still here

I've been trying to keep up with mundane posts so if anyone checks they can see life is still mundane; surely if I'd had the baby I would write about the baby!  So yes, I'm still here.

Not for lack of trying - as I mentioned previously, for well over a week I've had multiple contractions each night that are strong enough to wake me up, plus some during the day.  At my weekly OB check-up, this week and last, I am already dialating and effacing, and 2 weeks ago an ultrasound placed the baby at over 6 pounds.  Mentally and physically I am oh-so-ready to get this over with, so when the *perfect* timing opportunity came up last night and I went for it... and it didn't work! Castor oil, you failed me. Well, you worked in that sense, but you didn't send me into labor, and that's what I really cared about.  Yes, it's still 2 weeks to my due date, but don't be a hater - my body is obviously already ready (dialating, contracting, baby's nice and fat) but it just isn't getting the show on the road so I tried to help it along. And now you really can't hate because it didn't work and I am just as uncomfortably annoyed as I was before, only the timing will probably be terrible.

 See how uncomfortable I look? 

 

Timing.  THERE'S something you don't worry about too much with your first!  Labor starts, you head to the hospital. But with 3 kids to watch it could prove tricky - who can come in the middle of the night to stay with sleeping kids? Who wants to deal with 3 kids during the day for what could be hours upon unknown hours? What about naps? What about bedtime? I want Kari to be there with me to help through labor, so that means 5 kids instead of 3 that need watching. The *perfect timing* was that Joe's parents came to town yesterday and are now available to watch the kids, but only until they leave on Saturday, and Jonathan had Wednesday off so he was home to watch their kids while Kari came with me - all kids accounted for!  Naps, bedtime, and everything! And THAT would have been perfect.  PLUS, then Joe's parents could see the new baby, we'd be able to bring it (him/her) home while they were still here, and Joe would automatically have a few days off (his regular weekend, Tues - Fri) before he had to start taking a few days off from his regular work schedule.  He only has 3 vacation days accumulated so far, which means if I deliver earlier in the week, like Wednesday (perfect timing!) he gets his regular weekend PLUS those 3 workdays PLUS a regular weekend; if I deliver into the weekend he has to take off work right away and then only gets one regular weekend.  Which, hey, is more than he ever got from Whiting-Turner anyway, but now I'm all greedy because I'm used to it.  So yes, the pefect timing will come around again next week, but with so many contractions and already dilating I worry this baby will have TERRIBLE timing and come Saturday evening - when Jonathan's at work so we need a sitter for Kari's kids, Joe's already gone to work so he needs to speed home and then take those 3 vacation days, and John and Debbie will have left so we'll need a sitter for our three kids and they'll miss seeing the new baby by mere hours.  GRRRRR!!!