Scissorina

So close.  SO CLOSE.

Okay, y’all.  Let’s make this happen, k?  I’m ready.  Let me shout it to the universe:  ”I AM READY!”

We’re up to weekly doc visits which each include an ultrasound and an non stress test (it’s fun being an “older” mom… lol).  It’s not bad, really – just longer appointments – and, of course, we were a little on edge for the first one.  But all is great – and to top it off, when we saw our little guy on the screen, the technician shouted out “WOW!  Now, that is a head of hair!”.  We saw it floating in the fluid as if it were kelp in the sea!  I want to know what color it is.  I want to know what color eyes he has.  I want to see his face.  ON THE OUTSIDE.

I also really want to remove this ginormous weight from my hips and lower abdomen.  I don’t want to be a complainer – it hasn’t been my style through this whole experience – BUT, I have to admit that this has gotten pretty dang uncomfortable.  I’m ready for the big dance – time to get this kid out.

Let’s see if he’ll make Week 39 the week!  Think good thoughts for us!

Phew.  Week 37 was a doozie.  (I am glad to graduate to Week 38 and hope it will be much less stressful!)

So, my last day of work was this past Friday.  The feelings associated with this fact were surprisingly complicated.  The two weeks leading up to my last day were crazy difficult, including long hours and stressful last minute conversations with management about how my time off would be handled and all that fun stuff.  I experienced everything from feeling utterly exhausted to considering putting my leave off for another week.  In the end, I listened to my husband (and my body) and stuck to my plan to depart work 2 weeks before my due date.   As I spent almost my entire Monday sleeping, I would say I made the right choice.

On the bright side for Week 37?  My parents are stateside!  They left Switzerland and made their move back to the US this weekend.  They’re in Houston now (wahoo!) awaiting the closing on the house they’re buying and we will hopefully see them this weekend.  Having my Mom only 3 hours away – before the little guy even gets here! – is a big bonus.  Thanks, Universe.  (I’d say I owe you one, but we both know the reverse is true.)

PS – And happy happy first date-iversary to SteveKam!  6 years ago on Saturday, we went out on our first date where we drank beer, played Nintendo and enjoyed a really good kiss goodnight (or two) don’t ya know.  :-)  Six years later and those are still some of our favorite things to do together…. hee hee.

Oh my gosh, we are getting close!

The temps are getting high here in Austin, so I finally broke down and bought myself a maternity bathing suit.  (Expensive – in my opinion – even at Target!)  It killed me  to spend the money since I’m only a few weeks away… but 97 degrees?  It feels like 107 to me.  We’re going swimming.

We saw our midwife this past week – we’ve now seen all the OBs and midwives at our practice and my confidence and trust in them is high.  I’m so grateful we found them!  When we found out that our insurance wouldn’t cover the birthing center I had my heart set on, I was seriously depressed (and anxious).  Luckily we found a group that is all women – half OBs and half midwives.  The hospital they work with is the only one in Austin that affords midwives the same privileges as OBs.  All the ladies have been fantastic so far (this coming from someone with a case of white coat phobia mind you) and they are super supportive of natural birth, doulas, birth plans… it’s been so nice to feel confident that the person helping deliver my little guy is going to be on the same page as me!  If something happens and I end up with a c-section, I will know it’s because there is not any other option.  NOT because someone wanted to make their tee time.  :-)

Made it through week 35 and here we sit – less than a month from our due date!

Things are getting a little crazy around Rancho del Kam these days.  We’re scanning our lists to attempt to figure out what things we still need and haven’t yet acquired.  We have more onesies that this kid could possibly get through before outgrowing them…. but apparently no newborn size sleepers or gowns.  I also still have no idea what he’s coming home in.  I don’t even know if I care!  I’m more worried about getting him into that car seat without hurting him… and then getting him out again…. and then…. I must admit that every time I think about bringing this little guy home from the hospital, my brain freezes…. I look at Steve and say, “Wait.  What do we do then?”  Oh, responsibility!  I have wanted this for so long and still feel completely UNprepared for it.

But, no point focusing on that!  Nope – we are off to Target today to grab some essentials for our labor and hospital bags.  Fun things I have completely neglected until now – such as nursing friendly shirts and stuff like that.  Again – if it’s after the birth, it seems I haven’t yet wrapped my head around it yet!

We also met with our doula this week to finalize our birth plan (and to get another pep talk from her.  Hee hee.  I needed that!)

The nursery looks like a disaster area again as we get gear assembled and work on how the heck to organize all this stuff into a small space.  I’m confident we’ll figure it out.  :-)  But for now – the room looks like Babies R Us exploded in there.

Wild times, people.  Wild, wild times.  (Only to get wilder!)

Here we are at the end of week 34.  :-)

Well, I am certainly feeling pregnant!  The little dude moves around a lot despite his increasingly cramped quarters.  He seems particularly fond of camping out behind my ribs.  At least that’s what it feels like he’s doing!

If you want to know the truth – and this is going to sound nuts – as uncomfortable as I am getting and as excited as I am to meet this guy, I can’t help but feel like I am going to miss this!  I’ve gotten used to feeling him breakdance in there and I enjoy those quiet times when I lay down and it’s just him and I…. and I talk or sing to him.  I know there is amazingness on the horizon when all this can be done ex-utero!  But, I do love having him this close to me – safe and warm.

Lucky may be a strong word.  

All those pesky third trimester symptoms that I thought maybe I was lucky enough to avoid seemed to show up this week.  I suddenly got reeeeeeally uncomfortable, my emotions have been all over the dang place and sleep is now as elusive as a double rainbow.

But, as always… something came along to lift my spirits and get me back on a positive track.  This week it was a big something!  My amazing sisters and Mom organized the most ridiculously adorable, love filled baby shower on Earth – in honor of our itty bitty buddy.

I’ll link to some photos once I get my hands on them (I was having way too much fun to snap pictures myself!).  The entire soiree was woodland themed – just like the nursery! – and included games called “Oops, My Water Broke!”, “Pin the Handmade Diaper on Baby Kam’s Butt” and “Build a Baby Kam”.  Again… photos are really necessary.  The whole party was amazing and it was such a treat to hang out with all the girls (including my bestie Danielle and my beloved Great Aunt Nan who flew in from Long Island!) for the afternoon.  I feel so so so lucky to have all these incredible people in my life – and it melts all my insides to know that our little guy is arriving to the world already loved so dearly.

See?  Frown turned upside down.  Not that I’m less uncomfortable or sleeping any better…. but it’s hard to stay down with a weekend like that.

About 6 weeks to go!