One of God's Greatest Gifts...

... family.

My dad took these shots of us on Easter. In retrospect, we should have tried harder to get together a month or two ago, as my belly was more "cute" then and less - um - huge.

Lately, I get a wide range of comments on how I'm carrying. Duckie is just straight out in front, and I'm told I don't look pregnant from the back view. I have gained less weight this time than last (thanks, Stroller Strides!), so the rest of me, particularly my face, isn't as big as last time. But the belly! My, oh my. But when you put a 7-pounder inside my petite frame, it's got to go somewhere, right?

Consider these the official 37-week photos; I'll be 38 weeks along Thursday, which will put me at full-term, medically speaking.

I've felt better Tuesday and Wednesday this week, but the prior week wasn't the best. Lots of common late-pregnancy complaints cropped up, and I was generally uncomfortable a lot of the time, not to mention the resurgence of morning sickness.

Yesterday and today, I've concentrated on eating a lot more, and more often, like I did early on, to keep the sick feelings away.

We got some amazing, excellent news today, news so happy it made me burst into tears. (Being this pregnant will do that to you!)

For months now, our hospital, with lots (all?) of the other area hospitals, banned children from visiting patients because of the H1N1 virus. I had been hoping that with my due date in the spring, presumably after flu season, the policy would be lifted in time for our delivery.

However, as we get closer and closer, with no change in policy, I was getting really concerned. Cora has been so excited about her sister coming; she kisses my belly and talks to and about Duckie all the time. I didn't want her to be kept from her sister for days after she arrived. And, logistically, it would have made things complicated if Stace and Cora couldn't spend hours with me and the baby in the hospital room.

On Monday I wrote a letter to the hospital president, urging him to change the policy. I noted that two hospitals in the area (at least) are allowing siblings to visit their moms in the maternity ward. I received a quick email back saying that the hospital is reviewing it... and today, I got an email saying that the policy will be changing back, this week. The Centers for Disease Control said this week that pediatric cases of the virus have not risen in the past six months, according to the email from the hospital.

Stace and I are both so relieved! It's an answer to a frequent prayer of mine lately. Having a second child is so different from the first, in that I have so much more to think about this time around with how Cora will take everything. I can't wait for her to hold her sister, and I know she can't wait, either.

Just today, minutes before I got the great news about the change, Cora and I drove past the hospital and she said, "that's the hospital where Duckie will come out!"
She then asked if she would come in the hospital when Duckie comes out; I didn't know how to answer, and just said, "I hope so!"
Then she asked, "What's 'Hope so'?"

As I tried to explain I got a little teary. Then, we got home, I checked my email, and the floodgates opened. And for good reason.