31 weeks

I am officially on the count down.  It feels weird to be nearing the end of this pregnancy.  I am enjoying the reality of our lives right now: two independent children who can go potty in the toilet, put on their own shoes, buckle themselves in their carseats, etc.....It's really nice to be able to give a 10 minute warning and actually leave in those ten minutes instead of trying to fit in a last minute feeding or change an unexpected diaper.  I was spoiled for an entire year and so now I'm kind of dreading to start that all up again.

We are all excited and extremely blessed to have this baby; however, it's just going to take some getting use to when she's here.  

At 31 weeks I am feeling a little bit more pain in my lower back.  I still have a lot of energy and usually think I can do more than I should...naturally, I pay for it later.   I still try to get out and run.  I usually accomplish 1.5 miles before the cramping settles in and I have to walk the rest of the way.  It's nice to keep up some form of exercise, though, even when I can't move much.

This baby is very active--like all my other kids.  She is in constant motion and ironically prefers the nighttime  hours when I'm settled down to sleep.  I am carrying this baby similar to how I carried Jakob.  She is higher into my ribs and more round, instead of wide.  The pediatrician asked me if we were sure it is a girl when I'm carrying her like a boy.  I'm pretty sure it's a girl....at least that's what the pictures show us.  How surprised will we be if it's actually a boy!  I don't think I mind either way. I guess it wouldn't really make a difference because we don't even have a girl's name picked out yet so either boy or girl, we would still have to agree on what to call it.

 I've been getting twice as many comments this week about my growing belly and having "another one on the way".  An old guy at the fabric store kept going on and on about how great I look for being pregnant.  "Your husband should be very proud of the way you look. You don't even look like your pregnant when you're back is turned.  Good job!"  Uh.  If he only knew how I really felt about the ginormous basketball protruding from my abdomen. :)

We will be visiting our families next week and then when we return I will have 4 weeks left before the baby gets here.  I can't believe it!  She'll be here before we know it and we'll love her and snuggle her and be so happy that all the complaining I have done up to this point won't matter anymore and we'll feel complete just having her in our arms.

That's what I'm looking forward to anyway.  

Until then.....I will just have to cherish the last few months with the older kids and my growing belly.