Two more weeks...will I make it?

Two weeks from today Oliver will be with us (on the outside)! The doctors say that everything looks basically the same, which is good. He's about 5 and a half pounds, which means he will be about 6 and a half when he is born. Sooo much smaller than Mackensie, who I had to push out on my own. His swelling isn't too bad, and the chiari malformation isn't completely present. We don't even ask what the updates and new numbers mean anymore, because the doctors always say "We can't tell you anything for sure until he gets here."



But I think that he might be as eager as I am for his birthday. I had a lot of contractions last night, only ten minutes apart. I never went into labor on my own with Mac; never even had contractions with Mac until after they induced. So I don't really know what it feels like to go into labor. Somehow I knew it wasn't IT last night but 10 minutes apart for 2 hours is pretty serious. I do not want to go into labor in NJ when I have to make it all the way down Philly!

Everything's almost ready for him. I think that I'm ready for him (but it depends on when you ask). Please just pray that he waits until it is time.

Get in my belly...

Sweet Lord -- logic tells me that if I eat another thing I will burst, but I just can't stop. I'm so hungry! What is wrong with me? I heated up a huge bowl of leftovers for lunch, convinced that I would have enough for another sitting and now I am licking the sides of the Tupperware clean while simultaneously trying to figure out what else I have in the house that I can move on to next. Does anyone remember the game Hungry Hippos? The one where there were four hippos in a square, and each player tried to get their hippo to eat the most marbles in order to win? Let's just say that I've turned into the hippo champion -- I even eat food that Mac leaves on her plate for more than a few minutes. Made her two pieces of toast this morning --ate one of them before she even came into the kitchen.

At left: A view of a petite belly from a few weeks ago. Imagine this belly at twice the size pictured.

Countdown...

So we're under one month! Yesterday was Friday the 13th, and the plan is that Oliver will be born one month from yesterday. I'm starting to get worried and a little stressed -- I just want him to be here so that I can see him and hold him. I wonder if I start to dilate if they will move his due date sooner. Of course, I also want to make the most of this time alone with Mac and Tim, so I don't want to rush that, either. Really I'm just excited! We got a new stroller and some cute clothes! Mac is finally sleeping in her own bed, so I really feel like we are just about ready.

We got a date!

Yay -- the magic date is -- August 13! We are scheduled for our c-section at 9 am on August 13. I am so excited! I feel like we have an official countdown now. We had a good visit at CHOP on Monday -- we learned that his ventricles are only slightly more swollen and he has not fully developed the chiari II malformation yet. he is only 3 1/2 pounds, which is on the low side of normal, but other than that, everything looked good.

A new baby is a new reason to shop, and I am so ready. We have to sort through Mac's stuff and see what is left over after the Great Flood of '05. After that, I am ready to go shopping. We also have to get the rest of Mac's stuff out of the nursery into her big girl room (which is really a big girl holding space, since she doesn't really sleep there or anything).