37 weeks

I had my 37 wk appt yesterday morning. I am so ready to have Francis already; thankfully I haven't gained any weight in the past 2 weeks, but my skin on my belly is stretched so thin, that old stretch marks from the other pregnancies, actually tore in the shower...it stung! My back aches still. I have been taking night walks with the kids to look at Halloween decor, but also in the hopes that it will jumpstart labor.
   Anyway, the doctor said his head is still down (wasn't sure with how much he was moving around lately; usually I have a hard bulge on my right side of my belly, which I presume is his little butt. It was on the left yesterday morning. The doctor also checked my cervix, which he said is between 2-3 cm dilated. I know with L & O, I was dilated 4cm (which is considered active labor) for a few days and then boom, first strong contraction and I was too late for an epidural once, and almost with the next too, at 7 cm. I am trying to be very prepared for that trip to the hospital since it's further from us this time and we have 2 kids.
    John has installed all 3 carseats in our equinox, and it's a ridiculously tight fit...but it works. I have packed a hospital bag....a huge one lol. The doctor also moved my induction date tentatively to November 4th, which is the monday after next. It's 12 days away....I hope to have him naturally before then, but regardless, that means we will have little Frankie within the next 12 days! Although I am hoping to have him as early as tonight, there are a few birthdays he can land on that will make it fun: October 31st is Grandma Hodge's bday as well as our friend's Jim & Shawna's son Alex, November 4th is their other son Jacob's bday, and I think John's Aunt Pauline, and November 7th is my brother James' bday.

    After my appointment, Norman and the kids went with me to meet daddy at his work for lunch. He gave us a little tour of his office, and met more coworkers. I was imagining in the future, Norman possibly working there too!

Norman wondering why John is taking so long...he missed his text that we were there..

   Then we had lunch at their big cafeteria--sometimes too many choices. They had stir fry, and I had a salad and tried a tuna taco. The kids had pizza and fruit and then some dessert.

I figured I'd show how huge I am...37 weeks...come one baby Frankie!

   I am so grateful that John has a good job at a company like Denbury. And we are happy that we made the move from Houston to Dallas on such short notice. It felt right, and things have worked out well. Wouldn't have foreseen all the great things that we have been blessed with in the past year, but it's great to look back on all of them and give God the credit He deserves. From the fun I had making money playing music (something I never really thought i'd make myself try), to the new home purchase, to more family joining us in TX, to John's convenient job, to our homeschool endeavors, and of course to the surprise baby about to arrive! It's been a great year, and this Christmas I feel will be one of the best :)