Less than three weeks to go

Just re-read yesterday's entry and found this little gem:

"My hormones must've been going highwire."

It's official. I'm turning into my mother. Of course, what I meant to say was that hormones must've been going haywire. Nikki, if you're going to tease me I don't blame you.

Mom does this all the time. Some of the time her word mix-ups and creative pronunciations have a kind of truth to them and sometimes they're just very funny. Favorites include:

living in 'swaller' instead of squalor
someone being 'o-beast' instead of obese

and because I'm virtually brain dead at the moment I can't think of any others apart from that old chestnut- 'Wal-mark' instead of Wal-mart. Can't wait til they get here. So often it's the things that drive me crazy that I miss the most.

But, back to baby stuff... less than three weeks to go. I've been keeping a close eye on my symptoms and it's all pointing to preparing for labour. I really don't think she'll come before 1 November but I can hope.

Now, I'm going to write a list of my symptoms here. If you're squeamish I recommend skipping this list and coming back another day.

1. Baby is dropping lower and lower. I'm going to the loo constantly feeling as if my bladder is so full that it's going to burst only to produce about a teaspoon of wee. It also feels like Cupcake could pop her little hand out and wave at us sometimes when she's squirming around.

2. Boobs have started leaking colostrum. At first just in the shower but now throughout the day. Only a little bit, thank goodness, but enough to have me checking my shirt when I pass a mirror.

3. Discharge has increased and thickened. I'm at the stage where every time I use the loo I'm looking for signs of a show. If you don't know what a show is, just be happy in your ignorance.

4. Cupcake started dropping a few weeks ago and I felt like I could breath again but she's now grown so much that she's pressing into my lungs and I've gone back to sleeping upright. Otherwise I can't breathe properly and it feels like I'm drowning.

5. I've gained all of the recommended weight for this pregnancy already and have hit the almighty 84k mark. That's about 185lbs. Cupcake will be putting on about half a pound a week now so I'll probably get up to about 187lbs before she arrives. That's fine with me, I just hate the thought of trying to lose it all afterwards.

6. Braxton Hicks contractions are getting stronger and more consistent. They're also reaching into my back and now just across my belly now.

7. Belly has reached remarkable proportions. J comes home every night and says I look bigger than the day before. I think Cupcake is really packing on the weight now. I'm still not swelling up or retaining water (touch wood) and can even wear my wedding ring, but the belly is becoming ominously large.