Spaceboy really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and he’s over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). He has a firm grasp, which I’ll soon be able to test when you hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Can you believe it?! 38 weeks. Wow. At the beginning of pregnancy, when there are a mere six weeks under the belt (literally) 40 weeks just stretches out in front of you, timeless. It’s like looking forward to Christmas in February. Inevitable, but eons away. Suddenly, it is here, upon us. And it’s not like we’re unready, we are ready, it is just unbelievable, that in ten short days our lives will be forever changed by our new littlest Littlejohn. I remember being at the end of my pregnancy with Guinevere, approaching parenthood for the first time, extremely excited and terrified of this grand new adventure. Now the mystery isn’t there so much, nor the terror, but the excitement is. I can’t wait to meet our baby.

I am feeling SO good these days! Gone (knock on wood) are the days of constant hip pain, I am not bothered by my varicose veins, I am energetic. It is all good! My belly seems gigantic, but I’m sure you would agree that a big belly in the 38th week is to be expected. It is frequently difficult to roll over at night and I need a push from Bradley sometimes to make it happen. Or for that matter, just to get out of bed! Last night I was seized with a leg cramp so strong that it woke me up. I gracelessly hopped out of bed attempting to straighten my foot and finally had to make it happen by pushing it onto the floor. My calf is still sore! That was an exciting way to start the morning!

I am also feeling quite relieved that all of my loose ends are tied up. My team competed yesterday at the regional level for Destination Imagination. It was a long, grueling day, but also really fun. For DI we begin to prepare our presentations in October and work feverishly on it until it’s over in March. A LONG project that is really fun, but I’m glad it’s over for the year and gladder yet that I was able to make it to the end without giving birth prematurely! I also got my report cards finished… Now I can get to work on Gigi’s scrapbook, Jude’s scrapbook (ultrasound pics & showers) and perhaps catch up a little on our family scrapbooks which have fallen miserably behind. I think I have yet to enter anything in them from beyond Gigi’s first birthday!

Gigi has gotten really clingy this week. Crying almost every day as I leave for work or especially if she wakes after I’ve left. She’s been asking if we will still love her after New Baby arrives. It makes me sad that she feels insecure, but this is life and she will adjust with time. I think she’s just trying to suck up as much mommy and family time as possible before the intruder comes. (not really an intruder, but he will definitely change things!)

I have five days left at work. I’ve been told in confidence to plan for the last 45 minutes as a “surprise” baby shower from my students. I really am going to miss them during the seven weeks of absence. I love these guys!

At my appt last Tuesday my doctor inquired about how serious we were about Jude being our last child. We told him 100%! He then offered to tie my tubes! Yee-Haw! I was told initially that because Providence is a catholic hospital they don’t do that, especially at the time of birth. My doc (Banfield if you’re interested, we like him lots) said PSHAW! He does them at the time of c-sections all the time, by golly! So we’re doing it! And then, i called Group Health to see how much we needed to budget for the birth and I don’t even have to pay a cent for the sterilization and my hospital bill is totally covered WITHOUT a copay! I was amazed! We are in fat city. This is all looking terribly good. Group Health often gets a bad rap, and there are sucky things about dealing with them sometimes, but I paid 10.00 at my first visit to my OB and haven’t had to pay nor will I have to pay another cent to have this baby. That is pretty amazing. And stress free. Coolio.

Ah well, TTFN. Next time I write will be the last before the baby comes. Wow. Someday, not in the near future, I want to go back through and read these weekly posts. It should be interesting…
Have a lovely week!
Tamara


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