the end is near...but not in a dooms-day way!

we are currently in the thick of the 35th week.  right around 5 weeks to go.  i think we can officially be considered in the home stretch.  another two weeks and this little guy is officially full-term.  another doctors appointment down.  kato's heartbeat is strong, his size is exactly where it should be and my blood pressure is great.  woo-hoo!  good news for the expanding wolf family!

unfortunately, my iron levels have dropped fairly low - low enough to cause the doctor to be alarmed (and to freak jeff out - sorry, love).  apparently, a "normal" level is around 12.  in april, mine was around 9.  because of those results, i have been taking a once-a-day iron supplement (and trying to eat more iron-rich foods - go steak and spinach!).  my body still isn't accepting the iron...lame.  my levels today were around 8.4.  stinkin blood...just accept that iron already!  

low levels meant that in addition to an in-office finger prick, i also had to go to the hospital to have blood drawn.  no fun, but at least i didn't pass out!  i was a trooper and left the office unscathed!  we will know more next week and what this means.  

keep your fingers crossed that those levels kick into high gear and raise significantly in the next couple of weeks.  apparently, iron in your bloodstream is a good thing to have when going into childbirth.  

another week of childbirth classes down!  jeff has lost every bit of interest and had to be bribed with ice cream this week (and i wish i was joking)!  we discussed the actual birth process, dealing with pain (hello, epidural) and watched a graphic video.  yikes...and, lucky us, there are several more of these videos to watch.  

other than that, things are going smooth...which is all we can ask for!  we hope the next couple of weeks continue at this same pace.