As of this moment, there’s no way we’re moving to Vienna. Considering that our living room is filled with plastic containers — ones which we were sorting and packing for an overseas move — this is a big, big deal.

I don’t feel like going into the reasons for now, but we’re staying put probably until the Summer, and figuring out some way to move to the Denver area instead. Am I crushed? Nah. At this point, I’m so exhausted from the drama that has dragged out for five months, that I’m simply relieved to have the decision-making power back in our hands.

Harrumph. Huh…my uncle asked what we’re doing for Christmas, and I realized that I have NO FREAKIN’ IDEA. I thought we’d be frantically packing to be ready to load a shipping container bound for Europe. Guess not.

Sometimes, I have to look back at the title of this blog. “It is what it is.” It’s not just a pithy statement that was prominently overused on the first season of Top Chef (yes, I love Bravo’s reality series). It’s a profound way of looking at life and learning to not only accept, but embrace the life I have.

This was in an email this morning on a yahoo group re: birth that I frequent:

You never know what unexpected benefits may come from something
going differently than you’d hoped. So thinking that way may allow
you to relax and enjoy the whole process more - and may make for a
MUCH happier holiday season for all involved.

This email was in response to one gal’s concerns about having family present for her child’s birth — family whom she’d rather not have in the room. Birth doesn’t stress me out. While Maya’s birth wasn’t pain-free, it also wasn’t traumatic in the least. It was fantastic, really. But when I applied these thoughts in a broader sense, a lightbulb went off.

My response:

(name),

Just realized I should tell you — I thoroughly enjoy your posts. This last bit is especially helpful to me now, not about birthing, but simply regarding our lives. In July, we learned that my dh was getting a job offer that will move us to Europe. The formal offer didn’t finally arrive (hooray bureaucratic nightmare) until just before Thanksgiving, and now we’re eagerly/anxiously awaiting their response to our counter to their (typical) low-ball salary. Since I’m due in March, this feels like a time-bomb ticking; I’m not willing (and DH agrees) that we won’t move after mid-January, when I hit 32 weeks. Of course, the organization is dragging out their acceptance/formal plans now, so we’re … antsy … to say the least.

Anyway, it’s so often been true in my life that the unplanned and unexpected can transform into something fabulous. We may move to Europe. We may stay put. We may move somewhere entirely different. Whatever happens, our lives will work out. Thanks for the reminder!

I hit 32 weeks pregnancy on January 15th. Moving somewhere else in the US after that wouldn’t be a big deal at all. Moving to another country, where I don’t even speak the native language? Now THAT is a stressful thought. It’s good to remind myself that we’re doing everything that we need to do, and that whatever happens, we’ll be fine.

Stressed much?

On a semi-related note, I had an OB appointment on Monday and (no surprise, as I feel rather whale-like) measured about 2 weeks ahead of my estimated due date. They packed me off for an ultrasound to be sure all was well, and, as I expected, everything’s fine. Baby is simply big. He’s roughly 2 pounds, 5 ounces at this point, and approximately 15-16 inches from head to foot. On top of that, I’ve got lots o’ amniotic fluid, so yeah…my belly’s big. Since I have little torso room to speak of, that translates to a baby sticking WAY out in the front for my 26 weeks. Mike’s a big guy. We’re likely to have a big baby. No “big” deal.

But, that means I got pictures!

This particular clinic offers 3D/4D in addition to the typical sonographic images. Pity that little guy really didn’t feel like showing his face. The songographer thought this was a muscle-man pictures. To me, it says Moooommmmmm…leave me alone! Five more minutes!

He was, however, perfectly happy to flash us his nether-regions again, assuring us that the sonogram in October was in no way mistaken about gender. Look, ma! I’m a BOY!

I love profile photos. This also gives you an idea of how little guy likes to flex his feet and push on me. All. the. time. And, for the record, I think he’ll have Mike’s nose.

Toward the very end, Baby Boy finally moved his arm/elbow down just enough that we got a shot of eyes and nose.

After sending this to my moms’ group, I realized, DUH…I should post it here, too. If you get a chance to see a movie, do this one. Really.

I keep forgetting to RAVE about this movie to you guys! Mike and I saw it on our anniversary (go figure, a day away from Maya, and we still went to a kids’ flick), and we BOTH were just about rolling the whole movie, and preggo-emotional-me, I cried at the end. I loved, loved, loved it.

If you’ve been (forced to watch) exposed to your basic Disney animated flick at ALL, go see it. Seriously. We actually bought the soundtrack while still in Colorado, and have listened to it nearly daily since then.

Here’s another review, from a feminist standpoint — I totally agree with her.