First I want to send out big hugs and good thoughts for Luce's surgery xx

Things here seem to be looking up, at least a little.

I am still scared about getting on that cruise, but I have a legit midwife certificate with a not so legit EDD, and I am now owning my very first pair of spanx. Oh my lordy. These things are amazing. Amazingly hard to get into as well! I had to go up a size because I couldn't get them up past my thighs. Crazy. Anyway, everything I've read and been told indicates that it's perfectly safe for the fetus for me to wear these things for a few hours. Heck, it's safe to wear them as much as I'd like, but it's not the most comfortable thing. When Simmy gets really active, it makes me queasy, and Spanx really enhance that feeling. They make me look a lot less pregnant too, which is the idea. I genuinely look early-twenties-second-baby, and that's kind of amazing. These pants do what my muscles did during the last pregnancy. Muscles I no longer have Let me take a moment to mourn my abs.

I did entertain the idea of being honest and not going for a few minutes, but honestly it's a rediculous rule. You can still fly when you're 36 weeks and that actually puts a strain on your body. The only strain this cruise is going to put on me is trying to fit in seconds at desert. So poo to that.

Thinking babies, I had a midwife appt today (to get said certificate) even though I was cringing inwardly, because her fee is $300 for a stand alone visit, and this is my second one. At some point, I'd have to pay for it, even if that point isn't soon.
But while I'm paying for her time, I got to listen to the heartbeat, got my blood pressure checked and got the belly poke. Great news - Simmy has already turned head down. Yay! I always a have this little fear of breach birth, just because it's so hard to get a doctor who will let you naturally deliver a breech baby. Even though back in the day it wasn't even an issue. My sister was breech and Ma was a tiny woman, and she managed. But anyway...

And then Middie is like "So, how's Dustin's job situation?" because I did give her the heads up at my 20 week appointment that there was the chance I couldn't afford to do this, this time round. I just shook my head. "It's a hospital for me this time," I told her. "A hospital or freebirth, and honest to God I don't know which I'd be more afraid of." But I'm pretty sure Obi would pick me up and throw me in the car if he thought I was going to pop unassisted anyway lol. I had been putting off telling the middie. But, she was great of course. She's always great.

She's like "Miriam, I'm not going to make you birth in a hospital. No body is going to make you do that if you don't want that." and went on to say she'd offer me a reduced service for a lower fee. Which she doesn't do. She's always made it painfully clear that it's all or nothing, so I was really shocked. But, things have changed for her I guess, she doesn't take new patients anymore, only takes one mother per month, when last time round she was taking four a month.
She's like "How much can you afford? Could you do two grand?" and I'm like "nah, I can't do half. I'm sorry,"

In the end we agreed to $1500, and I don't have to pay any of it until I go on maternity leave. Though, I will try to do so before then! Where I'm going to get the money I don't really know, but I have stuff I can sell and I'm picking up odd jobs here and there. Like tomorrow, I'm going into the city after work to trial some foot stuff for less than an hour and they'll give me $80. Sweet! (Thank you Jazi for hooking me up!)

But yes. You have no idea how relieved and happy I am right now. I feel so blessed. It's like magic, a wish come true. I am no longer afraid. I can't wait to birth! I'll have someone there to cover the paperwork, to test the baby's blood so I know if I need the shot (for the Reusses factor), to make sure my birth preferences are adhered to. Obi can again be involved in the birth, and I can go to sleep in my own bed when it's all over. It's a beautiful thing.

In other news, Obi spent most of the time I was at work today Skyping. First with his dad and then his sister.
His dad wanted to talk to him about our trip to Canada. He's all like "I wanted to let you know I'd help with the tickets. Because I would hate to think that after everything Miri couldn't come just to save some money". Can you say Awwwww? I love my FIL. Anyway Obi explained that at this point, neither of us would be going, but thanked him anyway.
It's really sweet he'd be willing, because the man is a tight-arse. But, like occured to me months ago - it would be far cheaper for him to help us with our tickets than for him to buy their tickets and then take time off work to fly down to Oz.

And after that, Obi broke the news to his sister and she apparently took it really well. What she wanted to talk to him about was that she has a spare motherboard & CPU that she's willing to send down, which would be awesome. We could play games again! If I didn't have a laptop I'd be jealous that he was getting his fixed, but not mine, even though he broke mine but luckily I do. We're also claiming warrenty on our other CPUs so hopefully we get new ones in the mail soon. Hopefully. I never claim warrenty on anything, and now I wonder why that is! Haha

Obi made a really good application at the travel agent here, I think he has a decent chance of getting this job (and luckily they are under renovation, so it wouldn't be an immediate start.)
I feel crazy busy too, I'm working mornings for the rest of the week, and have something on every afternoon as well. It's nice.
Things are looking up... right?

PS sorry for the spelling and typos. Laptop doesn't have spell check