Productive Weekend

I confess, I played hooky from work on Friday. I had a super long week and I could go on with a long list of complaints, but what it really boils down to is the weather was nasty and I'm lazy. So... there you go.

I did use my extra free time to (well... sleep, but also) to schedule our hospital labor and delivery tour as well as a birthing class!

January 11th we are signed up to tour St. Ann's baby factory as I'm fairly certain this is where I'll deliver. I guess if I'm not wowed then I'll set up a time to go visit Riverside.

January 16th we are scheduled to take an all day "Express" Labor and Birth Class. From the website:

This class provides the basics of labor and birth preparation. Instruction focuses on essential information for mother and her birth partner, including what to expect during labor and birth, techniques for coping with labor discomforts, medications and epidurals, and medical interventions. Breathing, relaxation and comfort strategies are discussed, and written instruction are provided for at-home practice

I've gone back and forth about whether to take a class. I've read quite a bit about different birthing techniques and what to expect at the time of labor and delivery; I've also been present at 2 births, but at the end of the day I still don't really know what to expect for myself. Everyone is different and everyone's experience is going to be a little different. However, I decided that the more information and knowledge I can gather the better and someone else (::side eyes Mark::) doesn't really know what to expect at all. So I think this class will be good for us. I'm looking forward to it.

Mark spent all Saturday working on the nursery. He has the chair rail up and the holes patched so now I guess he's ready to do the final paint touch ups.

Today we made a trip to Michael's for some nursery decor (along with a 20% off your entire purchase coupon!) and bought a few baskets (at 60% off!), a few cute little decorative wooden animals that we happened to come across ($0.47 each, I couldn't pass them up, they're so darling!) as well as some wooden letters to paint that I want to hang above the crib. They didn't have any "J"s in stock so we ended up with "ACK" and some paint, but I Mark will check back later this week to see if they have any "J"s in yet. I'll hold off on the painting until I'm sure we can track down the last letter!

Then we stopped at Wal-mart to pick up the crib and changing table that we ordered and had shipped to the store. They're currently sitting in the garage in boxes just begging to be put together, but I don't think that's going to happen today. I am SO. EXCITED. to see them set up and in the nursery!

Health-wise all is well besides the fact that I feel like a baby walrus, have trouble rolling over, get tired walking back and forth to the bathroom and ache all over, but I think that just comes with the territory of the latter half of the third tri! Really though, I can't complain (even though I do... to Mark at least) I have, thankfully, had a very healthy pregnancy. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow for the usual weight, blood pressure, and belly growth check. I'm really sick of going, but at least every time I walk out of the office I feel confident that everything is going right on schedule.

In other news, I'm 99% sure that we've decided my last day of work is going to be the end of January. A couple of weeks ago at the time of my (glowing) performance review I broke the news to my manager that I'm not returning post-baby. She was obviously not thrilled at all about the announcement, but she took it as well as can be expected. She told me there might be periodic opportunities for some part-time work, which I told her to definitely contact me about, and she went on to say that when I'm ready to return to work to please call her first because they would love to have me back if at all possible.

She thanked me numerous times for giving her an early heads up and then said that for now, she's going to keep this between her and I so that I can contact HR for some additional information to see if I'm still entitled to maternity pay. (Side note: I emailed HR on December 28th and followed up with a voice mail on the 6th, and still haven't heard anything back. This ticks me off.) I think I'm going to have to forfeit my mat pay, especially since I'm now planning to leave a few weeks before the birth. I'm not too torn up about this. I'll miss the money for sure, but I REALLY will appreciate not having to get up and go to work for the last few weeks of my pregnancy!