Keep Cookin' Baby J!

We've reached the 33-week mark. Hooray! Only seven more weeks to go…and it actually might be closer to four weeks. I've been going in for ultrasounds every two weeks so the docs can monitor my cervix length. At my appointment on Wednesday, my cervix had gone from 1.8 cm at the last appt down to 1 cm. But there's no signs of funneling or dilation. So I'm officially on modified bed rest for the next two weeks. They are hoping that my cervix will lengthen back out if I take some of the pressure off of it. What a pain! I can be up on my feet for 2-3 hours / day and thankfully the doctor gave me permission to prop myself up in bed and keep working. I am nowhere near ready to leave work for maternity leave. I just barely started training my team 1 1/2 weeks ago! Good thing no one at work can tell the difference between me sitting at my desk and me sitting in bed.

Physically, this pregnancy has been a breeze. Which is why, I suspect, I've landed myself on bed rest. I have a two-page to-do list and tons of energy to keep plowing through it. And that's exactly what I've been doing. Mentally - I'm done with this pregnancy. I'm tired of worrying about every little twitch and glitch that happens to my body on a daily basis and wondering if this is the moment when I'll go into labor. The specialist that I'm seeing wasn't worried enough to give me a steroid shot for Baby J's lung development. He thinks I'll keep carrying him for approximately four more weeks. And ever since my 20-week appointment when they first noticed the shorter cervix length, I've had it in my head that we would be delivering around three weeks early (no idea why). So here's to hoping that my intuition and the doctor's prediction are both wrong and that this kid stays in there until 40 weeks. Baby J currently weighs 4 lbs 5 oz and is very healthy and strong.

In addition to me going crazy, we may need to have this kid sooner rather than later if we want any of our dishes or other valuables to survive. I really thought that getting clumsy towards the end of pregnancy was just an old wives tale because I seemed to be doing fine. Not so much anymore. So far, we are down three (of my favorite) bowls, two glasses and one container of powder foundation. The foundation spill was probably the best. I've taken to carrying a box fan with me everywhere I go (in addition to blasting the AC). The fan is especially useful when getting ready in the morning. It helps prevent melting when I'm blow-drying my hair or trying to put on my make-up. When I dropped the foundation container, not only did it spill everywhere on the floor, but the fan also spread the powder all over me and the rest of the bathroom. Awesome.

Apparently I still look "cool". Two weeks ago I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. This kid ran up to me just as I walked in the door and said, "Hey you look cool (at which point I glanced down at my belly and thought, really, I look cool??). Will you buy me some alcohol?" What on earth?? It took me a minute to process and then I just busted up laughing. No, I will not buy you any alcohol. Sheesh.

Cory and I have been attending some birthing classes. We've taken two and still have two more to go. We watched the infamous birthing video in the first class. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I remember it being when I watched it 20 years ago in 8th grade health class. But my poor husband…Cory was certain he was going to throw-up. And I couldn't help thinking, really, you can skin a bear but you can't watch a birthing video??? I do not understand. I've already warned my doctor that she may have two patients in L&D if Cory goes down. She just laughed and said that they are used to watching the husbands pretty closely (if not discretely) during delivery. It's good to know that they'll keep an eye on him so that I can focus on the task at hand.

And speaking of the task at hand, it's definitely starting to become much more clear that there is no good way to get out this pregnancy. I've decided that I don't want to go through L&D. Surely someone can come up with something better during the next four weeks??? Or even better…Baby J can just stay in there forever more and we'll call it good!