36 Weeks!

We're getting there!

At the end of this week, the baby will be full term. I think this is a big milestone. Big. Milestone. And I am VERY excited about it.  Scott has taken this - literally - as his last opportunity for a taste of freedom for a very long time and has ditched the fat, pregnant wife for a weekend in Vegas.  But he deserves it.  Really.  He does.  And I'm not the least bit jealous.  (Puhlease - insert eye roll here.)

So, it's just me, the dogs and our little girl this weekend.  I'm celebrating with a breastfeeding class.  Take that, Vegas! 

As for the little girl, she is still packing on the pounds, coming in around six pounds, although truly, the whole accuracy of these weight measurements is debatable.  But looking at my belly, I could easily believe that there's a six pound bambino in there.  They say that she's been gaining about an ounce a day for the past few weeks, and that will continue through this week.  I believe it.  Aside from her lungs, which could use a few more weeks to fully develop, she's pretty much fully baked.

This past week was all about trying to get some business done.  There's a lot of paperwork involved in taking maternity leave.  Short term disability.  Family Medical Leave Act.  Insurance adjustments.  Hospital registrations.  I spent a good part of my week tracking down answers in a web a bureaucracy.  In the end, I was victorious.  I think. 

Next week is also the last week that I'll be making the 2 hour plus round trip commute twice a week to my office.  For this, I am glad.  I mean, my whole work from home arrangement is pretty awesome, I get that.  But after spending eight years stuck in DC traffic - the likes you rarely see around here - spending less time in our cars was definitely on the "pro" list when we moved.  I'm jealous of Scott's 10 minute commute.  I'd much rather that than work from home, because I actually enjoy an office culture most of the time.  But, the bigger I get, the more I loathe that drive to Boulder, no matter which route I take.  Usually because about 15 minutes in, I have to pee already, by 30 minutes in, I'm starving for breakfast number two and by 45 minutes in, my feet have fallen asleep.  Occasionally, I like to mix things up with a good, strong, Braxton-Hicks contraction or two thrown in for good measure.  As soon as I arrive at the office I desperately need to make a bee line to the ladies room, do not pass go, do not chat with co-workers about weekend.  And then I need to devour (insert favorite carb here) with a decaf pumpkin spice latte stat or all will rue the day.  Rue, I say!  So, yes.  It will be nice to not have to do that anymore.  But I also realize that this is step one in cutting out some "adult time" over the next several months, and I will miss the office banter.  Particularly my office-mate.  She brings the funny.

I'm also starting to allow my mind to drift to "things I can do when I'm no longer pregnant."  Topping that list: have a beer.  They say it helps the milk come in.  Also high on that list: sleeping on my stomach.  Even if it's just for 20 minutes, which is all I should probably count on with a newborn in the house.  I would also like one of my first post-pregnancy meals to be the most delicious pumpernickel bagel with chive cream cheese and loads and loads of lox.  I'm looking forward to starting the day with something other than decaf, and oooh!  Sooo looking forward to the end of the day cocktail with my husband.  Very much so.  Happy days, my friends, are here again.

Probably the biggest news of all this week is that we hired our Nanny.  Well, very close.  We made an offer, she's accepted, and now it's just a matter of signing a contract that took us a good chunk of time to pull together.  The things you have to think about!  I mean, seriously, you have to spell a lot out in something like that.  Parenting philosophies.  Don't let strangers in our house.  Don't be a pot-head.  Hands off the liquor cabinet.  Don't even think about texting or talking on the phone while driving our precious cargo.  Lots to think about.  But we are very relieved to have figured out this major piece - childcare is a stressful and expensive proposition. 

So, I'm headed into this next week feeling a little bit more prepared and a little bit more focused on this major task at hand.  You know, bringing life into the world.  Having a baaayybeeee!  Squee!

4 weeks and counting...