29w6d

I have the most awesome news.  Really.  Like, I'm sitting on the couch, on the verge of tears (okay, so I've already cried) awesome news.  If you've checked out my ticker, you've seen that the days til baby has grown by 12 days. :) 

So...  At my last OB appointment, there was some concern that my uterus may have been thinning out towards my bladder and that I may have been a bit shy on amniotic fluid.  Because nothing like that had been seen before, Dr. B. felt it was most likely just the way Michael was laying (he was tummy down and stretched out), so he wanted to wait until my appointment today before deciding whether or not I should have a level 2/MFM ultrasound at 32 weeks. So, enter today.  Everything looked PERFECT.  Michael was breech and, because he refused to cooperate, we couldn't get a face shot (the kid is probably done with ultrasounds and is rebelling!).  My cervix was long, closed, and looked awesome.  Little MD (or "Doc" as Sarah swears she'll call him) was fine; his heartbeat sounded like the most beautiful music. :)  My uterus measured well within normal range and my AFI measured normal as well.  All wonderful news.

So wonderful that I don't need to see MFM anymore!

So wonderful that, when I discussed changing my C-section date, Dr. B. was totally on board.  To the tune of 12 more days of gestating on board!!!!

I know many moms complain about the last few weeks and just want their babies evicted at the end.  I think most preemie moms, because we've been on the flip side of that coin, just really want to go all the way.  Dr. B. knows how much of an elusive dream "full term" has been and, while 37 weeks is considered full term, all the studies point to how babies need at least 39 weeks in utero for full development.  Because my due date of July 25th isn't in question (I had sex ONE time... I still cant believe that irony), 39 weeks will hit on July 18th.  We were looking at the calendar and he asked what days were good for me.  Tu, Th, and Fri are out because Bobby and Maya will be in school (they are doing a summer program for July and Aug) and I want to be able to see them off and not worry about Peter being able to get there if something went wrong or long with the surgery, so I said Monday or Wednesday.  Well, he's good to go on Monday the 22nd, so he wrote it up!  That's 39w4d! 

I almost cried in the office.  Had I not still had gel on my belly from the ultrasound, I might have flung myself into his arms.  39w4d.  That's really full term.  I mean, it's 3 days shy of EDD, but it's really in that "full term" week.  I could not be more happy.  I'm beyond happy.

I have prayed- really, deeply prayed- that we'd be able to get as close to 39 weeks as possible.  When I scheduled Michael's baptism yesterday and it fell on the feast of his patron saint, St. Michael the Archangel, I prayed again, this time asking his saint (and mine) to interceded and offer his own holy prayers that we'd have a great appointment today and be able to push the delivery back a bit.  At the Shrine, every time the kids run to the John Paul II statue and talk to him (I swear, they KNOW him from their womb time...), I've asked for him to pray for us once again... As a lover and advocate of the unborn, I just wanted his voice added to ours- and to all of yours and the many you've asked to pray for us- for this miracle.  To have this appointment be so full of good news and hope... I am overjoyed.  I am beyond grateful.

I know there are no guarantees.  I could go into labor tomorrow or at 37 weeks or whenever, and I'd still be over the moon to have gotten this far.  But to have my doctor tell me that he believes in my- that he believes in my body- to do this... After what we've been through the last 5+ years... After all the ups and downs...  To be told that I'm one of his healthiest and most active patients and that I'm about as normal (save the scheduled C-section) that he's seen and there is no reason the end of July isn't doable...  I am humbled.  I am amazed.  I am beyond happy. 

And, to make it more awesome, I can still see him every 3 weeks instead of down to 2 weeks because everything is so awesome, so I see him for a 33w and then a 36w appointment!!!!  Another funny thing, and I know this sounds crazy (as I said to Sarah), but I was hoping this little guy would be a Cancer.  Robert was a Cancer (cusp of Gemini and Cancer, on June 22) and since he was conceived on what we refer to as Robert's Feast Day (Nov 1, the day he died), I thought it would be fitting to keep him in the same zodiac sign.  Now, Michael will be a cusp baby too, on the cusp of Cancer and Leo (Peter is a Leo).  What could be better?

So, no more T-56 days today.  Today, we are T-71 ways.  And there is nothing that could thrill me more right now.

(And that even takes into account that Dr B said a drink of Guinness at my baby UNshower wont kill me! YAY!)