Any Time Now: In the Final Stretch!

How Far Am I: Tomorrow marks 38 weeks. I am 15 days away from being "due" if you go by my dates( 10/10) . If you go by the ultrasound, it said somewhere closer to the 15th, but we all know babies come when they want to!
Baby's Gender: We are anticipating a boy, based on what we were able to (not very clearly) see...there is still that small chance it could be a girl if God decides to surprise us!
How Much Weight Have I Gained: As of today at the midwife, 21 lbs total for pregnancy. I am guessing a pound of two of that is fluid retention from this weekend of my sister's wedding shower...I am beat, but it was worth it!
Cravings: Chocolate. Currently eating a Lindt chocolate mousse truffle. I think I earned it, hah!
Baby Movement: At this point, baby is getting more and more cramped. I get lots of bumps and wiggles, but for the most part, baby keeps their head down and just lets me know when I am squishing him.
Sleep Habits: Back to getting up every 3-4 hours to empty my bladder or rearrange pillows. God is rewiring my clock to get up every few hours to nurse!
Body Changes: Two things to praise God for this week: first, my labs came back with no signs of anemia, which is great! Also, my GBS culture came back negative, which means no antibiotics/ alternative therapies during labor. Woo hoo! It looks like smooth sailing towards an uneventful, natural birth. Nothing much new to report here aside from a little swelling in my feet by the end of the day.
What Micah (5) /Levi (18 mos) Think of the Baby: Not much new to report here, either. Micah has announced that while he did want to be woken up to see the baby be born, he does not any more, and would rather see the baby after he eats breakfast- LOL! We told him that he and Levi may be spending a night or two at Jose's parents house while in labor and the first days of having the baby, and he is SUPER stoked about that. It all depends on how things go here. Ideally I would love for our whole family (us and our kids, plus someone to be in charge of the kids) to be present for the birth, but I don't think that's going to end up being the reality. Right now, Jose's mom is our designated "kid corral-er," and I don't think she has any interest in being here when the baby is born. She can get really nervous about things like this. Last time I was in labor, she knitted an entire blanket and brought it to the hospital afterwards.
Baby Prep So Far: Most everything that we can control has been prepped for. We are still in need of a few items for the baby coming- namely a few diaper covers, and car seats. We are still unsure about our current vehicle situation. We have one car (a very compact 1998 Ford Escort), and it also has no heat, which will become an issue for that short period when Florida becomes cold and I have to take Jose to work at 6 am with all the kids. Selling our SUV was great for paying for the rest of our home birth and a few outstanding debts, but it has definitely been and adjustment for our family in planning, and carrying sleeping children to the car the days Jose works, and then picking him up at bedtime. With our current vehicle and current car seats, we cannot fit three children in the back seat (49 inches total means 16.3 inches per car seat, which is pretty much unheard of), unless we special order two special seats and get a different booster for Micah. That being said, buying seats will be cheaper than getting a new vehicle. Be praying that we could get a vehicle that could accommodate all of us, that would run good, and be on the lower end of the price range, and that God would provide for us to get the seats for our children to be safe. We are currently saving but it's going to be a few months down the road until we can get a vehicle, unless God decides to bless us otherwise!

All in all, Jose and I are extremely blessed right now that he has a new job, that Micah is doing well in school, that the kids and I are healthy, and that we have a new addition coming. We are so looking forward to cherishing each of these last days until our new little bundle's arrival! Keep us in your prayers. We are seeking God's amazing provision for our family... a quick, easy, safe, and natural delivery... that God would bless our midwife, Jyl, and her team of nurses and assistants... and that God would totally unite us as a family unit of 5 with as minimal stress as possible. Psalm 133:1- Look at how good and pleasing it is when brothers and sisters (families!!) live together as one!