Thoughts And Feelings At 34 Weeks

I said that in October I was going to pull out the double stroller and try it out so I could get used to maneuvering it through doorways. Well, October is here and I'm too embarrassed to do it. It would just look funny, wouldn't it? I shouldn't care that it would look funny. Who cares? Not me. Right? After all, what will look funnier; me strolling around with only one child in a double stroller now? or me running my double stroller into everything and not being able to get through doorways when I have two children in it?

Arielle feels BIG. She's really making herself known and we can easily feel body parts (though we're not skilled enough to identify them...) when pushing on my belly. I'm feeling a bit of downward pressure that I wasn't feeling last week as well as more Braxton Hicks. I'm noticing my belly in my way more often than before. I don't even attempt to put up the mugs in their proper cabinet any more because the countertop just doesn't let me reach where I need to.

My back and other muscles are easily stressed and I'm pretty sure I've come close to pulling a muscle or two and have stopped whatever I was doing just in time. I'm trying to be extra careful when picking up or playing with Eden. I make her stand up in her crib before get her out and I always bend from the knees. I do NOT need to be laid up with a pulled muscle right now.

Chuck's first week of call is the first week of November, so that would be a really inconvenient time for Arielle to come. Not that she's due then or anything. God's perfect timing is really what we need and that's all there is to it.

I thought a few weeks ago that by week 35, I would be sooooo ready for her to vacate my womb and sooooo distraught at the thought of her being even a day late. It's not week 35 yet, but I have to say that I'm really not miserable, nor am I in a hurry for her to come. Yes, it would be nice to be somewhat recovered by Thanksgiving and not have to wait through another holiday (like we waited through Christmas for Eden) for our new arrival to make her appearance. There's just a lot I'd still like to get done.

My new revised list now includes making Eden and Arielle outfits for Arielle's first photo shoot, making Eden and Arielle Christmas dresses, completing the burp cloths and hair bows for a friends baby shower gift, completing the planning and the invitations for Eden's second birthday party, choosing Arielle's birth announcement, writing the bulk of our Christmas letter with a place planned to put the info about the birth, planning and having our last photo shoot (Chuck and I together), putting Arielle's clothes in drawers and on hangers and then, of course, your basic getting and keeping the house clean.

That's a little overwhelming. I've got 8 weeks at the most.