Welcome back to Waiting Well, my pregnancy series where I share honest, real-life updates from this season of waiting. Throughout this pregnancy, I’ve shared how I’m feeling physically, emotionally, and spiritually—from symptoms and doctor appointments to baby preparations, changing routines, and all the little moments in between.
This series has never been about having pregnancy figured out perfectly. It has been about learning to wait with faith and grace, trusting God through every stage, and documenting this sweet season before it passes.
And somehow… we have made it to the final weeks.
How did that happen?!
July Flew By
The summer has absolutely flown by.
I’m not sure what happened to June, and July seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it arrived. I feel like I blinked, and suddenly we were preparing for the final few weeks before baby girl arrives.
July was filled with early morning walks, lots of snuggling and resting, afternoons spent at the pool, and more doctor appointments than I can count.
Honestly, it was a pretty sweet rhythm.
I’ve really enjoyed getting outside for walks early in the morning before the heat becomes unbearable. At this stage of pregnancy, I’m not trying to break any records. I am just happy to move my body, get some fresh air, and enjoy a little quiet before the day begins.
And when I’m not walking, I am probably resting.
Or snuggling.
Or thinking about resting while sitting at the pool.
The afternoons at the pool have been such a gift this summer. The kids get to swim and burn off some energy, while I get to sit, relax, and occasionally float around with my giant belly.
At this point, floating might be the closest thing I have to feeling weightless.
The Doctor’s Office Mirror Selfie Collection
I’ve also had LOTS of doctor appointments lately.
We are officially at the stage where I feel like I’m constantly heading back to the doctor for another check-in. Thankfully, everything continues to look good, and I am so grateful for every reassuring appointment.
I have also developed a very important doctor-appointment tradition.
Every time I go, I take a mirror selfie in the same bathroom and send it to Martin.
I’m not entirely sure why this became a thing, but now it feels wrong not to do it. At this point, I basically have an entire collection documenting the growth of my belly through doctor’s-office bathroom selfies.
Very glamorous.
Very professional.
Very late-pregnancy chic.
It is actually pretty amazing to look back at the pictures and see how much my belly has grown. When you see yourself every day, the changes do not always seem dramatic. But when I put the photos next to each other, it is very clear that baby girl has been BUSY growing.
My Pregnancy Uniform
At this point, getting dressed is less about fashion and more about finding something that still fits, feels comfortable, and does not make me want to change clothes five minutes later.
My CRZ YOGA maternity biker shorts have officially become my go-to.
I wear them constantly.
I wear them and I wash them and immediately put them back into rotation.
I have officially reached the stage of pregnancy where I have a very small group of approved outfits, and I see no reason to complicate things.
If it fits and feels comfortable, I’m wearing it.
Again.
And probably again tomorrow.
Sleep—or Something Like It
Overall, I am still sleeping pretty well, which feels like a huge blessing this late in pregnancy.
Of course, “sleeping well” during the final weeks of pregnancy has a slightly different definition.
I fall asleep pretty easily, and I usually feel like I am getting decent rest. But I also wake up about every two hours to use the bathroom.
Every. Two. Hours.
It is basically nature’s way of preparing me for having a newborn.
I wake up, carefully roll myself out of bed, make the trip to the bathroom, get back into bed, arrange all the pillows, find a comfortable position, fall asleep… and then repeat the entire process two hours later.
At least I’m getting plenty of practice waking up during the night.
We Are Ready… I Think
The nursery is completely finished.
The car seat is ready to go.
The baby clothes have been washed and organized.
The tiny diapers are waiting.
And based on my recent deliveries, Amazon is VERY aware that I am about to enter the postpartum stage of life.
I’m pretty sure the Amazon algorithm knows exactly what is happening over here.
Postpartum supplies?
Delivered.
Baby essentials?
Delivered.
Random things I suddenly decided we absolutely needed before bringing home our fourth baby?
Also delivered.
Our delivery drivers probably know we are having a baby too.
There is something so comforting about walking into the finished nursery and seeing everything ready for her. For so much of pregnancy, meeting your baby feels far away and almost impossible to picture.
Now her clothes are washed and folded. Her diapers are stacked. Her car seat is ready. Her room is waiting.
Everything feels very real.
We are not just preparing for “a baby” anymore.
We are preparing for her. Emerson Jones.
Will She Come Early?
And now we have reached the biggest question:
Will I make it to 40 weeks and be induced, or will baby girl decide to come early?
I wish I knew!
Every little cramp, pain, or strange feeling makes me wonder whether something is starting. Then it goes away, and I realize we are apparently still waiting.
My body feels like it is preparing.
The house is ready.
The car seat is ready.
Amazon is ready.
But is baby girl ready?
That is the question.
At this point, there really is not much left to do. It is officially a waiting game.
Waiting Well Until the End
This final stage feels like the truest version of waiting well.
I have prepared everything I know to prepare. I have gone to the appointments, organized the nursery, packed the supplies, and made the lists.
But I cannot control the timing.
I do not know exactly when labor will begin. I do not know whether I will make it to my induction date or whether baby girl will surprise us. I do not know what the final moments of this pregnancy will look like.
I only know that God already knows.
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14
Waiting can feel exciting, uncomfortable, emotional, and exhausting—all at the same time.
I am so ready to meet her, but I also know these are the final days I will ever carry one of my babies inside of me. That thought makes this season feel incredibly bittersweet.
There is a part of me that wants to rush through these last uncomfortable days and get to the moment when she is finally in my arms.
But there is another part of me that wants to slow everything down.
I want to remember the kicks.
I want to remember the shape of my belly.
I want to remember the anticipation in our house and how excited the kids are to meet their baby sister.
I want to remember the quiet moments when it is still just her and me.
So, for now, I am trying to stay present.
I’m taking my slow morning walks.
I’m resting when my body tells me to rest.
I’m wearing the same biker shorts for the hundredth time.
I’m taking bathroom mirror selfies at the doctor’s office.
And I’m trusting that baby girl will arrive at exactly the right time.
Will we make it to 40 weeks?
Will she come early?
I truly have no idea.
But we are ready whenever she is.
Thank you for following along throughout this pregnancy and for continuing to pray for baby girl and me. The next Waiting Well update might just include a baby!
Now we wait.
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