31 Weeks

Yes, I am definitely beginning to understand better why women get impatient at the end of pregnancy. It's midnight and I wish I was asleep. I'm exhausted, but the combination of kicking baby, expanding rib cage, painfully dry throat and achey joints makes sleep something of an achievement. It's hard not to resort to taking something to help me fall asleep, but I don't want to hurt the baby, and I know if I do take something (albeit safe) I won't wake up until noon tomorrow--not that that's a huge deal; I'd just rather be awake for most of the day.

Poor Ariel is 8 weeks ahead of me, and she's been on the brink of labor for 3 days now. Her contractions are pretty consistent, but she's just not dilating. To make matters worse, AJ will only be in town until the first of May, so the sooner that baby comes, the better.

I can't yet imagine what it must feel like to be in labor, or even to have a real contraction. My occasional Braxton Hicks hardly count for anything at all, and I have to admit that it's a little daunting, thinking about what the real thing will be like. I know I'll be fine; I'm sure things will go the way they're supposed to... that only makes me feel mostly better though.

Zoey's room is almost done now. We just need to get rid of a few boxes and wash her tiny clothes, but that part will have to wait until her baby showers are done. I love sitting in her room and just looking around, taking it all in. It still feels a little like playing house, but it's becoming more and more real every day:

I'm going to be a mommy. Very soon.