You were involved with your regular activities this week, which mostly means jumping around most of the time. This is definitely not in accord with the books we've been reading, suggesting that this time you've been reading something else. Our books tell us that we can expect a bit less movement on your part, with less full body movement and more jabs from the arms and legs. This may actually be what's happening, but with your arms and legs being so busy it's hard to say that you're less active.

And meanwhile, we've been busy too. As I've already told you, throughout much of this pregnancy there wasn't that much for us to do besides watch you grow. Sure, we learned a few exercises and were taught how your mother should breathe when the time comes, but it all seemed so far off in the future. Now the books tell us that you can decide to make your appearance any day now, even today, and that sort of makes us realize that there's still a good deal of preparing on our part.

So this week we visited the hospital where you'll be born, getting a tour of the maternity ward. All of us will be busy when the time comes and we won't be paying too much attention to our surroundings, but for what it's worth, the ward and the delivery rooms definitely seem passable.

We also had a long conversation with the woman responsible for you (and all the other babies) on the kibbutz. She told us about what to expect when we bring you home, and gave us a list of things that we'll need once you're here. She also gave me instructions to clean the room while you and your mother will be in the hospital. I of course intended to do this, even without her instructions, and through this week I've been doing some preliminary arranging so that when the time comes I won't be overwhelmed by the amount of work I'll have to do. And you know something? It's nice to be busy in this way - preparing our apartment for you helps me prepare myself as well.