Antique Mall

Yesterday we took Mom to the antique mall on the edge of town.  Mom LOVES antiques.  It's a cute mall because they have all different stalls set up and decorated with the stuff that is for sale.  We walked around for a few hours until I got tired and then Mom took us to lunch at KFC/Long John Silver's.  Afterwards we went to Walmart to try to get Mom's bangs trimmed.  There was a long wait there so we went to another place. Same problem.  The third place we went to had an opening.  Unfortunately instead of trimming her bangs they gave her a whole haircut!  She's a good sport though.

After we got home Mom sent me to take a nap and she swept, vacuumed, mopped, and waxed the floor.  Wow.  I LOVE a newly waxed and shiny floor.  Makes my heart go pitter patter pumpernickel.  And I really appreciate her cleaning my  floors. Thanks Mumsy!!

That evening I made sure we had everything we needed for the hospital and made brownies for the nurses. It's not a bribe. It's...um...niceness.

We had to leave the house at 6:30 this morning and they started hooking me up to everything around eight.  I have two nurses and they are very nice. I have an IV in my right hand which is, yes, a little uncomfortable.  The needle was huge and I guess Nathan saw it and poor guy, he is so squeamish, he had to go to the other side of the room.  They hooked me up also to a blood pressure cuff and a heart rate monitor for the baby and a contraction monitor.  One of the nurses said that I am actually having contractions now and then which were what I was calling Braxton Hicks, so I guess that's what got me to 3 cm.  So now I am on Pitocin and just waiting.  Nathan's got my exercise ball all blown up and Mom went to find some magazines and we're channel surfing.

Induction

As you may or may not know, I originally did not want to be induced.  Pitocin contractions are way different and more painful and make it difficult to have a natural birth, and because Pit is the start of interventions. And as I stated before, I want a natural birth.  There are a few reasons I agreed to the suggestion to induce at the end of the week.

Most importantly is that Nathan has to go out of town next week. He has been home several weeks and he HAS to go back to work.  This is not an option.  And it is more important to me that he be here to meet his son than that I go through labor without drugs.   Therefore I need to have the baby this week.

Second, this is a big baby. A very big baby. And I trust my doctor, who would not recommend induction unless he saw a reason for it.

Third, I have a good start on things already with being 3 cm and effaced.  That gives me a very good chance at successful induction.

I am nervous, and excited, and yes even a little bit sad because I am going to miss my baby moving and kicking and the knowledge that I can take care of him safely.

I am very glad my mom is here now!  We are going to get her hair cut and then walk around the antique mall for a little while.

And tomorrow, or maybe sometime Saturday, we'll meet little Piglet.

We covet your prayers.

Still Preggers

I had a whole long post typed up on Tuesday and I lost it. And of course it was the one time I hadn't typed it in another program first!

Monday was our niece's first birthday party so we spent the day over at Andrea and Justin's house.  Quite a few people came, mostly family but some of their friends as well.  Alie got lots of good toys! She gets funnier as she gets older. We really enjoy her.

Tuesday afternoon I had a Dr appointment.  I am 3 cm, 80%, and at a -1.  Dr. H says that I'm not likely to progress anymore without real contractions.  I also had to go to radiology to have an ultrasound of my leg to rule out a blood clot. No clot, we're good there.  We also decided to do an induction on Friday morning.  I'll write another post about that later.

So I called my mom to tell her, and guess who I picked up at the airport yesterday?! My mom is here!!

That's the bare bones of what happened, I think.

Maternity Pictures

On Sunday afternoon we met Melissa down at the park to get our maternity pictures done. After seeing how puffy I am I realize why women usually get them done between 36 and 38 weeks, before the swelling sets in!  But between all of our schedules we haven't been able to get to it. Puffiness aside, we have quite a few lovely shots and I am very pleased. And a huge thanks to Melissa for taking them for us! Here are some of my favorites.

40 weeks

Today I am due. I'm tired of people asking me every five minutes when I am going to have the baby and I am tired of walking and having sex and doing nipple stimulation to try to induce labor.  I didn't want to do those things especially, but I felt on a deadline. I don't really care if he wants to stay a while longer, although I am really excited to meet him. My mom took a lot of my stress off me by deciding to go back home to wait for me to call and my only other stressor left is that neither I nor anyone else wants him to be born on the 31st since that is our niece's birthday.  Well, oh well. People will have to get over it.  Including me, but I'm not going to stress over it anymore. I'm off work, my chores are done, I had a lovely massage last night, and I'm going to sit around and read and bounce on my ball and take as many naps as I want and just relax.

Here's a funny story.  Do you know the difference between these two things?

Some of Nathan's female relatives were telling me a while back about how they used Castor Oil to induce their labor.  Since then it's been mentioned a few times here or there. Nathan has been around for all of the conversations. Well, a few nights ago Nathan and I somehow got to talking about it and I jokingly told him to go get me some. With a puzzled expression he asked why I didn't just use what was IN THE GARAGE!!!!!!!! Bahaaahaaahaaahaaa!!! This WHOLE time he has been thinking we were talking about CAR oil! That still gives me a good laugh when I think about it.  I did tell him though that in his defense they sound very similar and besides, who expects a guy to know what Castor Oil is. But seriously, he thought we were talking about drinking car oil. Hahahahahahaha! Love you honey.