32 weeks

Eight weeks more until our due date, five more until 37 weeks.  I admit I have two separate countdowns going on.  One for the due date, and another for when we reach the point where we have living proof a baby born then (37 weeks - THANK YOU Emma!) is ready to do just fine outside Mama!  And once again, if Little Fella decides he's like April 25 for a birthday rather than May 16ish, I would be the last one to try and talk him out of it!

Thankfully we haven't had any further extreme episodes with contractions since my last post.  I had my 32 week appointment with a different doctor than usual on Tuesday, since mine is on vacation this week.  I shared with her my extreme dismay at not receiving a call back in that situation, and she was visibly bothered by it as well.  Reasons she offered were that *occasionally* pages don't go through, however since I called multiple times that doesn't seem to hold up.  Another possibility is that the on-call doctor could have been in a delivery and overlooked their pages.  This still bugs me, and makes me wonder how on Earth they could miss three separate pages, but whatever.  I was assured it was a freak occurrence (better be!) and the doctor apologized profusely.

Overall, the doctor was concerned at the sheer number of contractions I had been having, and asked me a thousand questions about their frequency and number since that Saturday.  I was told IF in the future this same scenario plays out again (and I repeat:  it had better not!) that I should check myself in to Labor & Delivery to have them check my cervix to see if I am dilating, and if a little too much action is going on so prematurely there are steps that can be taken to slow things down, if not stop them altogether.  Apparently having my first baby at 37 weeks makes me a bit of a wild card as to whether or not I'm prone to premature delivery, even though 37 weeks is technically full term - to some doctors anyway.  I'm finding more and more that 38 weeks seems to be the new "full term."  Amazing how medical theories can change in just three years!

On the home front, I have been soaking up and fully enjoying a wonderful spring break this past week!  My goal was to fill the week with fun and special activities with Emma, and we've had a great time.  Monday we went to see Gnomeo & Juliet at the movie theater.  Em was absolutely priceless the entire outing - she was simply beaming from ear to ear from the moment we arrived at the theater to the moment we left.  The movie was adorable as well.  Tuesday we visited the Art Factory, where Emma got to explore her inner artist by painting, cutting, gluing, and glittering to her heart's content.  She is so proud of the artwork she brought home, and keeps saying to me "Mama, I love art!"  Hearing that just makes my heart sing.  Wednesday and Thursday she was mostly interested in staying home and playing with her toys, so I honored that - you don't have to twist my arm to kick it on the couch all day!  Today has been chocolate chip cookie day, where my little assistant chef and I made some pretty amazing cookies, if I do say so myself!

I have loved having this week to spend with my Emma.  These last few weeks of her days as an only child are moving so fast, and are so precious.  I know she will thrive as a big sister, and I also know in my heart that becoming a family of four will be every bit as fulfilling and beautiful as being our little family of three has been for the past three and a half years.  And of course Emma will always be my one and only little princess, and there are many, many mommy/daughter special experiences to come.  But the sentimental person I am, mixed in with the hormonal and overly-emotional pregnant woman, can't help but look at this time as the closing of one very special life chapter.  However, there is the logical me too, and I know that we are about to embark on the beginning of a whole new, exciting, and miraculous chapter in our lives as well.  And when push (no pun intended) comes to shove, I feel so lucky that this wonderful little family is on the brink of becoming one person bigger!

And now that I've made myself cry, I will sign off....