Tuesday, May 29, 2007

one more day

We went back to the doctor today (Tuesday) and the baby is still doing very well-happy and cozy. This time when I was hooked up to the fetal monitor, I had several contractions, but none strong enough for me to feel. I'm still only 1 cm dilated, so we're going to induce tomorrow morning. The doctor said she'll hook me up to Pitocin (a hormone that mimics the natural one that stimulates labor). We were hoping she could just break my water and that would be enough, but she said because I'm only 1 cm, I need something stronger.
I'm not quite sure how we'll sleep tonight, but hopefully I'll get some rest.
Wish us luck! The next time you check the blog you should see some baby pictures...finally!!!

Monday, May 28, 2007

Enjoying the sun


Today, since the weather is so beautiful, we went down to Avery Park to see the roses. Around the neighborhood most rose bushes are blooming but at the rose garden in Avery Park most of them were still buds. Some were blooming though, and they were bursting with colors and smells.
Megan has been growing more tired the last couple of days, hopefully a sign that things are beginning to happen, although she's not keeping her hopes too high. She's napping right now and maybe the baby is sending her signals that they are ready to be born. I really want the baby to come on its own time, but that time is now. Things are different today, let's hope they continue. Meanwhile, we continue to wait and learn patience. What lessons we are already being taught!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

no update

I don't really know what to write about, but I know that if I don't write some of you will assume we're in the hospital or have had the baby. This is definitely not the case. For the past 2 weeks or so, I've woken up every morning wondering, "Is this it? Is today the day?" I've kind of given up on that. It seems as though I will always be pregnant. Our baby will just stay inside of me until it should be about 12 years old. I had stopped making plans for dinners or activities, but now I'm back to discussing the next few days without saying, "We might be having a baby then."
Wednesday cannot come soon enough.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

1 week overdue

We just got back from the dr. She monitored the baby's heartbeat and contractions (I had none while hooked up), then she did an ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid levels. The baby is doing very well and there's lots of fluid left. So, the plan is that I will go into labor on my own soon! If not, then I'll go back to the dr. on Tuesday to monitor again - if I need to be induced then, I will. If not, then I will definitely be induced on Wednesday. The dr. said she will break my water first and see if that does the trick, if not, then she'd hook me up to pitocin.
My parents are disappointed, I think, that we have to keep waiting. But they got to hear the heartbeat for quite a while and see the baby on the ultrasound, which was exciting.
My doctor prescribed eating gelato tonight and making plans to go out of town and then maybe the baby will come. I love my doctor - she also wrote me a prescription to go part-time at work about a month ago.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

update

Well, no baby yet. I went to the doctor yesterday and not much has changed in the last week. So, the doctor said that we could induce now or wait a little longer. We don't really want to induce if we don't have to. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow (Thurs - which will be one week from the due date) to have an ultrasound and do some fetal monitoring to make sure the baby is still happy. If so, we can continue to wait for the baby to start labor, but if there are any concerns, then we'll induce, of course. As anxious as we are to have this baby, we would rather do it on the baby's schedule. There would be a lower chance of complications during labor and I'd be able to move around and take advantage of the jacuzzi tub during labor. If we induce, I'm pretty much stuck in bed. So, we're really hoping that the baby figures out what to do here pretty soon. My parents are here now, so we're all just staring at my belly and telling the kid to push down. I'm hoping that the baby taking it's time means that it is laid-back in nature. We'll see!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

anticipation

Today is the due date! So many people predicted that the baby would come before today. Yesterday I got another phone call from a friend that had her baby. I began to wonder if our baby would ever come. I must admit, I got a little jealous & depressed. I know the baby will come when it's ready, but its so hard to wait! I'm usually a pretty patient person, but this is tortuous. I know I should enjoy this time and rest up, but I just want to hold the baby!!! When friends see me now, they say, "I can't believe you haven't popped...you're huge!" That about sums it up.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

2 more days??

We just got back from the dr. We supposedly only have 2 more days till the due date, but after today, I'm thinking the baby will wait a bit longer. I'm only 1 cm dilated (have to get to 10) and 25% effaced (have to get to 100%) , the baby is at -3 station (have to get to +5). So, even though things have begun to happen, we've got quite a ways to go. The baby has begun to drop, but still hasn't got to the halfway mark. My dr. said that I'm still getting around too well to have the baby soon.
So, in the meantime, I'm off of work, sleeping whenever I want to and reading. It's pretty nice. The weather is gorgeous right now, so I've been taking little waddles down to the park at the end of the street. Yesterday we went on a BIG walk. The walk used to take me 25 minutes before I was pregnant, but I haven't attempted it in quite a while. It's amazing what a little rest will do! I'm enjoying this time.
The teacher friend that had her baby on Mother's Day went into labor on Saturday. She had been to the dr. on Thursday and was only 1.5 cm dilated and the baby hadn't really dropped yet. So, who knows, maybe I'll go into labor in 2 days. One can hope.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

counting down

There were 4 teachers (including me) pregant at school this year and now I'm the only one left. They've all had their babies. They've all been girls too! The most recent baby was born today and the due date was tomorrow. She went to the dr on Thursday and the baby hadn't dropped yet, but I guess it got itself ready in a hurry.

John and I are now feeling like this could really happen at any moment. Today we went shopping and picked up some last minute things that we think will come in handy. We bought a glider - spur of the moment decision. We found it at the consignment shop and decided that having rocking chair that is tall enough to rest our heads on will be really important when we are so tired. Plus, having an automan that glides too will be great. We brought it home and John hopped in it and cuddled up with a stuffed animal rocking it. I think he's excited.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

last day of work

Yesterday was my last day teaching for a long time. It was very strange, I am excited, but also very sad. It's hard to imagine my life without a class full of kids in it. My class had a meeting at the end of the day and some of the kids were sobbing. They couldn't understand why I'm not coming back this year or even next year. I'm not planning on taking the baby to school to visit - it will be less than a month old before school is out and those kids at school are germy. One of my kids gave me a mother's day present and BEGGED me to come visit her at her house. It was pretty cute.

So now we just wait. John had his second baby dream last night. In the first, the baby was a boy and last night the baby was a girl. I feel like things are progressing and that I could go into labor at any moment. John said this morning that every night he wonders if I'll wake him up and tell him that my water broke. We're stuck in a constant state of anticipation.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

baby shower #4!


This weekend, John's department threw us a cinco de mayo themed baby shower. It was great. There were 3 babies there ranging in age from 5 months to 1 yr., so we got to see what we're in for. We got lots of great advice and practical gifts. We got some money toward the diaper service, some board books, cute baby shoes, a baby/toddler cookbook and more.
I don't know if you can tell in the photo, but I am very swollen and big. People at work just laugh at me when they see me now. I don't think its funny. I look funny, I'm sure, but I don't feel funny! 8 more days till the due date.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

less than 3 weeks to go

We went to the doctor today and the nurse seemed excited that I've been having contractions. I am too. The baby is continuing to drop. But the doctor said s/he hasn't dropped too low yet. She said she felt the baby's forehead and not it's cheekbones, so its still got to travel some. She also said that because I'm still smiling, working, and going to yoga, I've not reached the end yet either. I guess I need to start complaining more.

My class gave me 2 books that they made for me. One is titled "Baby Advice" and the other is "A Baby Needs...". They are both really cute and funny. I think my favorite advice is that Mr. McQueen should change the stinky diapers. Another student suggested that he take us out to dinner everynight. As cute as the class is, I'm glad to only have 7 more days of teaching left. My blood pressure was a little higher than it normally is for me and I know exactly which lovely children are the cause of that. Grrrr.