34 weeks

Well, all of the results of our Ikea shopping spree have been assembled and installed. We dealt with drywall, masonry, and the dreaded plaster wall, but we got it all done. Lovely stuff, it all is. Now we can enjoy our neighborhood from the front porch on our outdoor wooden chairs, come inside and hang our coats on our coat/hat rack, relax in our beautiful bentwood and leather chair, store changing supplies on the shelf in the baby's room, put him to sleep in his crib, and store books and toys on the bookshelf in his room where a grass green rug will keep our feet warm in the winter. I think that about covers it. Jay went a bit berserk purging all manner of junk from the basement and finding new ways to categorize and store the remaining items. We feel slightly more organized. The basement, however, is much easier to get around in. The real trick down there would be to dig out the floor so someone of greater stature than than five-and-a-half feet could walk upright. That, however, is a project for the next homeowner. Unless they're short.

Now about my body: I feel tight. Not so much during the day as at night. The boy is gaining about a half a pound per week these days, dancing the jig inside my belly and taking up increasing amounts of real estate. I eat smaller meals and still he seems to pleasure in kicking me in the stomach after dinner. Last night, he woke me from a sound sleep for the first time with a rousing kick in the ribs. And recently I've felt his hiccups at least daily, sometimes twice per day, for up to ten minutes at a time. Not that I mind any of this too much. They're all signs that I'm growing a strong, healthy baby who will probably be quite long.

For a while I was sort of hoping that he would make his grand appearance right around 37 weeks, to spare me some discomfort and because early ultrasounds had all put me one or two weeks further along than my due date indicated. But we met with our midwife this weekend and she advised that we get it in our heads (especially me) that I may very well be carrying our boy for a full 40 weeks (the average for first babies is 41.2 weeks) and, in fact, we might hope for that to happen. It turns out that boys born much before 40 weeks often have more trouble breastfeeding, sleeping, and generally being content. They're just not as mature, physically, at 37 weeks as they are at 40 weeks. Those three weeks make quite a difference, especially for boys.

So I am officially revising my earlier post to say that, as of now, I am hoping our boy stays put until right around June 9. Sorry for all those with May birthdays who may have been hoping to share their special day with our little man. But I think a June birthday will benefit everyone. Not that what I say matters, AT ALL. Oh, that it did.

And now, some photos taken today. To think that I have six weeks left. I am going to be HUGE.