (something he independently started doing a few weeks ago).  So he grabbed a rag and our vinegar spray and went to cleaning.  As I sat the food down, he finished up and grinned at me, "Arent' you glad I'm so helpful?"  Lol :))))

His comment reminded me of something he'd said last month as we headed to the grocer.  Something to the extent (oh that I could remember his quote!) of how great of a kid he is.  Apparently, we have no need to worry about his self-esteem at this point :)  But he seems to have it grounded in some sort of spiritual spot too...  As we cuddled to sleep the other night (oh the simple sweetness of the last nights as a family of three!) I kissed him and thanked him for being mine.  "Your welcome,"  he said, "But you should really thank the Universe.  I wasn't in charge of that."  Phew.  Self esteem?  Affirmative.  God complex?  Negative ;)