Tilly has been getting stuck. A couple weeks ago it was behind some stuff in our bedroom. Today, she managed to stick herself under the dining room table. Really, Til?! For a pup who just turned 5, she’s not been demonstrating lots of smarts…

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The baby is cooked. Well, let’s say he’s at ‘medium,’ and not quite at the FDA-approved doneness that three more weeks inside would provide. But 37 weeks is full term and we’re there.

We’re not exactly going to have the typical birth experience that most people get. He is breech, and despite many efforts to turn him, he’s not budging. So his arrival will likely be scheduled and we’ll simply go to the hospital at the appropriate time for a C-section. He’s not scheduled yet, and there is always the chance he could turn around in the next couple weeks as he gets ‘doner.’ Babies are supposed to know which way to come out, after all.

But most likely we won’t have one of those stories of going into labor or waters breaking or getting sent home from the hospital a couple of times or any of that… I’ll miss the drama a bit. And I was sort of curious to see how I handled the whole thing, how long labor would take, etc. It’s a little deflating. On the other hand, knowing when he’s coming will be fun.

Now, there’s always the chance I’ll get some of that drama before his scheduled date. He seems a little too comfy to me to come early, but he could still surprise us. Although knowing you have to have surgery anyway, labor sounds a lot less appealing… I’m probably best to experience none of it, as it would be a little unnecessary.

On to more exciting things, an ultrasound today revealed that he has hair. Perhaps a lot of hair the technician thought. This is particularly good news! (Oh, and, you know, the other “important” stuff they were looking at was good too. So there’s that.) But newborns with hair are super cute. And he already knows how to do plow position, with his feet up toward his head. Already a yogi! We’re so proud…

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Watching CBS Sunday Morning on the Tivo this evening, and they played a story about Gondolas in Venice. About halfway through they visit a Gondola shop that we had the opportunity to visit when we were in Italy on our Rick Steves trip in 2007. This shop is not open to the public, it was rare to get a chance to see one of the only places where Gondolas are made. Amazing!

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Baby photos are taken on a whole new level these days. Our baby will not even have the standard hospital photo taken. The hospital where we will deliver uses a different company that sends in photographers to take photojournalistic-style pictures of your baby in your room. I’m almost kind of disappointed that he won’t have that iconic, kind of cheesy and weird hospital picture… Seems like a right of baby passage. I love those photos because the baby never looks like that in any other photo. Something about that direct overhead angle and flash they use or something.

It will be great to have those beautiful hospital photos, but we will also have some beautiful newborn photos that we’ve arranged. People are starting to show off these amazing newborn photos they have taken when the babies are a week old. There’s something about those first 7 or 10 days of life, they just don’t look like that very long. It was a hard decision because I found a couple photographers I liked, but ultimately settled on these photos. They are exactly what I wanted.

There’s a real trend to do sort of the Anne Geddes look, and I decided that just wasn’t me. Lots of babies wrapped in gauze and hanging from… something. I think for my taste they’re just too pretty and artsy, and I don’t think my baby will have much of a habit of hanging in gauze hammocks around the house. I decided I’d be happiest long term with the investment (because they are all expensive) if the baby just looks like the baby. Something that’s just a little bit less than polished and perfect.

So, what happens is you schedule your photographer early (I saw some websites that said ‘end of second trimester’) and they block out some time for you. They estimate based on your due date when they would come take pictures — usually like a week later — and then you just call them and tell them when the baby is actually coming and you move your session if needed. That’s how you can ensure your baby is truly tiny in those pictures.

We met with our selected photographer the other day to look at pictures in person and get a better idea of how it’s going to work. She pointed out that the meeting is nice so that when she shows up at your house six days after you give birth, at least she’s not a stranger. This makes sense. I did a little baby shopping — “That baby looks cute, let’s get that one,” and we got an idea of how the shoot will go. It will be nice to have the photos taken at home and not in a studio.

I was always glad I put so much time and splurged a little on my wedding photos and really got the style I wanted. With my journalism and design background… let’s just say I’m kind of picky when it comes to my own pictures! I always like what everyone else gets, but am super picky when I’m making my own selection. I think we selected well, and I know we’ll love the photos. I like every single photo on her website. And, although I’m not getting maternity photos taken, I liked that there weren’t any creepy maternity photos like some photographers do. I think it’s a good sign if you like all the pictures.

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Husband victorious.

I partially credit my careful research isolating (mostly) the culprit. Mr. ADT smoke detector. But within five minutes of being home, he fixed it. Mike: 1.

So, I guess I should give our detectors a break… yet again the chirper was something else!

Hooray for husbands! And hooray for sleep.

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