35-week mark

Went to the second birth preparation class this week by myself; Michael had a business trip to California. We saw a video of a woman giving birth vaginally filmed from the doctor's standpoint. Some of the Dads looked green afterward, and I felt queasy and almost dizzy. Delivering the placenta is one of those things people don't really talk about when sharing stories about the birth of their kids and I didn't know the placenta came out separately until getting pregnant.

No constipation, heartburn, varicose veins or shortness of breath so far...knock on wood. My feet have swelled up in the last few days and seem to be staying that way day and night -- I've got cankles now (cankles = calves merge directly into feet, no discernible ankle bones). My hands swell over the course of the day, especially after long walks.

I realized I'm not supposed to be eating deli meat sandwiches for lunch (which I had been doing until about two weeks ago - listeria risk) and tuna fish is also off the list (too much mercury), so when I'm working from home, which is most days now, the menu is fruit plus hard boiled eggs, a peanut butter sandwich or yogurt & granola. Looking forward to eating ham and cheese sandwiches again later.

Dad is visiting to help us with the move, and it's fun to have him here. Mom is in California, and said she and the dog are doing fine. Shi Shi Ling has always been attached to Mom; I'm sort of a distant 2nd favorite, followed by Dad and Ben (in definite last place in her affections).

In the recent past, my father has been doing most of the feeding/walking for schedule reasons. When Dad left for New York earlier this week, Mom said Shi Shi looked deflated when he packed his suitcase, and after he left she disappeared and now is only showing up now to interact with Mom at mealtimes and to be walked. Mom thinks the dog is missing Dad.

[Shi Shi Ling photographed by my father a week ago in Goleta.]