The Wait

Any day now. That's what the doctor says, but I'm guessing she'll come late like a lot of first babies do. I keep thinking that I am going to wake up and just know, "This is the day." Or that I'll fall asleep knowing that I won't make it until morning. The bag is packed, the house is organized (at least as far as it's going to get), we've figured out how to put in the car seat so that we can take her home from the hospital, and her pack n' play is set up. Now, we just....wait.

I don't do waiting well. BUT you can only have your first baby once and it is such an exciting thing, the anticipation, that it's well worth waiting for. I'm trying to savor this time of expectancy. I'm trying my best to remember that these are the last few days with just Kwacha and me. The last few nights of (mostly) uninterrupted sleep. It's so easy to become discontent and un-thankful, when I have so much to enjoy right now.

But man, that longing to hold my baby in my arms for the first time is just about killing me!

This will probably be my last post before baby. (Especially considering my posting history lately.) Crazy to think about. I'm a little sad that I haven't been chronicling my thoughts as I've been pregnant. So I thought I would write a bit about what it's been like. Mainly, easy! At least way easier than I thought it would be. For the most part, I haven't had crazy hormones, I've slept well the entire way through (Shirley never wakes me up at night with her kicks, only her pressure on my bladder!), I haven't been ravenous, no swelling, no heartburn, no nausea. I'm not trying to rub it in, I'm just so thankful.

I do wonder what trials may be in store. There is a slight, very slight chance that Shirely may have Down's Syndrome. We saw a second doctor for a more thorough ultrasound at 22 weeeks and he doesn't think she does. But our primary OB said that it's never 100%. They found two white spots on her heart that can be a soft marker for Down's. I have been praying and trying to prepare my heart for that possiblity, so please pray with me. Either way, I know I will love this little girl to bits!

 

Jenn took these Christmas/baby bump pictures for us.  A couple friends told me that I need to take a few more pictures of the bump because soon I won't believe it was ever that big!