The Birth Story

Here are the nitty gritty details for those who are interested. If you aren't...stop reading now...don't say I didn't warn you! It wasn't horrible and traumatic or anything but I tend to just lay it all out there so be forewarned :)

So. I had been having contractions that were stronger than the braxton hicks I had with Griff for about a month and false labor off and on for a couple of weeks. I was a week past my due date and just ready to meet this little princess. I'm pretty sure I was getting crankier by the day just because the pain/frustration/sleeplessness/hormones were getting out of hand.

Mom and I had tried EVERYTHING to get this labor started but I'm pretty sure all of those methods are crapola. Actually now, in lieu of everything I see that God had 4/5 planned a looooong time ago but I'll get to that later.

The week before I had my membranes swept twice which just increased my contractions but didn't do anything else but make me feel crappy. After they did it on Friday I lost my mucous plug which I thought meant labor was gonna happen over the weekend, alas, it did not. So when I went for my 41 week appointment I figured I'd let them do it again anyway because there was a chance it could work. We discussed inducing on Monday the 11th because they like to wait until 42 weeks and I like the date 4/11/11.



Right after that the midwife said she was 2 for 2 on membrane sweepages and said she had lucky fingers. I said then go for it, lady! When she was done...and I have to say it was pretty painful...she left the room and I noticed that my water broke. Cheers of joy! I opened the door and told a nurse and my other favorite midwife came in to tell me what to do. She said to go home and wait until the contractions got to the point that I felt like I needed to come in and if they didn't by midnight then they would start a little pitocin.

Funny story here: Right when my water broke, I grabbed my phone to call Andrew and noticed that he had just texted me the following, "Just got a flat tire." I texted back, "Cool, my water just broke." I finished getting dressed and called my mom who had my car (I had been dropped off) and she said that my dad had my car at an urgent care hospital because he was sick and they were keeping him to get a CAT scan because they thought he might have diverticulitis (luckily he didn't!). So, meanwhile I just chill in the lobby hoping that I'm not leaking all over the place while I wait for Andrew to change his tire and come get me. Pretty funny that we had all been just sitting around for 2 weeks waiting for baby and at the ultimate most inconvenient time she said, "Aaaaaand NOW!" Funny little girl. I was too excited to feel any stress though.

The contractions started getting more painful pretty much as soon as my water broke at 3:20PM but not bad enough to stay at the hospital. When Andrew picked me up we went home to feed Griffin and get him to the neighbors. Another thing is that Shelly has been ready to take care of Griff when I had Elliot the entire pregnancy. I thought she was leaving April 9th for TN but she called on the 4th to tell me she was on her way to the airport. I got the dates wrong and she left the day before she was born :( sad. But luckily we have AWESOME neighbors that we could call and Griff has stayed with them before so he had a slumber party with their 4 year old twins.

After he left I tried to eat some dinner and just watch TV for a while and finish packing, etc. The contractions started getting longer and more painful though and I was worried that it would happen fast and did NOT want to have her at home. That is so not my thing. So we called the midwife and headed to the hospital around 7 ish. By the time we were in the car they were hurting pretty bad and luckily they got me into a room fairly quickly.

It was a really laid back experience (except for my screaming and thrashing around) compared to Griff's birth. The midwife didn't want me to get an IV so they just monitored my contractions and her heartbeat for 20 or 30 minutes when I got into the room then took the monitors off. When I got to the room they were less than 2 minutes apart. After they were done with that I decided to get into the jacuzzi tub in the bathroom which felt a lot more relaxing. It didn't take too long for the contractions to get even stronger and closer together. I had my trusty Ipod and gripped the bar in the tub for a while but was feeling a lot more pressure so she checked me and I was 7. I labored in the tub for a while longer and realized at one point that the pressure was getting a lot stronger so they decided to get me in the bed. The contraction between the tub and the bed has to be my least favorite by a long shot but I'm glad I got to be in there for a little bit.

Once I got to the bed I was a 9 and just wanted it to be over so bad. The midwife said it looked like I liked to grab on to stuff so she lowered both bed rails and I grabbed those suckers and am pretty sure I scared anybody within earshot but totallly didn't care at the time. At some point I thought I may just lose it if I didn't push that girl out so I said I needed to push. I think I was waiting for someone to tell me to push like they did with Griffin but the midwife was apparently waiting for me because she said to just do what I felt. So, I started pushing. No concept of time here but I know it didn't take too long.

I was a lot more alert at this point than I was with Griff. I was in labor longer and on Pitocin with him so I was totally loopy by the time I pushed him out and honestly don't remember the pain of that very much at all. I just remember thinking I was too tired to get him out. With Elliot it felt like someone took a machete to my vajayjay (sorry if you haven't had a baby yet and this is scaring you, just trying to be honest). I just wanted to have her in my arms and not in my whoha. So with a lot of grunting and yelling and saying that I just didn't think this was going to work out...she came out! They put her on my chest and was forgotten...until the stitches started but that's another story :)

She was born at 9:23PM on 4/5/2011 weighing in at 9 pounds 1 ounce and 21 inches. BEAUTIFUL dark hair and yummy rolls. I'm totally in love and Andrew is wrapped around her miniature finger. We are so thankful.

Seriously though I have never been so happy to meet someone in my life except when Griff was born. You know they are there and you feel them moving and see the ultrasounds but to see them in the flesh is just too amazing. We are so incredibly blessed, I just can't believe it.

She has been nursing good (a little scare about dehydration the first couple of days because apparently she was ready for real milk before I could provide it but we're doing good now), she sleeps a gazillion times better than Griff  did during his first year and a half. I'm in awe at how easy she is. I'm so lucky and she is only 3 days old so I know that could change but I just don't care. If she doesn't sleep for 18 years I won't care but it is a nice surprise that she actually will sleep in her crib. I couldn't get Griff to do that for 4 months. They are so different but I couldn't love 2 little people so much if I tried.

The part about this that is just such a God thing (not that it all isn't because of God) is that I had a dream on Monday night that we got our approval from Rwanda, so I woke up Tuesday and checked my email and it wasn't there but then I ended up having Elliot so I figured that was what my dream was about. This morning I was nursing her at 5AM and it took me a while to get her awake enough to nurse (crazy because every 2 hours like clockwork Griff screamed bloody murder until I gave him a booby). I had her on a boob and opened my email and saw that we got our approval from Rwanda! We have been waiting a year and a half to see that email. Our dossier has been there right under a year. I had to read it several times to be sure that I wasn't dreaming. The date on the scanned letter was 4/5/2011...Elliot's birthday. I picked up my nursing baby and went back to the bedroom and woke up Andrew and told him. Must have been quite the sight seeing his frazzled wife with a little girl attached to one boob and the other one hanging out because I forgot to close my tank top shaking him awake telling him that not only does he have a 3 day old but he has one to two more coming in 3-5 months. Deer in headlights. Not really, we have both been praying and waiting and hoping for all of these kids long enough to not care if it happens all at once. I'll be honest, there is a tad bit of stress with all we have to do in the next couple of months in between 2 hour feedings BUT I'm so on it. Bring it on and let me see that baby/those babies!

Next step-apply for Elliot's passport as soon as we get her birth certificate in the mail!

Wow. LONGEST BLOG POST OF ALL TIME! I'll reinstate the whole cookie thing if you survived reading this.

She's Here!

Birth story to come later...but here is a tidbit...without the screaming and gnashing of teeth.

41 Weeks

Today I'm 41 weeks pregnant. She must be little because the child has a party in my tummy every evening and she can move. She may be a back up dancer or something if she ever comes out.

I'm glad she moves a lot because 1. I would be paranoid if she didn't and 2. That must mean she is a petite 6-7 pounder, right??

I go in this afternoon for another ultrasound, non-stress test and membrane torture.

Maybe that'll be enough to kick these contractions into high gear!

One Word: Ouch

Seriously? I mean as much fun as it is to wait even longer to see her face...and to go in every 3 days for tests and membrane sweepage (that is just not fun)....I'm thinking a pink cuddly baby would be way more enjoyable.

I feel like my body is about 100 years old. Time to evict!

We're off to Pike Place Market since dad hasn't been before...maybe some of those mini doughnuts will make her come out...

Pre-partum Depression

 I am turning in to that girl.

Sorry to those around me.

I am disliking any person with a penis other than Griffin, Andrew, and my dad.

A man in starbuck's the other day...mere minutes after getting my membranes swept told me I'd better be getting decaf. I  must have been giving him a look because he immediately said, "I'm kidding...I was kidding..." I almost said, "I have been drinking freaking decaf for over 3 years. What is your problem?" Luckily I bit my tongue.

I am so ready to meet her. I hate to be so impatient but seriously people with April due dates are snuggling with their kiddos right now and I'm totally jealous.

I am sleeping like 15 minutes a night. Which is what I expected to be doing in April...except I expected to not be sleeping because I was nursing sweet Elliot...not because my rib cage was on fire and my rock hard uterus was still contracting. I think I have the strongest uterus on Earth. You could bounce a coin off of it...try...I dare ya.

Anyway, I'm still thankful to be pregnant but I'm just a bit over it and ready to move on to phase baby. I feel pressure in all the wrong ways. Not pressure to push so much as pressure to get this child born so that mom and dad who flew across the country to meet her can actually meet her.

My body didn't want to get pregnant...and now it doesn't want to not be pregnant. What's the deal? Make up your mind, body!

Ok. I'm done whining. I hate to be a whiner but since this blog is private and like 2 people read it I feel like I will annoy the fewest amount of people. Say a prayer for those living in my house right now. I'm getting bitchier by the minute!!

April Fool's...probably not...

I was hoping she would be born today bc it's April Fool's Day...alas...it is 6:15 and my contractions are fairly mild. Got about 6 more hours but probably not likely. Tomorrow is my birthday but I'm kind of hoping she isn't born then because I want her to have her own birthday but I'm not gonna stop her if she starts coming!

I had my non stress test, ultrasound and another membrane sweepage this morning. The tests were perfect and she is doing great in there! The midwife went to town on my membranes which hurt but hopefully will do the trick!

I asked her what was causing the rib cage pain because I just like to know stuff like that. I figured it was normal but wasn't sure exactly what it was. Little missy is pushing it out of place apparently. It makes perfect sense. Now if she could just come out so I could get straightened out it would be a great birthday present for mama :)

Andrew, mom and Griff came in for the ultrasound appointment. I've been promising them all an Elliot for so long that I figured I'd at least let them catch a glimpse of her cuteness. The tech switched it to 4D for us and I am so in love! I didn't think it would be a very clear picture at 40wks3days but it is and I just can't wait to meet her!

She looks pudgy but it could just be that she is totally out of room and all squished up in there.

Here is one I took with my phone...probably not the best quality but it works.

It looks like she has some full lips...no idea where those came from...

Griff pointed to the pictures and said, "Elliot!" When she printed out about 5 he said, "Lots of Elliots!"

Hoping for the real thing really soon!

Copy Kat

I stole this from my sis in law's blog (Jenny). I'm currently hiding from my crazy house because every time I move I get contractions that are really annoying and I'm not in the mood. Griff has crazy play time where we play fetch with Henry in the basement and I'm the middle man. I think it's safe to say I'm not in the mood.  So, instead of that I'm doing this :)

How Far Along: 40 weeks and 2 days

Size of baby: No clue. Griff was born 9 days early and was 8#5oz....she is currently 2 days late. Mama's scared! Just kidding, I have a feeling she will be 7#7oz.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I've gained 25 pounds...and losing...my appetite is gone due to lack of space!

Maternity Clothes: No, I got a few oversized shirts from H&M and have been wearing them with some black stretchy pants I had. I hate buying maternity clothes!

Gender: Girl-Elliot Coco

Movement: A ton, she's like an alien moving around in there...which leads me to believe she will be smaller than Griff

Sleep: Heck to the No

What I miss: running...I stopped a few weeks ago and the Seattle marathon is less than 3 months away! She is not respecting my race schedule!

Cravings: As of this week....Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds. YUM!

Symptoms: Lots of rib and back pain, a million contractions every day, heartburn that my Rx Zantac ain't touchin' anymore.

Best Moment this week: I'm over 40 weeks pregnant. The best moment (hopefully) this week will be meeting my daughter!

April Baby?

Not lookin' good for March for this chitlin. After I got my membranes swept yesterday I had crampy contractions every 2-6 minutes all day until right before I went to bed. I almost called the midwife to go in to the hospital but wanted to finish grading some papers. They were getting pretty painful and were every 2.5 minutes. Then...they started getting less intense and further apart. Foiled again!

I think April Fool's Day would be appropriate since she's been foolin' me for a month :)

I felt like crapola all night last night but not from the contractions...just overall crappy....I hope that is a sign that tomorrow is her birthday!!

I wanna see her face!!

I just figured it out...she is holding out for the diamond birth stone. She is a smart little diva! Also, there is a spa in Lynnwood that is free on your birthday....it's lovingly called the Naked Spa because it's kind of like the Turkish Bath I did in Turkey where you get in hot and cold pools and get rubbed down and can walk around nekked without judgement. If she isn't born by the second I'm totally going. Maybe the hot/cold will "smoke her out" (hehe, Anne..). It won't be pretty for the other patrons but that's the deal. Done.

Fashionably Late

Little missy has apparently decided to be late to the party. Little stinker!

I had my 40 week and 1 day appointment today and I'm 3 cm dilated which is better than nothing...these contractions are doing something! Yay!

Apparently she is still high...my burning rib cage coulda told ya that.

The midwife stripped my membranes so I'm hoping that kicks labor into full gear and doesn't just make me crampy. So far...I'm just crampy.

I've been having contractions since 5:30 this morning but obviously they are just annoying and uncomfortable or I would be in L&D right now instead of sitting on my couch blogging :)

Here's the eviction plan:

Stripped the membranes today and hopefully I will just go in to labor in the next 12 hours or so.

If not, I have an appointment on Friday for a non-stress test and ultrasound to make sure she is doing okay in there. I'll probably have them strip my membranes again after all that just for good measure.

Then we wait and if she still isn't here by April 12 we will call out the big guns and induce.

They didn't seem to think I would make it until the 12th but you never know! I would feel so bad for Bella being here OVER A MONTH but I gotta be honest....it's been super nice having her to hang out with/help take care of crazy Griff.  Dad is flying in on the 1st so I'm hoping she is here by then because he doesn't have as long to visit as Bella does!

Fingers crossed!

D-Day

Today is Miss Elliot's due date...and she's missin' her own party! Fashionably late. She's gonna be cool like that.

I was SO ANXIOUS about her coming and when I woke up this morning at 4 with nothing but the braxton-hicks contractions I was sad that she still wasn't here. I'm uncomfortable but the main reasons I was stressed about this was
1. My mom has been in town since the 17th and I feel personally responsible that she is having to stay so long with nary a baby in sight. She doesn't mind and we have had fun with Griffin but I still feel pressure to perform :)

2. The adoption. Weird, I know but our agency had told us that they wanted a 9 month gap from when she was born and when we bring home our kid(s) from Rwanda. Every day she didn't come was adding to that wait list that has already been so long and I didn't realize until today that it was the main cause of my stress.

We talked to our case worker from Gladney today and she had spent the past couple of weeks in Africa so she told us all about that and then told us something that made me want to drive to Dallas and kiss her. They no longer are making us wait the 9 months! Whenever the ministry give us an approval and referral we can accept and travel and be done with the adoption! I'm so relieved I don't care if Elliot waits another 2 weeks to join us. Except for the fact that I want to see/kiss her face so bad it hurts.

It may be the first time our pediatrician gets the question, "Now how long do we need to wait before taking her to Africa for about 5 weeks?" during her hospital checkup...but....such is life. I'm so excited that we don't have to add another wrench into this adoption that I could dance...if I could physically move enough to do anything that looked like dancing...

They are also not changing our age request so we could get 1-2 siblings for Griff and Elliot between the ages of 6 months and 2...may be artificial twinning which we originally wanted to avoid but at this point with the way things have been in Rwanda we don't want to do anything to change the adoption so we will just deat with the potential problems if and when they occur. I've never turned down a challenge so bring it!

I'm posting this on this blob because it's private. I'm gonna have to make Inside Kat's Head private too because of the recent adoption changes and the fact that we are no longer going to inform Rwanda when Elliot is born. SO, if you want an email to get a password for that blog just email me at katarrack@gmail.com and I will send it to you. Grazie!

No baby on the due date but good future baby news so I'm one happy huge woman!

Psyche!

I got my second 'let's induce labor ' foot massage (that was AMAZING) with mom again yesterday. I was hoping the one last Saturday would be the last one....not that I don't like the pampering...but a baby would be so much better! We live within 2 miles of at least 2 little cheapo massage places and I'm really hoping I don't end up there again next Saturday! I told Andrew that every Saturday that I'm not snuggling Elliot I'm hittin' it up.

Anyway, we got them at 3 and I started getting stronger contractions during the massage. We went on a couple of errands then went home and Andrew and I took up mom's offer of going on (hopefully) one last date before Miss Elliot got here and went to dinner. When we got there we started timing the contractions because they were starting to hurt. They were 2-3 minutes apart the whole dinner and getting more and more painful but I was trying to not get my hopes up since this uterus has burned me before.

We decided to go home after dinner and figure out if we should call the midwife, etc. I did just to see what she thought and she recommended getting into a hot bath to see if they stayed strong or got lighter.

Of course they got lighter and started tapering. I kept having pretty uncomfortable ones until we went to bed around 11 but they weren't as frequent and I was able to actually sleep. SO....long story short. False labor. Glad I didn't go in to L&D. However, now I see myself delivering in a car since my uterus is crying wolf. I may not believe labor when it comes for real!

I go back to the midwife on Wednesday so we shall see what she says! Andrew and I were talking about how we just want to see her little face so bad! I just want to see her and know that she is healthy and start learning her little personality.

Compared to this pregnancy and the adoption, Griff wins the award of easiest child to get into our arms!

Lovey!

Bella has been in town for a week now. While I LOVE hanging out with my mom...I feel bad because she didn't necessarily come to just chill with me forever...she came for a baby!

It gave her time to make Elliot a cute little lovey though! I LOVE it!!! I told E that she has to come out to snuggle with it....I ain't puttin' it in there for her!

See how cute??

Isn't it cute?? I want to see her snuggle with it! Like....tonight!

PS-we went to Panera for lunch after the Children's Museum today and some guy behind us in line for drinks said, "Ask the pregnant girl." No idea what he was talking about but other than the fact that my patience to see her ran out a good while ago and now I'm sick with some weird congestion/throat thing...I gave him a totally involuntary death look as if to say, "Be VERY careful what you say to this pregnant girl." and he looked scared...and didn't ask me anything. Well played, big mama. Ask Andrew...I'm not in the mood, people!

Teaser!

I totally thought I would get to meet Elliot today. She is such a tease! I get so excited and then....nada!

I was really cramping with my contractions yesterday and just felt off all day. When we went to bed I had a huge contraction that made me totally think labor was coming and I was so ready.....and that was it. Just one. I've never been so disappointed to fall asleep instead of writhe in pain all night. Does that make me a freak?

Maybe next time!

My sister said she is loving Elliot's spunkiness already...the little stinker :) I hope she is spunky but the only way to find out is for her to come on out and play!

I put her carseat in the car....maybe she is a safety girl and wants to make sure her affairs are in order before she comes out. Fingers crossed!

March 30?

She did it again!

I'm thinking she is trying to send a message...maybe she will be born on 3-30. That's her cousin's birthday so maybe she wants to be cute like that.

I had my 39 week appointment yesterday and when the midwife walked in she said, "Oh no! You look like you're about to cry!" and handed me about 3 tissues. I wasn't about to cry. I guess the bloodshot eyes and stuffy nose threw her off. I told her I just don't sleep much (hence the blog post at 4am). And she went about her business. I wonder if a lot of women cry at their 39 week appointment...

Her business was pretty much telling me her head was still high as Mars and she wasn't ready to come yet. SO I made my 40 week appointment for March 30. Which is after my due date. Which almost made me go back for those tissues. Not really. But, I am just so ready to meet her!

Therefore I'm re-doing our hall closet into a nook/faux mudroom thingie. Why? Because I'm crazy. Mom and Andrew just look at my huge self like I'm crazy as I stand on a chair to paint. Don't judge! It must be done!

I also think Andrew is getting the brunt of my frustrations. I realize she won't stay in there forever but I'm just so impatient! We have been ready for her for over 2 years and my patience is just gone. I was hurting a lot right before bed last night and poor Andrew touched me as I was brushing my teeth and I'm ashamed to admit that I totally snapped at him not to touch me. I'm becoming that woman! Help!

3:30

This child is a jokester.

Third morning in a row that contractions woke me up at exactly 3:30.

And she is still very much not born.

At least this morning I was too exhausted to stay awake between the faux contractions. I feel refreshed!

So.

In honor of her still hiding from her mama, I'm re-doing our hall closet. That was my rule. I think I'm officially done with the gym till after she is born. I went on Monday and it felt like A.my pelvic bone would crack in half or B. I was going to pass out from low blood pressure or hunger or both. So...Y...see ya in a few weeks! I think...unless I break down and go just to try to induce labor...hmm.

Now mom and I are just gonna hang out and wait to meet the little girlie.

Last night at the dinner table, Griffin was like a standup comedian. He had us all in stitches the whole time. One of his acts was saying, "I want Elliot Coco up and out!" While making motions that he was holding a baby. He said it over and over....so fun!

Bellies!

Just for kicks I thought I would compare my huge Griffy belly and my huge Elliot belly. The Elliot shot was taken after the point that Griff was born but pretty close. I think I took the one with Griff right before he was born.

Here is the G-belly:

And the E-belly:

WOW..
.#1-I look deformed in both
#2-Elliot is WAY lower
#3-They both love my right side which is why the right side of my back is killin' just like it did with Griff
#4-It looks like I have had my belly button surgically moved
#5-I apparently am a creature of habit with the hair band on my left wrist.

39 Weeks

And nowhere to go....

Woke up again at 3:30 with contractions...but....nothing significant and all it did was keep me up so I watched a little tube and laid on the couch getting up to eat a snack every once in a while. Would rather be breastfeeding!

Griff was born by now and he was an 8 pound 5 ouncer so I'm hoping Miss Elliot is more on the petite side because each day she just gets chunkier! And the place where she is coming out ain't gettin' any bigger... I keep picturing her as a nice little 6 or 7 pounder though. Mom said I was 7 pounds 7 ounces which is what I've been telling Andrew I think E will be...perfect numbers! However I was 3 weeks early so I probably woulda been a chunk if I'd been born on my due date.

So... since mom and I didn't make any plans today with the hopes that we would be staring at a cute little baby girl...we are trying to figure out what to do.

Exciting activities on the horizon include dropping a box of stuff off at Good Will...I'm so totally nesting right now that I could probably find more stuff to get rid of in each room of the house if I wasn't so sleepy.

And if we get really crazy we might make the curtains in the nursery a little more girly :)

Luckily Griff woke up in an excellent mood and has been keeping us entertained this morning. Now if I could just give him his 'baby sista' he would be even more cheerful!

I have my appointment tomorrow at 2 so I may be begging to get my membranes swept or something to get these contractions to move along from annoying to painful. I've never wanted pain so much in my life. I sound like a crazy person.

Come on, Elliot!!!

Hmmm

I'm getting a tad frustrated.

And decided to blog.

Shocker. So I have woken up every night for the past several days with contractions that go nowhere. Had one at 3:45 this morning and they are just so sporadic that I'm pretty sure she is just messing with me again. I wish they would get into some kind of rhythm because I'm way past ready to meet  this little girl.

She was crazy active after I woke up that I couldn't really get back to sleep so thank goodness I have a job that I can do in my PJs on the couch at 4 in the morning with tiny feet kicking my stomach.

Every time they wake me up I get so excited that she is going to be born and then they just either taper or go nowhere. With Griff, it was a lot easier because my water broke which was a dead giveaway that I would most likely meet him within 24 hours. This little chicky has me guessing all the time.

On Saturday I was almost positive that she would make her appearance because I woke up at 5 with contractions that just got stronger and more painful throughout the day. Mom and I got an hour long foot massage that really got them going..and then...around 10pm they went away. No fairsies.

I'm trying to not get frustrated because seriously chances are good that she will be here this week and that is so exciting and I'm so insanely blessed. Buuuuuut if she could just quit teasing me that would be lovely.

3/21/2011 would be a great day to be born, right? Elliot....right? Bueller....

Super Moon!!

I had appointment number 2 for the week today (can't wait to be done with the PRE natal and on to the POST natal appointments!) and the midwife was not a fan of my lab work. She kept talking about how my kidneys were involved and she was worried (always fun to hear). She asked is I had problems when I was pregnant with Griffin (no) and if it was the same father (how am I supposed to know?) Kidding...I'm pretty sure Andrew is the father of both my children :) She just sent me home and said she would call after she talked to the doc. Still waiting but hopefully they'll just let me do my thing till she decides to come. It's the biggest full moon in 18 years tomorrow night so I'm turning superstitious and decided that she will come then :)

Therefore Andrew and I are taking our anniversary date tonight thanks to Bella...the last one got postponed due to Griff being pitiful and sickly.

Also little Missy Elliot has decided to go from having her back on my left side...to her back on my right side...to her back to my back which makes her facing the completely wrong way. All in a matter of a week. Every way but the right way the little stinker.

I wasn't too worried about it until we had dinner with our neighbors last night. They have six kids. She said that her daughter was facing that way and she labored for 2 days. 2 DAYS! And when she came out she broke her tailbone. Sounds fun. Let me put that on my list of things not to tell a person 38 weeks pregnant with a posterior baby :) She still has time to flip around hopefully. Marathon training with a broken tailbone does sound enticing though....

Parasympatheti-ouch!

This pregnancy has been pretty different than Griff's. Similar but definite differences.

Thanks to my friend, Anne...who is a super duper smarty pants, I have some idea as to why.

Apparently it's mostly linked to my parasympathetic nervous system. Lots of small ligament pain goin' on...those cramps in my booty are still happening all the time, and lots of nerve issues in my back and legs. Weird! I wouldn't have put it all together but apparently it's all linked. That could also be why she was breech and why she is posterior now. Interesting. I love learning new things about how our bodies work and how thinks are connected.

Just hoping she gets positioned correctly. Not sure if it will make a difference or not but the midwife seems like she isn't a fan of the posterior babies. From what I have read sometimes it makes the labor/delivery more difficult and sometimes they turn during labor and it's no big deal. From everything else during this pregnancy that seemed to be wrong but turned out to be no big deal, I'm not too worried about it. I'm mentally preparing for a longer labor just in case.

During my 38 week appointment there wasn't any protein in my urine and my BP was good so I think we're good to go! They drew blood again just for fun...because it's such a blast to do that for seemingly no reason. Griff kept saying, "I wanna baby!" while they were drawing it again...no clue why he links the two but it cracks me up.

I wanna meet her!!! Mom gets in tomorrow night at 9:40. YAY!!! Then Elliot can just go ahead and make her appearance! I keep thinking she is going to be early but now that we've almost made it to when mom is here I'm thinking she might throw us through a loop and come late. I sure hope not though!

I think that's all I have to ramble about right now. Just getting impatient! 13 days to go!