The Obligatory Belly Picture - Month NINE (!!!)

Here we are week, 38. Unbelievable! So little time left before baby arrives. I'm probably about as prepared for this as I can be. Many prayers will be said over the next couple of weeks ... and they will continue for years as we raise this boy.

I asked Collin the other night at what point will this sink in and begin to feel real. I have a six pound baby in my belly - who is constantly moving and reminding me he's there - and yet I still can't wrap my head around the reality of it. Regardless, I am undeniably pregnant and this is absolutely happening.



Notice anything? (Aside from the ever-protruding belly.) Yup. Short hair. Unplanned short hair, I should say. I went in Saturday for my last pre-motherhood haircut thinking I would just trim things up a bit, get the style cute and in-shape once more before parenthood sucks us dry of all monetary resources and I can never go to the stylist again. This is what I walked away with ...





Take my word for it, my hair looks nothing like the picture I brought in and is nothing like I wanted. Immediately upon my departure I sent Collin a text message, "Wow. My hair is short." Lucky for the stylist I actually like it and am not livid. (Though a "This Isn't What You Wanted" discount would have been nice.) I suppose she inadvertently did me a favor -- this haircut is definitely easier and requires less maintenance. And Collin likes it, too, which is essential.

So I'm back to being a short-haired gal. If only I had known. I would have paid proper respects to the soft, pretty hair I was about to lose.

Oh! Collin put the changing table together this weekend. I think it gave him more trouble than all of the other furniture combined, but he remained in high spirits and conquered the task.



Anyone who even remotely knows me understands my deep affection for all things IKEA. About 80% of our home is IKEA product. At this time I'd like to extend my deepest appreciation to the company for reminding us in over ten different languages - on all three shelves of the table - that we should never leave our very small child unattended during the diaper changing process, nor should the changing table serve as a jungle gym at any point. Duly noted. We'll try IKEA. We'll try.

(You can see where Collin tried to rub off the notice, so obviously he doesn't plan on heeding their warnings.)