ETA?

Here is the belly close-up for week 38. I prefer to not have face in the pics these days!!! Yes, I know I'm not "fat," just pregnant. And, oh, yes, it's wonderful to grow for your baby. However, I used to be a professional ballet dancer and am therefore handicapped! I don't believe this is true all the time, but for now, I'm just saying: Everything's Relative! I promise: I'm not fishing for "you look great!" comments, so please don't feel like they're required :) I just can't not talk about what's on my mind!

Now for my title explanation-
Every morning we wake up, and I ask Spud, "When do you think your birthday is?" Then, he responds with various Morse code kicks and wiggles, "ETA: undetermined at this time."

The when-will-it-happen anxiety is universal, I think, among pregnant women in their last few weeks. I didn't think I'd be feeling this way, though. I expected Spud to be late because I was about 3 weeks late, but then all this excitement started with my contractions and physical progress. At this point, Spud is at station -1; my midwife said that's as low as he'll get before labor really starts. I won the "best cervix of the day" pronouncement at my last appointment much to Brendan's and my firstborn-overachiever delight. :) Also, I've had "false" labor 3 times now! All through Mark's graduation last night, I was having consistent, slightly painful contractions, and I must confess that really got my hopes up. I actually enjoy the false labor because I know that my body is getting work done even if it's not quite ready for the big show. They're like little dress rehearsals. So, we continue to eagerly await Spud's big performance, and I'm really trying to not be obsessed with every little contraction.

Here's how I DON'T feel: ACKK! Get this baby out of me! I'm sick of being pregnant! So, that's good. I'm not dying for it to be over. I just keep getting teased by my overactive uterus, and I'm SO excited to finally have Spuddy Buddy here so that I can start loving on him in new ways! I know, though, that God's timing truly is best, and I don't want anything but his will.

We are ridiculously (at least materially) prepared. My projects are complete; the house is super-clean (thanks to little, crazy nesting fits); and if I read one more book, I'll just be too darn educated about birth. Therefore, I am now fighting boredom, hence this long post :). Thank God for this sunny day- surely I can kill some time outside!