The wait is almost over. I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself, but a little sad, too. I have really enjoyed this experience, and I know how lucky I am to be able to say that. As much as I've complained abut the swollen feet and backaches, and as much as Dan is convinced that I have absolutely lost my mind and will never get it back, it has all been worth it. I love watching my belly move as she tries to get comfortable, and I adore having my little girl this close to me,  right under my heart.

I just realized that I've been blogging here since April about my pregnancy journey and anticipation of this wonderful blessing who is about to come into our lives, and I have not mentioned Sylvia Plath even once. What kind of English teacher lets something like that happen??

So, here it is - the poem that pretty much sums up the ninth month of waiting. And, don't worry. The only things going into my oven are chocolate chip cookies and cranberry muffins. :)

Enjoy!

Metaphors

I'm a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf's big with its yeasty rising.
Money's new-minted in this fat purse.
I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off.

Sylvia Plath

Our Apologies

We are sorry to disappoint some people, but no baby was born yesterday. Well, I'm sure SOMEONE had a baby, but it wasn't us.

So, we hope Uncle Benjamin and my aunt Sue will accept our sincerest apologies but they are just going to have to wait a few more days.

Thanksgiving 2009

[caption id="attachment_314" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Not a belly shot, but here we are! "][/caption]

Happy Thanksgiving!

" Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."  Psalm 100:4

Countdowns All Around!

Countdown to Thanksgiving - 2 days!  I hope everyone takes a minute to pray for traveling mercies for those who will be commuting long distances for turkey and family time.  We have so much for which to be thankful, especially this year!

Countdown to Madeline's due date - 12 days! Not even two weeks, folks! I wonder if she's itching to see us as much as we are itching to see her?

And, with the help of my friend Cindy's blog, I had a realization this morning: Countdown to Christmas - 30 days! Wow. We only have 30 days until Christmas. And this one will be the best yet because our little girl will be here to share it with us!

Lots of excitement over the next few weeks!!

 

More Old Wives' Tales

This time, they're about inducing labor.

Since the baby is full term now, and since some of the legends held true when it came to predicting her gender, I thought I would experiment a little.

JUST KIDDING! I'm not going to start jumping up and down the stairs. I don't think I could if I wanted to. But, here are a few I discovered while amusing myself with the vast portal of knowledge known as the internet.

• Eggplant - had it for dinner last night. Still pregnant.


• Raspberry tea - hmm. Haven't tried that one, but it sounds tasty!


• Castor oil - I could be 11 months pregnant and would still not do this one.


• Walking - I'm still ambulatory, so I do this every day. Still pregnant.


• Spicy food - again, something I consume on a regular basis. Nothing.


• Accupressure in the feet & ankles - had a pedicure yesterday. Maybe not aggressive enough?


• Sex - Um...


• Black cohosh - I'm not even sure what that is.


• Pineapple - sounds yummy! I don't think it's going to induce labor, but it would be a nice snack.


• Walking up and down stairs - since I'm still waiting for that darned teleporter to be delivered, that's how I get to and from the bedroom, laundry room, and baby's room.


• Curry - ick.


• Visualization and hypnosis - are you kidding me?

So, this is what I've found so far. Anyone have anything different? Do you know anyone who swears by any of these, or something else? I would love to hear more!

 

 

 

A Non-Update

Is that possible? Can you have a non-update? Or, maybe an unupdate like an unbirthday?

Anyway, I had my 37 week check up this morning and there's no change. Dr. T says we're still at 1.5 cm and looking at a couple of weeks.

So, that's how today went. Still waiting. Check back for a real update later.

Birthing Class

We spent all day Saturday (and I mean all day, from 9am to 4pm) in a birthing class, followed by a tour of the hospital. By the time we got home, I had decided that I no longer have any desire to give birth.

Oh, it's not that I was ever unaware of what would happen. I'm a big girl. I know where babies come from. I don't like thinking about, hearing about, seeing, or having any knowledge of medical procedures. It really creeps me out. I can't watch medical dramas like ER, or almost any show on Discovery Health because it gives me the heebeejeebees when they start describing  weird things that are growing on people, or the procedures they use to cure some of these bizarre ailments.

You can imagine my chagrin when they began to pass around medical equipment and tell us how it would be used during labor and delivery, complete with video footage in case we didn't understand just by hearing her detailed explanations.

"This is the tube that will be inserted into your spine." (shudder)  Stitches, and tubes, and needles - Oh, my!! (cringe)

And, don't even get me started on the 12-step, 30-minute process involved in the simple act of going potty.

So, here's my new birth plan. Get the child out of me however you need to, make sure we're both healthy, but please do not feel that you have to share what you're doing, where you're putting whatever that is, or why you're doing it. I'll feel better not knowing.

3 more weeks!

 

 

 

37 Weeks

See a resemblance?

To Our Veterans...

Whether during peace time or war, stateside or abroad, THANK YOU for your courage and sacrifices.

 

36 Week Checkup

I would post a 36 week picture, but the rain attacked my hair and now it looks like a mullet. I won't subject you to that.

The little nudger is head-down with a perfect heartbeat, and my bloodwork was good. We are definitely making progress.

Just a few more weeks!

We have a nursery!

[caption id="attachment_283" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Dan did such a great job getting all the furniture put together. I'm a very lucky wife!"][/caption]

30 Days!

I can't believe we've already made it to the 30-day countdown. I wonder if she's aware that she still has 30 days left in there? Sometimes it feels like she's trying to claw her way out through my rib cage and I have to explain to her that not only is it too early, but she also can't get out that way. :)

We have just a couple of finishing touches to make on the baby's room this weekend, but it's almost all done! World's Greatest Husband is also Baby Furniture Putter Together Extraordinaire! Pictures will be posted soon.

Time to Vote, Again!

But, first, I'll tell you a little story.

Did you know that my grandmother was born on February 2? Did you know that she gave birth to my mother on her own birthday? That said, would you like to take a guess at what my due date was? (That would be February 2, for those of you who don't have time to figure it out.) Neat, huh? 

Now, maybe it's because I've always done things a little differently or because someone was reading me Emily Post so I knew, even then, how rude it is to be late. Maybe it's because I didn't want to steal anyone's thunder by making my first appearance on their birthdays. Or, maybe I just had my little baby checklist completed and had nothing else to do. Whatever the reason, I didn't hold out until February 2. I was here two days early (which isn't too early to be breach the laws of good etiquette, and therefore qualifies as punctual).  Hmm, what do you know? Even as a fetus I was uptight.

Madeline will have not only my uptight, punctual genes but also those of her laid-back daddy. He liked his cozy little womb, where he was curled up on his fetal couch with the remote, watching SportsCenter. He was perfectly comfortable - comfortable enough to stay put for an additional two weeks. Yes, two entire weeks past his due date, he finally arrived. I guess there is the possibility that he was just doing the fashionably late thing. What a trend-setter!

With only four and a half weeks until we're expecting our special delivery, everyone seems to have an idea of when she will come. Her uncle Benjamin (Uncle Willie) and my aunt Sue are both guessing Thanksgiving Day. My dear friend, Nina, wants her to be born on her due date so they can share a birthday. Dan has a whole, elaborate plan worked out in which she will arrive the day after Thanksgiving, AFTER the Alabama-Auburn game, of course.

So, what do you think?  Vote now!

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