36 Weeks: Over it, but not ready 

I’ve reached that point where I am very over being pregnant, but am in no way near ready for this baby to arrive. I have to get out all of our newborn things (they aren’t in storage, of course, but they are scattered around the house). The rock n play is still in the box, and the infant seat is not in the car. I have not packed one bag.  I did buy the mini toiletries I always bring with me to the hospital, so progress!  This will be my first summer newborn, so I’m not entirely certain I have newborn summer clothes.  Oh well, she can always just chill in a diaper all summer long.  Fourth baby. 

  
The OB’s office really failed me on the mirror cleaning this time around. There is a white spot on it right on my eye!  Do you see that?  Right on my eye!  Unbelievable.

My 36 week appointment was uneventful.  Her heartbeat sounded good, she is measuring 35-36 weeks, my blood pressure and weight gain are good. I have been having some severe pain radiating up and down my spine whenever I go from standing to sitting, but it is always brief.  My OB didn’t really have any solutions for it, but she said it was nothing to be alarmed about. She said she will probably be a big baby (for me, anyway), at least 7 lbs.  My other three were 6 lbs 12 oz, 6 lbs 14 oz, and 7lbs.  She didn’t do an internal exam, but she doesn’t expect Baby Lady to come early.  My first two went until their scheduled C section dates, and Wren probably only came early because I had so much amniotic fluid. I told her I have been having some cramping and painful contractions, but nothing serious.  She said I needed to give her a call and head to the hospital if I have regular contractions every 10 minutes that aren’t going away. Mmmmmk. I have always just come in at my scheduled time or had my water break, so I have no idea if I would be any good at making the call to go in for contractions. We shall see.  You can’t say having children is boring. 

The good thing about being pregnant so many times in a row is that the ladies at the front desk know me and know I have already seen all of the doctors in the practice several times and don’t need to do that uncomfortable round robin of seeing all of the different doctors instead of my own doctor during the course of the pregnancy. I already know which doctors I like and which doctors are, ahem, not my favorite. (But I know they are all perfectly competent.) However, the practice has acquired a new doctor this year, so I went ahead and made an appointment with her for next week since I haven’t met her yet. I have had such a lovely experience this pregnancy with being able to just see my own doctor the whole time, but I figured what the heck.  At 37 weeks, I might as well meet the new doc.  This should be interesting. 

The other girls are doing well. Wren is walking all over the place. Ruth and Rose and playing together much better now that Rose is closer to three than two. Ruth is very concerned that my big belly hurts me.  I keep assuring her that it doesn’t (yet . . . .). I can also hear Ruth reassuring herself that little girls don’t have babies in their bellies. I’m making this pregnancy thing look terrifying, apparently. Ruth is super excited about sharing a room with Wren, though. She keeps asking me when the baby is going to get here so that Wren can come to her room. Rose is going through the terrible twos hardcore. Too bad she is ridiculously adorable when she is furrowing her little brow, sticking out her lower lip, and dramatically crossing her arms while she does a little dance trying to keep her back to you. I’m having a hard time being stern with her when all I want to do is laugh. Parenting at its finest, folks.

Operation baby watch is on, people!  What do you think? Will I go to my C section date, or go early? Will she be an 8 pounder and I’m not actually the fat one? (Ha!) What is her name going to be? 

This is about the time when I refuse to pack a bag, because that will jinx it and I will go all the way to my C section date. Because I am super rational like that.