39 weeks…!

39 weeks!
I really can’t even believe it. It seems like last week that I found out…that we saw her heart beating for the first time…that we learned she was a she…that I first felt her wiggling around. And now we’re sitting here, with one week left, a whiteboard on the wall counting down the days and there are less than ten of them. This all seemed so far away back in March. Halloween, starting maternity leave, election day…my due date. It seemed like it would never come (although in moments of stress and anxiety it seemed way too close).

I had my 39 week appointment today. Baby’s head is nice and low, heartbeat sounds good, and as usual, that’s about all there is to know. My practice doesn’t do cervical checks (although I know from self checking I’ve been at a stretchy 1 cm for a couple of weeks, which is why I’m so glad my practice doesn’t do cervical checks! Imagine if I believed dilation actually meant something and had spent the last two weeks anxiously waiting for something to happen).

It’s intense knowing it could be any minute but not knowing when. I wake up in the middle of the night to pee and my first thought is always "Is something happening?!". I know it could be another 2, even 3 weeks, but I also know it could just as likely be this week so it’s so hard not to think about. I’m keeping myself busy, making plans for every day, just living my life like normal (maybe even more busy than normal), knowing that one of these days, I’ll have to break some of those plans but that will be ok.

Physically it’s getting tough but not so tough that I’m ready to have her out for that reason. There’s people in my due date group who are 38-39 weeks along trying to get their doctor to induce or trying self-induction methods, and I just don’t really get it. Yes, my feet are swollen and achy, my back is killing me today, I’m having hot flashes that make me insane, I frequently get stabbing pains to my cervix that make me cry out and unable to walk, and getting out of bed or even just rolling over is pretty much impossible. But I know it’s almost over. I know that every day she bakes is good for her. I know that no matter what, in a few weeks at the most, she will be in my arms. I’ve made it to 39 weeks. 39 weeks of morning sickness, constipation, insomnia, exhaustion, pain, crazy emotions…a few more weeks won’t kill me. I was laying in my recliner last night, watching her dance around as I rubbed my tummy, crying because I know these are the last few days we’ll spend like this. I may be pregnant again someday and experience this with another baby, but my time like this with this baby girl is almost up.

Don’t get me wrong, though, I am so excited to have a squishy little newborn in my arms. I can’t wait to see her face, to see her in the clothes I’ve spent the last several months staring at, for my family and friends to get to meet her.

I have an early day tomorrow so I am going to head off to bed. I just can’t believe we’re in the home stretch. One of these days I’m going to be updating with photos and stats!

One last thing- four more years! Such a relief.

babyfruit ticker

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November 6, 2012

I was just thinking today, man, I’m glad I’m Fb friends with kiana bc otherwise I’d be worried she already had that baby and just hasn’t been able to update yet! I hated the ‘can I make plans or should I not risk it?’ Of the last week or so, it was always so annoying.

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November 6, 2012

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November 6, 2012

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November 6, 2012

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November 6, 2012

You have such a neat bump. You know how some women look so big it just looks uncomfortable, you don’t look that way. I’m sure it doesn’t feel too comfortable, but you do look good.(yeah probably not making much sense lol) I’m going to guestimate… about 7lbs 5oz. 3 days after your due date. Enjoy your meals hot and uninterrupted, baths/showers, phone calls, oh and sleep as much as you can.

Honestly though, those early days go by so fast. So when you’re sitting in the wee hours cuddling a squirmy fussy baby, take a moment to sniff her head and just enjoy it.