40 weeks baby 2.0

well, hello, due date.  i really didn't think i would be writing a 40 week pregnancy update this time.  i was SURE that she would come early!  i guess she just needs more time, and that's fine.  i'm trying to be patient and content and enjoy the last moments with z as an only child.  sometimes i am, and sometimes i am not.  i'm sooooo anxious and excited to see this baby girl.  i'm still on the fence about labor---a little freaked out, knowing how much work it is, but at the same time interested to know how this labor will be.  all the midwives keep telling me that this labor will be faster and i won't push as long, and recovery will be easier.  they seem pretty confident about it.  i saw the midwife a couple days ago, the belly is measuring right on, and baby's heartbeat is strong.  i had her check me and i'm almost 2 cm dilated but cervix is still thick but soft, which doesn't necessarily mean anything, i could be 1 cm dilated and then within a few hours be in active labor, or i could walk around 3-4 cm dilated for days.  but the midwife did say that i would dilate much faster during active labor this time around.  i scheduled a 41 week appointment along with a non-stress test and ultra sound to check the amniotic fluid for next tuesday.  we also have several family members coming into town for thanksgiving the same day, and i never thought that we would have to be worrying that the baby wouldn't be here by then, but here we are!  hopefully she comes before then, maybe sometime this weekend?  please send prayers and thoughts our way, hahaha.  anyway, i have still been reading positive birth stories and listening to hypnobirthing and using visualization, bouncing on my yoga ball, going on walks, trying to stay active, baking, getting every last minute thing done i can think of---my bag is packed, her bag is packed, hubs' bag is packed, carseats installed, music playlists assembled, legs shaved, toenails pedicured up, baby clothes and gear ready to go, stations put together (nursing station/diaper station downstairs), we are READY!  last friday night while i was sleeping i was having some contractions---i think they were real contractions as they were painful, had a beginning and end, and wrapped around my back, too, which is what i remember last time.  but they were never regular or super painful, and when i woke up in the morning they just fizzled out.  the same thing happened on monday night, except the contractions and back pain were more intense and more regular, but by the morning they just fizzled out, too.  the midwife said that's very common and normal for subsequent pregnancies for women to have "false" or early labor start and then stop a few times before the real thing.  which is so unfair!  i was so excited both times!  oh well, i'll just be patient!  and try not to focus on being uncomfortable! so today, since i didn't go into labor and it's my due date, i decided to treat myself to some ezell's fried chicken for dinner.  and it was delicious.  mmmmmm.  crispy and spicy and delicious.  this past week i have been taking it easy but also trying to stay active by cooking and cleaning and running errands despite the fact that i am so uncomfortable and it's just generally hard to move all this around.  z has been in a better mood, thank goodness, still some typical toddler behavior, you know, yelling "no!", screaming demands at us, not wanting to stay still for clothing and diaper changes, but that's normal.  he has also been so sweet, kissing my belly, saying hi to baby sister, wrapping his toy cat, name, up in a towel and cradling him, giving kisses and putting the cat down to go to sleep.  his thing now is to take all the toys that we have for him in the living room and line them up, choo choo train style, throughout the kitchen and living room.  he takes all the loose toys like puzzle pieces and stuff like that and dumps them out into a box or his dump trucks and tractor, then continues the line of toys with his train tracks, then a stack of books, then all the stuff from his diaper bin.  it's great.  and it keeps him occupied.  it takes awhile to clean it up, and to get him to help clean it up, but if it entertains him by himself for such a long time, i am fine with it.  he even prefers to do that than to go outside most of the time, which is rare.  he is usually all about going outside no matter the time of day or temperature or precipitation that is falling.  but it's been fun watching him be so focused on this task.  my mother in law has been a tremendous help, playing with z and all the things that raising a toddler day to day requires.  plus, it's nice to have the company right now, especially when i could go into labor at any time.  it's nice not to feel lonely during a time like this.  i was asking my mom about her labor with my brother, who was the second, and she said she was much more confident, and that everything seemed a little less foreign and scary, so i'm glad to hear that, it reassures me.  hopefully this labor kicks into gear soon!  i am ready for this little soul to come into this world!

How far along:  40 weeeeeeeeeeks!!!!!!!!!
Size of baby: the size of a small pumpkin, or a newborn!  baby girl is anywhere from 6-9 lbs and 19-22 inches, pretty much at this point the baby is just adding weight, storing fat, and taking advantage of the extra time for brain development
Total weight gain:  up 43 lbs, i gained 1 lb per week since my last appointment, which isn't too bad, but hopefully i am done gaining weight
Gender:  girl
Movement:  she is still moving around but the movement has definitely slowed down, to the point of me freaking out sometimes, but she seems to still be doing well
Sleep:  has been better, although sometimes it's still hard to fall asleep or fall back to sleep and have been having more heartburn
What I miss:  just being able to move around normally
Cravings:  nothing much besides crushed ice, i haven't had any strong cravings recently
Symptoms:  swelling, fatigue, pubis symphysis, sciatica, cramping in my legs, feet and hands, shortness of breath, impatient, waddling, heartburn, lots of pressure from baby, tons of braxton hicks and some contractions, back pain, i've been nauseous off and on, feeling big, basically all the end of pregnancy symptoms, but also, my skin looks great, i have no stretch marks, when my hair is down it is thicker than normal, and i generally like the way i look pregnant, i have to say i feel more feminine when pregnant (except maybe the last part when i kind of feel like an obese 80 year old man, but that's only the last week or two haha), so those are the good symptoms of pregnancy
Best moment this week:  eating ezell's!!  haha.  and spending some time with our very good friends before they move away from us :( but watching their toddler and our toddler run around, wrestling, tickling each other and squealing and laughing was the best.  also, z and i went to a children's bahai holy day celebration last week, and it was so nice to see our friends from seattle

A little of what we've been up to this week:

i put a collage together for this pregnancy: