39 Weeks and Heating Up! Beginning of Labor!

I have to admit that I felt pretty defeated walking into work Monday morning.  Coworkers, bystanders and others didn't help the situation when they asked, "no baby yet".  Roger and I both warned each other to put our games faces on and refrain from responding back to sarcastically.  Roger gets it pretty bad on his end with the questions and comments about him not doing his job to get this baby out.  We have our own plans though and surprisingly it's working out in our favor.  Though I wouldn't have been opposed to having Braxton this past weekend, we still wanted a July baby big time, and guess what, it's JULY and my body is getting with the program.

(Monday) For three weeks I've been 1 centimeters dilated, boo hoo!  All weekend long it's been pretty quite as well, that was until Monday night when we got home.  Braxton felt like he was two seconds from WALKING out of my Va-jay-jay.  It was pretty unbearable and it freaked Roger out pretty bad to.  He wanted me to call the doctors office ASAP.  I understood where he was coming from, but I needed him to understand that the pain did not result from contractions. To be honest I would've preferred contractions. 

(Tuesday) I hadn't slept all night (Monday), and was completely not up for work.  The morning went by okay, but later on that afternoon while getting specimens out of the laboratory, I had to stop dead in my tracks.  The feeling and pressure from the night before had reared it's ugly head, and amongst PATIENTS and my CO-WORKERS at that.  Needless to say my co-workers thought black people couldn't turn red, lol.  A mess!  I was really in some pain and Dr. Flanagan wanted to see me right away.  Guess what ladies and gents 2 centimeters whoo hoooo!  That was great news for me, finally some progress. She kind of know's my game plan of waiting until she's on call at the hospital to have Braxton and we're right on schedule.  When we got home, it was time for another sweep through of the house of making sure things we in tack.  After diner and putting Gabrielle to bed, we watched a few movies AND CONTRACTIONS STARTED, WHOO HOO! Fresh to death Roger took it upon himself to get all his clothes together and IRONED since he wouldn't have one for a few days in the hospital.  But when he came back upstairs I was already alseep and that was that, no hospital for us.

(Wednesday)  Today was my original appointment and I was pretty unsure if I wanted to be checked or not.  I mean after today, Roger and I planned to go over board with every extra ciricular activities.  But I said what the heck, who cares, lets go for it.  What do you know 3 centimeters now.  It didn't hurt nearly as bad either this time and that's because my cervix is becoming anterior as oppose to posterior.  So we've made some progess in less than 24 hours. And to add a cherry on top, I was so excited to know that I was 3 centimeters or maybe it's preggo brain I did something so silly. I put on both sneakers before I realized I hadn't put on my dang on pants. Crazyyyyyy and who! So as I sit here typing, I've been having contractions and they're heating up pretty bad.  The whole office is on pins and needles and they anticipate, just as well as I do that I will be going in the hospital tonight.  The family is super ready and so is Gabrielle.  She's just geared up for Aunties house. 

Tonight I will prepare her Red/Blue and White Jell-O because fire works will be in the delivery room! Stay tunned!

39 Weeks!

Well here I am at 39 weeks. Smile on my face, looking okay but feeling like Braxton is stalling. In a painful place might I add. He's so low that it's very uncomfortable to walk and even sit down sometimes. I know he's getting ready though and so are we. This weekend we enjoyed our threesome and took Gabrielle to McDonald for her pancakes, did more last minute food shopping, mainly for a little BBQ when I return from the hospital.  Roger and I are beyond ready, we're for certain next week he will be here. All we can do is wait, wait and wait some more, its pretty brutal actually. I've packed and replaced my bags including Gabrielle's about 20 times and keep taking away and adding items each time. And for goodness sake I'm going back to work on Monday. Only good thing is that I will have my membranes scrapped to get this show on the road come Wednesday at my next appointment. This will also be the last day of work also. 

Well well well, Braxton. You've actually managed to stay in for this long. I don't think you're no where near ready to come out considering I'm only 1 centimeter STILL for the past 3 weeks. But don't worry buddy ole pale, daddy and I have something up our sleeves VERY soon, lol. This weekend, it will just be your sister, daddy and I for one more weekend as a threesome. Next week is the 4th of July, maybe your birthday maybe not. Either way we're gonna celebrate with some hot dogs, cupcakes for big sister, red white and blue jello and little fire cracker pops for Gabrielle and lots of smoothies. This week has been very uncomfortable, lots of contractions but nothing that's consistent. Sleeping is VERY uncomfortable and I uses the bathroom more than Gabrielle does. 

 

But hey comes with the last week territory of being pregnant.  We're all waiting for you baby boy.  Auntie even put of her New York trip, because for some reason she felt you would come during my 37th week.  So now, she will spend the 4th of July here with us counting down.  

Next week should be my last week if I don't go in this weekend.  It's also the week I told EVERY one to duck from flying chairs if I haven't delivered.  It's quite funny how everyone at the hospital hates seeing me also.  "How much longer girl, dang" or geesh you're still here".  Don't these people realize my tolerance level is decreasing and at any moment not only can I have this baby, but I can snap, crackle and pop someone in the face for silly comments.  I mean, I'm just as ready to have this baby as they're ready to stop seeing me wobble around this hospital, lol. 

 

So, farewell Rex until I drive up into the birthing center. 

 

Next post will for sure be when I enter the hospital and get situated in a room, that is after a relaxing epidural.

 

38 WEEKS! Yikes

So to say that I'm ready is an understatement! Last Thursday at my appointment, not many changes had taken place, still 1 centimeter.  BUT after that visit, I felt violated; Dr. Carter really did a number on me. I say that because things have been crazy down there.  The other docs suggest that she may have given me a vigorous check (little scrap scrap with her fingers) to get things rolling which I truely believe.  All day Friday I've been bleeding and loosing bits and pieces of my musus plug (TMI).  Then while in church on Sunday (yesterday), went to the restroom and I lost ALOT!  I knew for sure that I'd go in that night, but NOTHING.  Needless to say I went into church to listen to the choir sang "He Brought Me" by Dorina Clark Cole and joined the rest of the sanctuary and  did a little two step, at this point it's safe right! 

Friday after getting off pretty early from , I decided to get a heads up on the post partum food shopping.  That is after I sat down and had a little me time for lunch at O'Charleys.   After a caesar salad, chicken alfredo pasta, tons of bread and butter and endless amounts of shirley temple, my table looked as if I had a party for 5 and it was just me.  My waitress asked "more soda, more bread".  I looked at her as if to say duuhhhh.  Anywho, BJ's was my next stop and walking was a complete disater, let alone pushing a cart full of food.  I stocked up on so much food, Gabrielle and I shouldn't want for anything this summer. I got her 200 ices, no joke!  It's so many that I can freeze them all, so Roger put them in the frige and we'll just freeze as we go. 

200 Ices

I keep reading over and over again that food is an essential part of breastfeeding.  So we should be good in that area.

9 Months 38 Weeks

My contractions has been heating up since last night, so I think I may be going in for sure soon.  I just have all the signs leading up to it. 

Nesting
Energy
Lost of mucus plug ( as the cervix opens, it allows for this to pass through, think of it like a cork in a wine bottle)
Baby burrowing his head
Baby has dropped
Easier to breath!

We shall see!

 

Weekly appointment update!

Just Waiting &Waiting & Waiting

 

I guess due dates are for a reason right?  I mean why else would they give it you.  Due dates are so overrated for a few reasons, between 37-42 weeks you're considered full term, baby can come anytime between then.  Stats show that women deliver 2 weeks before or 1 week after due date.  Clearly Braxton may be waiting until his due date for his appearance because according to my doc, no changes since last weeks appt.  Still 1 centimeter, nothing more & nothing less!  She has however determined that he's getting snugly in the birth canal because the measurements of my stomach has decreased.  I went from measuring 36 weeks last week to 35 weeks this week, the measure from pubic bone to chest bone (right under the boobs)!  It's cool though, I want nothing more than a July baby so 1 centimeter sounds good. 

Other good news this week is that my breast pump is here. I literally just called the medical supply company because my account said the pump was on back order, next day I received an email that it was being shipped, got home today and bam waiting on my doorstep. This all systemically happened in a matter of a week. Thank God. To make matters even better an conflicting at the same time we have a good handful of Madela products already from my stash with Gabrielle, take a look

BREAST PUMP BAG

ACCESSORIES INCLUDED 3 ICE PACKS, 4 BOTTLES, CHARGER, ETC

 

MY MANUEL PUMP, BOTTLES, BAGS LEFT OVER FROM GABRIELLE
 

 Then on the flip side, my office has been laying Similac and Enfamil powder like crazy on me this past week. Then to top it off, out next door neighbor who just recently had a baby has decided to breastfeed and she's given us about 20 cans of Enfamil. This is like having something your trying to kick a habit of so you can't see it or touch it and its right in your house. How I'm I supposed to push through breastfeeding with goods such as cans of milk in the cupboard. Oh boy, maybe I will chain the cabinets, lol.   Anywho, I'm really gonna relax my nerves from here on out. It's makes no sense to to rush sleepless nights along when I can sleep at least 7 to 8 hours. Those days will be long gone in just a second. Here is that pic I've been meaning to post of Braxton's little hangout bouncer 

Us 3 for now!

We decided to take a walk to the park to try and bring back those cramps that I had this morning. So far nothing yet. The waiting game is crazy! Roger was on deck waiting for that phone call or text but to no avail, oh well I guess. Until then we will just spend some more time with us three at the park. It was hot but cloudy which was good. What wasn't good was the rain that started to fall from those clouds. We actually had to spend some time under the tree until it passed.  To be honest the clouds were the only thing that brought me out cause other wise sun, heat, belly don't mix!

37 Weeks Belly