What a long week!

We had our 38 week doctor's appointment last Thursday. Atticus was not very cooperative during the ultrasound...well, he was sleeping, so who can really blame him! The tech did the measurements for the AFI. Our index was 20.5 which both the tech and Dr. Durkee said is borderline high. However, Dr. Durkee said at this point he is NOT worried about it, if it were a half point higher, he would investigate it, but not yet. So I have been trying not to worry about it...if the doctor isn't worried, I shouldn't be either. The girl that did our AFI was just learning, and to me one of her lines looked crooked, which would make it longer, possibly giving a higher reading (the other reason that I have not been letting myself worry about it...). The tech wanted to do a biophysical profile on him, also....basically just make sure it looks like he is doing what he should be doing....so we had to wake him up so we could watch him breathe... That was interesting to me, because I didn't realize that he doesn't practice his breathing when he is sleeping, only when he is awake. We got him to wake up and were able to watch him breathe...that is pretty cool. However, the little stinker is still laying face up ("sunny side up"). That is definitely going to need to change before we go into labor!! After laying on my back for longer than usual for the ultrasound, it was time for the NST. I was so excited about sitting in the big comfy chair and relaxing....unfortunately, Atticus had his foot shoved into my rib and my back was aching, so I was pretty darn uncomfortable during most of it. Atticus was also still pretty sleepy in the beginning, so he didn't move alot when we first were hooked up to the monitors....unfortunately this meant that we had to be hooked up for longer. I only had a couple small contractions while I was being monitored, too...what a change from last week! In the end, we got all the measurements we needed and he passed the NST with flying colors! Our next appointment is Monday afternoon. I am anxious to see what our AFI is this week.

This past Thursday morning my Grandma Hughes died. She had a massive stroke the previous Friday and was not doing well. I am happy that she is no longer suffering, but am sad because she never got to meet her great-grandson. For the last few months, even when she has been very confused, she has always been able to tell me how excited she is about Atticus. She would tell me she was so excited because she had waited 10 years to meet him! I know it would have been a long time after he was born before she would have actually been able to meet him, because I wouldn't be able to take him to the nursing home, but I would have loved to tell her about him and hang up pictures that she could have looked at.

I am still working, full time. I plan to work until the day Atticus is born. I don't want to use my time off before he gets here, I would rather save it for after he's born. It is getting harder and harder everyday to keep working. After about 5 hours at work, I am very uncomfortable, I have a heating pad I keep on my back which helps with the aches and pains. There is not much else I can do though. By the end of the day, my feet hurt, the muscles in my lower abdomen are incredibly achey, and the skin on my tummy actually hurts! It feels so good to get home and relax on the couch! It's amazing what the human body can do! I have loved being pregnant, for the most part, but I am VERY ready to meet this little guy in person!