About 2 1/2 years ago, I wrote a similar post reflecting on my pregnancy at what ended up being less than 24 hrs. before my son arrived. It is interesting to look back and see what a different pregnancy I had then, and such a different perspective, for that matter. They say every pregnancy is different, and I have certainly found that to be true. One major difference is that I've spent the last several weeks on bedrest. Seems baby girl was getting a little too anxious to make her debut. Luckily, I was spared the strict, confined-to-bed-all-the-time kind of bedrest, so I am still able to get up and around some - but no going to work, cooking, housework, etc. (that last one really broke my heart, but you know, Doc's orders... :) These days, I spend most of my time propped up on the couch with a laptop. Fortunately, I've been spared the brunt of the summer heat by having to stay put in the AC. And it has been a hot one here for sure - going on 40 days of 100+ degrees here in Dallas, with several days of 106-110. Yikes. And I have to say, I have enjoyed the much needed extra rest, and I've especially enjoyed the extra time with my boys. Jack is always asleep when I leave for work, and I miss out on his daytime routine, so I've really loved getting to spend some quality time with him before his sister arrives. Which could be any day - any minute really...as in I'm having a contraction as I type. It's been like this for the last couple of weeks. We've finally passed 37 weeks, so I'll be delivering a full term baby (thank the Lord!) and as far as we know, a healthy, very strong little girl. And when I say strong, I mean it. Her movements in the last few weeks have more than once almost brought me to tears. But this little one will need every ounce of that strength to put up with her daddy and her brother! Jack knows he's got a sister on the way, but he can't know exactly what that means or how it's going to change his little world. He's always been fascinated with little babies, and surprisingly gentle. I really think he'll do fine. And he's going to be a great big brother. Oh, I'm sure there will be a fair share of torture she'll have to deal with, but I'm going to try to teach him from very early on that his main job is to watch out for her and protect her.
A couple of weeks ago, we got to have a 3D sonogram, and can I just say, it was amazing. To see her in so much detail and this far along...it was a special moment for Bret and I. I have stared at the pictures over and over since then. Though it's still a little hard to tell, she does kind of look like her brother. After my appointments that day, we stopped for lunch and finally, FINALLY settled on her name. It had been a trying, even tiring experience as we couldn't seem to agree at all. Maybe we just needed to see her sweet face. We decided on Andie. It just seems to fit, and we both really like it, and well, to be honest, we were really weary of discussing it...so Andie Elizabeth it is! (The middle name has been passed from my great-great grandmother to my grandmother, to my mom and to me, so that one's been planned since I was a little girl and NOT negotiable. :)
So now the hard part...waiting. I've got her clothes washed (and can I just say what an extensive wardrobe this child already has? Good grief!) her bed is ready, superhero going-home-outfit complete with her own logo and cape (her brother had one, so she should too, right? :) I know I've only got a couple of weeks left at most, but with every contraction, I wonder if it's the real thing. It wasn't this way with Jack - I didn't have any contractions really until after my water broke, and then it was all over in less than 4 hrs. I was telling Bret last night that waiting for labor to start is like knowing you are going to get a brand new car, but the only way to get the new car is to total the old one. You don't know when it's going to happen, or how bad the wreck will be, or how much it's going to hurt. But you are going to total the car, you're going to be in it when it happens - and there's no getting out of it. But, the shiny new car you get to take home makes it all worth it, of course! We are so ready to have her here - to be done with the pregnancy part and on to the sleepless nights, to getting the baby weight off and feeling like myself again, and of course - the very best part - holding her in our arms and smelling the top of that sweet little head...
