The end is near...

Weeks 34-35: Most of my experience now is More of the Same from the last couple posts -- unwieldy belly, very challenging to roll over in bed, lots of kicking at night when I'm trying to get back to sleep after a bathroom trip, chewing ice most of the day. Have had some new belly discomfort -- some feels like a renewal of round ligament stretching, other more achey muscle stuff -- and a couple of definite contractions; not sure whether they were isolated "real contractions" or belated Braxton-Hicks (which I've otherwise never perceived), but I decided to sit with my feet up and wait them out. Also, I have a very faint vertical line on my belly now, from a few inches above to a couple inches below -- almost subliminal, but real. That was described as something that might happen months ago, but I guess not (or my pigmentation is so low generally that it took until now to be perceptible, heh).

The main thing is that delivery is starting to seem like a concrete thing (not a threat, but the next thing to work out). Have packed a bag (actually two -- one with me/baby stuff for hospital stay, and one with comfort/distraction stuff for labor itself), but it's still upstairs for another week or two. We're having some people over this weekend, as a last blast of adult-only socializing, and basically I have to be prepared that things could happen any time after that. (After 36 weeks is full term anyway, and they'll induce by my due date if need be.) Has lit a fire under me in terms of the couple of intellectual projects I want done before Speck arrives!