Yesterday was our last sonogram.  We didn't get any great pictures, but we got to see a lot.  Our little boy is head down and getting ready!  The doctor confirmed yet again that he's definitely a boy.

When the doctor checked, I was 1 centimeter dilated and she said that she could feel the baby's head with her finger.  I interpreted that to mean that he's dropped.  The doctor didn't actually say that he had dropped, but how else would she be able to feel his head?  I'm just gonna choose to see that as a sign that we're a step closer to delivery.    I know that being dilated 1 cm can mean absolutely nothing, but it was nice to hear that at least SOMETHING was happening!  Plus, if the baby HAS dropped, then he'll be putting more pressure on my cervix and hopefully dilating it even quicker.

From here on out, we'll have doctor visits every Monday to see how I'm progressing.  I can't believe that we're getting down to the wire now.  I am so ready!!!  I'm trying not to obsess, but it's hard to not see every little ache or discomfort as a sign that something  is about to happen.  I just have to keep reminding myself, "Patience, Mandy, Patience!"  I know that when God is ready for our little one to be born, it'll happen.  More than anything I just want our baby to be born healthy and without complications.  If that happens in a week or a month, so be it.

In the meantime...God bless all the mommies and babies!  

Today is our last sonogram appointment.  I'm so excited to get to see the baby again!  The last sonogram we got was 10 weeks ago...seems like forever!  The doctor is also going to start checking me for dilation and effacement today.  Yeah!  I hope to hear that something is going on down there. Then, we'll be on weekly visits from here on out! 

Not too much else to report right now.  I'll probably update tomorrow with news from our appointment today and hopefully some good sonogram pictures.

~ Mandy 

I'm feeling a bit moody today   (to put it mildly).  There are 5 weeks left until my due date and I am SO ready!  I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions much more frequently lately, but I still don't think I've had any "real" ones.  Of course I wouldn't complain if the ones I've been having WERE real, because they don't really hurt.  Wouldn't that be nice?

Well, I tried again to "persuade" my way into some extra paid maternity leave, but no luck.  Our HR department is so stupid.  If you've been working here for 6 months to a year, you only get 2 weeks of paid maternity leave.  If you've been working here for 1 to 3 years, you get 8 weeks of paid maternity leave.    That is QUITE a jump - 2 weeks to 8 weeks!?  Unfortunately, as of my due date I will be 2 months short of 1 year.  What really sucks about that is that I did a fellowship here for the whole summer last year before I was officially hired on.  If they would let me count that time, I would have a full year behind me.  But, of course...they won't let me count that, because I wasn't an "official" employee then.  They considered that temp work, even though it was full time, 40-hour weeks.  Soooo...I'm only going to get paid for 2 weeks of my maternity leave.  After that, any time that I take I'll only get 2/3 of my pay.  I guess that's better than nothing, but it still frustrates me.  I'm just gonna have to keep praying that the Lord watches over us and provides for us financially during that time.

As I mentioned earlier, I am feeling moody today.  Actually, I just feel plain crappy.  My low back is hurting me, my hips are sore, I keep having Braxton Hicks contractions, I'm tired (because I can't sleep at night), and I don't want to be at work.  I am tired of being pregnant and I just want the baby to be here.  I know that he will probably run me ragged once he arrives, but at least I'll get to stay at home and rest some and not have to worry about work for several weeks.  I'm looking forward to that.

5 more days until our next ultrasound and my first checkup for dilation and effacement.  I'm crossing my fingers that something is already happening down there.    The thought of 5 more weeks just makes me want to cry.

Well, in two days I will be 35 weeks.  I've loved every minute, but now I'm tired of being pregnant and I'm ready for the baby to be born.  I heard that at 37 weeks they consider you full term and won't try to stop you if you go into labor.  Now, I'm just hoping that my little one is as ready as I am and shows up a little early.

We go next Monday to do our last ultrasound.  Finally we'll get to see the baby again and see what position he's in (hopefully head down and ready for birth).  Also, my doctor will start "checking" to see how much I am dilated/effaced.  After next week, I start going once a week, for the last month.  Again, I hope that we won't have to wait that long. 

We have a couple little odds-and-ends kinds of stuff that we still need to get for the baby, but all in all we're just waiting.  Did I mention that I'm ready???