Full Term and a Full Moon

We are 37 weeks today!! Technically, that's full term and the baby is fully developed. She will spend the next few weeks (maybe) packing on weight. If I go into labor tonight, she should be healthy and whole. She should weigh between 6 1/2 and 7 lbs right now, and her fingernails are longer than her fingers so she might be scratching herself already. She'll need a trim right after she's born - it's a good thing I packed tiny nail clippers in her bag.

This is what one of the websites I read says about me this week (I love it!).

"You will also become tired from having to drag your belly around all day. It's like there's a 33-pound backpack full of kittens hanging on the front of your body and that is really something."

I couldn't agree more. I'm also supposed to be more forgetful and my ability to concentrate is "considerably diminished". I concur, thus, I'm updating this blog instead of working frantically on finishing the few items on my list before I go on maternity leave. : ) It also talks about the urge to nest, which I haven't experienced yet. I'm kind of hoping I don't because the thought of scrubbing things with toothbrushes and reorganizing closets does not sound at all appealing to me right now. However, Dave cleaned up the front and back yards and reorganized his tool closet last weekend. He told me he thought he was nesting - does it count if he does it for me? I hope so.

Let's talk about a couple of great ironies of pregnancy. Number one: For the first time in my life I have boobs - real ones, I mean. I'm wearing a C cup right now, and I'm pretty sure I could wear a D if I was wearing normal structured bras with underwire. What's ironic about that? My belly is so big that my boobs still seem insignificant. Number two: The term "lightening" is used to describe the baby dropping into the pelvis in preparation for birth. It's called lightening because your lungs and stomach are supposed to have more room so you can breathe and eat - you are supposed to feel "lighter." I don't know who dreamed up that bit of nonsense because there is nothing light feeling about having a baby in your pelvis. I've never felt so heavy in my life as I've felt for the past three days.

Last week, I was told that I walk like a duck. Last week, I took exception to that comment because it wasn't true. This week, it's absolutely true. I cannot walk without waddling. I've tried. It's not happening. She is so low that it really feels like my hip and pelvic bones are disconnected. I waddled the mile around our neighborhood last night, and that about finished me. It's never been that hard before. Labor is imminent - I just hope the timeframe for imminent is days and not weeks. : )

That brings me to the fact that tonight is a full moon. Supposedly, labor and delivery units have extra staff during the full moon because there is an increase in pregnant women coming in because thier water breaks. There aren't necessarily more babies born, but more broken water. I don't know if we are that close yet, but let's all hope that if my water breaks tonight, there are good contractions to go with it so I can have this baby without any intervention. Provided there is no full moon labor (and I'm really skeptical, trust me), we go back to the doctor tomorrow for another non-stress test and all that good stuff.

Oh, and congratulations to my friend Kathryn who had her baby last Friday! It was her babyshower I attended when I posted the picture a couple of months ago. I'm so excited for her! She was the first due, so babies will be popping out all over the place now. : )