a scary comparison

This is me at 40 weeks with Emilia (my last baby):

Here I am at only 32 weeks with this baby:

This picture really doesn't do justice to how big I really am.  For example, the swimsuit I was able to wear with Millie for the entire summer (up to 40 weeks!) was already too small for my belly when I was only 31 weeks along this year.  Yikes.  I'm also beginning to run out of shirts that cover my belly completely, so I'm sorry if you start seeing me wear the same clothes over and over.  

Chad left for Pennsylvania this morning on a trip with the youth group.  I have a doctor's appointment in a few minutes and I'm going to see if the doctor will check me to make sure it's safe for him to be that far away.  I'm sure it is, but I've had a lot of intense contractions this week and have dropped considerably.  I noticed it especially one morning when I sat down and felt my belly on my lap.  Now that's a strange feeling!  Plus, I also noticed that I had the urge to pee every 15 minutes although there would only be a few drops in my bladder.  That's really frustrating - when you have to go sooo badly and you finally sit down and pee, but you don't get the relief that you were expecting.  And I know I'm really waddling now.  I just can't seem to make my legs function like normal when walking.  The harder I try, the worse it looks.  I'm sorry if this sounds like complaining - I'm really not complaining, I know what a blessing it is to be pregnant.  I'm merely stating the facts of my current life.

I'd better head off to the doctor's office.  Hopefully I won't be calling Chad and telling him to get out at the next rest stop.  I doubt that will happen.  I'm sure this is all completely normal with a third baby.