Things I love about my newborn

Since I know this is our final baby, I've been noticing more of the little things that make newborns so entrancing, and savoring the little moments with Rosie. Some of my favorites are

• When she caught onto the whole nursing thing, and suddenly started opening her mouth as wide as she could to latch on, pretty much whenever she wasn't already actively nursing.

• The way she starts rooting at my arm if I don't get the nipple there fast enough.
• How her eyes dart back and forth as she latches on, like she's found the most wonderful thing in the world and is afraid someone might take it from her.
• The way her lips purse and sometimes pop when I remove her sleepy head from the nipple.
• The fur! Heaven help me, the fuzz on her ears and shoulders just kills me.
  
• The various grunts and grimaces and awkward faces she makes as she goes about the business of being a baby. And she snores.
  
• The wonderful smiles in her sleep, that even sqwunch up her eyes. I can't wait until she smiles those smiles awake.
• Her delicious smell, and her yummy skin.
• The forehead wrinkles.
  
• How she doesn't build to a full cry, just suddenly lets loose with an ear piercing squawk.
  
• The way she gazes at me, just trying to figure it all out.
• The bobbly head
• The spastic arms
• The sweetness she brings that attracts everyone in the house to her.
• And I really love how every one of my babies has looked so familiar to me the moment they are born. We try to analyze it, say they look like so and so, but each girl really just looks like herself. I think they are familiar because they are mine and always have been.
  

I'm sure there will be many more things to add to this list, but rest assured, this little one is adored. We are so glad she's here.

A Guide to Your Feelings

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant. This means I look kind of like this--

Only with more belly, less makeup, and stretchy pants. This also means that within the next couple of weeks, I will be sitting in a hospital bed, starting the final countdown for my baby. Chances are very high that I will again be induced, and will be debating whether I am in enough pain and grumpiness to justify an epidural yet. I may even be forced to stare at the chart below in order to figure out just how much discomfort I am in.
Or maybe I won't. Chloe was preparing a talk for church recently, and conveniently happened to draw up some very helpful Emotion Identification pictures for me. And a brief disclaimer--obviously we were very on top of that whole "kids lose several months of education over summer vacation" thing. I guess we should have spent a little less time breaking in the cable TV and a little more time practicing writing. But the pictures--the pictures are very helpful.

Happy

Sad

Mad

And my personal, most favorite,
Cinduv
or for those who spell traditionally,
Kind Of

I feel like I've been in Cinduv for quite a while now. I'm mostly ready for this little one to arrive, but I also realize they are much more work outside than in. However, I've reached the point where my general pregnancy malaise and lack of motivation also includes random contractions and sleeplessness, so it would be nice to feel like myself again. I've kind of missed me.