It Has Begun

I’ve got some action going on inside my tummy! I started tracking the weird feelings in my stomach around 3pm today and they have been consistently occuring every 5-8 minutes since then (it’s 7:30pm now). Finally I know what an early labor contraction feels like! A bit uncomfortable and some are worse than others but if I crinkle my toes and breathe a bit, I can get through the 30 second bursts. Once they’re coming 5 mins apart for a half hour we’ll start getting ready to go! Till then…

tick tock, tick tock

We’re still waiting! Last night came and went without too much excitement. Except, of course for our dinner out! We went to Vineyard Cafe, and while it was a bit overpriced, we left pretty satisfied! Some of you have heard the funny stories about Brian wanting a “really good plate of cheese” lately, and I’m happy to say that he finally got it! And there were leftovers for him to take home! I indulged in a delicious goat cheese salad that was quite tasty! Of course we left room for Graeter’s – for all of you in Cincinnati, their seasonal flavor – strawberry chip is yummy!

I decided that today will be my last day at work before maternity leave. I’ve had my work wrapped up for some time now, so I’m able to leave confident that everything will be taken care of this summer while I’m out. I plan on taking about 12 weeks off so that will take me through the end of July. In August, I plan to return on a part-time basis.

We’re going to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine right after work today. Did you know it stars Tim Riggins of Friday Night Lightsfame? Dreamy! Perhaps all of the action will get things moving! Dinner has yet to be decided. After all of this nice eating out, I’m ready to return to my roots of Wendy’s! But I must hold off, the hospital we’re delivering at has a Wendy’s so I’m sure I’ll be getting my fill of frosty’s, fries, and chicken nuggets soon enough! Christy, I know that just made your mouth water

We’ll be sure to update when something does, or does not happen! Happy Friday!

Due Date

It’s the morning of my due date and here I am…at work! I’m still holding out that today is going to be the day, so we’ll see! Right now, everything feels pretty much the same, just a little sore from the doctor visit yesterday, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I think I’m so desparate for something to happen that at a little stab of pain I will rush home and grab my bag and be on my way!

I thought this giant meatball on top of my spaghetti yesterday symbolized my belly quite well! It was seriously like the size of my fist! My swollen fingers fist! It’s really weird to try to think about the belly going away. Or that one day very soon, I will be able to easily get up from the couch, or not have to squeeze into my car when its parked in the garage…yeah, that’ll be nice.

So we continue to wait. It will be a long day!

Almost 40 Week Doctor Visit

Just got back from visiting the doctor again! She said that I am still 50% effaced, but am now 1.5 cm dilated and at -1 station. 

Definitions per Babies Online:

Effacement: Most of the pregnancy, the cervix is long and thick. As labor nears, it begins to shorten and thin. 100% effaced means that the cervix is a part of the uterine wall and the baby can pass – so I’m half way there. 

Dilation: Again, most of the pregnancy, the cervix is tight and closed with no dilation. The baby is ready to pass through once you are 10 cm dilated. 

Station: This is how far the baby has come down into the pelvis.  If your baby has dropped, but has not yet settled into your pelvis to begin his decent, it is measured in centimeters as a negative station. This negative measurement goes from -3 to -1. Once your baby has settled into your pelvis, but before he starts his descent to the birth canal, it is referred to as a zero (0) station. Once your baby starts heading towards the cervix, it is referred to as a positive station from 1 to 3.

So there’s the news! It doesn’t change much, she could still arrive tomorrow, or late next week, it’s still a waiting game. In celebration of waiting, Brian and I are eating out this week! We’ll be confined to the house soon enough so it’s time to get out! Off we go!

A Labor Story (but not mine!)

I am amazingly not too terrified about what labor is going to be like. Even so, I do like to read other peoples labor stories. I wanted to share with you the best one that I’ve ever read. Being so, I don’t know that I’ll even write my own labor story once it happens because there’s no way I could ever be this witty! So enjoy Heather Armstrong’s labor story, she is one funny gal!

The Lily Pad

Finally got around to putting the final touches on the nursery. A few things will still be cleaned up, but here’s some current nursery pictures!

39 Weeks

News Flash: I’m due to have a baby one week from today! Can you believe it?! And at yesterdays doctor appointment there was actually some pre-labor progress! It kinda freaked me out, I was so used to nothing happening and all of a sudden things are in motion and having a baby is like a reality – mixed feelings about that to be honest…are we really ready for this?Andy’s not sure if he’s ready to share the couch!

So the pre-labor progress is that I am 50% effaced. For those of you who don’t speak pregnancy, effacement is the thinning of the cervix as the baby moves lower into the birth canal. That’s pretty much all I know…it doesn’t create a specific timeline for labor to really begin, it could be tomorrow or weeks from now. So it’s still a waiting game.

My mom left today but it was SO nice to have her around! She made amazing meals and snacks and it was really nice to kick my feet up at the end of the day while she took care of things. And for the record, the tatertot casserole was AMAZING!

Now we have a new guest hoping that Lillian will make her arrival during their visit. Nicole has a work conference over the next few days and she is quite hopeful that she is the labor good luck charm! Still have a few things to finish up in the nursery this weekend. It’s supposed to get pretty hot here in Cincy – the swelling will likely get out of control! Speaking of the swell, I leave you with a picture of my 39 week belly shot and my sausage feet! Sweet.

Fancy

When I was registering, I was told to register for more burp cloths than I could ever imagine needing. I was also told that cloth diapers make perfect burp cloths so I think I ended registering for 18 cloth diapers. What did I receive? Numerous super cute and fancy burp cloths! These things are so nice! Lillian will be spitting up in style!

38 Weeks

…and no labor progress! Another bummer of a doctors visit. He said she is still at the top of the birth canal and to find someone with a riding lawn mower and ride it around…what?! I have taken measures into my own hands and started a walking crusade and plan to eat my way through all of the spicy food in Cincinnati – perhaps I’ll even lose some weight from sweating out the spice! I guess it just means that Lillian likes hanging out with me for the time being. The doc did say that he expects her to arrive weighing a little over 8lbs – so much for all of the cute newborn clothes! My anemia has improved but I am still required to take iron supplements throughout the remainder of the pregnancy.  I tested positive for Group B streptococcus which isn’t really anything to worry about, it just means that I will have to have an IV of antibiotics during labor to prevent passing it onto the baby. Everything else was business as usual.

Things can change at the drop of a hat so with a busy week ahead, there may be some progress. We’ll finish up our returns and complete the registry this weekend. Once the supplies come in for some art projects, her nursery will be in tip top shape as well. The weekend will be lovely in Cincinnati so we’ll probably soak up some sun and I can dictate to Brian or my mom where flowers are to be planted. The week ahead includes a few celebratory when-am-i-going-to-see-you-again lunches and a last hurrah night out with friends consisting of dinner and Avenue Q (I might just laugh Lily right out of me!) With all of the activity, my co-workers are convinced that she will show up early and interrupt it all! We’ll just have to wait and see!

Yummy!

My mom will be in town next week for her job (very convenient timing!) and she said she’d earn her keep by cooking for us. Since I don’t feel like doing a thing after working all day (pregnant or not!), I 100% support her plan. I asked her for a tentative menu and grocery list and when she sent it, I began drooling! Thought I would post her list to show off what a great momma she is!

Lasagna, tater tot casserole, taco salad or taco pie or just tacos,  spaghetti/red sauce or white sauce, salad, garlic toast, oven fried chicken, baked potato, veg roast,  stuffed green peppers, or stuffed cabbage rolls with mashed potatoes, pancake night, or omelet night, banana bread, homemade cookies.

Perhaps we’ll hire her as a live in nanny?