I'm over it

I had another doctors appointment today and I am now 3 cm dialated. I made them do a non stress test because last week, the doctor mentioned that if a baby is overdue, the chances of stillbirth increase dramatically. Yeah, freak me out for no reason. She forgot to mention it was after they are 42 weeks... All went well with the test. He was an absolute maniac of motion. I had to schedule an induction but since I am more dialated now I set it for as far out as I could in hopes that the baby will be here before I reach that date. It's set for NEXT Friday, the 16th. All along though, I was thinking he'd be here on 10/10. Makes sense to me since Brennen was here on 12/12. Right?! So, I went walking....AGAIN today. I came home and completely cleaned my room and pulled the majority of my maternity clothes out of my drawers. I won't be needing them anymore after this weekend. (power of positive thinking?) I will keep you all posted.....cross your fingers that my water breaks. At least then there's no turning back!

Impatiently waiting....still!

I know I'm only 2 days past my due date but here's the facts: I've been having TONS of contractions for the past 6 weeks. That's unusual for me. I figured that the contractions combined with the extra stress I've had for this entire pregnancy just might make the baby arrive a bit early. Yes, I was wrong but what's wrong with at least being on time? So, here I am impatiently waiting for a baby that I feel may just never come. It really stinks to feel like my life is on hold. Every night I think "tonight might be the night!" only to wake up disappointed in the morning. I have been walking EVERYDAY and eating spicy foods and labor inducing pizza and have no baby to show for it. My ribs are aching from the constant feet up in them and my lower back feels like it may just crack in two. Seriously....stick a fork in me, I'm done! I have an appointment tomorrow morning where the docs will want to schedule an induction. I SO don't want to be induced. Pitocin just sucks. I feel so bad because there are SO many people waiting on pins and needles to make that trip to the hospital. It's going to be a real party in that waiting room and delivery room. And everybody is stuck in this holding pattern with me....impatiently waiting!

Can you hear it baby?

Yep, that's the buzzer going off. This oven says you should be DONE cookin! The time has come.....let's get this party started. Today is my due date. Does that mean nothing?! I have my next appointment on Friday where they will want to schedule an induction. Please, please, please....NO inductions! Hurry up lil buddy!

Full Moon

It's tonight. In case you're wondering. The next full moon. Maybe that will help encourage this lil guy to GET OUT OF MY BELLY! I know, I am THE MOST impatient person ever! I just feel like I've been waiting SO long. I'n not uncomfortable (not too bad) I just would LOVE to NOT have to be induced. At my next appt, they will make me talk induction. I despise induction. Really, what I'd love, if it were all up to me would be to have this baby in the comfort of my OWN home. I don't really even want to go to the hospital. Unfortunately, when I researched home births, I found it to be VERY expensive. We're talking $5000 minimum! YIKES! At least with my coverage, I go to the hospital and go home without spending a dime! It's almost like I get a free baby....well, free to take home, where I can spend the rest of my life spending money on him! Cross your fingers that the full moon will help! Besides, my entire family will be together at my mom's for a family dinner tonight. We'll already be assembled so we can just carpool to the hospital. Good plan, right?

Something is better than nothing...I guess.

Last night I was awake for several hours having some pretty decent contractions. It took me right back to Tucker's labor where I woke up to contractions, timed them for awhile as they got closer, took a shower, woke everybody up and went and had a baby. I thought for SURE the boys wouldn't be going to school today. BUT, after nearly 3 hours, they stopped. They were not feeling too good either. I mean, I even had to do some slow breathing through one or two. I went and walked for awhile at the mall today but NOTHING happened. Oh, I've had more contractions...just nothing regular or consistent. Poo! I really would love to just have him this weekend. This weekend really would work out well for me. I guess I just have to play this waiting game a bit longer.

Dr. Appt.

I went to the docs this morning and FINALLY they checked to see if anything's happening. I'm dialated to 2 cm already but he's still pretty high. She did some "procedure" to help speed things along. I won't bore you with the gory details....I'm still having some irregular contractions but I'm hoping that now they're doing more. HOPEFULLY I'll have this guy before his due date. That would quickly move him up to first place in my book of favorite children! I do have another appointment scheduled for the 9th (after my due date) The doctor says we'll have to start talking about inductions at that point. Please Baby, come on out! I do NOT want to be induced again! Again....any ideas on how to get this guy moving? No, castor oil is NOT an option!

Let's get this party started!

My mom took me to the mall today to try to walk this baby out. It was tiring and I felt like I had a pulled something or other in/on? my leg. I had a couple of contractions (woohoo) but nothing spectacular to make me think today is the day. I'm hoping he's going to sit tight until October. Well, actually, I'm hoping he'll stay put until Jon gets back home. He left this morning to be a counselor for 5th grade outdoor ed. He'll return Friday....

Oh, and the phone calls have begun. You know the ones, well meaning people who have to call daily to find out what, if anything, is going on? Heck, he's not even due for another 7 days which means realistically, he won't be here for about another 12 days......

How about this....if something happens, I'll make the phone calls...or assign somebody else to do it.

I hate waiting.

Nearly 39 weeks!

Only 8 days to go! This pregnancy has flown by but these last few weeks are just DRAGGING! I am ready to be over and done with the painful part and move on to the fun stuff....Like I told Jared, I feel like I'm waiting to be shot...I don't know when it's going to be but I know it's coming so I'm constantly on edge. Not that I've ever had a real problem with labor. I'm a pretty high pain tolerant person...it's just not THE MOST FUN a person can have, no matter how high their pain tolerance is. SO, I'm just sitting here, twiddling my thumbs and cleaning, cleaning cleaning, trying to go into labor!

here's what's going on....

With only 10 short days to go until my due date, I'd love to report that there's something going on but....well, I just can't. I don't think this baby will be early OR on time. I think he's going to be another late arrival. My boys have ALL been late. I'd love to know any tried and true ideas for going into labor. I'm telling you...the novelty has worn off by now. I'm not particularly uncomfortable, just tired of this big, clumsy body. I'm ready to move on to the next chapter in this story....
I'm guessing he'll be here on the 10th. Anybody else want to venture a guess?
Here's what I've had SO far....
Jon- 3 days late. 10lbs 22.5"
Jake- induced 6 days early because docs thought he'd be BIGGER than Jon! 8lb10oz 21"
Tucker- 7 days late. 9lb14oz 21"
Tanner- induced 8 days late. 9lbs11oz 20.5"
Brennen- induced 7 days late. 9lbs. I have NO idea how long he was because they didn't even give me one of those little cards! BUMMER.
I sometimes think this boy will be really big because he's SO strong but then I figure if he still has so much room to be a little hellion, maybe he's on the smaller side? WHO KNOWS! I'm really looking forward to finding out.


In other news...and there's plenty of that with 5 boys...
Jon left this morning at 6am for Boy Scout advance camp. He's working on more merit badges. When he returns, he'll be home for Monday and then Tuesday morning he leaves to be a camp counselor for 5th grade outdoor ed. He took it upon himself to look into the program, apply and all. He's really excited! He's also been working really hard in school this year and I'm SO proud to announce that he currently has ALL A's and B's. I think it was 4 A's and 2 B's! He rocks. He's always been extremely intelligent and I'm so glad that he's focusing on grades instead of just girls. Don't get me wrong, he's still TOTALLY into girls but he understands that grades ARE important. Thank GOD!

Jake is doing pretty well in 8th grade this year. The school changed his schedule and he had a class he didn't like so he took it upon himself to switch it. I am so proud of him for being so independent and being an advocate for himself. He is now in drama which he LOVES! The girls really love Jake too and I am happy to say that he is NOT so into girls! Whew! I certainly don't need 2 hormone driven boys! Jake seems to have adapted very well to full time public school and he's got lots of friends. He's getting more and more independent. I'm able to have him skateboard from school to karate 2 days a week so my job is much easier. Jake's also been working for an organic farmer harvesting veggies. He really loves the work. He and Jon both work there but Jake is always the first to step up when the farmer calls last minute needing help. He's there as we speak...working his first Farmer's Market. Hopefully they give him a raise soon. (they started him lower than Jon because he was slower but he's been busting his lil butt trying to impress them) I must say, I'm very proud of him and his work ethic.

Tucker is having some independence forced on him and he's rather unwilling. He's in 5th grade now and it's a bit more serious. He's got lots of book reports and a research project to do this year. All very daunting tasks for a boy who doesn't want to take responsibility for anything. He's still somewhat immature and I do worry about him but I have to just push him to do his best and to really step up and be the responsible kid that he needs to be. I'm so grateful that we held him back years ago because if he were actually starting middle school this year, I think he'd just die. He's been doing really well with his karate and is participating in another tournament today! Last time he took first place in sparring so hopefully he'll do really well. If he can remember his form, maybe, just maybe, he'll earn a trophy this time. He really has taken to karate and I think it's been VERY good for him. It's nice for him to have something that Jake isn't involved in so he's not at all in Jake's shadow.

Tanner is having a pretty good 2nd grade year. He had to get back on his ADHD meds. I haven't been able to get him in to get more allergy treatments. I think if he were to be treated for all of his allergies, he may not need his meds. BUT, it's so expensive and all of the boys have allergies so I can't just focus on Tanner. Luckily his ADHD meds really work and his teacher is very impressed with his willingness to learn. He's had a couple run ins with some hyper boy at school but he's been very mature about it and I think the problem is solved. He just started Cub Scouts again for the year and so far, he's loving it. Jared's been taking him which I think makes a huge difference. He really needs time with his dad and I'm glad that Jared's been able to give him that time.

Brennen has been a terd. To put it bluntly. He knows that Mommy is tired and much slower and he's taking FULL ADVANTAGE of that. Won't he be surprised after the baby's born when I can really run again?! As my due date approaches, he's getting increasingly naughty. I don't think it really helps that he's been really suffering from seasonal allergies. He's just not being the good boy that he normally is. I've been working on setting up some play dates for him with his aunties once the baby is here. I think he's going to definitely need some one on one attention and I know I won't be as able to give him that right away. I'm most nervous about him. He is very much a Momma's boy. He falls asleep evey night snuggling with me and if he wakes up, he always wants me. UGH! Hopefully Jared will really step up and help out with Brennen because I just cannot do it all.

So, that's my life story.......Hopefully, very soon, I will have another person to write about at the end......

15 days and counting...

I've got 15 days to go until my due date and I am off to buy more diapers and supplies. You can never be TOO prepared, right? Well, with the help of some coupon blogs, I've amassed quite a supply of diapers and baby products already. I think I'm better prepared than I've ever been before. I ADORE getting great deals on things so it's been exciting. (I know, it sure doesn't take much to make ME happy!) Well, it's off to Rite Aid I go....I'm SURE I'm forgetting SOMETHING though....

counting the days...

I have just a short 28 days until my due date but I'm starting to feel like this baby will never come. He just seems so content where he is. He still kicks like a son of a gun so apparently he's got plenty of room. (which makes me think he'll be here much later rather than sooner) My smallest baby to date was 8lbs 10oz but he was induced a full week before his due date. I feel like this kid is big and strong and will rival his brothers' birth weight. Other days though, I feel like he's SO super active and rolling this way and that, it seems there must be more than one in there. How can one little baby cause such a ruckus? I don't remember the others being NEARLY as active at this point. I know that the baby will come when he's good and ready but I am SO ready! I've got everything set up....the only thing left to do is pack a bag for the hospital. I guess what it all boils down to is that I'm getting awfully bored not being able to do anything. I'm ready to have my body back so I can DO stuff....you know, like bend over to pick something up....

Ok, I'm done whining for now.

An interesting May 20th tidbit.

Today has, twice, been named as my due date! Strange, huh? I was due to have Jon on May 20th although according to MY calculations, I was 40 weeks on May 23rd which just so happens to be the evening I went into labor. He was born on the 24th. I was also due to have Tanner on May 20th. He was more stubborn. I had no calculations for him so I went with the May 20th prediction. I was induced on May 23rd. I was in labor ALL DAY LONG and then sent home having made NO progress. I swore then and there I would wait it out....no matter HOW long it took. I was NOT going to try an induction again because, well, frankly, it sucked. I was back 5 days later. Being induced. He NEVER dropped! The nurses literally had to push from up above so the doctor could even touch his head! (TMI?) I was SO done with the pregnancy though....I was hardly able to breathe since he was so up in my ribs. So, Tanner came May 28th. Strange though....same due date....

He *should* be here today.....

IF he has a calendar in there, I'm sure he will be! I'm DONE! 40 weeks today......Come out, come out, wherever you are! C'mon baby, Mommy's gettin impatient!

7 more days!

Only 7 days to go until my due date! I would be excited except for the simple fact that none of my boys have ever come early or even on their due dates. I guess the only thing in my favor is the fact that the next full moon is actually ON my due date. Maybe that gravitational pull will help! One can only hope. I have ANOTHER ob appt tomorrow so I will keep you all posted. Think good thoughts for me!