34 weeks

I just can't get enough of this picture.  I think I posted it to this blog before, but... I don't care.  This is not even that new- I think it's from a month or 3 weeks ago.

Anyway, I would go back and correct all my misspellings of Friday's post but I think that would detract from the authenticity of my posting from my phone.  I have a belly shot ready and waiting but I have to email it to myself first.  So I thought I'd tide you over with the photo above.

So- we had 2- TWO- family reunions with J's family recently.  He never ever sees his extended family (aside from weddings & funerals), so despite my delicate condition and secret bad attitude, I knew we had to go. 

The first one was uneventful.  Think a large family dinner. 

The one this weekend- was with the Irish.  100% Irish children.  Red hair, freckles and they drink like fish.  Always a good time.

I was worried about MIL.  But I [mostly] successfully took a few pieces of advice, including the "nod and agree" (which I believe was a suggestion from this very blog) as well as keeping in mind the words of Good SIL, who has struggled to get along w MIL for years.  She said to me, 'My mother is very insecure.  I think it is because she didn't feel loved as a child - though I do believe she was loved.  Since I've quit my job to stay home with my kids I've had some time to think this over and I realized that the best way to deal with her is to just be nice.' 

My initial reaction was guilt.  I am often not nice.  But I implemented it this weekend and I found that while it doesn't change the idiocy of many comments, it helps me deal with them.  As I've mentioned before, I don't believe she is malicious.  For some reason, when I am nice to her, I internalize this belief. 

Okay, enough of the psychoanalysis.

Anyway, this side of the family is also super wealthy (self-made).  They own these huge mansions on the beach.  We stayed in one of them and I felt like it was haunted, but luckily I was so exhausted from the day that I didn't sit up at night thinking about ghosts (yes, I am 29.  yes, fear of ghosts is something that sometimes keeps me up at night.  it didn't occur to me that this might not be normal until right at this moment.  is this normal? crap.)  At one point, I had to pee (naturally) and I thought, 'Omg.  What if I can't fall back to sleep after this?'  But then I thought 'I am exhausted. I will.'  And I did.  Bullet dodged.

Alright I have some work to do.