Lately, I've been meeting a lot of people who have the same name as towns or colleges. (Though, no college towns, just yet.) Pam's cousin is named Madison - first name. I met her when I was pulling into my driveway yesterday after an emergency Ben and Jerry's run (Americone Dream is "my jam," as Teenie would say.) They were playing croquet in Pam's front lawn, just the two of them, which was odd in a cute way. Madison's visiting from Tucson. (No, I haven't asked Pam about her being afraid of cats and no, Pam didn't introduce me as anything but her "neighbor and friend"?she's nice like that) I asked them why croquet and Madison said she didn't know why but she saw a set in Target the other day and thought, "why not?" Alright...why not...I guess.

Then, this morning, I talked to a guy on the phone for Weber named Yale. He didn't go to Yale. I asked. He said he was educated thanks to the Idaho penal system and we left it at that. Ten minutes later, I was on the phone with Marty Stanford. What's the deal here? Weird, huh? No? Ok. You'd think it was weird if it happened to you...unless your name is Louis Harvard.

Alright, so, once and for all: Should I like or be afraid of Fiona Apple? I remember listening to her on the radio a few years back and thinking she sounded messed up in a cool way, but then she dropped off my radar?or maybe the radar in general, I don't know. But Sarah's been cramming Fiona Apple down my throat all week so I finally gave in and just started to listen to one of her CDs. (She won't admit to it - not that I've asked her - but she's totally into Fiona Apple because Scott is and she's in that place...where everything your boy likes, you like SO much you just want to scream. That's a nice place. But you never appreciate how short a time it lasts. It's not a bad thing it doesn't last, but when you're there, you think it'll be like that forever. Nope.) But back to Miss (Mrs?) Apple. I think I really like her. I like how she doesn't have one style that she beats into your head over and over, for twelve songs in a row. The first one sounds like some hot, curvy woman singing in some bar in the 30's, but then the next one is all rock and poppy. I like those curve balls. But I get an intimidating vibe from her a little bit. She seems mad...and I think she might be mad that not everyone's as cool as she is. She kinda seems disappointed in the world...for being so dorky and lame and "into all of that". She's right, though. Most of us are pretty dorky. But that aside, I think she's got some soul. Plenty of music folk have heart, but it's a lot harder to have soul.

"So why did I kiss him so hard late last Friday night
And keep on lettin' him change all my plans
I'm either so sick in the head I need to be bled dry to quit
Or I just really used to love him
Or I just really used to love him
Or I just really used to love him
I sure...hope that's it."

I hope that's it, too.

So...well, first, thank you for all the "when's the baby coming?!? When's the baby coming?" questions. You guys are the best. You're "my jam." (I don't think I'm using it right.) SOON!!! I promise. Believe me, I'm as ready as you are. But I'm trying not to rush anything by getting antsy. Not rush things in a medical way, as in: if I try to rush something, something bad will happen. (For now at least, there's no medical worries on the horizon...I'm just LATE). But more in that: "she'll come out when she's ready to come out" kinda way and I'll keep her cozy (while she keeps me waddly) in the meantime.

No way I'd do it, but I thought about a water birth for the first time a few days ago. Don't know why. Don't think it ever crossed my mind during any other pregnancy...though I didn't have four years to think about things during any of the other pregnancies. I don't really get all the science behind it, but I kinda like the idea of my body readjusting itself (to deal with the fact that I'm in water) and all of that adjustment making it a little less painful...and maybe a little easier for Nelly-face, too. But...like I said, I'll never do it. Even though, in thousands of ways, Nicki's out of another time, I can't imagine her face if I ever said that I wanted a good ol' fashioned water birf for Nell. "Readjustment? Hydrotherapy?" she'd say. "Get over yourself, Margie." No way. Barb...she'd never go for it either, but she'd calmly try to talk me out of it and then maybe even share a laugh with Nicki about it after I left. But...I'm not gonna do it, anyway. It just popped in my head, is all. I'm getting kind of nervous right now. About the delivery. I mean, like, right now as I type this. It's amazing how sometimes I can completely not think about it and then, 20 seconds later, it's all I can think about:

BABY...............vagina -- Edited by margini at 05/14/2008 1:54 PM PDT