Just a little update...we're still waiting!
In the mean time, Michael is taking EXCELLENT care of me and being a good coach, getting me up and walking around to help encourage little Michael to make his way in the world.
We're doing well, but still trying to pray about which decisions we should be making this week.
Thanks for your prayers. Keep them coming!
-love, Kim, Michael and Baby Michael.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Pleasant Distraction
As Kathy posted on her blog, I had a fun morning, which provided a nice break from waiting. There is nothing like three nephews to take one's mind off being restless, and also to provide something to look forward to...a fun little boy that will grow up, hopefully to be as fun, cute, and well-behaved as the Campbell kids.
Jack and Thomas were very good in the dr's office, quietly observing the other children, even being enthralled when a couple of them walked in with super techno-savvy toys. In fact, at one point, Jack and Thomas stared at a little boy with some noise-making gadget, and even though all they did was smile brightly and stare curiously, a few times they looked at each other almost with the idea, "We could take him."
But as the waiting room continued to get crowded, without any toys provided by the doctors to entertain the kids waiting, it was clear that restless would soon give way to impatience. The boys had their motorcycles, but even those required some space to really play with them, space that was running out quickly!
So, Jack, Thomas and I decided a walk might be a great way to kill time, burn energy and get out of that crowded room. We went for a walk trying to find tanks to shoot down, but soon I discovered that climbing two flights of stairs was WAY more fun to them than even finding the tanks. Even Thomas with his little legs kept asking for the stairs. After the second flight of stairs, the second time, I could see his little legs shaking a bit as he was getting tired, but he still pressed on, triumphant when he reached the top.
We went to a courtyard outside, and that was a quick way to burn energy and let the boys be loud, using their "outside voices." They ran around and around and around the courtyard. It was also SO cute when Jack was running around a square design in the brickwork in the courtyard yelling "I'm a Dodger! I'm running around the bases!" Well done, Kathy and David. You are teaching them well!
We floated in and out of the building, each time checking to see if Kathy and Peelo were done yet, and each time they were still not back in the waiting room, they asked to go back out for a walk. No whining, no complaining, no getting impatient. Just content to keep climbing stairs, searching for tanks, and running around outside.
So, we had a great day!! As Kathy mentioned, this was followed by going to the park and watching the kids giggle and laugh while they fed the ducks. It was hard to say goodbye, and I wish I could have spent the whole day just hanging out. But soon enough, I will have my own tyke to contribute to the mix and once Peter and Michael get big enough to contribute their antics, ideas, and comments, it will be twice the fun!!
Yay for boys!!
Jack and Thomas were very good in the dr's office, quietly observing the other children, even being enthralled when a couple of them walked in with super techno-savvy toys. In fact, at one point, Jack and Thomas stared at a little boy with some noise-making gadget, and even though all they did was smile brightly and stare curiously, a few times they looked at each other almost with the idea, "We could take him."
But as the waiting room continued to get crowded, without any toys provided by the doctors to entertain the kids waiting, it was clear that restless would soon give way to impatience. The boys had their motorcycles, but even those required some space to really play with them, space that was running out quickly!
So, Jack, Thomas and I decided a walk might be a great way to kill time, burn energy and get out of that crowded room. We went for a walk trying to find tanks to shoot down, but soon I discovered that climbing two flights of stairs was WAY more fun to them than even finding the tanks. Even Thomas with his little legs kept asking for the stairs. After the second flight of stairs, the second time, I could see his little legs shaking a bit as he was getting tired, but he still pressed on, triumphant when he reached the top.
We went to a courtyard outside, and that was a quick way to burn energy and let the boys be loud, using their "outside voices." They ran around and around and around the courtyard. It was also SO cute when Jack was running around a square design in the brickwork in the courtyard yelling "I'm a Dodger! I'm running around the bases!" Well done, Kathy and David. You are teaching them well!
We floated in and out of the building, each time checking to see if Kathy and Peelo were done yet, and each time they were still not back in the waiting room, they asked to go back out for a walk. No whining, no complaining, no getting impatient. Just content to keep climbing stairs, searching for tanks, and running around outside.
So, we had a great day!! As Kathy mentioned, this was followed by going to the park and watching the kids giggle and laugh while they fed the ducks. It was hard to say goodbye, and I wish I could have spent the whole day just hanging out. But soon enough, I will have my own tyke to contribute to the mix and once Peter and Michael get big enough to contribute their antics, ideas, and comments, it will be twice the fun!!
Yay for boys!!
Pregnancy Elapsed Time=Twice as Long
Yesterday was Baby Michael's due date. I've been preparing myself these past few months to go past this date. Michael doesn't have a calendar in there, he doesn't know what day it is, and 40 weeks on the dot means nothing to him. He's just hanging out in there until something, which is not even something he can control, tells my body that he's ready.
BUT....
All this knowledge doesn't change the fact that now I'm considered "overdue." As much as I can remind myself over and over that this is perfectly normal, it doesn't change the sensation that the clock has stopped ticking on the bomb, and the silence of when the actual detonation will take place is deafening.
In fact, I noticed today that days seem to pass by twice as slowly. If someone were to ask me today "When are you due?" My first reaction would be "two days ago." When in fact, it is only yesterday. But in my mind, it feel like two whole days have elapsed in the time that only one has. Being overdue by one week, I imagine, must feel like being overdue for at least weeks, or maybe it goes exponentially and it feels like it has been a month!
I had my 40+1day doctor's appointment today and it went well. Baby Michael is healthy and content and my weight hasn't gone up too much from last time (it was +2 lbs, but I also was retaining a ton of water today...my leg was much more swollen than it was last week).
The doctor wanted to know what I wanted to do. He commented, "This baby is a big guy." And reminded me that the longer we waited, the chance of a normal delivery goes down and the chance of C-section goes up simply because he may be too big to get through. Yet, he still is willing to be patient as I requested to wait until at leat 41 weeks.
The option Michael and I have to consider is: do we induce labor or keep waiting. If we keep waiting, the baby will get bigger and bigger, further increasing a chance of a C-section. Whereas, if we induce sooner, we may catch the baby while he is still small enough to delivery normally.
However, if we attempt an induction and my body just isn't ready yet, we are then ensuring a C-section. I can be induced and get to a certain point in labor and then just stall out, and as they constantly reminded us in our Baby class, "a failed induction is ALWAYS a C-section." Past a certain point, they have to get the baby out...
So, trying to navigate the narrow path between a possible C-section and a possible C-section is not so easy. Of course, induction isn't absolutely a C-section...but it's a risk. And it's also a lot more uncomfortable of a labor than regular labor. Contractions are typically much harder, and the medicine has to fight against a body that just wasn't ready to deliver yet.
So many questions...so many things to consider, all which can prevented if BABY MICHAEL JUST COMES....SOON!!
Michael and I have agreed to wait until Thursday, 41 weeks, and not feel rushed to make any decisions until then. Just let him come. Give it a good wait, and then see what our options are.
So, not much more to say than that! We're still waiting...trying to be patient, and walking like crazy to encourage the baby to come, which is pretty much all I can do right now.
Please pray!!
BUT....
All this knowledge doesn't change the fact that now I'm considered "overdue." As much as I can remind myself over and over that this is perfectly normal, it doesn't change the sensation that the clock has stopped ticking on the bomb, and the silence of when the actual detonation will take place is deafening.
In fact, I noticed today that days seem to pass by twice as slowly. If someone were to ask me today "When are you due?" My first reaction would be "two days ago." When in fact, it is only yesterday. But in my mind, it feel like two whole days have elapsed in the time that only one has. Being overdue by one week, I imagine, must feel like being overdue for at least weeks, or maybe it goes exponentially and it feels like it has been a month!
I had my 40+1day doctor's appointment today and it went well. Baby Michael is healthy and content and my weight hasn't gone up too much from last time (it was +2 lbs, but I also was retaining a ton of water today...my leg was much more swollen than it was last week).
The doctor wanted to know what I wanted to do. He commented, "This baby is a big guy." And reminded me that the longer we waited, the chance of a normal delivery goes down and the chance of C-section goes up simply because he may be too big to get through. Yet, he still is willing to be patient as I requested to wait until at leat 41 weeks.
The option Michael and I have to consider is: do we induce labor or keep waiting. If we keep waiting, the baby will get bigger and bigger, further increasing a chance of a C-section. Whereas, if we induce sooner, we may catch the baby while he is still small enough to delivery normally.
However, if we attempt an induction and my body just isn't ready yet, we are then ensuring a C-section. I can be induced and get to a certain point in labor and then just stall out, and as they constantly reminded us in our Baby class, "a failed induction is ALWAYS a C-section." Past a certain point, they have to get the baby out...
So, trying to navigate the narrow path between a possible C-section and a possible C-section is not so easy. Of course, induction isn't absolutely a C-section...but it's a risk. And it's also a lot more uncomfortable of a labor than regular labor. Contractions are typically much harder, and the medicine has to fight against a body that just wasn't ready to deliver yet.
So many questions...so many things to consider, all which can prevented if BABY MICHAEL JUST COMES....SOON!!
Michael and I have agreed to wait until Thursday, 41 weeks, and not feel rushed to make any decisions until then. Just let him come. Give it a good wait, and then see what our options are.
So, not much more to say than that! We're still waiting...trying to be patient, and walking like crazy to encourage the baby to come, which is pretty much all I can do right now.
Please pray!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Continuing List of Pregnant Woman Etiquette
I am adding on items to my list:
1. Always say they look good. Even if it isn't true...it's the best feeling to hear it.
2. Never comment how big they are getting. Unless you are under 5 and one of my nephews, and even he will follow-up quickly with, "Baby Michael is getting big" as he recognizes that my growing big is a consequence of the baby getting big. Not that bowl of ice cream I just ate.
3. Always call the ever-expanding tummy "cute" or something like that. "Big" never works.
4. When the mama's belly is about to explode, and she's so pregnant that it really literally looks like she has a basketball or watermelon (or as Thomas pronounces it "waller-mello") stuffed under her shirt...DON'T state or ask "Oh! No baby yet?" When encountering a pregnant woman in this condition, please refer to Etiquette rule #1.
5. Never...and I mean NEVER ask a pregnant woman "Are you having twins?!" and CERTAINLY never say it matter-of-factly "Oh, wow! You must be having twins." What are these people thinking?!
6. It's a nice thing to ask a pregnant woman how she's feeling. It shows courtesy, and gives her a chance to communicate a need without complaining. For instance:
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, pretty well, except my legs are a little swollen."
"Oh, in that case, why don't you have a seat" or "Let's get you taken care of so you can get off your feet."
This is very well received by pregnant ladies, since it allows her to avoid having to say tiredly, "I need to sit down...my legs are swollen." We don't want to feel like a weakling, but still, we may need to move, sit, or get going because of some discomfort.
Better yet, do a combo and combine this rule with Etiquette rule #1:
"You look good! How are you feeling?"
Wow, that has major brownie-point power to it! This approach will always make a tired pregnant lady perk up. "Oh...I look good? Wow, maybe they didn't notice the circles under my eyes because my baby decided nighttime was the time to practice his favorite new move I like to call the "Bicycle."
No, hun, they noticed those circles...and they also noticed the fact that your maternity shirt is increasingly becoming too short, but you refuse to go buy new maternity clothes, so you keep tugging at them to prevent the belly from creeping out from below like a man with a huge beer belly
...and they also noticed that your shoes are either loosely tied or not tied at all because you can no longer tie them yourself but have too much dignity to ask a co-worker to tie them...
and the astute observer probably caught on to the fact that when you walk, your belly has a momentum and a sway on a totally different wavelength from your own, leading you to walk somewhat lopsided (maybe that really is a beer belly)...
...they're just practicing good etiquette!
And that works for me!
1. Always say they look good. Even if it isn't true...it's the best feeling to hear it.
2. Never comment how big they are getting. Unless you are under 5 and one of my nephews, and even he will follow-up quickly with, "Baby Michael is getting big" as he recognizes that my growing big is a consequence of the baby getting big. Not that bowl of ice cream I just ate.
3. Always call the ever-expanding tummy "cute" or something like that. "Big" never works.
4. When the mama's belly is about to explode, and she's so pregnant that it really literally looks like she has a basketball or watermelon (or as Thomas pronounces it "waller-mello") stuffed under her shirt...DON'T state or ask "Oh! No baby yet?" When encountering a pregnant woman in this condition, please refer to Etiquette rule #1.
5. Never...and I mean NEVER ask a pregnant woman "Are you having twins?!" and CERTAINLY never say it matter-of-factly "Oh, wow! You must be having twins." What are these people thinking?!
6. It's a nice thing to ask a pregnant woman how she's feeling. It shows courtesy, and gives her a chance to communicate a need without complaining. For instance:
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, pretty well, except my legs are a little swollen."
"Oh, in that case, why don't you have a seat" or "Let's get you taken care of so you can get off your feet."
This is very well received by pregnant ladies, since it allows her to avoid having to say tiredly, "I need to sit down...my legs are swollen." We don't want to feel like a weakling, but still, we may need to move, sit, or get going because of some discomfort.
Better yet, do a combo and combine this rule with Etiquette rule #1:
"You look good! How are you feeling?"
Wow, that has major brownie-point power to it! This approach will always make a tired pregnant lady perk up. "Oh...I look good? Wow, maybe they didn't notice the circles under my eyes because my baby decided nighttime was the time to practice his favorite new move I like to call the "Bicycle."
No, hun, they noticed those circles...and they also noticed the fact that your maternity shirt is increasingly becoming too short, but you refuse to go buy new maternity clothes, so you keep tugging at them to prevent the belly from creeping out from below like a man with a huge beer belly
...and they also noticed that your shoes are either loosely tied or not tied at all because you can no longer tie them yourself but have too much dignity to ask a co-worker to tie them...
and the astute observer probably caught on to the fact that when you walk, your belly has a momentum and a sway on a totally different wavelength from your own, leading you to walk somewhat lopsided (maybe that really is a beer belly)...
...they're just practicing good etiquette!
And that works for me!
What Day will his birthday be?
It's so interesting thinking about "the date" that Michael will be born. That will be his very special day for his whole life! Which date will it be? It won't be the 8th--unless and whirlwind labor ensues...like NOW!...
....
.....
...nope....
but it could be any other day afterwards....what will his number be? 7-9-08? Will he be a 7-11 boy? What date is going to be here on after labeled "Michael's birthday"? Only time will tell!
Apparently, Michael was tempted with 7-8, but thought twice about it and changed his mind. He just didn't like the feel of it, I suppose. He tried the idea on for size for a few hours last night, as he sent his mother through a series of pretty intense contractions. So much so, that I decided to throw some last minute things into the suitcase, because I was becoming increasingly convinced that the "last minute" was soon approaching. Strong, discernable contractions, lots of pressure, like the feel of a baby trying to get out, all last for a couple of hours.
But alas...he tried on the date for size and thought that he prefers other numbers to be inscribed on his birth certificate, birthday bulletin board at school, driver's license, passport, and college and job applications. After all that, the contractions subsided and I woke up this morning with a tranquil tummy. Oh well.
So, we wait some more and see what happens tonight! At least one thing is for sure...like any muscle, the more I get a workout, hopefully, the smoother real labor will go. As psychologically unsettling these series of contractions can be, hopefully they'll pay off in the end!
Until tomorrow!
--Kim.
....
.....
...nope....
but it could be any other day afterwards....what will his number be? 7-9-08? Will he be a 7-11 boy? What date is going to be here on after labeled "Michael's birthday"? Only time will tell!
Apparently, Michael was tempted with 7-8, but thought twice about it and changed his mind. He just didn't like the feel of it, I suppose. He tried the idea on for size for a few hours last night, as he sent his mother through a series of pretty intense contractions. So much so, that I decided to throw some last minute things into the suitcase, because I was becoming increasingly convinced that the "last minute" was soon approaching. Strong, discernable contractions, lots of pressure, like the feel of a baby trying to get out, all last for a couple of hours.
But alas...he tried on the date for size and thought that he prefers other numbers to be inscribed on his birth certificate, birthday bulletin board at school, driver's license, passport, and college and job applications. After all that, the contractions subsided and I woke up this morning with a tranquil tummy. Oh well.
So, we wait some more and see what happens tonight! At least one thing is for sure...like any muscle, the more I get a workout, hopefully, the smoother real labor will go. As psychologically unsettling these series of contractions can be, hopefully they'll pay off in the end!
Until tomorrow!
--Kim.
Monday, July 7, 2008
My Baby the Tease
I know everyone's labor story is a little different, but these past two days have been kind of a roller-coaster ride.
It began Saturday evening after dinner. I started experiencing some weird feelings that were like contractions that I had been having, except they were all over. It was like a warm sensation that was not indigestion, but not regular enough to be contractions.
This continued all through Saturday night, and into Sunday morning all throughout Mass, when these sensations did take on more of a labor-like pattern, with peaks and rest periods.
These even continued after Mass until about 1 in the afternoon. Now, they were not fulfilling the requirement of "longer, stronger, and closer together" which would indicate labor, but they were enough for me to think pretty confidently, "Hey, we may be looking at delivery either today or tomorrow because this has kept up for hours and hours!!"
Wouldn't you know it, but they stopped around 2 pm. Here we were, starting to get all excited that this may be "it" and it was just that false labor stuff again.
See, this is why we won't be calling anyone until the contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for at least an hour. Because the last thing I want is droves of family, excitedly coming down, only for these silly things to stop and everyone gets to turn around and go back home.
So, Baby Michael seemed like he was wanting to come this weekend, but alas, he must have changed his mind. What a tease!!!
In the mean time, I am almost displaying first-trimester degrees of tiredness!! I have just been sleeping all the time...in fact, last night I went to bed at 9:30 and didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning! Maybe that is a sign that I am getting close and my body is accruing sleep for the "the Big Day."
I am just trying to keep patient but it is so hard to do when every person I see at Church asks "When is the baby coming?" "Not here yet?" "When are you due?" "Oh, he is still really high up..." or if I come in to work a little later than normal because of a doctor's appointment, an explosion of "Oh! I thought you weren't coming in because you had the baby..."
It's like being under a microscope!! I am really working hard to be as patient as can be, and trying to be especially aware that this might be going on for two more weeks! As the tabloids dub it for the celebs, this "Womb Watch 2008" from Church is not making it any easier! phew!
I am totally loving Michael's response to it all: "Oh!! The baby hasn't come yet?" and Michael says to them, "Well, he did, but we put him back. We saw the hospital bills and decided to put him on lay-away till we could afford him better."
Awesome, honey, awesome! It's a great response to all the Captain Obviouses out there! It keeps a smile on the face while communicating, with the same degree of satisfaction, what pointing to my stomach and announcing "Duh!" would do...without the bite, which would no doubt be received as "Oh, she's just in a bad mood because she's 9.5 months pregnant...you know how those hormones can be...."
One good thing can come of this...I have learned from first-hand experience several important lessons on etiquette to a pregnant lady:
1. Always say they look good. Even if it isn't true...it's the best feeling to hear it.
2. Never comment how big they are getting. Unless you are under 5 and one of my nephews, and even he will follow-up quickly with, "Baby Michael is getting big" as he recognizes that my growing big is a consequence of the baby getting big. Not that bowl of ice cream I just ate.
3. Always call the ever-expanding tummy "cute" or something like that. "Big" never works.
4. When the mama's belly is about to explode, and she's so pregnant that it really literally looks like she has a basketball or watermelon (or as Thomas pronounces it "waller-mello") stuffed under her shirt...DON'T state or ask "Oh! No baby yet?" When encountering a pregnant woman in this condition, please refer to Etiquette rule #1.
As this goes on...I may add a few more things to my Pregnant Etiquette list.
It began Saturday evening after dinner. I started experiencing some weird feelings that were like contractions that I had been having, except they were all over. It was like a warm sensation that was not indigestion, but not regular enough to be contractions.
This continued all through Saturday night, and into Sunday morning all throughout Mass, when these sensations did take on more of a labor-like pattern, with peaks and rest periods.
These even continued after Mass until about 1 in the afternoon. Now, they were not fulfilling the requirement of "longer, stronger, and closer together" which would indicate labor, but they were enough for me to think pretty confidently, "Hey, we may be looking at delivery either today or tomorrow because this has kept up for hours and hours!!"
Wouldn't you know it, but they stopped around 2 pm. Here we were, starting to get all excited that this may be "it" and it was just that false labor stuff again.
See, this is why we won't be calling anyone until the contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for at least an hour. Because the last thing I want is droves of family, excitedly coming down, only for these silly things to stop and everyone gets to turn around and go back home.
So, Baby Michael seemed like he was wanting to come this weekend, but alas, he must have changed his mind. What a tease!!!
In the mean time, I am almost displaying first-trimester degrees of tiredness!! I have just been sleeping all the time...in fact, last night I went to bed at 9:30 and didn't wake up until 7:30 this morning! Maybe that is a sign that I am getting close and my body is accruing sleep for the "the Big Day."
I am just trying to keep patient but it is so hard to do when every person I see at Church asks "When is the baby coming?" "Not here yet?" "When are you due?" "Oh, he is still really high up..." or if I come in to work a little later than normal because of a doctor's appointment, an explosion of "Oh! I thought you weren't coming in because you had the baby..."
It's like being under a microscope!! I am really working hard to be as patient as can be, and trying to be especially aware that this might be going on for two more weeks! As the tabloids dub it for the celebs, this "Womb Watch 2008" from Church is not making it any easier! phew!
I am totally loving Michael's response to it all: "Oh!! The baby hasn't come yet?" and Michael says to them, "Well, he did, but we put him back. We saw the hospital bills and decided to put him on lay-away till we could afford him better."
Awesome, honey, awesome! It's a great response to all the Captain Obviouses out there! It keeps a smile on the face while communicating, with the same degree of satisfaction, what pointing to my stomach and announcing "Duh!" would do...without the bite, which would no doubt be received as "Oh, she's just in a bad mood because she's 9.5 months pregnant...you know how those hormones can be...."
One good thing can come of this...I have learned from first-hand experience several important lessons on etiquette to a pregnant lady:
1. Always say they look good. Even if it isn't true...it's the best feeling to hear it.
2. Never comment how big they are getting. Unless you are under 5 and one of my nephews, and even he will follow-up quickly with, "Baby Michael is getting big" as he recognizes that my growing big is a consequence of the baby getting big. Not that bowl of ice cream I just ate.
3. Always call the ever-expanding tummy "cute" or something like that. "Big" never works.
4. When the mama's belly is about to explode, and she's so pregnant that it really literally looks like she has a basketball or watermelon (or as Thomas pronounces it "waller-mello") stuffed under her shirt...DON'T state or ask "Oh! No baby yet?" When encountering a pregnant woman in this condition, please refer to Etiquette rule #1.
As this goes on...I may add a few more things to my Pregnant Etiquette list.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
A Weight Loss Miracle
Today, I had my 39th-week appointment (yes...that is 39 out of the average 40 weeks, which means as the ticker indicates...ONLY ONE MORE WEEK 'TIL THE DUE DATE!!!).
Everything went really well and as I stepped on the scale, I discovered it actually went down from last week!! Yeah!!!
Now, I'm not sure how that is possible, either I've lost weight myself (we know Baby Michael hasn't lost an ounce!) or the scales are just a little off from one room to another, a theory held by both me and Kathy as we have discovered the joy of the light scales and the curse of the "fat scales" at the doctor's office. The latter theory about the scales being slightly off, is probably the more tenable one.
But hey, whatever way, on my chart it says that I lost weight. I did get a little pat-on-the-back from the doctor with a "your weight looks good" which was a little anti-climactic compared to the great sense of victory I was experiencing inside, but hey, I'll take it!
He listened to the heartbeat and everything was looking good there. I asked him if he could tell how the baby was positioned because I couldn't really tell...other than the fact that I know where his feet are almost all the time. He felt around my belly a while, but concluded that he couldn't really tell his orientation, but did confirm, "He's a big baby. Your looking at probably 8 lbs. at least."
But wait, doctor...last week you told me 7 lbs...and in that time, I actually lost a pound. How does that work out?
Anyways, he inquired about how many C-sections women in my family have had to have...and he just sort of gave a worrisome "uh-huh" when I told him there have been several C-sections in my family history.
He asked, "Does your family have a history of big babies?"
"Yes." I replied while baby pictures of my sister, me, and my nephews. culminating with an image of a very smiley, yet big-headed Thomas played in PowerPoint-type-fashion in my head.
"Well Ok." He said matter-of-factly, in his normal matter-of-fact style. "It's good to know."
So, now I'm a little more worried than I was before I got there. So everyone...please pray for a regular childbirth. I would definitely prefer not to have a C-section! Of course, my mom and sister handled it like champs, so it's not the end of the world...but it would be oh-so-nice to just go the normal way.
And, the sooner Baby Michael comes, the greater the chances of that happening are! Come on, Baby Michael! We're at the finish line...your family is cheering you on! You can do it!!
Everything went really well and as I stepped on the scale, I discovered it actually went down from last week!! Yeah!!!
Now, I'm not sure how that is possible, either I've lost weight myself (we know Baby Michael hasn't lost an ounce!) or the scales are just a little off from one room to another, a theory held by both me and Kathy as we have discovered the joy of the light scales and the curse of the "fat scales" at the doctor's office. The latter theory about the scales being slightly off, is probably the more tenable one.
But hey, whatever way, on my chart it says that I lost weight. I did get a little pat-on-the-back from the doctor with a "your weight looks good" which was a little anti-climactic compared to the great sense of victory I was experiencing inside, but hey, I'll take it!
He listened to the heartbeat and everything was looking good there. I asked him if he could tell how the baby was positioned because I couldn't really tell...other than the fact that I know where his feet are almost all the time. He felt around my belly a while, but concluded that he couldn't really tell his orientation, but did confirm, "He's a big baby. Your looking at probably 8 lbs. at least."
But wait, doctor...last week you told me 7 lbs...and in that time, I actually lost a pound. How does that work out?
Anyways, he inquired about how many C-sections women in my family have had to have...and he just sort of gave a worrisome "uh-huh" when I told him there have been several C-sections in my family history.
He asked, "Does your family have a history of big babies?"
"Yes." I replied while baby pictures of my sister, me, and my nephews. culminating with an image of a very smiley, yet big-headed Thomas played in PowerPoint-type-fashion in my head.
"Well Ok." He said matter-of-factly, in his normal matter-of-fact style. "It's good to know."
So, now I'm a little more worried than I was before I got there. So everyone...please pray for a regular childbirth. I would definitely prefer not to have a C-section! Of course, my mom and sister handled it like champs, so it's not the end of the world...but it would be oh-so-nice to just go the normal way.
And, the sooner Baby Michael comes, the greater the chances of that happening are! Come on, Baby Michael! We're at the finish line...your family is cheering you on! You can do it!!
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