I am totally not believing I am about to be a mom.

[Shell Beau]

It is so crazy! 4 more days!

[Haole Girl]

1. I'm sure you're ready

:hug:

[PeaceNikki]

2. Best of luck to you for a safe and speedy delivery!

Enjoy her while she's young, it goes very fast. :)

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Look down.

:P

Wishing you a safe and speedy delivery, and I'm looking forward to the pix of BabyShell.

[jcla]

4. Babies come in their own time... so maybe not 4 more

Best of times...Best of wishes.... may your labor and delivery be short and happy and you and your baby be healthy. Congratulations!

[coffeenap]

5. It is a most amazing thing! Love, redefined. Best wishes. nt

[snailly]

6. It's the wildest experience ever

You'll know what to do. The times when you don't, trust the women around you.
I'm sure you've heard that you should always try to sleep when your baby is sleeping. That is the best advice in the history of the world. Trust me.

You're going to be an awesome mom, honey! You'll figure it out and get to know your baby very quickly. Good luck to you and just try to relax and trust your body!

[NNadir]

7. Best and most difficult thing you will ever do.

[Arugula Latte]

8. It is surreal.

I remember when my first (my son) was born, they put this warm, squishy thing on me, and I thought, "Wait ... Who is this baby and what is it doing on my stomach?" ... Then, later, he was crying, and I thought: "Okay, the person who is responsible for that baby really should see what he is crying about." A couple days later I was up in the middle of the night with him. I lifted him out of the bassinette and I really did have one of those "I fell in love with him" moments. :loveya: He has been a joy ever since, and so has my daughter, born three years after my son.

[vard28]

9. There is no love like it

It's the most amazing love in the world. My "baby" is 13 now and it still seems like he was just born not so long ago. The taking a nap when the baby is sleeping IS the best advice, for real... LOL! After all the visitors had gone home that first night in the hospital, I laid there and just said out loud, "Wow, I'm a MOM, and this baby is all MINE!" Well, I still share him with my husband, but I still consider him all mine. :rofl:

Another thing people will tell you is that time FLIES once you have kids. That's true too! Enjoy every minute (even the ones that have you pulling your hair out when they turn 13!) and write stuff down in a journal. It's hard to remember all the neat little things they did as they get older (okay, as WE get older)!

Take care. I know everyone around here loves baby pics!

[rubberducky]

10. I`m wishing you an easy delivery!

My last few days of pregnancy I worried if I could really do this all by my self. FEAR! Had my little guy with a last minute c-section. When they brought him in to me, my heart did major flip-flops. The warm feeling of so much love was streeming down my cheecks. Hubby kept saying ,"why is she crying?". What a beautiful, perfect moment of LOVE that was. My son is now in his 30`s, but when I look into his eyes that wonderful feeling still washes over me. Wishing you all the best, you will be in my thoughts. Revel in those wonderful feelings when you first look into that little face and holf that wonderful wriggling little body. You will hold them in your heart forever!

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Aw, Shell! You'll be a great one!

Trust your instincts. They're there for a reason.

Best wishes for a safe, speedy, delivery of baby Bella. :hug:

[Callalily]

12. You'll be just fine,

and you'll make a great mom. Once you hold that baby in your arms, your heart will just melt.

[Phentex]

13. it's a strange feeling...

the first week of my son's life, I'd walk downstairs and hear something moving in the bassinet and it actually took me a few seconds to realize "Oh! That's a baby in there. That's MY baby in there. Shit, I better get my act together!"

:)

Best wishes to you!

[FloridaJudy]

14. Congratulations!

Now, go get some sleep while you still can.

[Burma Jones]

15. Oh you will believe it soon enough.....

The first six months are the hardest........

I just found out this morning that my 8 year old daughter has head lice.......fortunately the 10 year old and 2 year old seem to have escaped it.....

[Arugula Latte]

25. This stuff dissolves the lice eggs and is non-toxic:

http://www.solutions-4-you.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=143

[Burma Jones]

35. Thank You very much

We've started with the Tea Tree Oil, but this looks more promising

[Arugula Latte]

36. Good luck!

My friends' kids got lice, and she said this plus combing and combing did the trick.

[LibertyLover]

16. I did not give birth to my daughter

but rather adopted her. My husband and I had to go to China to bring her home, so I knew to the day when I'd become a mom and believe me, I understand your feelings only too well. Congratulations and wishing you and the little one all the best! Just remember - feed the end that's crying and diaper the end that isn't.:D

[Blue Diadem]

17. *doing the happy dance for you!*

Just wait until you see and hold your baby for the first time, that's the best feeling in the world.

:hug:

[redqueen]

18. Isn't it a trip?

Wait till the ride home! :o

I'm so excited for you. :)

[MissMillie]

19. It's the toughest job you'll ever love

just be warned: those creatures grow up to have minds of their own. It's really quite nerve-wracking.

[Lyric]

20. Oh god, I remember that feeling.

I had a c-section that was planned at literally the last minute (the day before) because my 40-week ultrasound revealed that the baby was going to be really big--in excess of 10 lbs. When I was leaving for the hospital the next morning, all I could think was that, "Holy crap. I am going to be a Mom within a few hours." I was 20 years old at the time, just shy of turning 21, and I was incredibly excited.

I remember how scared I was of the c-section (I was awake for it) but that fear just melted away when they finally got him out. I remember hearing his first cries, and being able to vaguely see the nurses cleaning him up. ThinkBlue1966 was in the OR with me, and they gave him straight to her. She brought him over so I could see him--he was so warm, and his cheeks were really red--and then she and the nurses carried him down to the nursery, where my Mom was waiting to see her second grandchild.

They brought him right back to me in the recovery room, and I started nursing him immediately, even though my milk hadn't really "come in" yet. That took a couple of days. It still felt like this was somebody else's baby then. But when I got to my room, and they gave him to me and everyone left except for ThinkBlue1966, I remember thinking, "This is my baby. Mine. I get to choose his name, and it will be ME that he cries for when he needs something. I get to snuggle him whenever I want to, and feed him with my own body, and he's truly a part of me in every sense. And they're actually going to let me take him HOME with me!"

I loved him with every molecule of my being pretty much from that moment on. Congratulations on the enormous falling-in-love experience that you are about to go through. It's a wonderful feeling, like nothing else in the whole world.

[Shell Beau]

27. Wow! Your description gave me chills.

[Spacemom]

21. Having a child is one of the bravest things you'll ever do

It's to forever have your heart go walking around outside your body.

You'll be fine, you're gonna be an awesome mom. :hug:

[knowbody0]

22. full moon baby

[crim son]

23. My first baby came by c-section and it was not love at first sight.

I'm afraid to say I resented the motherhood experience during the first few wees - maybe longer (postpartum depression). If you have an experience like this, you are normal! I've had two children since and love them each more than life (except Kira, who is always wearing my shoes!)

Best of luck to you. You'll do great, I'm absolutely certain.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

24. You will do just fine...

:hug: :D :hi:

[Jamastiene]

26. Congratulations!

I'd give anything to be married by now and on my way to having a baby to love and teach and protect and spoil rotten...Will you give your baby a nice hug from Aunt Jamastiene when he/she's born? :hug: And a big :hug: for you too! :hug:

[Shell Beau]

28. Of course!!!!

:hug:

[Shell Beau]

29. Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I am scared and nervous.

I hope being a mom will come naturally. I know I will be turning to many of you for advice!!! Wish me luck. I will be busy this weekend doing last minute stuff. I go in Sunday night and the journey begins.

[redqueen]

30. Good luck...

:hug:

[SeaLyons]

32. It's a wonderful journey....

Congratulations...:hug:

[Jamastiene]

34. Instinct will kick in on the protecting part of parenthood.

For the rest, there are plenty of great parents on DU that can help. That's one reason I wish I could go ahead and get married and have a baby now; So, I can ask for advice on here too. :D

As far as the delivery goes, the movies and TV shows always say to breathe and push. So, just remember to breathe and push. I don't know why they say that though, considering we breathe autonomously anyhow and pushing will be something you'll want to do to deliver the baby anyhow. :P

[Maestro]

31. Good luck!

And when the time comes, you will step up to the plate and do fine!

[Bake]

33. Good luck and God bless!

We'll be thinking about you!

:hi:

Bake

[chicagoexpat]

37. They know what causes that now

[applegrove]

38. You've never fallen in love faster than you will with your baby.

And it will be love forever.

[cwydro]

39. Congratulations!

What a wonderful thing!:bounce:

[Sequoia]

40. Would that be September 16?

That's Mexican Independence Day. Olay!

You'll do just fine. I love babies.