baby (or no-baby-yet) update.

even though we are 10 days away from our due date, i have the time to provide an update - so i'll do just that!

-visited dr. le on wednesday and everything's looking good, heartbeat was beautiful!
-baby's head is down, down, like dr le wasn't able to move it {puuuuh-lease be sunny-side down!!!}
-slight cervix softening and dilation two weeks ago, we didn't check this time.  if baby isn't here on the 13th {why would it be?  that's a few days before our due date} dr le offered some natural ways to get things moving.  i'm not a fan of that {it's a friday on mlk jr weekend}, so i think i'll wait until the next appointment which will be after our due date.  he also mentioned that he's willing to let me go past 42 weeks {not kaiser policy, they like to schedule an induction at 41-41.5} as long as baby is doing well - he knows how bad i want to avoid medical interventions {i've been talking about it for 20 weeks now} and i am super appreciative of his support, not all drs at hmos are as supportive.
-my ribs are killing me.  front side because the babe is long and chilling on my right side, dr le was all 'wow, it's way up here!' {thanks for the unnecessary 'wow' and explanation, i can feel that, fyi!}.  my back ribs, also right side, hurt because i cracked them during an eventful cinco de mayo in 2003.  if i could go back in time, that's the one event i would take back!
-i'm having braxton-hicks contractions that are starting to HURT.  they are lasting over a minute, but currently i have them about every 45mins to an hour.  i feel like they are helping with progress, though, and any progress made now will {hopefully} help later!
-pete and i are packing our bags this week - i have a lot of 'natural' labor stuff to find and pack: oils, rice sock, big birthing ball, tennis balls, eye soother, towel, robe, good walking shoes, swimsuit, shower cap.... really, really hoping these + massage + breathing + walking + water make for an easier time this time!
-we've completed our 'birthing' classes, which weren't too great, but we got some things out of it, so i feel pretty confident.  it was so cute to hear all the moms talking about their birth experience plans as all of them will be going through their first birth.  it helped my confidence and helped me reminisce about all of those feelings with jack.  pete and i relived jack's birth a few times while watching videos and i cried a lot.  did i tell you about my appointment with the midwife?  i cried the whole time.  it's emotional to retell your birth story {pluses and minuses} again, knowing you have this amazing little man, and knowing that even though i want our birth story to be different this time, i wouldn't change anything in the world about that time because it brought us jack! {tears again.}
-i've lost my mind.  les has blown my mind with text messages about naming our baby 'emeril' and i didn't even get that she was saying 'emeril green' like emerald green.  for like, days.  pete had to explain it to me - in front of his parents, no less - because i seriously didn't get it!  AH.  i also called her crying on the corner of a street on wednesday, didn't understand a crack about a gardener, and i can't remember what day it is.  i'm attributing the last to the fact that it was christmas vacation around here with pete and jack home, but there's no excuse.  we've been back to the normal schedule since tuesday.  i really need to get it together!
-i reorganized jack's room and did a few other things on my to-do list. i'm leaving the rest, just can't do it.  i want to relax these last few weeks - maybe i'll go into some nesting surge as labor approaches, but if i don't i'm ok bringing our baby home to the mess we call home.
-nursery will wait until we know gender.  it's a pretty green, so it'll be bedding and wall hangings, all easy to do with a newborn!
-i bought a pink/gray outfit and blue/gray outfit yesterday so the baby will be dressed cutely for the short ride home!  {so freaking adorable, i haven't shopped for baby clothes since jack was born - maybe for a shower, but i don't think so!}
-i have nipple cream, nursing nightgowns, nursing tanks, and will get a pedi soon.

that sums it up!  YAY for baby coming soon!!  {who, by the way, says hi via slow rolls and head jabs!}