Soon, baby

Just have to interrupt the Christmas posts and pictures with some pregnancy stuff, real quick like, I promise.  We’re nearing the end here, and I feel like if I don’t write now, it will surely go unsaid…  And I like the idea of remembering these last few weeks/days before baby number two comes and our life gets flipped right upside down, Fresh Prince of Bell Air style. 

So there I am in all my 37 weeks of pregnancy glorious-ness, last Wednesday at my parents’ house.  The belly is really crazy at this point, and I honestly forgot how big you get at the end.  So many of my maternity shirts no longer cover the bottom of the belly without my constant tugging and readjusting throughout the day, and that is just not practical, especially when I spend so much time picking up my toddler or playing on the floor with him.  So my wardrobe is just getting very limited… I basically wear those long Old Navy or Target maternity tanks under cardigans or button-ups every single day.  I loathe getting dressed in the morning, and really considered buying a few cute new (larger) things to wear over the holidays but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  Such a waste of money at this point, and I would rather spend it on new nursing bras and tanks, or cute new outfits for the little one.     

   

Speaking of spending money, I took the advice of my very lovely friend and relatively recent new mother-of-two (miss you Betsy!) and did some online shopping for some newborn essentials.  I purchased a big old case of size 1 diapers, a 12 pack of new pre-fold cloth diapers to use as burp cloths (as I pulled out, washed, and organized all the old ones from two years ago I decided that there was absolutely no reason to reuse disgusting and old yellow-stained burp cloths that could be replaced for a total of like $12.99), washcloths, some side-snappy undershirts, and a few other things.  Of course, I ended up going a bit crazy and buying some new expensive outfits for the little guy because when packing our bags for the hospital last week I realized that the only “boyish” newborn outfit I had to put new baby in at the hospital was the one Gus came home in.  And while on one hand that seems somewhat sweet, I also just totally want this little guy to have his own look coming home.  How ridiculous is that?  I know.

Well, Dan called me when the package arrived this week and said, “What is wrong with you?  You seriously bought a 0-3 month outfit for $30 from Amazon?”  I really had no comeback, because he’s so right.  I almost didn’t believe him that it was $30, because no way would I have ordered something so extravagant… but the invoice does not lie.  So baby boy has a new organic soy cotton sleeper to wear once he exits the belly, and it is highly likely to be the only organic soy outfit he will ever wear, so I hope he reallllly loves it.     

Anyway, my midwife appointment that I mentioned I had last week went fine, but I was a bit concerned about the fact that the week prior the other midwife that I saw was a bit sketchy about exclaiming the baby’s head down.  She just didn’t seem completely convinced to me, even though she didn’t say anything different… it was just this hesitant vibe I got from her.  Also over the last week I’ve had moments where I couldn’t feel that big lump of a head down there, and I just wasn’t sure.  So at this appointment I mentioned to my main midwife, Katherine, who will be at my birth, the hesitation I sensed from Jessi, and she asked if I minded doing a little check to make sure, to ease both of our minds and thwart any surprise breach/transverse situation.  

So she checked, and strangely enough, in two pregnancies, it was only the second time I’ve been checked “down there”.  The first time was 20 minutes before Gus was born, upon arrival at the hospital after which I was declared to be completely dilated and at +3 station.  I have always declined any cervix checks since it’s not really an indication of, well, anything when you’re not in active labor.  Well sure enough, head is definitely down, WAY down, and behind my pelvis which is why it’s hard to feel from the outside.  I asked if that was something to be concerned with and she said, “No, it just means you’re probably doing a lot of waddling, huh?”  

Yup.  I’ve got the waddle down pat.

And while she was down there, I agreed to my second ever cervix check as well, and I’m 75% effaced and 1.5 cm dilated.  Sweet.  Whatever.  Like I said, doesn’t really tell us anything about when this baby might arrive since a woman could walk around for two months at 1.5 cm, but… there you go.  Pregnant lady TMI for you all, you’re very welcome. 

 And here we are today, baby and me, 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant.  Like I said, long tank + cardigan + jeans/yoga pants = all I can really fit into.  Though I should note that this tank is dangerously too short (I felt wind on my belly after getting out of my car this morning, alerting me to the indecent stretch-mark exposure that was going on) and these maternity jeans are just about on their last leg as far as elasticity goes (I am yanking them up ALL DAY LONG, argh!).

I took a picture from the front to show off the frightening belly button situation that is going on.  That little thing is definitely out and proud, no?  I think it scares people a little, so I like to dress to accentuate it.  Or, not.  It truly is just impossible to hide.   

I am getting really anxious to have all the unknowns of labor & birth out of the way (really just the when and the how and the dealing with the what happens to Gus during all this? situation), and I would like to meet this baby.  Oh yes, I really cannot wait.  I mean we get to be there for the beginning of a life.  As it gets closer, I’m remembering how amazing and humbling it is to be a part of something like that.  We are so incredibly lucky to have this opportunity.  Until then little one…