Doctor's appointments have become a source of disappointment to me.   Yesterday was our last scheduled prenatal visit and I haven't made ANY progress since last week - I'm still 2 cm and 70% effaced.  We went ahead and scheduled an appointment for next Tuesday morning, just in case I haven't had Jonah yet.  The doctor said she expects that I'll have him before then though.  I SURELY HOPE SO!!!

I've been walking more (and Jared and I have tried "other" methods) hoping that it would bring on labor, but so far - nothing!  I will not go as far as to drink castor oil.  That's just gross.  At this point, though, I'm pretty willing to try just about anything else.  Any suggestions???

Well, tomorrow is my ESTIMATED  (what a stupid word) due date.  My mom is coming into town from South Carolina tomorrow night.  She is going to stay about 2 weeks to help out with the baby.  I'm hoping that Jonah has just been waiting for his grandma to show up.  So, once she gets here, maybe he'll be a little more motivated to get moving. 

I'm still praying - every day - that little man will come on his own (naturally) without my doctor having to induce me.  Keep us in your thoughts!

There are only 2 more days until my due date, but Jonah doesn't seem to be in any big hurry to leave his present home.  Today at 4:00 pm is my LAST scheduled doctor's appointment.  I'm praying, praying, praying that the doctor will have good news about how I'm progressing.  I don't want to have to schedule any more prenatal appointments and I don't want to have to be induced.

Jared and I are asking that anyone who reads this, please pray for us.  Pray that I will go into labor naturally, so that I won't have to be induced.  I've read that being induced makes the contractions much harder and closer together and can lead to other interventions being necessary.  I don't want to have to worry about any of that.  I want this baby to be born when God wants him to, without any doctors having to interfere.

I'm really tired today.  We did a lot of running around this weekend, but didn't seem to get a whole lot done.  I had a pretty emotional day on Saturday.  For no apparent reason, my emotions were on HIGH that day.  I woke up from a night full of weird dreams.  I couldn't remember any of the details, but they left me feeling sad.  Then I spent half the morning crying, thinking about all the things I would miss about being pregnant.  For almost 40 weeks I've had this little blessing all to myself - I feel like we've shared so many special moments that no one else can understand.  As ready as I am, and as much as I want him to be born, I'm going to miss feeling him move and watching my belly grow.  How can something be so joyous and so sad at the same time?  I really hope that this is not an indication of what my emotional stability will be like after delivery.

Oh, FYI - I added a few pictures to my photo album.  There are a couple of 39 weeks belly shots and 1 picture of me and Jared.  Well, I guess I'll update tomorrow with news from our doctor's appointment today.  Again, please pray for good news!!!

There are now 5 days left until my due date.   My back has been hurting more and I've had some mild cramping, but really no major signs that labor will start soon.  I had mucousy discharge again for the last 2 days, so I think I may be losing more of my mucous plug.  Another good sign, but still not very specific.

Because of what little maternity leave I get I'm working up until the baby is born.  I really dread coming to work now.  Not so much because I don't want to work, though.  What I dread are the sad looks that I get from everyone when I walk in.  If I hear, "You're still here?" one more time, I just might scream!    Does everyone not realize that I am 100 times more anxious and ready for Jonah's birth than they are?  Obviously not!

Overall, I've been feeling pretty good lately.  I had a cold for a week or so, but it finally seems to be going away - thank goodness.  All the wonderful discomforts of being full-term are still here, but I guess I've gotten used to most of them.  Unfortunately the weather warming up hasn't done much to help the swelling of my feet and ankles. I took a picture the other day.  As soon as I remember, I'll add it to my photo album.  I need to take some more recent belly pics too.

Well, I know I didn't have much of anything to share, but I thought I should update nonetheless.  Hopefully the next entry you read will be the announcement of Jonah's birth.  Pray for us!

I'm down to 9 days now - single digits!!!  Yeah!

We went for our latest appointment this afternoon.  I am currently 2 centimeters dilated and about 70% effaced.  It's not much progress, but at least it's some.  The doctor said it looks like I'll probably deliver pretty near my due date. 

I'm still believing that I'll go early.  If Jonah is anything like me or his dad he'll be a procrastinator who'll surprise us and make major progress at the last minute.  I still have complete faith that I could go from 2 to 7 cm in a matter of hours.  It can happen! 

 

I officially finished organizing the baby's room this weekend, and we plan to install the car seat and pack the bags tonight.  Now all we need is our little one to show up and put it all to use.

 

On the down side, I appear to have developed hemorrhoids over the weekend.   It's a very mild case, but still - yuck!!!  I can't believe I made it almost 39 weeks and NOW I get them.  At least I only have to put up with it for a matter of days.  They're supposed to go away after you have the baby, so....all the more reason to look forward to delivery.