River time for the pregnant ladies!

The end of our eighth month of pregnancy was enjoyed at our favorite spot in upstate New York....at the Esopus River (technically a creek) in Phoenicia.  We rented a home right on the river and hung all week, right here in this beautiful spot.

Yes, Ben, Ayalah and I were there too (you may see Ben and Ayalah in the far distance of the first pic!)....but there really isn't anything more fun than to photograph two 8 months pregnant ladies chillin' by the river!!

Destined buddies with big sister Ayalah to show them the way!!

Showered!

We were hesitant baby shower receivers.   Neither of us are usually so into the games, we don't love being the center of attention in that way, and we hesitate to celebrate a baby before it is born (that's the Jewish superstition kicking in). 

Two coastal showers later (thank you to Grandma Laura who threw one in CA and to Uncle Kel/Aunt Lauren who threw one in NYC), and we are firm believers in the tradition.  Heading into this journey of parenthood is intense and overwhelming....there is nothing better to calm the nerves and to recognize our blessings than to have all of your loved ones around you to celebrate.  We laughed through surprisingly amazing games: refraining to say the word baby, drawing predictive portraits of our love on a paper plate over our heads, relay racing some of the many baby tasks we will be repeating nonstop in the coming weeks, and smelling a variety of melted chocolate 'poop' in diapers....but ultimately, what we came out with was the firm sense that we can do this with all the love and support of our friends and family, and that our child is jumping into our joy-filled world.  This is a lucky little kid, as are we.

A Change

We noticed a change just a couple of weeks ago.  The change happened in us, and it happened to those around us (not sure which came first).  For months and months, we have been talking about pregnancy.  A good couple of weeks ago now (we haven't blogged in over a month!) came a switch: no more pregnancy talk...only BIRTH and BABY.

What a change.  We need it to be this way now...we are preparing, logistically and psychologically, for our closely impending entrance into parenthood.  It is hard to keep a firm grasp on the idea that going through this birth experience in just a few weeks (the normal range for baby's arrival is anywhere between THIS Wednesday, August 1 and Sept 4) means that we will have a child on the other end.  Even as our baby hiccups in Shayna's belly, and we can actually feel it's head dropped low, it's just so abstract.

We have started to make plans with friends, clients and colleagues in the following fashion:
Sure! [This date within the next two weeks] will work great...unless of course we have a newborn by then.  We'll let you know!
It is just so bizarre.

The other day, we had an ultrasound of the bim.  Our final one.  We didn't even think we would have this one (we haven't seen our love on screen since around 5 1/2 months), but our midwife wasn't certain that it was head down (it is!), so the ultrasound was meant to confirm.  Meanwhile, we got to see our baby's face for the first time---a bit of a wax figure version--but clearly a face.  Our baby's face.  It was so incredible.  This really pushed us over the edge-we are ready to meet our baby.