39-Week Appointment

Yesterday I went to what I'm hoping we can call my last appointment! I've gained 3 pounds of water weight all of which is quite evident in my swollen legs and feet, but because my blood pressure is still good (108/64), the Dr. Kremser said we shouldn't worry about it. He advised me to go home, lie on my back, and put my feet up on the wall so they're above my heart. I was very tempted to ask if he would be available to retrieve me because once I'm down, I may never get back up.

The baby's heart rate is even slower this week at 136 bpm and the nurses all confirmed it's the "calm before the storm." I'm not sure about all that, but I do have to wonder how comfortable it can be in there at this point. There is zero room for that poor kid! I'm also just about 3 centimeters and I have friends who were in full-blown labor and at the hospital by the time they were 3-4 centimeters, so I'm also wondering why the child isn't just falling out.

Nights have been very unkind to me and unfortunately, my tossing and turning and constant visits to the bathroom have kept Zach up, too. He was so concerned about last night that he just called from work this afternoon to ask if I was in labor :-) I promised him that he would be the first to know!

I've had it my mind that I would go into labor this past Tuesday or Wednesday, or it would be a leisure weekend labor like Brady's. While it is likely that I am wrong on both accounts, the waiting is agonizing! I've tried to keep busy as best I can, but every kick or pain has me stopping in my tracks to really pay attention. Could this be it? Does my back ache mean something? Is that a real contraction? So far, the answer has been an emphatic NO! I've accepted the fact (I think...) that I can't dictate when this child will officially join our family, but I have put together a schedule of the doctors' on-call hours. I like to pretend I have a choice in that matter and can successfully hold the baby in until one of my favorite docs is available. Reasonable, right?

Yesterday was my dad's birthday and, in true Stephanie fashion, I left my camera battery charging at home while we celebrated. So, there are no pictures to speak of, but it was a good time with good food and even better pineapple upside down cake for dessert! Brady enjoys his "apple pines," as he calls them, so PapTom's traditional cake was a huge hit for the boy.

Today is one of the only days in the past 5 that have been nice enough to play outside. Hopefully I'll remember my camera AND my charger and be able to post some pics of the kid enjoying the great outdoors. Until then, here is Brady's indoor version of fun: