Getting Ready for the Big Day

Tomorrow is the big day! I can't believe it is finally here. I have been getting my house ready all week. Today I am finishing up all the laundry and making sure I have everything I need for the hospital. I've got clean sheets on my bed (watch my water break tonight...LOL) and the baby's bed. I think I have just about everything done. I believe I will finish up the baby blanket tonight. I don't have very much left on it--YEAH! So far today is flying by...where have all the hours gone? It is almost 6:00 already. In less than 12 hours I will be getting up to go to the hospital (if I can sleep tonight :) ). Actually this whole week has gone by pretty fast. Last week everyday was soooo long, but since Tuesday everyday has gone by quickly.

I am pretty nervous about tomorrow. I have a lot of emotions right now...I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I would say I am more on the verge of tears, but I don't really know why. I guess everything is coming to an end...or a new beginning. I'm going to be a mom tomorrow!!! That thought scares me. I hope I am ready for this new life. I guess I better be because ready or not here it comes. I feel rushed all of the sudden like there are not enough hours left in the day. I guess I need to just try to relax. Everything is going to be fine, right?

I wonder how my labor is going to progress. Long, short, or somewhere in between? Clint is hoping I will have the baby by noon, but that is highly unlikely. We will see. We found out that Clint gets to pick Amanda up Sunday (unless the baby comes around noon tomorrow) and bring her to the hospital for a quick visit with her new sister. I am happy about that, and I know she is too. Clint talked to an administrator at the school this afternoon and he said that Amanda cried because she was attached to the baby and wants to see her. So, I am glad she will be able to. She is excited about finally being a big sister.

This afternoon Clint and I went to look at a few houses that are for sale. I really liked the last one we saw. It was perfect...at least to me. Clint worries that taking on 14 acres might be a big task. He is a city boy and I am a country girl, so we have different views on it. Needless to say, with 14 acres we would have complete privacy. It is a horse farm, so it is not like we would have to mow 14 acres. A lot of it is pasture land. Anyway, it is like my dream house...and it is only 10 minutes from downtown or Hixson. I'm not sure what will come of it. Probably nothing, but it is fun to think about.

The dryer just went off, so I guess I better get back to work. Everyone keeps telling me I should be resting today, but that is easier said than done. Maybe in a few hours........

Here are some pics I had Clint take today. Tomorrow is the big day! I will finally get to see my precious baby's face!

The Carseat Ordeal

I tried to get the carseat installed and ready for when we leave the hospital.  I'm still not sure it is in there right.  I used the latch system that they have now, but the carseat seems to move a little too much for my comfort.  I know when Clint and I went to the Baby Care and Safety class the instructor told us where we could go have it checked.  But, of course, I wasn't listening.  At the time, I was like "Yeah Right!  Who does that anyway?"  Now I am like, "Man, why wasn't I paying attention?"  I haven't gotten Clint to go out there to look at it yet so I guess I need to see what he thinks.  I am also not sure whether or not I am going to put it in the middle of the back seat.  I know they say it is the safest, but it doesn't really fit right.  The way our back seat is, the middle seat back sticks out a few more inches than the side seats.  Plus it seems like it is going to be difficult to get the carseat in and out with her in it.  So, I guess I still have some figuring out to do where the carseat is concerned. 

I am trying to finish up my 2nd baby blanket before Saturday.  My fingers keep hurting though so I am not sure if I will make it or not.  It is not really for this baby anyway.  It is for our next child....if we have another one.  I figured I won't have time to make one once Summer gets here so I might as well do it now.  One thing I have learned about crocheting is that it is much easier (and MUCH less time consuming) to make booties and bonnets than blankets.  I bet I put over 50 hours into the first blanket, and this one is probably not much less.  It will probably be the last blanket I ever make.  But, it will be worth it when it is all done.  Okay, I guess that is enough rambling for now.  Less than 84 hours until we got to hospital..........

Our Last Doctor's Appt.

Clint and I went to the doctor today for our last check-up. I had not gained any weight since last week, so that was a surprise. I am still 1.5 centimeters dilated, and I am 50% effaced. The baby had dropped a little bit since last week, but not much. The baby's heartbeat was around 165. Now for the exciting part.......the doctor said I could schedule my induction for this weekend. So, I am supposed to be at the hospital on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. He said they would start me on pitocin and break my water. Wow!!! I was so anxious to have her before the appointment, but now I am getting nervous. I guess it is more real now that I have a date and time. Hopefully, we will be holding our little girl by Saturday night. That means her birthday will more than likely be May 6, 2006. Oh my........ready, set, here we go! Only 4 days of waiting left!

~Here are some pics of me doing my belly trick~

Trying Natural Ways to Induce Labor

My cousin Lindsay sent me a link to a website that has many ways you can try to induce labor. I had read about some of them earlier in my pregnancy, but now is the time when I am really paying attention to them. I have tried many of them and a few more that I have heard from various people. Thursday night a lady told me she ate chili both times she went into labor with her kids. Well, yesterday I made chili, spicier than usual, but nothing has happened so far. Today I am going to try eggplant. I have heard that some people go into labor within 24 hours of eating that. I guess we will see. I am still not sure how exactly I am going to prepare it. I have never cooked eggplant, but this morning I headed to the grocery store and bought some. I am thinking I will make cheese ravioli with ground beef & eggplant in the sauce. I told my husband this morning that we were going to be having eggplant today, and he said he would just eat the leftover pot roast...LOL. I bet he will eat some of it though if it is in a pasta dish...IF I decide to let him have any. I may decide I need to eat it all so my chances of going into labor will be greater. ;)

Last night I went to my friend Alicia's baby shower. It was neat because all the women in the room who already had children shared a birth story with everyone. It was very interesting to see how each birth was SO different. One lady went into labor with her first child and delivered 30 minutes after she got to the hospital (20 minutes with the second and 10 minutes with the third). Another lady was in labor for 24 hours with her first (14 hours with her second). So, I guess it could go either way...long or short. Any way it happens, I am ready...at least I think I am. Only two days until I find out if/when the doctor plans on inducing me. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Waiting Game

First of all let me start out by saying, "This game STINKS!!!"  I guess I knew it would.  My best friend had a baby in November, and I can remember calling her everyday to see what was going on with her.  Basically, she was just sitting around waiting same as me.  After my workout in the morning, I come home and straighten up a little bit.  Then I sit down to watch TV and crochet on my 2nd baby blanket.  After my hand gets tired or I get bored with the TV, I have nothing to do but sit around and hope I go into labor....which does not seem to be happening.  I'm too tired to really get up and do anything so sometimes I lay down for a little bit.  So, anyway that is the game I am playing everyday.  Sound fun??????  Hopefully, I won't have to play it much longer.  At most, there should be only 9 or 10 days left to play.........then I'll be a MOM!!!

2nd to Last Doctor Visit--YEAH!!!

I am 37 weeks today!  YEAH!!!  That means less than 3 weeks to go!  Today when I weighed at the doctor's office I had gained 1 pound since last week.  I am up to 151 pounds now.  I am happy with that weight...especially since Clint is taking me for icecream whenever I want!!!  I'm taking all I can get right now since I know I don't have much longer to take advantage of this. :)  My stomach measured 38 sonometers (???).  I asked the doctor if this was the normal size, and he said that it is normally 34-35 at this point.  So that is why he thinks Summer is a big baby.  I am 1.5 centimeters dilated and 30% effaced.  So, that is better than last week.  He also said the baby has dropped a little (-2 vertex ???).  I go back next Tuesday, and at that time he will know if/when he will induce me.  He said he is on call next weekend, so it will probably be then.  That means I may be having Summer on May 6 or 7.  I would prefer not to have her on May 5 since that is a holiday -- Cinco de Mayo.  She will probably choose that day to come though since I have said that.  I guess I will just have to wait and see. 

I washed my car today hoping that might bring on labor, but so far I'm not having any contractions...at least I don't think I am.  I'm still not sure what they feel like.  Sometimes I have pain in my abdomen, but I'm never sure if it is Braxton-Hicks or just a pulled muscle.  I would say it is more than likely Braxton-Hicks because I haven't been overdoing it with exercising (at least not in my opinion).  Well, I guess that is about it.  If I get induced, only about 10 days to go.........

36 weeks down...4 to go

Clint and I went to the doctor this morning.  I was scared to get on the scales because of all the junk I have eaten over the past few days.  I was right to be scared.  I gained 2 pounds since last week.  So, I am going to try to eat healthy this next week and see what happens when I go back on Tuesday.  The doctor did check me, and he said I was dilated 1 (ONE) centimeter and not effaced at all.  I was disappointed.  Yesterday, I was really wanting to have this baby, but she is not cooperating with me.  I hope this is not an indication of what I have in store for the future...LOL.  I think I will give up thinking I am going to have her early (without an induction).  Me and my sister have always been pretty much opposites, so why should pregnancy be any different?  She had her babies early; I will have mine on time (or early if the doctor decides to induce me).  I guess I can't always get my way.  It is just frustrating because all I can do is sit and wait.  The days seem longer and time seems to be going slower.  I think it is because Clint is working now so I have a lot more time to myself now.  I have been watching some baby shows over the past couple of days.  Whenever the mom delivers the baby, it makes my eyes tear up.  I wonder if I will cry when I see Summer for the first time.  If I had to guess, I would say I will.  I guess that is it for now.  28 days and counting...........