pregnancy update: 41+ weeks, baby #5

You know how you wake up in the morning and for some strange reason, instantly start singing a song you haven't thought of in forever?

I woke up with a childhood song in my head that wouldn't leave me on Friday morning like that, and I honestly think God planted it there. :)

The words? 

This is the song that doesn't eeeeend... 

yes it goes on and on, my frieeeennddd... 

{if you haven't heard this song, you must watch this. I'm sorry.}

I think the Lord has an incredible sense of humor. ;) The song was so funny to me that morning, and it still makes me laugh now when I sing it. {I have no idea what I was thinking, but I also had to sing it to the kids- they'd never heard it before!} 

It's been so long since my "due date" {9 days + now, and 3 weeks from when I hoped he would come}, that these extra days feel a lot like that song :) It feels kind of strange that I'm even still pregnant altogether sometimes. Like I've entered the time warp of pregnancy. It's so weird. I kind of feel like I'm living the movie Groundhog Day. Every morning I wake up and look and the alarm and realize all over again that I'm still pregnant. :)

with Bella, 5, Ava, 4, and their baby brother, 41 weeks along

how I'm feeling physically: I'm getting more sleep, and I feel great physically other than more tired than my non-pregnant self. In fact, I still feel less likely to go into labor than I did at 38 and 39 weeks. I feel big and the baby feels huge, but I'm not swelling or hurting in any way. That's such a GIFT from God, because I've been miserable at the end before, and it's so much harder!

exercising: I worked out a few times last week, and did a couple sessions of BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT and lifted, punched, and kicked my heart out. It's amazing how good it felt!

I've decided that if the Lord allows, I absolutely cannot miss more than a handful of workouts now or after the baby comes- my body needs the endorphins to feel normal now. Oh goodness, I LOVE exercising. It's such a wonderful gift and blessing to be able to do it. If you're feeling down at all, go do something vigorous for an hour {even walking fast!}- I think you'll feel 100x better.

how I'm feeling mentally: Every morning I wake up pregnant again is incredibly hard for me mentally. I'm sure it's partially physically related- I'm tired and have low blood sugar first thing in the morning, but it's also such a disappointment to not have had this little one for another day. Some days I feel like crying {and do}, and sometimes God makes me laugh with that silly song.  :)

{again, I'm asking for grace from you here- I'm so not complaining about having a healthy body that works perfectly and a healthy growing baby inside for a little longer than I expected, and I know that this is a gift, and totally trust that God's plan is best, and because of that, I'm waiting for Him to bring this baby into the world. 

It's just that I try to tell you everything openly here, and honestly, every morning I wake up and I really, really want to meet my sweet little boy and be done with a hard labor instead of waiting longer and longer for it to get here, like I feel almost any mama who has been pregnant for 41+ weeks would want to be. I know it's probably selfish, and I know these days will end soon enough, but they are feeling long right now, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this little {big!} blessing and being through with this harder stage of pregnancy. :) }

baby: he's still growing! We had an ultrasound yesterday, and the sonographer said he was too big for the machine to calculate his age and weight correctly. Ahem. So he's quite healthy! :) {and it's no wonder my clothes won't fit anymore!}. 

I keep remembering that God made my body to give birth to the babies He gives me, and I trust that He will lead me through the birthing of what appears to be a large little boy. :) I saw his sweet chubby little face for just an instant {in the b/w regular ultrasound- ours didn't have 4d}, and it was so precious, and I keep going back to it in my mind. He's a cutie, and I can't wait to see him in real life!

Comparison shots: 

top to bottom, left to right: 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 weeks

Phew. I think the pictures don't do this belly justice. It's out there. :)

They've even started a new page of charting for me at the midwife's office. That tells you something!

I'm getting better about waiting and expectations, or at least I think so- I'm now fully expecting to give you a 42 week update next weekend.... ;)

If you happen to remember, will you pray for patience, peace, and quickly passing days for me this week?