Right to opine

32 weeks and 2 days...

NCT classes in the UK - finished.

Final midwife appointment in the UK - done.

Bped - no further progress with the name.  I've been reliably informed that in Spain I will be asked the name of my child while I am in labour.  Really.  How can I name him before I've seen him?  But if I say that to the midwife I risk being admitted to the psychiatric ward shortly after giving birth.  So here's the list as it stands.

Finn - although Fin means "end" in Spanish
Luca - a little Italian perhaps but it's short, easy to pronounce in both languages and ends in a vowel, which according to Bill Crosby is an absolute essential for shouting purposes....Lucaaaaaaaa!
Morgan - this is a new one in the mix
Rafferty - too many Rs (I can't roll my Rs, which is quite crucial in Spain, so I will forever more have a speech impediment)
Rafael - one too many Rs
Oscar - the name of my Mum's cat and the name of England's most famous poof, but Ivan's favourite
Dylan - we both really like this, but it's not very Spanish
Alex - the name of my Godson but we both really like it
Daniel - in Ivan's top 3 which was news to me earlier this week

John - stoic, solid and I really like it.  I think at one time just about everyone was called John, but not so much these days.

The words "finished" and "final" make me feel nervous.  On my own now with a mountain of paperwork, and more things to remember than an aged elephant.

Final task from the NCT class.  Write a birth plan.  I'm not quite sure what good it will do in Spain as they appear to do most of the planning for you and the concept of informed consent is not widely understood, but maybe I'll have a crack if I have the time.  It will just become another list in my growing google docs of lists.  To do...give birth.  On or around 25th November.

Latest pregnancy fact:  20% of women would still be naturally pregnant at 42 weeks.  Sounds like a heck of a long time to me.  Nine months really is just a myth - everyone who's been there knows that ten is nearer the mark.

Top of today's frustration list:  It seems that being pregnant entitles everyone to have an opinion on you.  People feel that they have the right to comment on your overall size, the shape of your behind, and of course the size of your bump.  I cried when I told the midwife that I was fed up of being told I was "small" with an accusing undertone that I was already not feeding my growing baby enough.  She told me it was nonsense and that I'm already plenty big enough with 9 more kilos than I had to start with, and that the next 8 weeks should see me grow to the extent that will quiet the chattering masses.  In the meantime, she said, go out with earplugs.