Houston....We have progress!

38 Weeks along and counting down. 2 more weeks (13 days today) until my due date. (Disclaimer: yes I do know that I will possibly not give birth on my due date....and that I could go before that date or late and not give birth for 3 more weeks...but for count down purposes...I am using Jan 28th as a focal point. If I do go past...that will be another counter thingy)

Yesterday was my 38w Dr Apt. Standard apt. Give urine sample. Nurse takes my Blood Pressure(which is normal and very consistant). Nurse takes my weight(gained 5lbs in 2weeks). Then Dr comes in to do the rest. Measures tummy (right on schedule). She then puts COLD goop on my belly, pulls out the doppler, and listens to our little girls heartbeat (142 - normal). Then the fun part( inserts sarcasm). I got an internal check to see if I am making any progress toward labor and delivery. Well I am :). Through my entire pregnancy my cervix has been firm and closed. Yesterday it was 50% softened (Dr words not mine. Which means 50% effaced) and 1/2 a pinky fingertip open (which means 1/4-1/2 cm dilated). Baby girl as dropped. Dr could feel her head. Whoo Hoo...PROGRESS.....this means there IS an end in sight. Yes it could be within the next 10 days(which Tim thinks) or it could be in 3 weeks (which I am leaning toward..I think I am going to deliver after my due date). No matter what.. it will be with in the next 4 weeks..They will not let me go longer than that!!!!!
Now I also understand that this progress would remain exactly where it is for weeks with no new progress. That is fine. I want Baby H to come when she is ready ( but at least it will be with in the next 4 weeks :) Hopefully less.
Here is my 38w belly shot:


Now another update on me. Still nicely uncomfortable. More and more each day. Baby has dropped nicely. But with her dropping...she is giving my stomach more room. My heartburn/acid reflux is better...not gone..but better. I can actually lay down all the way at night. To get comfortable I lay down on the floor in the living room for an hour on one side, then the other side, then I move to the couch. I have it down to a system. Then finally I can fall asleep (about 2am) Laying down on the hard floor actually feels really good...right up until my hip that I am laying on falls asleep. At least I can get comfortable for a little while. Still hard to stand or sit for long periods of time- but hey I'm 38w pregnant...what else is new? :)

In other baby news....Baby's room is all ready to go. Dresser (that my mother in law purchased for us-Thank you) came in and Tim picked it up. It matches the crib perfectly. Here it is all set up and ready to go.


The rest of her room is ready for her. All clean, laundry done and everything pretty much put away. Walls painted, Border up, bedding in the crib, shelves on the walls. Just waiting on her. I love it. We did a great job...Mostly Tim - but I helped.