spregnancy update: 38 weeks

First, the good news: Jason is finished with the bassinet! The main body is in the old mortise and tenon style, whereby one piece fits snugly into another, with no screws or nails. He did use bolts to hold on the rockers, because time was slipping away and that was just easier. His main material was a 4x8' piece of furniture-grade plywood, and he shaped pegs out of walnut scraps from my grandpa Gene. The whole thing is sealed with a lacquer that still has another few days to cure, and once it does, it'll be toxin-free even if babies or critters chew on it. I will probably need to post one more picture after we get it set up with blankets, and maybe another when it contains a wittle tiny sleeping baby.

Second, the not so great news: my blood pressure seems to be creeping upward, as Marcy discovered yesterday at my weekly appointment. She put me on bed rest right away. UUGH! When she told me I had no choice, I said, "But what if the Banff Film Festival is Wednesday night?!" She said, "It is. I'm going to it." So, I can't even sneak out of the house for that, because my midwife will be there! Actually, she's coming over tomorrow to take my blood pressure again, and if things are okay, she might let me up for the films. That would be uber-cool, because attending the BFF was a tradition for us every year in Alaska, and we've been looking so forward to it here.

After about two hours home yesterday, I could see this bed rest bit was going to be a challenge. I get restless so easily. There aren't major undone things, so I'm only mildly anxious about that, but I just like movement, see. It's also weird to lay here feeling perfectly fine and ask someone else to fill up my water glass or grab a book for me.

However, thirdly, as consolation news and to show that I am not a complete whiner who's out of touch with what matters: the baby is doing perfectly fine, by all indications. Also, Marcy's not too worried yet, because my personal baseline blood pressure happens to be high anyway and has been consistent all along. It's just creeping up a tad, and she doesn't want to take chances.

Aside from my belly button never popping out (for which I have been patiently waiting over my thirty-plus years on this planet) the blood pressure thing has been one of the biggest disappointments/worries of my spregnancy. So, I reckon I'm pretty fortunate. I have so many good things, including a super mother who immediately took over meal preparation and scolds me for breaking rules, and an attentive husband, who, despite being an errand-hater, took my list of last minute errands and is even now running them.

I am quite thankful. Quite thankful indeed.