“Whatcha talkin’ bout Wallace?”

T minus ten hours until Adam and I hit up St. E’s for our little dumplin’s delivery and as I am still on bedrest, the day will be a rather uneventful last day before entering mommydom. I am trying to soak up all of the last minute advice from all of our fab friends and family, tying up last minute work stuff and getting mentally prepared (ha!) for the next 48 hours (and 18 years). Among the words of wisdom I’ve received, my favorite tokens throughout my pregnancy have come from my brother-in-law, Chris. Having become a father to Drew just 10ish months ago, Chris has the whole birthing experience fresh in his mind and has advised Adam to stay up at my shoulders, be ready to have to milk me for hours and has also offered two name suggestions: for a girl – Elizabethan (I guess he likes the era) and for a boy – William Wallace (he’s a big Braveheart fan). While I appreciate his interest, I can guarantee you that in no event would the birth announcement bear the name Wallace.

The bags are packed for the hospital (and have been for weeks now) and I feel like we have more than we could ever really need. My colleague Melissa shared a story with me about women in South Africa, who walk miles to get to a clinic, pop out the child without anything resembling a hospital bed or pain meds and walk out less than an hour afterwards. Ha! We westerners are so spoiled (and frankly, I’m good with that). I am sure that my freshly loaded ipod, stack of dvds, and entire makeup bag will seem frivolous but it’s this belle’s first time at the ball … better to be safe than sorry.

I have to state, one last time before we do this thing that I really have loved being pregnant. Looking back at my first posts, I realize that perhaps I wouldn’t have loved the last two trimesters as I did had I not spent the first weeks yacking and barfing morning, noon and night so perhaps, it’s time to admit that was a blessing in disguise. Some things I will miss about being pg include:
– I’ve never felt so comfortable in my own body before. I don’t feel that I’ve overindulged or used pregnancy as an excuse to engage in crazy eating habits, etc. but I haven’t felt concerned with my body and haven’t obsessed with the weight gain. It looks like I’ll land right below 30 pounds of weight gain and hope to get active in 4 to 6 weeks with little Snowball.
– I love feeling the baby move inside me and while I am sure I will love holding the baby outside of me even more, I am sure it will feel a little absent inside my tummy tum tum.
– People are so nice to you while your blossoming the little bundle… although, I hear that people are even nicer when you’re toting the little tot about town… can’t wait for that!

It’s been a great ride so far and in a sense, it is actually just beginning. All of the advice and stories in the world can’t possibly prepare us for how we’ll live this journey and I am so blessed to be living it with the man my heart dreamed of since I was born. My life will come full circle tomorrow (or after) as we welcome our little joy into the world at the very same place I was delivered nearly 27 years ago this month. As so many have shared… it will never be “the same”.

We’re so excited to see if Snowball is Snowbelle or Snowballs and either way, we’ll be thrilled! I am betting it’s a boy and Adam believes it’s a girl… only time will tell. Any last minute advice or suggestions are welcome!