Never made it to the hospital

About an hour after posting last night, the contractions abruptly slowed and became less intense. By midnight, they had quit altogether. The upside is that I got a decent night's sleep. The downside is that my mom is here now. Watching me. For signs of labor. I may go crazy.

Contractions every four minutes or so. . .

This afternoon I realized that I haven't really wrapped my brain around this "parent of two" thing. I guess I have a little bit of time to work on that. Not much, though. I almost cried when I put E to bed. She was a prefect child today. Funny, talkative, affectionate. We have a good thing going. Please, please let that continue.

My mom should be here soon and then we are heading to the hospital. I'm a little worried that I will have made no progress since this morning when I was barely 2cm and 50% effaced. I have a history of slow labor with E. Surely they won't send me home when I've been in labor since 2 a.m. (it is now 9 p.m.) Will they?

Will update when I am able.

The plug! The plug!

Damn! That was gross. Snotty? Check. Bloody? Check. Ready to get this show on the road? Check.

Before we get too excited, I should mention that the OB stripped my membranes on Friday so this isn't totally unexpected. Plus, I've read that it can regenerate. Still, the promise of going into labor without the sledgehammer of a pitocin drip is alluring. If I don't go into labor on my own by Friday, the OB is planning to induce. My BP is creeping up there so we don't want it to get out of hand.

We saw the baby on Wednesday. Measuring a bit small--18th percentile--for dates, but looked great. Of course, with a margin of error of about a pound in either direction, there is no telling what we'll end up with. I'd post an ultrasound, but my uterus is rather cramped and the pictures aren't very good.

E is doing much better. She seems recovered from the ear infection and cold and has slept relatively well the last few nights. I feel a little guilty that we are about to rock her world with the addition of a new family member, but I think she'll forgive us one day.

We still have a few house tasks left to accomplish, but we are basically there. Most of what is left can wait since the baby will be in our room for a couple of months.

Will update when there is something to report.

Dear Baby

Ouch. I know you probably feel cramped in there, but I think you may have cracked one of my ribs tonight. You are also head butting my cervix, which I hear is good for getting things going, but do you think you could stop for a few hours? Please? Mama needs sleep.

You see, your big sister has been sick since last Thursday. Actually she had a cold before that, but she has been really sick since Thursday with high fevers, pain and crankiness. Despite the tubes, she has a lovely ear infection. Truth be told, this is the worst infection yet. The doctor speculated that dried blood from the procedure may have blocked a tube and prevented it from draining. This gave the bacteria a place to thrive until the pressure built and built and your sister's ear exploded. She hasn't been sleeping well as a result. And now her hair is matted with ear drainage which is vile, vile stuff. She hasn't been to school since Thursday and I haven't had a nap since she has been home. I need a nap. Forget Brad Pitt: my fantasies now involve eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. But I would settle for five or six.

The doctor says you could arrive anytime now. I'm so looking forward to meeting you, but can you give us just another couple of days? Your sister's furniture should be painted by tomorrow-- even if I have to do it myself--and I have cleaners coming. So the house will be ready soon. If I can just rest up a little before giving birth, I think we will both be better off for it.

Plus, your sister and I have not had much quality time during the last week. Quantity time, yes. Lot's of that. But it is hard to have quality time when someone is screaming from pain and is generally very cranky. We've watched way too much TV and now I have the theme to several children's programs stuck in an endless loop running through my head. I have a Ph.D. and I have been reduced to humming along to a Higley Town Heros, Doodlebops, and Signing Times medley. It isn't right.

We'll get to see you Wednesday one way or another. I'm measuring small so the OB just wants to take a quick peak and make sure things are OK. I still don't know your gender, but your grandmother (the one attached to her cell phone) insists you are a boy. If you are, that is OK, but we are going to have to go shopping unless you are into pink ruffles. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Hang in there another couple of days, my lovely one. There is a big world out here waiting. I can't wait to show it to you.

All my love.