The one thing I learnt from this pregnancy is to expect the unexpected.

What I have always learnt from my Mom is to be prepared.

With pregnancy throwing curve balls left right and centre, I sought to be as prepared as I could possibly be with the few variables I can control:

1. I read every single book I could get my hands on about pregnancy and child-rearing, and asked for advice from those who have gone through it.

2. I packed my hospital bag at 34 weeks.

3. We agreed on an English name way in advance, and at 36 weeks, a Chinese name when no better suggestion came along.

4. I paid all bills for the month and some even for next month.

5. I ground 4 months worth of medication for Boy.

6. I made sure the kids have enough food to last a month.

7. I got all my hospital paperwork done and arranged to donate his cord blood.

8. I bought all I need for BB.

9. I wrote and packed my birth plan.

10. I completed, handed over, planned 3 months worth of content, and trained a capable young woman to handle my work for the duration I would be away.

11. I arranged for my home to be reshuffled and repacked.

12. I even suffered a membrane sweep to try to be on schedule.

That's why I loathe last minute things. Stupid petty things that I should NOT have to stress about in the final week before my due date and that we had already prepared in advance, to be dissected and criticised. The time to speak up has come and gone.

At the end of the day, this is my child. I suffered and bled for him for 39 weeks. I should be the one making decisions for him. If you want to do the same, go have your own child.

This morning I woke feeling raw and tired still but with a bit more rest and some reluctant affection from Boy, I felt better towards the afternoon. A little brown spotting today.

Hubby called it cervical shock when he had a look at me last night. Basically I had a closed cervix and the Doc had forced the cervix open to sweep the membranes. Highly NOT recommended.

That explains the faintness I felt and the weak in the knees feeling all yesterday. I hadn't imagined it possible, but my body was in shock.

Okay, for those NOT in the know, the dang pregnancy books won't tell you about membrane sweeping. I only read about it in a candidly-written book called Hello My Name is Mommy, written by a radio DJ in the US with a great sense of humour.

She was peeled off the ceiling after her membrane sweep and lived to warn everyone else that it is painful. Somehow in my eagerness to be on schedule, I forgot all about that chapter. I mean, membrane sweeping sounds mild, even elegant.

I tried to read a bit but dozed off at 8pm. Woke around 11pm and called the Hub, who was working on his project. He came in, sayanged me a bit, and made me some oatmeal yogurt and orange (my new fave).

Stayed in a fugue state till he finally came for bed. He brought in Boy (who stayed at the foot of the bed) to deflect my attention while he dozed off. :p

In the morning, Boy did walk up for a pet or two, but he largely left me alone. I struggled to get up, my body feeling slightly less beaten up. Had a couple of buns and some milk.

The shock should be over soon... oh look, there's some remnant of me still on the ceiling.

One week before due date and cervix has not opened yet. Is apparently still thick!

Doc gave option of a membrane sweep which statistically results in due date birth. Warned it would be painful. Ah heck, how painful could putting a finger in and scraping innards be?

They had to peel me off the wall when it was over. I felt horribly faint. Rather violated.

Staggered home. Cab driver gave me a 10c discount. I think.

No blood, I checked. But achy feeling. Rather hollow. Ow.

Washed meself. Keeled over.

Ski Divine Wild Strawberry yogurt with oatmeal and a cut orange.

Very hotel breakfast-like. :)

Sam wandered cautiously past us several times and we studiously ignored him. He must have thought bath time was over. I bent down to feed him and caught him. He howled as I brought him to the shower, even grasping the shower door.

He bathed with much protest, despite me reminding him it was for his sister's benefit. Finally, it was over, and he scurried away like a drenched rat, refusing even supper. I should feed everyone again before bedtime. :)

All cats have finally been flea/tick bathed. Another round in 1-2 weeks. I have to be an opportunistic bather in my condition. Unless I pop first...

Kaku's bum fur looks like it is regressing. :( I grabbed her and bathed her today with flea and tick shampoo (second line of defence), even waiting the 4-5 minutes stated on the bottle. She was a real sport, just sitting quietly at the door while I lathered her and talked to her gently.

After, I wrapped her in a towel and hugged her for the longest time and she let me. :D Oh, the few joys in life: holding your baby in your arms and have her look at you with dilated pupils and wonder (I think). :D

I tried to feed a biscuit to her but she didn't want it. She did lick her mouth and soonafter struggled to get out. I fed her some biscuits and she chomped happily.

Sam was impossible to catch. He was slippery like an eel. We ignored him for a while, instead catching Boy who understood the deal all too late. He too, had a bath, courtesy of his Dad but declined the towel snuggle after.

The past few days I have been having stronger CONtractions. The due date is near...

Weird dreams and a loving cat curled up beside me. What a strange night!

I caught a cockroach scurrying around in the bedroom and let Tux and Boy in to catch it. Somehow the idea is that if one of the cats is around, the roach won't sit on my cat and make me say uncle.

Tux headed for the plastic bag (he has a plastic bag habit where he has to chew each one) and so out he had to go. Reluctantly and with much protest.

Boy stayed on the rug for a while but as I tried to get comfortable, he walked up to my side and lay at shoulder-height all night, even tolerating my petting and my arm around him. He even purred.

It was so comforting waking up after each bizarre dream and going to the bathroom with him beside me. He didn't budge at all till morning, after my swimming next to Prince Harry dream, when he meowed and asked to be let out.

Two SMSes awaited me as my phone alarm blared. My sister, asking me if I was okay. And my friend Wendy, who wasn't due for a few weeks more, messaging that she gave birth this morning! Gosh...

A few more messages from her warned me not to pop yet as there simply weren't enough beds in the ward and labour room. She apparently spent most of her labour in the ward and was put in a B1 ward while paying A1 rates! Plus 8 more women were waiting.

At this rate, I think I'll give birth at home, with Boy at my side meowing supportive meows.

I've begun nesting... yes, what all the books say. Nesting.

Last week (or was it this week?) I packed some stuff from under the staircase. Not a lot... but enough to warrant nesting. I've also been fretting over buying a hook to hang up the dang hand towel in the bathroom.

Contrary to what I promised myself, I also started looking at baby clothes and began oohing and aahing at newborn accessories. Okay I didn't buy any, but the oohings and aahings are out of character enough.

Tonight I repacked my stuff for the hospital. One blue cat bag for BB's things and one black cat bag for my things. No harm in starting them young on pro-cat propaganda.

Full term also means 37 weeks, if I haven't mentioned this before. So I am in the middle of full-term as I type this, along with the fun that comes along with it.

I keep reading what the Real Signs of Labour Are and reckon I'm not quite there yet. The signs of being full-term are there though:

Nausea is a constant. I have taken to eating smaller meals and foraging. Although I do end up sleepless at night and eating more than I should. Tonight it was 2 steamed buns and a bowl of oatmeal. Oh yes, and ten minutes ago, an orange I actually peeled myself.

Sleeplessness. Need I say more.

Lower back ache. Oy...

Inability to get into comfortable position to Sleep. Related to the other 3 above.

CONtractions. Okay, really. Braxton-Hicks Contractions. Prep Contractions to ready the body for popping. Some pain. Some dull aches. Mostly painful and an awful full feeling. Maybe that's why they call it FULL term. Hmm... ponder.

BB's party time. Yes, his bum is firmly entrenched in my left side, making it horribly uncomfortable to sleep on that side. My right side is his punching and kicking bag. His head, according to his Dad, is engaged and pretty wedged into the birth canal already.

No appetite OR crazed hunger. 'Nuff said.

NTP. Yes, needing to pee more often than normal humans (or cats) do. Kegeling allegedly prevents leakage. I recommend being prepared, and clenching before any sneeze, cough, or violent outburst.

Breathlessness. From the back pain and the ribs wedged in my lungs.

Tired. Usually. Mostly from lack of sleep.

Fretting. Over the cats blatantly not doing their job. That cockroach is still alive on the wall. Heck, I am working till I pop. Yo cats!

Curiosity. To meet my son.

I've been trying to sleep for the past 3 hours with no luck. I juggled between reading Thrill! by Jackie Collins again, The Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan (and got a bit depressed about my mortality), and Babywise (dunno the authors). Tried to sleep twice with the lights out but was kept awake by BB's partying. Well, probably more CONtractions, albeit the painless but horribly tight ones and some random kicking.

Boy sped to greet me when I opened the bedroom door. I cuddled him a little and he struggled to get off. Later he ran like a bat out of hell from the kitchen and resisted any attempts to carry him (to examine his bum). There was some bum dragging near the poo pan and he was the first suspect having 2 anal sac ruptures before.

We examined the three older kids' bums in a very CSI-like manner, but found no drag residue. As the rug had been drag-marked in the morning, the perpetrator probably cleaned his or her bottom by now.

While chasing him, I discovered Tux sleeping in his Dad's former larder! :o White paws and a jowly miffed face at being found. I shut the cabinet door. With its weak magnet (Tux had opened the door many times and snuck bites into his Dad's stash of junk food), the naughty boy could just nudge it open with his tail.

Boy lay next to me on the ground for quite a while after, cleaning himself, eyeing Tux saunter casually past us and then back again. BB is gleefully kicking away while my tummy tightens in another CONtraction. Boy just got up and I quickly lifted his tail to check if there was a hair stuck in his bum (the cause of irritation often). There was none but he went 'eow' in protest. Now he's eyeing his couch head. Tux walked by again. Strange children.