Two weeks to go

Two weeks to go: I feel as if the official countdown can really start now. After all, the twins were born at 38 weeks, 1 day; however, their birth was more than a little contrived as it was induced at 37 weeks, 6 days. They took 2 full days to emerge and Holy Week of 2003 is forever seared into my memory. Benjamin arrived four days early and Joseph came four days late so I really have no idea when to expect this little one. Except, I guess, sometime before Sept. 3rd. Dave told me this morning if I can hold off until Sept. 1st (his first staff meeting of the year) he will be allowed to take 3 days off from work. I think I'll let him go to work.

Meanwhile, as we wait, we are still in busy mode. The summer is always a time of to-do lists as Dave has a large chunk of free time off in which he can switch from teacher mode to handy-man mode. Consequently, he and a wonderfully generous friend have built a beautiful deck together. (I will post pictures soon.) The railings have yet to be completed but we have already enjoyed many a meal alfresco. And eating alfresco means little to no post-meal clean up which is fabulous for a 38-week pregnant mother. (Have I ever mentioned that I have considered changing the blog name to Sweeping Upstream?)

The three oldest are finishing up their last week of swimming lessons and I am amazed to see our two oldest beginning to master front crawl. Benjamin has also made tremendous advances in the water as he started quite fearful but is now a proficient 'bobber' and user of the flutter board.

We have one more household project that remains. The front room (currently used as a toy room) is in the midst of conversion to a bedroom. The double doors have arrived and Dave will install them sometime in the next week. Thus, we will have successfully created four bedrooms on the main level so that no one need sleep downstairs.

The womb dweller is also doing well: still quite active despite limited space. However, I am a little suspicious about his positioning as his limbs seem to be inconsistent with a head-down position. I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday so we should know a little bit more in a few days time.

Dave is in fine form and starting to swing back into school gear. This means a re-organisation of his desk, storage and textbooks. He still has almost four weeks until the official start of the academic year but August always feels like a downward slope toward buses and bells. We constantly remind ourselves that we should be extremely grateful for the huge span of time he has for vacation in the summer. Jacob is dreading the return to the classroom and Hannah is typically nonchalant, "I don't really want to go, Mom. But I guess I have to learn somehow."

And, I am feeling large and envious of non-maternity clothes. For the most part I feel well but find myself quite weak if I have to stand for any extended period of time. I am fine if I keep moving but standing still is extremely exhausting (the checkout at the grocery store is particularly trying).

I am looking forward to meeting our newest child but I am trying not to remember the pain of a drug-free labour and delivery. I am also fighting the urge to picture the worst-case scenarios. I deliver at a hospital that has an anaesthesiologist on staff during the day on Mondays and Tuesdays. Thus, if an emergency c-section is required during any other time, the labouring mother is placed in an ambulance or medivac. The thought of either makes me ill.

And ill is what I feel as first trimester nausea has returned. I wondered about googling "Nausea as impending sign of birth", but decided that anything at 38 weeks is an impending sign of birth.

So, there you go: a 38-week update. Keep up the prayers and we will let you know as soon as we have any news. Also, I will keep the blog public for another week or so and will then switch the privacy settings. I will post instructions as soon as I change the settings and will include all of you who have contacted me thus far or in the week to come. Take care. Ta ta.