37 weeks 5 days

Natalie was born at 37 weeks 4 days.  So today is sort of a milestone for this baby, or maybe for Natalie - she won't lose her status as "born earliest".

Something interesting - times have changed - with all three of the other kids, by 37 weeks, they were considered "full term", but that is not how it is any more.  Now, you are not considered full term until the 39th week - which is why hospitals no longer schedule elective c-sections or inductions before 39 full weeks - 38 weeks 6 days will not cut it.  This is also why we ran into the problem of not being able to schedule a c-section - the only days I was allowed to choose from were full.  The window of time between too early and too close to my due date ended up being only 2 days (because Saturday and Sunday were also off limits).  The short of it is: to have the baby on the day I'm "supposed" to, I was going to have to fabricate some symptoms so that I could be admitted.  I seriously did not know how I was going to do that - besides believing lying is wrong, I am also extremely bad at lying.  I know that I could not keep up the ruse without spontaneously confessing seconds later.

I spent some time stressing over this and, with the very littlest bit of faith, told God I would trust him.

As it turned out, a friend of Rob's - who he had done a favor for in the past - is on the board of directors at the hospital.  Rob sent him an email and within 48 hours, I got a phone call that a time had opened up and I am on the schedule.  I did not have to lift a finger.

At my midwife's office, I have discovered it's great to be in the 9th month of pregnancy.  They get me in and out in record time, today it was 28 minutes!   Before a 15 minute check up took 3 solid hours.  That place is a total madhouse.  I cannot believe the number of people in their waiting area.  There are 3 or 4 OBs practicing there in addition to my midwife and if she were not there, I would definitely be somewhere else.

The other great thing about being in the 9th month is the whole issue of measuring wrong for dates becomes moot.  We'll just see how big she is when she gets here!  Which will be - if not before, July 21 at 11:30 - which I think is a great time.  I have to fast from midnight the night before, so it's definitely better than a 5pm slot.  It's kind of like taking a flight, we have to be there 2 hours prior, so a much earlier time would mean going to the hospital during the morning rush hour.   So that is where we stand.  T -11 days and counting!