Roll’s Last (Fancy) Supper, Almost 40 Weeks

So, I’m posting a little early this week because I think this labor party is going to get started soon. This morning I woke up around 3:30am, leaking (sorry about the TMI factor) and feeling pre-labor contractions. I feel perfectly fine (Jon even had to talk me out of doing yoga this morning) and it’s nice that I happen to have an appointment with my midwife this morning so we can find out how I’m progressing internally. It’s cool how instinct works. All weekend Jon was hoping the baby would come and I kept telling him that I just didn’t feel like it was going to happen. Then last night something felt different -- no contractions, just a feeling. I said, “OK, I really feel like I’m on the brink of change and something is going to happen soon” and then there I was in the wee hours, stumbling around in the dark, admittedly feeling excited about the “belly clenches” (as I described them to Laurel). After feeling nothing (save food poisoning) the last time around, it feels fantastic to be in tune with the body.

Anyway, the other nice thing about not delivering this past weekend was that I enjoyed both a lovely lunch with my girlfriend Kate, and what I suspect was Roll’s last fancy supper, with my girlfriends Nicola, Heather, and Heather at The Capital Grille. Our babies have known each other since they were babies (literally, they all went through day care -- from babies up to pre-K -- together) and it’s great that we’ve kept up with meeting for dinners, even now that our kids are dispersed in different school systems. Dinner was fantastic -- probably about a bajillion calories, but whatever. I snapped a couple of photos before I headed out so these are serving as my almost 40 week photos -- it cracks me up how absurdly different I look from the front and side:

I can't believe it's almost time to meet Roll. I'm not sure I can hold out until St. Patrick's Day (Laurel's wish), but Laurel's so eager to meet her sister that I think she'll forgive if Roll breaks the born-on-holiday tradition in our family.