Wait For It....

Okay, so you haven’t yet received a call saying baby is here and this is how much she weighs and how long she is, and how wonderfully beautiful she is, and that mom and baby are doing fine – because she hasn’t made her appearance yet.

Today is day 6 in the overdue stage. And yes, I am the tax accountant, and I do realize this is the last day to get that extra exemption and credit on our 2006 tax return. Ah, well.

Our doctor’s appointment this past Wednesday showed that everything is fine and dandy, and I’m still feeling great, but things in the area of labor have not progressed far enough along yet to where inducing is a good option. So we wait. And keep checking. And know that we're healthy and normal. And still in the “any time” mode because things can move fast.

At the very latest I will be induced on January 8^th regardless of our readiness. After a bit my body will stop supporting her, so she’ll have to make her entrance sometime even if we have to MAKE it happen – and 2 weeks past the due date is the longest my doctor will let it go. The 8^th is not our first choice, considering that’s Michael’s first day of classes and he will have spent his entire Christmas break waiting for her and not getting to spend time with her, but we’ll just deal if it comes to that.

Hopefully she’ll come within the next couple days. Michael is being sweet and asking her to “please come out.” I’m starting the warping early, however, and already calling her names. Maturity, you are not known in these parts! Yet it’s fairly certain she’s my daughter – she’s already putzing. How can I not feel just a tinge of pride…?

Behind the Wheel

There are many things I truly like about Nashville. The drivers are not one of them. I think all of you, regardless of where you live, will claim that you are surrounded by the worst drivers fathomable. I've never heard anyone say, "gee, I love our city's drivers."

So in true spirit of "oh, yeah?" I have to say I have never encountered drivers of the Nashville breed before. It only took a couple months to gather this list from personal experience. Whole new levels of brains checked at the [driver's side] door, or simple common discourtesty, or just plain ignorance have been displayed in this city. Michael says it's due to a lot of country folk driving like they're still in the country. That, and Tennesseans don't have the fear of being shot on the highway that most Texans do. As the bumper sticker says, "Keep honking; I'm reloading."

• Nashville drivers mosey. This has to be the most frustrating for me after having come from a city of fast drivers. They always manage to get in your way; they pace each other side by side so you can't get around them; and they sit there like forward momentum is a foreign sensation. In Houston, you move or you die. And you stay out of the way of the people who are seriously moving. Houston drivers are actually going somewhere.
• Nashville drivers tail like nothing I have ever experienced before - and I've asked around to be sure I'm not crazy on this one because it's almost unbelievable how prevalent it is. This has to be my second biggest pet peeve about them. The lanes can be completely clear all around me, and the only other car on the highway has to be a foot and a half behind me. On residential and other roads, it's highly unlikely that you'll see the headlights of the car behind you. And they have no clue that flashing your brakes is a hint to BACK OFF.
• Nashville drivers change lanes for no perceivable reason. I guess they just figure that being "over there" is somehow better. You really have to watch them when "over there" also happens to be your particular spot in the universe at the time.
• Nashville drivers move at very inconsistent speeds. This might have something to do with the hilly terrain, but I've watched them mosey to one light and speed to the next. They'll slow you down one minute and then zip on by later - but you'll be passing them again two minutes down the road.
• Nashville drivers don't pay attention or plan ahead. There are a number of roads in our area where one lane becomes a turn-only lane, and they all weasle in at last minute. Every time. It reminds me of what Heather likes to say - "Are you NEW?" Houston drivers will rarely let you get away with that - chances are excellent you'll never be let back into the line if you venture out of it.
• Nashville drivers like to ride your blindspot. It's their favorite place to pull into when merging on the highway and they seem to find that comfy spot and zone out. Houstonians know better. If you're not seen, you will be plowed over.
• On a multi-lane and empty road, Nashville drivers pull out into your lane and in front of you. Because you're there, it must be a good place. Never mind the fact that it takes some time to get up to speed and you have to slam on your brakes to not wind up in their back seat.
• Nashville drivers pull around you and pass you, not so they can keep going on their merry way, but so they can pull back in front of you, by only 2 feet. And then they mosey, forcing you to slow down so you don't tail them, but not going any faster than you had been originally. Because that one little leap-frog will get them home 20 minutes sooner.
• This is a new one for me: Nashville drivers put their blinkers on, slow way down in the driving lane, and THEN move into the turn lane that's been next to them for the past three miles. This one is so irritating I can't even think of anything else to say about it.
• Nashville drivers don't honk when they're driving by the parking space that you're backing out of and you can't see well. They just zip by as fast as possible, think skinny, and hope you don't hit them. No friendly beep to say, 'hey, I'm back here.' Scares me every time.
• Nashville drivers certainly need a refresher course on what the word YIELD means.
• One that I haven't experienced much myself, but really burns Michael: Nashville drivers don't get into the intersection at a light for a left-turn yeild so at least one person gets through the light. They sit back on the line and wait for an engraved invitation and a two mile clearance before turning.

Nashville drivers are clueless; I would even venture to say dumb. Houston drivers are mean. I prefer mean. Random idiocy wanders aimlessly; it's harder to predict and can come out of nowhere. Meanness and blatant selfishness at least have predictable goals; and those that are so want you to know they're coming. The faster to move out of their way, my dear.

T minus 7 Days....

....And counting. Here's me last week at 8 and 1/2 months. I tried to wear something so you could see the belly that has finally really started showing up for others to see. Still not so big as you'd think, being so close to the due date, though. I love to watch people's eyes pop out of their heads when I tell them how far along I am.

I'm feeling great, and doctor says any day now.

Worth A Thousand Words

Oh, yes, he did. How can you not love this man?