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Somehow it seems like I’m much larger than other women I know that are pregnant.  My belly measures the right size and I have gained an okay amount of weight, but somehow the shape and position of my belly makes it seem bigger. I’m definitely ready for this baby to come!

Kate with Squishy at 37 weeks

For the brave, we also updated the bare belly shot under About Todd and Kate.

Posted by Kate

Todd and I have been reminiscing and looking back at pictures and videos of Sam to try and remember what this new baby will be like.  We’ve also been using them as a tool to prepare Sam for the newborn phase.  Last night we stumbled upon a video of us talking to Sam at dinner and trying to decipher what he’s saying and it still cracks us up.  He’s so patient as we try and figure out what he’s saying!

Click here for post of Sam chatting at dinner at about 19 months old.

The funniest part, one that didn’t come through in the post at the time, is that this is one is a series of six separate videos from this same meal, totaling about 20 minutes of footage.  The topics vary, as conversations can with a child, but each is equally hilarious.

Sam still talks nonstop when he’s in the right mood.  I took him to my midwife appointment yesterday and he was chatting with the nurse for at least 5 minutes before I finally told her she might be in for a long day if she let’s the conversation go on.  He’s started to enact situations with his toys when he plays alone, too, but we have yet to get those fabulous conversations on video.   Now that we are done with our apartment renovations and are hunkering down waiting for this baby, we’ll have more time to post about our lives again….if anyone is still reading.

Posted by Kate

It often seems like everyone likes the pregnant lady.  Strangers start up conversations all the time, and I have more people hold the elevator and offer me seats.  Unfortunately, it’s been a very hot summer in New York and I’ve found that as it’s gotten brutally hot for everyone, people are a lot less likely to give up seats on the subway.   Several times, another passenger who is standing is incensed enough to talk loudly enough about it to embarrass someone into giving me a seat.

I now haven’t ridden the subway for 2 weeks……a couple weeks ago I had “false labor”, but it sure felt like the real thing.  After about 8 hours of discomfort that I wasn’t sure was anything, I finally realized I was feeling worse and it turned to obvious contractions so I ended up in the hospital with an IV (this is most often caused by dehydration).  It was actually a very pleasant hospital–the triage “bed” was seriously uncomfortable but the doctors and nurses kept me informed brought me juice and a lunch left over from a patient that was discharged.  The problem was that I was too early to deliver at the birthing center and really didn’t want to deliver a “preemie”.  So 2 liters or fluids and about 24 hours of nearly constant laying down and the contractions slowed quite a bit.  For about a week after that, I couldn’t stand or walk for very long or I’d get more contractions, sometimes pretty close together.  I’m not prescribed bedrest (especially now that I’m at 37 weeks and considered full-term labor) but I am generally taking it easy.  I work from home a couple days a week and drive a lot more than I used to.  It would be nice if Squishy came early, but even if he doesn’t, at least I know we’re in the home stretch!

This false labor was quite a wake up call.  We didn’t have ANY clothes washed for the baby, no diapers, no bag packed for labor/recovery, Sam was not yet moved to his big bed (more on that in another post–Sam now has his own room!), we had only tentatively lined up our plan for babysitters while I’m away, and we had only basic conversations with Sam about how we might have to rush out when Squishy is ready to be born.  Now we are ready!   …..except we’re still changing our minds about Squishy’s post-birth name, but I’m okay waiting until after we get a chance to see him.  That’s how we picked Samson Thomas from our “short list” of names, too.

Posted by Kate

Just to prove Sam likes to eat with gusto, he gave me a great photo op last night:

I seriously did not encourage this at all–it’s the natural aftermath of spaghetti.

Sam turned 3 today!  We will be celebrating this weekend as a family, then again next weekend with a party for him and his friends.  More on his birthday after we’ve actually celebrated, but for a quick present to start the day, Todd made Birthday Bacon, and Sam was thrilled (this is his fake smile, but he really was excited):

For those who heard the rumor:  I DID sprain my ankle last week and have a pretty big walking boot on.  I’m doing better and expect to be boot-free after tomorrow!  I spent about 4 hours being monitored and the baby is just fine–he’s giving me some nice kicks right now!

Posted by Kate

We occasionally forget what a “good eater” Sam is.  Last month we had brunch with friends and they were surprised that Sam finished his fruit before touching the french toast with syrup.  I didn’t think it was such a big deal, but as we were talking about it I realized how many people have expressed shock at his food choices–he loves raw red pepper, raw broccoli (we call it broccoli nuggets), avocado and really any veggie.  Many months ago he ate the raw onions off our burger before the french fries!

We don’t push food, only ask him to try a bite and make sure–I can’t remember which sister or sister-in-law taught me about this “no thank you bite”, but it works!  Inevitably, Sam tries something and likes it.  He still hasn’t developed the palate for Ethiopian food but he recently ate a mildly spicy curry off my plate and enjoyed it.

Of course, he still likes junk food and has started grabbing candy and Fruit Loops off the store shelves, but he’s also accepted sweets as occasional special treats.  Strangely enough, he DOESN’T like a lot of the typical kid foods like applesauce, mac and cheese, or jelly (PB sandwiches, neat, for this kid).

This isn’t the greatest picture, but you get the idea of Sam’s zeal for eating.

Sam's gigantic plate of spaghetti

On related note, he’s having Salisbury steak for lunch at his new school tomorrow–it brought back memories just seeing that on the menu.

Posted by Kate

Sam has developed hints of a Brooklyn accent from his teachers at day care.  Our favorite is his pronunciation of mirror as “mira”.  His friend Mercer at school is “Mersa”.  He has some other strange pronunciations that might be the same source, but I don’t know…..like a hill is a “he-el”.  He also has the standard little kid mispronunciations like “lellow” instead of yellow but overall he’s speaking really clearly and we enjoy our conversations.

He’s also building important vocabulary words since we really often talk to him like he’s a much older kid.  Last night Todd was reading to him from a comic book and tried to explain what a force-field is–it cracked me up!

Posted by Kate