My womb must be like a five-star resort...

...and this little man is cozy and does not want to check out!

I went to the doctor today, and while I am 3 cm dilated, nothing else has really changed. I have not had a single contraction, and it seems like this little boy just really digs his current living arrangement. I've tried to explain to him that it really isn't so bad out here. He has a much bigger room that is very nicely decorated. He has cool parents that are so eager to meet him. He has a vast selection of awesome relatives and friends to get to know. He has a really cute dog. Yet he remains unmoved... literally. The good news about my progress is that if I do not go into labor before September 3 (and, God willing, I move up from the induction waiting list to the ACTUAL list), at least I've started dilating, which should make for easier inducing.

Patience is not one of my stronger virtues, but I am doing my best to stay calm. I taught the first two days of school, and though I was very tired yesterday, I am so glad I did. I got to meet my students, and they're terrific. I know going back to work is going to be really difficult when the time comes, but at least I'll know that I've got good kids waiting in the wings. I'm taking friends' advice and resting as much as I can.... as much as you possibly can anyway when you have a gigantic belly for which you can no longer find a comfortable position. I'm trying to think of things I can do to keep from getting cabin fever without over-exerting myself. The front runner is scrapbooking since I don't even have the first trimester page of the baby book done. We'll see...

Anyway, thanks for your continued support and prayer. Keep sending those good vibes our way!

Like Tom Petty says...

"The waiting is the hardest part." But at least now there is an end point: I am first on the waiting list to be induced on Wednesday, September 3rd and, if that doesn't work out, Thursday, September 4th. The nurse I spoke with sounded certain one of these will work simply because it's only natural to expect some of those signed up ahead of me to labor naturally and free up a spot. Of course, I could go into labor any time between now and then, too. We shall see...

More updates to come! : )

Scoop from Today's Appointment

I'll get right to the point: we are waiting on a phone call about setting up an appointment to induce me late next week! I haven't progressed since my last appointment (i.e., no further dilating, he hasn't dropped, etc.), and because it takes 7-10 days out to make an induction appointment, we decided to set one up now. Of course I could go into labor naturally at any time, but having a definite end point is reassuring because, frankly, I am hitting "the wall." Even a couple of days ago, when someone asked, "When is that baby due?" I could respond with a perky smile and an irrepressible can-do attitude. Now, women are telling me about how they went days, even weeks, past their due dates. I hear these stories, look down at my Flintstone feet, and take a deep breath, quietly mustering up the strength not to punch them in the face. On the bright side, The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy cites "general pissed-offedness" as an indication that labor is imminent, so this crabbiness could mean that I could have a baby any second! = )

Well, Jeremy just announced that he's going to take the bear out of the carseat (see previous post) and that he's going to get some beer. Selfish bastard. Oh wait, nevermind. He said he'd get me something, too. If you need me, I'll be over here self-medicating with a Milky Way bar. : )

Stop the press... the nursery is ready!

WARNING: this is a very picture-heavy post, but we've made big progress this weekend, and I'm so excited!

Of course I am biased, but I think the pictures do not even begin to do justice to our completed nursery. Completed, of course, is a loose term. We're already thinking of things we want to add, but, for now, we're just so excited about the room. This is what you see when you walk in. Here's a closer look at the bedding: (Freshly steamed) curtains and table:

Glider and quilt (and we're particularly proud of the corner shelves and animals):And the changing table and adorable print from my Aunts Mary and Jan:
I know we'll be making additions, but we wanted to go ahead and share. I have to give Jeremy major kudos - he has been absolutely wonderful, cheerfully hanging things and assembling all kinds of baby gear. Our cars each have car seat bases installed, and Jeremy even practiced getting the car seat loaded. I'm sure our son will be just as compliant:Just two more pictures because I have to actually get up before 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Stupid work...

1. I owe my Aunt Julie Eubanks a huge thanks for the absolutely precious pillow, blanket, and burp cloth set that she made herself. I'm in awe of her talent and kindness, and I love the three pieces. Thank you, Julie!

2. I'm sure Uncle Johnny will appreciate the shout out for his nursery contribution: a door hanger and sign of things to come:

Off to sleep... while I still can! ; )

Thank you!

I will post more thoroughly later, but after attending Dad's birthday party last night, I realized many of you are actually reading this blog. Thanks so much! I'm flattered and touched. Wow, that rhymed. Marcel Marceau mimed...

Okay, I'm getting carried away. A few things before I return to steaming curtains (a surprisingly difficult task) and decorating... If you're going to post a comment, please know that I've set this up so that I approve comments before they are posted. If you comment and don't see it right away, don't panic. It will show up a.s.a.p., unless you're wildly inappropriate or something. Not that any of you would ever push the envelope. ; )

More importantly, I went to the doctor this Thursday, and, without going into too great of detail, everything is progressing as it should. (Seriously, my doctor seemed giddy.) While she offered no predictions on when I'll deliver, she disclosed that she (very mercifully) doesn't let her patients go much past their due dates. Hooray!

More soon... hoping to have the nursery photo-ready today!

Quick update after today's doctor's appointment

Hello there! I went to the doctor today, and our little guy isn't so little! I had a sonogram, and he measures as if he's 37 weeks along (I'm just over 36 weeks) and, based on measurements, weighs approximately 7 lbs 1 oz. I'm surprised - I didn't think he was that big already, but Dr. Cope assures me it is normal. We'll learn more and more at each weekly appointment. I have three more scheduled, but who knows... he could very likely be here before he's due! I'll keep you posted...

Early Stages of the Nursery

We still have LOTS of ground to cover getting the nursery set up, but I thought I'd post a few pictures of where we are so far. The crib and dresser are here and set up! The pictures don't show this too well, but the walls are a pale yellow-green (citrine, to be precise). I am enamored with the bedding (thanks Heather, Susan, Kerry, and Brooke!) and all of the accessories - they look great! We're still waiting on the glider to arrive, and, after that, we need to decide where to hang artwork and shelves, and I need to pick out and hang up curtains. Whoa... listing it all out like that kind of stresses me out! = \ Anyway, still some finishing touches to come, but I thought I'd show some signs of our progress thus far!

While I'm thinking about it, many people have asked about what we are going to name the baby. After a few nominees that haven't overwhelmed us, we've decided that we will name the baby once we meet him. We have a short list that includes a couple of family names - we're fairly certain his middle name will be James or Thomas - and we really, really hope we'll look at him and just know what his name should be. Please pray for us that this is the case! I don't think we ever anticipated how much the lack of a name would annoy our friends and families, many of whom have chosen some hideous names for our son (i.e., Hubert, Otto, and Sanchez) in the meantime. Take heart: we promise we aren't going to name the kid "Buddy" or choose a strange symbol a la Prince. If we do, we give you all the right to call CPS on us. You have that in writing.

A Tribute to Hannah

Hannah is a terrier mix (that's euphemism for "part pit bull," and no, she isn't an assassin) who joined us January 2, 2006. Hannah is our first baby, and as we await our real baby any day now, it seems fitting to give her credit for what she has meant to us. Jeremy has always been a dog person, but I was reluctant to get a dog. I did not want some hairball shedding all over my house and insisted whatever we got stay outside. I guess my attitude towards motherhood was similar. I mean, YES, I wanted kids, but I had a far from warm-fuzzy view of the gig. It took about a week for Hannah to convert me from disdainful of dogs to one of those "Who wants to get on the couch with her Mom????" saps I had always made fun of.

(In my defense, look at these pictures from when we brought her home... can you blame me?) So here is why Hannah is so important to me: she helped me realize I can be a mom... maybe even a great mom. Nurturing a puppy and taking care of it sure feels like a preview to parenthood. I look at these pictures and find myself feeling what I'm sure I'll think in just months with my son. "I can't believe you were ever this little!" "They grow up so fast." I mean, Hannah is a DOG, and I am near tears thinking about bringing her home and how much she's grown in the past two and a half years. In that time, she's taught me that you can still clean up someone's pee and poop and still love them. She's shown me that snuggling with someone little and warm is the best antidote for a bad day. She's let me embrace the role of being someone's protector and caretaker, an experience that runs the gamut between giddiness when they do something cute or learn something new and heartbreak when they're sick, hurt, and helpless. I could continue for a LONG time (clearly), but I'll save future Hannah musings for another time. The bottom line: our Hannah Bear has enriched our lives so much, and, indirectly, created the more loving home her little brother is about to enter. Awwwwww!