38 Weeks, 2 Days

At this point in pregnancy, it seems that all I do is go to the doctor.  The reality is that I go once a week; still, it seems like I'm there all the time.

So, yeah, today I had another doctor check up, and there's not much progress to report.  She said I'm still 1 cm dilated, but maybe a "smidgen more."  She wrote down "1+ cm" -- I think she likes me to feel good about myself ;)  There is progress in terms of my cervix's softening and shortening, but it looks as though this guy is gonna be like Norah: In NO hurry to move along a little early; he'll probably go a full 40 weeks.  That's not a bad thing, by any means, but I'm really hoping to go into labor naturally this time around, so I hope there's more progress next week so we don't have to plan another induction.  Of course, I was induced with Norah and that turned out just fine, so if that's the case, I know things will work out.

In other check-up news, I'm not sure if she gave me a pelvic exam this morning or was checking on my molars via the "long route" -- wowza!  I know that she's just trying to "help things along" by reaching up through my vagina and trying to tickle the back of my throat, but man alive, I could do without this part of preggo exams!  She said she could feel the top of Caleb's head if that gives you any indication of her reach during the exam this morning.  I wanted to ask if she could also count his toes, which are up in my ribs, but I'm never entirely sure if she gets my humor so I play it pretty straight.  Besides, there's little room for humor when you're counting ceiling tiles and sucking air through your teeth.

A few last details that I know you can't live without:

• The nurse called me "tiny" today.  Which seemed generous considering that I feel like a baby Beluga.
• Speaking of whale-ness, this was the first check up in this entire pregnancy where I didn't gain any weight.  Overall, I've gained a total of 25 lbs.  Not bad.  I think with Norah I gained about 30 lbs, but towards the end, I just stopped paying attention, so it might've been a little more or a little less, but somewhere around 30.
• My BP is still good -- 100/60 -- which is pretty much a constant number for me. 
• The dr. remarked, for about the 100th time, "You're just all baby, aren't you?"  She must forget that she keeps making the same comment, and I think she means it as a compliment since I haven't really gained weight except in my giant belly, but I wanna say, "No, there's probably about 8 lbs of baby; the rest is all me!"
• I feel very luck that: I again haven't gotten any stretch marks (*knock on wood*), my belly button did not do the gross turkey baster thingy, and I don't suffer from any swelling.

There.  Now you are COMPLETELY up-to-date on the Jess preggo status.  You can return to your normal existence and resume your interweb browsing.  And, can you believe The Terminator?  Another actor/politician with an extra-marital affair?!  Shocking, right?