So do you refer to it as T PLUS one day and counting????

Wanna know what’s depressing? I had to dig my pit stick out of the overnight bag to get ready for work this morning. Yes, I got so excited by the two hours of mild-but-regular contractions last night that I actually put the final elements in the overnight bag….. alas, it was not to be…..

Yes, I was due yesterday. Yes, we are all very sure of the due date (Please don’t make me go into details here…. My brother reads this site). Yes, I am very carefully avoiding going to any place like babycenter.com that will tell me all about the cute little bundle of joy I am now holding…..

I went to the doc at 4:30 yesterday. The baby is so low I can’t sit up properly. 35cm (down from 38 last week). I’m 4 cm dilated. I told Lala this and she said, “Ask for the epidural now. You can have an epidural at 4 cm.”

The doc said, I quote, "I can't bounce the baby's head." I looked over at his nurse and mouthed, "I can't bounce the baby's head????" She laughed out loud and said, "No, that's a good thing." I guess it means the baby is so low s/he is wedged in there and doesn't boing back up when he pushes. He stripped my membranes (without telling me exactly what he was doing) and it was uncomfortable but not as miserable as I thought it would be.... They really should change the name. “Stripping your membranes” makes me expect ripping sounds & a spurting sensation…. Like juicing an orange. When that is what your expecting, really, anything less is pretty nice.

So I was still feeling moderately friendly towards him and then he told me he would be out of town Fri night - Sun afternoon.... damn. I really like my doc but I don’t feel like waiting around until Sunday night to hatch. Sorry. Although the up side to that would be my sister would be here…. I say this like I have ANY control over the situation….

I went home and had some minor contractions 12-20 minutes apart from about 7-9 so I casually made sure everything was loaded in the overnight bag then I did what any sane pregnant woman in the early stages of labor would do…. I cleaned the toilet. What? Last time I ended up throwing up and I like a clean bowl when I’m communing with the porcelain goddess. I even cleaned with Dr. Bronner’s so it had a refreshing peppermint scent.

Then I went to bed thinking I should get some rest.... and woke up this morning and looked around for the baby. Hot Stuff opened one eye, looked at me, looked at the clock, looked at my belly, and flopped the pillow over his head.

I have that heavy-low feeling...... like the baby is RIGHT THERE and if I just relax enough things will happen.... but nothing is happening.

The doc said if I continue to dilate & don't go into labor he will see me at 3:00 on Monday the 17th and probably break my water to get things started.

I’m still feeling pretty good but I also feel like I’ve milked this situation for all the comic fodder it can possibly provide… it’s time to bring on the BIRTH STORIES…..