37 weeks

We're really in the home stretch now, only three weeks to go until my due date.  The 9th month has hit me like a ton of bricks.   My energy levels are pretty much non-existent most of the time which really makes it hard to function.  But I'll spare you the whiny details, I'm sure it's nothing you haven't all heard or gone through yourself before.  

As my pregnancy is coming to a close I was thinking about the things that I'm going to miss about being pregnant. Here are my top 5:    
               1. Courteous people - people tend to be a lot nicer and accommodating to you when you're 'with child' and I'd be lying if I said I haven't enjoyed it.
               2.  Feeling my baby kick...from the inside.  I can't wait to physically hold my baby, but I'm really going to miss the feeling of her kicking inside my stomach and knowing that she's there and she's healthy...but that I don't have to get up at 2 am just because she is.
               3.  Being able to pass off chores to Jeff that I really hate doing.  For example, cleaning the toilets...I shouldn't be in that close of contact with chemicals.  Or taking out the trash...no heavy lifting.  I'm going to miss having an excuse to not do those things.
              4.  Being able to eat whatever I want and not worry about how I'm going to look in a bathing suit.  No matter what I eat, I'm going to look like a whale in a bathing suit, so I might as well go for the double decker tacos with a rolo mcflurry on the side.
               5.  And last but certainly not least, the thing I'm going to miss the most about pregnancy....THE SNOOGLE.  

             
 This was a gift from my mom when I was only 20 weeks and it quickly became my best friend...and Jeff's worst enemy.  To me, it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to pregnant women...and women in general.  To Jeff, it's a nuisance and it just gets in the way of his sleep because it takes up 3/4 of the bed. The Snoogle is a 7 foot body pillow that, as you can see from this picture, wraps around your entire body and hugs and supports you from every angle.  It's heaven sent.  And I'm going to need counseling if I'm ever going to part ways with it.  However, Jeff has been dying to get rid of this thing since he first laid eyes on it and I have a feeling I'm going to have to quit cold turkey after Allie is born or my sweet snoogle is going to end up in the dumpster.

While I'm going to miss some things though, I will be happy to say goodbye to hip pain, swollen ankles, and the extra 28 pounds that I'm carrying around in this 106 degree heat that we've had (did I mention that the next time I get pregnant it's going to be strategically planned for the winter time?).  I'm looking forward to feeling 'normal' again and being active and of course, cuddling my baby...from the outside.

So as of yesterday I am officially 'full term' which means now we are on Allie's watch.  It's completely up to her when she wants to grace us with her presence.   Last week I was dilated 1 cm and this week I am still 1 cm but I'm 50% effaced.  You'll have to google that if you really want to know what it means because you know that's where I got my info.  But in short, it really doesn't meant anything.  I could stay at that for 3 weeks or I could progress quickly and have her tomorrow....it's her call.  She knows when she wants her birthday to be, and she'll let us know when she's ready.  I just hope she gives me a little warning.

As far as us being ready....we're almost there.  Mentally, I'm SOOO ready for her to be here.  But physically, we still have some loose ends to tie up...like washing clothes and packing a bag for the hospital.  We plan on being ready for her by Sunday so if she can just hold out until then we'll be peachy.  

I will keep everyone posted on the progress...it won't be long until we get to meet our precious angel!

Happy Friday!!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

37 weeks and about to pop!