38 weeks for me... 5 days for him

So, here is an update on where we stand. I am now 38 weeks pregnant (where has the time gone?) and Jared has 5 days until he gets here (Friday night arrival)! That basically means that our little girl needs to cook for another 6 days (yes at least 6 days so that dad can get a full night's rest before the chaos starts!). I had a check-up last Wed and I wasn't dilated but "the cervix has started to soften." Dr. Casanova did seem a little concerned that Jared wasn't going to get here for another week and a half but not overly concerned. I have another appointment this Wednesday, hopefully I haven't progressed much. So now I am avoiding all excitement in order to put off labor at least until Jared gets here. I did ask Dr. Casanova what I can do to make sure I don't go into labor (as much as I can control it anyway) and here is what he said, "no intercourse and nothing strenuous." Well, the no intercourse thing will be very easy not to do and the "nothing strenuous" will be easy as well. He did say I can continue to work out since I have been doing it all along and my body is used to it...I think I am going to stick to the pool though. I don't think I am going to go into labor before he gets here but I just want to do what I can to make sure. Now...once Jared gets here, it's "game on!" I am also a little concerned that I will go into labor late and Jared will have missed some very valuable time with her. So, Sept. 4 +/- 2 days would really work out perfectly for us! Say your prayers for us that it all works out so that Jared can spend some quality time with our little one before he has to go back. He only has 3 weeks once he gets here.

Jared and I still don't have a name for her but don't worry, we will get one picked out...before we leave the hospital!

Here I am in all my pregnant glory! My tank top is screaming at me every week I put it on! Even my maternity tops are getting too small, leaving my belly hanging out at the bottom. I get stared at everywhere I go, by kids and adults alike. I think everyone is wondering if I am going to go into labor at that very moment!



Below is a video I took a couple of weeks ago of my belly. She moves like this on a daily basis and I think it is one of the neatest things in the world. Every time she moves I try to imagine what she looks like moving around in there. I suppose soon enough I will actually know. (Although I keep thinking about the end of the movie Space Balls where the guy is sitting at the diner and starts screaming and lays down on the counter when a tiny alien comes out of the guys midsection and starts singing "Hello my Darling" and doing a dance!)

(by the way, if the video doesn't work, sorry. This is my first time trying to upload video and I don't think the computer I am on likes videos. So, if you want to watch it and this isn't working, I also have the video posted on my facebook.)




At this point, I ask that you say a prayer for Jared. He has a busy week to get through before getting here. Pray he gets here safely and that he gets here in time to see his daughter be born. He has been doing so well in S. Korea but is ready to be here as it has been 9 months since he has was last in Texas and 3 months since he and I have been able to wrap our arms around each other. Actually, since I left him in Korea in January it has been 232 days and over the course of those 232 days, I have actually been within arms reach of him for only 10 days. (I have doubled in size since then so he doesn't know the full expanse that my belly reaches right now...might be a bit of a shock for him, just as it is for me every morning I try to roll myself out of bed- usually unsuccessfully on the first try!)

Ok, I will try to keep everyone posted with updates as they are warranted. Hopefully I don't have any exciting news to report on until Friday night when Jared gets into town, then...who knows what God has in store for us. It is a good thing I believe that God will not give me anything I cannot handle since each day that goes by I get a little more nervous about this venture I have signed up for called "natural childbirth." Say a prayer for me too!