Getting Closer

I'll be 38 weeks tomorrow, so here are some belly shots, courtesy of Nathan. As a side note, I will be thrilled when he grows just a few more inches and can take pictures of me more on eye-level, without looking up. Love that double chin. Once again, I am carrying in that "she stuffed a basketball under her shirt" way, like always. Front on, it's not too bad, but from the side . . . well, it's a large basketball, LOL. The red sweater is a newer addition to my maternity wardrobe, thanks to Amy, who gave it to me when she was out visiting back in October. I love it!

Speaking of clothes, I am definitely in that awkward phase where nothing really fits at all. "Modern" maternity pants--the ones with just that band of strong elastic around the top--don't go high enough to stay up over my ball of a belly, so they immediately roll down. Then I feel like my pants are around my knees, or at least the crotch is. Gravity just works against them. I have one pair of comfortable jeans--I call them my "third trimester jeans". They have a big maternity gusset that goes all the way around, and they go up over my belly enough to stay up. Unfortunately, I do have to wash them occasionally, and I do sometimes have to wear something other than jeans. That's when I am in trouble! If only I could live in sweats. Well, actually I sort of do, LOL.

I had a good appointment on Friday. The doctor said I was doing so well with my glucose numbers that I didn't even need to come back for 2 weeks! I decided to go ahead and make an appointment for next Friday, however. This is because she said they would probably examine me and maybe strip my membranes at the next appointment, once I was over 38 weeks. I figured having an appointment next week, as well as the week after, would give me 2 more appointments before my due date. I am scheduled for an induction on Feb. 10 (my due date), since they won't let me go past my due date because of the gestational diabetes. I want as many chances as possible to start labor off without being induced! On the plus side, when I asked how early I would have to arrive for an induction, she said it wouldn't be until the afternoon! They do all their c-sections in the morning, so I would call in the morning, and they would tell me when to show up in the afternoon. That is so much more civilized than having to be there at 7:00 in the morning! But I am still hoping and praying that I will just go into labor on my own.

My parents are on their way right now! There have been some snow flurries so far, but hopefully it will be okay through the mountains. It looks like they left at a good time, since their area was supposed to get a few inches of snow tonight and on into tomorrow, as was Pennsylvania. We are all so excited to see them!