Embrace the Swedish Sensibility

Well, I did it. It may have been ill-advised, but as no one officially advised me against it, I went directly from my 38 week appointment yesterday to the grand opening of IKEA.

My facebook status: Me, Myself, and IKEA. And 20,000 other people.

I had a very short but specific list of items I need to feather little sister's nest. Mainly she needed a dresser, but a very narrow tall one. And some other goodies that mysteriously jumped into my big yellow bag.

I narrowly avoided being on the news because my gas light came on just as I got into the parking line. I really didn't want to get out, but I really really didn't want to be that pregnant lady who kept thousands of people from getting to IKEA because she ran out of gas in the parking line, that dummy. Thankfully my gas held out until I got to the first lot that had an open spot (I didn't even try to get close, so I wasn't even in the garage - I was in a satellite lot).

Other than that one hiccup, it went remarkably well. I had friends inside who were giving me updates. They had gone early and had to wait in line 45 minutes at the door just to get it. By noon it was less crazy, and I just walked right in with no wait.

IKEA is a wonderfully international experience. I heard numerous customers speaking in lots of foreign languages. It was cool.

I spent all of two hours and came out with most of the things on my list and a few other goodies. I showed re.mark.able restraint. I even made it out without any cut-your-own fabrics. How strong am I?

The only dicey part (besides the gas) was getting my difficult-to-steer-and-very-heavily-piled pallet cart full of flat boxes of un-assembled furniture to my car. I wasn't about to do drive-up pick-up, lest I run out of gas. So I basically stole a cart briefly and took it to satellite parking.

I'm so happy I did it. Now I can nip the rest of my nesting urges in the bud and it was kinda cool to go to the grand opening.

No baby movement seems to have come of all that walking and standing, although someone told me that "Ikea is a sovereign Swedish territory, which makes all children that are born there Swedish citizens" - So maybe I'll go back and try again. It would be cool to have a Swede baby.

Linking up to Embrace the Camera today, just for fun.