The list keeps growing

Things I've come to terms with over the last few weeks:

1) I'm not going to have a small baby. And, what that means for me is that I won't have a super fragile baby. I'm kind of afraid of fragile things because I'm pretty clumsy. I can do the neck thing, no problem. I guess it was written in our fate to have a big, healthy baby because I can definitely do that.

2) Babies grow fast. I have been spending most of my time on the internet looking at other peoples' babies at various stages of their development. This helps me cope with what I'm about to deal with. The fantastic thing? Although she might be fragile at first, but in a matter of WEEKS she'll be big and smiling and have her own recognizable facial characteristics. That's pretty fantastic.

3) We're pretty ready to bring home a baby. With the exception of the carseats, which will be installed this week, we have everything set up: the bassinet is next to my side of the bed already, the crib mattress arrived and sheets have been washed, all of her 0-3 month clothes have been washed and put away, and the hospital bag is packed with everything. Everything that was in boxes is now put together, including the stroller, bouncer, and the playyard. Most importantly, however, we've gotten rid of a lot of crap. More to come as I filter through all our closets to replace wrapping paper and gift bags with diapers and wipes.

4) Carrying around this baby can get really uncomfortable, but I don't want to go into labor yet. I am NOT afraid of labor. I am not going to psych myself out like so many women do. People have given birth in worse conditions than I'll be in and lived through it-- and likely complained about it very litttle. What makes me any different? Anyway, I'm not worried and this baby and I are very fortunate to be in a clean and professional hospital to do this in. However, the strangest thing to me is reading these women's posts online that say that they really want to induce labor at 37 weeks. What the hell? Chill out! Yeah, my back hurts and I can't sleep through the night because of leg cramps and bathroom trips, but what's the big deal? It's only a few more weeks of worthwhile baby development going on in my belly! A small price to pay, in my opinion. Yes, I look forward to hugging people from the front as opposed to the side, actually having the ability to zip up my pants all the way, doing dishes without completely leaning over the counter, and most of all enjoying even a sip of wine or good caffeinated coffee, but it's a small price I'm paying sacrificing my body to make a healthy baby girl. The sacrifice continues as I continue to (hopefully) nurse her, but it's for the best and we all must deal with the sacrifices. I had 28 good years to myself, now I get to share the rest with my baby girl.

4) Advice from choice mothers is priceless. Thank you for all the encouraging words, as they really do help me cope with what will be the biggest transition that we will ever deal with. I know she's going to be a good one! :)