Showgirl
Last Friday we attended Simon's work's holiday party. The theme was "Casino Night" (gambling, showgirls, celebrity impersonators, etc.), so please imagine if you will the sight of a 9 3/4-months pregnant lady at the craps table, so very incapacitated by her girth that she can't even bend over far enough to pick up the dice. Forget "Come on, six! Baby needs a new pair of booties!"--it was more like "Come on, six! Mama needs recliner and a foot rub; these heels are killing me!" At least no one batted an eye at my nightcap of choice: whiskey and a freshly rolled cigar! Professional progressives, these Bay Area liberals.
The best part of the party, though, was collecting reactions from those people brave enough to ask when I was due. "One week!" I would say, and then observe carefully so as to most accurately gauge where this particular person fell on the spectrum between Mild Apprehension and Abject Fear. Sure, I could pop at any time, but what no one knew was that I've felt less on the verge of imminent labor this week--week 39--than I did last month, when I would have a contraction whenever the baby so much as hiccuped (and he's the hiccupingest baby I've ever heard of--four or five sessions a day, every day).
So, yes, we're at that point now, and I can hardly believe it. It seems like just yesterday we were at Simon's work's summer party, when I was contemplating exposing my unbelievably gigantic pregnant belly in a bikini at 15 weeks, back when I looked like this:
Thank god bikini season is over now:
No one really had anything to worry about on Friday night, though; if my water's going to break dramatically in the middle of a crowded room, it's not going to be at Simon's work's holiday party but my work's holiday party, which, incidentally, starts tomorrow afternoon, about an hour after the doctor strips my membranes in an effort to get this baby here before the New Year (or at least before my mom shows up, on Monday). So far Simon and I have had great success achieving multiple false labors with our own home-induction efforts--several hours of uncomfortable contractions anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes apart--but nothing to get too excited about yet. I may have started losing my mucus plug over the last few days, but even that's iffy what with the broad spectrum of Pregnancy Substances one becomes familiar with by this stage. (Did you know colostrum is sometimes the color of Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese? Wonders never cease.)
So at this point we're pretty much just in a holding pattern. I wake, I pee, I watch t.v., I pee, I eat a pumpkin cookie, I pee, I surf the internet, I pee, I instruct Simon on some household chore that I'm no longer physically capable of performing, I pee, I have three hours of close-together and uncomfortable contractions, I pee, and then I go to bed. And wake up to pee three hours later. Most of the vital pre-baby chores are done (we finally found a pediatrician this afternoon; a last-minute addition to our list of potential middle names has sprinted into first place), so now it really is just thumb-twiddling and belly-poking in front of the fireplace. Whenever you're ready, man, we're ready for you.
That's so exciting! I can't wait to "meet" the little guy! :)
You're still stunning, Leah. Also, I had never connected colostrum with Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese. My whole life is changed.
Wow! How did it sneak up on us so quickly?! Also...I had no idea there were so many signs that you're getting close. I thought it was just, Poof! My baby is coming now!
I can't wait!!!
Wooo... you're getting so close! I can't wait to see pictures of that little person.
Almost go time. Wow.
I really can't believe it's here already. Wow, time flies.
Did you opt not to induce? For some reason I had tomorrow in my head as the BIG DAY for you, but I'm seven months pregnant and my head hasn't had a coherent thought in quite some time.
Yay!! I'm so happy for you! I can't believe that you're going to be parents in a matter of DAYS!! AHHH!!!! That is so exciting :)
I had my membranes stripped, too. Also tried all the at-home ways to induce and yes, they all resulted in contractions, but they never went anywhere. I finally made a last-ditch effort to avoid Pitocin TWO WEEKS after my due date by swallowing some Castor oil--something I will NEVER do again. All for nought. Still needed Pitocin. And my mom only got to spend one week of the month she was here helping me with the baby. Sigh.
I hope all this works out better for you!
You look fabulous and not at all like you are going to have this baby next week.
Best of luck!
Oh wow, you look awesome! I'm a week behind you and I too spend most of my time peeing and waiting. I go for my "under the hood" check Friday and I'm hoping my doctor will be all, "Oh hey, he's like, right here, let me just pluck him out for you!"
Best of luck to you, it's been fun reading along and being so close behind you, you've been a barometer of sorts for me. Congrats to you and Simon!
SO CLOSE!!! I'm praying for you guys. Love you (All three of you) (And those crazy cats too)
Almost there! Can't wait to see what you are naming him.
I love that last picture of you. Great angle and expression!
We are all right here waiting with you! Can't wait to 'meet' the little guy!
Hang in there! The wee tot will be here before you know it!!
Hooray!! I am unbelievably excited and yet I've never met you. Oh, the wonders of the internet...
Congrats!!
You look wonderful! We're so excited for you guys. Crossing fingers for a positive labor experience and a healthy little guy.
What a great picture of you. Go, Wombat!
very exciting, I cannot wait to see photos of the little guy! :)
Best of luck to you today. I hope Wombat and you are safe, healthy and snuggly when it's all over.
Here's hoping that all goes smoothly and quickly, and you get a healthy Wombat when it's all over (or all starting, as it were :-). Looking forward to photos of your expanded family!
Good luck!! I had my baby girl two days after my membranes were stripped -- there needs to be a better term for that, btw -- so resist the urge to kick the doctor in the teeth when he/she does it. The "it will be uncomfortable" warning is a ginormous understatement.
hey sugar. great photo of you. see you soon. and i promise not to offer advice of any kind unless you ask me! :) and we're DYIN' over here. hurry up and send us some neeeeeewws!!!
xxx
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