23 days to go!

This picture was taken on the 21st.
I am still conflicted about wether or not I'm completely comfortable with my belly out. I am more UNcomfortable in my maternity swim suit that DOES cover my belly, so even if I offend someone, the bikini wins. I see many many mom-to-bes on the beach in bikinis these days, so I really shouldn't care, but for some reason I feel a little like the old guy in the thong. I feel like I'm a spectacle.
Yesterday I took Lily to the doctor for her 3 year check-up. Early, I know, but it is one less thing on my my to-do list now. This is the first time she has been big enough to wear the paper gown and we both got a big kick out of it. I usually try to prepare her for things so we had talked about what to expect before we went. We talked about how she may have to get a shot and all that just so she would be ready. I didn't know they would put her in the gown so when they had us put that one we both ended up with the giggles. The happiness continued because she didn't need any shots!

She is in the 75th percentile for everything. This has come down, she has always been in higher percentiles. I guess that explains why she is still wearing the same clothes that she was wearing a year ago. Spurts are funny. Her size has not changed, she has only gotten taller.

This last picture was taken tonight. If you can't tell what is going on here, that is my belly that Lily is laying on and she is sitting on the couch between my legs.

She has taken to wanting to lean against my belly all the time lately. She feels it and wants to help me put on lotion. I think she totally understands what is happening, although we'll never really know what is going on in that little head of hers. The other day when she was in the bathtub we talked about how baby Eric is going to be too small to take a bath in the big bath with her but once he gets bigger he will. Then she said "the doctor is going to cut you open and take him out and then you can't pick me up for awhile". Wow, what a memory! I remember telling her this once but am surprised at how well she actually understood it.

Funny things from Lily

Lily is a little mini-me. This little girl is enforcing the golden rule on me by treating me as I treat her. She says things that are almost exact repeats of what I tell her.
For lunch today we both had sandwiches but she had goldfish and I had triscuits. She put 3 goldfish on the table and slid them over to me and said "mommy, you have to have at least 3 before you get up"

I yelled at Zelda for getting under-foot and almost tripping me while I was cooking and Lily says "Mommy, there is no need to yell, be nice to doggies"

There are lots of bathroom things that she says to me that seem so normal for me to say to a 2 year old but are funny when a 2 year old says them to an adult. She regularly asks me if I wiped or if I put my panties back on. The other day she stuck her head in the bathroom while I was on the pot and said "call me when you are ready. Just let me know, ok" I assume she was intending to come help me wipe because that is what I say to her when she is pooping.

Then there are other random things that she says that I have no idea where they come from:
"hey mommy, lets sing together, ok, on 4.... 1, 2, 3, 4"
"do you know that chickens come from eggs!" as she is holding an egg at her bum squatting over it

Then there are funny things that she notices and points out. This quality has the potential to be pretty embarrassing if she weren't so shy and actually talked in public.
Brandi is staying with us and Lily came to me after showering with her to tell me "you have BIG boobies and Aunt Brandi's boobies are smaller"
or looking at Ross after he hadn't shaved all weekend and said "daddy you have a dirt mustasche"
One of my favorites is how she thinks anything in a can is a beer. "Mommy, are you going to have another beer?" She said this one in public at the park and the other moms immediately looked up to see whether or not the pregnant lady was really drinking a beer.

Tired tired tired

Lately I've been having good and bad days with this pregnancy. Some days I have had tons of energy and feel great and other days (like today) I can't seem to get the energy to keep my eyes open. My circulation problems have gotten pretty bad and I just can't wait 'till this baby is born. It is hard to get comfortable in just about any position. When I sit in a chair straight up, it is difficult to breathe and after about half an hour I end up with pains in the front of my hips.
When I sit in a chair in a recline position I can breathe well but my legs fall asleep. If I lay down flat I can't breathe, my neck falls asleep and the heartburn is horrible. If I lay down on my side my arms fall asleep and depending on how the baby is positioned, my belly can hurt. And of course, walking and standing makes my bad veins in my leg throb. So, I spend my day doing a rotation of positions.
I've been wearing a compression stocking every day and have gotten used to how silly I look but it definitely makes the summer heat terrible. It is hard to put on and hard to take off, but it really helps the pain.
So basically, no matter what I do.... I'm gonna be complaining.
I've gained 5 pounds in the last week and can see and feel a distinct increase in belly size. I've gained 30 pounds total so far and my belly is 42" around.
Lily has been so sweet. Today when I was laying down she asked if I would do something for her and I asked her to give me a minute because I wasn't feeling good and she came over and gave me a hug and kiss.
She has taken to talking about "MY baby" when she says something about him. I just think it is so cute that she talks about her baby brother.
But she is most excited about Granny coming to sleep in her bunk bed with her.
The picture above is tonight (39 days to go) and the photo below is of me when I was pregnant with Lily 33 days prior to her birth. Just for comparison sake.