Yesterday I had my first baby shower! It was a surprise, and much to my astonishment, I wasn't very embarrassed at all! The Boy helped me with that - without being obvious about it, he made sure I had chosen my outfit with care, and I didn't eat too much during the day to take the edge off my appetite. If there's anything I hate more than having my picture taken in ratty clothes, it's missing out on surprise food because I ate before the event. It also helped that everyone at the shower was someone who loved me, so I couldn't really be embarrassed.

(Another unconscious plus was that I actually did a fair chunk of work this morning, so I could shmooze away an afternoon without worrying after my marking.)

Before the shower, Stacy & I went to see a restored silent movie called "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" at the Art Gallery. Afterward, the Boy asked if it were good, and neither of us knew how to answer that question. I don't think that words like 'good' or 'bad' apply to that movie; it's off that particular scale completely. It was beautiful and it was strange and it was corny and it was exquisite. I don't have the language to talk about it. But we were in a pretty good mood as we cleared the door to Stacy's apartment...

Where Opera Sarah & Noizangel were waiting with hor d'oeuvres and finger sandwiches! The three of them had planned a high tea, and it went off without a hitch. Coraline, Morgan & Little Spider also arrived, and the seven of us (the Boy stuck around for the food & chat) had a lovely afternoon of tea & snacks. Opera Sarah has a catering business, so I couldn't have asked a more delicious spread. There was English carrot cake and mushroom paté, there were cheesy cherry tomatoes & cookies, there were sandwiches with the crusts cut off and several different kinds of tea. We ate ourselves into a coma - several of us ravenously scarfing down foods that we'd never liked before. The presents were almost superfluous.

But not quite. They included:

• a big huggy bunny from Noizangel that no-one could put down
• a week's worth of freezible yummy meals from Opera Sarah that'll get the Boy & I through the first stretch of chaos
• a frog-themed bath gift set from Stacy that included a handpuppet (a froggy handpuppet! yay!)
• the world's most ridiculous toy from Coraline, Morgan & LS: a turtle that makes a quacking sound. It was discounted; as the tag reads, it "MAKES THE WRONG SOUND." Which begs the question: what was the right sound? We laughed ourselves stupid at this turtle.

My, do I ever have thoughtful friends.

Booty Call: Day 241 - If you're a first time mom, your baby may settle into your pelvis. Lightening, or engagement, can make breathing easier, though you might experience some pelvic pressure. You should still feel your baby kicking as much, or more, than ever!