The Home "Streeeeetch"

Here's a picture of my belly eating my friend Joy's belly. She is 21 weeks in this picture (I'm 33 weeks here) and just starting to get a cute little roundness in her mid-section. Ahhh, those were the days. AND by the way, SHE does NOT have an "incompetent" anything!

To call what is happening to my body "stretching" is, really, not adequate. I was nowhere near this round with Piper. I'm thinking of renting a crane to get me out of bed to go to the bathroom. Granted some of this large feeling could be coming from my now deconditioned bod, but still. A crane would be nice. Too bad my birthday isn't until June....

This morning, I was remembering a moment. A moment that occurred almost 13 weeks ago. Brooks and Piper came with me for my Ultrasound at 21 weeks when we found out my cervix was short. Not much was said in the ultrasound room and I didn't see the doctor until later that afternoon, so we didn't really know what it all meant. But there was this moment as we were leaving. Brooks was taking Piper with him and she wanted me to pick her up before they left. Brooks' eyes met mine over her silky hair. We both knew we had a difficult road ahead. We didn't know exactly what it looked like, but in that look we said to each other "hold on, here we go...". Both of our eyes held fear, sadness, trepidation, but also, our daughter. She was worth anything we went through and we would've gone much further if needed. Turns out she was just a warm up.

We have come so far. almost 10 weeks on bedrest now. Too many trips to the hospital. Too many pokes, prods, drugs, ultrasounds. I am so proud of us that we are where we are. I'll be 34 weeks tomorrow. Piper was born a day before I turned 35 weeks, so this next week will be another huge milestone for us. The end is in sight. I can get up in 2 weeks. It has literally taken a village just to get this babe into the world safely. I hope it doesn't take a metropolis to raise him/her.

I have thanked a lot of people, and my thanks will never do what everyone has done justice. But there is one other soul I need to thank and that is my daughter Piper. Someday, Piper, maybe you'll read this. The joy you bring to my life every day is immeasurable. To think, is it possible to multiply infinity times 2? I'm willing to do whatever it takes to find out. There is a reason you came to our lives first. I know this isn't the only reason you were first, but at this moment, I thank you for this.

She's growing so fast. It is so bittersweet. As she began to understand more and more language and started to be able to use it she always used the word "pwease" for anything affirmative. It was heart melting, so I never corrected it. For example:

Mommy: Piper, would you like milk?

Piper: Pwease.

Mommy: Piper do you like your dress?

Piper: Pwease.

Mommy: Piper, would you like a cookie or a piece of cake?

Piper: Pwease. (that actually may NOT be incorrect usage of the word - I usually opt for both as well.)

Well, as all kids do, she has progressed with her language and now says "yes", "yah", or nods her head instead of saying "pwease" for every affirmative. She's still polite, she just uses it correctly. I'm so sad to see that go, yet proud of her for her new understanding.

We're also working on moving her to a big girl bed. She still continues to choose her crib, and I'm not forcing the issue. In fact part of me is cheering her on. "YES! Stay young, stay a baby, stay dependent, say pwease!". But the bigger me knows, it's gonna happen and it's our job to guide her, not hold her back. And I'm mostly "Big" right now, but just in size. :)

Piper makes me belly laugh almost daily. And the baby in my belly knows it. I can't wait to see them as siblings. No wonder this little peanut is anxious to get here. I'm so excited to meet him/her (and to KNOW if the baby is HIM OR HER!), but I would like to wait another 2-3 weeks, Pwease. :)

For those of you who need/want numbers (I'm one of those, by the way), when I was checked last week I was 2 cm dilated and 80-90% effaced. This week she did not check me, but I measured 32 cm vertically, which is on the SMALL??? side of the normal range for 34 weeks - she says this is because the baby has dropped and is below the pubic bone where they measure from.