Jude now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he’s born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. You’ll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Yeah! We are there! He can come at any time!

My little kicker has flipped! On Wednesday I was laying on the couch when I began to feel kicks horizontally on both sides of my stomach. One side was head, the other feet and bum. He stayed that way for a while until finally settling down into the more traditional head down position. I was suspicious of him being breech and thought that all those kicks seemed awful low. Now all of those wiggles and jiggles are directed upwards. I am not sure what is better: getting my bladder kicked and unexpectedly emptied or getting my stomach/gallbladder/lungs kicked and having difficulty eating and breathing.

His new positioning has also spawned my share of ‘mini’ gallbladder attacks. When his foot goes just right, he massages the gallbladder and stimulates a short but intense attack. In fact, the other day I came home from work midday (after a dramatic and tearful exit in front of my students) and the attack stopped shortly after arriving home. Then throughout the afternoon I continued having little attacks. While I don’t enjoy them, they are certainly better than the alternative six hour pain-a-thons that have been the previous pattern! My body is REALLY trying to have a big attack, I guess it’s time, but I am eating so well that I haven’t had a biggie in a while. Hopefully I can continue without an attack until my surgery in April.

I am feeling done. Like I want to be able to roll over at night without hurting. Like I want to sleep without having to go potty four times at night. Like I want to be able to exercise and walk normally again. Like I want to be able to tie my shoes without getting out of breath. Like I want to have my gallbladder surgery and be able to eat normally again. Like I want Gigi to be able to sit on my lap comfortably again. Like I want to sleep without the annoying hours of pregnancy insomnia again. I am just done. I am loving the baby and am surprised that I am so bored with being pregnant. Hail to all the women who do this more than twice. I am glad that March 19th is so soon. Only 43 more days to go…

This past week has been pretty uneventful. Bradley and Gigi both got pinkeye. So they had to run around to the doctors and get medicated. My dad’s birthday was on Thursday so we got together on Saturday for a birthday dinner. We are planning a trip to Ikea to buy a dresser for the baby with funds generously donated by my grandfather. The house is almost all painted, the baby’s nursery is coming together nicely, my leave is approved, all in all, we are ready.

We are having a meet the baby party/open house on March 30th at my friend Beth’s home in Marysville. If you are interested in coming (or helping), let me know and I’ll pass on the necessary information. It will be very low key, just a chance to meet the new little bundle!

Tamara