Third Trimester Recap

Although my actual due date is still 9 days away, we are expecting the arrival of Baby "B" within the next couple of days. In fact, we are scheduled to be induced on Wednesday morning. In just a little more than 48 hours, we should be holding our sweet baby girl. So here is my final belly photo and a few last thoughts on this pregnancy and finally leaving prego-land!

-This trimester has been great and uneventful. I really have nothing to complain about, except the usual 3rd trimester side-effects - heartburn, difficulty sleeping, being tired, and feeling like my lungs are half their usual size. Other than that, everything is good. Luckily, Cary has been great with "daddy-duty" and takes Carter to the park almost daily so that I can sit on the couch and relax.

-Although I am so excited to meet this little girl, I'm having some other more unexpected feelings about the whole thing. First, I feel like my time with Carter is literally running out. I feel guilty about him not being the only one anymore and I'm sort of sad that his life is going to change so drastically. We've talked and talked about Baby's arrival and what life will be like when she's here, but I just feel like he has no idea what is coming. Life with the three of us has been great and we have him under control (for the most part), so how is it going to be with another family member? Can we really do it? Is Carter going to get enough attention? Will we ever get sleep? How can I possibly get groceries or run to the mall with two kids? Will Cary and I ever have time to talk to each other? Etc, etc. I try to stay calm and remind myself that Michelle Duggar has 19 kids...I can handle two. But these are some of the thoughts that keep me up at night.

-I'm also a bit worried about labor and delivery. Cary keeps reminding me that an hour after Carter was born, I told my dad that I could "do that again." (To which my dad replied something to the effect that if I were a cow, I'd be the type of cow that farmers would want to keep around since I can give birth fairly easily. Uhh...thanks, Dad.) Anyway, the fact that I said that 3 years ago does not make me feel any better about this. I am now remembering how much it hurt, how scary it was, and how my body did things it really should not do. And I know that I "get" to do this again this week. Yippee! (Sarcasm.) So yeah, that fear also is keeping me up at night....and sending me into a panic right now. This whole induction thing is a little creepy...I think it was easier when labor just came on and I wasn't expecting it. Now I'm like on a countdown. Ugh....moving on.

-As for having a girl...I'm really excited about that. I can tell that shopping for clothes is going to be completely different, since I can hardly walk through a store without checking out the baby clothes selection. I'm excited about the bows and the shoes and the dresses. I've already been thinking about newborn photos and this year's Christmas card with my TWO little ones. So all of those girly things make me smile and a little giddy.

-I'm excited to get to know this little girl and just hold her in my arms. Seeing my niece Claire makes me even more excited. Babies are just so sweet and innocent and I'm so glad that I'm just days away now. After holding Claire yesterday, I'd definitely have the baby itch if I wasn't pregnant already!

-And finally, I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore. I'm looking forward to regular clothes, shopping at non-maternity stores, drinking caffeine twice in a day if I want to, and having a martini....all while holding Baby B in my arms!

-Wish us luck and say a prayer for us!!! Hopefully my next post will show her sweet little face! :)