^^A self-profile shot of me from today. Ugh! So round!^^

I "broke up" with my project manager yesterday. Sent him a dear john letter, and everything. And, I cc'd my/our boss. My boss thought it was soo funny that he printed it out and pinned it up on his wall. My project manager's response was, "It isn't THAT bad, is it?" He assigned me the most horrid task I have ever had to undertake since becoming a consultant...and it is totally project manager work. I'm glad I made him laugh, but the work really does suck and I am not too happy about it. That is something that I'd have to be liquored up to focus on...otherwise it'd drive me to off myself. Of course, I can't engage in either of those activities--not good for the baby.

Work has been kinda weird as I get closer to my due date. We have two very large projects that go live by the end of the year and I have practically no role in either of them; and almost no work, in general. My boss is acting like I am already on maternity leave! But then he gets annoyed when my billable hours are non-existent. Duh! I am the best trainer that we have and I am not doing any training on either project, even though one is local. I really do love my work and I am sad that I cannot do it. I know that I should be happy that my boss is being so "nice" to me, but I am not. It is frustrating.

I discovered that I get four weeks of paid maternity leave, and then disability after I have the baby. Depending on the workload, I am thinking about going on maternity leave around the middle of December. Then, I will get 6 - 8 weeks of disability once I have the baby. Depending on how everything works out, that could end up being about 10 - 12 paid weeks off from work. The before-tax disability payment and my after-tax paycheck are only different by $250 a week and I have already saved enough money to cover well past 8 weeks of being short. Of course, I doubt we'll need it since I was able to save it so easily, but at least we'll have it, just in case.

I'm very happy that we are on the cusp of November! October went by very quickly for me and I hope November does the same. I've still got the gut feeling that I'll get to meet my little girl before the new year, but we shall see!