32 weeks

Here I am at 32 weeks today.  I was having a hard time getting all of me in my narrow full length mirror for this picture.  My belly went from measuring at 29 cm 2 weeks ago to 32 cm yesterday.  I guess it's safe to say I am growing quite nicely.  This baby is so active.  She moves a lot and they are not just gentle movements.  Sometimes I feel my whole body vibrate from her sudden, forceful movements.  And she is a tad particular.  She is not a fan of having her space imposed upon.  The last two times the nurse practitioner placed the Doppler on my belly, she got kicked.  And if I lay with  my belly against Shad's back, he gets kicked, over and over.  I am very curious to meet this little girl and see what she has in store for us. 

Now that Christmas is over, I am no longer distracted.  I am starting to feel crazy about getting ready for this girl's arrival.  I am starting to notice little things that I don't have for her yet.  Very important things like tights, socks and hats.  My friend gave me a boppy pillow today and the kids and I made a trip to Babys R Us the other day.  I came home with one very important item, burp cloths.  I don't know what we would have done if we weren't prepared for spit up 8 weeks before the baby is due.  Maria and Sarah are putting together a baby shower for me in a couple of weeks, which I am so excited for.  It is getting very hard for me to wait and see what we get at the shower before I go buy more baby stuff. 

My brother's fiance is due a month after me and she asked me on Christmas if I was done being pregnant.  I had to say no.  This is most likely (99.9%) my last one, so I definitely don't want to rush it along, or spend my time dwelling on the hard parts of pregnancy.  And, believe me, I could make a list.  I want to savor this time and just enjoy having a life inside of me.  However, I also know that I tend to have my babies early, so I may not have a lot more time left in this pregnancy.  Josh was born at 37 weeks and Hannah at 36 weeks, but I also know that every pregnancy is different, so I could go full term.  Only God knows, but I am starting to feel the pressure to be ready at any time.  And, of course, I don't want her to come too early.  I want a healthy baby girl that gets to come home with me when I leave the hospital. 

Oh but I am so looking forward to having a newborn.  Shad thinks I am crazy (and you may too) but I am really looking forward to nursing a baby in the middle of the night.  (Ask me how I feel about 2 weeks into it.)  It's just such a short lived, very special time in the life of a mom and newborn.  And I also look forward to dressing her is cute clothes.  Just like with Hannah, she will be my little dress-up doll.  Ya, I love little girlie clothes.  I remember making Hannah mad as a baby because I would change her clothes 2 or 3 times to see how different outfits looked.  I believe I created a monster, actually, because she is down the hall, as we speak, playing dress up.  

So nesting time it is for me.  This is the part where patience is hard.  I don't want the pregnancy to end, but I can't wait for this little girl to get here!