37 weeks down, (hopefully) 3 to go!

8+ month bump

 

37 weeks down, hopefully no more than 3 to go!  Although I had to be induced two weeks after I was due, as did my brother.  So did Chris.  And his brother.  Oh dear.

“So, are you ready?” asks everyone who sees me these days.   Well, I’m certainly ready to be able to do those amazing things like talk on the phone without getting winded, tie my shoes, wear my wedding ring, have anything in my closet fit, not have crazy dreams, pee fewer than 20 times in a day, and sit up instead of roll out of whatever position I’ve gotten myself into.   Unfortunately, though, I think maybe people are asking the much tougher question: “Are you ready to have your entire world rocked?”  Ummmm…. Am I ready for labor?  To be a mom?  To leak breast milk? (Something, by the way, no one tells you before you’re pregnant but then love to share ‘hilarious’ stories about when you’re about 7 months in!)  To sleep in two-hour bursts at a time for the foreseeable future?  To not have Chris to myself?  Those things I’m not ready for and am not sure I’ll ever be!  We’re just preparing as best we’re able.  The nursery is set, our tax return has been filed, I’ve frozen a bunch of meals, and projects around the house are finished.  We’ve taken a hospital tour and are in the middle of an extensive first-time parents’ class.  We’ve changed diapers, babysat, and picked our parent-friends' brains extensively.  All we’re thinking now is ‘How hard could it be?’  (ß Good gracious, I’m joking.)   We had a really sweet moment at last week’s Park Run, when a new dad pulled us aside and said “everyone tells you how hard things are going to be and how little sleep you’ll get but the thing I was least prepared for was just how much in love I’d be with her from the moment she was born.  It’s amazing.”  Thanks, man!  We needed that!

The other question we get is “boy or girl?”  We honestly don’t know, but EVERYONE thinks it is going to be a boy based on my shape. People in places like the grocery store will randomly tell me I’m having a boy, or “it’s a boy, right” and when I tell them we haven’t found out they're quite thrilled to be the 'first' to tell me that it’s for sure a boy.  I’m now saying I think it’s a girl just to be different from everyone!   We’ll find out in a few weeks, anyway, so we’ll see if the wives tales about carrying out front are true.  Mom said she carried me and my brother the same exact way as I’m carrying this little bundle, so I think it’s probably more genetics than anything predictive. 

Side view :)

The last question we get is if we've picked any names, to which we always look at each other and think, dang, we really have to do that! Ideally we’ll go to the hospital with a few boy and a few girl names and decide on one once baby is born. 

Bailey seems to know something is happening :)

We’ve been thrown two wonderful baby showers in the past month.  The first was thrown by two of my best girl friends, Angela and Courtney.  Not only are they funny, supportive, kind, awesome people, they have SEVEN amazingly adjusted, well behaved kids between them.   Ang and Courtney are always great hosts but they totally outdid themselves with food, games, fun presents, and hilarious stories.  Almost all of my American girl friends in the UK were able to come, and family and friends in the States also sent amazing gifts as well.  I felt ever so loved!

Courtney, me, and Angela

Ducky punch

Measuring the bump :)

Chris’ boss’s wife (and a friend of mine) Lyn also threw us a shower, this one for all the med clinic folks we work with.  She made lunch for everyone, Major Calderwood baked some amazing cupcakes and cake pops, and Chris’ work mates brought some great toys and clothes to get us prepared for the baby.  We couldn’t be more thankful for a supportive work environment!  My favorite memory of the work shower was 4 year old Tom-Tom tearing around the room at breakneck speed when he suddenly stopped next to me, climbed into my lap, and pointed at my belly, his eyes HUGE with concern.  “What happened to your tummy?!”  He said, as he rested both hands on my bump and looked straight into my eyes.  (He’s been in an epic battle with leukemia, so I’m wondering if he’s a little wise beyond his years when it comes to nursing/caring/health/body).  When his dad said “There’s a baby in there”, his worried eyes got even more concerned as he asked me “Why did you EAT a BABY?!”  We gave Tom-Tom a better explanation to lessen his worry but wow, we had a good laugh.

 

The most gorgeous and delicious cupcakes I've eaten in years.

Party set-up before everyone showed up.

 

My running days are finally over (one week I could run, the next there was no chance in hell) but I’m still walking the weekly Saturday Park Run 5k’s and am still going to the gym a few times a week to sit on a spin bike.   Being there with Chris makes me feel a little more normal, although the few people I don’t know at our tiny base gym tend to give some weird looks.  I will say that folks tend to be really nice to pregnant people.  Strangers routinely say “you look great” or “what a tidy bump” or “great job” when they blow by me as I waddle around the lake at Park Run.  I miss being fast, and it’s taken a while to get used to getting lapped at the 1K mark of our 5k.  The difference in perspective is sort of fun, though.  I get to see people of all shapes and sizes and abilities who truly work HARD each week and it’s been fun to support them. 

Waddling around with the tail runner at Peterborough Park Run.

 

The next few weeks are poised to fly by.  My last couple days of work are this week and way more excitingly, my friend Steph is coming out to visit the first weekend of March.  I can’t wait!