Due Date!

 

 

 

I didn't actually see this movie and heard it was kind of "meh," but it seems appropriate for today! (Plus it's hard for me to believe that Zach Galifianakis could do any wrong. Have you SEEN "Between Two Ferns" ?!)

Notice the number in the "Baby Countdown" widget at the right? Zero days left! Happy Due Date!!!! Baby G must not have a calendar in there because with zero days left, there are zero signs of labor. I didn't expect there to be any, but I would be ELATED to feel a contraction today. Even just a false one. Something to tide me over... :)

As thrilling as I know it will be to welcome the Babe Gaultney into our lives, I am also cherishing these days of waiting. I am going to rip off an email I just sent to a friend to tell you what I mean:

[...] I am so EXCITED to meet him, but I'm just telling myself he's not technically "late" until August 8 (two weeks from now). Plus, this is such an amazing time to contemplate all of the joys and challenges ahead... I know that sounds cheesy, but really... What other time in LIFE am I going to have this kind of quiet time to ponder how God has blessed us, what kind of wife/friend/mother/sister/daughter I want to be... I'm not a very "contemplative" person by nature, so it has been cool to have a peace that allows me to think through those deep, spiritual questions. And I get a little giddy thinking that God knows Baby G's birthday already and we'll find out soon enough!

 

I really do mean that...  Yes, there are a few small things I'm kind of dreading. Namely, all of the well-meaning friends who may write things like, "When's that baby gonna get here?!" on my Facebook wall... and I also would like for the little guy to be born in July, which I believe is one of the most fabulous months. But really, that stuff doesn't matter in the long run.

That's not to say I'm not doing anything to encourage his arrival! I've amped up my exercise routine, walking a little further every day and spending some additional time on the exercise bike. I'm also using a Swiss ball instead of an office chair. And my doctor recommended that I start drinking a few cups of red raspberry leaf tea every day; it doesn't induce labor, but it does tone the muscles you'll need to use for delivery and may encourage the baby to ooch his way into position. These are just little changes to help things along, hopefully. 

 

I wrote way back when that Google is my frenemy... Such a great way to find info to help me in my pregnancy--what's okay to eat, what symptoms are normal, when you should call your doctor--but some of that info can be awfully scary. I made the mistake on Friday of Googling something like, "What happens if the baby doesn't drop," and the answer was -- dun dun dun -- C-section. I figure he's got to drop at some point though, right? And my doctor has a really low C-section and induction rate, so I think he'll work with me to allow the babe to come on his own time!

I promised you a bump pic today. Brad's gone and will be until later tonight, so here's an iPhone pic in the meantime. Forty weeks! Thank you, God, for bringing me to this point!