Pregnancy Update- Week 32

Week 32 was a heckuva lot better than week 31. I'm still on bedrest- and so is Ted. I haven't had to take meds for my contractions in a week, I'm feeling great, and every day that goes by is a day closer to the "safety zone" for little girl being born. As you can see. Romeo is also doing his best to make the little one feel cozy in the belly-house for at least a couple more weeks!

Nesting is still in full-swing. Hubby has been very good at taking instructions and putting together the baby's room. We have the mattress now, so it'll be improving day by day. I can't wait for our big shower next weekend, as I'm anticipating getting some of the gear we need to really feel prepared for her big entrance. I'm also finding myself nesting in ways that don't involve physical labor for myself.... including calling the management of our complex to see if we can upgrade our flooring mid-lease. The idea of having laminate downstairs is VERY appealing.

Upcoming this week.... not a whole lot. I'm getting a haircut and a facial in a couple of days, which will hopefully make me feel a little bit more like a human, as opposed to the bump on a log feel I've got most days.

I Wanna Be a Foodie Review II- Kitchen Confidential

Okay, so I'm on bedrest, and I can't actually go out for great food, but I can read about it, right? I just finished Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential. Let me start by saying that this guy is one messed up bastard. He's a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, decorum-lacking, frigging genius. The stories he tells are of the "I can't believe he lived to tell it"variety. And I am totally fascinated by the man. I mean, this is a guy whose website features a video clip of him eating the still-beating heart of a cobra. He has a natural inclination toward storytelling, though, and the book was highly, highly enjoyable.

I've seen his show on the travel channel a few times, and have really enjoyed his guest blogs on the Top Chef website. A few months ago, I found a blog where he railed on every Food Network chef. It was entertainment of the highest and snarkiest form.

I don't feel it's right to share any of the details of the book, because it would ruin the fun of reading the book. If you loved the TV show, Kitchen Confidential you will love this book as well, and hopefully, like me, you'll end up putting Brasserie Les Halles on your top ten Must Eat restaurants.

Pregnancy Update Week 31

This has been an exciting one, folks. At my doc's appointment a week ago, we determined that my Braxton Hicks contractions were too close together for comfort. So, Dr. G pulled me out of work, which was a bit of a shock, but not too disappointing. Doc said to put my feet up most of the day, and to call in a couple of days if they didn't slow down. Well, they didn't. So, on Saturday, I called the on-call guy, who told me to come into the hospital to see him. I was strapped to monitors for 3 hours, given two shots of a drug to calm the contractions, then sent home with a prescription.

Don't jump to conclusions, now. I'm not in real labor. Women have Braxton Hicks contractions all the time. This is just "threatened labor."

At my doc's appointment today, Dr. G said that he'd say there's less than a 50% chance that this little girl is coming early, and that I'll start feeling better a week or so from now, when I realize that how I am feeling is the norm for me, and that every practice contraction isn't the real thing.

So, in the meantime, I'm bonding with my Tivo and my Netflix, doing a bit of reading, and doing my darndest not to go stir crazy. As long as things remain calm, hopefully, I'll have more time for the blogging.

An LA Landmark Gets Another Chance

So, the Queen Mary has been bought by a group of investors that are planning to add more hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues to the area, making it more of a "destination." The article didn't mention any refurbishment to the ship itself, but I have to hope that such work is included in the plans.

Hubby and I went to visit the ship last year, and were disappointed to find it mostly rundown, with horrible gift shops, etc. It looks like they haven't done any refurbishment, let alone maintenance in the 40 years the ship has been docked in Long Beach. I'm sure it was dazzling in its day, but now needs work. No customer is going to be willing to pay over $100 a night for a musty, small stateroom with peeling paint. The touring exhibit of artifacts recovered from the Titanic, however, was absolutely amazing. If it comes near your town, I highly recommend going. But I digress. It'll be great for the City if they can do some refurbishment and start bringing in some dollars to this gre

at piece of history again.

My parents spent their wedding night on the Queen Mary, and someday I'd love to stay onboard too – preferably when it doesn't so closely resemble a roach motel. And as long as they never make me go in the propeller room again. That place has some serious bad juju. It is the place on Earth that I am most frightened of. I didn't have a bad experience in there or anything, it just felt so wrong. Bad, bad juju. Karma don't lie, people. Look at this creepy picture!

A Sweet Treat in an Unfriendly Land

Bakersfield may not be the greatest place on Earth. There's not a lot there. But one thing that IS there is Dewar' s. This confectioner makes the best taffy chews ever. Because my mom and her sibs grew up out there, we generally have a few boxes around at the holidays. Here at work, one of the bigwigs makes an annual trip and brings each department a box. I think I destroyed our department's box in 72 hours. I especially like the peanut butter and almond flavors. Peppermint is good, as is the caramel. The chocolate caramel, I can take or leave. Y'all should really try this stuff.

Pregnancy Update- Week 30

And friggin falling apart..... Pardon me while I bitch and moan for a few minutes. I honestly had my first moments of "GET THIS THING OUT OF ME!" this week. Sleeping on my side has caused me to throw out my neck so that I get a searing pain if I turn it wrong, or particularly if I laugh. And I like to laugh. I've been sleeping on my back to try to relieve this, which has left me waking up totally out of breath each morning, because the baby is resting on my lungs.

I've also started to experience calf cramps the likes of which I didn't think existed. Yesterday, I was nearly screaming while trying to work it out.

For these ills, I have gotten a membership at Massage Envy, and taken advantage of my first massage. It was nice, but didn't do the trick. Tomorrow, I try the accupuncturist. Yes, me, the girl afraid of needles. Should be interesting to say the least.

My vision is also going downhill. Everything seems to be blurry these days. I'm getting that taken care of this week.

Braxton Hicks contractions are getting more frequent, some days nearly constant (2 an hour), and others just in reaction to doing too much or getting stressed out. We'll see what the doc has to say about that on Thursday. I can't say I'd be disappointed if he put me on medical leave. I'd just rather not be on total bedrest.

There were good parts to these last couple weeks as well. As hard as it is to get around now, I love my big belly, and love the connection I have with the little girl in it. I'm getting so excited about the things we're going to get to share with her- particularly books. Today I ordered her the Beatrix Potter anthology. Oh how I love Beatrix Potter. Oh, that reminds me.... I need to put Ms. Potter on my Netflix queue. But I digress, I can really feel Baby Girl each time she moves, Hubby has felt her a few more times now, we think there may be a name.... maybe.... and I started a Theater Glut that will last for the next 4 weeks. I saw Wicked with a friend on Thursday, we have tickets for next Sunday, and will be seeing Jersey Boys next Sunday, and have tickets for Avenue Q in early September. I figured we won't be getting out to the theater terribly often after the little one arrives, so find cheap tickets and do it now. Lucky for me, Hubby agrees. I just hope I keep this level of mobility. At least for a while.

The nesting instinct has also kicked in with a vengence. I spent yesterday out with Mom and got just about everything I need to create a baby's room. Art is on order, and linens will wait until after the showers (I'm certainly not going to spend the money if someone's going to buy it for me!) . Other than that, we'll start putting the room together this week. To the left is a picture of the empty crib.... it's about all she's got going on in her room for now. More pictures to come as I do some decoratin'.

Busy week coming up that will hopefully solve some of these issues. Like I said, Monday, I'll be going to the accupuncturist, Tuesday is the eye doc, Wednesday I meet the Pediatrician I've been referred to, Thursday I go see Dr. G for my 31 week appointment, and Saturday Hubby and I go for our Hospital Orientation. Lots of fun, but all things that will make me feel more in control of this whole situation.

P.S. On another happy note, Hubby just helped me figure out how to show my line breaks in my entries. This should make it easier for those of you out there that read this. All three or four of you.

I Wanna Be a Foodie Review I - craft

I don't know what happened to Hubby and I recently- maybe it's the hours of watching Food Network, Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Maybe it was the amazing gourmet meal we had in Hawaii. Maybe I'm just appreciating food more now that I'm "eating for two." Whatever it was, we've decided that we have a passion for simple, well cooked food. Food can be better than what you find at Friday's. And should be.

So, to celebrate our anniversary, Hubby and I took a drive down to Century City to visit craft , the newly opened Tom Colicchio restaurant. If you aren't familiar with this guy, he's a judge on Top Chef, and certainly not bad to look at. Bald-by-Choice is a brave look for a white dude. The location of this restaurant isn't ideal, at least not for those of us who don't work in the buildings immediately surrounding the restaurant. However, we were going on a busy Friday lunch hour, so I can't give it points off for that. The décor is simple and elegant, from what I could see. It was an ideal SoCal day, and we were seated out on the patio, so I didn't get a great view of the dining area. I can tell you, as a pregnant woman, that the restroom is lovely, and the stalls are spacious. A nice change from having to waddle in and straddle the bowl to get the door closed, as you have to in most public restrooms.

The menu looks to be changed often to incorporate fresh ingredients. Everything is ordered a la carte and is meant to be shared. I like that. A lot. Here's the rundown of our meal:

Hubby started with the Heirloom Tomato and Basil Seed salad, which he really enjoyed. We're both struggling a little to get over the "picky eater" syndrome of our childhood, and it did not escape our notice that the basil seeds were periwinkle blue and a little slimy, and that there was a small cube of clear jello-like something in the middle. Hubby said both were pretty tasteless, and that the flavor of the tomatoes was the real gem.

For the main course, Hubby had seared diver scallops that were like CANDY. Simply but perfectly, cooked in butter, they just peeled apart and were unbelievable. I had braised beef shortribs with root veggies. So tender, so flavorful. Probably would have tasted a little bit better had it been a cool, rainy day rather than 80 degrees and sunny, but that's not really important. We also shared a side of roasted assorted mushrooms. YUMM-AY. The dishes, served in individual sized cast iron pots, were just the right size to fill one person, and offer a taste to another. Two entrees and a side was more than enough for us, and I ended up taking home a little bit of the beef, and enjoyed it on a sandwich the next day. One small complaint- the food could have been a little warmer. We're assuming the heat level of our food was an anomaly.

Biggest downside for craft at lunch was the crowd. "Power players" from the surrounding offices peopled the joint, and we were unable to escape their inane chatter about how they just landed this huge deal. Coupled with the name dropping, it wore on our nerves, and perhaps caused us to rush, just ever so slightly through our Salty Chocolate Tart with Vanilla-something (nutty, coffee taste) Ice cream. Which was delish, by the way. Maybe the tart filling was a little too close to tasting like cake batter, but the juxtaposition with the salt was really interesting and yummy. Leave it to me to try the chocolate dessert. I couldn't bring myself to order the Olive Oil gelato. Yes. Olive Oil. I'm not that much of a foodie, yet. I would have ordered a glass of wine and two or three of the artisan cheeses on the menu if I weren't in such a delicate position. I've come this far, I can't cheat now….

All in all, I give craft high, but not ideal marks. I'm sure we'll be trying the food there again.

Going here is my next goal. Oh, and I want to try Sprinkles bakery. And go back to Enterprise Fish Co. for some amazing lobster bisque. And Lares for the best Mexican food in LA. Mmmm. Food.

Baby Einstein.... or Window Licker? (Hubby's Expression, not Mine, but funny just the same)

Hubby and I have already decided that TV is not going to be something that our baby will be exposed to all that often. Sure, it may be on to give mom something to do while feeding, cleaning, etc., but she's never going to be plopped in front of it as a babysitter. Turns out this instinct is right on.

A study by the University of Washington came out today saying that for every hour per day that babies (8 - 16 mo.) were shown "educational" videos, they knew 6 to 8 fewer words than their peers. Yowch. We're going to read to our baby. All the time. Reading is good. Books are to be worshiped/respected. TV, not so much. It's amazing. This same group had a study last year that showed that by 3 months old, 40% of babies are regular TV watchers and that by age 2, 90% of babies were watching TV 2-3 hours per day. 2-3 hours! This is appalling. When the TV is on in our house, it's only going to be Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers and Reading Rainbow, but it certainly won't be for 2 or 3 hours.

Will we resort to Baby Einstein or Baby TV every once in a while? Probably. I'm certainly not a Saint. It's not going to be a daily thing, though. No way!

In Case 8 Wasn't Enough... Try 9 More... And Counting!

Yes, it's true. Michelle Duggar, of Discovery Channel fame, has been pregnant for over 10 years of her life. She has a reprieve for now, having just given birth to her 17^th child. I just don't get it. Sure children are a gift, but if you want so many, why don't you spread the wealth and adopt a few from the 3^rd world. I think that an opinion writer for the San Francisco Chronicle put it best in a column written after the birth of the 16 ^th Duggar child: If God wanted you to have a massive pile of children, she'd have given your uterus a hydraulic pump and a revolving door. Stop it now.

My new mascot...

So, hubby returned from his weekend at Comic Con totally blissful, geeked out, and with a few new action figures in tow. Next time, I totally want to go with him. He even returned with a giftie for me. He tried for the Deathly Hallows tote bag, and for an Ugly Doll for baby girl, but both were sold out. No biggie. He brought me the C-4 Hamster. "What?' you may ask. Yes, indeed, I am now the proud owner of a small, plastic hamster, who carries an expression like he's just had enough and a load of C-4 on his back. He sits on my desk as a warning to those who may want to hassle the preggo. He may not be the most politically correct toy, but I love him. He makes me giggle uncontrollably.

What a day......

Expensive and annoying. Such a special combination.

Started the day going over to Toyota, so that Hubby would have a freshly clean car for his trip down to Comic-Con (or, as I call it the 4-day Geek-gasm, but I'm just jealous and want to go). I had been told it would just be a routine oil change. Not so. Major service, requiring an overnight stay, and a rental car for me. You see, at 7 mo . Preggo, it's simply not a good idea to be without wheels. Not happy about going to the rental place. Unhappier still about the extra $225 we weren't planning to spend.

Get picked up and go to Hertz to get the rental. Computers are crashing. It takes them 45 minutes to give me a crappy Chevy Malibu, even though 10 other customers have come and gone.

The good part of the day was meeting Mom for a belated b-day lunch.

As I'm leaving the mall, Toyota calls to say, the car is nearly done. WHAT? WTF did I spend my morning in Hertz for, then? Unfortunately, it's too late to turn in the crappy rental and get back the car that hubby WANTS to take to San Diego. I have to get home and meeti the carpet cleaners. Oh, and by the way, they're recommending another $350 in "preventative maintenance" for the car. That can wait, Bubbas.

The carpet cleaners arrive 45 minutes after the prescribed 1-hour window. If only they'd called me earlier, I could have returned the car! Now I have to wake up early tomorrow and get it in before the 24 time limit at 9 a.m. The carpet guy is nice enough, though, and seems extremely competent. Competent and polite. Two of the killer three (punctual is another of my favorite traits, but he blew that one) ain't bad. I don't even really mind when he tells me that getting rid of ALL Romeo's stains will cost an extra $100. The blog glut you've witnessed today is the result of being locked in the bedroom with the cats for three hours while he works.

Plus, Hubby appears to be cranky. Traffic has been brutal this week, making his normal 1 hourish commute at least 2. And there's nothing I can do about it. That's a crappy feeling. Really crappy.

Suffice to say that the extra expenses of this weekend have eliminated my plans to head to my Zen place and get a massage. I need nursery decor, and a glider... and a video camera. No massages for me. (pouty face) However, we're back to zero as far as house cleanliness goes, and I've had time to put together a to-do list for this weekend:

• Hit Michael's and drop some dough. I think that my solo time this weekend will allow me to start deconstructing photo albums, and putting the photos into boxes, as well as starting Baby Girl's baby book. I'm going to make one rather than buy something cheesy.
• Start cleaning out closets, boxes etc. and downsize wherever possible. We need room to put out all the baby gear that we're told will be arriving soon.
  
• Put together menus and do the grocery shopping for next week. Try to pull a Rachael Ray and have all the veggies washed and ready to go.
• Get Chinese take-out from my favorite spot in Camarillo. I'll be passing through tomorrow to pick up the Grandma on the way to my Sis' Housewarming party.
• See a movie? Probably Hairspray or Becoming Jane. I have to figure out which Hubby has less interest in seeing.
• Go to Jo-Anne's or a similar fabric store with the baby's sheet and scout material. Because we can't paint the walls in the rental, I'm thinking about tacking up some nice textured fabric to add a little color and interest. I simply cannot put a white crib up against a white wall. It won't work for me. I need to decide on wall decor before I can pick out rugs or a bedspread for the twin in the room. I'm ready to get started on the whole nursery thing.
• IF time allows, I'd like to start re-teaching myself knitting. I'd like to be able to do more than one stitch before I start on a baby blanket for my little one.

Muggle Blog - The Finale.....

You're gonna have to wait for this. Two reasons, really. I want to give the Potter-reading world more time to finish before I risk spoiling it for anyone. Hubby, however, will have to watch out. He probably won't read it for another month...... I'm also rereading the book myself. The first reading was quick and dirty to avoid spoilers. I'm really reading for details this time. The follow-up blog entry will reflect that. So prepare yourselves.... all 2 of you who read this blog.

In the meantime, however, a great quote from Stephen King, writing about saying goodbye to Harry after 7 books: "Hell, I had trouble saying goodbye to Tony Soprano, and let's face it — he was a turd."

The Name Game

Naming a whole person is hard work. If she's made fun of her whole life, it's OUR fault. At this point, we're down to two or three favorites. Those who read this blog may comment, but be KIND, and understand that this is not a democracy. The stats in this post were found here, a supercool Baby Naming Tool!

As much as we both love the names Emily and Emma, those are off the table, because they are the two most popular names in the US right now.

We both love the name Kate. It would be Kate Elizabeth, after Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, two of the strongest, and most interesting women in Literature. HOWEVER, everyone we tell about naming her "Kate" says, "Oh, we'll call her Katie." Um, no. If we wanted her to be called Katie, that's what we'd name her, but family members have actually said, "You won't stop me from calling her "Katie." And I don't like the idea of fighting an uphill battle to have my child called by her name.

Kate is currently 142nd in popularity, but if you count all the names that start with Kate, you're looking at twice as many kids with similar sounding names, according to the tool, about 2000 for every million babies.

We also love Avery Marie. Avery is just a name we both think is beautiful and feminine. Marie has a lot of history in both Hubby and my families. Avery is currently 52nd in popularity with about 1200 babies per million. However, it's currently spking in popularity. Who knows, it could be the Emily of 2010, and she could end up with a name that's "Just so 2010." Just like Brittany, etc. are really 90's, and Stephanie and Jennifer were uberpopular in the 80's.

We've come back to Sadie (157th, 500 per million) and Sophie (125th, however, if you count Sophia, it's 9th in popularity). I know we're overthinking this, but it's tough. I'm really not sure if she'll have a name before she's born. We may have to take a look at her before we make that decision.

Pregnancy Update- Weeks 27 and 28

The morning after we got home from Buffalo, we had another appointment with the Parinatal specialist. It's so much fun to see her moving around in there. Everything is measuring in the normal range according to Dr. J. She's currently about 3 lbs. and I think she's pretty cute - even in 2-d. She's got big eyes (no shock there) and big pillowy lips. Check out this profile shot- they stick out almost as far as her nose!

The next day- which was the start of week 28, I got a call from the regular Doc's office to tell me that I passed my 1 hour Glucose test, meaning that I'm not at risk for Gestational Diabetes, and therefore don't have to take the 3- hour test, which would have been miserable. My iron is a little low, though, so I'm on Iron Suppliments. Doesn't sound bad, right? Weeeeellllllll..... Iron suppliments tend to back things up a bit, gastro-intestinally speaking. The nurse told me to go ahead and just start taking the maximum dose of colace at the same time. We'll see how well that goes. Pregnancy slows down that system as it is. Ick! Thank goodness for coffee. Is that TMI for a blog? Pregnant women have no limits.

We've also started kick counts. When she's active, she's VERY active, and hourly kick counts are completed in roughly 10 or 15 minutes. Most of the time, though, she's pretty quiet. That can be a real disappointment for those who want to feel her move. Ah, well. I hear that behavior in the womb forecasts behavior outside. I like that she's quiet most of th etime. I like it a lot, in fact. I want her to be a good sleeper, just like her daddy and I were.

Angel on his shoulder......

The gentleman that I'd refer to as my most significant high school sweetheart and first ever "boyfriend" was nearly killed at an explosion in the Mojave Desert. He works for the company building Spaceship 2, and was at a propulsion test that went wrong. 3 people were killed, and more badly injured. I'm so sad for those families, but very pleased that my favorite Elvis impersonator is still around. It doesn't matter that I haven't seen or spoken to him in years. Bad stuff happens too often and too close for comfort.

More Updates from Buffalo....

The Hot Wings were a hit. We toured the Darwin Martin House (Frank Lloyd Wright), which is under restoration in Buffalo. It's a lovely place, and I can't wait to see it when it's completed. To support the Buffalo economy, and the restoration, we registered for the china Frank Lloyd Wright designed for the owners when we got married. The photo is of the Conservatory- one of the few areas that is finished.

As for the rest of our trip, don't know how I ever got so lucky. Tonight, we had a get together with my parents in-law, aunt & uncle-in law, SIL and her fam, and BIL and his fam. We were just getting together to see eachother- we're back East visiting and only MIL and FIL have seen me preggo. Well, after dinner, they surprised us with a mini-shower, since none of them will be able to make it out to my big shower.

We are now the proud owners of a beautiful bassinet that has a lot of family history (almost all of the 7 grandkids have been in it), and an enormous load of books and clothes and great gear that we need. Mom and Dad T also got us the most beautiful cake- check it out, and it was as good as it looked!!!!

They are too too good to me. I appreciate them so much. I'm so glad Baby Girl will have this house as a place she feels at home. To ensure that during the first year, we had some fun shopping with Mom T at Babies R Us, and got a pack and play for the In Law's house.

Pregnancy Update - Entering the 3rd Trimester

So.... there's not a lot to tell. I'm getting awfully big, and starting to have really uncomfortable days. Braxton Hicks contractions have also started. They're a bit frightening because sometimes they're stronger than other times. They don't hurt, but it definitely lets you know that that eventually they're going to get really big and REALLY strong. She's moving a lot more regularly, which is fun.

We're spending most of week 27 here in Buffalo with the in-laws and are having a great time. I'm not sure if I've had any calcium, or seen a fruit or a veggie since I've been here, but it is still a lot of fun. Hot Wings tonight. We'll see how she reacts to that. :)

Media Blackout....

I'm having to be very careful about where I trip around the internet these days. Even PerezHilton appears to have spoilers about Potter. That just sucks. Why would you want to ruin the fun for the I dunno..... 6 or 8 million people that are looking forward to this. I've been changing the station when something comes out on the news, being careful to scan web pages for any sign of spoilers before really reading anything, etc. Is it SATURDAY YET? Although, until the Amazon.com package shows up, Saturday will probably be the worst, since all the news outlets, etc. will know the ending by that point. My guess is at that point, I'll be going for full media blackout, and hoping for a pre-2:30 mail delivery.

Muggle Blog....

Finished Half Blood Prince last night. (See photo of Bump and I reading in the D.C. airport) I'm more confused this time than I was last time, but more than ever appreciate the richness of the universe J.K. Rowling has created. The things I found that are "new" this time are minute, but important to me, because I care about every detail. Here's what I've got:

p368 (paperback- I'm traveling)- Dumbledore and Harry are describing how Tom Riddle managed to kill his family and blame it on Morfin. He said that because it was in a wizarding house, they were unaware of who performed the curse. However, the Riddles were killed in the Riddle house, and they were Muggles. I'm sure they're just trying to point out that the Ministry jumped to conclusions... but it seems like an inconsistency to me.

I'm also still bothered by the fact that despite how many times we've heard that no one can apparate or disapparate within the Hogwarts grounds, House Elves can do it. A lot. Why them. We've heard they have different powers, but why that? Are we goingt o get an explanation.

Okay, the Horcruxes:
The Diary- Destroyed
The Locket (Slytherin) - Assumed Destroyed
Hufflepuff's Cup?
Ravenclaw's?
Gryffindor's?
Unknown?

Dumbledore things Nagini the snake might be one. I'm not sure if I buy that. And if Dumbledore is right, and he has the only remaining relic of Godric Gryffindor is safe at Hogwarts, we're missing 2. This is not a great start for our guy Harry.

My favorite thing about this book, however, is that the power Dumbledore describes Harry as having, is growing stronger, all around him. Throughout the book, you have examples of Harry and his friends becoming a stronger unit, which is more than "the cause." The same is true for Harry and Dumbledore's relationship. It's far more than student/teacher. It is familial, and very loving.

Love, despite all the odds is everywhere. Tonks is in love with Lupin, and willing to give up anything for him. Fleur does not care that Bill has been hurt in battle, and wants to marry him anyway, leading the Weasley's to love and respect her as it is. Ron and Hermione have finally found their way to eachother, taking a great friendship to another level. Last but certainly not least, Harry pulls the "Batman" move of breaking it off with his first love, Ginny, in order to protect her.

It is all this Love, and the power created by it that makes me believe that they can't kill off Harry in book 7. There will be many more sacrifices, but in the end, good will win.

I honestly don't know which way Snape is going to go. I see arguments for both sides, but as we have learned, Dumbledore is rarely wrong. I can't WAIT for Friday/Saturday.

And- in rebuttal of some of the points made by my Dude over at mysocaldlife.blogspot.com:
Yes, Alan Rickman plays him good. But Alan Rickman is the best. He could turn that on a dime for the next movie and amaze us all. He rocks. Especially in Dogma. If you haven't seen that movie, rent it NOW.

As for the "hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face." I agree that it makes him seem bad. However, we need to think about just what a difficult position he's been put in. He could be hating Draco and Narcissa for putting him in this situation through the Unbreakable Vow, and hating Dumbledore, for giving him, what I assume is the same orders he gave Harry. The greater good, and Snape's position within the society of the Death Eaters is more important than D's life, and therefore, he's on orders to follow through, even though it's the last thing he wants to do. You can love someone (Dumbledore) and hate them at the same time. If I'm right about that, though.... I don't understand how Snape could EVER come back and gain the trust of the Order again. Dumbledore is the ONLY one who knew why he trusted Snape. However.... we do know that Dumbledore has saved many of his memories in bottles for the Pensieve. Maybe that is one of them.That could work. I'm babbling. I need to stop and just stew in all of this for the next 4 days.

The best boss ever!

Today, Baby Girl decided that I should have some fierce heartburn. OW! After checking with four or five people in the office that did NOT have Tums, I called my boss in a panic. I knew he was offsite and would be passing a stripmall on his way back... and he saved me. He brought me a vanilla milkshake. ICE CREAM CURES ALL.