Handed in notice...

I chickened out yesterday, but just now I managed to write and send my email to my Sup saying I am going to take maternity leave from the end of next week!

I told him what I had been up to, what I was planning to do and how will arrange myself for my return next year. Also let him know that I will come and see him whenever he fancies, am just not going to be working full-time on my research any more but can still come into Uni for meetings. Hope to seem like I am wanting to work but just can't as am too pregnant, but am flexible and willing to be available still if he wants to chat. I expect I will need some kind of handover to a new supervisor too - so don't know if I need to sit down with them and go through my work or not. Arg, that is nasty! I really just want to pack it all up now, am losing my mind over to baby-ness as we speak!

Can't wait to have his reply, even though I am really scared of it, so I can start to know where I stand and what my plans are going to be for next week. I told him I wasn't free on Mon or Tues as Tues I have a scan etc and I want Monday to do any planning for our meeting.

My baby has hiccups! Am huge now and is very hard not to just feel pregnant all the time. I am so happy I have made my decision to stop work at 35 weeks of pregnancy so I can relax and enjoy what little time I have left to myself and get organised for the bean's arrival! I can't believe how fast time has gone since I got pregnant... But I am pleased with what I have achieved - I have written two chapters properly, planned and become comfortable with the final thesis, been to India to complete my fieldwork and done my first international conference presentation. It is half-written. Not bad going for a preggers PhD student.

My first ever brand new washer dryer is coming today :0) Am sooooo excited and can't wait to load it up with beanie's nappies and clothes. Haven't wanted to wash them in my old washing machine as it is second hand and really manky. Not for my baby, no! So today is quite a symbolic day of ending one style of life, where the PhD takes precedence as it has done for the past three years, to one where Beanie and baby-brain take over (for the meantime...)

Hurray!

x J