pregnancy / baby related

less than 9 weeks to go, people! up until recently (this week, even) i've enjoyed this pregnancy. knowing it will probably be my last is part of that - making it as special in every way as my first. i find that i've forgotten a lot of what mia did while on the inside. did she kick this much? she certainly wasn't up at night like this one is. and i definately wasn't this big, was i? and so i'm trying to remember as much as i can about this little one. this little one who will be here so very soon.

but i'm done now. i'm huge and getting uncomfortable fast. i'm not sleeping well. i'm constipated. i'm huge.

mia is going to be a big sister. and a great one, i'm assuming. you know, because she's so awesome at everything else. she's been happy to talk about the baby, kiss/hug and sing to the belly, help me prepare the nursery, etc. and she'll tell anyone who asks all about the baby in my belly. but still it's really abstract. we don't know anyone with a newborn. she doesn't really know anyone with siblings, either. so who knows how this will all work out.

yesterday we were looking at photos of a friend of ours who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and i think some of the reality hit mia. she was looking at photos of her friend (who is almost 3) and this new little baby. and the mama without a baby belly (what happened there?). when i explained it all to her her eyes got really wide like suddenly all the pieces fit together. we would be getting a little baby like that too, wouldn't we?

the rest of the day she was in and out of the nursery admiring her old digs. she took notice of the blanket and pillow that has been sitting on the glider for 2 years now (thanks, maggie!). she hasn't looked at them since we stopped nursing at 15 months and yesterday she had to thoroughly inspect them both, have me wrap her up, put the pillow on my belly and we rocked. and sang.

she'll always be my baby but soon she'll be a big sister, too. and that makes me sad. sad that she'll have to be and "example" that she'll be expected to be more mature and sad that we won't have as much cuddle time for a while.

but damn she's gonna be a good big sister, i can just feel it. she's such a good helper and a lover. and who wouldn't love to have mia as a sibling? she's so much fun!

and on to pregnancy news:

at the last checkup i was 30 weeks along and had packed on another 8 lbs in the 5 weeks since my last appt. sigh... i had an ultrasound and my placenta is still low-lying but not blocking my cervix. so i have a 50% chance of a "normal" delivery for now. we'll see what happens in the next month and whether or not we'll have to schedule a c-section. wish me luck that we don't have to do that. just the thought makes me want to cry. the loss of an active labor, the surgery and recovery from it, and not being able to grab hold of and nurse my baby right away. it's all too much to think about right now so instead i'll give you a look at the baby (the baby who does not like having a profile shot taken so you get the creepy view).