Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Final Countdown

I have 5 days left of this pregnancy. Probably of pregnancy ever. While this has been a relatively easy one, my overriding thought every time I check my baby countdown and see it go down by one more day is THANK YOU JEEBUS. For one, I don't think my back can take any more pressure on the curvature of my spine.


ridiculous, seriously

I feel like I have a torpedo sticking out of my middle and that torpedo kicks me and gives me heartburn and makes it impossible to learn forward when I'm sitting or bend over when I'm standing. I also look forward to being able to roll over in bed without executing a careful three-point maneuver and finding myself out of breath at the end. The out of breath thing has been my most special "side effect" of this last month of growing baby #3. I can just be sitting at my desk or laying down in bed and all of a sudden I'm gasping or panting for oxygen. It freaks JP out. I am also eager for the return of: my normal clothes, my waist, my hip bones, wine, my lap, and frozen margaritas. Of all those things I might have missed the margaritas the most.

In pregnancy progress news, at my appointment last week my OB said I was 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions of increasing intensity and frequency since then, so we'll see what she says at my final check-up tomorrow. Officially, I want to wait to have our baby girl until her conveniently scheduled time of noon on Nov. 12, largely because my mom will be here to stay with our two already-birthed children and I'm not quite sure what we will do with them should I go in to labor at a random day or time before then. But, the part of me that enjoys making progress on any project, and the part of me that really would like to hold my baby in my arms rather than having her stick out from my torso, reallllly wouldn't mind a "hey, you're making so much progress let's just move you over to the OR and have this baby!" moment at the doctor's office tomorrow.

In other news, we bought a glider on super sale at Target and set it up on Sunday. Claire has been practicing holding her baby in it ever since.


She and Landon have so many plans on the baby care front, baby #3 has NO idea

The kids have been using the boxes from my online Christmas shopping (all done!) to create some pretty structurally sound forts. Landon is chief architect, Claire provides plastic food products and blankets. Baby 3 already has a standing invitation and a blanket set aside just for her. I'm starting to be concerned the kids will be disappointed with their baby sister's initial ability to play with them. I think Landon remembers Claire starting at about age 1, and not so much the tiny helpless relatively useless as a fellow fort builder newborn phase, but she'll get there eventually.

 

We went on a family walk/bike ride on Sunday. I mostly plod, but it was lovely.

 

There's no real narrative for this one, but it's how Claire came into the family room early Saturday morning and I had to snap a picture. Not having plans to leave the house all day is no reason not to be fully accessorized.

 

Kids are fun. I'm really looking forward to meeting the third one. Five more days! (At most!)

13 comments:

  1. You may not feel adorable, but I think you look adorable. I loved that feeling of movement inside my belly. I remember those first butterfly flutters like it was yesterday. I check here daily to see if there's big news so thanks for posting. Good luck!!!
    Desimom

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    1. Aw thanks! And yes, I will miss the flutters (already do actually, baby girl no longer "flutters"- more like squirms and hits to let you know she doesn't like being poked and squished! :)

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  2. So excited for you, LL! Are you officially off work now? I love that your bump is so concentrated and clearly all baby. You will be back in your regular clothes in no time-- I am jealous. I hope the kids aren't too disappointed with what a friend of mine dubbed "the amoeba stage" of baby no. 3. I will pm you on FB with a fun baby- older person game they can play with her amazingly early. I wish you all much joy and some sleep in the coming weeks!

    Lisa M

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    1. Thanks lisa! And nope, I'm still at work. Tomorrow is my last day (only because Monday is a federal holiday)- can't afford to waste any of my accumulated leave days before she arrives!

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  3. Hats off to you my fellow Ft. Worth preggo. You still look stunning and did not get one ounce of the arm/chin/back fat we all fear. Baby girl is perfectly positioned in her torpedo. You look great & dying to hear her name :)

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    1. Thanks anon! At my appointment today the midwife felt around my belly and said, "Do you have big babies? Because this... this will not be a small baby." Made me laugh.

      And good luck with your own pregnancy/baby!

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  4. Can't believe five more days to go! And you look fantastic :)

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  5. You look sooo cute, LL! I am so excited for your third baby's arrival, and I agree with anon that it will be fun for we readers to find out her name!

    I remember well the amazingly awkward lying down/moving in bed weeks at the end of my pregnancy too. You made me laugh describding it. ;-) I wish you the best in the last few days of this pregnancy! MJS

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  6. Oh yes. I remember. The cool thing is that, I promise, the aftermath is so much more awesome with the last one. It's like when you know you are done, you appreciate every little thing so much more. I am having a blast at two weeks postpartum. The most special thing is watching my other two just adore their baby brother, cuddling, kissing and feeding him. Hope you have a great birth!

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  7. Aw. Those last few weeks of pregnancy are awful. I guess it's natures way of making childbirth appealing. Good luck over these next few days! Baby girl's birthday will be the day before mine!

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  8. So cute that you will be having four kids. Yes, you are very obvious about it. I admire you. Can't wait to meet this baby girl!

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  9. LL, Any day now! What an exciting journey pregnancy is! I find myself checking often to see if Baby 3 has made an appearance and--along with others reading here--am really looking forward to the "reveal" of her name :). All best wishes for a safe and happy delivery!

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    1. Is this 'the' Maya from Chicago daycare?

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