Red Pencil Diaries

We haven’‘t gotten to do much decorating or anything. I did carve a couple of pumpkins yesterday. And last night we went to see my nieces and nephews before they went out trick or treating. We didn’‘t do much. I’‘m trying to get up and do more, but it’’s difficult. My leg muscles are getting better, but with the baby being so big, and my center of balance being off, and my pelvic bones spreading… I can walk around more, but I seem to get tired quickly and I move really slowly. And my back hurts off and on. But overall, I’‘m doing well. I wanna have this baby soon! Wish me luck!

Had another dr. appointment today. I am now 2 cm. dilated and 90% effaced. So she sent me back home to do some more waiting. I am allowed to pretty much be up and around all the time now. I can take 30 to 45 minute walks each day. And I hope to have him by next week. If not, she will induce me the week of November 15. I don’‘t know if I can make it that long and still be sane. Next week, we have another ultrasound where they will measure him. I’‘m scared to find out how big he’’s gotten. I think it might be better if I just have him before then and not know. LOL

At my OB appointment last Thursday, she said my uterus was measuring at 42 weeks. I am now feeling that it has gotten even bigger. I am not comfortable in any position. I can’‘t sit, stand, or lie down and feel really comfy. Sleep is rather difficult. But overall, I’‘m in good spirits. I just can’‘t imagine another two weeks of this. I guess I’‘ll just have to wait and see. Last week, I felt bad, but it was tolerable. This week, I’‘m getting to the “I need to have this baby soon” feeling. It takes the place of my previous “I’‘m scared and not ready to have this baby” feeling. I’‘m still scared. But somehow discomfort supercedes fear in this case. I honestly never thought I’‘d get to the point of sitting around and waiting for this baby to be born. I’‘m VERY happy that we made it this far. Don’‘t get me wrong. But whoa… I had no idea the levels of discomfort from having a large full term baby. What a rollercoaster ride it’’s been. Can’‘t wait for it to end.

Ok. We’‘re sitting around at 1 am playing Burnout 3 on PS2, and eating left over cake, and after a discussion on 1/2 white, 1/2 chocolate cakes, we were trying to remember the term used for a person of 1/2 white, 1/2 native american descent. So I of course go to google and find this site: Mixed Folks.com, and it offers a plethora of information on names—both PC and offensive. Not that I would use the offensive ones. Nor would I ever really remember most of the PC ones. But it was an interesting site, nonetheless. Also, at the bottom of the page, people are encouraged to submit any other names that they’‘ve been called.

Well. The cerclage removal went well. Wasn’‘t too painful. And I am now 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced. So we’‘re in the “wait and see” game for awhile. Could be any day now, or I could have to be induced in three weeks. Time will tell.

I just wanted to post and let everyone know that Zachary isn’‘t here yet. But we’‘re waiting patiently.

Well. Technically, I’‘m 36 weeks along now. Dave changed the ticker counter on my site to say 37 weeks b/c we are having this baby sometime within the next three weeks (my OB will induce me on November 11 or 12 if I don’‘t go by then).

So tomorrow afternoon, I will go to the OB and she will remove my cerclage (stitch), which may or may not be terribly painful. I get nothing for pain. And I’‘m kind of worried about that too. But even more scary is that I could dilate after the removal, and if I dilate enough, my OB will send me over to the hospital to have the baby. whoa… am I ready for that? No. lol

But when we go to the OB appointment tomorrow, we’‘re supposed to bring our packed hospital bag and stuff, just in case. I’‘m still kind of freaking out about it all. I’‘m hoping I’‘ll get to come back home tomorrow and have another week or two before I have Zachary. I’‘m excited to have him come, but I’‘m just so nervous.

Either way, wish us luck…

Yesterday, I had my official baby shower. It was thrown for me by my sister and my mom at my house. I had such a good day. So many people showed up. I got to visit with so many people and we got a lot of wonderful things for Zachary. I am sending out my hand-written thank you notes soon. But I just had to post and say that I am just soooo happy. Just to be able to see everyone for awhile and to receive such generous gifts for our baby. Dave and I thank you all.

Being up and around for quite a bit of the day yesterday was also great for me. I felt almost normal again. Well, as normal as I can feel with a HUMONGOUS tummy weighing me down. lol… But I truly have missed just being able to talk to people face to face, while sitting up. I even got to sit out on the deck a few times to chat. It was a nice day out, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone.

Thanks again…

Dave brought home the book America (The Book): A Citizen’’s Guide To Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart and The Daily Show cast and writers. I haven’‘t gotten to read all of it, but the foreword by Thomas Jefferson is hilarious! The book is written in the form of a text book… it reminds me of my middle school “civics” book, with quizzes and notes in the margins. Ahhh it brings back memories. lol

On a slightly different note… I am miserable. My tummy is huge. I can’‘t be comfortable laying down or sitting. I don’‘t sleep well. I am up every hour or two to go to the bathroom. And yes, I am happy. But wow… these last few weeks are gonna be difficult! I still haven’‘t heard from several friends about whether or not they will be attending my baby shower on Sunday. So if you got an invitation and haven’‘t RSVPd yet, I’‘m waiting to hear.

I have another BPP test tomorrow afternoon. My sister is taking me so that Dave can take time off on Friday to take me to my OB appt. We’‘re down to about a week until I get my cerclage removed… I’‘m sooo nervous. But excited too. woohooo

My mom and my sister came by yesterday and along with Dave’’s help… and my vision… we have been transforming our living room and dining room from stark boring rooms into something beautiful. I’‘ll have to post pictures when we’‘ve finished everything, but sitting here right now looking around… I am amazed. It looks better than even I had hoped.

We have curtains hung, art on the walls, the fireplace mantle painted, and the chandelier rehung. It’’s totally transformed—but it’’s not finished yet. We still have a few things to paint and hang up. But for now, Dave and I love it!

I guess some people might not get so excited about the room, but for anyone who saw it when we moved in or right after, it’’s VERY different. I can’‘t wait to show it off at my baby shower next weekend!

Yesterday afternoon, Dave and I went to our weekly BPP test and then to my OB appointment. At the BPP test, Zachary was kinda lazy, but he still managed to pass all of the points of the test. And… the tech measured him and he’’s already weighing about 5 lbs. 13 oz. My OB said that he’’s only about a week ahead on his measurements, so he’’s doing well. And get this… on Thursday, October 21, she is going to remove my cerclage (stitch). She said she hopes that after removal, I will make it at least another week before I go into labor. I’‘m soooo excited now. Dave and I are predicting that he’‘ll be born before Halloween. But we can’‘t be certain. A late October birthday would be awesome. So we’‘re in the home stretch… won’‘t be long until the world will get to meet Zachary! woohoo