Well. THAT didn't go well at all.

So today was the first day of the first week of school. I laid out my clothes last night, set the alarm for 5:15 am, and did a few other things to make the morning run smoothly.

A-hem.

I woke up at 7:00 am, somehow having slept through my alarm, and was backing out of the driveway at 7:10 am. I didn't want anyone getting too close to me today as I hadn't had time for a shower (picture a liberal use of deodorant and my Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir-- using the latter of which on an unwashed body felt like the basest sacrilege). I had stuffed my makeup bag and my insulin pen in my purse and made use of the makeup at Atlanta's infinitely long traffic lights. Amazingly, it still only took me about 40 minutes to drive to work, and I made it to my homeroom with about 4 minutes to spare. My girls got a good laugh out of it, and afterwards I went off campus to grab some breakfast so that I could take my insulin. Now, if this isn't a compelling case for why my employer and so many others should just offer paid maternity leave, then I don't know what is! I mean, when you're so tired that you sleep through your ALARM?? Plus, I guarantee you that I was barely coherent for the first hour or so that I was at work so not a whole lot was accomplished. Luckily my day turned around and I was fairly productive (at least, that's how I remember it), but still.

Oh, and can we take a moment to discuss how I have the feet and ankles of a baby elephant? I cannot get the swelling to go down, no matter how much water I drink and subsequently get rid of. I slept with my feet elevated last night and they looked a bit better when I dashed (ok, ambled awkwardly) out to my car, but by the time I got to work they looked as bad as ever. Plus, they don't bend the same way they used to which makes walking even more awkward.

My colleagues are really sweet, and everybody's been telling me how great I look (thanks to the gestational diabetes I've been dropping weight like crazy, which is not altogether a good thing), but I'm just at That Point. You know, That Point where you can't really sleep, or get comfortable, and you just feel hideous. I called my parents on Friday to announce that I Was Done. After smothering their laughter, they explained that it doesn't work that way. I said I didn't care, that I Was Done, and hadn't they been listening?

Please hold the rotten tomatoes. Of course I want Liam to go full-term (especially because he's due on my dad's birthday and it would be SO COOL were he to be born that day), and of course I wouldn't ask for an induction or schedule a C-section for some non emergency reason. I'm just talking trash because I am at That Point ;)

In other news, I got another item checked off my list of Things to Do Before I Go into Labor. I stopped at the friendly neighborhood fire station in Virginia-Highlands and this super-nice fireman installed Liam's carseat (complete with Cowmooflage cover) for me. It was a relief to know that it was done by someone who knows what he's doing AND I watched the whole time and feel confident that I could do it by myself. I'm somewhat of a visual learner, and I learn better by seeing something done than by reading instructions.

Other items remaining on that list include: getting my bag packed for the hospital; planning what will go in the cooler that we're taking (I refuse to eat the stuff they serve in the hospital-- I tried a couple of years ago when I had my breast reduction, and then last week when I had to spend the night because of the kidney stone I was passing-- yes, friends, that was LOADS of fun); finishing the valances in Liam's room (I need to get the apple green ribbon attached); having the slipcovers on the couch in his room dry cleaned; getting together the lists of contact information (2 of them: one a list of folks who want to be notified when I go into labor, and one of folks who want to know when Liam's born), and several other things that I can't remember at the moment. I've just about given up on accomplishing the housecleaning tasks I outlined in my post before last, as I think they're not going to happen. At this point I'll be thrilled if there isn't dog hair all over the floor and two inches of dust on everything :)

Well, it's off to bed for me. Here's hoping that I don't sleep through the alarm again!
Kimberley