doctor, doctor

Today is the first day of my thirty-fifth week. Eek! I'm getting more excited and scared all at once, and really, really hope Al is able to finish the hardwood floor either tomorrow or Friday so that we can start putting the room together. Since my doctor, who I got to see today, said I've been consistently measuring one week ahead in size, I'm wondering if they estimated my due date wrong and I'll deliver early. See, my original due date was March 5. But my first ultra-sound came back and they thought the baby seemed small for seven weeks, so they pushed my due date back to March 12 after discovering that my monthly cycle is usually longer than twenty-eight days (sorry, guys, but that's how they plan out the due date). I know that many new moms go over their due dates, but with the baby's size...well, I'm just hoping the house is ready for baby when he/she comes.

So, yes, my doctor's appointment, which was pushed back from Monday morning and then pushed back a couple of hours today, went fine. I asked him about the cramping and he said it was probably a contraction. But when I said it felt different than the Braxton Hicks contractions that I've been feeling. Those were a tightening, just as they described in birthing class. But what I felt Monday afternoon was a sharp pain. After hearing me describe it more, he thought that it was probably a muscle strain, which made sense to me. I was moving three fourteen-foot pieces of trim at once. Just from the kitchen table to the living room, and they weren't heavy, but they are awkward and I probably just moved a funny way trying not to bang into anything. Just one more thing the husband will have to do for me instead of me doing it myself! The doctor took longer than usual finding baby's heartbeat, but that's because the kid's very active these days. And now that I'm so far along, I have to go back weekly. Weekly visits make it more real, somehow. I'm really doing this. I'm really having a baby. I'm really going to have to go through labor and delivery. And I'm going to have to do it fairly soon. Wow, Al and I are going to be parents!

Al and I have a busy week ahead, filled with eye appointments and puppy training (Thursday), possible overtime for Al (Friday), Al's 40th birthday and birthday party (Saturday), and--well, no more real plans after that, but I've got a lot of sewing and studying to get done, and if the floor gets done this weekend, I'll be busy trying to put the room together. I'll be staining wood soon, too--the trim for the baby's room, the changing table (if Al ever gets it sanded!), and a few other odds and ends. It feels like it's going to be a non-stop whirlwind after today until the baby's born. I just hope we can get ready in time, and maybe take a breather before the big day comes.

The final news? I got to see Noah, my nephew, again today. He's as tiny as he was when he was born and a bit yellowish--jaundiced. Mommy and daddy aren't too concerned, but auntie (me) said they should mention it to the doctor when they call to make an appoitnment; the doc might have them come in sooner. I guess they didn't pick out a pediatrician before going to the hospital, and they didn't like the one that was on staff at the hospital so they were going to cancel Monday's appointment with her and try to find another doctor. He's also been screaming and crying since he's been home, except when he's eating or sleeping. They can't figure out why, except maybe because he hasn't pooped yet (or, as my husband would say, "gone number one"--he seems to have an aversion to the word poop, even going so far as to say "dog dirt" one time. Seems like a phrase someone a lot older than forty would say!). I just hope he feels better (if he feels bad) and happier (if something's wrong) soon! He was sleeping when I was there, and is such a cute little thing.

More tomorrow!