36 Weeks

Today marks 36 weeks pregnant- four left to go. I had a doctor's appointment but because he was out of town (hiking I was told) I met with one of his partners. Not exceptionally fun to have such an invasive- and painful!- exam done by a stranger, but at least Dave was there. Apparently my cervix is nice and squishy, if anyone wanted to know, and I am dialated just a teeny bit. After it was over, I was met with the displeasing news that in addition to being currently out town, my doctor will again be away from September 8th-September 19th. I am due September 15th. I think there should be a law that if they are going to be gone during the entire reasonable stretch that a person will likely deliver, your doctor should tell you about it beforehand. Just for kicks.

Annalise's communication continues to increase, it seems like daily now. This afternoon, I gave her my McDonald's cup to finish off and she ran away, thrilled to have it to herself. A few minutes later, she ran back in and said, "Trash!"

"Mmm. Trash," I acknowledged, not really paying attention, as she babbles billions of things all day long and I was trying to edit some photos.

"Trash, Mommy!" she said insistently.

"Okay, trash," I said absently.

"TRASH! MOMMY! TRASH! TRASH! TRASH!"

She apparently really wanted me to understand something, and finally it occurred to me that maybe she had done something horrible and I should look. Frightened, I asked her if she needed me to come look at the trash. She paused to think.

"Trash," she said again. "Cup... bye-bye. Trash."

She wanted me to know she had thrown away the empty cup! Oh, the cuteness! Oh, the brilliance!

And tonight, as Dave started ushering her down the hall to her room for prayers and bedtime, she turned to me and gestured, saying a new and quite long sentence, "Come on, Mommy- night-night time!"