Physically, I'm still feeling pretty good. The last two weeks of pregnancy are rough, but I'm managing. My parents took both boys to Iowa for my niece's birthday last weekend, so Matt and I had four days to ourselves which helped me get some things done and get plenty of rest. It was a nice break. The boys wear me out during the day and there's a lot of bending down to pick up toys and messes and lifting toddlers. Carrying Samuel up and down the stairs about does me in these days. I make it a point to lie down each day during nap time even if I'm not super tired. I'm taking advantage of the break and opportunity to rest while I can. I've had the typical third trimester complaints: fatigue, lower back pain, being hot all the time (Matt asked for an extra blanket last night when we were in bed), a little heartburn here and there and just being uncomfortable anytime I change positions. I was concerned about being pregnant during the summer heat, but thanks to a very mild summer and access to a swimming pool, that hasn't been an issue at all. Sometimes I dread getting the kids in and out of the car on really warm days. It feels like a workout and I'm exhausted by the time we make it into the store, but nothing really worth complaining about.
For the last week or so I've had some pre-labor symptoms, but they haven't been anything to get excited about. I think since I was overdue with both boys, Matt and I are just planning on Elisabeth taking her time too. Since my doctor is heading out of town a few days after my due date, we have plans to induce shortly after I'm due, and as much as I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore and to meet our sweet girl, honestly I'm totally fine if she waits until the 12th to come. I've never had a firm "exit" date before with my kids, and it's been nice to prepare and know for sure when she'll be here. I think it will be nice to have everything totally ready for her arrival, and it will be nice for my parents too since they are kind enough to keep our boys while we are in the hospital and for a few days after we come home. But I also know how fun it would be if she surprised us and came early. Her story will be perfect however it turns out.
I feel prepared for her arrival. Her hospital bag is packed and ready to go, and her nursery is ready for her to come home to (once I have Nathan move the firetrucks out of her room). My bag is mostly packed. The boys big brother presents are wrapped. All our baby gear is clean and assembled and ready to go. The freezer is stocked with meals to get us through the first few weeks. I'm trying to stay on top of cleaning and laundry, and not let things get too out of hand in case she comes early, and Matt and I are savoring the alone time we get in the evenings once the boys are asleep knowing we won't have much time alone together for a few weeks (or months) after she's born. We're just in the waiting place right now, trying not to make too many plans for the next couple of weeks but also cherishing our boys and giving them extra attention.
Emotionally, I'm a roller coaster. Sometimes I get sad thinking about how our family is about to change. We've had such a short 17 months as a family of four and it's a time we'll never get back. This summer has been special with the boys. They've learned to play together much better, we've done fun activities as a family in the evenings, and we've settled into a really nice routine. It's just been a great time, and I think it's okay to be a little sad about the coming changes to our family. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember the time before Samuel was here and we were a family of three, and I know I'll feel the same way in a few months about our time as a family of four. On the other hand though, right now it feels like our family is incomplete and we're just waiting for Elisabeth to get here and make us whole. There is a part of our family missing right now, and I'm ready for us to be a family of five and all the fun and craziness it will bring. I can't wait to watch the boys interact with their baby sister and to watch Matt be a Daddy to a little girl. There's so much to look forward to in the coming weeks. I also am coming to terms with the possibility of this being my last pregnancy/childbirth experience. I've never felt that before. We've always known we wanted at least three children, so with my first two, I could always rest on the fact that I would get to experience all these things again. With this pregnancy, we're just not sure and that makes these last few weeks of pregnancy a little bittersweet. I keep telling myself I need to savor these moments, but at the same time I'm really ready to not be pregnant anymore. I drive myself crazy if I think about it too much :).
I'm so thankful to have carried three babies to full term. It's a blessing I don't take for granted. As hard as the last few weeks can be, I'm grateful she's still growing inside of me and we are fully anticipating meeting a healthy girl in less than two weeks.
33 weeks
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