Baby Bellies

So today I took my first "bare belly" photo of Miss Ruthie.  I don't know why, but this time around I just haven't been as enthusiastic about taking my weekly belly photos.  Ok I'll be honest, I haven't taken ANY!  So today I thought, really, before she is born and my opportunity is lost, I'd better take a photo to remember these days when she was in my tum.  With the boys, I photographed my belly with their names on it, and decided to go ahead with this same method for Miss Ruthie.  It was fun!  I chose pink and glittery haha!  My tummy actually looks very similar to each of the boys - which is not surprising since my weight gain has been almost exactly the same.  It's crazy to think that this is probably the last time I'll ever post a belly photo in my life!  Wow....a chapter is about to come to a close.

Hayden:  August 2007

Pierce:  April 2009

Ruthie:  February 2011

And here is the full on side shot of my 38 week belly with my girly!

I've been heading to see the midwife weekly for the past 3 weeks, and everything is going well.  She checked me for progress, and I'm about 3 cm dilated at this point, which doesn't surprise me given some signs I've been having, including contractions with a frequency of at least once an hour for the past few weeks.  Occasionally they are mildly painful, but for the most part they are of the run of the mill braxton hicks variety.  It really could be any minute now, which is such a curious feeling!  One minute she'll be in my tummy, the next she'll be in my arms (and I'm trying to block out the whole part about how she makes that transition haha).  But honestly, although I'm anxious to meet her, it's really fun to wonder about when she'll suddenly decide to make her appearance.  Birth is such a mystery!  And for some reason, I have this gut feeling that my water will break this time around to start labor, although that has not happened with either of my previous pregnancies.  I don't know why....but I just have a feeling.  We'll see if that pans out?!

So according to my original due date of Feb 21 (which admittedly was settled on primarily because I had only a vague idea of when I got pregnant, and it sounded fun to share a due date with my birthday), I am 38 weeks pregnant as of tomorrow.  If you consider my ultrasound based due date (from my 8 and 18 week ultrasounds) of Feb 16, I am actually almost 39 weeks.  Who knows?  I have a feeling I'll still be pregnant for a few more weeks.  I tend not to go early.  So the wait continues!