Waiting Game

This week I started my maternity leave from work. What a relief! It has been nice to be able to stay home and get things done. Although, I had to create a list of things to do to keep myself occupied after other tasks were finished so as to not sit around worrying about labor or "waste" my time off doing absolutely nothing. Thankfully, worrying about labor hasn't settled in my mind - perhaps that will change once I am actually in it! Although labor has been a fear of mine in the past and is something that is rather unsettling, lately I have simply thought "I will deal with it when it comes. No big deal. I'm confident enough in myself and my body, and my body was meant to do this, so no problem." And, since I do not know what to expect, do not know how it will go, how painful it will be, etc., how can I even fathom how the process is going to be? So, I am ready and will deal with it when it comes.

Speaking of which, Asa and I are hoping for the baby to make its appearance this weekend! We are ready to meet our babe - and having heard of a few births recently of friends/people we know - are eager to see who our baby is and welcome him/her into our life. So, pray that will have the baby this weekend! Dealing with some aches and pains this week has me hopeful that we are very close to having the baby - granted, we have less than a week until the due date anyway, so any day now could be labor day :)

So what have I been doing this week while I am sitting around playing the waiting game? Well, my list wasn't as fun as you may think, but as long as I was able to cross things off of it, then I am satisfied :)

things to do (done) while waiting for labor:

+ clean the apartment: laundry, bathroom, kitchen sink, sweep, vacuum, dust, clean the stove, dishes.

+ homemaking: organize books and papers around apartment, change place settings for the dinner table, make dinner each night, bake cookies (peanut butter).

+ baby things: practice using cloth diapers, practice swaddling, reread about the "5 S's" to cure colicky babies, read sections of pregnancy/parenting books, practice using Moby wrap, add more and more "one last thing!" to diaper bag & hospital bag, print off poem to add to decoration above the bassinet.

+ mama time: tv, movies, see a couple of friends, church and prayer, blog, and much needed naps!

Hopefully I won't have to come up with another list for next week! Pray that we'll get to celebrate a birthday in our family this weekend :)

We're almost done!

How far along?  - 38 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:   - 25lbs

Maternity clothes?   - A few, but only purchased one item myself!

Stretch marks?   - Nope!

Best moment recently:   Hearing my husband talk about how excited he is to meet the baby.

Miss anything:  - Not having to get up to pee every night (thankfully I only do it once!)

Movement:   - Yes, although I think it has slowed down a little since there isn't much room left in there!

Food cravings:   - None

Anything making you queasy or sick:   - Nope

Have you started to show yet:   - Obviously

Exercise:   - Not as much as I should be! But I still try to walk to as many places as I can: to/from work, farmer's market, walks with Asa, basically anywhere close to home

Gender:   - Do not know!

Labor Signs:   - Some painless braxton hicks. Also, the head has descended into my pelvis.

Other Aches/Pains:   - A bit of back pain, hip pain sometimes from sleeping on my sides, the baby's head in my pelvis, pushing against my nerves and giving me a little leg shock!

Belly Button in or out?   - Just a tip of the top portion is out, haha

Wedding rings on or off?   - On

Happy or Moody most of the time:   - I suppose getting a little more moody from time to time, but generally in a happy mood.

Favorite “New Dad” moment:   - Comments he makes about seeing, hugging, and holding the baby; how proud he is to get to talk about having a baby soon

Looking forward to:   - The relief of getting the baby out! Also, having a summer babe and enjoying the rest of the summer with him/her.

Mini Maternity Session

The lighting in my bedroom was perfect this morning so I decided to snap some maternity shots before it's too late. The due date is a couple weeks away, but we could be welcoming our baby any time now!