Pregnancy Update After Midwife Visit: 36+ Weeks

 Yes, I'm finally posting a picture of myself.  I didn't plan to.  I went and got my hair cut today and actually wore a skirt and a blouse, so I thought perhaps I'd get Peter to take a picture and I could post an update after seeing my midwife yesterday.  I'm always stunned at how enormous I look when I actually see myself in a picture. 

There.  I adjusted my shirt to contour my belly a little better.  That's not quite so bad.

The update:  Midwife says baby is an estimated 6 1/2 pounds right now.  Not too big.  She thinks I may go 4 to 5 weeks more before delivering.  Maybe the first week of October?  The baby's heartbeat has been consistently on the slower side, possibly indicating a male baby.  She says that heart rate is the closest thing to a genuine predictor of gender that there is.  Baby Jones #8 was 128 beats per minute yesterday.  A heart rate closer to 150 bpm would possibly indicate a girl baby.  Sometimes this indicator doesn't work, but it's supposed to be fairly consistent.

Beyond that, everything seems to be going well and looking good.  I am pushing myself and working hard at exercising every day (except Sunday).  Though I am feeling well overall, I can hardly picture going 4-5 weeks more with consistent growth of the baby too.  I suppose that's always how it is.  I can't help hoping that it will be more like 3-4 weeks.  Somehow that seems more do-able to me.  We've been so busy with thinking about the new school year that I confess I haven't done much to actually prepare for the baby's arrival.  The last few days have been HOT and HUMID.  It's like both my brain and my body have given up.  I think it might be easier to get some things prepared if it would get a little cooler.  I believe there's some cooler weather on it's way this week-end. 

I will likely post more information as we get closer to the birth.  In the meantime I need to pick a boy's name, get out the cradle, get a home birth kit from the health department and collect home birth supplies.....the list goes on.  Thanks for your support of our family and for any prayers that you say for us.