ProudGRITS is Preggers!: 9.5 months/38 weeks...what's happenin'??

This feels an awful lot like those days before you know for sure that you're pregnant, when you think you might be, and you hope you are...but you don't want to get your hopes up or end up looking silly...but, gosh, you think that you really could be...

And that's how I'm feeling today.

Sarah and I looked at my belly this morning and, um...it changed. Flattened. He kinda disappeared a little. To me, it's obvious that I look different--less of a "watermelon belly." Almost like I did a month ago!

And, whoa, Nelly...all day, there's been cramping and pressure and he's definitely sitting lower because his feet aren't reaching up as high. He's been VERY active as well. I dunno...I just feel a little different. The pains and strains are different.

So maybe he's warming up.

Oh, and my back hurts, too, even as I sit here. Drew could even feel my belly tightening earlier today. Nothing we can track or anything conclusive, or akin to what I felt when labor started last time...but I do feel different. Something has changed.

Oh, how I'd love to go into labor tonight!!

I figure a nice, slow warm-up would be nice, too...then things really get rolling, but with a head start, making labor faster and easier...

My real prediction is that he is warming up (I'm getting warm just thinking about it) and I go to the doc Wed. having changed slightly. Maybe he's more engaged or has "dropped"...maybe I'm effacing...he's at like a 0 station...I'm more dilated...something! She strips my membranes, labor gets going and we've got ourselves a baby by next weekend (or ON the weekend), still a few days before my due date. I can take him to the women's luncheon, he's here for Mother's Day...oh, that'd be nice!!

Then there's a chance that tomorrow I'll feel normal again and I have another couple weeks to go!! I have to allow for that possibility.

In other news...my appetite has finally returned and I'm trying so hard to eat well and eat a LOT, so that Ethan is sucking me dry. Our new theory is that I was eating just enough for him--therefore, I was left with very little energy or nutrients, thus my feeling lousy. My new mission is to bulk up a few pounds and eat healthily, and as much as I can--especially protein. I've done well for two days now and hopefully it will continue.

And now...PICTURES! It's hard to get the same angle, but I swear, today my belly just looks different!!! Here ya go.

37 weeks/full term.