Kelly woke up around 4:30 this morning with some contractions. After I got up around 6:30, we started timing the contractions and they were coming every 5 minutes and lasted a minute long. Kelly called the doctor and the dr on call told Kelly to come in. We dropped Caleb off at Kelly's parents and I sped from the house to the hospital with the hazards on.

When we arrived, they checked Kelly and she was 5 cm but no still no broken water. About an hour later, Kelly had the epideral and was feeling pretty good. As of 11 this morning, Kelly is now at 8 cm. Nurse is thinking sometime before 1pm today.

Now we wait.

Today's Baby Forecast: Currently at 140 heart rate and showing up today.

Yep, today is my official due date. Sure would have been nice to have her by now, but it just wasn't in the cards. I'm handling it pretty well for the most part. Definitely impatient about it all, definitely frustrated with my body, but it's getting to the point where it's almost laughable. I think my friend Kim said it best yesterday when I saw her at Costco - "You just provide a nice comfortable environment for your babies and they never want to leave".

She might have something to that.

Still having a lot of cramping and by night time, I'm seriously in a lot of pain because she keeps grinding my cervix a lot. Last night I was almost in tears it hurt so bad, but as usual, I laid down and she settled down. Cramping was there for a time, but then I fell asleep. I was up every two hours last night, due to Caleb waking up, and when I would put him to bed, I would cramp again, but it would dissicpate once I laid down for about 30 minutes. So last night's stuff was Braxton Hicks.

My plan is to try to walk as much as I can the next few days. It did feel good yesterday to do that, probably why I hurt so much last night, but I plan to do it earlier today. It was just so hot yesterday when I started (mid-late day).

Plan to do some chores around the house today if I can. At least it will keep my mind off things for a bit.

Countdown to Induction: 5 days

Belly Pics (with comparison to Caleb on right):

Weekly Baby Forecast: At 40 weeks, this is the moment your baby (and you) has been waiting for! Now officially full-term, a baby born this week will weigh in the neighborhood of seven and a half pounds and measure anywhere from 19 to 22 inches. But many babies check in smaller or bigger than this and are both perfect and perfectly healthy.
 
The first thing you're likely to look for when baby makes his or her dramatic (and possibly fashionably late) entrance: proof positive that he is actually a he, or she is actually a she.  That major mystery solved once and for all, you'll also notice that baby (besides being cute as can be — and yours!) is wearing a little leftover travel dust, consisting of blood, vernix, lanugo, and amniotic fluid. From your baby's perspective, you'll look a bit blurry (babies at birth can focus only about an inch away), but that's okay. With all the tears of joy you'll probably be shedding, your baby will look a little blurry to you too. 

Be sure to say hello to your new arrival. Your baby is very likely to recognize the sound of your voice — and that of your partner.

Well, I guess the sweep didn't help progress labor at all. Kind of disappointing - ok, VERY disappointing.

I really thought yesterday was going to be the big day. I was having contractions galore and some were very strong, but as always, they fizzled out around bed time. 

Today, I'm crampy, but it's much lighter than before. So, I went ahead and did some errands today which required me to lift a 40lb bag of dog food, picking up some medicine for Jordan, and later that day, a nice long walk. Something happened today because I have been losing GOBS of mucous. So, even though labor is probably not eminent, I am seeing some progress being made. Just means my cervix is dilating some more. Maybe with the sweep, something will happen sooner than later, but I'm still going to remain doubtful until it actually happens. Would it be nice to have her on the actual due date? Yeah.

For the most part, I feel pretty good today. Did a few cleanup things around the house and of course the errands. I'm sore down below though. She's dropped and when I walk, I feel her around my pubic bone area. 

So, the countdown begins for my induction: 6 days!!

Today's Baby Forecast: Sore and crampy

Nothing has happened yet. Doesn't surprise me. Nothing seems to really happen when I want it to.

I have noticed though that my body is definitely cleaning itself out, so that's a good sign. I'm still crampy, and they are beginning to come in waves, so that's also a good sign. I notice more when I'm up moving around then when I'm laying down. I'd like to just get out and walk, but we're getting rain and I can't necessarily do that. It's supposed to clear up, so I'm hoping I still can. But, we'll see.

I've read that if anything is going to happen, it's going to happen 24-48 hours after the stripping. So, we'll see. I'm really just keeping my mind set that it's not going to happen until my induction next week. At least that way, I'll be surprised if it does happen earlier. 

Didn't sleep well at all last night. I haven't had a good night's sleep in forever it seems like. Between Jordan, my cramping/contractions, and me being so uncomfortable, I'm seriously exhausted. Last night, I literally had to get up and take a shower at 3-ish just to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. After I got out I took one Tylenol PM, but that only helped a little bit.

We'll see what the next 24 hours holds for us.

Today's Baby Forecast: Crampy

So, I had my appointment today and at least something was done today that made it worth my time, despite the fact that it was still very disappointing.

My appointment was a little late because he went to a couple of deliveries, so I wound up not actually seeing him until a little after 11am. My weight was checked (up a pound), my HR, BP was good.

Dr Magee came in and we talked a bit. He knows I want Zoe out so badly, but he still believes that I should wait just a little bit longer and he's thinking that we'll look at next week for an induction. I reacted with, "But I'll be overdue". With Zoe being so petite (at least as of the last u/s at my 37 week appt), he doesn't see us going for an induction early, but at the same time, he doesn't want to make me wait too long past my due date. That got me right there. I literally had to keep myself from losing it. I could feel the tears welling up, but I didn't let it show too much, I hope. I know the disappointment was on my face for sure.

He checked Zoe's HR and it was nice and strong and healthy. Caleb listened to it and said, "That's Zoe". Awwww.... That got a smile out of me for the day.

Then, he checked me. I went back up to 2.5cm almost a 3, but I'm still rather thick, so he said he was going to strip my membranes.  Basically what that means is that he stuck his finger in the cervical opening and basically loosened the sac from the bottom of the uterus and the cervical opening causing the cervix to ripen and weaken the bag of waters. At least that's how I understand it. Let me just say, IT HURT! A lot. In fact, I grabbed his hand at one point because it did hurt so bad. I apologized later, not that I needed to, but...you know. I asked him when I would go into labor with this, and he said, "Well, it could be two hours, or not at all". I'm hoping it will be soon rather than not at all, personally. I'm so uncomfortable, as you all know.

Even though I am impatient to see her, I have to admit, I like the fact that he is trying to let my body do what it needs to do, despite the fact it isn't cooperating very much. The fact that she's on the "petite" side is making him wait the extra few days. He did say that I have the green light to have a baby now, so I hope Zoe is listening, because that would make me very happy.

Ever since the sweep, I have had some pretty good cramps and I'm feeling EVERYTHING down below - every movement she makes, every head-butt and more than before. So, what he did today, definitely did something. Whether it works or not, we'll for soon know.

If I don't go on my own this week, looks like there will be a scheduled induction for the 28th. I'm hoping and praying REAL hard that I'll go before then. Honestly, one more week of feeling the contractions and cramping that I'm feeling as of late, is really making me exhausted. I'm so tired and I'm not resting at all, at least not the way that I should be.

Let's hope this works!!

Today's Baby Forecast: Crampy

That's what I keep telling myself.

Just one more day and we're going to find out. Just one more day.

Tomorrow I have my last appointment with Dr. Magee. I'll be 40 weeks this week and we'll be talking induction. I'm really hoping it will be on the sooner side than later, but at least there is an end in sight. I can almost reach it. 

Had a pretty bad contraction night last night. Jordan even commented that he wondered if I was going to go because I was having so many and they were on the stronger side. One actually had me almost stop in one stride when we came home. But they tapered off for me to sleep, but I was crampy most of the night and I'm still crampy today. For sure, it isn't happening today, with the luck I've been having. I fully expect to be at my appointment tomorrow.

We'll have updates after my appointment. 

Thankfully, the car seat is in the car, all bags are packed (mine, Jordan's, Caleb's and Zoe's). I plan on putting them in the car this evening and that is where they will stay until I give birth to Zoe.

Today, I'm just going to lay around because the moment I get up, I have a hard time walking. She's definitely dropped and I can totally feel that my hips are beginning to widen more, so the end is for sure near. I just ache everywhere down below. 

I'm pretty much on the verge of tears some times because I am hurting so bad. I'm hoping that Jordan and I can take a little walk today, even if it is painful. At least I know it's going to help do something, and who knows, maybe it will send me into labor without having to have an induction. But again, with my luck, it ain't happening. 

Hope everyone is having a Happy Sunday!

Today's Baby Forecast: Crampy

Woo!! I'm at the end of my pregnancy and I can't say how happy I am about that. I'm so ready to be done. It's been a hard pregnancy and one, thankfully, that I will not repeat.

Still having some pretty strong cramps, more like if I was to start my period, but nothing is happening. I did notice this morning that I lost a little bit more of my plug, but it wasn't a lot, so I'm definitely in the early stages of going into labor. Not that that means anything since your plug can regenerate. So, I'm not holding my breath at all. 

Zoe is still moving constantly whether it be hiccups, stretching, punching or kicking. She's just very active. Which is a good thing at least I know she's doing ok. 

In four more days, we will know when we will be having Zoe next week. Next week is the week for sure, so it's just a matter of when we can get things rolling. The sooner the better for me. But, it's all about when the hospital can get me in.  Maybe by some miracle I'll go before then, but it's unlikely. And with all the heartache I've been feeling the past few weeks about progressing then regressing, well, I'm not setting myself up for feeling down again. I just have to remember to keep telling myself that I'm almost there, I'm almost there.

I'm one clean woman for sure though. The past few days, I've taken about three showers a day. Not because I feel dirty, but just because I can't feel comfortable and the warmth of a shower really helps to relax me. It's one of the highlights of my day for sure - that's sad, in all honesty. But it gets me through the day and that's all that matters.

Today, I'm going to try to install Zoe's car seat. Not sure how well i will do by myself, but the seat that we got for her is just a new model of what we got Caleb, and I know how to do that one now, so it should be easy. The only problem is that I'm just not small enough to work around the seats with my big ol' belly. But, I'll do the best I can, and when Jordan gets home, he can help me tighten the seat up if need be. I was going to do it yesterday, but I got side-tracked and I went shopping with my mom instead. 

Belly Pic (with comparison to Caleb on right):

Weekly Baby Forecast: Your baby's weight and height have probably increased only a little from last week (and your overstretched skin at 39 weeks pregnant is probably grateful for that). But his or her brain is still developing rapidly (a pace that continues during the first three years of life), with changes you'll be able to recognize firsthand as your baby's skill-packed bag of tricks expands almost daily.
 
Heard that babies cry a lot?  There's definitely truth to that rumor — as you'll find out soon enough (and usually during the middle of the night).  But what you may not have heard is that tiny babies don't produce tiny tears when they cry, since their tear ducts aren't open for business yet.  While you'll be consoling your crying baby right from the get-go, it won't be until sometime after the first month that you'll be wiping tears off those chubby cheeks.

Your baby's skin has now finally changed from pink to white (no matter how dark-skinned he or she will be eventually; pigmentation will occur soon following birth). That's because a thicker fat layer has been deposited over the blood vessels (making your baby's cheeks —  both kinds — pinchably and kissably round).

Had my 39 week appointment today and it was just as eventful as last week.

My BP was fine, HR was fine, Zoe's HR was fine, and I've lost weight.

No progression at all even with all the cramping I've been having the past day and night. I'm getting really tired of my body doing this. It looks like it's going to do the same as it did with Caleb - absolutely nothing. Progress, progress for a couple of days, then completely stop.

I'm so tired of thinking something is happening and nothing is. I feel like I'm crying wolf all the time, so what's the point in updating if nothing is going to happen.

After my appointment, I just balled all the way home. I'm miserable. I'm hurting, and it seems to be all for nothing. 

So, on to next week where I'll be 40 weeks and yet again, my body will have done nothing to help get this baby out.

Today's Baby Forecast: Sad, frustrated, crampy, and exhausted

So, I'm on a mommy board and we have three potential babies being born today and one born overnight.

I'm seriously getting jealous. But it was bound to happen since Zoe's due date is at the end of the month. With Caleb I was one of the first, so it was very easy to deal with. It's not so easy now. But, she'll be here in no time. I just have to be a little more patient.

Didn't have any more contractions yesterday (just cramping), and nothing last night, but of course, she's seriously head-butting my cervix still. So, Zoe is still hanging tough and staying put for a few more days. Which is fine, she should bake for a little bit even if she is full term. Doesn't mean I have to like it though. The longer she stays in there, the more developed she'll be, so even if I am trying to rush it, it is a good thing she is staying put.

Finished up Zoe's room yesterday. I bought curtains to match her decor and I put her name on the wall that someone made for me from my message board that also matches the decor. I'll try to take pics if the lighting holds out. It's kind of cloudy and the light in the room isn't all that bright to really make it good. I also packed her diaper bag. Jordan has his packed, but I haven't done mine yet. I figure I will after my appointment on Monday and after I see how far I've progressed. 

Feeling pretty crampy this morning though. No Braxton-Hicks or anything, so it's all cramps. At least I know my body is trying to do something to gear up for her arrival. We'll see how the day goes though and go from there. I just have the feeling that she isn't going to come on her own and that I am going to have to be induced. Which is fine, I was planning that anyway based on me being at risk for fetal macrosomia. The whole prospect of going on my own kind of scared me anyway.

Everyone is still sleeping. I'm up early because I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and just couldn't sleep anymore. Maybe I'll just take some time to relax on the couch before my little man comes downstairs. 

Today's Baby Forecast: The day is just starting. Who knows what it will bring

I woke up earlier this morning around 1:30-2am to an actual true contraction. Wow. Was not expecting that to happen at all. It literally felt like a BM cramp that will radiate throughout your whole abdomen. It lasted for about 10-15 minutes or so, then completely went away. Haven't had one since. Now, I'm just crampy and feel like Zoe is trying to escape through the side of my stomach. I swear, this girl has some strength in her arms and legs already.

If this doesn't do something to my cervix, then I'm not sure what will at this point.