39 Weeks

 

The hay is in the barn. The goose is cooked. Dishes are done. All the other fun sayings to imply that something has reached its full course. And for the record, my bump looks much smaller from the top, than it does from the side. That's probably for the best.

 

 

Dear John,

You will be born within a week. About five days, give or take, depending on how eager or stubborn you end up being. We have a scheduled induction set for Sunday (12/15) at 9:30. As it is with so many things, I find myself getting all nostalgic about this pregnancy as I am shuffling through my last days. My mommy mind is already pushing out the thoughts of swollen feet, aching backs, numb hands, plugged ears, stuffed noses, squashed bladders and general malaise and getting weepy over the baby that will be here so soon. Crazy how that happens. I posted once about running my second half marathon and how I couldn't understand how, after going through the pain of childbirth once, how someone could endure that again. I actually wrote it as I was 9 weeks pregnant with your sister (though I wasn't out of the closet at that point).

 

I get it now.

 

After your sister, I was convinced we wouldn't have another, just as I swore I would never run another 13.1 miles after my first half marathon. But once you are at the end, and you know how wonderful you feel having accomplished so much, and how that event has etched something on your person that changed you in a little (half marathon) or HUGE way (Annie), and the aches and pains seem to fade away. You know that the end reward is so much greater than the strain of the journey. It all ends up being so, so worth it.  

 

So here we are. A few days left. Yes, there are a few hurdles remaining, but we will get over them, and memories of the discomfort will fade with each new baby snuggle. And I am sure in a year or so, Rick will have to play back for me the video I forced him to record of me, all bloated and pregnant, talking to my future self, reminding her that we don't want to be pregnant again.

 

We can't wait to meet you. We've carved a spot for you in our lives and can't wait for you to fill it in. You are already so loved and I hope on some level you feel that already. We just have a little bit further to go.

 

See you at the finish line.

 

Love,

Mom