I Like My In-Laws

This morning, I was falling asleep during a meeting about our European Dentistry publications. I stepped out to buy myself a cuppa coffee and a bagel as an energizer, and had my first embarrassing pregnancy question. Last week I had my first spontaneous belly touch, so I suppose it's time for the questions.

"How long do you have left?" the cashier asked.

"Quite a long time, actually. I'm in my 4th month."

"You're kidding me!"

No! And I'm nothing on my friend Jeni, who has a toddler Ellie's age, 1-year-old twins, and is due in December with #4. Her poor little body has been pregnant for most of the past 3-1/2 years, and she looks about 7 months along already. Her back already hurts. It's going to be a long 5 months for her, I think.

But I did "pop" a bit this weekend. It was Saturday and I felt awfully uncomfortable. I didn't eat much. I went to lie down in my room. I started feeling better, so I got back up and put myself together to rejoin society. Ugh. Other than getting vertical, what had I changed? Ah.

While I was lying on my bed, I'd unfastened my shorts. It seems that they are suddenly too tight. It looks like I might be almost ready to jump from clothing two-sizes-too-big into maternity pants. Already! But the large, shapeless maternity things and the kangaroo pouch pants are too big still. Bah humbug.

Ellie's been feverish, congested, and up at night coughing again. We're headed down to Children's later today to make sure that her pneumonia is gone. (I hope so I hope so) But in the meantime, there's no school today for the recently feverish. It's worked out very nicely that Paul's parents are here visiting this week. Right now, I'm at work (waiting for my internet connection and email to come back up so that I can work), Paul's at work, his dad's installing a new vanity in our guest bathroom, and his mom is watching Ellie. Perfect!

That's not why I love them, it's just an example of how thoughtful they are. What do you do for summer vacation if you live in the beautiful Wyoming mountains? Apparently, you drive to muggy, hot St. Louis to help out "the kids." And the kids will appreciate every minute of it. Especially the cooking and dish washing and the no-longer-dripping faucet. And the Ellie watching.