Week 39 is Starting

Hello, Kathryn!  You keep building up a layer of fat this week to help regulate your temperature once you're out, but there's no real telling anymore how much you weigh or how long you are.  Most books would say you're about the average this week, at 19-21 inches long and seven or eight pounds.  Boys tend to be a little heavier than girls at birth.  Your head has dropped a little bit into my pelvis--not enough to really hurt or affect my walk, but it's a sign that you're getting yourself ready.  You still move every day, but the peak of your movement was several weeks ago, when you had more room.  Your brain continues to grow and your pink skin is turning more white.  We love you very much.

Several people now have asked me if the midwives have changed my due date.  I figure I will take advantage of my little soapbox here to inform folks that one's due date is usually only changed within the first trimester (three months).  In fact, my midwives originally thought my due date was June 18th, based on when I *should* have ovulated, which was based on my last menstrual cycle.  However, once I had my first ultrasound, the technician was able to measure Kathryn and, with a higher degree of certainty, say that Kathryn was not big enough to be due on June 18th, and that, more likely, she was a week behind and would come around June 27th.  So, no, my due date will not be changing any.  (And if you've read some of my other posts, you know the due date is fairly meaningless, anyway!)  Speaking of, here's a link to a great article that one of my friends shared with me today.  http://voices.yahoo.com/the-lie-edd-why-due-date-isnt-you-1958162.html?cat=25   

I'm feeling uncomfortable, but not miserable.  I ask Jared to do a lot of things that require bending down or lifting, and he's great about helping.  I take some Tylenol each night to relieve my pelvic pain and help me sleep.  I go to the Birth Center on Mondays for check-ups and to the chiropractor once or twice a week to help with keeping my pelvis aligned and my ligaments nice and loose.  I do keep busy, and still have a couple of things I'd like to get done before Kathryn arrives.  This week I have made chili and sausage balls to keep for meals, received the last few things from our registry that we wanted to have before Kathryn comes, washed baby clothes and put away items in the nursery, bought nursing bras, had the car seat bases inspected, had my hair cut and nails done, and stocked up on paper and toiletry products so we don't have to worry about running out in the next few weeks.  I still feel like this pregnancy has flown by and feel very grateful that I've had no complications, drama or terribly unpleasant symptoms.  God is good to us and I try to be mindful to give thanks each day.