LAST blog post before...

Clarence arrives!!!  Baby Smith will be here on March 25th, 2011. I went in for my 41 week appointment today and still no progress. This little one is VERY stubborn.  He/she was still high and my cervix is still closed.  After talking over all of my options with Dr. Hajj (and considering all of the research I did this past week) our decision was very easy.  We are scheduled for a c-section for 12:30pm tomorrow.  Tommy and I are so excited and as much as I was disappointed in this possibility at first I am really liking the idea now and feel very comfortable with the decision.  It's really the best for us at this point and the great thing about it is that even though I 'planned' for it to be unplanned...scheduling a time has put my mind at ease.  It's really perfect.  I know when I need to be packed and I have time to make sure the cameras are charged and most importantly I can plan out my food.  Yes FOOD!  Because a c-section is surgery I cannot eat or drink anything-not even water-for 12 hours before my c-section.  Now if you know me you know I can be a beast if I am hungry or thirsty.  I was hoping to have it scheduled for earlier so it didn't matter but at midnight tonight and until I recover (I will spare you from that detail but all you c-section mamas know what I will have to do before I can eat again) I cannot have any food or drink.  SO of course I am making sure I eat all of the good stuff today and when Tommy comes home from working at Home Depot tonight at 11 we are going to McDonald's for our last meal-I am totally Big Macin it up!  Gross, but so good and most likely my last McDonald's because I will be super healthy again to get back into pre-baby shape!   

Since I really have nothing to do but relax and finish some minor gathering and packing of some things I began Googling facts about March 25th...just for fun (dork I know!).  I discovered that he or she will share his or her birthday with a few famous people:  Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Gloria Steinem- American feminist and publisher.  Pretty awesome people I think!  It is also Maryland Day (see historical events below)  and also the observance of the Annunciation so that means 9 months to Christmas!  Funny enough it's also waffle day in Sweeden...so maybe waffles will be the birthday dinner of choice for our little one!  Since I love me some history I also googled the events that took place on March 25th some of which are pretty cool...

In 1634- the first settlers arrived in Maryland-hence Maryland Day
In 1911 – In New York City, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurred (ok I wouldn't classify this as cool-but it is a pivotal moment in history)
In 1965 – Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King, Jr. successfully completed their 4-day 50-mile march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.
In 1969 – During their honeymoon, John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their first Bed-In for Peace at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel (until March 31).  

So no super moon baby or Saint Paddy's day baby but I can settle for a baby being born on Sir Elton Johns birthday.  Maybe my parents will get back stage passes at his concert on Saturday...we can only hope!  :)  Or maybe this means that our baby will be a music loving activist who becomes Governor of Maryland one day!  Whatever our baby is destined to be I am sure it will be GREAT!    


So without further ado I give you my last bump picture at 41 weeks: 

This is actually pretty bittersweet.  Even though I cannot wait to finally have my baby I am actually going to miss being pregnant.  It's been such a great experience-yes morning sickness and all.  This morning when I was hooked up to the fetal monitor to measure contractions and fetal heart rate the baby had the hiccups.  It was so cool I could actually hear the hiccups-not just feel them.  All I can do now is enjoy these last moments with Clarence in my tummy because tomorrow at this time I will be holding him or her in my arms at last!