False alarms, job interviews, induction dates, and 2nd birthdays

Things have been interesting around here. First, a friend mentioned to Steve the possibility of a job opening with his employer in the next few months. Steve was contacted for his resume the next day. An hour and a half later, he was contacted to set up a job interview. He set it up for Friday afternoon, after work.

I had been having frequent, irregular Braxton-Hicks contractions for a few days. Friday morning I woke up at 4:30 to BH, Nora moving a lot, and my stomach growling. I got up around 5, figuring I wasn't going to get any more sleep until I at least solved the growling stomach, which would probably calm the baby. The BH were pretty regular and I kept having them until Steve got up to get ready for work. Since I'd been sitting, I tried pacing. Pacing made them subside, so Steve went to work. I still had them off and on all day but they weren't very regular and definitely weren't getting stronger, longer, or closer together. Steve's interview went very well and the position sounds promising. He even has the perfect skill set for it. Over the weekend he was supposed to collect a list of references and they emailed him the benefits info. Saturday was the occasional BH. Even grocery shopping didn't increase them. Sunday morning was a repeat of Friday morning, down to the times. They were closer together this time, 2-4 minutes apart consistently beginning at 6. 6:30 I showered and they continued. 7 I called my sister. She got here at 7:30 and we left for the hospital shortly before 8. As soon as we checked into L&D, they stopped. They monitored me and the baby for 3 hours. She was very active with a good HR. I didn't have a single contraction that monitored. I had a slight temp, they ruled out a UTI, and checked me twice. Absolutely no changes in my cervix in two weeks, despite all the contractions. The nurse finally said it was a stomach bug and told me I was the third one that morning with intestinal cramping that caused uterine contractions. The on-call doctor cleared me and we came home. BH have been sporadic since then.

Steve started his new shift today. We're not big fans of it so far. His breaks are far apart and his lunch is late. He was here for about 90 minutes when the girls got up and he won't be home until about 3 hours after their bedtime. The next three days will be like that and then he'll be home three days. He's not liking being back on residential either. But the good news is that he was contacted for a second interview later this week! So this job is looking promising. There wouldn't be a lapse in benefits (good thing!) and it would be a BIG pay increase, which would take the pressure off me rushing back to work after Nora is born. The job is more IT than Steve's current job and he'd be working with a friend and they could carpool. There's room for advancement and he'd be back to working regular business hours which means he'd be home for dinner and be able to spend evenings with me and the girls. Pray he gets it because he'd be happier and money wouldn't be so tight.

I had my 38 week appointment today. Everything looks good. My next appointment is next Thursday, the 8th. The doctor will do an exam then and I'll be induced either the 9th or 10th. By then I'll be 39.5 weeks, so I should progress at least a bit more by then. Already my Bishop score is a 7, which is favorable, but I would like Nora to be lower by then. That does put a kink in our party plans for Mia's 2nd birthday. We were planning on the 10th, thinking I'd be induced earlier in the week and be home for a few days before doing a low-key party. Even if I give birth on the 9th and come home on the 10th, no way do I want to host a houseful of people that night. We're thinking about having Mia's party the 17th, giving me a week to feel somewhat back to normal before inviting 20-some people to our house. Steve and I looked at toys this past Saturday to get an idea of what we want to get Mia for her birthday since I didn't figure we'd get another chance to look together.

So today was pretty good. I have a definite end date for this pregnancy and Steve is getting another interview. I'm realizing I like to be somewhat in control or at least be able to plan contingencies, so it's nice to have a little more idea what might happen. The end is in sight!

The waiting game

My sister brought it to my attention the other day that I haven't posted in a while. Part of it, honestly, is that I'm getting to that point in my pregnancy where I just want to hole up at home and not be bothered until I have the baby. This is normal end-of-pregnancy for me, so please don't take it personally. Anyhow, I'm now 36 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I'm achy and have been having more and more Braxton-Hicks contractions. I'm starting to dilate and efface, so things look favorable for a 39 week induction, if I don't go sooner on my own. (I'm hoping but not holding my breath.)

Things are ready. We have the car seat out and Steve can install it today if he needs to. The clothes are washed and put away. We have diapers, wipes, formula, bottles (although we should buy new nipples). The bassinet is ready and waiting in our bedroom. I have plans to put together the pack'n'play with the bassinet and changing table in the dining room and the new bouncer and have Steve pull the other bouncer out too (it lays flatter and is better for a newborn), but we're pretty much ready. We've even stocked up on some of the things I'll need post-partum. I do need to pack a bag but that can be done pretty quickly and I have a list of things to pack and people to call. My body feels ready and with the progress and BH contractions, I'd say it's getting ready too. So now we wait. We have 23 days until my due date but I'm hoping Nora decides to come sooner...

Nesting

The past two Sundays I have caught up on a lot of little things I've been meaning to do for months now. I've organized the downstairs bedroom, packed things to store in the attic and other things to store in my closet, and had Steve move the little dresser for Nora into the room. I organized my closet and packed away maternity clothes I don't wear (three big diaper boxes worth) and the clothes that will be too small for a while. I finished putting together the bassinet and had Steve move it upstairs. I organized the girls' closet and packed some of the stuff into the attic. I also resorted all the baby/little girl clothes. They're either waiting to be washed (NB and 0-3 mos) or packed away in the attic and labeled better so we can find them easier later. I also sorted out the boyish clothes and some other extras we don't need (an extra Boppy, a wipes warmer, some picture frames, a rear-view mirror for the car (we have two others), some diaper bags (we have five)). We also have little outfits that will be out of season for Nora (Christmas outfits that are 3-6 mos) and others that will stay in the families (an adorable Christmasy outfit my cousin spent a lot of money on that's 0-3 mos will be passed onto the Atherton side, and several onesies and tees that Steve's sisters bought in other countries will stay in the Scott family). Some of it I have in mind for certain people. But if you know someone who is pregnant with a boy, let me know. Everyone I know is having a girl or already had boys. I also organized the bathroom and random other areas of the house. I did some decorating. I made a countdown calendar for the girls to change daily. I mended a stuffed animal and a cloth bag. I also found homes for some things that had been floating around the house, basically being placed wherever they were least in the way for the moment. I did a little cleaning here and there too. I'm not sure why Sundays are my nesting days but it appears that is the case.

Since I've been so productive on Sundays, I tend to be kinda tired and achy on Monday. It's well worth it though. Like I said, most of what I've done are things that I've been meaning to do and either procrastinated or haven't had the time/energy to do until now. I'm just happy I'm getting them done. :) I have had some more Braxton-Hicks contractions following my bursts of activity and I'm just hoping those are making some progress. I'll find out next week. Today is my 35 week appointment (I'll be 35 weeks tomorrow) and after that I go weekly. I'm looking forward to finding out how much progress I'm making because it'll give me a better idea whether or not I'll be induced at 39 weeks. The doctor won't induce without a medical reason or a high Bishop score beyond 39 weeks. If I've started to dilate or efface at all yet, the odds are pretty good I'll be successfully induced at 39 weeks. Nora is already head down, although I don't know if she's engaged yet. Some days my belly looks lower but other days it doesn't. So I think she's hanging out low but hasn't dropped. Next week is my last week of work, which I'm looking forward to. I'm getting weary of smiling when someone tells me I'm huge, look tired, or don't have much longer. People flip out if I touch my stomach or grimace. People, Nora is strong and all knees and elbows these days. She moves a lot and it hurts. It doesn't mean I'm in labor. I wouldn't go to work if I thought labor was remotely close. And I've done this twice before, so if I did go into labor, I think I'd know soon enough to make it to the hospital. The baby isn't going to suddenly drop out of me. Calm down. But since they're this nervous a good month before my EDD, I'm thinking it's a very good thing I'm not working past 36 weeks. Can you imagine the panic close to my EDD when I do have the random contraction? LOL! I do need to say that most of my coworkers don't have kids, so they don't know, but still. I laugh because it's better for my blood pressure. :) (Btw, despite a little swelling, my BP is fine.)