Waiting on Baby

38.5 weeks pregnant - a week and a half to my due date - and finally feeling "ready". Up to about a week ago I was content with just being pregnant. I've loved dreaming about our daughter and feeling her kicks and squirms, but was content with dreaming and anticipating her arrival. Every time I'd think about the reality of her actually being born and all that goes along with delivering a baby and having a new baby in the home and the responsibility of parenthood etc etc, I'd be glad that the reality hadn't arrived yet. Of course, excited that it was on the horizon, but not quite prepared. But now...now I think I'm ready. Of course, you can never be FULLY ready for something like this, but the uncomfortableness of being 9 months pregnant and the building excitement of it all has finally outweighed the emotional, physical, and mental anxiety that accompanies the prospects of first-time parenthood.

Another interesting twist - we don't have a name picked out for baby yet. We did, but now we're not so sure. So for those who are waiting for the birth announcement, don't be too shocked if it doesn't read "Ava Hillary was born at .... " It might be Ava Hillary, it might be something similar, or it might be something completely different. We have a few alternate names rolling around in our heads, but we're to the point now that we're probably going to make it a "wait and see what fits" decision. I'm actually surprised that I'm not worried about this. Preparedness and planning are so ingrained in my personality that I would usually be so preoccupied with getting a name set in stone that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else. But I'm actually okay with not knowing what will go on the birth certificate.

So wish us luck in our waiting game, and even more luck when the waiting game turns into parenthood. :) I've loved this journey and can't wait to begin the next phase of it.