Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Snow! Yup, that's right! We had our first snow yestersay! The night before, MIL called to warn us that snow was on the way that evening (we don't have TV to get weather forecasts). Fortunately, we had been out shopping and stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies at the pazar, then meats and non-perishables at Carrefour, so we are well-stocked in case of the hill freezing. Now we have little flurries coming down, soft and pretty, and it's nice to watch from the window as I sip the ever-present cuppa Turkish tea.

The nesting behavior continues on my part. I forced Meg to help me clean the house on Sunday. We vacuumed, mopped, dusted, cleaned bathrooms, etc. Here is am, three days later, wondering how this dust has found its way back to the table tops. Where does it all come from? ARGH! Why can't we just clean the house once and have it stay clean? And while we're at it, why doesn't the laundry do itself? My friend Allison has a line on a housecleaner for me; I'm still waiting to hear from her, though. I know that I won't be able to keep up once the baby comes, so we need to be finding someone right quick, as baby could make an appearance as early as six weeks from now!

Baby's movements have slowed down a bit and seem to be more controlled these days, rather than the random jerky kicks and elbows. Most of the time, he seems to be somewhere between transverse (side-lying) and vertex (head-down), but I can't always tell for certain. The "special baby hugs" continue in no organized fashion and I'm hoping that the old wives' tale is true--the more I have now, the easier labor will be. I am drinking my Red Raspberry Leaf tea religiously, every day, even though I am sick and tired of it. I always drink at least one glass (I can only tolerate it cold, over ice) a day, and sometimes manage three.

The birth pool arrived last week. We still haven't uncrated it to check it out, but I suppose we'll have to do that one of these days. Once I'm finished with it, it is up for rent to anyone else in Turkiye who would like it. Gamze has dibs on it when she's ready to have her next baby, but other than that, it's up for grabs. I'm not sure yet where it will be stored--it may stay with me, or it may go to Jasmin (of IWI's Pregnant Mums & Kids), if she has room to store it, as that was Barbara Harper's request.

We are on the downhill side of this pregnancy, for sure. It feels like I have so much left to do, but also that everything seems to be done and ready--at the same time. We are setting up a "nursery," even though we don't plan to actually use it so much. We are waiting for a new dresser for Meg so that we can hijack her old one for the baby's room. After I get that in place, it only remains to wash all the baby clothes and put them away, uncrate the birth tub and see how it works (I don't think labor is the optimal time to find that out), and start filling the freezer with ready meals. I am so excited, nervous, anxious, happy. I am peaceful with my decision to not worry about a midwife, but I am also concerned about the lack of emotional support--as well as *who* will be manning the camera! (Need to get a tripod for that thing!) It's been so long since I've had a little baby to care for, I hope I remember how to do it!