I had my doctor’s appointment on Monday and she happily informed me that I am 50% effaced, which means I am half way there to our main event. Once I am 100% thinned out or effaced, I will be in labor. So, practically, I am ready to give birth almost anytime now. Nick and I have done some serious baby stuff shopping this weekend and we are slowly preparing our “hospital needs” bag to be ready when needed. I was a little concerned which clothes’ size to buy and I am a bit scared of them not fitting the baby properly. Right now, I am just hoping that Anya would be less than 8 pounds or I will have to do some more clothes shopping. 
For some reason, it’s more difficult to shop for baby stuff than I could ever imagine!
On wed we are having an interview to pick up a pediatrician for our baby. My mom and I are preparing all the questions for the doctor to see if she or he is qualified. I prefer that the doctor speaks both English and Russian, so that my mom could take the baby to the doctor herself, if needed. We found a few of such doctors and we are interviewing them before Anya’s born :)
It has become almost intolerable to be pregnant anymore, especially in such weather (97 degrees!!!), but I am coping with Nick’s and mom’s help. I don’t know what I would do without them! It has also become difficult to drive, since my back is killing me and I often get Braxton-Hicks contractions (that’s the way my body is preparing for labor.) I have one more visit to the doctor’s unless Anya wants to come out earlier and then I am ready to go.
We are also trying to get my mom on Medicare/Medical, so that she could acquire insurance and have some normal doctors’ appointments. We had an evaluation check up and the doctor said that my mom’s blood pressure is more than normal. So, hopefully we will get the insurance soon. For some reason, it’s difficult to sign her up for any other insurance; they have so many requirements that she does not pass, such as to visit American doctors and specific weight amount. Anyway, we will see.
Nick is slowly getting used to driving in traffic, but he still comes home very tired. It takes him at least an hour to get home from work now. We have to go to sleep now early and wake up very early as well. But everytime I am asking Nick if he still thinks we did the right thing and bought this condo, he surely tells me “yes.” He seems very happy to live here, even though he has to drive so far away. He often tells me that Van Nuys reminds him of Austin a lot and everything feels more familar here than it was in West Hollywood. So, to celebrate our new condo, we had a barbeque on our lovely patio and we made some new pictures. Check them out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yulenk/
