Does This Baby Make My Belly Look Big?

Here I am in all of my glowing glory at 35 weeks, 3 days. Anyone who has been keeping tabs knows that this is THREE DAYS longer than my longest pregnancy. I'm having to remind myself that I'm not actually due for another month. But each day that ticks by has me hoping that we'll avoid the dreaded NICU stay with a preemie. And each day that ticks by also has me worried that I'll go to like 41 weeks, which...would just not be acceptable. I'd honestly prefer that to a preemie and wallet-clearing NICU stay, but I'm not saying that once I hit full-term at 37 weeks I won't be pulling out every labor-inducing trick in the book.

I'm mostly feeling fine, except for annoying reflux and sore throat I've had off and on since May. And you know, stabbing pain in my pelvis and left thigh isn't exactly fun. I can barely heave myself out of bed, and then once I do, I'm gimping like a 90-year-old lady until my lower limbs start working a little.

People say that the baby must be very comfortable to have beaten my old pregnancy record. I say that this baby is probably terrified of the chaos he or she is about to meet! (I know I am. We'll get through it together, baby!)

My Fancy, Funny Four

Avery turned four yesterday. Where did four years go, etc., but the better question is, when did she get so funny? And where did this larger-than-life personality come from? And where did she get her sense of fashion and fancy? Because this girl is hilarious, personality plus, and puts my fashion sense to shame.

This year she really got what the birthday was all about and started putting in requests months in advance. Her list changed several times, but we narrowed it down and all of her gifts were a hit. I think Alan and I were about as excited as she was about her birthday. I wish this picture was clearer, but it really sums up her excitement about getting Sofia's Amulet of Avalor.

She's wearing her Queen Elsa dress, and got two pairs of "fancy" sleepwear. Now, she never has to be wearing something less than sparkly perfection. The girl is dressed up from morning to ... well, the next morning.

Her typical walking attire:

Of course, Owen isn't immune to Avery's fancy influence either.

She's never met a carousel she didn't like...

...but even though she's carousels and princesses and fairies and dresses, she's got the ability to get down and dirty. She collects rocks and leaves and sticks and digs in mud puddles ... she just does it while wearing a dress. One day the neighbor kids were outside playing with a Super Soaker --- the giant squirt gun that is practically as big as she is. I thought there'd be no way she'd be able to work it. Instead, she not only figured it out, but went around terrorizing all of us with her super soaking abilities. We all got drenched.

This one sums up her joy for life:

And seriously, she couldn't be more beautiful...

...but in reality, she'd discovered that she can burp on demand and was cracking herself up by belching as much as possible during this photo shoot.



Mom! You need a highlight! (Seriously, just got one this week and my stylist didn't even know I was pregnant...)

She aged overnight, and I'm feeling very, very excited about what four will bring. Don't change a thing, funny girl.