The usual complaints and last minute stuff.

I feel grotesque and like I can't possibly get any larger in the belly area. Ugh, how much longer?!

I'll be 37 weeks (full term!) on either Sunday or Tuesday, depending on which due date we go by, and then I'm bringing out the big guns to try to get this creature out of me. I'm taking matters into my own hands, which even means ramming wooden spoons into my calves, like this.

Over the past few days, the baby has entertained itself with some bladder head-banging. It's so uncomfortable, it almost tickles. I can feel it pressing its head into my bladder and cervix (yes, you can indeed feel your cervix if you have another human being pounding on it!) every few minutes. OUCH!

I'm peeing every hour, literally, and still getting short of breath, even if I'm just sitting on the bed with Miriam in my lap reading her books. Whoever said that increased urination means the baby has dropped, which means you can breathe more easily, LIED! And let's not get started on the freakish leg/butt pain, which I thought was bad the past few months, but for the past two days is absolutely INSANE. It shoots so unexpectedly and so strongly that I'm bursting out in screams and gasps every few minutes. ARGH!!!

But at the same time, I'm feeling very nostalgic about this pregnancy ending in the next few weeks. I know I'll miss being pregnant, and probably won't be pregnant ever again. I'll miss the baby moving, the anticipation, the preparations, and the excitement. Everything is pretty much ready, since I've been nesting like a manic eagle (I assume eagles make big nests) over the past few days. Hospital bag is packed except for my comfy pants (which are in the laundry) and some snacks to eat in labour. I'm just waiting on some CDs from the library to finish up my iPod playlist. The baby's clothes, diapers, and dresser are set up. Clean house - check. Miriam excited - check. Route to hospital planned - check. Breasts and arms present - check. Midwives pager numbers accessible - check. WE'RE READY!

Actually, now that I'm listing stuff, I have to write out what we still need to do, so I'm not awake at 3 am thinking about it:
* pick middle names
* add pens, camera, and phone (with all cords) to hospital bag, as well as last minute stuff (toothbrush, meds)
* go over route to hospital with Josh (I know it, but I have to confirm with him if he knows it)
* save midwives' pager number on Josh's phone in case we need to call them when we're not home as their pager number is on the fridge
* more nesting if my body lets me - cook and freeze some meals, unpack the last three boxes from the move (all my winter clothes), finish small projects around the house (like putting up hooks on backs of doors)
* get the car back from the fixers who are fixing the dent from my accident (since it has the car seat in it!).
* get at least one more massage (tomorrow!)
* pay physiotherapy bill
* get my infected tooth extracted (on Tuesday) as it can't wait until the baby is born. This should be fun!
* take Miriam to the activities I've been planning - free weekly kids' concert, drop-in preschool story times at the library, KW Multicultural Festival (next weekend?)
* do final thyroid blood test at the end of June (if I make it that far)
* midwives appointment next Wednesday, and then weekly after that
* get all paperwork set up for maternity benefits to start
* finish sewing - need to hem the wrap, and slap those rings into the ring sling

ACK! The list is still HUGE! I guess it's another night of planning-obsessing insomnia for me tonight!