40 PLUS 4

= One miserable mommy.

40 week doctor's appointment this past Monday.  They don't normally check your cervix til you're in labor, but I asked Tia to (Tate's assistant because he was at the hospital delivering babies!) and she did.  I was 2 1/2 cm dilated, "medium" effaced and baby HAS moved down since last week, but is still not engaged in pelvic cavity.  Baby is MOSTLY turned towards my back but still has a bit more turning to do AND a bit more moving down to do.  She checked my fluids I've been leaking since Saturday and it's NOT the baby's amniotic fluid so that's great - just "other stuff".  I started having contractions last night - every 30 minutes - and that is continuing today for the most part.  They are NOT closer together than 30 minutes so I am not worried.  Most of my pain is in my back during contractions so that is just tons of fun.

The great news is that I never even MADE it to 2 1/2 cm WITH pitocin in my pregnancy with Parker so I feel like I've accomplished a lot!  I also never had contractions without pitocin with Parker so with each contraction wave that comes a long, I know I've made it one contraction closer to meeting this little baby :)

What am I most looking forward to?  LOTS!

• Being able to call family and say I am FINALLY in labor!  The first thing ANYONE asks right now when I call them is "Are you in labor?"  When I say "no" I get a "Oh - well what do you want..." response.  I am REALLY ready for that response to go away and for people to be excited to talk to me on the phone again.
• Falling in love with my husband in an entire new way because I know he's going to be an AMAZING coach to me during labor.
• After labor, I am most excited about having the baby ON my chest within SECONDS of it leaving my body.  After having a c-section with Parker - I don't remember having the baby anywhere near me until hours after he was born.  I can't wait to hold the gooey mess of baby immediately after labor.  This is something I long for and I know it will be an amazing moment for me.  Chris doesn't get it - and he admits it - and that's fine.  It's my chest the baby will be on - not his - so it doesn't matter.
• The second thing I'm excited to do after labor is HEAR WHAT SEX the baby is!  I'm hoping Chris will be really involved and I will be able to hear the words from him first.
• The third thing I'm excited to do after labor is NAME our baby - just me and Chris and baby - in the delivery room - deciding on a name for the baby.  I'm praying it just COMES to me and makes perfect sense.
• And the FOURTH thing I'm excited to experience after labor is allowing Chris to have "the moment" where he can go and tell our family WHAT the baby's sex is and WHAT the baby's name is!  I dont expect family to wait on me during labor but hoping they can all get to hospital at some point at same time after baby is born. If all goes PERFECTLY to plan, Parker will be able to be there with our family that is able to make it and we can allow him to come see the baby FIRST and have some special family time then allow Parker to go tell the rest of our family what the baby is.  I made some iron-on transfer shirts myself (see below) and we are planning to put Parker in the appropriate one for the big "reveal".  If we have the baby in the middle of the night, I'm hoping all our family - or at least a majority of our family who is in town - can come to the hospital after rush hour traffic and be there for "the reveal" - but of course - this is all just if it all works out right.  I'd like to be able to tell everyone in person - we'll see if it works out that way or not!

 So - we'll see if these contractions increase today!  I have a really good feeling the baby will come this week!

Please pray for safe arrival of baby #2 and successful VBAC for mommy!

XO - Hillary