FULL Term

Contrary to my lilypie ticker, I will be 37 weeks tomorrow. For some reason, the ticker changes my weeks on Sunday, but lest anyone live in ignorance, this is not accurate.

So 37 weeks is technically full term - that is the baby would not be premature by any stretch or pre-term (the vague, short span of time between premature and full term) if she were born tomorrow...or any day after that. It's interesting to me that it's called FULL term because at this stage in the game, full is the best way to describe being pregnant. I feel like the baby and I are contending for the same space...and that she's winning! I read that first babies generally drop a few weeks before they're born and subsequent babies drop right before birth. I don't think Caleb ever dropped - being breech and delivered early, so I don't know what to expect with this little girl. She's already very low - her bottom is consistently around my navel, but I don't think I feel the uncomfortableness that most people describe having with a dropped baby.

However, I have definately begun nesting. Not that my energy level meets my desire to clean. I hauled the vacuum out to the car yesterday and sucked up all the bits of paper, graham cracker crumbs, and dead insects. I keep looking around the house thinking, "What is this mess? I have to get this taken care of before the baby is born!" as though she is going to notice.

You'd think having gone through this before, I would be really laid back about packing for the hospital, but I feel so clueless. I can't remember what I packed last time! Actually I do remember feeling silly in hindsight, because I did pack a couple of little rattle type toys. I was so ignorant about newborns, I thought Caleb might like to shake them or something! Ha! All I can think is that I'll need some clothes and the baby will need something to come home in. I also plan to bring the Boppy and the La Leche League handbook I checked out from the library.

I washed a big pile of baby clothes in Dreft on Friday. Then some friends gave us 3 HUGE bags of hand-me-downs. Personally I like hand-me-downs just as much as new clothes. After I saw what sorts of vile things can come out of babies, I lost all desire to dress Caleb in all new clothes. I feel completely exhausted looking at these bags! (Thankful too...) I am really tempted to stuff them in my closet and wait until my mom gets here to help me before I try to go through them.

Speaking of which, my mom is coming on October 3rd! Yea! Yipee! Hooray! Mom, Rob and Caleb and Mako and I can't wait!