What's currently in/on my...

Couch for reading: How Novels Work by John Mullan - literary criticism for bookclubs!
Knitting needles: gauge swatch for a Baby Surprise Jacket in ArtYarns UltraMerino 4 (#123)
Computer for Nikita's listening pleasure: Tubby the Tuba and friends
MD player: self-hypnosis material for childbirthing
Cassette player: How to Read and Understand Poetry, lecture 1 (from the library, of course!)
Nikita's crib for bedtime reading: All About Alfie by Shirley Hughes and The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Refrigerator for Igor while Galina is away: Carbonnade a la Flammande (Cook's Illustrated); salmon vegetable soup (my modification of Galina's recipe); Aunt Dot's Dutch Apple Cake (Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters); the makings of Split Pea Soup with Ham (Cook's Illustrated)

Life on reduced bedrest and without Galina has its good and bad moments. My parents made a sort-of-unexpected visit last Wednesday, and Igor did a bunch of grocery shopping on Thursday (he felt like an Orthodox Jew). So, we have food. Igor was pleasantly surprised by my rendering of his mom's salmon soup and the apple cake. After three years of marriage, I finally got the right amount of consistency and salt for the soup. As for the apple cake, Igor is leery whenever I try out a new recipe. Thank goddess this recipe turned out well: Galina bought a ton of apples (varieties that only she eats) before she left for Moscow. Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters is from the library, but I am tempted to buy it because it has a lot of yummy-sounding recipes - particularly for children. And I normally don't like to bake!

Igor has also been coming home a little early so that Nikita can play in the yard and get some fresh air. Yesterday, Igor and Nikita broke off a bunch of ice, prompting Nikita to say (in Russian), "Mama, I am a polar explorer."

Nikita, not suprisingly, however, is not always cooperative. He may be teething, which complicates matters. Twice this past week, he had nightmares in the early morning, and cried hysterically until one of us left the bed. The first time, it was me; the second time, it was Igor. I was fine, but once Igor is woken up, it's very difficult for him to fall asleep again.

Some good developments: he can finally make circles with his train tracks by himself; he draws reasonably recognizable objects. Yesterday, he drew a locomotive with wagons. It's sad that trains aren't as popular a mode of transportation as they are in Europe: Igor and I both love trains, and Nikita is obsessed with playing with them.

Next doctor's appointment is this Wednesday; I'll be 34 weeks by then. Fingers crossed!