...I would know what to expect tomorrow.

Yes, that's right...induction is happening tomorrow. Went to the doc today and have had zero progress. She said my cervix "might be softer"...but I honestly think she's just being nice. She said we could wait until Tuesday (7/1), but that she really doubts I would have any more progress at that point. I also lost 2.5 pounds so she thinks he might be losing a teeny bit. So we decided to go on with it.

Brad and I report to the hospital tonight at 10pm and they will start Cervadil to soften my cervix and then tomorrow morning they will start the pitocin to start contractions and get my body to dilate. So it's going to be a really LONG couple of days for us...luckily, as my Mom put it, we'll get really awesome consolation prize. :-)

I'm taking my laptop to the hospital with us so we'll have email access and will try to post an update, if we're not too tired, once the baby comes. Woohoo!! We're having a baby tomorrow! I'm scared shitless and thrilled all at the same time. I don't know whether to scream with joy or cry my eyes out. I might just do both.

...people wouldn't have repeat devastation.

The wife of a co-worker of B's had a miscarriage early last year. It really effected them big time and they were scared to try again for a long time. Well they did eventually try again and they were successful about 15 weeks or so after us. Everything seemed fine and they waited until they were out of the first trimester to announce their pregnancy.

Fast forward to their big ultrasound, which takes place anywhere from 18-22 weeks. They didn't even find out the sex of the baby at the ultrasound because the baby was measuring too small. Apparently it was so small that it was cause for concern. This co-worker and his wife are pretty private about their situation...so Brad doesn't get a lot of detailed information. We never heard anything else about the size of the baby...so we assume they either determined it was okay OR they were just going to play it by ear and let the chips fall where they may.

Fast forward again to 2 weeks go. She began leaking amniotic fluid. The doctors gave them a few different options: 1) Deliver early and lose the baby, 2) Carry the baby to full-term and deliver a stillborn, 3) Strict bedrest hoping to avoid anymore leaking and hold out until they could deliver the baby more safely. She was admitted to the hospital last week and would remain in there until the baby came-whenever that would be.

They ended up having to deliver the baby on Monday night. The baby was a girl, she was too small to survive. She lived about 10 minutes before she lost the fight. I can't imagine how devastated they are. They are really good people and I just can't imagine why they have had to go through these two losses. I honestly can't imagine how I would survive if I lost M at any point in our pregnancy. I can't even empathize with them because it makes my heart hurt too much. I feel like I should do something for them as a fellow human being, but at the same time I think anything coming from someone who is carrying a full-term baby would be very hard to take for them.

So please keep them in your thoughts and prayers...they're going to need help to get through this and come out stronger in the end.

...I would have an outside baby in my arms right now.

All the Old Wives Tales are crap...pure and simple. We had jambalaya for dinner Friday. Chili for dinner Saturday and lunch on Sunday. I bounced on my exercise ball all evening yesterday to let gravity do its thing. My parents went to the cabin, two hours away, hoping Murphy's Law would work. I also had the "burst of energy" and "need to clean and organize" yesterday, but here I am...pregnant as hell...with NO PROGRESS still.

At my doc appointment this morning she said I'm still 1cm dilated. She said she thinks my cervix is softening somewhat, but honestly I think she was just being nice and trying to give me some hope. She said she could tell that he has dropped a little bit, but apparently not enough to cause me to dilate. So I'm going back in on Thursday and she'll check me again. If I've made enough progress we'll induce Friday. If not, we'll schedule an induction for July 1. If he comes before either of those dates FANTASTIC, if not he will be forced to evacuate the premises on July 1. So no more than 8 days left in the womb. :-) WOOHOO!!

I also thought of something...if he's born 7/1/08, his birth month and birth day will equal his birth year. :-) 07+01=08

...M wouldn't be so comfy in there!

Well, doc appointment yesterday was totally uneventful. No progress. :-(

I am still 1cm dilated, but my cervix is still long and firm. So basically NOTHING happening. He's just too comfy in there, darnit. I go back in on Monday morning to check again to see if there's any progress...if not, again on Thursday/Friday. If nothing still we'll wait until I'm a week overdue and then make a decision on how to proceed.

We've tried: mexican/spicy food, full moon, walking, leaving our restricted area, scheduling a pedicure, begging him to come out, and Mommy crying in the shower telling him she's ready to meet him. NOTHING IS WORKING. I know, I know...sex works...we'll see. Having sex when you're the size of the broad side of a barn is not exactly enticing...but we'll see. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I'll keep you posted...and you keep praying and sending up the good vibes that he'll make his debut this weekend. My last day of work is Friday...so anytime is fine...I'm ready for him to GET OUT OF MY BELLY!

...walking would've helped things along.

Brad took me to the mall today to walk around so we could try to get him to drop. I'm not sure if he did or not. I'm certainly MORE uncomfortable, that's for sure. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be having a Father's Day baby. That's what I've wanted since we knew we were due in June...but it's not looking good. Not that I want him to come before he's ready...I want him as healthy as possible...but gosh I'm tired of all this jazz.

My crotch hurts, my hips ache, my knees kill me, my feet hurt all the time (even while sitting), the swelling is OLD, and it hurts like hell to get up from a sitting position or lying position. Seriously it's old...it's all old. I want MY body back. I want MY baby here in my arms. I want B and I to have OUR family we've been waiting for.

I know...patience, patience. And I know...I'll be wishing for this time back in the near future. But whatever...I don't care...I want M to be here with Mommy and Daddy NOW. Too bad I don't always get what I wish for, huh? :-)

Okay, enough bitching...back to waiting...patiently.

...I would be making more progress.

I am thrilled with the progress I've made though! At my doc appointment today she did an internal and I have finally dilated to 1cm. I know...it's small potatoes, but I'll take it! At least my body is working on getting ready to deliver M into the world. That's all I can ask, right? :-)

I also read online about acupressure. I tried it by pressing on two strategic pressure points that are said to induce labor. Well, very soon after, like I'd say 30-45 seconds after I started having contractions. They weren't hard or painful, but they were DEFINITELY contractions. Now I'm 1cm dilated. Does it have a correlation? Who knows? But I feel great that the show is getting on the road!

M will be here before we know it!

...everyone could laugh as hard as I did at this.

Well, as most people know by now, we have a very special dog named Macy. She's special because she's odd as hell and never ceases to amaze. Well, Brad was taking a shower and heard a rustling outside the shower. He peeped out of the shower curtain and saw that she had somehow decided to wear his underwear as a shirt. Yes, that's right a shirt. We're not sure how or why she did it, but he did take pictures of her in her fashionable state. Here are some of the pictures. hehe. She cracks me up! Hope you enjoy!

http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s79/emiannie/?action=view&current=9deecfa9.pbw

...things would progress a little faster.

Well, I had a doc appointment Thursday and things went great. She did an internal to see if all this uncomfortableness were helping to make any progress at all. The good news is that when she did it we didn't have an experience like we did last time with all the bleeding and freak-out rushes to the hospital. The bad news is that M is not ready to come out...and zero progress has been made in the baby portal region. So we're still in a holding pattern. I know that I'm only 37 weeks and some change, but I'm so ready for my little man to be here. I also know this is typical for women at this stage...so at least I know I'm not alone. :-) He'll be here soon...but for heaven's sake can I not get at least a LITTLE progress?!

On another note we're going to the lake overnight tonight to stay with Mom and Dad at their cabin and go out on the boat tomorrow. I figure if ANYTHING is going to cause him to come it'll be a trip 2 hours from the hospital...and to be out on a boat. So we'll see...either way it's the last time for a long time we'll get to go to the cabin. So we're going to take advantage. :-) Fingers crossed people!!!