The Ferris Finale

Oh baby! We are in the home stretch in terms of my pregnancy with Ferris Finale. I am 35 weeks and am preparing for my home visit with the midwives tomorrow. "What is a home visit?" Well, I am so glad you asked.

If you are planning to birth at home, about 4 weeks before your due date, the midwife comes to your house. They drop off the hospital supplies kit that is necessary for the birth (sterile supplies). They also check that you have the list of things that you are to provide (wash clothes, blankets for the baby, etc.) These things are kept together in a laundry basket so that the midwife can easily access them during the birth. This is also a time for the midwife to meet the people attending the birth, and share a meal with the family. They get a little familiar with the house too...I mean the hosts will be a bit occupied when they show up for the birth so it is nice that it isn't the first time they have been to your house.

I look forward to this visit for so many reasons. First off, I have been seeing the same midwife for all three children and I enjoy spending time with her. Secondly, this means that this little one will be joining our family very soon. Third, this is one of the prenatal visits that I get to involve the whole family. By this point both of my children have an idea of what is coming. Levi obviously gets it more than Rachel. He still doesn't know how the baby gets out, but has yet to point-blank ask me. His going theory is that it comes out my mouth...I have told him this is not true, but he doesn't ask any further questions. I am just waiting, and when it is time, I will tell him the truth to the best of his current ability to understand.

Lately, I am seeing that I am becoming more new-baby oriented. Every other Facebook post seems to relate to the baby and at least one of the items on my daily "to-do" list is related to the impending arrival. This is a good thing because I haven't been quite ready for baby in the recent months. I have been enjoying sleeping in and having 2 hours each day to myself during nap time. I was holding onto this lifestyle as long as I could. Now, I have been thrust into a plethora of changes. We have moved Rachel out of the nursery, she is demanding potty-training attention, and nap time is not happening every day. I am surprised by how well I am giving up my routine. I guess I am falling into the habits of a mom with a new baby. This lifestyle is so little about you and so much about everyone else in the household. The only thing I am selfish about is my eating. I will neglect most everything to get a quick bite in. I have had to learn this over the past couple of years. With Levi I let my eating go in order to fill others' needs. I realized this was not helping anyone. My eating has benefits to the whole family. If I eat, I have energy and patients that otherwise would not be there. I also need fuel in order to feed my baby. I make this a priority because I know how it affects the rest of my day and those around me.

I hope to post a picture of the growing bump in the next week or so. I have decided to do pregnancy pictures here at home. I am going to let the kids finger paint my belly. This will be a way of including them in the process. I hope they have fun with it.