Last night I told Cory that I think this baby is not positioned correctly. I think the baby is still head down, but I'm starting to wonder if the little one is posterior (back facing my back) rather than anterior (back against my abdomen). The back pain and sciatica I've had this time around is so much more intense than any of the other pregnancies. I've also noticed things that usually point to a posterior presentation like not feeling the kicks into the ribs and rather feeling them more in the stomach. That's a big one because usually in later pregnancy I can't get comfortable because of the feet sticking into the ribs. So I've been focusing on doing exercises and making sure I sit in ways that promote an anterior presentation and are recommended by the optimal foetal positioning folks. I've had a hard time telling this pregnancy exactly what parts of the baby are where, and even though I sometimes feel what I'm sure is the back/spine against my abdomen, I'm not always sure. I just know that I don't want to go through back labor and spend that first stage of labor having the baby working hard to turn around to a better position rather than having my cervix open. At any rate, the exercises that I've been doing have helped relieve a lot of the pain and uncomfortableness, so we'll see how things go.

Because of the late stage of pregnancy and the fact that Cory will be working and not always able to be with me and the kids down at Riverboat Days this year, we're doing something a little different. We're paying for a parking spot ($25 for the weekend) at a lot that is right across the street from the park and the amphitheater where Accalia will be dancing. We only live 4-5 blocks from the park, but at this point there's no way I'll be able to traipse all over with the three kids (probably carrying Ella for part of the time) and lugging around all of the dance stuff. Definitely looking forward to that!

The construction workers are hard at work right outside of our house this morning. I think they're busy with the new water main, which means there will probably be no water for parts of the day. That's been happening a lot where the water will be turned off for an hour or so, and it always seems to come right at the times where I'm preparing food or washing laundry. Cory filled up a bunch of containers so we'll have extra water on hand just in case.

Yesterday we didn't see the neighbor girls until middle of the afternoon. They were at the beach swimming, and Accalia had her tap dress rehearsal. But when we did see them, the first thing they wanted to do was to come inside the house and play. Ella was sleeping on the couch, though, so I nixed that idea. Well, when they want to come inside but aren't able to, they're constantly asking Accalia or Cole to go get all sorts of things, and this probably ends up almost noisier then all of them being inside because there are screen doors slamming and kids yelling from the door and so on. Finally I told them they would have to just stay outside and not come in and out because Ella was starting to stir. They held off until after Ella was awake, but then Accalia and Cole came in for a while to eat and rest and watch a show I taped. They had been doing that for less than five minutes when the oldest was knocking at the back door and calling for Accalia.

Neighbor: Accalia!
Cole: We're watching a show and don't want to play right now!
N: Accalia!
Accalia: Just wait!
N: Come out and play!
A: Just wait!
N: What are you doing?
A: Watching something. We'll be out soon.
C: We're watching a show Mom taped!
N: So it's on tape and you can pause it?
A: Just wait! I'm coming out!

One more week until schools start. One more week. Today Cole told me he would be so happy when school started so the neighbors wouldn't ring the doorbell all of the time. Cory always tells me to just tell them that the kids can't play from such and such a time, but that really makes no difference. They'll go back home for a little bit but come back as soon as they're bored. I'm not sure if that's because neither tells time very well yet and they don't have or ask whichever adult is there to help them. At any rate, my hopes of quietly snuggling in with my family during the last week or so of pregnancy don't seem to be happening.

Today is the one day of the week where there's nothing going on - no dress rehearsals, doctors appointments, etc. I imagine the neighbors will be over early and often.