This could be it!

We're headed to the hospital! Contractions have been regular since 2:20am, 3-5 minutes apart. We're not sure if its for real but we're bringing the laptop to the hospital so we should be able to post updates as things progress.

Six Days Late!

I'm seriously beginning to wonder why they even give you a due date to begin with, apparently it doesn't mean much. That day on the calender I had been looking forward to for practically the last year of my life... came and went, and is now a week in the dust. So yes, I'm still quite pregnant and with no signs of change to come soon! There is an empty bassinet next to our bed, a changing station all set up with the cutest little diapers I've ever seen, and some very adorable outfits organized by size... just waiting to be shown off by a brand new baby boy. The hospital bags are packed! I've had PLENTY of sleep, enough to get me through the next year in fact- so I'm even ready for the sleepless nights! Now all we need are some good strong, regular contractions! I'm debating if I should just head down to the hospital now... on foot... its about ten miles, surely I'll go into labor on the way if I'm walking?!? Okay, maybe that's not the greatest plan! But a few laps around the lake today will hopefully do some good! I know you are all waiting for a big fancy post that says: "I'm in Labor!", but unfortunately there's not too much going on in that department yet.

August Baby?

I went to the doctor's today, and I'm actually a little upset over it right now. I was hoping they would be doing an internal exam to see what kind of progress has been made. They will usually tell you how many centimeters you have dilated, and what percentage of effacement there is. Well apparently I'm some kind of freak of nature or something, because he wasn't even able to tell. My cervix was too far back or something and he couldn't reach! He then tried to tell me that it moves forward as you make progress, so that was just a sign that nothing significant has happened yet. They said if I don't go into labor naturally within a week, they will schedule an induction. I don't really want labor induced (especially chemically), but I also don't want to be pregnant forever either! So I thought... one more week at most, I can handle that!

Then it was time to go back up to the front desk on our way out to schedule our next appointment, turns out the soonest they can see me is not in a week from today... but in a week from Friday! So at that appointment they will talk about scheduling an induction. It will most likely be too late in the day on that friday because we have an afternoon appointment. And I highly doubt they would schedule one on a Saturday, which means that we would be waiting until the following Monday, which is August 4th. Two and a half weeks past my due date! This is pretty upsetting, not so much because I may have to be pregnant for almost two more weeks, but because I'm concerned about the safety of the baby. After 40 weeks they generally preform something called a non-stress test, and also check the level of fluid left in the amniotic sac to make sure the baby is doing okay! I guess they aren't too concerned about these things, OR they over looked them today in the midst of being a very crowded office, that was backed up over an hour! I'm really not sure which! I will probably call them sometime tomorrow ... when I've calmed down a little bit so that I don't verbally abuse the receptionist can try and get some answers and make sure that nothing important got overlooked. Chances are I will go into labor on my own, naturally before the next appointment, but in any case the prospect of having to wait that long is really frustrating! Please be praying that this happens soon, and also for an easy and complication free delivery. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of this baby boy. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes, we'll be sure to keep you posted!

Walking and Waiting

This is a beautiful picture of the lake by our house. From our home... down to the lake, once around, and back home is about a two mile walk. It's a nice walk, when you aren't in your 41st week of pregnancy! I'm hoping it becomes a more useful walk, as I'm counting on it to help get this baby ready to make his arrival. I took the walk last night, and subsequently had some regular contractions for a while. They got pretty close together but they varied in intensity and once I decided to lay down and get some rest, I fell asleep and they went away. Yesterday my husband was at work while I walked, so I had a seven year old in tow... I didn't want to walk alone in case anything happened. She at least knows how to pull my cell phone from my pocket and call the house, or both of my parents cell phones in the event of an emergency and for the most part she makes pretty good company... except for the fact that yesterday she had the most annoying disney channel song stuck in her head and sang it the whole way around the lake. Maybe three times around will do the trick! I'm not sure if I could make it that far, especially if I don't find my other shoes.... they seemed to have up and walked away as it is. They probably got lost when I cleaned and organized the room last week... go figure. I'm a little forgetful these days, and the room we are in well doesn't exactly have a place for everything so we have to get a little creative and I forgot where I put them. My tennis shoes that I had to wear yesterday just kill my feet right now as they are a little tight! My feet don't actually look very swollen, but judging on how my shoes fit they actually are. So I really need my other shoes before I do anymore walking! Then I wonder if I am walking for no good reason, I mean it really doesn't feel good at all these days. Then I ache all over and I feel like I can't move... is it worth it? YES! If it helps convince this baby it's time to come, then I will keep taking that chance.

Two days overdue, and no baby yet... I'm getting pretty curious when or if this is ever going to happen! I mean, he can't just stay in there forever right?

My Due Date...

... was today! But it came and went and there was no action. I guess my little man is refusing to make his appearance. It looks like we will be playing the waiting game a little longer. I was really convinced he'd arrive on time. They say you're usually a few days late with your first one, but I was my mom's first pregnancy and I came right on time! So I thought... maybe the baby will take after Mama and show up. I guess that was wishful thinking. The hard part was having that date circled on the calender and counting down what felt like forever for it to arrive, and then nothing! But now that's its here I feel so relieved, even though I'm not holding my baby boy yet. I know it will be soon, and I feel like we actually have everything together and ready at this point. I just finally typed up our birth plan, now I just have to find some colored paper to print it out on before we leave for the hospital. For now, I'm trying to enjoy the last few days Sean & I have together before we become a family of three. I'm enjoying sleeping through the night (for the most part...), and all the peace and quiet we still have. I know we are in for a BIG change so I'm trying to savor every last moment of life as we know it. I must admit we are a little intimidated by the new responsibility we will have. But we know in the end, when this chapter of our lives close and the new one opens... when we finally get to hold that little boy... it will all have been worth the wait.

As far as my doctors appointment on Friday went, there is really no big news to report. I am seen weekly at this point, so all they do is check my vitals and listen for the baby's heartbeat. They said to come in on Wednesday if the baby isn't here yet and they will do a more extensive check since I am past due, and make sure that everything is okay and possibly discuss setting an induction date. They don't like to let you go more than a week past due. Most likely the baby will come on his own at some point within the next week, so we're not really worried about that yet.

We'll keep you posted on the progress, I have a feeling things will be happening very soon!

Pregnancy Update!

I can hardly believe that I'm only two days away from our due date. We're not sure if he'll be here on time, but it should be soon! I've been having contractions all week, they seem to be about twenty minutes apart, in two to three hour spurts. They have never really developed into anything significant, which is a little frustrating because I'm so ready to meet this little boy already and sometimes it feels like I'll just be pregnant forever. I've been getting in as many naps as I can, because I know I will soon be sleep deprived. It's amazing to me how much harder the last few weeks is than the rest of the pregnancy. I've been pretty uncomfortable lately, but I know that's just because he's still rapidly growing in there. It's said that they gain about a half pound each week at this stage. So hopefully he's here soon, or I'll be pushing out a big baby! It has just gotten so much harder to do all the little things. I am SO thankful for my wonderful husband who takes such good care of me! He has been a constant support and a huge help to me through all this, dropping whatever he is working on to help me with whatever I need. I appreciate him so much for it.

I've got my weekly check-up on Friday, so I'll be sure to post an update then if nothing happens sooner!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Thank you for being the best Grandpa anyone could ever ask for! We are so blessed to have you in our lives! You have always been a source of wisdom and support to us. We love the times we get to share with you, and we can't wait for you to meet our baby boy, your great-grandson! We wish you health and happiness on your special day. We Love You Lots!