Full Term - 37 weeks!

Woohoo!  Full term!  It feels so great to make it to this point, but as everyone who has had a baby knows, this is also the point where you get so anxious and ready for your baby to make his or her arrival! :)

To start things off, I was SO excited to find out that I am indeed progressing (my hunch was right!)!!  At my appointment yesterday, I found out that I am definitely 1 centimeter dilated, if not almost 2 centimeters!  And, 50-60% effaced and her head is really low (station "0" for those who know the lingo).  So that is all good news!  Of course, doesn't mean that things are guaranteed to happen early, but, having some progression is better than none!  And, if I do make it to my induction, hopefully this will help things go smoothly!

But, as the doctor said yesterday - he was really happy to see her head so low for labor and delivery, but of course that also means that it is much more uncomfortable for me right now in the meantime.  That is indeed the case...

I hate to even use the word "miserable", because I don't ever want to think of carrying our daughter as miserable.  However, over this past weekend, I definitely have hit "that point" where I am READY.  One of the main reasons is that I pulled muscles in my leg/groin/pelvic area late last week and that has really made things hard to deal with.  It is very hard for me to walk - the waddle is in full effect! - and then going from sitting/laying to standing up is very very painful.  Just ask Ben, he has literally had to help move my legs when it hurts too bad for me to stand up from either sitting or laying!  Sometimes I feel like such a baby, but there isn't much I can do about it :(  My pulled muscles have started to feel a little bit better, so that's good.

"Woah!  Are you here to deliver today!?!?": says the women in the bathroom at Carle yesterday.  I guess that is what you have to look forward to when you are full-term!  This lady couldn't get over how large my belly is - she asked all of the classic questions like "is there just one in there?" or "you still have a couple of weeks?".  That's the first time I have had that kind of reaction!  I was actually kind of surprised...I don't think my belly is that big - I definitely have seen pregnant bellies larger than mine :)  Maybe it was what I was wearing...haha, who knows!  Didn't bother me too much since I am full-term and should be larger...but I can only imagine how much it would bother me if I wasn't this far along.

Here is my 37 week picture!  Must say, I will admit that I have that late pregnancy "look" (i.e. chubbier face, tired eyes, bigger nose) - not my best look, but it's worth it :) :)