Wisdom from Your Big Sister

Dear Cecily,

When I was pregnant with your sister, I did a blog post for her with the help of your cousin Autumn. Autumn provided some wisdom to fetus-Maddie, and now Maddie (who will be FOUR YEARS OLD next month) is going to provide some wisdom to you!

WISDOM FROM MADDIE:

1.) One thing I want to tell you is that I hope you look cute.

2.) I hope you feel the softness of your lovely blanket and your lovely rug.

3.) Advice I want to give you is I hope you are a bird baby.

4.) I want to say I hope you're going to love your home that's a nest.

5.) And I hope you have a lovely birthday and a party hat for the birthday bird.

6.) I love you, Cecily!

I don't exactly know why she thinks you're going to be a bird. We're pretty up front with Maddie about biology. But in any case, she is very excited that you're joining us soon!

So am I. I am a box full of aches and pains these days, but it's a good reminder that you're going to be here SOON. Soon, soon. And here's some really great news: YOU AREN'T BREECH ANYMORE! Nope, your little feet are wedged up in my ribs, and your head bangs against my cervix like a golden hammer of pain. Dr. Austin confirmed it. So good work, Cecily!

On Monday, I had my 32 week OB appointment, and I took a walk with your brother and sister beforehand. You're going to live in such a pretty part of the world, Cecily.

And here's the hospital you'll be born in! 

This is you right now. My feet are nowhere to be seen.

And this is the rug I'm working on, that Maddie mentioned earlier.

We love you, and are SO excited to meet you! 

Love,

Your Mama

29 Weeks and Cranky

Dear Cecily,

We've got about 11 weeks to go, but it feels like 100. Except when I'm thrown into a crazy nesting fury, in which case it feels like 2. Discomfort-wise, this pregnancy is MUCH worse than my other two. I can't imagine how some women have six, seven, or eight pregnancies. I feel like a crushed bag of pretzels below my ribs and above my knees. Literally all the time. I wake up in the morning, and it's Crushed Pretzel City. I lie down at night (with my Snoogle pillow under my head and between my knees - thank goodness for the Snoogle!) and it's The Republic of Crushed Pretzels. You weigh two-and-a-half pounds right now, so I can't imagine why it feels like I'm carrying around a full-grown ostrich in my uterus. In any case, we've got 11 weeks to go. We'll make it. And then it'll be "goodbye, SPD/clicky pelvis/general old lady malaise" and "helloooo, super cute baby!"

Okay, I'll quit complaining. I'm awfully, awfully excited to meet you!

Your Memere is here for a visit. Though she's leaving in a little over a week to go back to New Hampshire, she'll be back here in Washington just six weeks later, to help with Maddie and Simon in the last few weeks of my pregnancy, and to watch them while your dad and I are in the hospital having YOU! (And in the weeks after, while I'm snuggling you and recovering from your exit from my body.)

Speaking of your exit. I don't want to pressure you or anything, but you seem to transition between being breech and being transverse, and you have a couple of weeks to get your act together and get head-down, but I'm really hoping that happens sooner rather than later. You're making your mom a little antsy. I've had a couple of very successful vaginal births, and I'm counting on having a third. I'd rather not have a C-section, as I'm squeamish. And you know all of the complaining I just did about my pelvic discomfort? I'll be doing a LOT more of that following a C-section. So turn around, tiny friend. Head down.

Love,
Your Mama

PS, I wrote this post when I was actually 29 weeks pregnant. I'm just now getting around to publishing it at 32 weeks pregnant, so that will tell you that your mom is a.) busy getting ready for you, and b.) a bit of a procrastinator sometimes. I love you!