One centimeter!!!! :-)

Had a doctor's appt today as I enter my 36th week. Nothing too exciting. I asked when he will check me and he said in 2 weeks. I told him I passed my mucus plug (I'm now sure of this) and he decided to check me today. I'm "one finger" dilated. I'm guessing that means one centimeter. Nothing to send me home thinking I'm having a baby this week, but still, exciting to hear my body is changing and getting ready for the big event (or as our doula says, d-day, delivery day, that is!). He did say she's got a lot more time in there. I've gotten myself into this mindset, because of the small pre-labor signs I'm seeing, that she may come early. I keep saying she needs to wait until after next sunday. We need to get through my last days of work (only one more!!!), 3 baby showers, and our pregnancy pics next sunday! So my brain tells me she'll come on monday. HA!!! Right! So now I'm retraining my mind to know that we really do have 4 more weeks, at least. Otherwise I'll go crazy come next week. lol But here are some of my pre-labor signs... my mucus plug is officially out! I've been having some flu-symptoms this past week and a half, mainly nausea. ugh! I'm having some nesting but then again we finally have the nursery ready to go so there's lots to do. However I'm still tired. No real burst of energy yet. I'm not cleaning base boards or anything. :) And of course braxton hicks. But I have not felt her drop yet. So I've still got a ways to go, but it is just exciting to actually see (and feel) my body changing in preparation for this little one's grand arrival!

As for Sean and I, our focus has changed a little bit this past week. After attending our first childbirth class last Wednesday and then meeting and talking with our doula this past Sunday, we are turning our attention to each other. One night last week I was crying to him that I'm afraid of losing our alone time and our freedom with each other (yes, partly due to hormones). Afraid of losing ourselves in this little one and how that will change our relationship. It only sent me to the Lord and laying this at HIS feet and praying over our marriage. I know that in many ways, this will bind us together like nothing else we've ever experienced. And in other ways, we will need to be intentional and diligent in keeping each other first. Without a strong marriage, a child will be stripped of so much. Our marriage has to come first. (at least after the first few months because she WILL demand all our attention in the beginning! :)) So we have been more attentive to each other and giving of ourselves more. In the beginning of the pregnancy I felt a lot of this, but it has dwindled as we got used to the idea and got caught up in the master bath remodel and getting the nursery ready! I said "No more projects now!" We need this last month to relax and really put our energy into each other and enjoy the time we have. I told him last night that I have really enjoyed the last 17 years with him. I think it came out wrong like its all over now. But I just meant that I really do love the 17 years we've had together. I would never have planned it this way, and yet we have been through so much and grown in so many ways, that I wouldn't trade it! I feel more ready now than ever! And we are getting more and more excited with each passing day. It puts a never ending smile on my face every time Sean shares his excitement with me. Ohhhhhhh.... trying to be patient. We just can hardly wait to hold her in our arms!!!!! A few more weeks and then you need to come, little girl!!!!