Mommy's Time Off

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. Time is flying by and it makes me nervous. So what's been going on?

Well, last Thursday we finally did my mom's Mother's Day present and I. and I took her by train to San Juan Capistrano to a day of a petting zoo, lunch, and browsing around time. She's a big time train lover so she loved it and really the day was wonderful. It was relaxing on all levels and we all just had so much fun talking, experiencing, and being with one another. Some times together are better than others and this was one of the really good ones. I wonder if some of it was because in the morning when I got up, I said to myself, "Today is going to be a fun day, a day of memories." I feel like that mindset helped me relax and just stay in the moment. I'll have to test out that theory on another day. Maybe I should start chanting that to myself when I go into labor?? Perhaps I'll find a substitute word for "fun"; that may be a stretch.

Sunday we enjoyed a nice bday celebration for my brother at my parents' house. It was so nice to be able to get ready for that day and be looking forward to it without worrying about my sister and her behavior. It's like night and day how I feel before going over to a family event now. I. spent the night there and will be there until I pick her up on Wednesday afternoon. She's been asking to spend 3 nights over there for the last few months so we finally scheduled it. I miss her but I've got to say that I have no problem entertaining myself. I know this is going to be the last chance that I will have for a few years to just relax and enjoy so I'm kind of going all out. Usually when she spends time with my parents, I use the time to get projects and errands done but not this time. Yesterday, I attempted to sleep in but the little guy had different ideas and started to do all his acrobatics around 7am. I figured he'd stop at some point, which he did, and that then I would try to go back to sleep. However, right after he stopped kicking around, the hiccups started and those can go on for 10-15 minutes so I gave up and got up. Went to the chiropractor, went to an early movie, did one errand, grabbed some lunch and then met my friend Terry for coffee at 2pm. Even though we've talked many times over the last months, we hadn't actually seen each other for 8 months or so. It was great to just relax and catch up. To cap off the day, V. and I went out to a fun, nice dinner. It was just all around a perfect kind of day.

Today I'm going all out and will be getting a massage in the early afternoon at a hotel day spa. I'm planning on maximizing the money by getting down there early and using the spa facilities and relax. It should be nice. I researched all the prenatal massages around here and this one not only looked really nice, they didn't gouge you like the other places did. No matter how good a massage is, it's hard for me to emjoy it if I'm being gouged. Except of course when we go to Vegas and go to the spa at the Venetian/Palazzo but you don't feel like you're being gouged because the facilities are so palatial and over the top wonderful, you still feel like it was worth every dime.

That's the plan and hopefully a cheap Taco Tuesday dinner at El Torito with the hubby tonight. When you don't get out of the house after 3:30 every single day like me, being out in the evening is a real treat. On the baby side of things, he has dropped much lower, which allows me to eat and breathe, but results in all sorts of groin and belly pains as well as a marked increase in Braxton-Hicks contractions. I probably have 25-35 a day now and they are starting to get strong at times. Officially, we're 4-5 weeks away but I think 3-4 weeks is more realistic. I can't believe it how it's right around the corner. Okay, better not think about it any more or I'll start getting stressed. On to my relaxing day....