Gestation: You're doing it right.

Thursday was my first internal exam. I was dilated one measly little centimeter, with the baby still in a very high position. However, I am measuring at 40 weeks, which is now about 3 weeks ahead, up from a more respectable 2 weeks ahead from the past several visits (12-pounder, anyone?). I don't put much stock in the loss of the mucous plug, as it hasn't seemed to jumpstart my labors in the past, but it has officially been lost, although no subsequent contractions have appeared. I am so on the fence about being ready for this. I am, naturally, totally tired of being pregnant (more so in the evenings and nights, really, than the days), and I'm ready to meet our baby. But the changes coming our way, well, I don't mind holding off on those just one or two more days. Or weeks. I'm nervous about the labor, but kind of ready to just get on with it already. So, I'm as ready as I'm not ready, and I guess vice versa.

On the bright side, the baby is now comparable to a stalk of Swiss chard, so congratulations, little baby.

On a different note, the weather here has been just out of this world, and we've tried to get out as much as possible. I took the kids on a "nature walk" last week, to a local trail that is pretty easy to navigate, with little streams and creeks and just a lot of gorgeousness overall. I made them each a Nature Journal with pictures of things to keep an eye out for. Then when we found something in the journal, they would check that item off the list. The back pages were blank for them to draw things they saw and/or heard. It was a great project for them, and we had an awesome time. I think we may try to sneak in another little nature walk before the baby comes.