Closing In

My little sidewalk artists

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Do you know what that sound is?  It's the countdown to having baby #3.

There are lots of ways to calculate a due date.  You can go by the date of conception (which can be tricky if you were getting busy a lot that week), you can go by the last day of a menstrual cycle, you can go by the 40 weeks standard, you can go by the length of menstrual cycle times ten model, you can base it on the rate of fetal growth, you can go by the phases of the moon...

Lots and lots of ways to calculate a due date.

By most calculations, I'm due.  Past due.  Overdue.

There is only one due date left, and it is rapidly approaching.  And I'm still pregnant.

Honestly, I'm mostly relieved. I have one day left of class.  One day.  It's tomorrow.  Tomorrow, my professor has agreed to let me take both of the final exams of the session.  And then I'm done.  Done with my undergrad forever.

Snuggling up to mommy and Baby X

...and even if I don't make it to that one last class, I'm going to be okay.  I'll take a 'C,' be happy about it, and move on with my life.

But it doesn't seem like I'm having a baby *any* time soon.

My OB?  Last week, he hinted I might be pregnant until July.  July.  Because my uterus is all nice and pre-stretched from the twins, because my cervix is untested, and because I just don't seem to look like I'm going into labor any time soon.

Oh- and he won't induce me.  He'll just keep letting me be pregnant until I cry uncle.  Which I'm pretty sure I won't.

My children know something is up, DD especially.  She wants to be with me all the time.  If I'm just laying down in bed, giving my aching spine a rest, she wants to pretend to sleep with me.  She lays down, tucks herself in, and looks at me like the last ten minutes that I was absent from her life were the hardest times she's ever spent.

Grandmommy, SI, DD, me, and Great-Grandmommy

This is going to be really hard.

Today, my parents are taking the kids to the Chicago Botanic Garden.  I haven't decided if I'm going yet.  I'd like to, but I'd also like to tackle some of the remaining things I haven't done while I've been so busy and pregnant and surrounded by toddlers.  Things that will be even harder once I'm surrounded by toddlers and an infant.

But how many more chances am I going to get to be out with DD and SI, without their baby sister in tow?

I want to treasure these last days, or hours, or fucking month if that's what it's going to be.

And I also just want it to be over.

I keep scheduling things for us to do.  We adults have gone out to see two plays, we've taken the kids to a concert in the park, we've been nearly concussed by foul balls at the Cell, we've gone swimming in the back yard, we've had my grandparents for a visit, we're going to gardens, to museums, to our favorite ice cream parlor...

Back yard mermaids

We have a lot of things we're doing.

We're tempting fate this weekend, with Grandmommy going away to Michigan for about four days to recharge, leaving just me and Poppa to watch the girls while M is at work.  If that doesn't induce labor, I don't know what will.

So I'll keep posting the photo spam, the adorable pictures of my adorable daughters, and hopefully soon, Poppa or M will update all of you that I'm finally not pregnant any more, and Baby X has joined us.

Keep your eyes open for that post, lovely readers.

This is another morning when I feel this baby can't come soon enough.