36 Weeks. Tick Tock.

I am 36 weeks today - hooray! Just one week shy of full term. With Miles, I went into labor the day I hit 37 weeks, but I think that was a fluke. I don't know if this was the real reason I went into labor or not, but Claire had jumped on my stomach the night before while I was laying blissfully unaware on the couch of her soon-to-be-performed gymnastics jump off the side. Ouch. A half a day later, my water broke and then it was off to the hospital. I was only 3 days early with Claire so I don't really have a consistent track record to go by, other than hopefully I will go before my due date.

I have been thinking about this pregnancy compared to the other two, and the main difference has been how nice it is to not be pregnant during a Vegas summer, especially given my hyper-thyroid this time around - I would be on FIRE! I already sleep sans blankets and with a fan... The only woman who could possibly one-up me in enduring the miserable heat of pregnancy department is a hypothetical mother of triplets born in Phoenix in August. But with an August and mid-September baby born in Vegas, I think I have earned my stripes.

This go-round, here are the benefits I have seen with a spring baby:

1. My wedding ring still fits. Miracle!

2. My ankles are only just now starting to swell. Normally they started in about mid-May, when the Vegas heat really kicks up and I was left with several miserable months to go. That said, I am still going to get a doctor's note allowing me to wear flip flops to work if it comes to that (we have very strict footwear rules at my office and as "Director of Marketing & Administration," I can't be above the law).

3. I actually got to experience wearing a maternity sweater! That was a first. And I very recently have worn non-maternity cardigans to layer over my maternity shirts for work. Expanded wardrobe - score!

4. My maternity leave will fall during the beginning of school vacation so visiting me will be easier. Hint, hint.

5. I won't have to start losing baby weight right in the middle of the holidays. With Claire, a month later I was smack in the middle of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. A tough time to try to count calories.

So, maybe just maybe I will make it to 40 weeks. My plan is to work one day and have the baby the next - I don't want to take any maternity leave that does not involve having or holding a baby. Though maybe a day or two of extra time wouldn't hurt... I just count those 8 weeks of leave as so precious that they cannot be wasted on time without this wee one.

I guess I better pack my hospital bag soon... that too would be another first with this baby. I never managed to have that done in time for the other two.