Wow - it’s always impressive when I make it this far, since I usually am 3 to 4 cm by now. I am happy to report that the baby is no longer SO low. There were a couple of nights that were very uncomfortable due to the head PRYING my bones apart (or so it felt like).

I’m sad to say that I’ve been one grumpy mommy the past couple of days though, having to apologize to my children for my ‘explosions’. It’s not been like me to get so edgy about every little thing, so this has been hard on them and me.

They just want to play, read, and do crafts…. they ARE children after all. I just want to sit in peace and quiet, maybe taking a couple hours of sleep during the day….

I am excited that my parents are welcoming them tomorrow for some play time at their house - the kids are excited too! I guess I’ll finish getting our tax info together - not sure why I’ve procrastinated this long since we’re getting a refund.

I’m also hoping to pick up the ‘only slightly messy house’, do some laundry, and have some quiet down time with DH. Of course, he has plans to cut the grass, clean the fish water (they are getting sick and beginning to die), and probably a few other things I can’t remember.

It’s just one of those times I need to just be held, know what I mean? Just to sit quietly in his arms - feeling the strength, knowing he will be right there with and for me. This has been the BEST thing he’s done for me at times over the past few years when I get stressed.

There was a song he chose for our wedding “I Will Be Here”, and I always am reminded of the part that says “I will be here, you can cry on my shoulder” - I need him for that when I’m tired and weak. Isn’t God great to give us husbands for this!

He’ll agree, he wasn’t always like that in the beginning of our marriage (he just didn’t understand females and our differences very much then), but God has done such a great work in his heart - and he has been much more of the servant in our relationship. He inspires me, and I so want to be more like him - because he is so much like Him (God) now in our marriage. So hubby, if you ever read this blog, you are such a blessing to me and I’m so grateful for you!!

With one week to go, I’ve gained around 27 lbs. approximately. It’s funny that some large t-shirts of hubby’s still hide the baby, making it hard to notice I’m pregnant (from the front). DH says it’s VERY obvious from the side… thanks??

I took a lot of the afternoon making calls to hospitals, trying to find one that I could go to should I go into labor over the weekend. I know for sure the dr. on call at my hospital is the one that gave me such a hard time with the kidney stone and not wanting me to bother her over the weekend needing pain medicine (since we didn’t talk about it when I was discharged).

My previous hospital was an option, but the dr. on call with my old group there is the one that I mentally link to my miscarriage two years ago. He’s also the on call dr. for patients admitted without a dr. So, I called another practice that a friend uses.

That group wasn’t on call this weekend, so they gave me the number of the group covering them. Well, they closed at 12, and it was close to 2. UGGHHH - this is NOT the weekend to have a baby anywhere near the B’ham area!

Two other hospitals came to mind, one I knew of has a high staph infection rate. I found out the other one has the HIGHEST staph rate, info from someone that works with a lawyer and sees many cases from this one.

I thought I was out of options, and almost excitedly was prepared to blow up the swimming pool in the garage and have no choice but a home birth.

I guess DH has rubbed off on me a little… While I wouldn’t be concerned for myself, I wouldn’t ever forgive myself if the baby had a problem that needed medical attention and I wasn’t in a place to give it to them. See, our first born has a rare combination of heart problems - that thankfully aren’t causing any issues for him currently.

But when he was an infant, they were very concerned, and even had us preparing for surgery one particular visit if things didn’t improve. Thankfully, God improved them, and we never had to go there. Even the surgery was very risky for him, the risks causing more problems that would completely block the valve to his lungs - which would mean emergency open heart surgery.

SO, since they feel this is something genetic, DH has always been strong on hospital births - and I can agree with him on this. I feel more comfortable having emergency medical care should a new baby have this condition, but on a worse scale - needing immediate attention and/or surgery.

I myself am thinking this is a small baby, probably 7 lbs. 2 oz. to 7 lbs. 9 oz.  - strange huh? I’m actually looking forward to the more natural AFTER birth plan, keeping the cord attached that first hour. There’s so much I’ve learned reading about this!

I even came across one method called “Lotus Birth”, where you don’t cut the cord at all - leaving it in place until it falls off. I’m not there yet, I just can’t imagine having the placenta RIGHT there for 3 to 4 days - yuck!

I still have yet to order the bamboo sling I wrote about a while back, as well as the final cloth diaper supplies. Anyone want to buy some products from me to help out?? Ha! Really - I do have some neat items on one of the pages on the left sidebar - I have each of these myself and will be doing postings/ reviews on them in the future. (Only because I myself would recommend them)

We remembered to pack batteries for the cameras, charger for the phone, the address/ phone book and calling card. I still have to get together the cd’s to take - some instrumental hymn/ praise cd’s as well as the Bible verse song CD I wrote. I need the instrumental to relax me, and want the Bible verses to begin putting God’s Word in this little one’s heart straight from the beginning!

Remember, you still have a little time to join me on Facebook (Mrs. Candace)! You have to be approved, so just comment that you read this blog. I won’t be able to approve anyone once I go into the hospital. My friend, Sunny, will post the baby announcement on my wall - so look for it!

“Little Mommy”