**2 days!**

Less than 48 hours. In 2 days at this very moment, we will have welcomed a beautiful (big!) baby girl into the world. Wow.  The thought actually makes me tear up.  I've been so emotional the past week...everything makes me cry - even seeing babies at mexican restaurants or hearing certain songs on the radio (at Arni's of all places)! :)  *So* emotional in fact that I wonder 1) if I should attempt to wear my contacts during the surgery (because when I had them in the other day while watching "One Born Every Minute" I thought my contacts would actually pop out of my eyes from crying!) and 2) if I sob too hard, will they be able to actually complete the surgery and get me stitched up?! :)  It's kind of like when we had the ultrasound and I started crying/sobbing...which makes my stomach jiggle uncontrollably and makes it hard to see the ultrasound! :) 

The past two weeks on bed rest have actually been nice...very relaxing - and I've gotten so many little things caught up.  Like finally getting our wedding pictures into frames. Getting all of my thank you notes done. And I like how I can reach out to friends and family on a daily basis and be an active part of their lives...which, I'll be honest, I am not very good at when I'm working. :(  Sad to say - but true.  I'm not as bored, anxious or depressed as I thought I would be (even without my prozac!).  However, it has given me a lot of time to think - and I do run the gamut with my emotions/feelings...sometimes I think "oh my gosh - I only have 2 more days before she's here!!  What should I do?!  I need to sleep in!  I need to do laundry!  I need to write letters!  I need to read magazines!" (Like I won't be able to do any of that when she gets here!). 

On the other hand, I think "I cannot wait until she is here!  I can snuggle her all day and watch her laugh, sleep, cry!  Smell that yummy baby smell!  Take thousands of pictures of her each day! I can change her into all of the clothes I've bought over the last 9 months!". :) 

For instance, I was thinking today...I *so* hope I can sleep in tomorrow - because it's the last time I will be able to before she gets here.  Now, I know a lot of you have told me how I will NEVER get enough sleep once she gets here - but really...I think I will be able to sleep in one or two days before she turns 18. :)  But it's kind of like those last few days of vacation...you think "oh my gosh - I have to do this and this and I only have a few more days until my vacation comes crashing to an end!".  It's kind of like that. :)  I only have 2 more days to be a "pregnant" woman...before I become a new mommy that has a little tiny baby depending on me every 2-3 hours to eat.  It's kind of a scary feeling for someone who was very independent and didn't even get married until I was 39 years old! :)  That's a lot of time on my own only having to take care of ME! :)  Does that sound bad?! :)  I have an entirely new world about to begin in a mere 48 hours.  Life changing new world. 

And yes, I'm scared witless about Thursday.  I've never had surgery of any kind.  The first time I've been admitted to a hospital was 2 weeks ago when my blood pressure was high.  I've never stayed overnight in a hospital.  Actually, that was only the 2nd time in my life I've had an IV - the first time being my colonoscopy 5 years ago.  So yes, I'm scared - and for those of you who have told me not to worry, that it'll be fine...I appreciate that and I'm sure it will be - but I *am* still scared! :) 

I've told Derrick he has to take thousands of pictures on Thursday.  And I'm not kidding.  Thousands.  I want that little disc in his camera to be FULL by the end of the day Thursday.  I honestly think this will be the best, most incredible day of my entire life.  I thought that March 3rd (when we found out "she" was a girl) - but no, July 14th is going to be *the* best day of my life. Ever. And I want every single moment documented so I can remember. :)  I want pictures of me when I wake up Thursday morning in bed, me getting in the car, me being admitted, me with the net thing on my head in surgery, Madison when she comes out and we see her for the first time, me eating chicken broth that night...EVERY SINGLE MOMENT.  (And don't worry - I'm bringing an extra disc-y thing in case he does fill that one!) :)

Here is my photo of the day...we had planned to take one each of the last 5 days - but that didn't quite work out.  :) Derrick was kind enough to drive all the way from downtown for lunch today to pick me up so I could have one last trip to Chik-Fil-A before Thursday.  That has been one of my big food cravings these past 9 months - Chik-Fil-A and McDonald's bacon/egg/cheese bagels (and yes, I did indeed have him get me TWO of those last Sunday morning!).   Suprisingly, I've only gained about 32lbs. the entire pregnancy!!

TWO MORE DAYS!! :)