What I'm not doing today

Well, I'm not shopping, of course.

The combination of my swollen sinuses and this morning's undoubtedly swollen mall scenes would most definitely lead to an evening with swollen ankles and a very, very cranky disposition.

No, I won't be scoring any Black Friday deals, but that's not what I'm most avoiding today.

Today (and for the following 20 hours or so) I will do everything in my power to not give birth.

Here's the history:

Two-and-a-half years ago -- almost to this very day -- I was just shy of 37 weeks pregnant with C.

N left for Dallas on what was to be his final business trip before my due date.

I kissed him good-bye, spent the day taking care of little L, snuggled her to bed, sent N a text-message photo of my belly in excited anticipation of our impending arrival, and went to bed.

That night my water broke.

I called N and he was able to hop on a flight home and arrive with plenty of time to be my labor coach and together we welcomed our tiny son into the world a day later.

Today, I have reached 37 weeks of pregnancy with Tiny Baby.

This morning, N left for Hawaii on an important flight for work and it is meant to be his final trip before my due date. He is scheduled to return late tomorrow night.

I kissed him good-bye and told him to hurry home.

Am I feeling a little superstitious? Yes.

I will not be sending him a text-message photo of my belly tonight.

I will do my best to avoid thinking about babies or labor or sudden gushes of water at all today.

I will spend as much of my day as possible on the couch with my feet up and my legs crossed, doing my best to ignore my belly.

The kiddos and I have invited friends over for pizza and a movie.

I'm calling this "anti-labor day" and I sure hope it works.