Week 37 - BM thoughts

It's official, she's technically full term now. Last week AG and I had Patrick Roddy memoralize my pregnancy. It wasn't our best day since we were both completely exhausted from work, but there are some good shots nonetheless.

The belly has gotten bigger, even this last week. I've been walking around today running errands and everyone has been stopping me to ask whether I'm going to have this baby any minute. You can't tell in these pictures, but I think recently she's dropped lower. Last Saturday for my birthday day, AG took me and the girls out to hike 4 miles up Mt. Tam. It felt so good to get out and move my body. Of course on the way down, I felt lots of contractions. I had forgotten that you can start labor early if you walk alot. I'm not ready to have her yet. This is my first week off and I've so much to do before I can really enjoy it all. I'm getting a little done on the list every day, but doing a lot of resting in between as well and enjoying her movements.


We met up with Amy our doula on Sunday and hammered out some more details about how I'd like this birth to proceed. Yes, I'm going for it naturally. Of course, if something comes up that requires us to do something different, we will, but I really have some intentions on going as natural as possible. When I first learned I was pregnant, I had thought of taking all the drugs - I didn't want to feel anything. However, the journey of discovering childbirth has completely changed my views. Not only will AG support me during labor (which was not part of my initial thoughts), but we have a birth team as well. I almost sound crunchy. But really, if you do the research, natural is always the best way. The body is such a delicate balance of chemicals, any intervention will off-balance it.


And I started thinking about what a spiritual journey this could be. It's going to be difficult, I don't expect it to be easy - but looking back, I realize that all the difficult experiences in my life has allowed me to discover the strengths within me and made me the person I am. I'm not as fearful of it as before. I tread with caution and some anxiety, but I'm actually looking forward to it, weird as it may seem.
I also realized, this isn't just my journey, it's AG's as well. We're doing this together, and he will be a huge part of this process. I can't wait to share it with him - even though there are some parts where it will be just me.
We hope she'll stay in for another couple of weeks. All of our friends are at BM or heading there - and they specifically instructed Martini not to make an entrance until they've returned.
Last night there was a lunar eclipse which must have been dazzling on the playa. A meteor shower also occurs this week with the full moon. How exciting.

I spent yesterday afternoon hanging out with Shelaine while they packed their truck for their journey. Then later at night, Margo came over - she leaves tomorrow. This morning - I hung out with Rachel for a bit as she was running errands for BM. Both AG and I are feeling a little sad, that feeling of being left behind. But our friends will burn one down for us Saturday night - and we have the best excuse in the world for missing this burn. It'll make next year's burn all the brighter.

I'm thinking of the friends who are there now, hearing the howls as the sun comes down and they are running around preparing dinner and choosing their outfits for the evening before the last rays require the use of headlamps. Big Sigh...

AG and I start some packing this weekend, preparing for Martini. We'll be head up Saturday to Healdsburg and wine country to toast our friends Sarah and Dan at their wedding. AG thinks/hopes that Martini will arrive on the 9th of September. Me, I'm hoping it will be a little later. But I'm fine with the 9th. I know she'll come out when she's good and ready. So have we thought of names? We've been making a short list and here they are: (1) Riyah (meaning - Friend); (2) Maysun (Arabic for beautiful); (3) Kiarra - (Irish for Dark and Beautiful). Any thoughts? We are leaning towards Riyah Maysun Gluck or Riyah Martini Gluck or Riyah M. Gluck (AG's grandmother Marie, I think). Both my parents are looking at Vietnamese names, which will not be on her birth certificate.