Waiting....

Well I just had my 39 week doc appt. it is hard to believe we are here at 39 weeks and still waiting. OH well. I had a feeling that I would go all the way (or longer) even after all the problems we had back in July. So it seems that once again despite my semi-uneventful pregnancy so far, things might be acting up again. At each doc appt since the end of July my blood pressure has been climbing. I have always had pretty normal or low blood pressures (e.g. 104/70) so this is quite out of the ordinary for me (obviously having a huge baby belly and 35 extra pounds is also out of the ordinary for me as well!!!). The doc has been watching me closely and has kept me educated on things to watch out for-as the blood pressure increases she is worried about me developing preeclampsia. This sounds very bad to me too and I am hoping we don't have to go there after all. Today she took my blood pressure twice and once it was 139/88 and then 136/86. The cut-off for preeclampsia is 140/90. so I am walking a fine line right now. So today she sent my urine off for more tests and did 4 blood labs. So if she calls tomorrow with bad news then we may be off to the hospital for a labor induction. if we don't hear from her then I will have a doc appt on tuesday and we will check things again that day. The only physical sign of this I have felt is light-headedness at various times throughout the day over the last 2 weeks but I have not actually fainted or had bad headaches so it is still not in the bad zone yet.

also- last nigth was a particularly bad night of weird aches and pains so I was hopeful that maybe something was happening but the doc checked my cervix and it was only 1cm!!! damn. oh well. I am still hoping the baby comes during the next few days.

A few things I want to mention about the last week or so-it will probably sounds like a long list of complaints but I want to be able to remember how I am feeling and I know that the joy of childbirth and the blur of new motherhood will make me forget all of this. That is probably a good thing so I am probably tempting the fates byt writing it all down but oh well.

Lately I have been having many crappy nights of sleep so I am pretty drowsy and tired today. I guess this is the way the body prepares for many nights of bad sleep AFTER the baby is born. Last week and weekend I was having a few medium painful contractions everyday (mostly in the evening, night or morning) but then it has quieted down this week. Although now I am starting to feel other weird pains-in my back or just my cervix and my hips are sore and it often hurts to lay down on my sides due to the relaxin hormone that is working to prepare for birth.

I am trying to stay positive and continue to maintain a good attitude. I refuse to give in and have a "poor pregnant me" attitude. This is a happy wonderful thing that is happening and I don't want to be a complainer or be frustrated b/c that will do NO good at all and will only make me unpleasant to be around.

I have been having the usual anxiety about wanting the baby OUT and NOT inside me anymore. I think this is one of the hardest things about the end of a pregnancy once you get past that 35 week mark. In your mind you know that the baby would be fine healthy and well with few if any complications if he was born anytime after 35 weeks, so you really just want the baby OUT. For me at least, continuing to have the baby inside during these last few weeks has made me nervous. He is normally moving around fine but when he gets quiet I can't help but start to wonder. So here I am at 39 weeks and just hoping for the best and trying to have faith that "what will be will be" and that is that.

So that is what is going on right now with me. alot has actually been going on with the rest of the friends and family lately....

Shan and Emm sent some really great baby clothes-that we'll definitely be needing in the future.

During the few days surrounding the baby's birth Kaia will be going to dog daycare at Lucky Puppy. She hasn't been there in many months since we have not been traveling without her much, we wanted her to go there a couple days before she did an overnight stay. So she went out there on monday and came back quite tired and pleased with herself for having a day playing with many dogs.

Our friend Jeff might be adopting a dog named Bella. So he brought her over to our place last night to see how well Bella and Kaia get along and how well Bella is socialized. they played really well together and are perfectly matched in terms of size and activity and loved running in big circles. Bella is beautiful and pretty well behaved. She needs to learn how to "share" treats and toys a little better but otherwise I think Bella is going to work out really great for Jeff.

The florida-dwellers are dealing with tropical storm Ernesto! we are all so glad it did not get huge and tear things up again down there-especially since the path it has taken has been right over the Stearns, the Bergrens and Hutchinson Island! all very importnant people and places.

Jess & Brett have successfully moved their family and lives back to MI. They both have stared working again as the school year is just getting underway.

Kurt & Kelly are doing well in Seattle. They found an apartment and have started to get furniture and Kelly really loves her job already. they went camping this weekend and it sounds like ti was awesome and I can't wait to be able to go see the mtns out there in the next year or so.

Georgia is getting very anxious for Matt to come home. He'll be here at the end of September. Georgia found an apartment heer in Y[si to rent. It sounds really nice and is only 1 blk from school and allows pets so she can bring her kitty. I will be very glad she is nearby for several reasons-can't wait to walk over to her place for a visit with Kaia and baby in tow.

Leah and Mike have moved into their place but then they had a big scare this weekend with Mike's health. Mike has a stricture in his esophagous due in part to be acid reflux disease and he was having trouble swallowing so he went to the ER and then there was an accident when they 'scoped him and the docs cut a blood vessel. But no one realized this, so Leah & Mike went home then a few hours later Mike had internal bleeding and vomitted blood and it was a big mess so they rushed back to the hospital. Mike's vital signs and labs were not good so they had a very bad night. The next day many tests and scans were done and the bleeding was stopped and diagnoses were made. Mike was discharged monday and now he is on the mend. Needless to say both Leah & Mike are shell-shocked and trying to process these crazy, scarey events.

Life is amazingly unpredictable and fragile but wonderful and never boring. WOW!!!