Still Here.

I'm still here. Still pregnant. No one worry.

I can't believe I made it through the week. And it actually flew by, despite all the sitting and waiting I've been doing. Tuesday and Wednesday were rough, but once I snapped myself out of the, "Im definitely going into labor today" feeling, things have gotten better. I just try to distract myself. And I try not to think about all of the symptoms. I can relate it totally to the week before I took my pregnancy test. There are so many signs that might not be signs at all, and only a few definite ones. For instance, you might be pregnant if you have to pee a lot, or you might have had too much water to drink. You might be pregnant if you are nauseous, or you might be getting the flu. You might be pregnant if you have heartburn, or you might have eaten spicy food. The only thing that matters is if you're late. So that week before I took the test I analyzed everything, knowing however, that only one thing made it official. You would have thought I would have learned my lesson, but nope. The same goes for labor. You might be in labor if you want to nest, or your house might just be dirty. You might be in labor if your nauseous, or your belly could just be too full. You might be in labor if your back hurts, or your baby might be heavy. Again, only one thing matters... strong, consistent contractions. So I'm trying my hardest to just wait for those. But it is not easy, my friends. Especially when I get a new email every day telling me the signs. One was even titled, "Have you had your baby yet?" Now they are just taunting me. I think I'll have to delete my email account until she comes.

So what have we done this week to make it through. Well we walked. I don't know how many miles I've clocked, but I know I'm a walking machine. And thank God for this BEAutiful weather! It has been so nice to take morning and evening walks. Monday and Tuesday when it was hot, we took our walking inside. We did some serious mall walking, then Tuesday did some serious Target walking. We got Zoey's second birthday present, all the while I was thinking, "How in the world is she going to be two!?" It's funny though, as much as I have been nesting this entire third trimester, for some reason this last week I have wanted to do nothing but sit on the couch. Maybe it's because everything is finished. I don't think I could nest if I wanted to. But I have had very little energy, so I guess it's a good thing. I've gotten a couple spurts of energy here and there, enough to stock her pack and play with diapers, and cook all of Kyle's lunches for next week - so for those spurts, I'm grateful. Other than that, I watch Kathy Lee and Hoda, take walks, stalk facebook, clean up a little (if I can find something), and usually cap it off with Dr.Phil in the afternoon before Kyle gets home. That guy (Dr. Phil, not Kyle), I don't know what it is about him - he drives me nuts and suckers me in at the same time!

And what has Leah done. What hasn't Leah done? I think she thinks she is still the size of a lemon. The fact that she has no room has had no effect on her whatsoever. I don't know what I'm going to do with her. I told Kyle that I think she is confused on how exactly she is supposed to come out. I think she thinks she is supposed to break through my skin, in which case, she is giving it her best effort. She was obviously not paying attention to her part in the birth class. Her shoulders and elbows are just getting too much to handle. I still laugh most of the time. Only because I read all of these emails saying how she should be slowing down, not being able to move as much. So when I see her do a flip all I can do is laugh... and yelp in pain. I watch her now in a different way though. As much as it hurts, I have loved it, and I already know I will miss it when she's out. So now when she goes crazy I sit and watch and wonder if this will be the last time I get to see her move from the inside. And then I get a little sad. And then I feel the pain and get a little hopeful that it will be the last time. And then I get a little sad that I feel that way. It's a vicious cycle. I also try to explain to her that she would be able to move 10 times more if she were out here with us! So far she doesn't care.

I have also had lots of time to plan her life this week, she better get ready. Ha. Okay, not really, but I have done a ridiculous amount of daydreaming. We decided we're all going to go to a Cardinals game in the fall. Can't wait for that one! I used to think she'd be too little, but I see tons of babies, and they just sleep. While I know she won't sleep, from what I can tell she really enjoys the games that she's been to - so her going in real life should be no different. We've got a million babysitters lined up, and unfortunately, I don't think we'll use one of them. I don't think I'll ever want her away from me. Okay, maybe I will - but for now, she won't ever need a babysitter. Every time I walk I imagine having her in a stroller in front of me rather than punching her way out of me, and it seems so much more pleasant. I've already planned a weekend to grandmas in August when Kyle will be gone. She can finally meet her soon to be best friend Bella! And be introduced to the forest. Somehow I got put in charge of planning our family vacation next year - which includes, bama and bapa, her aunt Lauren and Uncle Joel, cousins Zoey and Ali, and the three of us. We've got a beach house, and I can just imagine us, kids in tow, taking toys, towels, and inflatables down the steps on to the beach. She's got swimming lessons coming her way in January. I hope and pray that she likes water, and gets my swimming genes. Her father is not a swimmer. I'm fairly certain I'll sign her up for ballet, for the outfit alone. I picked out her outfit for her first time going to church. I found some baby music classes I think I'll enroll us in. Lord knows I'm not musical, but maybe there's hope for her. See, what she doesn't understand is the longer she is in my belly, the more carried away I'm getting. It would really benefit her to come out before I have her in everything this town has to offer.

There is a week and four days left until our due date. I try to remind myself that she's not late yet. It works about as well as telling myself  "she'll come when she's ready." For the record, don't ever tell me that. Her mom and dad are going on a date tonight - I'm hoping a little (okay a lot) that that date ends up in the hospital. But if it doesn't, I'm still excited about the food. And hanging out with Kyle. Unless I write a labor blog between now and Monday, the next blog will be after our doctors appointment. Cross your fingers for miles of progress!