34 Weeks

Baby:
If a happy baby is an active baby, she's peachy! She is just over 5 pounds now and somewhere around 18-18.5 inches long. Her current activities are gaining weight (Mom's helping with cupcakes and Tootsie rolls), growing strong (daily exercises include kicks, punches, twists, and what we think are grips), and building a strong immune system. If she were to exit her cocoon this early, chances are she would be just fine with the assistance of some extra heat and maybe some oxygen for her not quite developed lungs. We're trying to convince her she should stay put awhile longer...

Mom:
With 6 weeks to go, the biggest change for me is feeling truly pregnant! I'm even pregnant in my dreams for the first time and they are very strange vivid ones at that! I wish I could remember one - I'll have to start writing them down. Sometimes I actually wake up wanting to laugh...

My tummy does not look bigger from my angle (downward), but it must weigh more. Curbs jump out at me and sitting up straight is a must. When I lean over our baby girl actually gets mad and kicks me. I think it smushes her! ;-) I'm also getting more emotional. I got teary-eyed at Chilli's last week because they are donating all their profits from one day to this hospital who named a wing after them... Yep, while that sounds nice - it doesn't sound like something to tear up over. I'm also rather snappy. Just ask Adam and probably even my coworkers! They are all taking it in stride so "thank-you."

I am starting to feel "ready". It is a little scary, thinking you're bringing a helpless baby into the world who will depend on you for everything... But it is also pretty exciting and amazing! We have a long way to go before things are ready (if they ever will be), but we now have a car seat so they will let us take her home, and a mattress for the cradle so she has a place to rest her head. At least that is two steps in the right direction... I turned in my paperwork today for maternity leave. They ask for dates so I added "...ish" behind them! As of now I'm hoping to work until I can't anymore and then take roughly 10 weeks off to get us past the holidays.

Oh, and I should note one of my biggest lessons from our second prenatal class - I'm afraid the "natural" way is not for me. They passed around a model used to teach residents how to measure dilation - just white plastic with circles on it. One of those circles was the full 10 centimeters... Um... Yeah! I'm looking forward to this week's discussion on drug options! :)

Dad:
We have been going to a “How to Have a Baby” class at the hospital now for a couple weeks. This last session, Sarah and I had the pleasure of watching “The video”. For those who don’t know, “The video” is essentially 2 or 3 ladies reminiscing about their step-by-step progression of labor with video evidence. I think I was alright with everything until the camera panned down for a live action close-up. It wasn’t the fact that they zoom in on some ladies hoo-ha in what seems to be an extremely painful feat, but the utter lack of inconsistency by “The video’s” director. In the earlier stages of the film, I was lead to believe I would’t have to view that footage due to the strategic placement of garments. Boy was that perception shattered. If you are going to show everything, might as well do it from the beginning so we men can get a little prepared. I’ll bet that director didn’t win any Oscars.

One good thing about the class was that we got to watch bill Cosby explain natural child birth. I’ll put the clip at the bottom of this entry.

Besides the class, Sarah is having more and more contractions every day. One of these times it’s not going to be a false alarm. We really need to get a bag packed and all that other stuff, just in case the little one decides to come early. Not to long now before it’s go time….6 weeks.

P.S. Thanks to all of you who prayed for the Cyclones. Your prayers were answered in the form of an ISU victory over Iowa. More prayers and/or ritualistic sacrifices are needed for the rest of the season.