37 Weeks

We are in the home stretch with less than a month until my due date! I can hardly believe how fast the time has flown. In fact, I sent this photo to several friends last night with a caption reading "27 weeks" instead of 37 weeks. Hmm...typo or Freudian slip? I'll let you be the judge.

At 37 weeks, here's how things are shaping up:

Feeling

• Pretty good overall, despite being less and less comfortable with each passing day. 
• But also quite large and cumbersome. Keith has to help me put my shoes on because I can't quite reach over or around my big old belly. Too bad winter weather requires boots or shoes with laces for the most part instead of summer's easy flip-flops.
• As ready as I think I'll ever be. The hospital bags are packed, I've read all the books (and pamphlets, and websites, and blogs), toured the hospital, watched the videos. The stroller, car seat, and baby bath tub are all en route via various shipping methods and everything else is waiting in her nursery and ready to go.
• But also a little bit terrified. Am I really ready? I don't think anyone ever truly is. What have I forgotten? Probably plenty of really important and not-so-important things. Can we really do this? Only by the grace of God. And even then, we will mess up, and mess up, and mess up.

Craving

• Apples. Fruit has tasted so good to me throughout this whole pregnancy and apples have been my favorite. Especially galas and honeycrisps.
• Dessert. Normally I'm not a huge sweet eater, but lately I love a sweet treat at the end of the day. Chocolate chess pie. Fresh baked cookies from the the new coffee shop downtown. Ice cream with some kind of crushed goodie sprinkled over the top. Yum!
• Decaf Chai tea with steamed milk and honey. Also from the local coffee shop downtown. I'm so glad they're finally open!

Missing

• Full nights of uninterrupted sleep. I know, I know...it only gets worse from here.
• Being able to turn over in bed, get up off the couch, or sit down on the floor without going through a major ordeal.
• Sleeping on my stomach.
• Pop. Christmas will mark a year since the last time I hugged him or saw his smile or heard his laugh. If there's one thing in the world I wish I could change for my little girl, it's the fact that she won't get to experience her great-grandfather's exuberant, incredible love. There just are not words.

Loving

• A roaring fire, despite the fact that the weather here is unseasonably warm and doesn't feel anything like almost-Christmas.
• The house all decorated for Christmas with presents for Addie stacked under the tree.
• Every kick, jolt, jiggle and barrel roll in my bumpy belly. This little girl is very active. She's either inherited her Daddy's athletic prowess or her Momma's complete spazzitude. Even though she's big enough that it's a little painful these days, I will miss feeling her dance and flip around all the time.

Wishing 

• There was a way to be everywhere at once, so we could spend the holidays with all of our wonderful family and friends, despite the fact that so many are so far away.
• The Christmas cards and thank you notes that I'm so behind on were already in the mail instead of still on my to-do list.
• For Addison to come just a teeny bit early, so Keith will have some time to just be home with her before the new semester starts.

Praying

• For a lack of ice storms on and around her birth.
• That labor and delivery would be as painless and complication-free as possible. 
• A safe and healthy little girl will be in our arms soon!