Very Soon!!!

Woohoo!! Dr. Linfert says that we should be welcoming Kirkland into the world between now and the end of the weekend! (Talk about disappointed if she's not here by then!) I'm so happy to finally have some sort of "time line" instead of just not knowing.

I actually thought my water had broken yesterday and when I went to my appointment she checked and said it wasn't that (but luckily not pee either!) but probably due to some rapid cervix changes. :) Jordon said my eyes got huge when Dr. Linfert said "4cm and 75% thinned." It was a huge relief that something had changed since last week all that Dr. Goode said was it was "thinned."

After she checked some fluid under the microscope she came back in and said that while the fluid wasn't amniotic fluid that it would be "very soon" and most likely happening between "tonight and the end of the weekend."

Of course nothing happened last night and I think we actually got some decent rest. I keep telling myself this could be the last time Jordon and I can get a good night's rest with just the two of us.

I did hit me last night that if I'm at 4cm, I could get an epidural time I got to the hospital...haha. I want to go as long as possible, but 8cm is the cut off and what if I dialte a lot more before I have to the hospital and don't get there in time to get one?? EEKKK!! Only I would be freaking out about this, but although I highly doubt I have to face that problem, it worries me that I'm at 4cm and didn't even realize it...and haven't had any noticable Braxton Hicks contractions lately.

Hopefully it'll happen soon. We just have to wait until a) my water breaks or b) contractions 5 minutes apart for more than an hour and I'm not able to talk through them (I may make the call a little before they're 5 minutes apart though).

Maybe the next update we'll have a birthday to announce and new family member to introduce!! :)

And we wait!

So now that I'm on maternity leave I have a clean house and an empty, ready-to-use nursery. The only things really on my list are to finish thank you cards (been slacking in that department, I confess) and just get a few things put away. Otherwise, I'm about to drive myself crazy waiting....and waiting....and waiting...wondering when she's going to decide that she's ready to meet us. Luckily I'm not nervous, or if I am I haven't let myself realize it yet. I figure that there's no reason to be nervous or scared since I have good doctors and there'll be great nurses there to take care of all 3 of us.

We head back to the doctor tomorrow for our 38 week appointment and we'll see what the doctor says from there. Hopefully, it'll be some good news....like she's still doing and growing well and not too much longer to wait.

Until then, I'm organizing and re-cleaning to give me something to do until she gets here...and hopefully we'll be meeting her before too long!

Another week closer!

It's been a busy week since my last appointment. The best part has been the shower that my co-workers gave me! My mom even went with me and we had so much fun...and now she knows why I love my job. Everyone has been so sweet in getting gifts for Kirkland and we're so thankful for each and everything! I don't want to hear that we're spoiling her because it sure seems like everyone else is doing a good job of doing it too! (Haha)

I had another doctor's appointment this morning after work. Unfortunately, my blood pressure was unusually high for me and I had gained 7 lbs since last week! I know there's no way I've gained that much weight and I had the same problem the last time I went to an appointment after working and was all swollen. We'll just see how that ends up next week.

Otherwise, I'm measuring a tad bit small (still 36), but she said that baby's head is very, very low with no dilation but almost completely effaced. I've been having some pretty hard Braxton Hicks contractions so hopefully the no dilation part will have changed by next week.

Sorry to my the Davis side of my family, but unless she has a major attitude change it doesn't look like she'll be coming on the 21st! My hopes are still that she'll be a Halloween baby, but we'll see. Sounds like she's just going to do her own thing anyways (doesn't this sound familiar).

And.....tonight is my LAST night of working on the floor, then I have 2 days of class this week and I'm on maternity leave!! Of course the doctor reminded me today that she agrees it's good for me to have some time to prepare for her but that being on maternity leave doesn't mean I can be running up and down the road but that it'd be fine to be doing work/organizing around the house. We'll see how this goes!

Week 36

Aaaahhhh...that's me taking the first deep breath I've been able to take in what seems like months! I've enjoyed the last few days of big, deep yawns thanks to Miss Priss finally deciding to drop. :) I even had someone ask me the other day if I was having a boy because I was carrying low. Nope, I'm just due in 4 weeks. 4 WEEKS (or less)!

Of course with my long awaited deep breaths comes the fact that I no longer walk...I waddle and I pee literally about every 30 minutes. All just signs that she's getting closer to being here!!

Yesterday was my first appointment of the home stretch, so I'll be going every week until she's here. According to the doctor, we're just waiting for her to decide she's tired of being cooped up in my belly. She said no dilation changes, but I'd started thinning out and she could feel her head...and it didn't feel like she was in my tonsils when she checked me this time. All good signs!

My mom and my daddy's side of the family is still convinced that she'll be born on the 21st since that's our "family number" and we have several members on that side of the family born on a 21st of a month (I'm one of them!). It's quite possible and my mom said it's a full moon so maybe it'll "pull" her on out. As long as she healthy and ready then she can come on whenever she's ready!

Baby shower #1

Kirkland's first baby shower was yesterday afternoon at First Baptist Church in Bishopville. My cousin (basically sister), Tommie Sue, and two friends of our family, Teresa Elmore and Kim Barkley, hosted the shower. Thank y'all!

We had a blast and little missy definately has plenty of clothing for the first few months of life! She also got lots and lots of diapers, wipes, lotions, and baby washes. Thank you to everyone who has given her gifts! I can't wait to get her here so we can put some of her new things to use. :)

Me with my gorgeous cousins Danielle and Jenny Lynn


My mom made her 4 pair of booties, one of which goes with her Carolina outfit

Practice run

So last night we kind of had a "practice run" after I'd been having contractions every 5-10 minutes for a few hours. The doctor on call thought it was just a false alarm, but to be sure she had me head over to L&D just to be checked out.

Luckily, the contractions were/are irregular and not strong enough to be causing any progress. While I'm still having some bad cramping and lower back pain, the contractions have gone down to around 30 minutes apart and not quite as uncomfortable as before.

Hopefully some rest will do the trick and I'll bounce back to cleaning and getting ready for her to get here...in no less than 2 weeks.

A pregnancy rant

Don't get me wrong, I'm extrememly excited to be pregnant and have Kirkland on the way, but I'm really over this whole being pregnant and miserable thing. Thank goodness there's 5 weeks or less and I'm hoping for the less part.

Jordon keeps saying he's tired of hearing me "complain" about being pregnant and tired (more like exhausted). My advice is just keep your mouth shut unless you've been pregnant yourself. You only make a pregnant, hormonal woman more angry.

I don't know how some people are like "being pregnant was the greatest thing ever." The end result is what keeps me going. I mean it's not horrible, but I'm tired of being huge, sweaty, uncomfortable, and not able to move like I did before. I don't think men understand what it's like to have to go through this.

I'm thinking all men should have to spend a week in the life of a woman. First to experience everything that comes along with a period then go through a quick pregnancy from morning sickness to being huge to swollen ankles to aching back and sciatica to labor and delivery....all while working and keeping house/children. I really think they'd have a greater appreciation.

Okay, I'm done with my little rant for now. I'm tired and have only had 3 hours of sleep since working last night. I'm exhausted and moody. Sorry.