When Matt is in a super good mood, (I emphasize 'super' because 99.9% of the time, he's in a good mood--unlike me, Miss Moody), he sometimes can cross over into pure silliness or goofiness.  He was on a roll this weekend with his comments and antics.  Fortunately, he tamed them down a little during the childbirth class on Saturday; otherwise, I might have been very embarrassed.  One of his classic comments was Friday morning after eating his bowl of cereal.  For years, I mean like 20 years, he's eaten Honey Bunches of Oats or a generic brand of Honey Bunches cereal morning after morning.  Boring, I say.  But he loves them!  A friend of ours, however, recommended that Matt try Grape Nuts.  After a week of eating them, Matt announced on Friday, "Meggie, please get me my other cereal.  These Grape Nuts are sucking all the joy out of my breakfast."  Well now, sure thing, hubby!  That's some serious dislike of Grape Nuts, and what an easy way for me to bless him and restore his morning delight! 

Then, on Saturday morning before heading out to our childbirth class, he gave me the giggles by saying, "Meggie, you should sing 'I'm a little teapot...'; I think you'd look so cute singing it!"  I guess I look like a teapot.  Beauty and the Beast costume designers just need to hire a pregnant lady to play Mrs. Potts, the teapot.  And...in order to have Matt's permission to print his comment in my blog, he made me actually sing the song this morning!  So picture me, 7.5 months pregnant with my belly, singing the following:

I'm a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle [one hand on hip], here is my spout [other arm out straight]
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout
Just tip me over and pour me out!
[as song ends, lean over and tip arm out like a spout]

I hope you consider that little story worth me doing such a thing at 7:30 this morning!  Just for you, Internet peeps.  Just for you. 

Our childbirth class went really well on Saturday.  It wasn't anything like what they portray in the movies:  getting down on the ground practicing breathing techniques.  We did practice the breathing (sitting in a chair), but the day was more lecture-based rather than hands-on.  Very informative and very helpful it was!  The nurser practitioner (NP) that presented the information kept it very interesting; it wasn't boring at all.  Although, I feel like we know a good amount of what to expect during delivery and our stay at the hospital, but absolutely nothing in knowing how to care for Polka when we come home.  And here's to hopin' we actually remember all that we learned this weekend!  We got a tour of the nursery wing, but a new section is supposed to open within the next month, so...so much for knowing what to expect there. 

The most emotional part of the day was when we heard about what it would be like when Polka's born; somehow the NP described it in such a way that had me in tears (good tears of expectancy and anticipation).  There were 2 couples out of 10 or 12 that are waiting to find out the baby's gender at birth, and according to the NP, our doctor has one more last kick at having fun with us couples who are waiting to find out:  upon delivery he says, "Congratulations, here is your baby!" with a towel covering the parts you want to see!  And then, after what may seem like eternity, he brings the towel down and says, "You have a girl!...or a boy!"  More tears flowing from my eyes imagining that moment.

I went in with a baby birth plan marking that I don't want an epidural, with a very high aim to do as much as I can without getting one.  I've started telling myself, "I can do it!  I can do it!", just like The  Little Engine that Could, to build up my mental strength.  I don't have anything against getting an epidural; I'd be open to one if that's what it comes down to.  But I'm trying to prepare myself as much as I can to think that I can do it.  However, after hearing about the specific stages of labor this weekend, with an estimation of how long they last on average, and that it's more physically taxing than any marathon, triathlon, etc...I am feeling rather deflated in my ability to actually go through this thing!  I have NO idea what a c-section would feel like; it's major surgery.  But there's a part of me that would so much rather have a scheduled c-section than go through labor...but that is possibly a very naive, scared Meg talking here!  I just need some help in thinking I can be the Little Engine that Could again.

Just a fun few things to wrap it up:  1) cast your vote on the left sidebar to make your opinion known if you think Polka is a boy or girl; I'm curious to know what people think.  And I'll post some new 30 week pictures soon for those of you who need a belly shot to vote more accurately <grin>; 2) our glider and baby bedding has come in!!  We'll pick up our glider next week and the bedding is being mailed from Dallas, so it should arrive early next week. I can't wait to see the nursery all put together! 3) Matt and I are headed to San Antonio for our "babymoon", (like a honeymoon, but one last little getaway before the baby comes).  We'll be there Wednesday-Sunday, and we're so excited! 4) if you've ever wanted to know how parenting is like golf, check this out...it's very clever! 5) have a fall recipe ready for tomorrow's The Foodies Fall Cornucopia series!

Maybe I just gave some of you some last minute Halloween costume ideas...a teapot or an train engine (or train conductor)!  Speaking of costumes what are you and/or your kiddos dressing up as?