The Now & The New baby

We are a bit over 31 weeks now and the baby is doing well.  Had a very quick and uneventful appointment on Friday and the doctor confirmed that 1) we are right on track and 2) she is healthy & getting bigger by the week.

 

By now, she is weighing about 3.5 pounds and is about 16.5 inches long, taking up a lot of space in the uterus. I'm packing on the pounds by gaining about a pound a week (oh lordy!) and roughly half of that goes right to the baby (thank goodness!). In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 8 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Thomas & Abbigail actually came with me to the OB appointment because Daddy is out of town. This was a first for them. They were in awe as we visited the "baby doctor." We talked about that this was the same hospital they were each born at; that the doctor would help the baby to be born with his "doctor tools"; and that the baby is getting bigger & bigger inside of Mommy's tummy.  They each loved hearing the heartbeat too.  They were so good and I'm hoping this is just one more thing that will help make bringing another Heck Baby home that much easier with two munchkins who already want & need all of our attention.

As we move closer to May and the months have dwindled down to just weeks until Marilyn Jane is here, I'm starting to get the notion that very little is done in preparation for her arrival.  Of course, something quite similar happened with Abbigail - then again I had all summer at home to handle both the big & small items that needed to be done.  However, the end of the school year is going to roll right up until just days before she will be born.  That is a little scary.

On top of that, we are unsure of what our house situation will be at the beginning of the summer and certainly through the summer months until we leave for Alaska.  We just will be in limbo until either a renter or buyer is interested.  I'm wondering if the baby will even have a room of her own (because currently it is our office) or if she will just have to wait until we move in and unpack in Alaska?  Additionally, I have given very little thought to nursery decor - I guess I need to get crack'in!

As I start to think more and more about the Hecks becoming a family of five, I'm starting to worry about how Abbigail will handle the transition from youngest (and being the current baby) to middle child.  Of course, I had similar worries about Thomas going from only child to big brother - but he was a little older (26 months old) at the time Abby was born and his personality seems to have lent itself to easier transition.  Truth be told, I probably had a harder time with the transition than did Thomas.  But Abby is different.  She is younger (will only be 21 months old); she is fiery & has a strong personality & wants her way (all of the time).  I'm really hoping to tap into her desire to be the "helper" and praying that it will be what makes the transition for her a bit easier.