Matt's mom sent us a Consumer Reports article on baby gear - strollers and car seats and stuff like that. Matt went through it carefully, then looked at the stuff we've already registered.

None of the stuff we registered is even in the report. It could be fantastic, or it could be crap. Hrmph.

Matt didn't say whether he wanted to go back and take off the stuff we registered and replace it with something rated in the report. Personally, I think we'll be fine with what we've got. Even the crappiest stuff has to meet minimum child safety regulations, and as hysterical as this country is about child safety (and yes, even as an expectant mother, I think we go a little overboard) then I expect we'll be fine.

But if it bothers Matt, I'm fine with re-registering stuff, too. It's not like we're dealing with the hassle of returning things we've already bought. And we have to go back anyway, pretty soon, to pick out sheets and blankets and stuff.

The Particle's activity level has spiked lately. It started over the weekend. On Sunday, the squirming was damn near constant. Some of that, I'm sure, is because the baby doesn't like it if I rest the edge of my laptop on my belly, and it'll kick to try to get it off. And I spent most of the day Sunday on the computer.

Yesterday, back at work with a desktop machine, there was less movement... But still way more than last week. I was getting short periods of squirming every hour or so.

Usually, Particle doesn't really "wake up" until late morning (please let that continue after birth, please...) but this morning, I got a couple of little kicks before I'd even gotten out of bed, and it's poking me every few minutes.

I guess this would be the increase in movement they warned me about. I don't really mind - so far, even the most violent punches have felt sort of like getting shot with a Nerf dart - startling, but not even uncomfortable, much less painful.

I know, I know. That will change. I think I'm allowed a month or so to actually enjoy the movement before I have to start complaining about it.

The Hall is back in full swing. And, like I am every spring, it seems, I'm all caught up in it.

And yes, despite all my efforts to the contrary, it looks like there's going to be another romance. (Why I can't make it through spring on the Hall without one... Ah, well, what the hell. It's fun.) But I'm pretty well caught up in things even without the romance. I'm curious. I want to know what the heck is going on. And how all the pieces fit together. And what it is that Matt's got in mind (it's his plot) that will involve all the characters.

They say women late in pregnancy tend to turn insomniac. I'm looking forward to it. It'll give me more time to Hall.

--Liz