the home stretch

WOW! i am 39 weeks pregnant today. it has been SUCH an incredible journey. i still remember walking into the living room stunned on November 15th as i looked at the POSITIVE pregnancy test and held it out speechless for matt to see. i am a TON excited and a little sad as this amazing time comes to a close. i will never forget this incredible blessing and the miracle of carrying god’s child inside of me.

matthew and i are so very excited to meet our daughter and believe me…i am exhausted and ready to have her in my arms – but i would be lying if i said there isn’t a part if me that will miss the sweetness that is having my baby in my womb. the kicks, rolls, hiccups…all of it. just the other morning she was so active as i was laying there in bed. she had been very still through the night and slept well, but as i began to move around in bed, preparing to get up, she started to squirm. i laid there and rubbed my tummy and she did the cutest little thing ever. she started rubbing her feet (which are now basically in my ribs) together. her daddy and i both do this when trying to fall asleep. it was so cute, i could very distinctly tell that that is exactly what she was doing…just like a little cricket in there begging “please mom, just five more minutes” she rubbed her tiny feet together to put herself back to sleep, and within a few more minutes she was still again…it was so precious!

i have truly loved being pregnant. if the world was all teacups and roses, i would definitely not be working at 39 weeks pregnant – that has been the difficult part indeed. but carrying this little one has really been no trouble at all. a few worries or aches here and there, but nothing that is remotely close to the reward i hope to soon receive when she is placed on my chest any day now! it has been an honor to have her all wrapped up inside of me for the last 10 months and to take her with me everywhere i go. what a miracle!

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STATUS REPORT -

i had my 38 week check up this past wednesday. i was praying for progress of any kind. surely enough, i got some! i am still 80% effaced and at station 0. but i am now 4cm dilated! WOW! i cannot believe i am almost half way there. i am so lucky. many women go through all of their laboring at the hospital. i am so grateful to be moving along and continuing with my day to day as i do. hopefully this will make for a shorter and smooth delivery once we do check in at L&D! oh and i will also say…i believe my weight gain was up to a total of 36 lbs. in my defense, i did eat a freebird burrito right before weighing in and i am definitely swollen and carrying some fluid weight, but whatever!

my doctor left town today and will not be back until July 26th or something insane…so i suppose it is pretty safe to say that one of the physicians she shares call with will be the lucky dr. to bring out little pea into the world! at this point, i really don’t care much about who “catches” her, so long as its on her terms. allowing her to come when she is ready is much more important to me than having had dr. johnson induce me so she could deliver her before going on vacation. i am glad we have decided to let labor start on its own.

38 weeks!!!

last weekend, when i hit 38 weeks – my parents drove in to visit, just certain that their arrival would bring about labor. obviously not… but we had a wonderful visit and a fun fourth of july none the less! in fact i even rode all the way to surfside with them and saw the ocean. (dad had to drop his surfboards off to get doctored up after a minor incident on interstate 45, but that my friends, is a whole ‘nother story!). it was little pea’s first time to “see” the ocean. i think she liked the breeze and salty air! if she is anything like her momma, she will love it and be a fish in no time!

our fourth celebrations were low key. we ate at a local taqueria - my dad’s favorite past time is digging up great local and authentic taco dives – and sat on the deck out back watching everyone else’s fireworks and listening to the pops and crackles. the whole block smelled like firework smoke…a reminder of the fun i had as a kid! i can’t wait to have sparklers and smoke bombs and do all that fun stuff with pea when she is just a little older. but this year, she had fun just tucked away in my tummy away from all the loud noise while her doc, gigi (my mom and dad) and mommy and daddy visited and enjoyed a hot summer night in southeast texas!

  hanging on the patio – happy 4th!

the next morning, my parents actually visited our church (the ark) for the first time ever. they really enjoyed themselves, and i was honored to have them with us for worship and fellowship. it was a neat time. and even cooler…some of their highschool friends actually go to our church and we are friends with their kiddos, small world. here is a picture of my parents and their buddies steve and virginia roper…apparently my dad and steve used to surf down in galveston as young kids – CRAZY!

once again…this weekend, my folks headed into town. dad had to go back to surfside to pick up his boards, so mom figured she would come along for the ride, again convinced this baby would surely come. i will say…this time, i thought she was right!

i had strong contractions at work all day friday and they continued on into the evening/night. but by the time i woke up saturday they had subsided. which of course, mom was determined to remedy. and so….we walked! and walked….and walked! we shopped til we dropped, had lunch with my aunt pat and the shopped some more. but still NO baby. poor mom, she is so ready to be gigi to her sweet pea! so saturday evening came too quickly and she and dad headed back to waxahachie, minus a granddaughter! ….sorry guys!

today is sunday, and as i said, i am officially 39 weeks. believe it or not – this little baby girl had SHOWER NUMBER FIVE today! my mother in law’s sweet friends threw us the sweetest shower! it was a “high tea” southern style with tea and scones, sandwiches and one amazing cake! it was such a precious little party and all the ladies were so sweet. there were about 15 women there most of whom i have never met and a couple that i have met only once in passing. i feel so honored and flattered that they were so generous and kind to someone they hardly even know – what a wonderful bunch of women! and needless to say…baby pea left with LOTS of goodies!

so…i am not looking forward to another week of work. at this point, it is truly a challenge to face that desk each day. but - i put my faith in god that he will get me through this and i know each day that i am that much closer to a much needed break with my new little love! i am praying for rest and a sense of peace as i enter this (hopefully) final week of pregnancy. thank you all for your love, support and prayers through this amazing journey and please continue to cover us in prayer as we near the greatest part of this trip.

a huge thank you to my mother in law nancy and her wonderful friends for such a beautiful party.

a special thank you to my mom and dad for the visits and special time together. i know i45 is well traveled between here and waxahachie!

thank you a million ways to my best friend and true love matthew. you are my everything. my shoe buckler, glass of water getter, foot massager, neck rubber, listening ear and ever present support. i love you dearly.

and of course – thank you jesus. thank you for this miracle. thank you for choosing me to mother this child and for giving me such a wonderful partner in life to go along side me. god, you are my strength and my peace in all of this!

39 weeks!!!