Bigger than her brother

I am currently swamped with work (what's new) and really have NO TIME TO WRITE THIS entry, at all, but I am doing it anyway. I want to keep you all in the loop.

I had my 37th week prenatal visit this afternoon, at which we took one last look at Summer Baby through the ultrasound, to do a final check of her size, the amniotic fluid, and the umbilical chord. Everything looks good, but the real news of the day is that the estimated current weight of our second-born child is... wait for it... wait for it...

8 pounds and 15 ounces

right now, at this very moment, at 37 weeks - 3 weeks before her due date. That is a mere 3 ounces less than what Caleb was at birth, at almost 40 weeks. Babies grow half a pound each week in the last month of their uterine captivity. Which means we could theoretically have a 10 pound baby in 2 weeks at our scheduled C-section... if I don't go into labor before then.

I've been feeling a lot more Braxton-Hicks contractions in the last week with this baby then I ever felt with Caleb, so I am hoping she waits at least until next week when my family arrives...

When the OB came in, all she said was "Well, it looks like she made the final decision for you at 8 pounds and 15 ounces already." And then, she looked at the printed out sonogram pictures and said: "Oh, my gosh, LOOK AT THAT HEAD! That's the biggest head..." She didn't finish the sentence, and I was wondering if she meant to say "...that I've ever seen!" At any rate, Summer Baby's head is still measuring 4 weeks larger than her age.

We also found out that she is breech and due to her size, no longer expected to turn into the proper position - there's just no room for her to do that. So, there's another reason we would have to go with a C-section, being that her head is THE HUGEST PART OF HER - it really cannot come out last. That wouldn't be safe, at all.

So, the countdown has begun... I tell you, knowing that she is almost 9 pounds already (give or take half a pound) doesn't make me feel real confident that she will stay in for another 2 weeks, but I'm hoping. I have just this week begun to feel kind of uncomfortable in my skin and now I know why. This baby is stretching me to the limit. She is almost certain to surpass the birth size of her brother.

And isn't that what every little girl dreams to be known for?