37 Weeks

Since I'm near the end, I might update weekly since so much seems to change.

This week, I made it a point to get all of the details in order.  We made our last trip to Target and online orders for things like the video monitor, thermometer, infant insert for the Ergo, new pacis, mittens, waterproof crib mattress cover, and so on.  Then I put together the swing, hauled out the co-sleeper (but didn't attach it to the bed yet), washed and folded everything, re-organized the dresser (again), and set up Jack's own little diaper basket.  His diapers are so tiny compared to Eliot's....  And Eliot thinks they're so neat (even though they're the same) that he keeps bringing them to me.  Ha.  Chris keeps telling me that I need to learn how to relax, but cleaning and organizing is relaxing to me.  And I guess that's just nesting, right?

I also have our bag mostly packed and I'm working on getting all of the camera stuff together.  One card cleared, planning to charge all the batteries today...  There's just a few things to grab on the way out if I end up going into labor myself.

Not much in the way of contractions at this point, but Jack is really low and putting a lot of pressure on me.  I understand that second-time moms don't always have the baby "drop" prior to labor, but I think he has.  I start getting excited for these signs, yet I know the reality is that it just means I'll be giving birth in the next few weeks or month, not the next few days.  This process is so gradual and so little can predict when only a few days remain. 

Jack's movements have hit that really painful place if I'm sitting wrong.  Or sitting at all...  They don't bother me so much if I'm laying down or reclined.  He moves a lot around 9:00 am and 8:30 pm.

With two weeks left until my induction, I feel like we're there.  However, that is still a bit of time, so I'm trying to keep busy.  Chris has had a lot of work to do lately, but we've had some fun anyway.  I took Eliot to the zoo, just the two of us.  The three of us got icecream at the ocean front.  And then we played "jungle golf".

I had my 37 week appointment yesterday.  Maybe I'm paranoid, but I was certain I was losing fluid.  Like, waiting for the doctor to come in and tell me to go to the hospital kind of certain.  They had to take my blood pressure twice because I was so worked up.  However, the doctor said I wasn't.  I'm not entirely convinced that I'm not losing a tiny bit of fluid, but I set my appointment to be induced, which has brought me some relief.  June 26th is the day.  When I got home, Chris said we should go to the bay.  I don't have a maternity bathing suit, so this was it.  I honestly feel uncomfortable in a bikini not-pregnant too, so all of the stares made me feel even more awkward--it's not that I feel like I look bad, but I worry that people think it is in poor taste.  But it worked.  And I got some smiles from strangers too.

Overall, I'm feeling pretty good!  Way better than I felt at 30 weeks or 33 weeks or even 35.  It's hard and painful to bend over to pick up Eliot's toys (they sit around longer and I try to get them all at once) and I feel like I need to lay down a lot due to the discomfort of sitting, but I'm less achy, no heartburn, few Braxton Hicks contractions, and overall doing all right!