The home stretch

Tuesday will be the big day, 37 weeks is "full term" and on Tuesday, I will be able to say that I am perhaps physically ready to have this baby.

The last few weeks are the hardest by far. They are physically challenging and there is a lot of anticipation. Time goes by really slowly. But I need to think this is a good thing. This could very well be my last pregnancy. I am trying really hard to cherish the feeling of the little bro moving inside of me. It could be the last time that I feel that. I want to try to remember it all.

While there is part of me that is uncomfortable being this pregnant, I really want him to stay in there and get as big and developed as he can. But there are lots of things that I just can't wait to do once he gets here. I can't wait to put him in a baby carrier and wear him on me. And, I really cannot wait to breastfeed. I am really excited about breastfeeding.

Justin continues to be awesome in his mission to help me rest and not overdo it. But this is taking its toll too, in the sense that Jackson has become SUPER attached to Justin. Last night Justin went to play in his ultimate frisbee league game about 45 minutes before bedtime and Jackson totally freaked out at the prospect of having to stay home with me while Justin was gone. He kept saying "daddy, daddy". It was really cute, but at the same time some day, maybe he will say "momma".

We have ordered the crib and dresser that will go in Jackson's new room. He's going to stay in a crib for a while longer, but it transitions to a toddler bed and then eventually to a big boy bed, so its the only bed he will ever need. Uncle Max is coming to visit next week and he is going to help Justin paint Jackson's new room. Nana has started working on the window dressings for Jackson's new room and I think it should all be together in just a few weeks. When Jackson was born, I went into labor the evening that we had received the package from Nana with all of his home made bedding in it. So, I think it is safe to assume this time that the Bro's arrival is completely dependent upon when Nana finishes the stuff that she is mailing to us. As soon as it arrives, we will be ready, and I will undoubtedly go into labor.

Jackson is now officially 15 months old. He had his 15 month wellness exam on Monday. His stats are good, he weighs in at 21lbs 15 3/4 oz. Which is the 14th percentile. His height is 30 3/4 inches which is the 38th percentile, and his head is a whopping 47cm's around which is the 50th percentile. So, he has a big head and not much body weight to hold it up with. But really, he's fine. He got a couple more shots, and in the afternoon he spiked a slight fever, but it quickly subsided and now he is fine. He still has yet to receive the dreaded MMR. Next time, the Dr. promised that he would definitely be getting it next time.

I am signed up for a ton of email newsletters to tell me about your baby's development at each month. This month has been a little weird. I get all these emails that are like "your baby is 15 months, now that he's been walking for a while now....." and the reality is, my baby is NOT walking. Which is fine. The Dr. says its fine, when we look it up all the literature, medical studies say its fine. He walks holding onto your finger, he just won't walk by himself. Which, is FINE, but it is annoying at the same time. We spend a lot of time forcing ourselves to believe that it is fine, and we repeat the mantra that all the literature says "every baby is different" People do look at us weird in the park when they ask how old he is. We do a good job of brushing it off, and really we have spoken to our doctor and we totally know that Jackson is fine, its just annoying that the immediate assumption people make is that he should be walking.

In other news, my back is less painful than it was last weekend and I am starting Physical Therapy on Monday (the Physical Therapist who works on pregnant women was conveniently on vacation this week). I am, more than anything exhausted. But like I said at the beginning of this entry, I am trying to really relish this because it may very well be my last chance to be pregnant and to experience it.