the endless topic you're tired of reading about...

So I finally got around to packing a hospital bag. We were supposed to have one packed "just in case' at latest at 36 weeks. So here at 2 days shy of 39 weeks I can proudly say that my hospital bag is packed. Why is it packed? Well because today is Friday and on the very small chance that something were to happen today I don't want to show up at the hospital with only the shirt on my back. Baby's bag, on the other hand, has been packed for a few weeks - that's right... priorities.

It's still kind of weird to me to think that labor and delivery will happen quite soon (keep in mind that soon is a relative term at this point). Some of the foreign aspect of having this baby revolves around the fact that i have yet to really understand what a contraction feels like. According to others, this is a common reality. Renee and Ellen both stated, among others, that they were unaware that they were contracting until being linked to hospital monitors. It does bring to mind one question though... How will I know it's time to go to the hospital if I'm not sure what a contraction feels like? - Oh, you'll know. I've been told. Okay then! "Are you contracting yet?" Matt has frequently asked me over the past few days. "Nope," I tell him, but I'm not sure if I'm right or not. I just wouldn't classify the weird tightness in my stomach and random crampings as contractions. But again, it's the blind leading the blind. I guess I could tell him more fully that I am or am not contracting once we're holding the baby. ;-)

Almost all is in place for baby when baby comes home. We've moved the bassinet into our room (which is an odd sight during my nightly pee breaks). Odd how much that bassinet appeared to ft in the nursery, but still feels so out of place - and yet in place- at bedside. I just have to redress the guest bedroom bed and then we'll be all set for my mom to come and baby to come home. All other little details like getting a baby bathtub and changing pad we can work through later. =) Yeah, yeah, yeah... we'll be just fine.

We realised yesterday, as we were hanging out at the in-law's house, that if I were to go into labor this weekend, Matt's family would need to come home early from their vacation (if they wanted) and could potentially miss the laboring part. This weekend's Michigan Family Christmas. which Matt and I will not be embarking upon due to overly obvious reasons. We hadn't given any thought to the whole 'his family not being here' aspect of the spontaneity of labor. But I am sure it will all work out according to God's plan. Which in other words means that I am sure of nothing in this plan, but that a baby will be born at some hour during some day or night. And yet knowing nothing can bring such peace and normalcy with the knowledge that God is in control of it all.

Anyway, I better get ready for today and head off to work. I've got a few things to pack into the car before I go to work, sheets to put on the bed, trash to get out, and breakfast to eat. I'll keep you posted on today's updates regarding the ultrasound and all. Have a great day, all!