Week 36

Your baby is still packing on the pounds - at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, that will form the contents of her first bowel movment. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37-42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your pracititioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version", which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

www.babycenter.com

Pretty incredible, isn't it? I'm continually amazed at what is happening inside my belly. I don't have to do anything... no reading books, no learning any manuals... my body just knows how to make a baby. Amazing.

Derek and I are so ready for Baby to get here. We can't wait to meet him/her, finally see the little face, hold the little body that kicks and prods me from the inside. Only a few more weeks... less than 30 days until my due date, which I just can't get over. Time flies so fast!!!

My parents were here in Cypress for a visit this weekend. It was great - we did a bunch of shopping and got some last minute items for Baby and me (pack 'n play, receiving blankets, breast pump, nursing tops, etc). We're definitely feeling ready for Baby to arrive! On my to-do list for this week is "pack my hospital bag" (I know, I should have done this a few weeks ago... tsk tsk). I'm excited though- once it's packed, we just have to wait around until I go into labor! Oh ya, we also have to install our car seat bases and get them inspected.

I had a weird dream last night, probably because we had such an effective day, baby-wise. I dreamt that I went in for one of my weekly checkups, but I met with the registered nurse instead of my usual doctor. After she checked me out, she said "Okay, we're going to induce you at 4:30pm today, so I want you to drive up to the hospital now". I thought about it for a while and then said "Hmmm, No, I don't want to." So I didn't go. It was just weird. What does it mean???

As I said, great weekend with my parents! Now on to a busy week of school. Blah.....