~:W E E K • T H I R T Y:~

So we are at week 30 now. Another milestone. Yay! Tomorrow night we begin the wonders of child birth classes. I will be escorted by Doug and 2 firm pillows to class tomorrow, during which we'll get to meet other soon-to-be mothers and fathers. I'm REALLY looking forward to it.

I can feel bimp move even more now. The larger he gets, the stronger his movements. During our last visit on Thursday, the midwife showed me how to tell where he was positioned. Most of the large movements are happening on the lower right side of my belly - it's wonderfully creepy. I can nudge him gently now and get him to nudge me right back.


I spent a little bit of the day yesterday downloading lyrics of some very old and beautiful Scottish folk songs I fell in love with a long time ago. Anyone heard of the King's Singers? They've been around forever. One tune has been a favorite of mine for a long time - the Skye Boat Song, witten in 1884. Check out a snippet of the Skye Boat Song on this page. I never understood the historical background of the lyrics until yesterday.

Charles Edward Stewart, the Young Pretender (Bonnie Prince Charlie), lost a battle on Culloden Moor in 1745, trying to claim his right to the English throne. He managed to escape to the Island of Skye with the help of a Jacobite heroine named Flora MacDonald. He was exiled in Rome, where he died. So he never did manage to get back, in fact he died a miserable drunk. Oh well. I shant sing that part to Bimp.

Skye Boat Song
(Sir Harold Boulton, 1884)

Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward, the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to skye

Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunder clouds rend the air;
Baffled our foe's stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare

chorus

Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head

chorus

Many's the lad fought on that day
Well the claymore could wield
When the night came, silently lay
Dead on Culloden's field

chorus

Burned are our homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men
Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath,
Charlie will come again.

Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward, the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to skye
Over the sea to skye
Over the sea to skye

This is the only tune I've been humming to him so far. Anyway - interesting that most of the songs I love, are already considered lullabies. Now that I've got the lyrics, I've got some memorizing to do.

godhelpme i am so fuckingbored right now

oh godhelpme

~:S U M M E R • Q U A R T E R • E M O T I V E • T Y P E:~

This first quarter group is doing very well and we are all enjoying ourselves out here in Dunwoody. I've taken more photos of their progress and experiments here.

Also made a little movie of ink in action as they warmed up to the Dirty Word Book assignment. I did not have to do any coaxing to get them into this idea. Everyone jumped right in. Check out da little film here.

Cheers!

Peter sent me this little movie today. I had forgotten about it. He made it for Doug and me as part of an invite for a couples wedding shower back in 2002 he and Mary threw for us. Peter wrote and performed the song and um, searched for the photos. We found most of them under Mom and Dad's bed, actually. And today I'm sharing it with you. All comments and questions welcomed. It was a great party, by the way. :-)

~Anne

This one goes out to Mary.

Thanks for the encouragement, chicas.

XOXOXO

~Anne

What Baby Center says about Bimp at 28 weeks: By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can open his eyes — which now sport lashes — and he'll turn his head toward a continuous, bright light from the outside. His fat layers are beginning to form, too, as he gets ready for life outside the womb. If you are a new mother over 35 and on bed rest, try putting a hibiscus bloom in your hair to visually distract from the fact that you now weigh a startling one hundred and fifty freaking pounds.

~:T A S T E • M E:~

Dear Bimp Fans,

Went to the Dr. this morning for a check up ultrasound and got back these wonderful photos. I am feeling more at ease. Bimp has turned into the correct birthing position, though he's likely to move around and shift positions again as he's not as cramped as he will be in 3 months. His head is down and feet up. This photo is of his beautiful face. Little monkey was looking right at us. I can't tell if he's got a Doug or Anne face. Probably his mouth is from my side of the family - but does he have the Elser nose or jaw line - chin? Mom? Auntie Becky? Can you guys tell?

Next time we go back in 3 weeks to see if the placenta has moved. It still has not as of today. In fact, upon closer inspection, it appears to be a full placenta previa. That's not good. Things are still uncertain as to whether or not it will resolve. The closer we get to 37 weeks, the more we'll know about whether we'll have a c-section or not. We still have to be patient. Arrrg.

They congratulated me on making it to 28 weeks with no overly alarming symptoms. So my activity level is good. I have all my fine students to thank for that - as well as family and friends who have come over to help out. Every little thing you guys do ensures Bimp of a healthier birth and life. It's like every step I do not take on my feet counts as one less percent of a chance for complications. So I thank you all. We both do.

I can't tell you how amazing it was to see his little face. Looking right at me. His mouth moved open, then shut. His little body squirmed. He looked so very cozy up there on the screen. This little chubby boy in my tummy. And he did the cutest thing. He sucked on his arm. NOT his thumb. His arm! We saw his little tongue move, too. Boy, was he happy.

When my baby brother Peter was an infant, Mom used to "taste" his arm to get him to fall asleep. She'd give him little soft horse nibbles on the inside of his arm. Put him right to sleep. "Taste me?" he'd say after a story. Well, his little 2 year old daughter Mia does the same thing now. When she gets tired, she offers the inside of her arm to you. "Taste me!" She's a little more forceful about it. Cutest thing.

So you can't imagine what fun it was to drive home from the appt. and call Mom to tell her Bimp was tasting himself for us. Little hungry bird sure is half Dusenberry!

I am having a happy, happy day. I got to see Bimp.

~:T H E • S K I N • I'M • I N:~

So I had a really creepy dream last night.

There was this preteen boy who was born without skin. All of his organs and tendons and muscles were showing. It was scary to look at. His Aunt had decided to help him. She gave him the skin on her face. I didn't see him after the transplant surgery, but I saw her. She used to be an attractive woman. But now looked very strange with scars and stitches and transplanted pigskin stretched over her face, neck and head. She was in the mall, shopping. She had no more hair. And I remember admiring her for such a sacrifice. To live the rest of your life out looking like a burn victim, just so your nephew could feel a little more comfortable, was remarkable. She was out shopping for scarves and hats and wigs. She was happy to do it. The way she looked didn't seem to phase her. It was her maternal instincts that kicked in to try to help this boy. She saw the bigger picture.

And here I am, worried about how I look. Feeling fat and bloated. My face doesn't look like my own anymore. At least not to me. My hair is too think to style it the way I want to. My thighs are twice the size they used to be. I am thinking I'll never be the same. Envious of people jumping in and out of their cars, zipping around, standing tall, in movement, getting things done.

I am still. I am heavy. My back hurts constantly. I am getting tired of eating the same thing. I am tired of eating. All I can do is sit. And wait. And complain. Rather than bask in the joy of maternal love and sacrifice, I cry because I am afraid of the worst outcome and I complain about what I am giving up and about how badly I feel. I can't do half of what that Aunt in my dream is doing. Or maybe I can and don't know it yet.

Yesterday I felt Sir Bimp hiccup for the first time. And I counted fifty three of them. It was lovely and silly and ridiculously fun. Then he kicked me so hard that my thighs jiggled. Really. Tomorrow we go in for another ultrasound and check up. I get to wear real clothes! And shoes! So we'll see if he's shifted and where to. I can feel larger, more broad movements. Eeek! We have also reached our 28 week goal, which means the first two trimesters are finis. yay! We have made it to the third. Time to celebrate. Sitting down, of course. We'll keep you posted.

~:I N K E D • W I T:~

We had another great day out here in the PC Dunwoody campus. Started out the day with Calligraphy and ended with Promotion Design. Two very sharp groups of students. The morning group arrived with bagels. Thank you! We presented concepts first and then moved on to calligraphy demonstrations and tacking those gorgeous copperplate capitals. Take a look at these close up photos of everyone's work.They're all catching on FIZAST! Dave got extra points for matching his layouts. Larry bonded with Bjorn, who camped out on him for a mid-morning nap.

Mary began forming whole words out of the beautiful letters we're mastering. Interesting choices she made. I've got 2 questions, though. What is a Penis Wagon and who is Richard? Her anonymous commenter, perhaps?

In the afternoon we had a delightful discussion in Promotion Design about apple and technology and all that comes with it - more importantly all that doesn't and should come with it. We bounced around a bunch of killer ideas. On a lighter note, take a closer look at the pink photo collage up top. What's up with Boris's sketchbook cover? {grin}

~Anne

Hey, bed rest isn't so bad! Clizasses today went splendidly well. The first quarter group installed their first Emotive Type word experiments on the wall, followed by presentations of their flip book concepts. Hanging the dirty words in 2 weeks should be fun. Remind me to take those down, tho before inviting my grandmother over for tea. Anyhow, this sharp group catches on FIZAST! Fun to watch. Mick heated up some delicious soup and tossed a salad for my lunch before leaving. Such a nice guy.

Click here for more photos of our fun together.

Then came the 3rd quarter Type is Mass group. Also lotsa fun. We read scripts together before each person presented their concepts. Noah (now recovered from last week's emotional scarring) chose Scent of a Woman and won the prize for the most passionate delivery. He does a mighty convincing Al Pacino. Who knew? Hannah's type collages were beautifully done. She's doing Amelie with a twist of Art Nouveau flavor. That'll be fun. Everyone's delivery was great. So expect some great playbills this quarter. I'm excited!

Tomorrow we have the Calligraphy kids and will be focusing on the upper case letter forms. Then comes the Promotion Design class, who will be putting Apple to shame. Stay tuned.

~:B I M P ' S • C R I B:~

For the past 2 weeks, Mom has been in and out of the house, checking up on me, feeding me, cleaning and blitzing the house, shopping for groceries and buying furniture for the nursery. God bless her. Dad's also been helping her and checking in on me. When she started, we had an empty nursery. But today we don't! After moving a few choice pieces of furniture around, we had the room pretty well set up. It's amazing how quickly things come together. Ummm, especially if you're sitting and just watching it happen. I am very lucky.

One of the cool things we did at first was to purchase a vintage Hoosier Kitchen. This is a piece of furniture called a kitchen, before a kitchen was a room. Just a cabinet with tons of drawers, cubbies and cupboards. There's a flour bin and sifter on the far left, with a tin drawer for storing bread on the right. There is also a handy movable tin shelf you can tuck in or pull out. I've got one in my studio that I make good use of. I grew up with this thing in my bedroom for years. We decided instead of a dresser or changing table, one of these cool pieces would be ideal for changes and baby equipment. Got this piece in Clayton, GA before I was doomed to bed rest. So we built the rest of the room starting with this one piece.

Mom went to an all-things-baby resale shop called Cribitz. That's where she got everything else you see here in this lovely photo. There are more detailed photos for you to see if you'd like to take a look. Pretty cool. She found custom made curtains (the long pieces on either side of the window) that matched perfectly the red toile valance I made years ago. Uncanny. The ochre walls screamed for natural wood and a hint of red accents, which make the room warm and soothing without appearing blanched or dusted with white, which is not what we wanted. Also custom made was the crib bumper and dust ruffle. Beautiful pieces you can't buy at BabiesRUs. Everything you see here was gently used and at a terrificly discounted price. We even got 2 strollers (one for us, one for Mom and Dad - remember that they live less than 2 miles from us and will be watching the Bimp while I teach at the beginning of the week!) and a rocking bassinet for our bedroom.

Woo hoo! We spent the afternoon in this new lovely room just looking around and soaking in the space. I feel a great relief at having this stage completed. Only thing left to do is fill it with toys and clothes and gear, etc. And continue to let Bimp gain weight in my peaceful belly. Oh! One more thing I want to do is to paint a big black beautiful "A" above Bimp's crib. Think I'll ask my auntie Kris to do that one for me, since I'll be sittin' for a while.

Thanks to the generous help of my friend Molly, who has just made it through the first few months of her baby girl Suzanna's life. Molly guided me through the BabiesRUs labyrinth and helped me choose the right gear. I've got 3 registries set up, one of which is full of all the storybooks I loved as a child. Things are starting to become real and very, very fun.

~:B I M P • W E A R:~

BimpFans, I have begun in earnest to monogram as much clothing for Bimp as possible before he arrives. Now that my feet are of no use, my hands are picking up the slack. Because I am a show off and love to share, I've added this collection of monogrammed attire for your viewing pleasure.

We have decided on a name! But are not ready to share. Sorry? Sorry. So we can't tell you what the "A" stands for. Only that it's fo sheezy NOT one of the following names:

Aakarshan
Abbott
Adolf (um... I think that one's been taken)
Abundiantus
Ace
Achilles
Adonis
Agamemnon
Akeem
Alistar
Amadeus
Anakin
Antwon
Apple (WHAT was she thinking?!)

~:H O M E S C H O O L I N G:~

We began classes here at the Portfolio Center Dunwoody campus Monday morning at 8:00. Everything went really well. I opened up about what's going on with the pregnancy to all my students (Mick just about fainted when I told him what a placenta was) and then we had a very entertaining and enlightening discussion about what makes each one of us tick. It seems we're all in this together and while my current challenge may be unique at the moment, we're all struggling together to illuminate ourselves. That's what learning's all about. Next to that struggle, I enjoy very much the discussion of it. So I have to say that even more so now, while I'm limited as to what I can do physically, teaching is one of the most fulfilling things I do. (um, and it's just about the ONLY thing I do now!) Poof - my day flew by. And I slept very soundly that night.

FIRST, I have to thank Rachel from Baton Rouge for fixing me soup for lunch on Monday and the lovely ladies of Calligraphy for lunch on Tuesday - Colleen, Mary, and Audrey. : )

Bjorn also really enjoyed himself - giving everyone an enthusiastic greeting as they walked up the door. We had just one injury. Noah, god bless him, walked right through the 2 foot chicken wire fence we put up for Bjorn. Poor guy. We heard the scratch of wire against pavement, his art bin tumble and rattle with its contents. The twwwwangggggg of his metal ruler, (which thank goodness did not impale him) the rustle and wrinkle of the pages of his sketchpad - all followed by an exasperated sigh. Oops. Sorry, Noah. And then laughter to see him bent over like a swiss army knife across our front walkway. Lucky, he was not seriously injured. Noah did, however, manage to nick his shin on the sharp edge of my coffee table and also successfully startled Bjorn enough to get a growl and possible nip from his miniature papillon fangs. Bad dog! Again - sorry Noah. I laughed so hard (as did the rest of us) that Hannah suggested I stop before possibly giving premature birth.

I am sorry I do not have a picture of this. But rest assured. We will make our fence more visible, as unsightly as it already is. It was at this point that my husband suggested we get more liability insurance.

The photo you see here is of Jordan, who graciously made brownies. Little did I know, Jordan's a vegan. What a nice guy to break 2 eggs without saying a word.

I also must thank Jeff for delivering the contents of my cubby from the school to my house very early that Monday morning. All the time smiling and cheery. And I must say that Justin makes a FINE copy boy.

Day two of teaching was just as lovely. Rose emptied my dishwasher without my asking her, which really, REALLY pleased Doug, who cringes at the sound and texture of his fingers touching warm squeeky clean glasses. So he thanks you.

Mary brought me a very educational vintage "how to be a mother" book printed by the Georgia Department of Health. Apparently, I have to put my hair in braids and wear a smock from here on out. Interesting! And Doug can't be anywhere around. It really must be strictly a girl thing.

So thank you to everyone who helped. Next week should be really fun, as we look at concepts and discuss our options. I'll be updating the PC Home School Page as the quarter progresses and promise to take lots of fun pictures.

Back to my sudoku. XO

~Anne

Um. I would like some attention, please. I will stare at you until I get some. I will have it. I will HAVE the attention.

Give it to me. Let me get a little bit closer. Here. Like this. I can stay here all night if I have to. I will not give up. No sirreeee. I will be a patient and quiet husband. And you will give me the attention. Give it to me. Give. Give it.

I'm still here. Staring at you. Give it. Give me the attention.
Attention. Atten.

Tion.

Att. Ah.


Wuh.




Hmmphnh.





Damn!

Um. I would like some attention, please. I will stare at you until I get some. I will have it. I will HAVE the attention.

Give it to me. Let me get a little bit closer. Here. Like this. I can stay here all night if I have to. I will not give up. No sirreeee. I will be a patient and quiet mouse. And you will give me the attention. Give it to me. Give. Give it.

I'm still here. Staring at you. Give it. Give me the attention.
Attention. Atten.

Tion.

Att. Ah.


Wuh.




Hmmphnh.





Damn!

~:2 6 • W E E K S:~ Well, the Bimp is Coming page has now been updated. We are at 26 weeks. In 2 weeks, we'll officially be over the second trimester and safely into the third, which is a huge milestone. The nurses said I had several magic numbers to make it to, 28 being the first. I already have a hard time picturing being any bigger than I already am. Mary mentioned in a recent post the importance of living in the now. This whole experience is forcing me to do that.

Tomorrow Doug goes to PC to rummage through the Elser cubby for supplies and books. We'll be setting up shop Sunday night to be ready for the students by Monday at 8:00AM. As long as I stay in one place on the couch, I should be fine.

Doug took Bjorn today to the groomer. Found the greatest little place in Dunwoody called "Robin's Groomingdales", right next to the knit shop I waste our savings on. Groomingdale's has VERY reasonable prices. He got a bath, and trim for just $20.00. Pets are People, Too charge a fortune, and they're not available every day of the week for grooming. PetsMart is expensive, too. Anyway - I'm sure I'm boring you all with these details. Honestly - I just love the opportunity to keystroke information. And to talk about my BjornMouse - WHO has has a tough time adjusting to being ignored. I have not picked him up all week and only was able to brush him twice. He's looking a little lonely. Has not had a walk in way too long. So when you guys get here - play fetch with him? Poor guy. But he looks great. Smells great. They gave him a little blue bandanna with motorcycles, lighting bolts and red flames. He looks mighty masculine and threatening now. Oooftah.

I did my nails today. And I helped fold laundry. Something productive that you can see! Other than sit still for Bimp. I'm camped out downstairs with Doug in the living room today - looking out the window at our dogwood tree. We keep our Christmas lights on the trunk because we are lazy and it's such a pain to take them off. I am thinking that because my view of this tree is one of the few I see these days, that we should light it up again at night.

Dat's about it. Lots of hugs, kisses and a wave hello. I'm about to watch the Porn documentary. Expect a full report soon.

Ah ha! Presenting ANOTHER panoramic shot of my room. You know, if I kept this up, I could have a one man show at the High. This is getting ridiculous.

So here we have Jason and Ian, who came to bring me lunch and movies today. Very kind of both of them, especially considering that Jason himself is a new Dad, Ian himself is a new person and Jason's busy trying to get his final book made and finished in time for graduation. Busy doesn't even cover it. So I thank you for coming to see me. I know what kind of sacrifice that took.

My next door neighbor Tom brought up some ice water for me. He's there at the ring of the phone. Really nice guy.

Been threatening rain all day, but nada. At least it's a bit cooler upstairs for me - BjornMouse has camped out with me and is now sleeping in a new favorite spot of his - the white chair. You can see him in 2 spots in the picture. Crazy how that happens.

Today I have decided to show my foot. And that's all. Notice how it's not all swollen. That's because I don't use my feet any more. Heh.

Wull, as it turns out, you can't rent real porn from Netflix. This is the next best thing. Hmmmph.

So I've had a pretty nice day so far. I put on lipstick! And shaved my legs. Carefully. You know this weird thing happens to your body when you're on bed rest. I look different to myself in the mirror. I'm used to seeing myself smiling back at myself, being pregnant and all. But it's a little different now. I'm clutching my belly, I guess to protect myself. I dunno. I look pale. And the inside of my mouth gets really dry and pasty - no matter how much water I drink. Chapstick is my best friend.

One cool thing though is that my boobs are still big. Yay. Oh - and there's not so much laundry to do any more. Though, how would I know cause I'm not the one doing it any more. : ) Other nice thing is that because my feet are up all day, no more Miss Piggy ankles.

What's really nice are visitors. People are coming out of the woodwork to call or visit or bring food. It's really wonderful. A student came today bearing gifts. She even brushed Bjorn, which he loved. Thank you Rose. Mary came by with lunch from Wright's Gourmet. Thank you, Mary! And lemon cake. And squash soup. Mmm. Tomorrow Mr. Puckett's bringing some movies (NOT porn), his new little boy Ian and a burger from Wendy's. I am very excited.

Yesterday I did calligraphy and it was heavenly. Really made a difference in my day. I did a little bit more this afternoon and a client's coming by to pick up the work. Clients have been great, too. Very understanding. Very gracious. It's just been beautiful.

For an introvert, I am suddenly very interested in doing stuff. Talking on the phone. Listening more, TALKING more to people face to face.

Everyone says they know someone who's been on bed rest. And all have a good outcome to share. I am beginning to believe that this doesn't have to be so scary. I am making a life. Isn't a few month's sacrifice worth giving for that?

OK. Back to the porn.

Gentle readers. I know you're all just dying to see another shot of my bedroom. I am here to please. Doug had to leave the hizouse early this morning for work, so Mom came over to cook me breakfast. Ever attentive and helpful and cheery, she made me an omelet, coffee, english muffin with marmalade & butter, sliced fruit and then sat with me while I told her all about Brittany's vegetable dyed hair, Nicole's possible pregnancy, Reese Witherspoon's non-pregnancy, and Tori Spelling's feud with her Mother. My, things are very dramatic out there.

Mom decided a good way to cheer me up would be to wash the 2 bedroom windows. Inside and out. So in this lovely photograph (and yes, don't you think my panoramic skills are improving?) you see her stepping in and out of the window, out on the roof of the sunroom out back to wash the outside of our morning window. Devoted, isn't she? While on the other side of the room, she could only wash the inside panes, I am assured now that the afternoon light in this room will not be muddied by years of neglected grime. Little BjornMouse will have a crisp patch of sun in which to bathe for his afternoon nap.

Thanks, Mom.

My exciting plans for the day:
I will venture to my desk in the studio at the end of our upstairs hall after lunch today to calligraph some labels for a client. My Dr. said it was OK to sit at a desk for a bit. I am walking slowly and gingerly. Without reaching or bending, I'll be ever so careful.

Last night I had a dream that I was in a very old city made of marble, crashing down around me like it was ancient Rome. I fled the city with everyone else, while remarking on how surprisingly fragile and undependable marble was as a strong building material. You assume because it looks so strong, that it will last forever and never break. But it's just as brittle as any other material. I fled for safety. Can't remember how I got out. Or if I did.

They say places in your dreams are metaphors for your own body and mind. I am thinking that my body should respond to this pregnancy perfectly and without a hitch. There's nothing wrong with Bimp. And I am fine. My life is fine. It's just that the placenta decided to attach in a not-so-ideal location. And that's all. Gravity, chance and stress are working against me here. And I am having to reframe this experience. I am not abnormal. I am adaptive. And will be mother to this child.

When I feel alone, I remember that I am not alone in this bed.

Bimp is with me. And we will make it together.

~:B E D * R E S T * T H E R A P Y:~

Doug brought three trashy gossip mags home with him yesterday. I get a call from him, "I got a great stack of mags here I want to run by you: Time, Fortune, National Geographic, Better Homes & Gardens, etc."

A- "No, too serious. Like I actually want to LEARN something about the world? Ha."

D- "OH, right. How about more fashiony girly stuff like, Vogue, Self, Cosmopolitan?"

A- " You think I want to look in a mirror and compare myself to all those beauties with flat tummies and shoes, walking around in the open air, enjoying themselves? No matter how well I shower or do my makeup, being in bed and reclining never makes one look beautiful. Bed head cannot be fixed when you've got short hair, hon."

D- "Oh, right. I see. Nothing character building or motivating in any kind of way, shape or form. Maybe I'm in the wrong section of CVS.

A- "Try up front where the candy, batteries and mints are."

D- "Oh, where all the impulse purchases are?"

A- "Y E S. The crap that makes everyone ELSE look bad. The gossip. The trash."

D- "Star, People, Us? "

A- "Perfect."

~:B O R E D * B U T * T H A N K F U L:~

First of all - thank you for your e-mails and responses to my drug-induced post. Collin - your response made me laugh out loud. You all have been wonderful. So we've made some changes around the house.

I spend the morning upstairs and am allowed to take a shower if I want. Staying in bed. Not as fun as it sounds. And I'm an introvert!!! So far I've been in bed mostly up here - stuff sprawled all over the mattress. iSight s hooked up, as you can see - though bed head really isn't my best look. But I'd love to see you guys.

My sweet neighbors Tom and Pat have offered to check in on me. Mom and Dad stop by, too and are errand runners and meal makers. Moral supporters as well.

Doug's been a dream. Of course. Last night he and Tom put up a 3 foot quick fix chicken wire fence for the BjornMouse in the front yard. Just a small section. Doug cracked open one of the front windows that goes outside to serve as a little doggie door so he can let himself out to do his business. We put all the cat stuff in the back screened-in porch so Olaf and Gunther can't get out and are safe. Though I miss seeing them - this is the best situation for now.

On my bed I have 2 phones, a Sudoku book (the easy version), the iSight camera (which I have renamed the iSigh), my laptop doggie treats, Forever Amber, knitting for Bimp sweaters, jordan almonds, chocolate and caramel covered popcorn, a variety of pillows in all sorts of shapes and sizes, chips, DVDs and more.

Mom will come in the afternoons for lunch. We knit together. She's knitting a darling alpaca sweater and matching leggings set for Bimp. He's going to be one cozy sweater baby.

I am bored. I hope to get used to this. Need to maintain some kind of schedule or I'll go mad. The term REST really is deceptive. Resting makes me more tired. Isn't that strange? I feel if I were a less selfish person, every time I have an ache or worry, I'd be talking to the Bimp in a reassuring tone - telling him I'd do anything to keep him safe. But I moan and groan and cry myself to sleep. Feeling ever so human. Fragile. Selfish. I hate being so dependent. So aware of my body - of fragility. The possibility of losing the baby is looming over me. Every step I take, every motion to shift positions keeps me on edge. I expect to be taken to the emergency room again - it's hard not to think about that. Hard to stay positive. I tell myself that this is only temporary. That life even without a baby can be good. That I can make good out of any situation.

Makes me wonder how people who deal with illness and handicaps cope. I suppose one makes a decision to deal with fear of the unknown with a healthy perspective. I don't feel angry. I feel afraid. Weak. Unsure of myself. I feel anxious. Helpless. My mouth opens and I want to cry.

My chest aches. I know that's stress. I wish I could do yoga again. I will ask the Dr. if I can play the piano again. That is the only natural remedy I have for headaches and tension. Chopin nocturnes and Satie do wonders. I think the Bimp would love the soothing music, too.

Oh, what I wouldn't give to zoom up and down the stairs again - go get anything I wanted, take a walk, bend over, run an errand, go to Yoga class, go see a friend, breathe without hurting or crying, bake some bread or cookies, get the mail.

So that's it for now.

Oh - on a funny note: Doug reported that he found an original Degas sketchbook from tongue brushing in the shower this morning. Wow! Silly man.

Love to all.

~Anne

~:T A K I N G * I T * E A S I E R:~

Sunday afternoon UPDATE: We are home! Doing much better. Click here to see a little movie Peter made of us at the Hospital.

We checked in at Northside Hospital early yesterday morning at 3AM for bleeding. Little Bimp decided to give us a scare - or rather, my body did. I am still diagnosed with a partial placenta previa. When that happens, there's not too much you can do about it, other than taking it easier (no jumping jacks or plowing fields), kind of thing. Since everyone's body is different, despite my lack of emotional NEED for exercise, too much was too much for me. I had gotten nice and busy this summer with freelance work - and on top of teaching, it's too much for me at the moment. Not to worry about Bimp - he's fine, though I will be taking it much easier these days. Will be teaching my classes this quarter from home - so it'll be a fun party for all involved and I won't have to get up and go about, etc. But still be with my students, which makes me happy. Doug promises to make a fresh pot of starbuck's coffee for my morning classes and hey - you guys want to mess with the kitchen? Cool! Boris - give me a grocery list and feed us. And Mary? I hear you've got mad skills with home made pesto pizza or something?

I was just now given 2pills of Ambien, which I am told will help me sleep realy well. They are taking effect nowe as i'm badly typing.

The staff here have been stellar. Kind and assuring and straightforward when you need it. I feel very safe. We zipped in here at 3AM this mornin, was given a shot of steriods and will be given another shot at 11am which will increase Bimp;s chances if breathing better, shoud he arrive prematurely. He will have a good rate of survival, should that be the case. Then well have a chat before I leave about how well i did here and what portions of my work I can slack on - give up temporarily or what I can still safely do. I am hpoing the Docs will think having classes at my home would be swell. Truthfully I'd miss my students all too much not to teach at all - not to mention missing out on all the good conversations! I'll keep you posted.

Drugs rule! After no alcholhol for all these months, the Ambien theygace me are making me silly. SO Im real relaxed nd happy and fun.

This new room they put us in ROCKS. I ;m at the HILTON over here.

SO until we meet again , I am loving all of you and learning how t to a better job of letting the little stuff go, , relzax more, and not to have t be perfect.

I am sad about not taking Holgers; clss, tho. After just one class, I was hookrd right back into doing Tommy. .Lost 2 mights sleep over that promising concept, pulsing with excitemrnt . UNder the current curcumstances, i will takae his class a following quarter when I aam ready. Sorry Holger.

I will be cuttin way down the calligraphy and freelance design work. Learining to take it easy and let others help me more.
hard t o do.

getting real sleepy here.

Much love,,,

!ANne
and Bimp

~:J U L Y * 4 T H * W E E K E N D:~

We had a family blast this year for the 4th of July weekend. Glo, Peter and Mia came to town, so did Yaneeeechkah with her parents Matt and Marcela. Lukie and his lovely girls hosted dinner for us on the 3rd and on July 4th, Nonie and Manning joined us for burgers at Mom and Dad's house.

~:W E E K * 2 5 * T U M M Y:~ Ever since coming back from our little vacay I've been depressed. I think the combo of returning to a lot of new calligraphy work (which was my goal, so I'm grateful), pulling together another set of PC syllabi for Summer quarter and looking at an empty nursey got me panicked. Not 10 minutes into pulling in the driveway, my fucking legs start to itch!! I am a wreck. A control freak. All this new and wonderful stuff that I've dreamed of happening IS and what do I do? Every few weeks, I freak out. Guess that's just how I deal. Funny thing is - I don't know I'm freaking until a bad dream hits to tell me I've got crap under the surface that needs addressing. Dreams are great that way. Or as Minus would say, dreams are cool like that.

One dream was about my legs itching while at PC. I'm doing a painting. Pacing back and forth on my feet. Really into the creativity. I look down and poof - I've got this basketball size blister on my ankle that's all gross and bloody - looks like a placenta. A student takes notice and admonishes me for standing on my feet. "You just can't do that now."

Creepy.

So I tell Doug the dream the next morning and he says, "Sounds like you think you can't be a mother and an artist at the same time." And I start to bawl. Which made me feel a little better. Just knowing the fear I'm not admitting to myself is empowering.

I panic about identity. The change of that. And my emotions are getting more and more intense. Last night Peter made me laugh so hard I almost wet my pants. It was wonderful fun, until those tears turned to real tears and it took all I had in me not to cry furiously at the table. It's really INTENSE and weird to feel so fully. It's all or nothing. I am a vessel. This organic creature, pulsing with life, anticipating a change I cannot fully prepare for. Who am I. Who will I be. What will change. What will I give up? What will I gain?

After all this figuring out of life in the second trimester, at 25 weeks, Doug takes me down the hill to take this picture. By the time we walk back up the hill, we are holding hands, I am out of breath and return to this house in Clayton to dinner cooking and my family waiting. Glo says she'll take me to target tomorrow to begin a baby registry. I'm giving her the gun.

Excited and joyful beyond description, powerless against the fear of this wonderful change, I remind myself that none of us are alone. And at the end or should I say, the beginning of this journey is Bimp.

~:W I T:~

In this month's issue of Premiere, comedy is the theme. Several comics say really smart things here about the intelligence of being funny. The first things that struck me was what Monty Python's John Cleese said.

" There was a fellow called Harvey Orkin who was an American agent in London; he worked on the old Phil Silvers 'Sgt. Bilko' programs as a scriptwriter, and he was probably the funniest man in London in the 70's. He said to me, "John, comedy is about meanness and jealousy and anger and frustration. If you show me a comedy about Francis of Assisi, I'll show you a bummer." And that always stuck in my mind.

There's a lot of truth to that. I once taught a class on Wit in Design and boy was it tough to be funny on purpose. Once people got more risky and mean - it came a lot easier. Sarcasm is a wonderful tool.

My all time favorite comedy is Young Frankenstein. "Yes! Yes! Say it! HE VAS MY BOYFRIEND!!!!" Remember Steve Martin talking about how to fold soup in his book Cruel Shoes? Brilliant. I read that in Highschool in the 80's and remember falling to my knees on the kitchen floor laughing.
A few years ago I hear him on NPR. he talked about his very beginnings noting that when he looked around, all the big stand up comedians were bitter and angry. (George Carlin, etc) And he thought he'd try a different approach. "I'm gonna be silly." And oh, how brilliant he was as that very silly person. We just loved him. Still do.

Remember him in The Jerk? Here's a bit from the movie quoted in the Premier article: Navin Johnson (who's new money tude has managed to piss off everyone he loves, including his wife and all the money he ever wanted... he's at his depth of despair and decides to leave his home: Well, I'm gonna go then. And I don't need any of this. I don't need this stuff, and I don't need you. I don't need anything except this. (picks up an ashtray) And that's it and that's the only thing I need, is this. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game ans that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game ans the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control an the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one -- I need this. The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control and the matches, for sure...And this. That's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, and this magazine, and the chair. (walking outside) And I don't need one other thing, except my dog. (dog growls) I don't need my dog.

So what about you guys? What are your favorite comedies/scenes/actors?

~:C O M P A R I S O N:~

Glo, Peter and Mia are in town for the 4th of July weekend. We'll go up to Clayton tomorrow morning. After a yummy tummy-satisfying dinner of ribs, etc., Peter and I compared tummies and took this non-Photoshopped photo. I think he's carrying high, don't you?

~:A S B U R Y * P A R K:~

We are home! Um. Almost. In a hotel actually outside of Durham tonight. Just took a bath and am waiting for Doug to return with dinner. We stayed with Kari and Peter - had a fabulous time. They were incredibly hospitable hosts - very generous. I felt really well taken care of. Went to a concert one night and folks smiled at me. Not every day you see a pregnant lady at a concert. Bimp danced away that night - mostly during the slow songs.

Here's a picture of your chubby preggo at the beach. Shortly after, it rained. But not to worry - we had plenty to do and lots of room to relax. It was blissfull.

Bjorn made a new friend, Joey - their Bearded Collie. He was such a sweetheart. They shared space and food. Took turns playing catch. Very sweet with each other. Bjorn was not happy to leave him this morning. Woke up grumpy and growled his way into the car. Bad doggie.

Asbury Park is on the mend up here. Has a really interesting history, culture and is being revived by a wide range of voices - all of whom have positive energy to share and want to see the community thrive again as it once did. Everywhere you go, you see renovations, restorations, new construction popping up to bloom. Kari and Peter's house was absolutely darling. Incredibly comfortable. They are open-minded, artsy, organized, generous, witty, wise and made us feel right at home. A very smart couple.

Enjoy the photos of our trip here and a silly little video of Bjorn and Joey playing together.

Glad to be back home. I missed you guys!

~Anne

We are off! Well, officially around 2:00 for da beach. Sorry. Da shore. Staying with Peter and Kari (who are MAC users) so I plan on updating the beelog with ease and in good company. Kari and Peter have a little doggie named Joey, so we're excited about introducing Bjorn to him. Morning walks on the beach are first on our agenda. I am so excited.

This lovely lady belongs on the cover of the book I'll be reading. My friend Ashlee tells me it's addictive and terrifically well written. Perfect beach reading. yay. I've got 2 sweaters and a blanket to knit for Bimp. And good news - my leg rashes are getting much better. Swelling is still down.

Wish us luck on our drive. Sweet Doug made a list of every Hospital on the way up to New Jersey, exits included. Just in case. We are control freaks. Tonight we stay in Virginia. In a 2-star "pet friendly" motel. :) I hope to at least have some great stories for you.

Kisses, all.

~Anne

~:E M B R O I D E R Y:~

May I brag a little? This is Mia and if you'd like to see even more Mia pictures, click here. Looks like Peter and Glo are taking lots of and fun photos with thier new camera. I am jealous. Anyway - I embroidered a couple of shirts for her birthday. This is one of them. The detail in the work is nothing specail, but I love seeing her wear it. I also can't explain the expression on her face - but that it is darling and quirky in a way that only a 2-year-old can deliver. Looks like she is slowly being talked out of something. Or into. Anyway - yay for Mia!

The latest of my niece Mia. To see more pictures, go here.

~:W E E K * 2 3 * T U M M Y:~

We are up in Clayton this weekend for Doug's first father's day. I gave him a haircut and we're just about to open up pwesents. Oh, happy day. I love him. Have been waited on hand and foot up here - and proof of that is seen in my ankles which used to be cankles (that's terminology from Tania). My legs itch less up here - maybe it has something to do with swelling and stress - I dunno. But putting your feet up as much as you can seems to do the trick.

I am so happy. Da Bimp Page has been updated. Will post more lovely pictures of Doug, Dad, Mom and the doggies when they've been properly edited.

We've been searching for Bimp room furniture - only a few more months before he arrives. Found an incredible 7-piece set of Deco bedroom furniture with orange bakelite handles. Oh my god was that wonderful - and to make it even more hard to bear the thought that I could not have it was that someone got the whole set for $600.00!! Godhelpme. Ah well. There will be something else waiting for us somewhere. We don't want a ruffled, sterile and anemic nursery look for Bimp - rather - deep rich colors that excite and soothe - an extension of who we are as a household. This will be a play room for all of us, BjornMouse included. So it's fun thinking of how this new space will nourish all of us. I can't wait!~

Love to you all,

~Anne

An e-mail I got from DougieFresh this afternoon. I'd say he found his special purpose, wouldn't you?

A student sent me this terrific article today. Read on!

~Anne

~:B A D * P U P P Y:~

Bad puppy? Bad mother! This morning I slept until 8:30. Cloudy. A little cooler, yes. But I should have known today was going to start out wretched. I get BjornShit out of his crate and the very second we go downstairs and right before I put the leash on him, at the door, he pees right there on the rug. Little fucker. I BAHHHHED him loudly and we went outside. There was a teensy weensy bit of moisture in the air which means, my friends, that pooping will be difficult. Turd courting, A DougieFresh calls it, is not easy for a finicky toy dog. No poop this morning means back into the crate. We tried again after my shower. No luck then, either. I am at a loss. While away at PC critiquing last night, BjornShit had a blast in the living room, peeing and pooping like there was no tomorrow. I found that this morning. So I am not happy. We had a trainer, (who, quite frankly, I am not happy with) come for a few visits. She's from Bark Busters. $400.00 later we are still in the same mess we were in a year ago. I'm just not cut out for this stuff. I am a bad mother. Bjorn's behavior is a direct reaction to my own behavior. That's how it goes between parents and their kids. I am ready to give up.

I had nightmares all last night of aliens attacking the planet and keeping a very watchful eye over me. I kept trying to call Doug, but couldn't get him. They were keeping him away from me. They were watching me and Bimp and waiting for him to be born so they could take him away from me.

"But you can't have him" I said.

"Of course we can. How do you think we got your first one, Anne?"

They took my first. And there's nothing I can do about it. And they're letting my second make it to term before they take him away, too. This helplessness. This fear. I can't stand it.

"WAKE UP, Anne" I said to myself. Wake up I did.

I hate not having control. I hate the unknown. Fuck wonder.

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Looks like Mary McLuhan and I are very similar. :)
And thank GOD I'm not Saddam like poor Tonya.

~:W O N D E R * W O M A N:~

Tania Recently posted a childhood picture on her beelog, in response to a few of us other beeloggers who also think we looked either cute or ridiculous at a young age. I have a new one for you. (And I think we have started a trend, ladies).

Here's the story: The year my parents decided that celebrating Halloween was satantic and eeeevil, Peter and I passed out candy to all our neighborhood friends while in our PJ's. It was agony. We ended up fighting over who got to hold the bowl, so Mom sent us to bed early. Just about the worst night of my young life.

To compensate, she made Peter a Shazaam costme and me a Wonder Woman costume for the following night of "blessing treating" at the church. Oy. Well, it was better than nothing. Back to the costume: I still remember her sewing on the stars to my blue shorts. I got to wear a wig (yes I think we used spray net, too), fasle eyelashes (that glue nearly made me go blind in both eyes), Lee Press-On Nails (although you can't see them here) and yes, HIGH HEELED SHOES (wish you could see those, too). I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Completely worth the sacrifice of the previous night. My best Halloween ever.

Don't I look spendid? I think this slimming costume does Wonders for me.

~:D O U G I E * F R E S H * M O U S E:~

This is a man who is ready for fatherhood. Yup. And this is his mouse who is ready for a nap. We are all going upstairs right now for a Saturday slumber and I bid all of you peace in da house. To see more Dougie Fresh Mouse pictures, click here!

PS: Steven, these will make you want to wretch, I'm pretty sure of it.

Oh man, Sarah, now I don't know what to do. I am gravid with doubt. (he he)

I can't sleep. It's 4:30 in the morning. My legs are O N F I R E. This rash is killing me, God help me. I have broken skin and a growling stomache. And you think pregnancy is too easy? Kidding. I know what you meant. So is it to be "Tommy" or "Anne-Davnes"?

Of course, if Holger decides to teach the class while I'm teaching one myself, then all bets are off for now. But if I can take it now - I could do both. One now - the other later. Maybe that's the solution.

Like the picture?

~:D E S I G N:~

See these lillies? How mouth-watering they are? They are perfect. Growing in my front yard right now. I hope to create something as close to these as I can get. I am inspired! So I have signed up for Holger Kappenstien's Typeface Design class at PC and I'm so excited. I'll be able to take it providing it doesn't conflict with one of my own classes. Thank you Holger! He says that by week two, we are to commit to a name for the font we're creating and stick with it for the entire quarter. I've a few ideas/options to consider that I'd like your feedback on.

1. "GRAVID"
This means "Being with child; heavy with young or eggs; pregnant." Would be really cool to design a face, each character with a bump or elegant protrusion, each balanced with asymmetry, which is how my body feels. Flourishing in this rare life-giving state is fascinating. What better way to honor this special time than to design a face during this transformation? Only drawback is that I might find this gets old after a while. But sticking to it would be a labor of love, if it ended up being difficult. Which is the nature of creativity. So...hmmm. I'm really tempted to tackle this idea.

2. "TOMMY"
I have an older brother who took his life when he was 34. This happened about 8 years ago. One of those experiences that's changed me forever. And continues to teach me things. I thought honoring him by creating a face that celebrates his personality - the best of his personality would be a great tribute. Another labor of love. Tommy and I were so very different from each other. I'd say the only two real similarities were 1. that we shared the same sense of humor. Oh God, could he make me laugh. I miss that. 2. We had the same big toe. No kidding. To remember his presence, all I need to do it take off my socks and stare at my big toe. That's tommy.

The greatest thing Tommy accomplished was hiking the Appalachian Trail. Yep - he was a beautiful thru hiker. His trail name was "Darling Boy" - something our Mother called him.

I was thinking that the face should look nothing like me. It should be physically strong. He was an ox of a person. He was ruddy. Elegant. Incredibly brave. Sturdy. And he loved the outdoors. He would have survived a nuclear war - would have ended up a king if the tables turned so. He did not have book smarts - but an instinctive awareness of how things worked naturally. And he was spiritual. And his anger. Fierce. You'd want him on your side if in battle. Tommy fought off monsters. The only one that got him in the end was what he saw in the mirror. His self esteem damaged from too many poor decisions and a learning disability that left him feeling less than everyone else.

But man - I'd love to make this face out of wood. Wood cuts. Or twigs. Pinestraw. I dunno - some kind of natural material that I could vectorize. (is that a word??) Something sturdy to honor him. I'd want you to look at it and say, "Hero. Thru hiker. Anne's brother, Tommy." And want to know him.

Only drawback is that I want this to be something totally for myself. Is guilt part of my motivation? Or would that just be part of my journey? I dunno.

3. "Anne-Davnes" or "Davnes"
This would be another self portrait. I love calligraphy. Have developed my own style by now, based upon Copperplate. Addressing envelopes with a steel nib dipped in ink is yoga for the hands and soul. I absolutely love it. Can't get enough of it! My calligraphy is somewhat free-spirited and irregular. Gives a nod to the past, but is rather contemporary. There's a lot of grace there - irregular grace. I just love it. Makes me happy.

Were I to turn this into a font, that irregularity would need to be somewhat diminished or harnessed. This would be a face with rhythm, but with a level of consistency. I think it would be terribly exciting to decide which characters have descenders or ascenders that can reach high or dip deeply. I think I can do that, as long as there are but a few special ones without them all fighting for attention. To be a calligrapher who has designed a version of their natural hand for keystroking would be very, very rewarding. I think this would give me the most natural high out of all my options. The strokes themselves give me great pleasure. I know what you're thinking - you perverts. :)

I think this last option is the one I want to go with. but is it big-headed of me to name it after myself? I thought Davnes would be so elegant. It's Norwegian and should I have a girl someday, I'll give that name to her as well.

Saying no to the first 2 options is something I'm not quite ready to do. I want this exercise to be pleasant but to stretch me, too. What do you guys think? Any opinions?

~:B I M P * 2 1 * W E E K S:~

Updated the Bimp Page with this photo. We took a bunch of photos and picked this one, where Doug instructed me to say "sassssssy" as he snapped the camera. Still feeling that way, thank you. I am now 140 pounds. Thank you. Thankyouverymuch. Thank you.

Well I am a little happier this evening. Went to the school today for one on one meetings with students and Nick brought me a chocolate bar. We shared it. Thank you, Nick. Then Bimp awoke and I got to feel him nudge me all day long. That's one of the really fun parts.

I've read that your baby picks up on your moods. That sure happened to us today. All 3 of us, Bjorn, Bimp and I barely made it out of bed. But once the chocolate arrived and good work started flowing in for me to look at, why - who would want anything else? So it was a great day. Teaching just puts me in a better mood. Chocolate helps, too. And the fabulous comments from you fabulous women - you know who you are.

I came home and stopped by to visit Mom and Dad - helped Mom with her computer. Then drove home and as I watered plants, Doug pulled into the driveway. So we weeded together for a few minutes while BjornMouse picked a breezy, sunny patch on the lawn to watch us. Hostas are blooming, the hibiscus I thought I killed is coming back, the vinca I transplanted is doing well, pansies are coming up in shady areas, in spite of the heat. Dougie Fresh got a job with CheckFree, who has fallen in love with his mad skills. We have better insurance now and I get to go back to my old OBGYN to announce my 21st week of pregnancy, after a painful miscarriage nearly 2 years ago. Life is good to us.

You guys are right. Who cares about the rash. I love my career, family and friends and the work that comes with all of it.
And I am going to be a mother.

Good news:

I now have a cute bathing suit, which should make you proud, A.

Bad news:

Said bathing suit does not have polka dots. That one came in the wrong size. Phooey.

Good news:

I've got the red lipstick, vintage cut shades and a cute hat to accompany the belly.

Bad news:

As of 3 days ago, I could no longer bend over to polish my toenails, which I have done religiously for the last 20 years or so of my life.

Good news:

I was given persmission by the financial dept of our household to splurge for a pedicure. Poor me. Poor, poor me. Oh my god was it heaven.

Bad news:

Weight gain in the hips and thighs area comes with pregnancy... so the tops of my legs rub together now which I HATE. Sarah - should I be using powder? Oh my god is it uncomfortable in hot weather.

Good news:

I H A D to have a new pair of pants that are ever so comfortable and provide a nice buffer for sweaty skin against sweaty skin. (too much info? sorry)

Bad news: I have developed a weird pregnancy rash on my legs below the knees. And there is no good news associated with this one.

And that's just about all I can think of to say. I have been swifted away into the pregnancy bubble and feel very ar away from the rest of you. I celebrate my pregnancy most of the time, but today just don't feel quite right. I feel heavy and burdened. Bimp's not moving much. And oy - nausea has returned. At least for today.

Sunshine? Where ARE you this morning ? ? Come back to me.

~:F E E L I N G * B I M P:~

We are at 20 - 21 weeks now and I've been feeling Bimp move and squirm every time I'm siting or lying still. It is AMAZING. Feels like a little squish. A tickle. A squirm. Like a soft thump, thud, muscle twinge. And this morning while lying in bed, Doug pressed his hand down low on my belly and felt Bimp move several times. Oh my goodness what fun we are having.

He's supposed to be able to hear by now. So we're talking to him. In a couple of weeks, we go to the beach and he should see sunlight through my belly. Time to start singing and taping stereo speakers to my belly. Dance, Bimp Dance!

Mom took me shopping yesterday. I finally have real maternity wear. Soooo much more comfortable. Thank you GOD!!

Time to start filling Bimp's room with gear.

Cheers!!

~Anne