Tomorrow is induction day. It has arrived. I will be 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant. They are inducing due to a predicted giant size child and my high blood pressure.

I can not believe this day is finally going to be here in just a little while. Pregnancy is so weird because in some ways it seems like yesterday that I saw those two lines and in some ways it feels as if I have been pregnant forEVER. This pregnancy has been interesting, more so than the others, because I know that this is our last. I fight the…”this is the last time I will…” syndrome it seems daily. I am trying to put all of that aside and enjoy what I can, because strangely I always look back on pregnancy and “enjoy it” while in my memories. Perhaps, it is simply because I can focus on the good parts only.

Today I broke my jail cell of bedrest for a 40 minute pedi because frankly it’s criminal to deliver a child with ugly feet, right? I couldn’t help but thinking as this 40 pound Asian woman was massaging my feet that she seemed strangely close to the size of my children when they are born. I think bedrest has made me delusional. I was then interrupted by the strange sensation of her blowing on my toes. Yes, blowing. I don’t think I have ever had someone blow on my toes. It was quite strange. I know what you are thinking but there was no polish on yet. I have no idea what she was doing, but frankly was too tired to care. After I was safely sitting under the dryer with prettified feet, she came over and started twirling my hair. Just as I was thinking…hmm is this creepy or cute…she interrupted my thoughts with the comment….”do you want a trim? You’re hair is really dry?” um WOW.

Tonight, we enjoyed Round Table Pizza and the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special all snuggled up in our room for one last movie night as a family of five. So weird.

My kids were INSANE today. So many emotions running around in all of us. My six year old questioned me today if I would be able to take care of her as good when Greyson comes. Ugh.

I am hoping for good sleep tonight, yet am overwhelmed with wondering what tomorrow will bring. I am hoping by fourth baby this child will be born in some sort of record time and completely pain free…Hey, a girl can dream right?

Tonight. I am saying good bye to heart burn, aching bones, side sleeping, and baby bumps.

Tomorrow will give way to days of tummy laying, pure exhaustion, and sweet baby kissing. I can not wait until they lay this little guy on me for the first time. It is by far the best feeling in the world and I have been waiting for that moment for months.

Sweet dreams.

My story right now is all about me and my bed.

Over the last week I have had two hospital stays for blood pressures reaching the 190 range but mostly hanging in the 150′s/160′s over 90′s. I have been on a couple medications and my most recent has been upped in dosage four times. I am home now with a diagnosis of mild pre eclampsia and on strict bed rest. My goal is to get to my 37th week of pregnancy, hopefully the 38th. Apparently, caucasion boys fair the worst when being delivered during the 35th or 36th week of pregnancy.

We made it! My next Target date is Nov. 9th, which will put me at 38 weeks plus 3 days and an ideal day to deliver Greyson. Although, we have been told if my blood pressures start to climb again or any more symptoms develop, we will call it a day and deliver this guy immediately. I am being monitored very very closely.

My blood pressures have been staying low as long as I am laying down. I get up for dr. visits, monitoring, and to visit our restroom and that is it.

I had an ultrasound yesterday. My sweet baby boy is measuring in at 8.5 lbs which is the 96th percentile and he is flipping between head down and oblique positions.

We have been beyond blessed and cared for with help for the kids, meals, shopping, people who washed my sheets for me, slumber party friends in the hospital, more meals, people driving kids to and from activities, doing school projects with my kids, running my errands, and offering to be there for “whatever we need”. However, bedrest is still tough. To go from the psychotic stage of pregnancy nesting to a hospital bed, to my room with not a whole lot of warning, is a lot for an overachiever like myself. BUT I know that this is best for baby and for me and really in the grand scheme of things a max stay of 2.5 weeks of bedrest is really NOT that big of a deal.

So, I am trying to keep some perspective and relax and enjoy…It really will all be over soon.

How I spend my minutes…

Waddling. Battling heartburn. Avoiding sodium. Wondering how to speed up time. Whining my way through hopefully the last heat wave of the year. Organizing everything. Obsessing over a highchair choice. Mourning the fact that my unrealistic list of things to get done before the baby is born will in fact not be completed on time. Making more lists. Watching Friends. Dropping everything I touch. Forgetting the obvious. Begging for mercy. Enjoying baby hiccups. Planning to decorate for Christmas on Halloween weekend. Wondering how labor will play out. Dreaming of baby kisses. Enjoying the wonder of it all because this part is about to end and a lifetime of memories is about to begin…

I have been pregnant for 210 days. That’s a whole lotta days. Since I will be induced at 39 weeks, I have about 63 left. In some ways, that seems like an eternity, but in other ways I know it will fly by.

Swollen ankles, baby hiccups, and outrageous heartburn are all part of the daily routine around here. This baby is a twirler. Rarely kicks or punches, but is constantly spinning. A wee bit painful at times. My second daughter was the exact same way. At thirty weeks the baby is an estimated 17 inches and 3.5 pounds. He is expected to gain about .5 pounds per week during the duration of the pregnancy.

Over the last couple of weeks, lots of progress has been made on my “to do before the baby comes” list. It feels great to check things off. My list is so ridiculously long, that in reality, I know it is physically impossible to finish it all before hand, but every little bit helps.

I also had 2 showers recently. Showers always overwhelm me with gratitude at the friends and family I have in my life. This baby is being born into a community of people that already love him so much. He has an endless list of aunties ready to smooch his cute little face. I had an amazing time at both parties, surrounded by people I love. I sat on a zebra couch, with a sock monkey nearby and had tons of little friends helping me open gifts for our new little man at one. At the other, we had a riveting game of racing babies to see who would eat first. I mean really, whats not to love?

Then I got to spend a whole day in my jammies looking through all my gifts, organizing, and putting things away. That is such my happy place.

I’m on the last lap. It’s getting close…

I am nearing the half way point and I really can not be more excited. Pregnancy is amazing. Pregnancy is hard and completely miraculous. It seems as though aliens have taken over every inch of my body.

I felt the baby move yesterday for the first time. Again this morning. It is without a doubt the most amazing feeling in the world.

In just two days, we are going for an ultrasound to determine the gender of the baby. Yes, we are telling…both the gender and the name. I am completely unable to keep secrets about that kind of thing. It will be so nice to know and name this little one swimming around inside of me. We are going for one of those social type of ultrasounds where they schmooz you, give you pictures and dvd’s, and have multiple screens for your viewing pleasure. The only thing missing is popcorn, although I am sure you could bring that too. The kids will be coming along. We are all counting the days. Shawn and Emma want a girl, Cameron wants a boy, Taylor and I don’t really care….it should be interesting to see everybody’s reactions.

The baby is an estimated 6 inches long this week and weighs 7 ounces. Mind boggling fact of the week: if my baby is a girl, her ovaries have already produced millions of primordial egg cells, which, within a few weeks, will develop into actual eggs. um wow.

Here is my fuzzy iphone self portrait….