pregnancy update

[kate_nepveu]

FutureBaby performed beautifully on the non-stress test today, and so we have the just-in-case induction scheduled for as late as possible, Thursday night into Friday morning. My doctor thinks it won't be necessary, which we hope is the case.

Now I'm going to go finish putting together my hospital bag, in case that's the reason I haven't gone into labor yet. (We're starting to run out of them—average due date reached, Miyazaki-inspired flying bison ordered, Indian food eaten, nursery decorated, work-related stuff I resolved to get done finished . . . I think I need to imitate Chad and publicly vow to do some time-consuming project, like re-reading all eleven Vlad Taltos books or reading some complex and new-to-me book. Unfortunately I can't vow to finish The Tale of Genji because it's too heavy for me to hold comfortably; finishing the in-progress cross-stitch or writing long complicated posts is probably not wise for the same reason. I will contemplate it, after I finish staring at the bookshelves to pick hospital books.)

As usual, no unsolicited advice, no horror stories, thank you.

Comments

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

Vow to learn some hobby entirely new to you and that takes moderately expensive materials---woodcarving or calligraphy would do nicely---and acquire said materials? Then set your work space up to excitedly start your first project...

[ejmam.livejournal.com]

For my second child, who was slower about coming out than my first, my mom and I went out and bought a new dresser, and brought it home unstained so we could stain it together. It was going to be a real bonding experience -- first time I ever stained something on purpose. It's still unstained, but at least I remember to the day how long we've had that dresser -- it's one day older than younger son. Good luck in the next week!

[kate_nepveu]

Obviously I'm thinking too small, here!

[merhawk]

Seconded! Hope Future Baby decides to come soon.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks! Us too.

[kate_nepveu]

Considering how many things I dropped today, I think Murphy would know that I wasn't being serious if I vowed to do something involving serious fine motor control, but there may be other hobbies I could plausibly take up . . .

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Best of luck!

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks!

[veejane.livejournal.com]

You could do what my sister did, and field a visit from our mother, and swear up and down that you would not go into labor while the visit is going on. You'd give birth within a day of her arrival!

I can call up my mom and have her on the Pike in an hour! She'll be at your house before supper!!

[kate_nepveu]

You are too funny. Thank you for the laugh.

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

I went into labor 6 hours after she entered the house. 6 days early, with a (typically late) first child.

[kate_nepveu]

Clearly, your mom has great powers. I'm sure she only uses them for good.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Feel free to not answer this question if you're afraid it will stir up a lot of unsolicited advice, but I'm wondering - why does your doctor want to schedule an induction for the end of the week?

[kate_nepveu]

Two weeks past my due date would be Monday, they'd like me to deliver before then because of the slightly increased risk of stillbirth, and the hospital doesn't do planned inductions over the weekend because of staffing issues.

(And people are being almost uniformily respectful about my wishes regarding unsolicited advice.)

no, no...

[ewanmcnay.livejournal.com]

..*Hungarian* food! Or maybe it's Thai. Or possibly Vietnamese..

{It was goulash for us, though. A small, and odd, place in CT that had a **guarantee on the menu** that if you came for dinner within 2 weeks of due date, and did not give birth within 48 hours, you could return for a refund. 7 hours later...}

Regardless, hope all goes just as you wish.

Re: no, no...

[kate_nepveu]

a **guarantee on the menu**

My goodness. What on earth could they be putting *in* that food?

Re: no, no...

[ewanmcnay.livejournal.com]

Yes, we wondered (aloud); but were assured it was merely the large quantity of paprika!

Re: no, no...

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Paprika, sour cream, and black and blue cohosh (http://www.birthingnaturally.net/cn/tool/cohosh.html)?

[kgbooklog.livejournal.com]

writing long complicated posts

How about a short complicated post about Fantasy vs. Romance Genre Conventions/Expectations in Urban Fantasy? I might do it myself (over in bittercon), but most of the Romance I've read was by accident, so I'm unsure how accurate my perceptions are. I'm prompted by Patricia Briggs' Cry Wolf being so completely different in tone from the series it is spun off from (I highly recommend her Moon Called if you're looking for Urban Fantasy with a competent heroine).

[kate_nepveu]

I'm not sure I'm widely-read enough in the genre to say, but I'll ponder and if you beat me to it, I'll be glad to add any comments I think of.

[kgbooklog.livejournal.com]

Okay, I went ahead and did so, linked here (http://community.livejournal.com/bittercon/10667.html?style=mine) so it'll be easier for you to find once you have time. (This is a remarkably prolific BitterCon you're missing.)

[kate_nepveu]

I'm sorry to hear it; thanks for the link.

[cofax7]

Best of luck to you all!

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks!

[mdevnich.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I hope FutureBaby doesn't keep you waiting too much longer!

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks, us too!

[ninjoo.livejournal.com]

See it as a compliment, apparently your womb is just too comfortable! :D

[kate_nepveu]

Well, better than the opposite . . .

[castiron.livejournal.com]

At least by this time next week you'll presumably be done with Part A and started on Part B.... Good luck!

#2 kid was gracious enough to wait until after Franklin Habit's 1000 Knitters Project visit, but arrived in time to prevent us from seeing Brave Combo. (Which I'm okay with; Brave Combo will come to town again eventually.)

[kate_nepveu]

Maybe we should've bought tickets to the Police & Elvis Costello after all . . . that was August 1 and would have been really good Murphy's Law fodder.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

I would like to remind FutureBaby that I have today in Chad's betting pool, and that when you think about labor durations and so forth, 11:30am Eastern is pushing it a bit late to get started.

*taps toe impatiently*

[kate_nepveu]

Heh. Somehow it seems bad form for me to root for people in the betting pools, but I have duly advised FutureBaby of your comments.

I also hereby declare that today I will mail free books to people, finish my booklog backlog, *and* finish the cross-stitch project in progress (which is all plausible, actually, since I seem to have got the hang of the bit I'm doing now).

You hear that, FutureBaby?

[kate_nepveu]

Oh, and in case anyone is curious, the hospital books are: Westlake, _Don't Ask_; Clancy, _Hunt for Red October_; Pratchett, _Lords and Ladies_; and Stevermer, _Scholar of Magics_. Two paperbacks, one trade, one hardcover; some comedy mixed with righteous ass-kicking, some soothing tech-babble, and some finely-written fantasy. And, IIRC, not a pregnancy, child, or mother in sight.

(Yes, four is more than I'll need, but options, darn it.)

If we have to induce, I'll probably add some new-to-me books.

[larabeaton.livejournal.com]

Reread the WoT books out loud to FutureBaby. I guarantee by the end of Crown of Swords, FB will come out just to slap the book out of your hands.

[kate_nepveu]

. . . can I amend that to audiobooks + earphones placed on my belly? Because I'm already mildly blue, and if I had to listen to the bad WoT books . . .