Overdue!

Wednesday, 7/9/14: 40 weeks + 1 day

Well, well, well. Overdue for the first time with my third baby. Huh. No smile for my belly pic today. I'm sure you can understand.



Last week if you would have told me I'd still be pregnant today I would not have believed you. But currently I'm not that surprised since I continue to focus on Friday as induction day for this babe. Eyes on the prize. So it's either he comes tomorrow on his own (or tonight, I guess) or he gets evicted Friday morning. Time is ticking, dear baby boy.

This has been the longest week everrrrrrrrrr.

I was texting with Andrea and Erin today--they are both around 32 weeks pregnant and feeling it lately. Contractions are starting, they are feeling 'off' and like weird things are happening, being fearful of pre-term labor, wondering how they can possibly remain pregnant for 8 more weeks. Since I'm oh, so seasoned on this Third Babies Are Wild Cards thing, I told them this: If at all possible, just expect to go to your due date. Do NOT anticipate going early with your third, even if you've been early before. Braxton Hicks contractions can mean nothing. Feeling like crap means nothing. A super active baby that seems big and ready to bust out of the ute does not mean the child actually wants to come out in a timely fashion. It only means that the end of pregnancy can be totally grueling and long and a mental battle, and it's only worse if you've decided you will be early. If you do go early, then great--what a nice surprise. But building it up in your head to be early and then going late? Truly a special form of torture---for any pregnancy but I definitely think that going early with my other two and now late with my third is especially rough. Woe is me, right?

Our texts made me want to look back on blog posts to see how I was feeling at 31-32 weeks. Sure enough, at 31 weeks I started to feel like this baby might actually fall out of me. I was feeling heavy, tons of pressure down there, and like something might be wrong---just 'off' from what I had been feeling before. Then by 33 weeks I was very uneasy about all of the contractions I was having, hoping I didn't go into actual pre-term labor. I was probably around that time I became SURE I would never last until 40 weeks. So 7+ weeks of timeable 'practice' contractions this time around = mental battle that is definitely more of a marathon than a sprint. Pregnancy feels like an endurance sport right now. But the finish line is in sight, thank God.

I've also been thinking about how this time, my due date might be even more arbitrary than usual since I never had a 'last menstrual period' to date the pregnancy. But going into my first appointment, where she dated the pregnancy at 8 weeks exactly, I knew I had to be between 7-9 weeks along and it's not possible it could have been less than that. Then at the 20 week US, baby boy measured bigger than his estimated weeks. The uterus fundal height measurements have always been right on or even a little bit ahead of schedule---except for last week, when I'm guessing he dropped into the pelvis a little bit more. So if my original due date WAS off by a week or something, I would assume that either the 20 week US would have shown a smaller/younger baby and all of my fundal heights would have been off. I know that due dates are just a guess anyway, but this is just fascinating to me to overanalyze---forgive me.

Today was a great day, though. I laid in bed with Cecelia and then Truman came down to her bunk for a bit, so the three of us had some time together in the peaceful 5 o'clock hour to chat and take care of CC's dollies. Also, I gave the kids two new tats each today. So their morning was automatically made;) Sometimes they are so easy to please. SOMETIMES.


Nate took the kids to Lori's around 8, I showered, got dressed, did my hair and make up alone. Which is seriously an Olympic feat in itself these days and I had to rest a bit after getting ready for the day. I took pictures of the nursery for a blog reveal after baby comes and Nate worked in the yard. Then we began our Overdue Date and ran errands to get the van washed, Home Depot, Michaels, a carpet store (basement is almost done!!!), and then we came home and walked to lunch. Where we proceeded to have the most amazing burgers EVER. Nate's beer looked good and I did have a large sip but I am getting so overly stuffed with any and all food/drink, I didn't even care about sticking to water and a bit of Diet Coke.

Nate said, 'You can take one picture for Instagram and then no phones during the meal.' Fine by me!


Oops, two pictures, but the burger warranted it's own image. For the locals: this is the Ludwig burger at Cafe Bavaria and it truly blew my mind. Second time I've had it now and it will not be the last! Also: fries are the bomb.


We took the long way home for a glorious walk in perfect weather, then I was off to treat myself to a mani/pedi. I honestly get a pedicure maybe 4 times per year max but I think I've gotten four in the past two months because: super pregnant. Daily treats. Yes.

A magazine. A vibrating chair. Leg massage. Pretty toes. Yes, yes, yes to all of it.



I just realized today that I'm still wearing my wedding rings. Pretty awesome since I definitely ditched them the other times around 37-38 weeks.


At the nail place, I did get asked 'How many months are you?' and I had to repeat myself when I said, 'I was due yesterday.' SO FUN. The lady was like, 'That's a boy in there, right?' (Yes, very weird that people always say that to me.) And she asked if it was my first, then if I have another boy. I told her that both of my other kids were early and she said, 'Even your son? That's different.' Which, I suppose, it is interesting to think that Truman was only early because I was induced at 38 weeks and CC came on her own, 2 days early. Is this a super big baby? A lazy baby? A laid back baby who is just comfortable? I just really hope he is okay in there. Anxieties about something being wrong are creeping into my head. Worries about the birth itself but also about the baby are not welcome and stress is the last thing my body needs, I know. So again: mental battle to keep the bad thoughts away and only happy, healthy thoughts allowed.

Maybe I will have this baby tomorrow (not really going there mentally, but for the sake of conversation let's consider it) and then I can say I was 2 weeks early with my first, 2 days early with my second, and 2 days late with my third. I like numbers like that;)

ANYWAY, after my mani/pedi, Nate got the kids and I packed a picnic dinner for us. We walked to a nearby playground and had a fun time eating and playing together---but it was pretty crowded and my energy levels are currently at a dangerous low without a nap under my belt. Which means a little girl accidentally threw some sand at my feet and I immediately spouted off, 'Don't throw that on me again, okay?' I mean, chill out, giant pregnant lady. But everyone is kind of annoying me, even innocent children at playgrounds. I am tired, short of breath, and super uncomfortable with every activity and yet I can't really sit still, either. You know it's bad when I don't take a single picture at a playground with my kids on a perfect evening. Didn't even care about lack of documentation. Too tired.

Sleep was not so hot last night, after an AMAZING night of the zzzzzzz's Monday night. Definitely up to pee 1-2 times now and it's really hard to get comfortable falling back to sleep after that. Plus last night I was having semi-painful contractions that kept me from sleeping. LIKE ALWAYS, I guess. Yes, there is still 'action' going on in the uterus---contractions all day and all night. Nothing especially painful though and I'm not using a contraction timer unless I'm positive it's the real deal. I've been getting a lot more zingers in the lady parts and feel like I'm waddling now. I promised you a moo moo if I was overdue and I wish I could snap my fingers and have one appear---but alas, I don't have the energy to buy one for a photo shoot, dear readers. I hope you forgive me;)

So yeah, not quite as chipper tonight as I was last night and most of the day today. I think an early bedtime is a must. Tomorrow we have a family day together which is never a bad thing, and then that's IT no matter what. All of this maddening waiting, the false alarms, the predicting and feeling crazy and feeling tired....none of it will matter when I'm holding baby boy in my arms. I know this and it's what keeps me going. I'm lucky in that I'm not totally uncomfortable 100% of the time or in true pain. I still think pregnancy is awesome and 'fun' in a way. I'm just mentally so so so so tired of it all and I'm ready to meet this child more than ever.

Soon. I might miss out on the excitement of going into spontaneous labor this third time around, but I have experienced that with Cecelia. It was magical and special and amazing to experience the rush of 'OMG, we need to go to the hospital now.' But being induced is fine, too---I've done that before and didn't mind the part about being in a controlled environment with some of the unknowns eliminated. I hope it goes quickly but I'm not making any predictions. As long as I get this baby out of me and (of course) he is healthy, it's all good. My mom and dad fly in on Friday around 1:30 and I know the kids are super excited to have FOUR grandparents falling all over them while Nate and I are at the hospital. Cannot wait. Let the next chapter begin!