36 Weeks...Seriously?

There are some days when I think this pregnancy will never end and there are some days when I think "wow, where did the time go?" It's a great feeling to be in the home stretch, but unfortunately, that's the only "great feeling" I have lately. The body has just about given up. Things are tired, sore, achy, and stretched to the limit. I find myself groaning more, debating over whether its worth it to roll over, and getting frustrated with myself when I am up every hour at night to pee.

In related news, I saw my doctor today.....
Weight gain: None since last week (yay!)
Blood Pressure: 120/76
Heartbeat: 150
Belly: Measuring 37 cm...we are back on target
Complaints: My pelvis is stretching as little Jake's head is wedging farther and farther down south. This is causing a good amount of pain, especially at night when I am laying down or when sitting in the car driving. No dialation yet (except a wee bit that is caused only because I have had a pregnancy before), but he is "in station" and ready to go. My doctor is on vacation all next week, so I am hoping to hold out (pain and all) until the week of the 19th when she returns. But, as we all know, Jake may have other plans for us.

Note to self: Pack hospital bag.

How your baby's growing: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

Brooklyn is doing well...she was sick Sunday-Tuesday this week, but back to school today. Hopefully she had a great day. She has a bit of a cough still, but apparantly so does the rest of her class, so she is in good company. We took advantage of Monday and Tuesday as sick days and spent good "Mommy Brooklyn time." I wonder if this minor fever/sickness was a gift from God allowing us some much needed quality time together...the calm before the storm. :-)