What a weekend!

It was an eventful yet uneventful weekend!

It all started on Friday. I started having a few pre-labor signs and got really anxious that Katie and Kevin would miss the birth if they didn't arrive soon. I just had this feeling, and it wouldn't go away. Friday night, I was overwhelmed, and had a huge ugly cry. Saturday morning I woke up in a rotten mood. I still couldn't shake the anxiety feeling. Around lunch time, I felt a couple contractions. After several of them, I decided to time them. They were 6 minutes apart, but not unbearable. I decided to see where they went. I did call Katie and left a message and waited for her to call me back, but decided to hold off calling in the troops until I knew what was going on. Over the next few hours, they only increased in intensity a little bit, but were still going. I contacted my doula and photographer and put them on notice. I finally talked to Katie, and they decided they would leave in a couple hours. Around the time Katie and Kevin got on the road they intensified and I let them know about it. Then, almost as quickly as they intensified, they started petering out.

Through the evening I had a few more contractions, but nothing that made me think anything more was going to happen. Sunday morning came and nothing was happening. I went to church, did a little shopping, took care of things around the house, but still nothing. Katie and Kevin arrived late Sunday night. I took it easy as much as I could, and sat on my exercise ball to see if that would get Miss Molly moving.

Yesterday morning, their little boy Jack was throwing up. I felt so bad for them and REALLY hoped he would feel better quickly. My family decided to go for a long walk and to the park near my husband's new job. We ended up walking around 3 miles or so. Afterward, I went and got a pedicure, and decided a manicure would also be a good treat. The girl who did my feet didn't know about the pressure points that can help bring on labor, otherwise I would have done that during the pedicure. After the pampering session, Jack was feeling better so we had them come over for dinner. It was good to see them again, and it felt good to enjoy the time before Molly comes. I was very glad to see that they weren't disappointed I had called them to come down so early and nothing was happening. It ended up being a blessing though, because the weather near them became impassable shortly after they left, and they had a day to rest and help Jack feel better before Molly arrives.

Last night I did what I could as far as trying to get things moving on my end, trying several of the various at home methods to bring baby out. Unfortunately all that did was make me incredibly sore, especially after our walk yesterday. All night long I didn't sleep very well because I was either woke up by pain in my calves or hips, or a random contraction.

Last week, my appointment had been changed from Tuesday to Thursday because the doctor was afraid I'd go into labor before Katie and Kevin arrived. I was going to go in Thursday and have my membranes stripped. Well since they are here, I called the dr office yesterday and they said my appointment for today had never even been cancelled, so we kept it. So this morning Katie got to go with me. So the update for today's appointment is that I am now 3cm dilated (double from last week) and about 25% effaced. I didn't even look at the weight on the scale so I have no idea what I've gained, but it's probably all water weight anyway. She saw my feet were already swelling pretty "good" for that early in the morning but didn't seem overly concerned. My blood pressure was 112/76 so it's probably just normal end of pregnancy swelling that I didn't have with the boys. She stripped my membranes (pretty thoroughly, if I do say so myself) and said she thought we might have Miss Molly within the next 48 hours. Well, we all certainly hope so! If by chance we don't, I'm still scheduled for a Monday induction.

On the way out, we stopped by Labor and Delivery and I introduced some of the ladies I was talking to last week to Katie and everyone seems excited. It makes me giddy that this is happening! At the same time, I get teary that it's already time! The joy is overwhelming, though, I will say that.

After the appointment, Katie, Kevin and I went to lunch and then I came home and took a nap (doctor's orders) for a little bit before getting the boys. Up for the rest of the day is planning out the rest of the week for the boys.

Lastly for today, my 39 week belly pic! I actually took it during the 4th hour of contractions on Saturday, so the funny look on my face is because I was thinking this was probably the last belly pic for this journey.

That's all for now! I will blog again when there is news or pictures to blog!! Have a great day!

38 Wk Appointment update!

My appointments today went fabulously. First I met with L&D to go over my birth plan, and so far they can accommodate most things except that I'd rather have intermittent monitoring than continuous. If I go into labor naturally, its still an option. But if we induce the 25th as planned, I will have to have continuous. I just want to be able to get up and walk!! Vertical positions are best for me, in my opinion. Other than that the hospital is being great. They are going to bring in a recliner for Katie to be able to sit and nurse and have skin to skin time as soon as she's born AND Jack will be able to come see his little sister right away as long as he's not got a cold or the flu or something. I told Katie to start pumping him full of vitamin c haha. OH, and if it's a c/s they will allow Katie and whomever I need for my support system to be in there with me. Yay! I doubt we'll need it but it's good to be prepared. If my husband is in town/off work, he can be in there, but right now the plan is for my doula to stay with me.

My dr appointment went well, too. I showed her my cankles. She said they weren't too bad... hahaha if only my appointment were at 6pm. I gained 3lbs in the last week. :-p but have not really progressed much cervix wise. Only dilated maybe about half a centimeter more, and still high and thick. Funny thing that happened during my appointment.... I went in and they asked for a sample. As usual. I had been drinking water all morning so I was happy to oblige. Only, I went in, did my business, and TOTALLY forgot to leave a sample. So the rest of the appt. I had to drink even more water and try again! I told them I'm a ditz and forgot. Thankfully I'm not the only patient who's done it. Pregnancy brain!  Lastly, the dr wants me to walk as much as I can this weekend to try and get dilated some more. I asked her if she meant waddle.

My next appointment was scheduled for Tues the 19th because my doctor will be out of town the rest of the week, but my doctor wanted to help give me a chance of going naturally over the weekend, so she was going to strip my membranes at my last appointment. If she did it Tuesday (and it succeeded) I could possibly go into labor before anyone is here to help me or before Katie gets into town... so we decided that I will see another doctor in the practice on Thursday the 21st instead of seeing my doctor on Tuesday. I'm cool with that, I'd like to meet the other doctors in the practice just in case I do go over the weekend instead of waiting for induction.

Whew I'm tired. Today is my son's birthday so I had a pretty busy morning getting his school treats ready before my appointments. After the appointments, I went to the market and then picked my boys up from school and took them to the playground. I think I've done enough today. Too bad about that sister wife thing... Someone needs to cook dinner tonight.

Since I posted my 38wk belly pic on Monday, I might not have had a picture to leave you with today. So, instead of leaving you hanging... You get a picture of my fabulous cankles!! (sorry, the pedicure happens next week, ugly feet warning!)

haha Have a great week!

Ooh, a bonus!

Just because the first blog today wasn't long enough... I updated my surrogate sisters on our cycling group with how I've been feeling lately, and realized I didn't share it on here... so here you go. A bonus blog for today!

I have been swelling up like a balloon by the end of the day every day. My ankles are now cankles, and the tops of my feet look like canned sausages after being in what were very loose shoes all day. I can press down and the indent stays forever, too. Breathing is really only difficult when her feet are up in my ribs, yesterday was a harder day than other days regarding that. But I definitely waddle now, and getting up off the floor or bending over isn't in the cards anymore haha....

Today is day 1 with my husband out of town. I'm not worried I'll go into labor while he's gone... but I do wonder what it's going to limit for me being here alone... haha Who's going to go to the store at 10pm to get me ice cream? Or refill when I run out of water in my cup!!! haha I'm so selfish aren't I? Maybe I need to hire a babysitter for me. And a sister-wife. Who likes to clean.

OK that's it for me today. I'm off to a parent teacher conference. After school I hope to convince my children that they are my servants and I'm their queen...

38 weeks

Hello again! Sorry for not blogging after my appointment last week. I had a lot to digest, and then had a busy weekend! So here I am!

As of last week, my cervix had started making progress! On Wednesday, I was 1cm dilated but not effaced at all yet. Miss Molly was still doing well inside, and had a heart rate of 155. She has been having feet parties in my ribs lately!

At my appointment, the doctor and I had a good talk about what's been going on on our home front, because it makes things a little more complicated as far as wanting to wait on Miss Molly to arrive on her own time. My husband's new job is 100% travel, and nobody told him that when he was going through the rigorous hiring process. He began traveling today (Monday the 11th) and will be gone each week from Monday to Friday. I began looking for childcare when we knew he got a job, thinking originally I would only need someone to help me get the kids up and ready in the mornings, and then watch them from 2:45-7pm. That might have not been terribly difficult. Until we found out my husband might not even be in town, so we needed someone who could watch them over night. Who is able to come at a moment's notice, for several days. Yeah. Good luck!

So the night before my 37 week appointment last week, I spoke with my husband and doula, and decided that induction was the most practical and would be best for making sure everything was lined up to be as stress free as possible. I was hoping that they could do an induction on the weekend so Shane would at least be home to take care of the boys for that part of it... but unfortunately, when I talked to the doctor on Wednesday I learned the hospital won't schedule inductions for weekends. After discussing it with her, we decided that the 25th would probably be the best time to schedule it. So now we are planning for the 25th, and waiting on the hospital to confirm that date. The Dr. will strip my membranes and we'll start trying natural induction methods a few days before my due date, but if she doesn't come by then, hopefully Feb. 25 will be Molly's birthday :)

Shane's manager is attempting to make sure he can at least be in town for the week, and we purchased my mom and nephew each tickets to come stay with us for the week.

I feel better knowing that we have things lined up. I'm not quite as anxious about it now. The challenge now is keeping her in until then!! It's funny the things that will tick off the anxiety meter at the end of pregnancy! One symptom could have you wondering for a long time if it's time or not!

Katie, Kevin, and Jack will arrive on the 23rd. They are so excited! Katie keeps saying time is standing still. I can't wait for them to arrive! For me it's actually going pretty fast! Physically I'm pretty ready for delivery, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready for the journey to be complete! I have so enjoyed this journey, so enjoyed getting to know Katie and her family.

Anyway, since I didn't blog when I was supposed to, two Saturdays have passed. Two belly pictures for you below! With that, I bid you a good week :) I will update after my next appointment on Wednesday!!