40 weeks

Happy Due Date, Olivia! Now...it's time for your birthday:)

Even though her birth is impending (whether it be today, tomorrow, or Sunday at her induction), it almost doesn't seem real. I can imagine what it 'might' be like to see her for the first time, and what she 'could' look like, but it seems so out-of-body to imagine this is REALLY all about to happen.

You spend so much time anticipating getting pregnant. Then you worry for the first 12 weeks about having a normal pregnancy, and then the next 12 weeks you spend thinking about everything you have to do to get ready for this new person you are bringing into the world, but it still seems so far away. And THEN, one day, you are here. Big, uncomfortable, and anxious just waiting for the pain that says "it's time" or for the clock to tick down to your scheduled induction.

We have exactly 2 nights, or less, in this house as it is. Starting next week we'll have another person that LIVES here. I swear, for something so common, and natural, it seems so abstract to me.

Can't wait to meet my baby...

Ok, so as of Monday I am 4 centimeters dilated and all the way effaced. Thats right, 4 whole centimeters.

We have an induction scheduled for Sunday night at 9pm, but I'm really hoping we don't need it. The doc said given my stats that I'm not increasing my risks for anything, c-section included, by inducing before the traditional 10-days are up. In fact, she thinks either way its going to go pretty fast given all the progress that I've made on my own. I just would prefer Olivia decide its time on her own, but if she hasn't made that decision by Sunday it looks like I'm going to have to make my first motherly executive decision.

So, here I am, on Wednesday, just waiting...and waiting. This part is hard! I feel like a ticking time bomb. The planner in me is freaking out. What if Kyle is in a meeting and my water breaks? What if I want to run to the store and my contractions start? Yeah, I am known for over-analysis -- this situation is definitely not exempt.

Soon. Soon...

Ok, so I'm now almost 3 centimeters dilated and nearly ALL the way effaced. I'd say it's time, right?

I finished my last night of class last night and tomorrow is my last day of work. Of course, now every little pain I feel I'm sure its labor. I'll know for sure, right? Thats one of my biggest fears. I've had so many Braxton Hicks that I fear I won't know the difference. I hope my water breaks. Not just because that means Olivia will be on her way, but because it's a sure fire sign it's time!

Doc had me schedule an induction...just in case. She says since I'm already so far along on my own she would feel comfortable doing it as soon as the weekend right after my due date. So, for now, we have an induction scheduled for next Sunday, April 25. I REALLY don't want to have to use it, but her next suggestion was April 30 so the 25th sounds pretty good in comparison.

Is it too early to be impatient? We still have the better part of 3 weeks left and truthfully, right now, that seems like an eternity.

Went to the Doc this morning. Apparently I'm 90% effaced now, but still only 1 centimeter dilated. She said that could mean soon or it could mean "a few days after my due date". Huh? Late? Ick.

Update

1 centimeter dilated

80% effaced

Head - LOW (no wonder my groin feels like I just ran a marathon!)

Doc said she'd be surprised if Olivia made it to her due date. What have your experiences been?

Today marks the first of my weekly appointments. Up until about a week ago I was overwhelmed by the idea that we were getting so close. However, now, I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm sure some of my fears will resurface once I'm actually in labor and this is really all about to happen, but for now, I feel so ready.

I'm sure some of this new feeling has to do with the fact that I can't sleep, I'm uncomfortable, my body aches, I have to pee every 15 minutes, and I'm back to being nauseous in the mornings. Things definitely could be worse, I realize that, but at this point, I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore and hold my baby in my arms rather than in my tummy.

This past weekend was what felt like our first official "all baby weekend." We had a shower with Kyle's family all day on Saturday and then an eight-hour birthing class on Sunday!

The shower was great. His family is amazing and there is definitely no shortage of excitement or love for Olivia. We came home with more then I could have ever imagined, including the car sear and the highchair! My favorite part of the shower, though, is that his sisters took a picture of the nursery to the cake woman and had her frost flowers onto the cake that look just like the flowers that are on the nursery walls. So touching.

Birthing class (I write birthDAY class almost every time I go to type this!) was long, but good. ALL day was a long time to spend in an itty-bitty education room at the hospital, but we were surprised how quickly the time passed. I guess when its information you feel like you not only want to have, but HAVE to have, you tend to be a little more engaged. All I know is that I'm thankful I wasn't the woman who's water broke DURING class! I guess not really DURING class, but on the dinner break from the class she was headed up to visit a friend in the maternity ward and her water broke on the elevator! She was 35 weeks. Needless to say that sent shock waves through our class. Talk about being at the right place at the right time, though, right?

As we approach 33 weeks, I'm feeling good. We've gotten most of what we wanted to get done before she is born and have a few more to check off the list (including the completion of our addition! -- hopefully!!) in these next several weeks. Although, Kyle keeps making me feel like we have less time then we probably actually do because he is convinced that Olivia is going to come early. Last night he asked me to start working on packing our bags for the hospital. I think his fear of that comes from several areas. He was 2 weeks early (because his mom was determined that he wasn't going to be born on his Christmas Eve due date and ruin Christmas for his older sister), my sister was 6 weeks early (my mom was 40 and considered high(er)-risk), a good friend of ours has been in and out of the hospital with pre-term labor contractions and their due date is the day before ours (her and her boyfriend have had lots of problems including her moving out for a time= lots of added stress), and then this woman from our birthing class! I'm not feeling the earlyness, but like he said...you never know, I guess.