Braxton Hicks...

After my non-stress test today, my nurse thinks that I might be in early labor... could the day possibly be here?!?! Gosh, wouldn't that be amazing! The secretary who apparently is very good at predicting when babies will actually be born says that I will have Ethan this weekend. So, she did her "Baby Dance" and rubbed my belly while she sang to him. Apparently this ensures that baby Ethan will be here soon. So I've been instructed to walk around the mall for a few hours, and a handful of other wives tails, to get labor going if this is finally the real thing.... We'll see! I have to admit it would be perfect timing, because my parents are already planning on visiting tomorrow.

UPDATE: NO BABY YET!

UPDATE: So, the three days of false labor hasn't been totally worthless. I am 2cm, 50%, and -3 all via false labor. Which is better than nothing I suppose. But, it's starting to get both physically and emotionally exhausting. And in other baby related news, Metro has decided that my case has become too high-risk for them, and I am now a patient of Spectrum Health. I am not sure how I feel about this, especially since it's so last minute. But, there is literally nothing I can do about it. So, hopefully soon we'll be off to big scary Spectrum to deliver.

Pudgy

So, Karl and I had our ultrasound today (it was rescheduled from Monday), and unfortunately we're not going to be induced. But, fortunately the high fluid levels and calcifications on the placenta they were worried about haven't gotten any worse, and the baby is doing great, so I suppose it's a good thing too. I am just SOOOOO ready to get this baby out!

As far as Ethan goes, he's already 8LBS 2OZ, and they're estimating he'll be about 9 1/2-10lbs at birth if we go full term (because he's growing so quickly). We're measuring at 39wks 2days according to this ultrasound (keep in mind they do not change your due date), which is 2 weeks ahead per usual. The nurses tell me it looks like it will be any day now, but the doctors are more reluctant to talk about it. All they will tell me is that I am effacing and the baby's head is pressing firmly against my cervix causing me to have "uterine irritations" (sorry to those of you who this is TMI - it saves me from having to tell 20 people the same thing). The ultrasound also shows that he has a relatively thick layer of fat around his belly and head; the ultra-sound tech even called him "pudgy"...so be on the look out for a fat chunk-of-love soon.

Getting big!

Okay, so as if anything else could possibly go wrong! I have been diagnosed with PUPPP (and a pretty bad case of it too). It's this horribly itchy rash that will not go away until after the baby is born, and is quite possibly going to send me to the mad house. I don't think I can even explain to you the severity of my itchiness...

Also, I have been in false labor a half a dozen times - including right now. My contractions have been 1 1/2 minutes apart, but they are not painful, only pressure-ful if that makes sense, so the hospital doesn't want me.

Chances are that they'll go away like every other time. But, boy would I be happy if today was the day!

Sorry about the bed-head, no make up, pjs, and fake smile... But that's as good as it gets these days! 9+ months pregnant



And YES I AM WEARING PANTS! That's the last time that I wear light blue tight PJs in a picture

Don't tell me that!

Karl and I had Thanksgiving dinner at our house for the first time this year and it was crazy! We had 13 people here, and most of them stayed the night since they're from out of town. What a good time though. Other than that we got to hang out with Collin and Ciara for a while, which was lovely, and I've been having contractions since last night! We'll see what happens there - but I still think it'll be sometime early December. Who knows....

So I started having irregular contractions Friday night and I am still having them - now Sunday night. They get really regular and close together, but there is no pain... and then they slow down again. This is frustrating.

LATER....

So, it's been five days of constant braxton hicks contractions (i'm talking like any where from 30 minutes apart to 1 1/2 minutes apart for five days!)... and if one more person says "well maybe it'll be the real thing tomorrow", "it'll be here before you know it" or "once he's out you'll want him back in"... I think I'll go crazy. Not joking.

9 months

I am almost 9 months prego already, but I haven't gotten a chance to post my 8 month picture yet. So, this was taken a few weeks ago. But, here you go:

Believe it or not, I am actually bigger than that now. And I am SOOOO DONE with being pregnant. Or at least I wish I were. I am ready to meet Ethan, and see my legs.

If you are interested in seeing me before I have a child attached to me most of the time, you should call, I'd like that.

Big baby!

So, Karl and I had an ultra sound a couple days ago and this is what we learned. Our child is a MOOSE. Okay not really, but he's huge like a moose. He is already about 5 1/2 pounds!!! He's in the 74th percentile, measuring about 2 1/2 weeks a head. Speaking of heads - his is huge! His head is measuring full term. It scares not only me, but my doctors too. So, they are giving me until December 11th to have the baby on my own, and if we don't have him by then - we are probably going to be induced. Even if we do go in to labor, he is big enough that they've already started talking about a possible C-Section scenario depending on when we go. Another thing to worry about is that my placenta is already showing signs of aging with multiple calcifications on it. what that means is that my body will realize it's time and hopefully we'll have him soon, or it won't. And if it doesn't, all kinds of complications are a possibility - especially if it decides it's done before the baby is born. So, again we'll be screened for that over the next couple of weeks, and if things progressivly look "older", December 11th might be our babys birthday via C-Section. Ohhhhh - it's a waiting game now, and it's killing me! I am soooo anxious.

Oh, and we got to see him sucking/breathing on the ultrasound, it's quite possibly the cutest thing ever.

Not good...

Have you ever seen an 8 month pregnant woman attempt to give an 80+ pound dog a bath in a really small bathtub because he walked through his own crap outside? NO?! Well good, cause it's ridiculous!!!!!!!!!

LATER...

So I definitely went in to labor right in the middle of giving Ceazer a bath. And no I am not joking. I was having contractions for about an hour before I decided it was time to go to the hospital - and by the time Karl and I got there I was having continuous contractions with no break at all and had dilated to 1cm. They gave me all kinds of shots to stop my labor - and now I'm at home and on bedrest for 3 weeks to try and keep the baby in. FUN STUFF. PS. Contractions suck - they are more painful than you think.