Baby's almost here . . .

(Left) The day I found out I was Pregnant
(Right) 34 weeks later

Little Miss is due in just 5 weeks. . . I'll be 36 weeks this Saturday. Crazy how time flies.

I'm a HUGE advocate of being active before and especially during pregnancy. I'm very blessed however to have had an easy pregnancy. The first couple of months were rough, I was exhausted trying to do seminary, work late nights and build a baby. But these last 3 months have been pretty great. Sure there's a huge mass around my stomach now and I'm just starting to wake up in the middle of the night because i need to put a pillow back under my tummy, but otherwise, I can't complain.

I still try to go "running". I mostly walk or stationary bike though. And having a job that keeps you on your feet has been really helpful too I think. It's interesting because when I come home from work, or nights that I have off, if I do lay down on the couch, or try to put my feet up, my back ends up hurting worse than if I would have stayed standing or sitting.

But anywho, I really think that continued exercising and working has helped me stay mobile and comfortable. People are complimenting me all the time about how small I look, how I'm all baby and are impressed with my energy level. Those were definitely my hopes going into this pregnancy. I do realize that it'll be quite another story come baby #2 with exercise. But we'll cross that road when I get there.

My goal is to be running 5ks again by May/June. Big dreams, I know.

James has planted the idea of buying my camera with our tax refund this year. Oh the temptation! I think I'm about 95% sure that I'll get it. It's hard to make a big purchase like that. I want to make it worth it. I want it to last. I have silly dreams of possibly becoming some amateur photographer on the side to make a little money. Who knows where that will lead. . . There's so many things I would LOVE to do, I just need to start doing them. My problem though is if I can't even keep a blog up, how am I supposed to keep anything else up AND have a baby??

They say that a mother of one is the hardest thing you'll ever do. Because it's the first. You won't comprehend how people can have more than one baby. You'll think you never have time for anything else. Maybe going into this baby thing with the mindset of knowing that's how I feel but it won't be the truth will help me sort everything out.

James and I took a 3 week birthing class through the hospital. It was very good. Mainly because it gave me that reality slap in the face I hadn't gotten yet. I mean, I have seen births, heard the stories, read the books/blogs. heard friend's accounts. . . But it wasn't until that class, sitting there realizing that this stuff they are talking about is actually going to happen to ME that it sunk in: This is going to be hard. And painful.

But then I also realized that I'm strong and I can deal with it. A co-worker asked me the other day how my tolerance for pain was. The unfortunate thing is I don't know. Because I've never had anything really all the painful happen to me. Never broken any bones. Maybe sprained some things here and there, but nothing big, no big surgeries, no chronic pains, nothing. So. . .  I really don't know how I'll tolerate the pain. But I'm telling myself that I can :D