40 weeks 1 day

I am overdue. I am not happy.

I've been having these stupid meaningless contractions for a week now that aren't doing a whole lot other than getting my hopes up.

And I can't give birth this weekend (long story) so either I stay pregnant for another three days or I have the worst birth ever.

Please, God, let this baby come today!

39 weeks 3 days

In case I forget any details later, I need to write this down. Really more for my benefit than anything else!

I think I am in active labor. I am very nauseous, sick in multiple ways, having a lot of cramps and they have been lasting a lot longer than they were a couple of days ago.

I've been having contractions on and off for days now, but this is the first time it's really lasting and becoming meaningful.

Hopefully this kid isn't just messing with my emotions here!

39 weeks

So after a crazy week (which included those silly on and off contractions that make me think something is really going down just to stop on their own), I saw the doctor today. After reporting the contractions and the discharge (I think I'm one of those women who lose their mucous plug slowly instead of all at once), he decided to do an internal check. At my practice, they rarely do internals because A) it is uncomfortable and B) you can be 1 cm for a while and it really not mean anything, so why get your hopes up, but my symptoms warranted a check.

Speaking of 1 cm, I am just a little over 1 cm, he said being liberal he'd say 2, but still nothing major. I am thrilled that there is something going on down there though. If I was completely closed, I'd be a little disappointed. I am also slightly effaced. Again, nothing huge, but proof that something is gonna happen.

Tomorrow is Husband's last day of work until January! He decided all on his own to take 2 months off when the baby is born (he is taking the last week of October off as his vacation). He said he wants to get adjusted to having a baby and help me get in the groove of breastfeeding and being a SAH/WAH mom. Yeah, big "awwww" moment for me there :-D Now, if I can convince him to use some of this time off to finish a few projects around the house, we will be in really good shape ;-)

Today I plan to put all the freshly laundered bedding on the crib, put away all his nicely cleaned clothes and get all his stuffed animals set up in their cradle. I also want to get the diapers washed and put away in the stacker. If I have enough time before our childbirth class, I'd like to get the pack and play put up in the living room as well, but we shall see what this evening brings!

Speaking of childbirth class, this will be our second one and my skeptical Husband was very happy to know we have a doula after going through the first class. And when speaking to his one friend who asked about our lamaze class, he said, "We aren't doing lamaze, we are doing HUSBAND involved childbirth." He loves being such an important part of it and actually paid attention the entire time! I was so impressed!

Now, off to complete a few errands before tackling the rest of these projects.

38 weeks 3 days

I need to be more consistent with the picture taking thing, I may not have many more opportunities.

38 weeks 2 days

This morning I realized that one way or another this pregnancy isn't going to last much longer.

It's exciting to know my son will be here soon, but it's kind of sad in a way too. Right now, he is all mine. Every movement, every stretch, every wiggle, every hiccup is something only he and I can feel. I don't have to share him with anyone. It's like we live in our own little world where it's just me and my boy.

Once he arrives, that won't be the case. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled I have a very involved husband who wants to spend tons of time with the baby and who is able to take so much time off work to be with us, but I know that Husband is going to want to be with him a lot and hold him constantly. There won't be that consistent "alone time" for he and I.

So this morning I decided that, instead of getting out of bed and doing one of the ten million things on my to-do list, I would lay there and just enjoy feeling him roll and wiggle. I wanted to just cherish a few quiet moments alone with him.

And now, I am even more anxious to hold him finally.

37 weeks 2 days

I am term. At any point now, this little guy could be born and his lungs and brain would be well developed and, in all likelihood, have no problems. That is a comfort for someone who has spent her entire 9 months petrified of losing another baby.

I've become one of those frivolous moms. I bought him a Thanksgiving outfit. I can't help it! I went to BRU with the express interest of buying his Christmas present which happened to be on sale this weekend. And I was sucked into the cuteness of the Thanksgiving clothes and I wasn't strong enough to resist.

Tonight is going to consist of finishing the faux finish on the wall in the baby's room. Tomorrow Husband is going to put up the chair rail and my mom and I will hang the gossamer and lights. Hopefully I can even get the floor at least vacuumed so it is ready for the shampooing. Then I can put Husband to work this week assembling the crib and moving the dresser into his room. If all goes well, by next weekend his room should be all done!

Pictures are sure to follow.

36 weeks, 6 days

Of note:

• I hate heartburn
• My child loves Brian Setzer Orchestra
• We got the blue Bumbo!!
• I am GBS negative
• I have eaten poorly this week
• I have to get weighed tomorrow
• I think I may have had a couple of contractions

That is all :-)

36 weeks 3 days

Remember that 17 lbs above pre pregnancy weight thing? Umm, yeah, not so much. As of last visit I was 13 lbs above pre preg weight.

You must be saying, "But wait, in your last trimester, especially your last month, you are supposed to just gain." Ahh, but I am not your average bear! In one week I lost a pound and the following week I lost 3 more. Upshot of it all? Doctor doesn't care one bit. I'm very thankful I chose a small practice with laid back personnel. And since I feed them most times I come, they love me :-) I'm glad he doesn't care because I was a little concerned even though I'm a firm believer in not holding women to unrealistic guidelines.

I've loved being pregnant. I've loved every minute of it. But I am beginning to understand why women say they are ready. I feel ready for him to come. Not ready in the sense my house is ready. Not ready in the sense that his clothes are ready. Not ready in the sense that I feel like "mom", but ready in the sense that I am physically ready to not be pregnant. I'm ready to hold him, cuddle him, nurse him and love him.

This week has brought about some undesirable pregnancy side effects. I've had more swelling. Only in my feet and only yesterday after being on them all day walking around a festival. I've had heartburn. I've never had heartburn in my life so I actually had to ask someone what heartburn felt like to be sure it is what I was experiencing. This is the first time my doula has asked me how I am and I've replied in the negative.

Yes, I'm very ready.

36 weeks

If my husband survives this pregnancy, I suggest someone nominate him for sainthood. Our house currently contains 144 rolls of toilet paper, 36 rolls of paper towels, 5 bottles of body wash for myself, 5 bottles of dh's body wash, 25 bars of soap, 10 bottles of hand soap, 21 boxes of tissues, 5 bottles of shampoo for me, 5 bottles of shampoo for dh, 3 cans of shaving creams for me, 3 for dh, dozens of razors and innumerable boxes of easy to prepare food and cans upon cans of tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes. No, I am not kidding. Yes, pregnancy is making me neurotic. My mother walked in the house today and surveyed the massive amount of bags scattered around my kitchen floor as I was putting all these items away (the same scene she had just witnessed a couple of weeks ago when I bought a bunch of other "necessities") and just shook her head. She also asked if I was preparing for Armageddon or just going crazy. :-)

The swing we attempted to purchase last weekend finally came in so I was able to pick that up as well as a few choice items from the clearance racks at Babies R Us. The Bumbo, however, has still not arrived. Grrrr. Blasted pink Bumbos are in abundance, not the blue ones!

The baby book obsession is a little out of control. Every time I enter BRU, I have to avoid the left side of the store because I will easily try to buy a hundred dollars worth of books. And this is despite the fact that I already own a million children's books.

Okay, the hospital bags are packed for dh and myself, the car seat and stroller are assembled and in the car. The cradle is all set up in our bedroom. Several of his toys have been assembled and are waiting for him to arrive to play with them. And Grammy even has a bassinet set up at her house for when he is visiting and needs a nap. Daddy took the old pack n' play downstairs for when they are spending "cave time" together.

A few more finished touches in the nursery and we will be ready for our little boy.

Oh and his name is set in stone. Not sure if I ever mentioned that before, but the great name debate of 2008 has been settled and we have a few personalized items to prove it. :-)