Back aches, no sleep, and aching, oh my! 37-38 weeks

I decided to make sure and post this morning to update the latest happenings with Zoe. We went to the doctor this past Wednesday, for the weekly checks, and all looked good. She went ahead and did the stress and heart monitor, and Zoe is moving and kicking just as she should be... quite a bit, actually. She is head down, and ready to go. I wasn't dilated any yet, but I know that can happen differently for everyone. We officially now have 2 weeks until she is actually due, so I am just waiting to see when she will come. For the most part, it's been good. I am beginning to hurt quite a bit more, and my stomach truly does feel like a hard watermelon... that never ever eases up! :) Going to work this past week was the start to absolute exhaustion! I have been even more busy than normal, preparing for my maternity leave and dealing with other things. It's almost harder to be prepare for weeks than it is to be there. I have always said that about work though, it's just easier to do it yourself sometimes. I think everything will be just fine, and my maternity sub teacher will be great. She taught for many years, and so it's not just someone that has never been with kids. I have had a few anxieties and dreams lately. I had a few moments of just sacredness and crying in the car the other day. As I was listening to a worship song about God being my strength and hope it just made me realize the upcoming situation. For me, I have never been in the hospital; never had any surgery at all! I have only visited people in the hospital, and I really haven't ever had anything majorly threatening in my life as far as health wise. SO, that aspect scares me. Then, I allowed the fear of something being wrong with Zoe to shake me a little. I feel like working with kids, disabled or not, has been a struggle for me during this pregnancy. It's just a hard reality, but a humbling one all the same. I just have to trust HIM. I just have to know that he is making Zoe just as he planned, in his perfect image. ( This is easier said than truly believed.) There is not a doubt in my mind that He will take care of us and be our strength in the upcoming labor. I also just had that normal realization that our lives are about to change... for the better, but still change. I said this in a very early post when we found out we were pregnant: "It's gonna be wild, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be full of ME." That's from a worship song I really like. Anyway, then... on to the dreams! Dear me, the weird dreams! This past one was about Zoe having a lot of hair. Then, the next snip of the dream she had a beard and was swimming in a coke bottle. I had to shake the coke bottle and fix her to the top. Then, I played with her hair more. SO, I can only come up with the fact that I drank a sip of Chris' coke before bed, and then he was the last person I saw... and he has facial hair. And, when we went to the doctor, she said that she could see Zoe's hair on her head and that she might come out with a lot. Although, it could just be peach fuzz, too. Ok, here are the latest stats on the baby and me...

Zoe: She is head down, weighing around 6-7 lbs, measuring about 3 days ahead of due date, heart rate between 147-150ish, moves a lot, kicks a lot! Had a flat button nose and full lips in her latest u.s. pics.

Me: I gained 3 pounds last week... total being about 20-21 pounds now. I am having occasional braxton hicks throughout the day, and pretty bad back cramping at night. I am sleeping in the recliner for some of the night, and on my side in bed for the other. I pee at about 2am, and 5 am.... which stinks because my alarm goes off at 5:30 am. :( Heartburn is not my friend, and I still have morning/night sickness, but the meds still control me from actually "getting" sick. I haven't done that in about a month I think... I am having a few aches and pains with my feet, but not bad. Overall, I think it's just the last two weeks, and things are panning out to be pretty accurate symptoms for this time in the pregnancy. I am happy, anxious, and ready to meet Zoe! It could be ANY day!!!