37 Weeks Pregnant

I am 37 weeks pregnant! I can't even begin to explain how crazy that is to me! We are really getting down to the wire. I had a page-long To Do list a few weeks ago, and it is gradually getting short and shorter. I had planned to put it all off as long as I could so that I wouldn't be totally bored for the last couple of weeks, but I changed my mind. I have been so exhausted lately that I think I may just need to get it all over with so that I can rest for the last couple of weeks. I'm not always sleepy-tired, it's more is a physical-tired. The whole bedtime routine for Marley really wears me out. Kneeling by the tub to bathe her, bending over to dry her off, lifting her onto the counter to brush her teeth, getting her pajamas on her, and bending over to tuck her in are all really taxing on my body now. That is the one time of the day that I wish I could be over the pregnancy. I absolutely love being pregnant the rest of the day, but I miss all my sweet cuddle time with Marley.

Today I had my 37 week ultrasound and prenatal appointment. The ultrasound was the check the baby's growth. I'm not exactly sure why it needed to be done because my fundal measurements are always right on. But it was a chance to see the baby, so I went for it of course! Joel was a great sport and came to the appointment with me and Marley. He filmed the whole ultrasound for Asa and my mom. It turned out that the baby is measuring around 6 pounds, 13 ounces which is in the 55th percentile. So, it's doing great! When we had this ultrasound with Marley, they told me that her head measured 4 weeks bigger than it should! But this baby's head is measuring right on target! Lucky me! It was great to see the baby, and the ultrasound tech said that he or she is very active. The baby was also "kissing the placenta" just like Marley was, so there weren't any opportunities for pictures.

After the ultrasound, I had my prenatal appointment with Dr. Hill. As of my last appointment, I had not dilated at all, but my cervix was getting soft. Today she told me that my cervix was soft, about 75% effaced, and a fingertip dilated "if anything". Not exactly sure what that means... At my 37 week appointment with Marley I was already 2 centimeter dilated! I have to admit that I was a little disappointed to not be a little bit further along. But at the same time, the baby needs to stay in there for two more weeks, so there's no rush. My blood pressure was a little higher than usual, but still in a normal range. And my hands and feet are still not swollen! So, overall I am in so much better shape than I was with Marley at this point! Marley was born at 37 weeks and 6 days. That's five days from where I am! Crazy!

I have mentioned before that I really think we are having a girl. I call the baby by the girl name we chose and talk about Marley and her sister. Asa and I can't agree on a boy's name, but we always say that it's okay because this baby is not a boy. Well, I did not see what we are having today, but for some reason I am just not so sure anymore. It just kind of hit me that I have nothing to base that on other than a feeling I have. This baby really could be a boy! And here I am convincing myself that it's a girl instead of keeping an open mind about it! I really have no idea! So, I really don't know what I think it is anymore!

Now I just need to finish the things on my To Do list and enjoy my alone time with Marley before the baby gets here! I get so sad every day when I think about the fact that Asa will not be here to welcome this new baby. But I can't stay sad all the time. It's not good for me or Marley. It's just one of those things that we can't do anything about, so we just have to make the best of it. Marley, Baby #2, and I will miss him terribly until the day he comes home though.