First off, I have a poll going on the homepage—which baby will arrive first, the reverendbaby or Baby Jesus. Make your predictions now on this matter of great theological import. You guys didn’t do too well on guessing the sex of the baby, although your recommendation that we do Sesame Place rather than the beach this summer was a winner.

Yesterday at the church I got my first incredulous “You’re STILL here?” Oh, jeers! That cannot be starting already, shoot me now. (I’m still 2+ weeks out.) Cheers, on the other hand, to the preschool mom who said, “You look GREAT!” and appeared to mean it.

I had my 38-week visit today, and all is well. No news is good news. The past two visits have been with OBs rather than midwives—a quirk of the schedule. They were both great, older gentlemen. Apparently last week I seemed so relaxed and untroubled that the doc remarked that if he had his druthers, he would only work with second-time moms. They are much less stressed and they know what they’re doing, he said. Then he started babbling about cows and said, “You see, you’re a proven heifer.” I consider it a sign of growth on my part, as well as of how endearing he was, that I was mostly bemused rather than offended by this.

I bought twelve votive candles with glass holders and paint-penned different words for people to pray for when I go into labor. I have been giving them out to people at the church, who have created a calling chain so they know when to light their candles. This was my idea—I did it last time—but one of them got the idea to light sparklers when RB is born. Something about the image of those exuberant lights during the darkest time of year really touches me.

It is quite silly how much I’ve thought about how to let the blog-world know when this blessed event happens. I have an “I’m in labor” post saved and ready to go—assuming it doesn’t happen so quickly that I can’t even get to a computer. (Yes, because life is just that kind.) Like the post that announced my pregnancy, it too is a poem. There will be no mistaking it.

When the child comes there will be some kind of generic announcement put up on the public part of reverendmother, with a more complete birth announcement in the private section. So now is the time for you to ask for the password, should you be interested in the more detailed name/rank/serial number, not to mention pictures. It’s so funny, I’ve received a few baby books and “mom’s journals” along the way and I don’t even know what to do with them. This child’s life has been and will be well documented, but electronically. What times we live in.

The room has been painted, and painted well, thanks to R’s painstaking efforts. Meh, I did a little. I’ve been working on the labor/postpartum bag and other details. Things are still a bit of a mess, but we’re getting ready.

Last time we kept the door to C’s nursery closed to keep the cats out. My due date came and went, no baby. Meanwhile the door stayed closed. I think it was about more than just the cats. Finally I decided to open the door. She was born the next day or so. Could be coincidence, could be some obscure feng shui thing going on. Either way, I wonder if there will be an “I’m ready” gesture this time, the equivalent of the opening door.