Halloween

Today is Halloween. I've been having small contractions every 20 minutes or so since last night...sometimes they will stop for an hour and then start up again. But they are not progressing just yet.

I'm not sure he'll be coming today...but maybe, maybe tomorrow...

So tonight we will much on some candy, pumpkin soup, and maybe another goody or two, and watch movies. A nice relaxed Halloween.

I look forward to next year though - I will decorate, and dress up, and hand candy out to little kiddlets. That'll be fun =D

40 Weeks!!!!

Yup, today is my due date! Only 5% of babies actually come on their due dates...and I have a pretty good feeling that Patrick is not going to come today.

I am very hopeful about this weekend though...I am definitely showing signs: lost the plug, moodier than usual, more achy and tired than usual, feeling a bit "off", contractions here and there, 2 cm dilated and a bit effaced...the baby is in perfect position and dropped VERY low...

It really does seem more like a matter of days than a matter of weeks.

Then again, who really knows? I think it is so cool (and only a teeny bit frustrating) that there is absolutely no scientific way to figure out when a baby will be born. Babies choose their birthdays. I am really hoping mine is wanting an end of October birthday. I can handle Nov 1st too...but after that? Man oh man...I really will cry...

So how does it feel to be at the due date?

Surreal.

It feels like I have been pregnant forever, but at the same time it seems like this has gone by so fast.

I will miss the rolly little pumpkin in my belly.

But I am sure the rolly little pumpkin outside of the belly will be a ton of fun too...even though he'll poop alot...

Really?

So I watched "A Baby Story" each episode tells the story of a baby's birth. The one I watched said the mother had an easy pregnancy but not an easy delivery and labor. It looks like most take place in the hospital, but I thought, hey why not see what this is all about since I've heard people talk about the show.

Ok, first off...I'm not quite sure how the labor and birth were difficult, especially since the mother got an epidural the moment the pain was "too much" and pushed for all of 5 minutes for the baby to come out. Seriously...5 minutes.

So, that aside. I don't think this couple went to a birthing class because no coping techniques were used at all. She moaned and cried and freaked out a teeny bit, and he sat there and held her hand. Neither was an active participant.

No wonder people think I am insane to want to do a natural birth. No wonder people talk about being too scared to do it natural, or the pain being too much. If you don't educate yourself and find some coping techniques that work for you, of course it is too much!

Even if I was planning on having a medicated hospital birth, I would want to be educated. You never know...I mean who hasn't heard stories of the epidural not kicking in in time?

It just surprised me to see this story, of a birth, nothing crazy or especially difficult about it, just a birth. But they made it sound like it was so awful.

How annoying!

I'll probably cry too when I'm in labor. I suffer no illusions that it won't hurt. But I am confident enough in the education I have received and the people by my side, and myself, to know that I'll get through it just fine...and I won't be calling it "difficult" because I could actually feel it. 

Please.

39 Weeks

6 days until my due date...

I am so ready for him to come out now! I am still totally freaked out about being a mom...but my body is done...done! It is time to just face the facts - baby is coming...I WILL be a mom...facts faced...ok come out now...PLEASE!!!!!

Waiting...

Yesterday my braxton hicks got stronger, and I started having the dull backache that then moves to the front. There was a slight pattern to it, but it was about 45 minutes apart, then went away. So, it could be any day now, or it could be a few weeks more. Still no telling. We are definitely getting to the point where we want him here. We want to meet him and tickle him and kiss him and squish him and snuggle him. I'll miss being pregnant, but I am finally feeling ready to be Patrick's mommy.

This gorgeous weather has me feeling all sentimental (more than usual) and mushy (...more than usual). We went for this wonderful walk today, and I just kept thinking about how I can't wait to share these things with Patrick.

I wonder how he'll like having a cool breeze kiss his cheeks while he's all bundled up, safe and warm? Or what he'll think of the sunshine? Or the tall trees rustling in the wind?

I can't wait to show him the world.

But now we're just waiting...if he really does hang on until my due date, or later...we may go a little crazy with the wait...Drew especially...he's SO excited! =)

Henna Belly 38 Weeks

Last week one of the ladies at the birth center did a henna tattoo for me. It looks really great! Here's the belly at 38 weeks...growing growing...with a bit of decoration =)

38 Weeks!

Getting close to the end...

I am both super excited and can't wait for him to be born...and kinda freaked out and hope he'll stay in there as long as possible.

It's funny to me how there really is no telling. Most first time mom's are late, but that doesn't mean all.

Also, I have heard from multiple sources that the low pressure system with the moon phase can make babies come.

Pretty cool!

Will it make my baby come?

Part of me hopes it does...and part of me really would like a little more time to get ready...

But it doesn't really matter what I want, or think, or what anyone guesses...

Patrick will be coming when he's ready.

He's all about the surprise =)