Now Taking Bets on Baby's Weight & Gender...

I've had two appointments this week. The first was for my 37 week check-up. All is still well & my midwife thinks I dropped even more between Thursday (when she had last seen me) and this Monday. She suggested this could be an earlier-than-due-date baby. That would be fine with me, as long as the baby holds off on making its grand entrance until after my mom arrives on the 23rd.

I had an ultrasound this afternoon to estimate the baby's size. (S)he is currently measuring at 6 lbs, 13 oz, which is already a full pound heavier than its dad was at birth (I think Mick was 5 lbs, 5 oz... and, he was born ON his due date!). All of that said, my midwife reminded me that these estimates can be off 2 lbs in either direction. (Given that wide of a margin of error -- almost a quarter of a baby! -- I kind of wonder what the point is of these tests.) Anyway, at its current estimated weight, the baby is measuring squarely in the "average" category which is a-ok with me. I could see its face and was shocked at how much its cheeks have filled out (the nurse laughed, saying "of course it's filling out -- you ARE full term now!). Looks like it is going to have the same round "cherry cheeks" that Trevor & I have.

We still don't know (and don't care about) the baby's gender but the predictions are already rolling in. I've had loads of girl dreams since I found out I was pregnant. Mick's mum predicts a girl. My mom & my midwife predict a boy. The guy at the small diner down the street says girl while one of the gentlemen I visit weekly at the nursing home says boy. Shergar hopes it is a cat. We shall see...