Adventures in Pregnancy: 38 Weeks
14 Jul 2014
It is so exciting to be nearing the home stretch! Or, who knows, we may already be in it! At our appointment this weekend the baby’s heartbeat sounded great, and the doctor said he has moved down a little more (still posterior, but not too worried about it). She also told me I am 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced, which is awesome. I am more excited about the effacement than the dilation, since that’s pretty much a prerequisite, and also: apologies to our baby. I thought all this time that he was punching me in the cervix, but it turns out he is innocent! It was just my cervix doing its thing. It is wonderfully reassuring and empowering to find that my body is trucking right along, doing exactly what it’s supposed to do, with no particular help needed. The process of birth is so many things: mysterious, sacred, incredible. I am excited to have gotten things underway.
On the other hand, we still have a bit to do before we’re really ready. But ready is relative, right? We have everything we need–it’s just not exactly in the right place yet. However, this week was one of enormous progress. We went to Ikea to get a dresser and an extra bookcase, and we also got this gratuitous panda. Every baby needs a panda. So says me.
Eric has been heroically putting things together all weekend. Almost all finished now! He’s also been bolting everything to the walls so our little tiger can’t pull things over on himself. As is evident here, he has maintained a good sense of humor throughout this process, which makes him even more deserving of the automatic halo one earns every time one puts together a piece of Ikea furniture.
As for me, I’ve mostly been organizing and rearranging things and washing all of the baby’s tiny clothes, which has been so much fun. I can’t wait to get them all put away in his dresser, which should be tomorrow’s job.
I am, remarkably, still feeling fantastic! I am not exactly sleeping so well these days, but that’s just practice for the future. I can’t really complain when it’s still very easy for me to take an afternoon nap. My feet look like Shrek feet again (maybe due to the heat?), and there’s some intermittent heartburn, but nothing of any real seriousness. I am having lots of Braxton-Hicks, but those don’t hurt at all and are a great warmup for labor. On the whole, I am really very comfortable and super thankful for it.
Words cannot express my gratitude to all of you: THANK YOU! Thank you for reading and commenting and for your love and support and encouragement. Thank you for sending your well wishes and for rejoicing with us in this amazingly special time. And thank you so much to all of you who have sent such sweet gifts to us, many of them made by hand, even though we have never met in person. I have been reduced to tears many times by your kindness, your thoughtfulness, your great generosity. When I started this blog, I was hoping to find a creative outlet, but I didn’t really expect anyone but my parents to read it. I could never have imagined that I would meet such wonderful people and form such deep friendships as I have with you. Thank you so, so, so much. You are incredible, every single one of you, and you are so loved and appreciated.
Jul 14, 2014 @ 04:31:13
You look so incredibly happy, Cameron! Of course, you DO have reason for that, but with each week’s picture the smile gets bigger and the eyes sparkle more! 🙂 I love it!
Sounds as if you and Eric made great progress on the baby’s room this weekend! Looking forward to seeing baby enjoying it all! Have a wonderful week!
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:36:20
Thank you so much, Dianna! I am feeling very happy indeed! So excited for this new adventure in our lives, so grateful to still be feeling this good! It has been such fun putting things together for him, but I know it will be WAY more fun to watch him play with them:) Hope you are having a fantastic week too!
Jul 14, 2014 @ 05:35:46
hee hee, when we put together the crib way back when, he with a Phd, me with a MS…..well we assembled the crib in the living room only to find out it did not fit through the doors….ahem….some stuff you just don’t learn in a book or classroom!
You look BEAUTIFUL! Come on little baby boy, make your grand appearance 🙂
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:37:18
Hahaha, that totally sounds like something we would do! We even have a wide double door from the living room into the nursery…but it is blocked with bookcases! Typical of us nerds, I suppose:)
Jul 14, 2014 @ 07:59:07
It won’t be long until this series “Adventures in Pregnancy” comes to an end!
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:37:39
That’s true! You can place your bet on how many more updates I will get to write:)
Jul 14, 2014 @ 09:41:37
Mary Beth is right….soon it’ll be “Adventures in Newbornland!” then “Adventures in Babydom!” and before you know it “Adventures in Toddlerhood!” I’m getting ahead of myself, I think. Mostly I just came here to say: Holy belly! Looks like you just shoved a basketball under your shirt. Lol. Also – Luna has the same dresser in her room! It’s because we both have excellent taste of course. 😉
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:38:32
Hahaha, so true! It is looking very basketbally these days! Of course, we do have excellent taste! I am so excited for these baby days, but also for the toddler days and beyond: so much fun!
Jul 14, 2014 @ 14:41:13
you look great.. and so wonderfully happy..
You’re little guy is lucky to have you as a mommy 🙂
It really is amazing how we are able to create a little online family.. who would’ve thought?
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:39:09
Thank you so much! I feel the same way about your sweet boys:) I know, I am so grateful for all the wonderful people I’ve met:)
Jul 14, 2014 @ 15:59:35
I recognize that Ikea face. I’ve worn it myself pondering over their pictorial directions with no words.
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:39:38
Haha, so true! Every time we get something from Ikea, I think about how sweet you were to always put my furniture together for me:)
Jul 14, 2014 @ 19:18:59
I laughed when I saw your husband puzzling over IKEA instructions… been there, done that!!
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:41:12
Totally! It is a rite of passage:)
Jul 14, 2014 @ 22:24:47
it’s almost time.. can you believe it? you are going to be a great mama and I am so excited for you.
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:41:58
Thank you so much! I go back and forth between feeling ready and feeling like, ahhh, we still have stuff to do! But I am sure he will come at just the right time, whenever that may be:)
Jul 15, 2014 @ 14:54:39
YAY! Almost there and you look great!
Jul 15, 2014 @ 22:42:11
Thank you so much, Sandi! You are so sweet!