36 weeks, and a big pregnancy lie...

36 weeks = 9 months, right? Right! and you think you'd be done, right? Right! But you're not done. You still have 4 weeks to go technically to your due date at 40 weeks gestation. 40 weeks = 10 months. Why do we perpetuate the lie that pregnancy is 9 months!! It's not! Of course, most women find this out after they become pregnant. Doesn't seem very fair.

Of course you can go into labor before you hit the 40 weeks mark (here's hoping), and a some unlucky ones go to 41, 42 weeks (really, really not fair, although due dates can be wrong) . Still here I am at 36 weeks and doing well and feeling fine although looking forward to the end more than ever as certain everyday tasks do get a little more challenging. I'm really looking forward to not having to go to work anymore. I'm going to try to make it another 2 weeks unless Maya has her own plans, but commuting everyday does get rather tiring. At least people give me their seat on the subway. We're pretty ready for this baby to arrive, we finished our gear shopping, have done some research on pediatricians, filled out health insurance forms and overall have spent so much time anticipating her arrival and what our life with offspring will be like that it would be nice to get going already. We close on our apt Tuesday and then we'll really have nothing else to take our mind off baby stuff. 36 weeks, the size of a crenshaw melon.

And finally... the walkthrough

In what seemed like a surreal event after months of delays and waiting- Friday afternoon we were able to walk through our completed apartment at 5th Street Lofts in Long Island City, Queens. Our brand spanking new 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment is finally complete and we examined every inch of it with a representative from the builder (Toll Brothers)- looking for scratches in the floor boards, lose door knobs, wobbly towel racks, holes in window screens, any paint touch-ups needed and working appliances. We're especially looking forward to the washer/dryer and the dishwasher. He was much more meticulous than we were and cited things on our punch list that we didn't think to ask for - like replacing all the wooden floor boards in the kitchen because they were scratched when they put in the big appliances (it was hardly noticeable if you ask me - but hey - knock yourself out), to replacing the window knobs if they were too tight to turn. It was a relief to have someone go through the apartment so meticulously and agree to replace or fix things without even having to ask. A good ending to an arduous process.

Brian was really intent on testing the shower since our current shower leaves a lot to be desired and managed to test it first hand, fully clothed when the shower head which was pointed outwards nailed him when he turned the faucet. The Toll brothers guy commiserated and said that he had done that many times during walk throughs. We have another walk through sometime next week and then a last inspection the morning of our closing scheduled for July 29th! 7 Months late but finally happening.

The mortgage situation is another headache that took a while to straighten out as the economy and mortgage banks in particular are in a downward spiral - somehow we managed to get lucky and lock in a good rate. We decided to wait until after the offspring is born before we move, too hectic to try to do it in August, so we'll move sometime in September. We're in pretty good shape otherwise for her arrival, and one of us in particular really looking forward to her inhabiting her own body.... 34 weeks and counting (the size of a cantalope).