I want to start this post by quickly mentioning how amazed I still am that this is really all happening. I was playing with the baby's foot again today - she likes to poke it through my right side from time to time - and I couldn't help thinking, "any day now and she'll be here...any day...holy cow!" I'm so terribly excited and admittedly a little scared. It's just such a great blessing, and I don't know how it is that I could actually be here about to meet this little angel...
My 38 week midwife appointment today was a little disappointing...I greedily pushed for another cervical check, and my cervix, though softening, has not really made any progress in the last two weeks. I know I should just be patient and not ask for any more checks, but then my curiosity and excitement gets the better of me. The midwife gives me another week at least, so hubby and I are gonna go ahead and make some more plans for the coming weeks and try to stay busy so I don't obsess too much.
The awesome news: Baby is still doing great! My little champ's heart beat is strong and healthy, and she is still pretty active even though she has even less room than before and has dropped a bit further down. I also received a second box of clothes from my sister (stuff my niece and nephew wore early on), and after doing a ton of laundry, I now think I have enough clothes to change this baby three times a day and still not do laundry again for a week! It is funny that I was so worried we'd have nothing to put her in. I hadn't bought much clothes at all. I didn't fully realize just how much accumulated clothes my sister has from her two kids (especially if I don't mind putting my little girl in some of my nephew's more boyish stuff). I will post some pics later when I'm home, just to give you all the full feel.
The nursery is still not really put together, but I just have to accept that it won't be - at least not for a long while. We are keeping her in a Co-sleeper bassinet in our bedroom for as long as possible, so other than her changing table/dresser, there isn't really anything "baby" about the baby's bedroom - especially as we are also using it as a guest room and my husband's been spending many a night in there in order to not be woken by me ten times a night. The crib is still in a box, along with the overpriced but beautiful bedding set my wonderful friends chipped in to get me from the Land of Nod, the swing and seat from my sister are leaning haphazardly against the wall, we can't paint in our rental so the walls are white as can be, and since nursery decor isn't really a necessity right now there just isn't a budget for it whatsoever. It's sad not to have that "dream nursery", but really in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter to me all that much.
The only bad news right now: I seriously can't sleep. Last night, I was finally able to really sleep (as opposed to drifting for a few minutes and then waking again) by 6am, and even then I woke three times to use the bathroom between 6 and when my alarm went off at 9. I don't know what is going on. I know I was nesting like crazy yesterday, so maybe that restlessness contributed to it. I also wasn't feeling so great through the night (Restless Legs, Carpel Tunnel, leg cramps, nausea, stomach pain, overheated, etc.), so I'm sure that didn't help. I joke about how it's getting me ready for the after the baby is here, but it is pretty serious when you think that I could go into labor at any moment, and I'd be starting out already way over-tired and sleep-deprived. My midwife was a little concerned, and recommended I try to catch up on sleep as soon as I get home today - which should be around 3 - but then I worry that will make it hard to sleep again tonight and continue the vicious cycle. Perhaps I should just take it where I can get it. If my body lets me rest at 3pm, but is up again at 3am, so be it.
To my cycle sister/due date buddies, Miss Mac and Foxy, I hope all our little ones come soon, easily and in perfect health and thanks for traveling this road with me. And to Miss Elphaba, I hope the fact that we haven't heard from you in a couple of days means that your little girl has decided to make her appearance!
KerriK
My 38 week midwife appointment today was a little disappointing...I greedily pushed for another cervical check, and my cervix, though softening, has not really made any progress in the last two weeks. I know I should just be patient and not ask for any more checks, but then my curiosity and excitement gets the better of me. The midwife gives me another week at least, so hubby and I are gonna go ahead and make some more plans for the coming weeks and try to stay busy so I don't obsess too much.
The awesome news: Baby is still doing great! My little champ's heart beat is strong and healthy, and she is still pretty active even though she has even less room than before and has dropped a bit further down. I also received a second box of clothes from my sister (stuff my niece and nephew wore early on), and after doing a ton of laundry, I now think I have enough clothes to change this baby three times a day and still not do laundry again for a week! It is funny that I was so worried we'd have nothing to put her in. I hadn't bought much clothes at all. I didn't fully realize just how much accumulated clothes my sister has from her two kids (especially if I don't mind putting my little girl in some of my nephew's more boyish stuff). I will post some pics later when I'm home, just to give you all the full feel.
The nursery is still not really put together, but I just have to accept that it won't be - at least not for a long while. We are keeping her in a Co-sleeper bassinet in our bedroom for as long as possible, so other than her changing table/dresser, there isn't really anything "baby" about the baby's bedroom - especially as we are also using it as a guest room and my husband's been spending many a night in there in order to not be woken by me ten times a night. The crib is still in a box, along with the overpriced but beautiful bedding set my wonderful friends chipped in to get me from the Land of Nod, the swing and seat from my sister are leaning haphazardly against the wall, we can't paint in our rental so the walls are white as can be, and since nursery decor isn't really a necessity right now there just isn't a budget for it whatsoever. It's sad not to have that "dream nursery", but really in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter to me all that much.
The only bad news right now: I seriously can't sleep. Last night, I was finally able to really sleep (as opposed to drifting for a few minutes and then waking again) by 6am, and even then I woke three times to use the bathroom between 6 and when my alarm went off at 9. I don't know what is going on. I know I was nesting like crazy yesterday, so maybe that restlessness contributed to it. I also wasn't feeling so great through the night (Restless Legs, Carpel Tunnel, leg cramps, nausea, stomach pain, overheated, etc.), so I'm sure that didn't help. I joke about how it's getting me ready for the after the baby is here, but it is pretty serious when you think that I could go into labor at any moment, and I'd be starting out already way over-tired and sleep-deprived. My midwife was a little concerned, and recommended I try to catch up on sleep as soon as I get home today - which should be around 3 - but then I worry that will make it hard to sleep again tonight and continue the vicious cycle. Perhaps I should just take it where I can get it. If my body lets me rest at 3pm, but is up again at 3am, so be it.
To my cycle sister/due date buddies, Miss Mac and Foxy, I hope all our little ones come soon, easily and in perfect health and thanks for traveling this road with me. And to Miss Elphaba, I hope the fact that we haven't heard from you in a couple of days means that your little girl has decided to make her appearance!
KerriK
