All About Baby

Well, here's why it may be slow around here the next couple months.  I have hit the 36-week mark, which means delivery and newborn-time is imminent.

Yes. This is me. Today. At 36 weeks. I kept the photo small to emphasize my super-smart choice of "horizontal stripes" (hey... I'm down to just a few shirts that are long enough).

So... here are some interesting pregnancy "records"--and the one's I'm hoping to set.

1.  Earliest delivery:  My daughter (15), was born one day before her due date.

2.  Latest delivery:  Mikko (2) was born 8 days after his due date.  He was due seven days before my birthday. People kept saying, so stupidly, "Hey, maybe you'll have him on your birthday!"  And I always said, "What? That's a whole week later! No way that's going to happen."

3.  Longest labor:  Mikko (2):  50 hours. He MISSED my birthday by 1 hour and 47 minutes. Little Posterior Twerp.

4.  Shortest Labor:  Gabe (19).  My first (go figure).  12 induced hours (my only induction).  The rest of my labor lengths, in order, were, in HOURS, 27, 30, 32, 36, 50.  Didn't read this in any of the textbooks. Did you?

5.  Heaviest Baby:  Elon (6), weighed in at 9lbs 3 oz. The placed him on my stomach, and I said "Oof!" Interstingly, he's now my "smallest" kid--based on growth charts! My little gymnast.

6. Lightest Baby:  Mikko (2), 7 lbs even.


7.  Least weight gain:  Mikko. 30 pounds. Because I started up several pounds, and then due to an illness lost several during the pregnancy. Still had to lose nearly 50 when it was all over.

8.  Biggest weight gain:  70 pounds. This pregnancy. Because I started at my lowest weight EVER having spent the prior year fighting for my life against deadly spinal meningitis.

9.  Longest time avoiding maternity clothes:  This pregnancy.  At 36 weeks, I'm still in regular jeans (never made it past 24 weeks before).  Yes, I button and belt them UNDER my belly, but it's my same old belt (on the first hole now, not the 6th), and the jeans are a few sizes bigger.  Here's to NO MATERNITY CLOTHES for four more weeks!

10.  Non-medicated birth:  Mikko (2).  My sixth try, I finally avoided the epidural, and through all 50 hours of labor, with my champion labor assistants, only needed one shot of Nubain towards the end to keep me from tearing my husband's arms off.

11.  Only dark brown haired, brown-eyed baby:  Oli (4). The rest have blue eyes, and blonde or light brown hair.

RECORDS I'M HOPING TO SET:

Mikko was my record setter--five personal records:  lightest baby, longest labor, most overdue, no epidural, and least weight gain.

This baby, I want:

1. Shortest labor ever. I don't care if I do deliver on the way to the hospital, which is 45 minutes away.

2. Earliest delivery.  I normally LIKE to go late. I love how the anticipation escalates with each overdue day. But I'm old, and my body is struggling and weary. I could give this up.  I'm hoping for TWO days early.  April 26.


3. No Maternity Clothes ever.  Really? Can I make it four more weeks, and then pack my regular jeans to wear home from the hospital?  Haha.  Who cares? If I have to, I'll wear my son's pajama pants and husband's Ohio State T-shirt, though. I'm NOT buying any!

Other than that, I just want THIS baby, that God made just for us. However she is made, I want her.  Millie.

Millie Brooke or Millie Jewel. The jury's still out, but the big brothers are still insisting on the "Brooke."

In any case, if you don't hear from me, it's because I'm busy fitting in three more weeks of school, nesting, napping, still battling pneumonia, and starting to prepare my family for a possible interstate move.  Good times.