31 Weeks (2 months left)

We had the Most Delightful Holiday Weekend Ever. You know how all long weekends end with the sentiment "I don't want to go back to work tomorrow," no matter how much you love your job? It usually feels like "I need a vacation from this vacation, I'm so tired, I just can't bear the thought of working tomorrow!" Well, this time, as we fell asleep on Monday night, we both felt the "I don't want to go back" part, but it was more of a "I just want more of this" feeling instead.

We ate a lot of ice cream.
We played with our dog.
We boated and fished.
We played with our family.

Best of all, we lay in the grass on our front lawn, under the maple tree, just taking in the most perfect weather of all time, with Riley at our feet grinning and wagging and resting along with us. It was, to be entirely accurate, delightful.

One of my other favorite activities this weekend was our brunch at Joe's Boathouse in South Portland. (If you've never been, you MUST try them for brunch. Not dinner - dinner's fine, but their brunch is wonderful. If you're a benedict person - definitely ask for a crabmeat benedict, and tell them exactly how you want your egg poached.) My brother and his girlfriend were visiting from Boston, so most of the local family members met there on Sunday morning. I accidentally told one of my brothers the wrong time, so he got there early and got us the best table out on the deck. Not only was the food delicious, the conversation hilarious, and the setting gorgeous, but I was on a "I'm so proud of me" sort of high....

Dan and I rode our bikes there.

That's right. I rode my $5 Goodwill-purchased classic beach cruiser (that means it's old, heavy, and has only one gear) the entire 3.1 miles. I'm going to go ahead and toot my own horn, because I just think it's so cool that I (a non-athletic person) rode the aforementioned bicycle (pretty, but rickety) 6.2 miles round-trip.

Now, I would be proud of this feat normally. I would be bragging about it to people who are more fit than I. I would be grinning ear to ear.

Add to the equation that I'm 7 months pregnant, and my thighs bumped into my belly with every pump on the pedals, that I'm about 25 pounds heavier than usual, that I've got twice as much blood pumping through my body...et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. How proud am I of myself?!? (So proud. My ears hurt from my big grin.)

Mom and George spent the day on Saturday helping me paint the nursery. They did most of the work. (Wow - can my mother ever cut in! Like a pro.) The room is now the perfect lilacy-colored purple, and is almost ready for furniture. The changing table is on order, and we've picked out a crib. I will probably need a chest of drawers, too...we'll see! I'll put pictures up when it's furnished.

Here's the news on baby Vi:
Your baby measures about 16 inches long. She weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for another growth spurt. She can turn his head from side to side. Of course, she doesn't yet understand that this movement means "no," but you'll be surprised how quickly she picks up on that and other gestures after she's born. The fat layer she's been accumulating for the last few weeks has caused her arms and legs to fill out nicely.

We have an ultrasound scheduled for June 4th - I'll get those pictures up ASAP.