Argh!

Today we are in the single digits...9 days till due date! Holy COW!

I don't have a lot to say, so let me just put this:
* Our check lists are done...we are as ready as we can be
* My heartburn is out of control
* My feet and ankles are so swollen I have to have ice packs and many pillows under them at the end of every day - cankles are real people
* I am going to miss feeling him move around when I'm resting at night
* I'm so ready to know who this person is that has been living with me

That is all for now...

Swollen and Ready

We are now a mere 12 days from our estimated due date. Things are getting crazy! Here's what I look like: 

We went to the doctor Monday and baby boy is estimated at 8lb 9oz already! This is a big boy, this also means that all of those cute newborn clothes are not going to fit our mammoth baby (they go up to 8lb). I have started having swelling in my hands and feet, I had to take off my wedding rings because they were cutting into my finger and bruising it. I feel a little weird being out with no rings on after 9 years! Also, I can only wear flip flops, which do NOT look cute with every outfit in case you were wondering. 

So, I need to confess...I have to retract my statement about wanting baby boy to stay put until the due date. It just happened Sunday but I am ready for this boy to come out. It's hard to walk, hard to drive, hard to sit, hard to sleep...so it's time. I know I said he could stay in until June 1, but let's go baby...anytime now would be good. 

Vanity, vanity...I wanted to look nice for all of the picture taking that is going to be happening because of this major life event so I went tonight to get a haircut.  Let me be clear with you, don't do something like that this close to a major life event. Just don't. Not only was it the weirdest longest haircut of my life (1 hour 20 minutes! and not at a beauty school) but it is the second worst haircut of my life (the worst one was from a beauty school incidentally). Truly. I'm not sure how this guy has a license. I got in the car and sobbed all the way home. So now I look horrible for my baby boy's appearance into the world. I know it sounds really minor and petty, but I'm actually terribly sad about this.

Of course, then I get home and get a call from Brett reminding me just how blessed we are. He's such a good partner, I am truly grateful for him in my life, always keeping things in perspective. I'm still sad about my hair but ultimately in the big scheme of things, life is great, and Brett offered to buy me a beanie and I'll just wear a beanie like the baby. That may honestly be the best option...

Amazing Things

We are down to 18 days...holy cow! In some ways I feel like it's been forever since those first few months where I felt so very very sick, in other ways I feel shocked at how quickly we've gotten here. No matter if he's early, on time or late we will be a family of three within the month. Honestly it feels so surreal, I know that this active little guy in my belly is real but I also feel completely unable to process that he is going to be living at our house soon (and not in me).

We've been getting ready for the better part of a year now, doing little things here and there and more recently taking care of pretty big things but we are finally ready (well as ready as we can be!). Tonight we added a little flourish above his crib: 

"We'll bring a child into this world, we'll say one thing everyone should hear: you were meant for amazing things," it's a lyric from one of Brett's favorite bands Sleeping at Last in their song "Umbrellas." We want to encourage our little guy, we believe that God created each one of us for a purpose. What will his be? We can't wait to find out...(and now I'm crying again!)  

We can't wait to meet you little boy...

The Shannon Whale

We are now at 36 and a half weeks...and here's the thing:

I feel like a whale. It happened all of a sudden but I feel big, I look big, people tell me I'm big (because they think I might NOT be aware?) and...AND I gained three pounds this week.  I've been moving fairly slowly as far as weight gain goes over the pregnancy but I'm at that stage where you have to go to the doctor every week and from last Monday to this Monday I gained 3 pounds! WHAT!? Oh my goodness, I feel big.

And maternity clothes are not meant for people in their last month, I'm convinced. They fit me fine after the belly grew but now my maternity dresses are too short, my maternity pants won't stay up (saggy butt syndrome), and my maternity shirts are riding up. This just encourages my feelings of whaley-ness (it's a word, don't judge). So I have taken to wearing XL T-shirts at home that are comfy but just add to my feelings of whale despair. Sigh*

And baby boy is big too, last week they estimated him at about 7 pounds, ALREADY 7 pounds, how large is this kid going to be at 40 weeks? He's not only large, he's also very active, maybe he's just trying to get comfy? But baby boy is so very active, Brett will just sit by me and watch my belly move around at night. This boy moves constantly! It's a pretty amazing thing really. Brett will say, "he's going crazy!" and I'm like, "Nope, that's my life right now." He's a mover and shaker!

Here is a picture from the last sonogram (last week).  He is facing the camera 3/4 and the upper left is his hand on his cheek: