It came...

AND WENT! Friday, September 25th was a beautiful day. Unfortunately it was just like any other day. Got up, went to work, came home, blah, blah, blah. Our little girl is taking her sweet time to join us, but there is an end in sight. No matter what I will be induced on Friday. Austin is hoping for sooner than that so she'll have a September birthday.

I did have a meltdown Friday morning before going to work, but I survived the day. I made Austin take me out so we wouldn't have to stay at home and dwell on the uneventful evening. We went to Chili's for dinner and then to a movie. We saw the new Bruce Willis movie Surrogates. It was entertaining and did the trick to take my mind off not being in labor. When we got up to go from the movie, my ankles were so big I could barely make it down the stairs. It hurt so bad to walk.

I had major cankles. Compared to Austin's nicely sculpted ankles, mine are huge!

My ankles didn't go down all weekend. After church today, I was propping them up and guess what I saw? STRETCH MARKS! Can you believe it?! I can't. Of all the places to get them, especially during pregnancy! The things we women go through to bring life into the world. It's a good thing it'll all be worth it!

40 Weeks

Kinda Bumbed...

I just got home from my doctor's appointment. I was hoping to have progressed farther than I have. Last week the Dr. I saw told me I was 1 1/2 cm and 50% effaced. Today the Dr. I saw told me that my chart said I had only dilated to 1 cm last week and I am at a 1 1/2 cm today and 70% effaced. He tried to tell me that that was a lot of progress, but it didn't sound like it to me. For as many contractions as I had over the weekend and during this last week I was hoping to be at least fully effaced. Can you tell I'm anxious? I just want the aches and pains and swelling to go away. She has dropped which has put added pressure on my pubic bone and makes it even harder to walk. At this point I do a waddle-shuffle combination. It's kinda sad that my students have to wait for me to catch up so we can go places.

My beautiful swollen ankles

Austin took one of the balloons from my shower and put it up his shirt so he could be like me!

My 36 week belly

I am truly grateful I am not as big as Austin with that balloon in his shirt!
I am big enough as it is!

35 Weeks and Counting!

Because I have sciatica really bad, sitting on my couch gives me no support and is extremely painful when I get up. I have to stand still for a minute and then can barely walk. On Sunday I decided that I would sit on the piano bench to have a little more support under me and put my feet on an ottoman as we watched television. It helped my sciatic quite a bit, but soon my back got sore from not being able to sit up against anything. Austin thought my attempt at comfort and relief was worth documenting.

I look thrilled don't I?!

Thursday August 20th was our first day back to school. I was on my feet so much that day that they tripled in size and haven't gone back down. It's hard being a First Grade teacher and being able to sit for long periods of time. My students are so needy right now with it only being the beginning of the year. I am constantly walking (or waddling) around to help them. I am feeling grateful though that I have a very good and easy class so far. I hope they stay that way so I don't have to worry about leaving them when I go on maternity leave. I don't think I could handled the group I had last year in this condition!

My gigantic 35 week belly!