Oh Happy Fall, Oh Happy Baby

Well, we're getting close.  We went to the doctor today and got to see our little boy via 'baby skype.'  He looked like a little buddha baby, all squashed and pouty-faced.  His cheeks looked so chubby, they were almost resting on his chest!  This was my fourth ultrasound and it's been so funny to track how much more space babies take up as they get bigger.  Today, I thought Baby J seemed so much bigger than four weeks ago; his foot today was the size of his entire body at 20 weeks.  He looks healthy and his stats were good.  Beau and I left the cozy little ultrasound room for the last time relieved and more than ready to meet our little man.  
 
I know I keep saying it, but this whole pregnancy thing is so surreal. I’ve carried this little peanut inside of me for 41 long weeks and for the most part, pregnancy has been magical. I’ve walked (and now waddled) with this newly defined purpose for my life and most of the time, I’ve felt like I was floating. I completely understood and relished in the pregnancy ‘glow.’ I soaked my baby bump in the heat of summer, waded in kiddie pools, and dressed in clothes that accentuated my newest and greatest feature.

All along, I knew this baby was going to eventually come out. And just like that, I would be a mom. Today, however, as I scour the internet attempting to find out what a contraction feels like, it’s begun to sink in that in a matter of hours or days, I will get to experience giving birth. The thought alone makes my mind go a little numb.

I remember feeling this way before getting married too. We planned and planned this day I’d been thinking and dreaming about for so long, and days before, the true reality of what you are about to do sinks it. It’s exciting and scary, magical and a bit incomprehensible.  

This weekend has been just what I needed.  Feeling a little sorry for myself yesterday morning, my husband decided he would forgo his day of football in order to relieve my impatient mind of another day of aimlessly cleaning, blogging, or worst of all, thinking too much.  Since my hopes of making it to the Mississippi River are slowly vanishing for the season, we created our own little day of exploration.  We drove with the windows down, munched on Jonagold apples from an orchard by Denver, hiked through Hartman Reserve (which is absolutely gorgeous this time of year), and stopped at every little park we could find to scope out the playground facilities.  We found places in Cedar Falls we never knew existed.  We stopped for burgers at Toads, took pictures of pretty trees, and I finally persuaded Beau to start The Hunger Games Trilogy.  Did I mention he's somewhat of a reading prodigy?  He started reading at about 6:00 and by midnight, he was almost finished with the 350 pager.  I am on page 80 of the sequel; however, stopped to watch Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters.  I love, and hate, how fast he reads.  

The hours are ticking away and pretty soon, I will get to see, touch, and kiss the cheek of this little boy that's changed our lives.  I'm a little scared, but so excited I can hardly stand it.  

My cup runneth over.