38.5 weeks

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I am, as they say, full term with this pregnancy, ready to birth another member of the world! Any time I think much about this fact, I am once again shocked that a human's body can do this - produce another totally unique human with its own brain, personality, and set of preferences, all of which we'll have the joy of getting to know over the next half century, God-willing.

I've generally had more energy here in Montana than I did in Texas. Part of that is help with Zoralee, I'm certain, as well as cooler weather and less stress. But, some days are still pretty sluggish. I think of a t-shirt I saw on a woman in Anchorage a couple years ago; it said something like, "I'm pregnant. I'm up, and I'm showered. What more do you want?"

a few details:

• The baby has been head down for months, so we're good there. It has switched some between anterior and posterior (anterior being preferred, with the baby's back against my tummy). After I spent a great deal of time on hands and knees one week, it switched back to anterior, so I need to keep up the cow/cat stretching move. I also want to try this Rebozo sifting that both Marcy the Midwife and Cousin Autumn the Midwife told me about. Looks fun, right, having your belly jiggled with a scarf? I think I'll recruit a neighbor kid for that one, just to see their expression. There are some other neat things at the same website regarding baby positions during pregnancy and labor: www.spinningbabies.com. And Friend Shana the Nurse Practitioner reminds me against reclining positions, which I am SO guilty of this pregnancy, even during sleep (rather than side-lying). 
• The baby's heart rate has been great throughout - lots of variation based on external stimulation - and has been lower lately, more in typical boy range than girl, so ??
• I've had some extra menstrual-type cramping over the past month, which we weren't necessarily worried about, but because we didn't want an early labor, Marcy had me start on an herbal tincture called Lobelia, as well as drinking catnip and chamomile teas. Can you believe those cramps went right away? I think that's insanely cool! Jason and I like to joke about the magical potions and brews midwives seem to know about, and whether or not we should keep a frog's toenail on hand in case it needs to be added in to the mix.
• My blood pressure has been great this time around, which is fun. With Zoralee it was higher in the last few weeks, and I was mildly on bed rest - real annoying.
• I was GBS positive at 37 weeks, which I was disappointed about, as I had being doing some dietary things to change it. But alas. So I'm doing the Hibiclens routine, taking extra Vitamin C, and we're prepared for extra measures during labor itself. This is to avoid antibiotics during labor, which is totally my choice. My midwife could administer an IV, but antibiotics have always reeked havoc on my natural flora, and I've been reading about the range of potential side effects on baby (like compromising its immunity against other bugs), so we're going with these options and will of course keep a close eye on him or her in the first few days. A water birth should help too, as it instantly rinses off the little tyke's mouth.
• Jason arrives Friday evening, so I'd be all about a birth any time after that, to optimize his time off. Anybody is welcome to put in an order to that effect with the Good Lord.