Baby Highsmith and Daddy were excited to watch a new episode of Dirty Jobs tonight. Here, BH and Pig watch Mike Rowe harvest kelp. Later, we're going to roll out to a club and get our crump on. Just another Tuesday night at the Highsmith house...

(I guess you have to be into all things Mike Rowe to find any humor in this post!)

For those who know Jeff, it shouldn't come as a surprise that buying a standard out-of-the-box baby monitor was definitely out of the question. As you can see, our system allows for live internet video conferencing with the baby and a completely separate voice-activated recording using a studio quality, large diaphragm condenser microphone to immortalize the baby's first utterances (Traci needed Jeff's help with typing that!).

Baby Highsmith's first computer (a few-years-old iBook) will allow him to video-conference with friends and family around the world (or house) using Skype or iChat. As soon as we name the little feller, we'll create his Skype account for you to add to your buddy list :)

Snoopy stands in for Baby again as Mommy interacts with the multimedia crib from her desk at home and, eventually, her office in Naples!

Just 8 more weeks to go with a pumpkin belly! Tying sneaker laces and picking things up off the floor are becoming very difficult. Burt has given up on trying to sit on my lap at the dinner table - there's just no room anymore! Doozer still holds out hope that I'll actually get on the floor and play with her by bringing her squirrel toy to me almost nightly. The poor kitty is going to have to wait another two months for that to happen again!

Today we started setting up Baby Highsmith's "nursery." For at least the first few months, BH will be rooming with us while our only other bedroom continues to serve multiple purposes as a guest bedroom (already booked for those first few weeks!) and Jeff's den and play room. Quite honestly, it frightens me to even think about cleaning out all of Jeff's "toys" in order for its sole purpose to be a nursery - ha!

So, Baby will share half of our bedroom and we've set up a cute safari-themed corner for him. It's still very much a work in progress and we've done nothing to the walls (yes, the large glass picture frame and wedding champagne glasses right above the crib on those flimsy white shelves WILL be coming down!), but wanted to share what we've done so far. We'll be sure to update as decorating continues!

Baby Highsmith and I had another uneventful checkup yesterday. Our checkups must be so boring for my midwife because the little guy is just so darn perfect every time! We're very thankful that everything is going so smoothly so far. BH's heartbeat was a steady 150 bpm again, my tummy measured 32cm which is perfect with 31/32 weeks, he squirmed when confronted with the doppler again, the other usual mommy checks were all completely normal again, yada yada yada...

BH started the week by practicing gymnastics all day long on Monday. He only rested for about two hours the entire time I was at work! Despite all of his flips, kicks and punches all week, he's still heads-down very low and ready to go. Maybe he's excited to join us and play harmonica with Jeff (I mean.... Burt!) and will arrive a little early :).

Meanwhile, we're researching nearby pediatricians and completing the shopping. We have just a few things left on our list and will soon be ready for our new roommate! Oh, and I suppose we should decide on a name, too! We're making slow progress with names and have a strong contender for a middle name, but don't even have a short list of solid first name choices yet. One of Jeff's latest suggestions is Oscar Wilde Highsmith so that when adults tell the junior Highsmith he's a wild child he can correct them by saying, "Wilde is my middle name." Jeff freely admits that his other suggestion, Livingston Aloysius Highsmith, while a gallant name, is a bit cumbersome. So, as you can see, it's been very difficult to have serious name discussions with my dear husband :).

As you may remember from one of our June blog entries, Burt was slow in realizing the impact of the new addition to our family. Of late, the looming pall of sibling rivalry has been darkening his days. He can't foresee an end to his troubles, but has turned to music to relieve the pressure of his malaise. Having little experience with language or music, his first work may lack nuance - but he makes up for this with the soulful communication of his woes.

Here's a shot of Burt checking the levels on the tube preamp:

"Me me me, Meooww!"

And now, without further ado, we bring you Burt Highsmith in his world debut, playing the harmonica and belting out the blues: Burts Blues

• Listen to Burt's Blues

I'm watching football with my boys again this afternoon and Burt rested his head on my tummy this time. I kept waiting for the baby boy inside to give him a little punch, but they seemed to enjoy bonding :). My camera was out of reach so I had to take this photo with my phone.

Yesterday was my 29-week checkup and things are perfectly normal, as usual. Baby Boy's heartbeat was measuring between 150-160 bpm. My midwife couldn't get a precise number because he punched the doppler and then kept moving around :). My tummy measured 29 cm, right on track for being 29 weeks along. He's now in a head-down position and she could feel his head below my belly button. I've been feeling and seeing his feet kick on my right side just below my ribs for the past week. I can even feel his feet when I rub that part of my belly - it's so cool! She also confirmed that I passed the glucose test from three weeks ago. The only bad news was that I gained 5 pounds in the past three weeks so I'm up 20 pounds total now. I think I'll quit posting weight updates now ;). My back has been feeling really good for the past few weeks, though, so I'm hoping to be able to exercise more.

I went to Baby Gap again yesterday to return a pair of jeans I bought online and picked up this camo shirt - too cute! His grandpa, the deer hunter, should be pleased :).