3 weeks away from Oliver's due date!

I haven't updated in a while, and thought I'd give a quick update.

Today is 3 weeks from his estimated due date.

I had a dr's appt on Monday (for my 36 wk appt, even though I was 36 w 3 d.) where they checked me for progress for the first time. I was 1 cm. dialated, no effacement, and -3 station. They tested me for Group B Strep, and I found out today the test was negative. Yay!

Today, I had another dr's appt for my 37 week-er. Everything is the same except he dropped another cm. to now be at -2 station. Hooray, Oliver! Good job! I also got a sonogram because my fundal ht. measurement on Monday was the same as it had been 2 wks and 3 days prior, and generally, its supposed to keep growing as a good indicator that the baby is growing, etc. Anyway, the sonogram showed all is well. The measurement probably did not change since he is dropping down into my pelvis more. They estimated his weight today from the sono. at 6 lbs 7 oz, putting him in the 40th percentile. (I'm not putting too much stock into their guess on his size, though, because they can be a couple pounds off either direction.) He is very definately still a boy. He is head down and face down, just like hes supposed to be! Go Oliver! Hes such a good boy, doing what hes supposed to do. Hehe. Amniotic fluid is great at 10 cm (whatever that means). All I know is that is apparantly great, and they would be worried if it was less than 5 cm. We could see his little diaphragm moving rhythmically, and the sonographer said he was practicing his breathing movements for outside the womb. So amazing how God has created babies to practice the actions of breathing while still in the womb when they don't actually breathe, just to prepare them to survive in the open air. Amazing. His HB was good. I can't even remember what it was. Hmm. Basically, everything looked good! The sonographer said he was down really low (yay for droppage!) and that my belly was "all baby" which didn't make me feel too shabby. Haha. I was given some pictures - three of his face and one of his boy parts. I can't see anything on two of the three face pictures, but in the last face picture I think he looks just like Andrew. :) It is so bizarre. He looks like he has a really tall forehead, too, just like Andrew. hehe. He kept his little hand up by his face the whole time.

Baby shower was last Saturday, given by the ladies of Tchula Presbyterian Church. It was lovely.

My parents were here last week, into this week for about 5 days or so. That was a good time. Mom and I got pedicures. Yay! Especially since I can't reach to paint my own toes.

We have most everything ready for baby Oliver to get here. We have tied up most loose ends, I think.

We have packed for the hospital, and everything is sitting by the front door. We will just have to grab the last minute items that can't be packed at this point.

It is surreal to think that we're really going to have a real live baby here within a few weeks or so! I just can't believe it. I am trying to enjoy this time, these last few days where it is just Andrew and me, and enjoy my sleep and such. But I am also very excited to meet this baby face to face. I guess that is normal.

People keep asking me if I feel miserable. I guess that is standard feeling for most women in the last weeks. Honestly, I have hit bumps and still deal with things like crazy heartburn, discomfort in general, extreme overheating, trouble sleeping or getting comfy, swelling/pain in my feet, etc, but I still maintain that I do not feel miserable. I'm trying to take all the aches and pains in stride. I just kind of expect not to feel super great. I have my days/moments, but I would not call it misery. And I am enjoying getting to have Oliver all to myself so close to me for these last few days. I know I will miss it in a way, even though it will be glorious to have him outside!

I'm spending the night at Buddy and Frenchie's tonight. Every time I/we come to Jackson, there is so much to get done. Its kind of amazing. Today I went to the dr's appt, went to Borders to buy a baby book, ate lunch, went to 4 stores to get baby socks (trying out a few pair from each place to see which ones stay on the best), and did another errand before landing here at the Grahams. Tomorrow, I need to go to Target, get my haircut, and go to Walmart and Kroger for several things on the way out of town to head back home. It was just too much to do in one day for me. I'm glad I split the trip into two days.

When I said goodbye to Andrew this morning, he said, "Try not to come back with a baby." Haha. I told Frenchie what he said, and she caught something I didn't at the time: I'm still coming back with a baby either way! Lol. Just not the way he meant it.

Ta ta for now. I am tired. I wore myself out walking around Jackson all day. It was stinkin' hot, too. 80 something. For a pregnant woman that =s something like 110 degrees (or more). For real.