(Almost) third trimester, travel, and a New Year's wish

So at about 1:30 tomorrow morning I head out to LAX for my last traveling singing gig in Asheville, North Carolina.  As I’ve repeatedly mentioned I am very nervous about how physically demanding it’s going to be – that first day is going to be brutal, what with a 5 AM flight and getting to the venue barely in time to do a sound check, put my hair in curlers, slather some red lipstick on, and then sing until 2 AM.  Unfortunately because we’re almost always going from west to east for these things, rather than spend another $500+ on an additional night’s stay at a hotel for us band people, the promoters would rather torture us with a first thing in the morning flight and having to get off the plane and play with no time to rest.  Personally, I don’t blame them – as a promoter, I’d do the same – but it does suck for us.  And especially for me, now. 

At least the next day we have off completely, which I intend to spend sleeping, and then we play again NYE and then the next day I’m home.  Honestly, with the way I feel now I’m not overly concerned – again, I’m not having any weird pains/sickness, I’m not so huge that I can’t get around easily, and I feel somewhat up to it.  The money will be great, and once I’m there it’s always a good time.  And it’s kind of bittersweet because I will, in fact, kind of miss this – as noted before, this is the LAST TIME EVER that I will travel without a child in tow or worrying about a child left behind.  I had to ditch out of three traveling gigs in early 2012 because I didn’t want to take the risk of agreeing to it now and then having to cancel at the last minute because I realized I just couldn’t handle it, etc.  So the fly-at-the-seat-of-your-pants travel thing is over for me.  And I’m ok with that, I really am.  But I felt it should at least be noted, because that’s a big change for me.

One common fantasy I have is traveling to Hawaii with the babe and either relatives or friends with kids (or not).  I can’t WAIT to sit on a beach with a fat little baby splashing his hands in the water and making rudimentary sand castles.  I was hoping to do this next fall, actually.  I’ll even go by myself if need be, although it would be nice to go with some other people.  It would be such a wonderful bookend to my sad trip last October during which my aunt died (and as you know if you know my story, started my SMC journey).  I plan on making Hawaii a big part of our lives, actually – it really is like heaven on earth, and for us Californians is literally our back yard.  Why I’ve only been there a handful of times in the nineteen years I’ve lived here I don’t know.  As long as I have Marriott points and airline miles through my credit card, I’d like to head out there with the kid at least once every couple of years, if not once a year.

So tomorrow I am 27 weeks and according to my WTE app will be entering the third trimester.  Right now I can sit here and say this pregnancy has flown by, but I’m sure there will be moments ahead where I will feel exactly the opposite!  Lately I’ve been having this feeling like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop – that things have just been going “a little too well” lately, that I feel too good and have had too few complications.  But that’s my old mentality talking there.  There’s no reason on earth why the healthy pregnancy shouldn’t continue to be – yes, even at my age.  And if something does crop up I’ll deal with it as anyone would. 

In the meantime I may head over to Anthropologie today, not necessarily to buy anything but just to look at all the pretty things.  Then drop the dog at the kennel (AKA The Bad Place) for the weekend which always breaks my heart.  Here’s wishing everyone a happy New Year, and for those struggling with infertility or planning to be an SMC, I hope 2012 is YOUR YEAR!