All My Bags are Packed, I'm Ready to Go

Now we're just waiting for God and the little man to decide when will be a good time for us to meet. I still refuse to use the word "miserable", although I've had my moments. This is all part of it and it won't be much longer so there's no point in being miserable. It could most definitely be worse! It is getting SO hard to move though. I'm not uncomfortable when I try to lie down or sleep, but getting up is a different story! Almost impossible. My lips are huge this morning and have brought a huge face along with it, haha. My swollen legs and feet are here to stay now, too, I guess because it no longer goes away with a night of sleep or a few hours of propping them. I've also had a headache for about 3 days now and the nausea and throwing up refuse to give me a break. I'm ok really though. I'm writing this more to be able to remember how things were for me more so than complain. So, don't feel too sorry for me :).
I have my 39 week appointment this afternoon. I'm always ready to see what she has to say, but somehow God has allowed me to not be anxious or impatient yet. I think its a little denial, too. I don't feel like this is really about to happen. Its still surreal. My family on the other hand is another story, haha. They aren't one bit nervous about this whole labor and delivery thing and are a tad excited for it to just happen already. I've had strict instructions to hold this baby until the weekend though. Apparently, I had all of Thanksgiving break that would've been convenient for a lot of people. Now that everyone has gone back to work, Bryant has to wait until the weekend. I've given him the message and told them I'll keep my legs crossed, as difficult as that is at this point.
Chadd has been WONDERFUL. Yesterday, I had been to the office for a couple of hours to turn in my ciriculums and other teaching stuff. By the time I got home, my feet were huge. He told me to get on the couch and prop my feet. He brought home pizza and brought it to me on the couch. He was home long enough to take care of me, stuff down some pizza, and get ready for his softball games and head back out. He was gone until after 10 and had to be back up at 4:45 for work this morning. He also washed the dishes in the sink before going to work yesterday. He's vaccumed (mulitple times), shampooed the carpet and furniture, cleaned one of the bathrooms, cleaned up otherwise around the house and has been ok with my lack of cooking lately. I think I'll keep him.
We had a great Thanksgiving! I was really, really sad about not being able to travel and go to Andalusia, so some of them came to us! We had Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday with some of Chadd's family that are here in this area and Saturday some of his family and some of mine were able to come from Andalusia to our house for lunch. I still missed getting to have lunch at MawMaw & Grandaddy's with Kriston and Kayla, but it was a really good day. I hope everyone was able to spend some time with family and friends remembered to count their many blessings!

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes...

That's what I feel a lot of these days. Well, I don't exactly know what parts I'm feeling, but I do know that our little boy is a busy body and is running out of room in which to be busy. As of tomorrow we will officially be full term! We are just waiting now. Everyone talks about being miserable at this stage, but I'm not. I'm thankful. Sure there's terrible, nasty heartburn; feet in my ribs (right now as I type that actually); sore joints; swelling; LOTS of weight to carry around; hot flashes; sleepless nights; itchy, numb, tight, achy tummy; and lots of jabs that send shocking pain down my legs; not to mention that I can't breathe or move around very much. All that sounds miserable, but I'm not...really. Strangely, I'm thankful for all of it. Its like I need to be reminded that he's still there and I'm still pregnant and everything is still well...and nothing says you're still pregnant like that burning in your esophagus. Don't let me kid you, I'm VERY ready to be "me" again. Not all of those things are at their worst at the same time though, so its all manageable. I think I've gotten bored with all this and I'm just ready for him to be here. There are things that I'll miss about being pregnant, but definitely other things that I'm ready to have back.

This might not be interesting to anyone but me but its things I want to remember so I'm going to list some things that I will miss about being pregnant:

1. Having him with me at all times.

2. Feeling all the kicks, turns, flips. Getting to know his active and sleepy times.He is ALWAYS super active between 8-10pm. I'm curious to see if that continues. He seems to sleep most of the night. I'm SURE that will continue.

3. The people in public that are actually very considerate and sweet: I've had little old ladies get on to me for picking up things in Wal-Mart. They'll punch their husbands and tell them to "get that for her". Random people in the parking lot to come over and load my groceries and take my cart for me. I've had several people offer to do things like that and it means a lot.

4. The way Chadd talks to my tummy and makes me laugh...then my tummy starts jumping from me laughing and it makes us laugh even harder.

5. Having people ask what I want to eat and where I want to go to eat. I haven't had many cravings, but its been pretty nice to get first pick of the restaurant.

6. I really haven't taken advantage enough b/c I'm too much of a busy body and I still feel guilty, but when I do have a really tired day its been nice to be able to lay around and not feel AS guilty.

7. Having Chadd dote. He's really good at doting anyway and always tells me I'm beautiful etc. but its just different when you're pregnant.

8. Knowing that I'm helping God grow a little life inside. That the miracle of a human life is being created in my body. THAT feeling is what I will probably miss most.

Then there are things I won't miss one single bit:

1. All of the above mentioned symptoms.

2. Weighing more than I'm positive God made my frame to carry.

3. Not being able to wear my wedding rings and my limited wardrobe.

4. The people in public that aren't so sweet. The people that, I'm sure have good intentions, but the look on their face is one of total fear and disgust as they say, "My god, you're pregnant." or "No, really honey, I bet you're having twins and they just haven't seen the other yet." or "You're only 30 weeks?!? Hey (everyone in this building!), she's ONLY 30 weeks. Look at her!"

5. Feeling out of breath...all the time. Whether I've actually done something to be out of breath or if its just that my nose feels swollen or I just can't get enough O2 for the both of us...And Chadd loves to make fun of the fact that I can't hear just how loud I'm breathing, but everyone around me can. So, sorry to anyone that has noticed it.

6. Trying to get out of bed with no use of my stomach muscles- especially the middle of the bed.

7. Feeling unattractive. Vain? Maybe. But I am really ready to not be SO self-conscious. Not necessarily for the general public but for Chadd. Some women have told me they've never felt more beautiful than when they were pregnant. I wish that was me, but its not.

8. Worrying about Bryant. I know, I know...the worrying that is parenthood is just about to begin, but I'm ready to be able to see him. I worried myself sick in the first trimester and finally realized that I wasn't trusting God and its been better since then. However, when I wake up and he's being really still or its a day that he hasn't moved a whole lot, I just want to know exactly what's going on.
9. Nausea. I still have to take Zofran every night. 9 months of this stuff. Def. ready for that to go away.

10. Having people talk about "my horomones". Hold on, let me step up on my soap box. Ok, seriously, people- that annoys me SO much. Yes, I have had a few extreme horomonal days. 4 that I can think of to be exact and NO, one of them was NOT when our furniture order got messed up. I was genuinely, plainly upset over that. I really have not been that "horomonal"- any more so than the one day a month I usually have when I'm not pregnant. I have remained pretty level, even to my own surprise, because I read Jenny McCarthy's book and kept waiting for those CRAZY pregnancy horomone moments. It sucks to have people unvalidate every feeling or emotion you show by smiling pityingly (if that's a word) and saying "oh those pregnancy horomones". Yes, there have been a couple of days when I've wanted to cry all day for no reason and one that I wanted to chew Chadd out--all day--for no reason at all, but rest assured that I stayed by myself on all of those days, b/c I'm aware enough to know when I'm having one. SO, I will be glad when this and the postpartum time has passed and everyone around me takes what I think, say, and feel seriously again. By the way, today isn't a horomonal day either, really, ha. Its just a pet peeve I've developed.

So, there you go. There will be things I miss and don't miss about being pregnant, but over all at this point I think I'm just ready to not be pregnant. I'm anxious and nervous about the labor and delivery part but we are SOOO excited x 1000 to be "Mommy" and "Daddy". I can't wait to see Chadd with him. He's going to be great. I'm pretty nervous about the sleepless days and nights coming up, but I think the excitedness of all the other new experiences overshadows it. Here are a couple of pictures Chadd took at the bay last week. I was 36 weeks on this day: