Waiting Game :-)

For a while now I've had this intuition that Harper would be born during the 38th week of pregnancy.  Probably because, I love the number 8 and also because, according to my mom, I was also born in the 38th week of pregnancy.  There are a few days left, so I guess we'll see if my motherly intuition was correct!  However, my intuition about due dates has been historically terrible!!  I have been hilariously 'way off' with my guesses on my friends' due dates.  In fact, I think I was in almost LAST PLACE in my friend Tara's baby pool because my guess was SOOOO wrong!  So I doubt I'll actually have any good instincts about my own due date either :-)  I guess we'll see!!!

However, we did have our regular check-up at the birth center yesterday and it seems that things are progressing.  YES!  I've been having tons of contractions-just nothing 'real.'  But, I know this is my body preparing for labor, so every time they happen I do get really excited.  And unfortunately the contractions have been just painful enough that it is difficult for me to sleep.  Well, the dull pain on top of the excitement keeps me awake :-)  I was hesitant to let Abigail do a cervical exam because I didn't want to get overly eager or disappointed depending on what my 'stats' were...but curiosity got the best of me and I let her do it!  To my relief, my body is definitely getting ready.  I am dilating, almost completely effaced, and the baby's head is very low according to our midwife.  Hallelujah!  I was glad to know that the contractions that I had been feeling were at least DOING something productive.

As many mamas had warned me before, this last stretch can be pretty rough.  It's true!  I think it is a biological way of preparing you to go through anything to get the baby out.  Although not HORRIBLE, a lot of the sensations remind me of bad menstrual symptoms...so it's not something that you can't cope with, but day after day...let's just say you become READY for baby to get here, no matter what!  Don't worry, we will keep you all posted with any exciting new progressions.  But right now, we're still just patiently playing the waiting game :-)