Back from the Bar!!!

Well, I made it! Yea!!!!! I have lots of details, which I will post later. The important thing is that it is DONE and that I didn't deliver during the Bar (which would have made a sensational news story, in my opinion).

Mr. Mustard came by my hotel last night and took me out for a very fancy dinner at the Encounter at LAX. The Encounter is a restaurant in the middle of the Los Angeles airport. It's sort of a weird space-ship like tower that hovers over the airport in the center of it all, and it looks like something out of the Jetsons. We have been very curious to go there for a long time, but never had the occasion to go since usually when you go to the airport it's just to either get on a plane or drop someone off. But, since my exam was at the Radisson at LAX- which is about half a block from the actual airport, we figured it would be a good excuse to go. So, we went and celebrated my finishing the exam.

The food was great and the view was amazing. Very surreal. You're sitting in the middle of all of these planes taking off and landing, looking down on it all from very high up. It was an experience, to say the least- it was very special. We even treated ourselves to dessert. After all of the pain and suffering of the prior three days, it was nice to just kick back, relax, and enjoy a good meal.

Tonight we're going out to celebrate with some law school friends. I guess you could say we're getting out a bit more now since in a few weeks we'll be spending a lot more time at home! So, a few weeks of cutting loose is in order.

I went to the doctor today and he said everything looks good for an on-time delivery of August 19th. He listened to the heartbeat and then did all the internal stuff that he's supposed to do. My blood pressure is down to 120/70, which is fantastic. That is way below what it was a week ago- and he said that it likely dropped because I'm not under as much stress now.

Mr. Mustard has to work tomorrow, which is kind of bumming me out because we were supposed to go shopping for a crib and a carseat. But- I guess that will have to wait until Sunday. I don't want to wait too long in case she makes an early appearance. Of course, I have a million things I can do tomorrow, since I haven't even started unpacking from the Bar yet.

All is good! I will post my "Bar Story" later on- for now I have to figure out something to wear tonight. We are meeting up with our friends at a fancy martini bar in Beverly Hills where lots of celebs frequent- and wouldn't you know it, the only thing that fits me is one skirt from Old Navy with a big tear in the side.

I'm a mess in the clothes department, but I don't want to buy anything new since I'll only be wearing it for a few more weeks. I mean, I guess that I could wear the same clothes after the birth, but I'm hoping to lose at least 15-20 pounds in the first week, so anything I buy now will end up being too big really quickly. Of course, what I'm really hoping for is a 35 pound baby, because then the weight will really fly off fast! Just kidding!

The Countdown!

I realized that I haven't posted since Wednesday- I don't really know where those days have gone. Lots of studying, which will (hopefully) pay off when I leave TOMORROW for the exam. I am really excited about it- I will be gone until Friday, which will be a nice break from studying...as weird as that sounds. Just knowing that I won't have to review anymore is a very nice feeling. And, I can catch up on all of the emails and phone calls I've been neglecting from loved ones. Yes, I have lots of catching up to do in that department.

The schedule is as follows:

Monday (7/24)- Leave the apt. at noon, drive to the hotel, check-in, then go to the exam center to get my room assignment. Go back to the hotel, get something to eat, study, go to sleep.

Tuesday (7/25)- Arrive at the exam center at 8:15, take the first three essay questions. Break for lunch. Afternoon take the first Performance Test. Go back to the hotel, have dinner, review questions for Wednesday.

Wednesday (7/26)- Arrive at the exam center at 8:15- do first half of Multi State Test, break for lunch, do second half of Multi-State, back to the hotel, eat dinner, review for Thursday, sleep.

Thursday (7/27)- Arrive at the exam center at 8:15- repeat of Tuesday's schedule-- then I'm finished! Yea!

Friday (7/28)- Check out of hotel, go to see the doctor, and start the rest of my life!!!

Next weekend I'm starting to get ready for the baby- buying all of the last minute and not so last minute stuff (like a crib!) She will officially be full-term next Saturday- which seems like a long way off, but it's less than a week away!

4th Emmy Nom!

Great News! We just found out that Mr. Mustard has also been nominated for an Emmy for Best Non-Fiction Sound Editing! So- that's two nominations this year- one for Best Non-Fiction Picture Editing and one for Best Non-Fiction Sound Editing. This marks his 4th nomination in two years. Woo-hoo!

Mr. Mustard just took these pictures of me- 35 weeks 3 days. I can't believe how big my stomach is getting! I don't even notice it anymore, but other people seem to.

I should be studying right now- none of the essays are working out for me and I can't spot any issues. I am very nervous about test day. But, as my doctor said to me today, even if I don't pass the Bar, in 3-4 weeks, I'll still be a mommy! That puts things in perspective. :-)

One Week From Today!

The Bar Exam is one week from today! I am getting excited about it! :-) My official due date is one week from tomorrow- August 19th!

I had a doc appt. today and he said that it might be sooner than the 19th, though-- we'll see! We may possibly induce on the 14th- depending on how things are looking. Anyway, it's getting very close!

My blood pressure is through the roof, so I am taking it easy- the doctor said that if I feel weird at any time, I have to come in to get checked out. At the very latest, I'm going in next Friday for another check-up. My blood pressure was really high today, but they had me lie down for awhile and close my eyes and it went back down to an acceptable level- which is a good sign. I think all the swelling, discomfort, etc., is just normal pregnancy stuff- coupled with the fact that it's 90 plus degrees outside! Whew! I heard somewhere that it's the hottest summer ever, and I believe it!

35 Weeks and Hospital Tour!

Today we had our hospital tour, which was very informative and exciting. It definitely made everything seem more real. We learned about all of the different kinds of rooms available for delivery and how they shuffle you from one room to the next as you progress.

They start you out in a room called Triage with 4 beds and leave you there until you're 3-5 cm dialated. Then they move you into a Labor and Delivery room (which is a private room). Then, after you give birth, they move you into a glorified closet where you spend the next 2-4 days (depending on whether your birth is regular or C-section). The glorified closet recovery room is SO small- I don't think more than 2 people could be in the room at one time! But, at least it is a private room, which I am very grateful for.

I took lots of notes- and we got to see the nursery where the newborns go after they are born (although you can keep the baby with you except for when they give them a bath and do other hospital type stuff). We also learned about all of the hospital safety precautions, and that the dad or birth partner can be with the baby at all times, even in the nursery- which really relieved me. Mr. Mustard is going to stick by our little girl's side while I'm in recovery, that's for sure. I don't want any baby mix-ups here!

The staff was really nice, and the facility is state-of-the-art. They also have Deluxe Maternity Suites- which are rooms for recovery that have hardwood floors, plasma TV screens, and a private nurse. Those are an extra $1308/night (not covered by insurance, of course). I'll take my glorified closet, thank you very much!

I had a great talk with my mom today on the phone. She is coming out to help me get set up for the baby from August 3rd to the 7th, and then will be coming back for a week after the baby is born! That is great news- I only thought she'd be able to come out from the 3rd-7th, because she was supposed to go on a yoga trip to Arizona, which would have used the rest of her vacation time. But, she cancelled that and instead is going to do her advanced training in Los Angeles in 2008, which frees up a week of vacation for her now! Very exciting!

This is fantastic news because my Aunt Laura is also planning on coming out for a week soon after the baby is born. So, I will have two weeks of help and get to spend quality time with my aunt and mom! Yea! I know Mr. Mustard is going to be working a lot, so that is good news to me that I will have some family out here to help! I am a little worried about how to handle a baby, and having two experts come out is going to be perfect. I am so lucky!!!

Mr. Mustard and I went out to dinner last night and I couldn't believe how much people were staring at me! It's like they've never seen a pregnant woman before- geez! I am really enjoying being pregnant, despite the physical limitations. I will be sad when it's over- it's such a special time of life.

Physically, I could be doing better. My feet are huge and swollen- I have really bad edema- meaning when you press down on my foot, the skin stays depressed. I have been elevating my feet and putting ice packs on them, and hopefully this will keep the swelling manageable. I am also experiencing pregnancy induced carpal tunnel, which means with every keystroke, I get a shooting pain down both my wrists. So, sitting for the Bar is going to be tough.

I'm also experiencing a host of other physical discomforts- which I guess is normal for being 9 months pregnant. I'm on guard for pre-eclampsia, since I've been experiencing the warning signs- so if any of those symptoms progress, I'm off to the hospital and no Bar Exam for me. I'm praying that I last at least another week or so to get through the Bar, and then last another few weeks to get ready for baby!!!

Oh- the other thing that happened at the hospital today was that they told us that if you don't have a name for the baby within 5 days of birth, they legally have to submit "Baby Girl" or "Baby Boy" as the child's first name on the Birth Certificate. So, our child would be "Baby Girl Urth"- and to get the name changed, you have to go through the courts! What a hassle. Luckily, we are all set on a name for a girl (no name for a boy, since we're about 99.99% sure she's a girl)- even though we're keeping the name a surprise until she's born! :-)

34 Weeks, 4 Days!

This weekend we have our hospital tour coming up, which I'm really excited about. We'll get to tour the maternity ward, see the rooms, and ask questions. Not much else new going on- still pregnant, still getting bigger, etc. I put away all the stuff from the shower- everyone was so generous! This is a very loved baby! Having all her things around makes it seem more real- I can hardly believe that her due date is only 39 days from now! Of course, it could be sooner (or later!) I am so excited about her imminent arrival- it makes studying for the Bar very, very hard!

Two Weeks!

Yes, it is exactly two weeks from the Bar Exam- loads to do, but I'm feeling ready to just get it over with!

I brought home some of the flowers from the shower and took pictures. They are so gorgeous. Jacey did all of the flower arrangements with her stepmom, Pili, and they were so beautiful. There must have been 20 of these similar flower arrangements- so beautiful!

Ryan- one of Mr. Mustard's closest friends and the Best Man at our wedding- successfully underwent open heart surgery yesterday. We have been so worried about him, and were so happy to hear that the surgery went perfectly and he is expected to be out of the hospital in 7-10 days. It is such a relief and we wish him the best, safest, and speediest of recoveries!

I Have The Best Friends!

Yesterday was a very exciting day- Jacey and Lauren threw me a shower. It was so wonderful- much more than I ever could have hoped for. It was a gorgeous day! I feel so special and blessed to have such great friends.

Jacey put in so much time decorating and setting up- the flowers and everything was just perfect. Lauren was in charge of the food- she did such an amazing job that I thought it was all catered until she told me differently. They both put in such time and effort into the job, I hardly know how I can every repay them. It was a great memory and I'm so glad that we had the party- I was worried about the Bar, but taking one afternoon off from studying was beyond worth it!

My friends from Boalt surprised me by flying all the way down to Los Angeles for the shower. That was such an incredible gift- to see them and get to spend some time with them! I feel so lucky to have such amazing people in my life- sometimes I think, what have I done to deserve all of this love?

Here are some photos from the big event:

The Emmy's!

Nominations were just announced for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards- and Mr. Mustard has been nominated for Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming! I am so excited for him! And so proud, of course- he deserves it! The link with the list of nominations is: http://www.emmys.org/awards/primetimeawards.php So cool!

I knew this was going to happen! It will be very exciting to go to the show- we had such an amazing time last year. The ceremony is at the Shrine Auditorium, where they held the Oscars until a few years ago. It's so big and beautiful- very old Hollywood. Afterwards, we went to the Governor's Ball, which was incredible. They had the best food, and dancing- it ws such a memorable and exciting night!

Of course, this year there is a little bit of a scheduling issue- because the awards ceremony is on August 19th, which is my due date! So, either I will have already given birth by this time, or I'll be on the verge! Unless I'm in the hospital delivering our baby, I'm going! :-) If my water breaks during the ceremony, people will just have to deal. Or maybe I can bring a long cape or something. I'll figure it out.

Anyway, very exciting news! Please congratulate Mr. Mustard! I'm so proud of him!!!

It's Already July!

Happy Almost July 4th! Mr. Mustard and I went up to Santa Barbara just for the weekend- we left late on Friday and came back last night (Sunday). It was so nice to get away for a few days. I did manage to get in some good studying- just a few hours on both days- but also rested and relaxed.

On Saturday, we went to the beach at the Bacara Resort. It was very hot outside, and the water felt so cool! We had breakfast at this little restaurant we both like called Domingo's and then lunch at our favorite hamburger joint, The Habit. Spent all afternoon at the beach, and then went back to Mr. Mustard's mom's house to relax. Mr. Mustard's mom is still in Maine, so we had the whole house to ourselves. Hauser was very relaxed and enjoyed hanging out in the backyard. It was so nice! We had dinner at Rusty's Pizza, which is a pizza place Mr. Mustard used to go to a lot when he was in junior high, so that was neat. He played Miss Pac-Man after dinner and showed that he still has his video game skills on those old games.

Sunday we met up with our friends Lauren and Don for brunch at the Brown Pelican, which is a little restaurant right on the water. It was more crowded than the Bacara beach, but not too crowded. There were lots of dogs playing in the water and it made me wish we had brought Hauser- but of course, what would we have done with him while we were eating? Later on, Mr. Mustard and I went for a hike with Hauser at Hauser's favorite place- Elwood Shores. It's right on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was so deserted and peaceful- especially for a holiday weekend.

Health-wise, I've started to get a lot more uncomfortable! Last night I was in a lot of pain- cramping in my abdomen and some sharp pain, as well. Plus, my back always hurts. I think the baby oftentimes is laying on a nerve. Sometimes all of a sudden I will lose feeling in my arm or my hand, or I will feel a really sharp continuous pain down my leg. It's no fun. Last night, it hurt so badly, it was hard to focus on anything else. The aches and pains associated with pregnancy are getting to be a bit much, but I guess I have to think that I really only have a few more weeks left, so I should just enjoy it! It's made me a little cranky, though, I must admit to always feel so big and immobile. I'm sure Mr. Mustard will be glad when I am back to being "me" again!!!

Speaking of Mr. Mustard, here are a few photos of his "guy's trip" to Las Vegas last weekend!