Ready (I think) at 36 weeks

The car seat has been installed, the pack 'n play has been assembled, the clothes and towels have been washed in fragrance- and dye-free detergent, the mini co-sleeper has been put together, the hospital bag has been packed, the baby book has been purchased, and we're headed to our final hospital class (newborn care) tonight. There are several other small things here and there that still need to be done (mostly things like get my hair cut), but I think I can confidently say that if I popped out this baby in an hour, we'd be ready at home. Whether we're ready in the parenting sense is something we'll find out soon enough, but I suspect we'll be just fine.

Now that pregnancy is in the waning stages, we're finally to the point of reading some books about parenting (oh yeah, that thing that happens after all the pain and stuff), including The Happiest Baby on the Block, which I've heard nothing but good things about. I think our general approach (especially at first) is arming ourselves with some knowledge from the beginning, but remaining flexible as far as how to deal with certain things since most babies aren't textbook babies. We are fortunate that there is a wealth of information available out there nowadays, and I don't think we're afraid to use those resources in order to raise our child. It's not the end of the world and I'm not a failure as a mother if I don't instinctively know the best way to burp my baby or get her to eat.

The latest belly pics, from last night at 35w6d:










Weight loss/gain:
3w5d starting weight
5w (-1.2 pounds)
6w (-3 pounds, -4.2 pounds total)
7w (-2.4 pounds, -6.6 pounds total)
8w (-1 pound, -7.6 pounds total)
9w (-2 pounds, -9.6 pounds total)
10w (-2.6 pounds, -12.2 pounds total)
11w (+1 pound, -11.2 pounds total)
12w (+3.6 pounds, -7.6 pounds total)
13w (+1.0 pound, -6.6 pounds total)
14w (+1.2 pounds, -5.4 pounds total)
15w (+3.4 pounds, -2 pounds total)
16w (+2.0 pounds, no change total)
17w (+2.0 pounds, +2.0 pounds total)
18w1d (+2.0 pounds, +4.0 pounds total)
19w (-1.0 pound, +3.0 pounds total)
20w (-0.4 pounds, +2.6 pounds total)
21w (+1.4 pounds, +4.0 pounds total)
22w (-0.4 pounds, +3.6 pounds total)
23w (+3.4 pounds, +7.0 pounds total)
24w (+0.8 pounds, +7.8 pounds total)
25w (+0.0 pounds, +7.8 pounds total)
26w (+4.2 pounds, +12.0 pounds total)
27w (-1.0 pounds, +11.0 pounds total)
28w (+3.6 pounds, +14.6 pounds total)
29w (-0.6 pounds, +14 pounds total)
30w (+1.8 pounds, +15.8 pounds total)
31w (+2.0 pounds, +17.8 pounds total)
32w1d (+0.6 pounds, +18.4 pounds total)
33w (-0.2 pounds, +18.2 pounds total)
34w (+2.4 pounds, +20.6 pounds total)
35w (+1.6 pounds, +22.2 pounds total)
36w (-0.6 pounds, +21.6 pounds total)