Week 31: The final countdown

This pregnancy is going by so fast that every week when I sit down to write this post I second guess how far along I actually am. I struggle to remember what week my Bump app says I’m at, and I do some math in my head. Well crap, we really are at 31 weeks already. It’s so cliche to say, but it really does feel like just last week I was waiting for that first doctor visit, hopeful to see my baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Now it feels like I can make out every single movement that my little girl makes under my ever-growing belly.
In the beginning, things couldn’t happen fast enough. I couldn’t wait for that first ultrasound, to get past that magical 12-week mark, and to find out the sex of the baby. I was always moving towards some milestone—full steam ahead. Now, finishing out month seven, everything is happening a little too fast for comfort. Things that were planned months ago are all of a sudden here and happening. Blake and I took our maternity photos this past weekend, and my baby shower is this upcoming weekend. For the life of me, I can’t fathom how we got here so fast.
With less than nine weeks to go before my due date, it’s safe to say that the pressure is on. Sure, two months and some change sounds like a long time, but it really isn’t. We still have a good amount of to-dos to cross of our list, and as I like to remind my husband, we aren’t guaranteed a full term. I’ve heard enough preterm labor stories to know that an unexpected early arrival could happen to anyone, and I’d really rather have all my ducks in a row before my daughter decides to join us on the outside.
People say you can only plan so much when it comes to welcoming a new baby into the world, and I’m starting to understand what they mean by that. I’m a planner by nature, and this pregnancy has brought about a whole new array of planning challenges. From baby-proofing the house and organizing the nursery, to preparing for my maternity leave and outlining a birth plan, I’ve had a hard time keeping up with the list. Now that the tail end of this pregnancy is creeping up on us, we’re eager to get as much done as we can.
Even so, I’ve learned to let go a little, as I’m sure I will continue to learn when I’m juggling dirty diapers and dog walks. I still feel a little bit of panic in the pit of my stomach sometimes when I think about the loose ends, but I know that this baby is coming when she’s ready, whether I am or not. Blake and I can do our best to prepare for the beautiful bundle of joy that will soon take over our lives, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that we can’t be 100 percent prepared. For now, we will stick to crossing the important stuff off our list, like pre-registering at the hospital and conquering that first car seat installation.