Bumpdate: 38 weeks

First things first, thank you to everyone who prayed for our ultrasound last Thursday. God answered our prayers in a direct and obvious manner when the ultrasound tech actually said after measuring him, "Not too big, not too small, just right!" Just like my Goldilocks prayer. I feel like God was showing off a little by answering my prayer so exactly, by giving the ultrasound tech those exact words to say - He makes me smile. And my amniotic fluid levels were also normal. His hand is on us, on this child.

The tech guessed that he weighs around 6 lbs 14 oz, but after my last couple of friends had ultrasound-based-weight-estimates that turned out to be completely wrong when the baby was born, I don't really put any stock in that. He had his hands over his forehead and eyes in a dramatic pose for most of the ultrasound, but we were able to see his nose and chin, which looks like it has a cleft or dimple. I think this was the most exciting ultrasound I've had - it was so fun to see him this late in pregnancy, because I feel like I already know him so well. Seeing glimpses of his very formed little nose and cheeks and chin was just so much fun. And he is definitely still male. Very, very male.

38 weeks
= Heartburn. Heartburn so bad that it wakes me up in the middle of the night, only curable by chewing some Tums and trying to fall back asleep propped upright with pillows. But that's not the only time I get heartburn, it's just the worst time. I have been having heartburn after every meal the last few days. I'm thankful that this severe heartburn has not afflicted me until now, when I know that I only have, max, a couple more weeks that I will have to endure it.

I'm having strong Braxton Hicks inconsistently and the last couple of days I've been feeling crampy in my lower abdomen again. It's hard to tell if it's impending-labor-cramping or just cramping from Baby Boy playing jump rope with my intestines in his limited-square-footage studio apartment.

The last few days I have also started to feel some minor swelling in my hands and feet, mostly just positional. I have been gaining a couple of pounds a week the last few weeks, making up for the weight I didn't gain and even lost a month before that I guess. I am nowhere near as big or swollen as I was at this point with BB though.

I still feel like he'll be coming early, but that's really my only experience since with BB my water broke at 39 weeks - really, you just never know until you know. I am still making plans like normal, although in the back of my mind I wonder if some of these plans will actually happen! J and I feel as ready as we're going to and peaceful about whenever he decides to come on out and join us (and we are definitely doing our part to help facilitate it :) ).