Week 37

Only 3 weeks until our due date! (and not more than 5 before we know the baby will arrive)

Friends and Family
A big shout out to our Cokesbury Life Group for a fantastic baby party on Sunday night. I think live music, a grill, and beverages should be a part of every baby shower from now on! Seriously, though, we feel very blessed to have all of you in our lives.

Dad
Dad has declared himself officially ready to welcome the baby.  Something about finishing the nursery, childbirth classes, and baseball - suddenly his schedule is wide open for baby! (He did request that we wait until after this weekend so that we have time for a final spring cleaning before the bundle's arrival).

Mom
Mom is doing pretty well this week considering that the 9th month is really the hardest.  I'm moving a lot slower these days, and I don't just mean walking.  It takes me twice as long to fold laundry, sweep the floor, get off the couch.... you name it! I feel very blessed to have had an un-eventful easy pregnancy and now I'm focused on keeping the delivery along that trend. I've organized all of my projects at work, so other than some final touches to the hospital bag, I'm also ready for the 'any day' arrival of the baby.  Some good news is that I've finally gotten about as big as I can get.  No, seriously! The uterus has grown to it's fullest possible height and literally has no where else to go. Most women put on little to no weight and don't get noticeably bigger after 37 weeks.

Baby
It's still baby's job to grow and get fat! But there is a major accomplishment to announce - as of today baby is officially 'full term' and even though it may be another 5 weeks before he shows up (and a probable 2-4 weeks), labor could really start up at any time.  All of the organs are fully formed, the lungs should be finishing up their development, and the immune system is starting to gear up (a solid supply of Mom's breast milk will keep him going until that immune system is fully functioning). Baby should weigh between 7 and 8 lbs but we will have to wait until he's born to see if the estimates have proven correct. I can tell that he's gotten into some cramped quarters as most of the movement I am feeling now are just shifts of weight from left to right and back again.

Counting down the days.....