Closing in…

We just marked the end of week 37–a rather comforting milestone since it means Sophia has enough surfactant (the lubricant that allows lungs to expand) to breathe on her own, if she decides she wants to see the world sooner rather than later. But she hasn’t given any indication of leaving the womb early, and I’m happy to keep her on the inside for a while longer.

I do like knowing exactly where she is, especially since my baby-filled stomach has become a very convenient plate holder.

We continue to move through the checklist: birthing classes, done (and definitely worth it–the instructor was super supportive of the choices that matter to us, like being up and about and choosing different positions for laboring. She also encouraged lots and lots of massage:-); hospital tour, done (the rooms are sweet and I’m pretty stoked about the soaking tubs!);  hospital bag packed (which includes some of my mediation stones from the coast, a collection of Rumi in case I need Josh to recite Sufic mystic poetry to me, and the hot lips soda is in the fridge ready to go); super-small sitar purchased (this might not be an essential for other families, but this is how we roll in the Fierce household). Josh read the entire manual for the car seat (which for now holds the hospital bag, but will eventually hold a frickn’ BABY!), and put together the baby sleeper thingie, which currently functions as an extension of my dresser.

Perhaps most importantly, I continue to accumulate baby hats–among others we have a little blue one knit by a student, a fiercely purple-tasseled cap from our friend Anne, and Nonni Pierce (aka my mom) made the fluffy white one and the matching sherbet version.

And, a la Jon Stewart, I’d like to leave you with today’s moment of zen–the view I’ve had of my feet for the last several months…