30 already!

30 weeks down and only 10 to go! That's a 75% finished-growing baby Pip, is what that is! Now Pip's mostly adding fat to those tiny lil bones. Here's what we've all gotten up to since 27 weeks along and how we're (mostly I'm...) bearing the heat.

Here, we're outside because, yes, Ada, you must be outside at least a little everyday, though it is stinkin' hot. So we're under the verandah in the shade coloring and making homemade fridge pickles (wow - yum!) with our overabundance of backyard cucumbers. Then there was a little plant watering from the rain barrels, too, because it'd happened to rain in prior days, but, honestly, since we've added rain gardens and rain barrels for water collection, subsidence, and generally to handle the vast amount of water this city gets ... it hasn't rained anywhere near average. Le sigh.

28wk Pip at a playground and after Mass. I'm starting to get a little more conscious about bump photos because Paul, Ada, and Jack have these meticulous week-by-week comparisons and updates and yadda yadda, and I don't want Pip to arrive thinking #4 was always just an extra.

Post-nap cuddles with all the Titanic books

Our amazing library's guest puppet show

City Park Friends' Fest <3

 29wk Pip bump with the new shoes I'd been eyeing for 18mos - thanks Nanna Nelson & Susan!

Cheesy pizza grins & snowballs. What! It's summer!

Amazing little library again, returning old books and picking up new. The backpacks, though 😂😍

Aquarium day! Happened to be the exact day last summer that we went to the IMAX, too. The Audubon membership is fantastic, and we always love hopping the river on the ferry for a visit.

30wk check-up with Dr. Baur this morning. The day started with Dylan's slammin' pancakes, though, because it's glucose testing day, screening for gestational diabetes! Woohoo! This was something I didn't enjoy while pregnant with Paul (because I drank the juice) and something I've loved with all the others (because I asked to eat a high carb meal instead!) I had to put on a brave face about the needle in front of the kids, though ... I hate getting blood drawn. Anyway, I haven't gained much since last appointment (where I'd gained a bunch from the one prior) because - bam - I hit that 3rd trimester and couldn't fit in as much food! Still on target, though, so nothing to worry about. And we're starting to talk delivery plans a bit more, and Dr. Baur's reminded me to almost overhydrate in this heat, after I mentioned I'd had 2 experiences within a week that left me pretty heated and worn out. I love summer! I even like the heat and don't mind a sweat. I also love being pregnant! I even like the weirdnesses and don't mind the awkward bits. But after many unpregnant summers as well as 3 non-summer babies (Jack born mid-June doesn't count bc it wasn't high heat), this is different! It's affecting me differently, and I was happy to hear her blame the hormones and extra blood for the uneasiness. The kids take doctor visits in stride now, as I think they're wont to do when we look for joy and fun even in these seemingly mundane things. They bring a toy or book, we read, we play, they ask questions, and we get to do something fun afterwards! That doesn't have to be a big promise for these 3, though; like I said, they find joy in the small things! Today's post-doc adventure: the mini-kids' baskets at Trader Joe's. Jack was sad not to push one himself, but I knew 2 tinies walking around other shoppers would be enough to keep track of! Paul and Ada divided all of our items evenly and I only had the "grown-up" basket to push Jack ... and the money.
Is the TJ's banh mi noodle bowl always awesome or just a unique pregnancy craving? Bought something for myself and made the kids mac-n-cheese, ha.

School is starting soon! We've only got a week or two left of summer before we hit the grind again ... except it'll be a brand new adventurous grind because we're homeschooling! Paul's getting very excited - as am I! - and this last little preparatory stage reminds me just how much I do like adventures and jumping into unknowns. If I'm not travelling or moving house for adventure, let's take on homeschool!