do any of these actually work?

Eggplant, exercise, evening primrose oil, monkeying around with Tim...all of these we have tried and some we continue to try...but nothing is working yet to get this baby boy to make his appearance.
Sharon called and shared advice she had received from a colleague who is a OB- her sure-fire bring-on-the-labor recipe is for the mother to take 2oz. Castor oil, followed by a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, followed by a Coke.
Umm, I wonder if I could just do the last two? My friend did the castor oil with her first and definitely DOES NOT recommend it. She also did the Evening Primrose Oil with her second and went into labor the next day...so my fingers are crossed that last night's dose of Evening Primrose Oil will somehow make me go into labor today.
The eggplant I ate on Saturday night did absolutely nothing, but the rumor about it started because a local Atlanta restaurant claims their eggplant Parmesan will start of woman's labor within 48 hours...however, in reading up on it on the web it seems that some think it is the basil and oregano in the dish that causes labor to begin and not the eggplant.
Looks like Thursday's appointment with the midwife might have me agreeing to strip the membranes!
I also wonder...does the family dog ever know before the woman that she is in labor? You know, how hear that sometimes pets know if their owner's have cancer or are about to have a seizure...
I keep asking Timber if I am about to go into labor but she just keeps leading me to her treat jar.

38 weeks and 5 days, 9.5 to go!

9.5 days left to go until the end of my due date...9.5cm to go until fully dilated (50% effaced and he is well engaged at -1).
I left a bit earlier today, didn't spill coffee in the car...did have to decide to risk running out of gas or taking a bit of time to fill up, decided the latter and convinced myself it wouldn't matter if I showed up late but would matter if I had high blood pressure so just enjoyed listening to the news as I drove to my appointment. Well worth it: 110/70.
Hadn't gained any weight- hallelujah! So still at 34lbs.
Heartrate in the 130s, fundus still at 38cm, urine clean.
Jill, the midwife, offered me the option of stripping my membranes (you should have seen Tim's face when I was describing this option!) and when I asked what the advantage of that would be she said that on average if you get your membranes stripped at this point you'd go into labor within 72hours.
I actually had to mull it over because, Sharon- Tim's mom, will be with us Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning flying through Atlanta on her way home to NC from the West Bank/Gaza region so if it took the full 72 hours that would be perfect timing...but if it caused me to go into labor tonight then she'd still be overseas and miss out. And I am not mentally prepared to have a baby tomorrow nor is my pre-baby list short enough yet.
My next appointment is Thursday and if he hasn't come by then I probably will take them up on the offer to strip the membranes as it would make it more likely for him to arrive before Sharon has to leave the country again on the 10th.

Tim's work Baby Shower

Yesterday I got to go to Tim's office and enjoy a wonderful baby shower put on by his colleagues (I believe mostly Jarrett (and Christi!) and Michael). We had GREAT food from a local Mediterranean place and some much needed and much appreciated baby gifts. For our stroller we received the infant seat adapter (so we can attach the car seat until the baby is big/strong enough to sit up in the seat of the actual stroller on his own) and the drink console (gotta keep hydrated!)- plus some great books and a darling outfit. Plus, a gift card to Babies R Us that will allow us to buy the final few items on that registry.

Books!

At my mom's suggestion I am going to add a sidebar to my blog of the baby's expanding library. She thought this would help her to not buy duplicates. I am also going to keep updating a book wish list on Amazon.com for the baby.
When I was growing up we had a TV sometimes but most often we didn't have one so we all grew up as avid readers- I am hoping this child will also fall in love with books and stories.

Look what my wonderful colleagues did...

My colleagues are located all over the US- in Washington DC, NY, CT, MN, IL, WA, VA, NC, etc- really spread out all over- but they all pitched in to get us the stroller I've been dreaming about getting back in shape with for months now. I had even already bought the coordinating diaper bag that securely attaches to it in hopes that somehow I'd receive this stroller from some loving friends or family.
In fact, the bag is the baby's hospital bag already packed with everything we'll need to take care of him there and bring him home in style (except the handknit outfit I still need to finish seaming up and washing).
The only things left to get before he comes is the stroller adapter that allows us to attach his car seat in the stroller until he is big enough to sit up in the seat by himself, and I'd like to also get a car seat cover thing to keep him warm on our winter walks.

Big, little

Tim has been enviously watching my handknit items go out the door to others as gifts or into the bin of things waiting for the baby to born and has hinted more than once that he'd also truly appreciate a handknit item from me. I started working on a sweater this past weekend but in the meantime I knit him two hats to tide him over. Above is his hat and with the leftover yarn I knit a matching hat for the baby. Can't wait to take a picture of Tim holding the baby and both of them wearing the hats.
This is the second hat I knit for Tim and am intending to knit the baby version of the hat soon- we'll see if I can get it and everything else on my "pre-baby list of things to get done" finished before he arrives. I've got some items crossed off but I think it is too ambitious a list...like the fact that the bulbs of crocuses I ordered to plant in the front lawn aren't expected to arrive until at least late next week...so it might be the case that anyone coming for a visit will be asked to plant a few before they leave!

Nursery in progress

Last Wednesday I was feeling like I didn't have anything ready just in case the baby comes early- I've been waiting on getting Tim's workbench and tools out of the back room to switch it over to a nursery but decided I at least needed to get the crib set up in the corner (not that we'll be using it at first, it just seemed like after the child is born the last thing we'd have energy for is setting it up)- so I shifted things around and steamvacc'ed the corner of the carpet, let it dry and got to work setting it up while waiting for Tim to get home from work. Took me a while to puzzle out which screws went where with what bolts, butterflys, etc since it was used it didn't come with any instructions- but figure it all out I did and got it set up. Then when I put the sheets in, etc I had a moment of panic....I looked at that blank, clean sheet stretched so smoothly across the mattress and realized a little boy was going to be lying there in not very long at all and had a bit of ... not quite panic but some kind of overwhelmed emotion that resulted in teary eyes.
Then on Tuesday evening Tim and I moved his bench and tools out to the shed and I cleaned the rest of the carpet- let it dry overnight and yesterday I moved the dresser in (my mom asked how I did it without Tim and I assured her that once I took out the drawers the base just slid across the carpet).
Yes, safety nuts, I know you aren't supposed to have anything in the crib when the baby goes in...I am planning on taking everything out before he gets here but I wanted to display all the wonderful toys he has already received, but my baby doll (looking a little worse for wear) who is wearing my mom's baby booties from when she was born in 1947 and behind is her baby blanket.

We are aiming to raise an avid reader!

And for the very beginning...he will be in our room...conveniently located on Tim's side of the bed so that he can get him out of the bassinet, hand him to me to feed and then take him back to change his diaper...of course, that is my plan, not sure what Tim is thinking will happen!