The Middle Chapters

As I've mentioned, I so wanted my sister to visit, but I was also a bit worried that it would go incredibly sideways, as things involving my family have a tendency to go. It was a great visit. The first time I've seen her away from her family in approximately 14 years. Although it wasn't neutral territory, which seems to work better with the fam, it still seemed to work well. Similar to how things work with my mom, if you take her away from the freak-out of her home life, things (generally) seem to work better.

We spoke a bit about our childhood, a seriously crazy time, and some about her marriage, which isn't her favorite part of life these days, but generally didn't get into heavy topics. I knew she had bedrest and medication with her pregnancies, but didn't know that she was in the hospital on a mag drip for 2 out of 3.

For all of our differences, there is something very comforting to talk to someone who knows what you came from in a way you can't explain to someone who wasn't there. She's 4 years older than I am so has different specific memories, but, the general themes and events are exactly the same.

I'm now 34 weeks along. Hurray, the end game! While I still think this pregnancy is the smoothest so far, the late pregnancy things are setting in: the non-progressing contractions; the pelvic pain; the congestion; the lack of sleep; and mostly the strong desire that we be done. Trying to keep a toddler entertained while not breaking myself (or being overwhelmed by the pain and discomfort) seems to be the challenge of the day. Only several more weeks - go body and baby!