Littlest (Week Thirty-Five)

Week Thirty-Five. Getting exceedingly large and completely squashing the rocking horse at the playground. Thank goodness it's not real! Dress from the op-shop. Necklace from my mother-in-law, from when I was pregnant with the Sprocket - a replica baby-carrying-bag or bilum from Papua New Guinea. I'm not entirely sure why I think it's good luck in pregnancy considering maternal and baby mortality rates in PNG… but I do!


Littlest, it's not long now. We're on the homeward stretch.
Every time your Daddy drops your brother and sister off, everyone asks if I'm away having the baby. Every time I talk to somebody they ask when I'm due, obviously expecting me to say 'today' or 'yesterday.'
But no, five weeks to go, and as your siblings were both late, I have no real expectation you'll be here on or before your due date! (But I'd be so grateful if you did come just a tad early, not very early, not next week or the week after, but maybe the week after that?)
Littlest, I'm so impressed that you listened to my pleas last week to flip around and get your head in the right place. There was one day this week when you were clearly transverse, lying right across my tummy. Today you've centred yourself, so we have hopes that you've got yourself into the right position - unfortunately neither myself nor your Daddy can tell your backside from your head, as we're both a little cautious about palpating you too strongly. Of course the obstetrician and the midwife knead you around like a loaf of bread, but they've got a heap more experience. Anyway, full marks for trying and here's hoping that you've positioned yourself head down!
I've been belatedly trying to exercise, Little one, but in the gentlest ways. Now your Daddy's around more I've been going to yoga one evening a week and it's so lovely to have the time to stretch and breath and concentrate on you. It's a very gentle class and the teacher is brilliant at making it even gentler for me. For each pose I'm cushioned and bolstered so we're perfectly supported and it's blissful being completely without pain to breathe deeply and prepare for your birth. You love it - or at least you kicked and rolled and hiccuped constantly all through the last two sessions! The dim light, the soft music, the deep, steady breathing and gentle stretchings are just what I need to help get us ready for you coming into the world.
I'm also loving going swimming. We've been popping into the local pool on the weekend and straight from school and while your siblings love it I'm not sure they love it quite as obsessively and devotedly as I do. Again - pain free. No aching hips, no stiff back, just warmth and weightlessness and gentle lolling. I'm only half joking when I tell your daddy we're going to just stay in the pool until you come out! I'm always the last to want to leave.
At present my best friend is the heat-pack your Daddy got me for my birthday. I even looked at it longingly before heading off for work this week. Surely no one would notice if I just heated it in the microwave at work and slipped it down the back of my skirt? I'm sitting most of the time anyway… Reluctantly I decided that the double-backsided look isn't the most professional look in the world…
At home the heat-pack is nearly constantly either at my back or in the microwave. I'm sure it's a good thing all my ligaments are loosening preparing for you to come out - but it's not very comfortable!
We are getting ever more prepared for your arrival. We put your bassinet together this week, and it's roughly in place, although your space needs a little more tweaking. Your car seat has arrived at your Nana's and there's only a few more little bits and pieces needed for your birth-bag.
I am trying hard not to get overwhelmed with excited anticipation (you're nearly here, you're nearly here, you're nearly here!) but it's very hard.
I am finally willing to believe Autumn is on the way. While I'm still looking eagerly for Autumn leaves,  we've had our first vaguely un-warm days and I live in hopeful expectation that the cold will set in any time now. Today began grey and rainy… but soon became grey and horribly humid.
But soon, surely soon, Autumn will arrive properly, and with it you, my Little Autumn baby!