Baby CL update: May edition

Well, it's nearly mid-May, and Baby CL is really in the spotlight now. I was at the doctor today. More progress has been made. She *thinks* that I may have the baby as soon as this weekend, or early next week.I'm kind of freaked out. I mean, I need that extra week. :) I'm not totally sold, though. As much as we can know certain physical things, nobody fully understands when the baby and your body are going to make that magic connection that signals your brain to start secreting the hormones that ignite true labor contractions. We'll see.

Everything looks great though. The baby is a great size, with pleasing activity and heartrate. All of my vitals look excellent, and I've gained about 27 pounds. All we have to do is wait for his or her arrival.

While I panic in the interim.

What I keep focusing on is my fondest memory from Hank's birth. That would be the moment that it *ended*, importantly. But that sudden cessation of pain is actually secondary. I just remember the moment that the doctor announced that he was a boy, and held him up. I'm awaiting that moment with so much joy and anticipation. Is there anything more wonderful that seeing your baby's face for the very first time? I don't think there is. I don't care how good your ultrasound images may have been, nothing substitutes that first real look. That's the moment that you fully realize how very worth it the entire journey is.