That's the signature call of our backyard Hide and Seek, meaning-- the game is over, no more hiding, come on out. (It's also a movie featuring Katherine Hepburn, lovingly featured on the right.) It's also what S has been yelling out at her stomach for the last few days. Or to put it in a cooking metaphor-- Put a fork in her, she's done. Up until now, she's had a very mild pregnancy-- no morning sickness, no bedrest, no interminable crankiness-- well, VERY LITTLE interminable crankiness, all things considered. But these last couple of weeks she's been in a lot of pain, having a hard time moving around, has been unable to get comfortable even while sitting, and has been sleeping poorly. And the crankiness-- well, never mind. Let's just say that when she reads this, she's going to be upset. And when she stops reading it. And even after that. Lately, she's been having the Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are basically practice contractions. Named after the handsome guy on the left, who first described the false contractions (I'm sure people were having them before, but apparently nobody ever thought it would be important to write about them. Pregnancy SHOULD be mysterious!) S says they don't really hurt, and they are not regular, but at this point she's kind of hoping that they start to hurt, and that they are regular, so that we can get this baby out of her and into our Graco Stroller/carrier/ other cool Graco products. Her line lately has been "I now UNDERSTAND the value of scheduled C sections!" As for me, well, there's been a lot of last minute house things that I am trying to get done, including cleaning up the baby's room, moving everything around (mostly done) and then cleaning up my office on the third floor so that there's some semblance of workspace there. And then I can try to do some work there. (As if!) And don't forget that I'm still the model of friendliness, good humor, and bon vivant-ity that I have always been (which is to say that I'm freaked out, a little grouchy myself, and nervous nervous nervous about my upcoming starring role in the Danny Aiello re-make film known as ... DADDY! (Now in technicolor!) I was initially very excited about being cast (and still am, honestly) but I've already signed the contract, and I didn't read it too closely. There are no residuals, poor hours, a crazy shooting schedule, bad billing, a do-it yourself craft service, and the trailer is small and also never clean. I have to get a better agent. All kidding aside, I'm very excited, but also nervous. Which is apparently how it should be. I keep on kidding with S that I'd like the baby in there for a couple of more months just so I could finish all my projects, but she knows I'm just kidding. (I think) In a couple of more days, I'll be yelling "Come out Come out wherever you are!"