The end of couplehood...

No, she hasn't arrived yet ;-)

But in part to celebrate my last day of work on Thursday and partially in recognition that my mom arrives on Thursday and will stay until the baby's arrival (and a couple months after - thank goodness!) Brent and I decided to celebrate our last weekend exclusively as a "couple" this weekend!

As other "foodians" can appreciate, most of our celebrating revolved around eating out (and there were no movies in the theaters worth paying $21 for). So for a brief rundown:

After Brent got back from work on Friday we went out for a delicious Ethiopian buffet dinner, eavesdropped on the table beside ours' discussions of Zanzibar (which they had only visited for a day visit - which made us wonder how anyone could leave after only a few hours?!) and generally stuffed ourselves silly while reminiscing about travels past and hopefully future!

Saturday morning Brent woke me with his signature from-scratch berry pancakes before we went for an exhilarating walk to a park a few blocks (and two big hills) away from our house that has an archery range Brent is suddenly interested in (?!). Then came the weekend's highlight: an appointment at a spa in Ocean Beach for an indulgent 1.5 hr couples' massage and pampering foot scrub. Pummeled, scrubbed and soothed, we lounged at a cafe in OB watching the Nelson-meets-Tofino So-Cal scene passing by before taking a long walk on the surfer-and-palm tree beachfront. We got back to Hillcrest in time for our dinner reservations at a fancy Indian restaurant before heading home to a scrumptious mango sorbet and chocolate truffle desert.

On Sunday we took it slow with our usual schedule of grocery shopping, calls to our parents, a walk through Balboa, and in the afternoon/evening our second-to-last prenatal class. And while we had every intention of going home to cook, the late hour and aroma of something vaguely Asian convinced us to stop and pick up sushi on the way home. Ahhh, Heaven!

However, as I was on the elliptical trainer at the gym this morning I realized that had our daughter wanted to make an early appearance, I had inadvertently done about 8 out of 10 of the main labor-starting techniques (spicy food, big meals, strenuous hill climbs, getting a prenatal massage, squats, lunges, lots of walking and it was just after the full moon) over the weekend! So while I don't know how she could possibly sit any lower in my pelvis, it seems she may be looking to hold on to "life on the inside" for another week or two at least. Nevertheless, as I hit 38 weeks today Brent and I realized that one way or another, 4 weeks today (induction day if it comes to that) she will be in our arms!

In the meantime we're really looking forward to mom arriving on Thursday and Lindsay, my dad and Barclay arriving the following week. From there the arrivals should just keep coming...!

Hope you all are doing very well,

Jen, Brent and since I can't really think of another fruit heavier or rounder than a watermelon, she'll have to stay as that for now!