MPP

At my prenatal yoga class last night I was the M.P.P. – Most Pregnant Person. At a little over 36 weeks I was struggling to transition from my downward dogs and back to standing with my big belly in the way. I remember being in my class at just 14 weeks and thinking that the girls that were in week 30 were almost there – ready to pop – about to have a major life change. Some of these “yoga friends” suddenly just stop coming to class, a sheer sign that they had delivered and are now new moms. Some of those “yoga friends” I wish I had exchanged phone numbers with before their last class. Funny how the “we should hang out after we have our babies” never quite makes it into the conversation. Or, I just thought there will be one more class where I would still have the opportunity to ask the question. It is sort of like new mom dating – Do I ask for her number? What if she doesn’t want to hang out? Will she call? Such anxiety. Now that I am in the final stretch (literally) I wonder how many more weeks of yoga class I have left depending on if our girl comes early or late? 2 classes? 5? Rather than sit back and hope that these “yoga friends” come to mommy and me yoga after their births, I vow at my next class to make the first move to make tentative future plans with these future mommies. It is tough making the first move in mommy dating, but someone’s got to do it!

In the mean time Nathan and I are starting to cross some of the final elements off our Baby Ellis To-Do List:

• Pack my hospital bag – ½ done
• Interview Pediatricians – scheduled for next Tuesday
• Develop my birth plan – done, do I have to write it down?
• Pick out a coming home outfit for the baby – done (I think)
• Wash all the baby clothes – maybe next week?
• Clean out the fridge – done
• Cook meals to freeze – ½ done
• Tackle my thank you notes – they are trickling out slowly
• Read, read, read

It is all seeming so real now, yet surreal at the same time. At this point I can’t imagine not coming to work. I continue to go to the office everyday and plunge full throttle into my projects and crisis of the day. I continue to plan 2011 as if I will be here to execute it all, and can’t imagine the Styling team moving on without me – though I am sure they will have no problem! At night I attempt to elevate my cankles and then build a pillow fort around my body at bedtime to support my legs, belly and head. So soon life will be so different.

That said, our now weekly doctor’s appointments have been going well. The baby (and me!) continue to gain weight. The doctor predicts she is now over 6 lbs and is about size of a crenshaw melon which is bigger than a honeydew.  Here is the latest pic of my progress…