37 weeks & I'm in countdown mode :)

Well... I am 37 weeks & 4 days!! I am officially counting down the days until Mason makes his grand debut! The uncertainty of this whole labor & delivery deal has forced me to come face to face with my serious control issues :) The fact that I don't know exactly WHEN I will go into labor means I don't know WHERE I will be when i go into labor. This situation is only made more stressful by the fact that at my appointment on Wednesday during our ultrasound Dr.Martin said "Wow- you still have really good amounts of amniotic fluid - when your water breaks you are really going to GUSH" My response- AWESOME!! It's not like I spend the majority of my day in front of teenage boys & girls that would totally FLIP OUT if one second I am teaching them about the Supreme Court and then next moment I am "gushing" amniotic fluid everywhere!! AWESOME!! And that doesn't even get me to the point where I have no way to predict the circumstances of my delivery!!! I spend a good portion of my day thinking about how little control I have of over the one event that i would want to control the most! Oh- God has such wonderful ways of teaching us things, doesn't he? Patience and Trusting in God- I am really working on it!!

More about the 37 week appointment with Dr.Martin... this was my second cervix check & WOW those are NO JOKE!! The second one was SO much easier than the first (which I had last week at my 36 week appointment) Some of my girlfriends had attempted to prepare me for the exam- but there really was no preparing for that! The results from both exams were exactly the same- I am totally effaced, a "fingertip" dilated & -2 station! So after the 36 week check Dr.Martin thought that things would move right along quickly & I would have Mason early right around 38 weeks. Well... then when I was EXACTLY in the same spot this week- he kinda changed his tune a little bit! Mason is doing fabulous though. The ultrasound showed that his legs are still in the 90 something percentile & based on the measurements he is about 7 pounds. Dr.Martin said Mason had "chubby cheeks & poochy lips" - I can not even put into words how excited I am to meet Mason face to face and hold him in my arms and just look at my baby boy!

The prepared childbirth class my mom & I attended the past two Saturdays was decent. They didn't cover allot that I hadn't already researched - but the best part was that it was taught by nurses that actually work in the hospital where I will deliver & they were able to give us allot of information specifically on how things work & what our experience will be like at North East Georgia Medical Center. Plus the class gave mom & I an opportunity to spend time together & talk allot about the specifics of my plans and desires for labor & delivery & all that good stuff! The class also gave us some good laughs! No one can crack us up like each other :) haha Two peas in a pod! Nate & I will go to the Breastfeeding class on Monday night & I am SUPER looking forward to that class & I'm hoping I learn allot more than I did in the child birthing class!

I have been so amazed at the things that people have said to me in the past couple weeks! I am so tired of people doing the whole "eye contact, belly stare, eye contact Awwwww... How are you feeling? head tilt, belly stare" I keep promising that the next person that asks is going to get the honest non-filtered answer! haha :) The comments are never ending and everyone thinks their comment is soooo original and hilarious! You have no choice really but to smile and go along with the whole thing or risk looking like the emotional bitchy pregnant lady and then face a whole new round of comments :) The best comment today came from an old lady giving samples of something in the frozen foods area of Costco today. Mom & I came down the aisle and she made a beeline over to us and said "Oh NO!! Is someone boiling rags in the back?!?! (insert old lady cackle laugh here) Don't come to me to deliver that baby- I don't know anything about birthing babies- I had two sections" Now you ask yourself- why could she not just let me walk down the aisle and go about my business? It's because talking to extremely pregnant women has the whole train wreck appeal- the whole you don't wanna look but can't help it. I really think people just can't help themselves but to make a witty little comment or offer advice or give you their personal OB history. For example the lady that was behind me in line at subway - when the condiments I ordered on my chicken sandwich included spicy mustard, banana peppers, and pickles she quickly chimed in to tell me I really better reconsider that because i didn't need to be eating all that spicy stuff and then STARED at my stomach! At that point I wanted to then say to her "would it be appropriate for me to tell you not to order mayo & cheese on your sandwich because you are overweight? No? Then why is it okay for you to tell me how to order my sandwich because I am pregnant" It was quite a hilarious moment LATER- at the time I just glared and ordered my sandwich exactly how I wanted it- SPICY condiments and all :)

I told Nate the other night "Next time I am pregnant and I start saying I am uncomfortable at 6 months- remind me that it ain't nothin yet- gear up for 9 months baby" I have really had an easy pregnancy- I am grateful most of all for the health of mason & myself- overall my complaints have been minor. I am still tyring to stay very positive about the physical toll pregnancy has taken on my body - but it's getting hard! I am really uncomfortable! I don't remember what it's like to NOT have a human being in my body- but I think I remember it feeling kinda nice! I really love feeling mason move around- watching him move is even more amazing- but I could really do without his 90 something percentile legs round house kicking me in all my major organs! I'm telling you his hiccups are out of control too! My back kinda hurts, I feel like I am holding a bowling ball between my legs, it is impossible to get comfortable sitting or laying, sleep is still impossible, the leg cramps are still nightly, add in the lovely effects of the pollen and don't forget the braxton hicks contractions I've been having!! But all that physical stuff is all in the background compared to all the mental stuff running through my head about labor, delivery, and of course.... MOTHERHOOD!!!

I am lucky to have such an amazing husband to take care of me and put up with me. I am lucky to have such an amazing mom, dad and sister who are all so excited to meet mason and have done so much more than we deserve to help us prepare for our son's arrival. I am so lucky to have Nate's wonderful parents that are just as excited for their 3rd grandson as I'm sure they were for their first & of course the Schmackers who are finally going to get a counsin & nephew! I am so lucky to have the best girlfriends ever that listen to my worries and offer me the best advice and always a good laugh!

Love to ALL
xoxo