Transplanted in Texas

My beloved knows how to treat me. On Saturday, after my family left, we went to a nearby lake, to "our spot", and watched the fish and the ripples in the water while relaxing for an hour. We were both tired, both pretty much done. Previously in the day, my mother and I had cleaned a spot in our room for the baby's crib, and my brothers and dad had sanded and done more mudding in the bathroom before heading out after doing what they could. Dad was also wiped out and needed to rest. My father-in-law spent some time getting the back steps replaced, finally (we'd been without back steps for over a week), and then headed home to get ready for a hockey game in Shreveport as celebration for their 27th anniversary. And D? He had helped with the step replacement and sanded and stained boards to put up in the spare room. I did very little - just made sure he was fed and did a little bit here and there in our bedroom. After an hour at the lake, we went to his parents...

Above: In case anyone was wondering how goofy my sweetie can get.... Haha! I love him. This week's midwife appointment was on Wednesday at our place. D managed to make it home in time to be here, which was unexpected and a great surprise. The place is still under construction, but she didn't seem to mind. The baby is slowing down its activity, but is still quite the active little thing. Braxton Hicks contractions have recently begun to become noticeable, as the midwife pointed out when she went to find the baby's heartbeat (I was apparently in the middle of one and didn't know; they've become more noticeable since then). I was also dilated 2 cm, and she says my hormones are working perfectly to prepare for this baby. That is very good news! Tuesday was Valentine's Day. But my beloved had been coming home from work every day this month with a treat, things like chocolate roses and cherry tootsie pops and little plastic tubes of M&Ms, Skittles, Reese...

Well, I had my 36 week appointment yesterday. Apparently I need to do a better job stretching (surprise, surprise), and drinking water (again, surprise....), but other than that everything is fine. I got my blood drawn for the third and final time this pregnancy, which went well - after I went and got some food and water. It was 9:30 in the morning and I hadn't eaten breakfast yet or remembered to get a drink. Whoops. My husband had to take me back to the birth center about 11:30 to get the blood drawing done. Fortunately we had planned other stuff in town anyway so we could go get food and such before going back. I'm glad he puts up with me NOT doing stuff.... Let's see... The bathroom is well covered in drywall mud, and Dad plans to come back next weekend (not tomorrow) to prime it so we can shower. We've been able to take baths, but not showers. At the moment we are just grateful to have running water to the bathtub after a year of owning the house! ...

Working (part 1) This week, my oldest little brother (first of three) came down to help out around the place in preparation for little Baker’s arrival - which I am expecting at the end of the month, even though the due date is March 5. Last weekend, my dad and youngest brother came down to get the process started for bathroom work with that oldest brother of mine, and now we can take baths (though not showers) in our own tub! D has been putting in long days at work, as usual, but W has been filling holes in the driveway, working on the bathroom walls to prepare for painting, tearing apart pallets to use for lumber on walls, and helping me around the place. It is really handy having the little blue Sport Trac I used to use around, for I washed four loads of laundry in two days this week and it wouldn’t have been possible without it - I apparently can’t handle walking a few hundred feet with a full wet load of laundry anymore. At least, I can’t handle it very well. D’s truck is still...