36 Weeks Left and Counting!

36 Weeks!!

di·la·tion –noun
1.the act of dilating; state of being dilated
2.the widening or stretching of an opening or a hollow structure in the body.

Who would have known that this handy little word that Matt and I learned in our "Prepared Childbirth" class could send us into such a frenzy! Yesterday was my 36 week prenatal appointment with Dr. Spoon. Matt and I were anticipating this appointment very much since my body and pregnancy symptoms have changed so much in the last few weeks and we had some questions about some of the aches and pains I have been having! I was pretty sure that I had been having some mild (and some not so mild) contractions, especially during the night. Dr. Spoon proceeded with my exam and not only did he exclaim "Whoa!" but he followed it up with "That's definitely her head!" Ummmmm.....what???!!! That's right, our little girl is on the move and headed toward the light at the end of the tunnel...and because of this, I am fully dilated to two centimeters already! This, of course, shocked the heck out of us because my due date is still four weeks away. Thankfully, she will be considered full term this coming Sunday at 37 weeks which calms our worry and nerves tremendously.

Matt and I came home and suddenly we were in "Oh my gosh, we may only have a week or two before this happens" mode. Matt was in the bathroom packing his "Dad Bag" for the hospital....I was washing her changing pad cover, receiving blankets and refolding clothes (of course)....and shortly thereafter we were both perched on the couch with our Ipods putting our labor/baby playlist together for the hospital so she can come into the world to a mellow Jack Johnson...or Mommy's faves...Janis Joplin, the Doors or some Hendrix :)

Her size has seemed to even out a bit. Our appointment showed that I am measuring 36 cm from pelvic bone to the top of my uterus which is right on for her age. She is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. She is swallowing both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first tar diaper.......looking forward to that!!

We were so excited to call our family and give them the news last night. I am a little in shock that she could be here at anytime and I'm petrified I am going to miss my labor signs....even though EVERYONE that has had a baby says that there is NO way for me to miss my labor signs :) So, this week I will take it easy....no long walks (advice from my brother whose wife went into labor after a walk around the block) no stress and a lot of anticipation that Matt and I will be meeting our daughter for the first time...very soon.

We will, of course, keep you all updated. Please keep us in your prayers that she will arrive when the time is right so that we have a healthy little baby to hold in our arms!

All Our Love...XOXO