39 weeks....

...and still waiting.

**deep sigh**

I know I'm being impatient. But I want to meet our baby girl!!!!

And I want to be out of all this discomfort. It's pretty miserable.

I'm having "false labor" almost every night until midnight. Then it goes away so I can sleep and I feel great in the morning. It's a bit frustrating. And terribly exhausting. I would like to either 'be in labor' or 'not'.

The hospital bags are all packed. The nursery is ready for a baby to sleep and poop in. All is in place. Now all we need is an actual baby...

Praying she's early.
Happy if she's punctual.
OK with her being late.
My main hope = healthy!

So as I tip back another hot chocolate...let's toast to patience while waiting!

Almost Done Cooking

38 weeks.
WHOA!
Look at me!
In the words of my Daddy, "You're about to explode!"

The baby's almost done cooking.
And I'm about done being the oven.

The doctor has ordered 'rest'! Because I am so petite, and the baby is growing bigger, I actually feel pain every time she moves. (Chas, did you ever had that problem?) So, the doc suggests I quit working sooner than later. And that's just what I did. Yesterday was my last day as the BBC&S A/R Clerk.

It's so bittersweet.

I'm officially 'unemployed' as a money maker but employed as a Mom. On one hand this means I'm getting closer to meeting my baby girl! But on the other hand, I'm not going to be around the people with which I love to work.

But I'm OK with it!
Trust me.

38 weeks. Only about 2 more weeks to go. Less than that, actually. Estimated Due Date = December 5th. (I'm secretly hoping she comes sooner, but only time will tell what God has in store...and according to past lessons learned...His timing is always best! PTL!)

***And on a side note...ANSWER TO PRAYER***

I needed to work until December 1st for insurance purposes. And clearly, I did not make it. But all is well because I didn't realize that I had 40 hours of personal time left! WHOO HOO!!! This means, my personal days will get me to December 1st and therefore I will be covered under my employer's insurance until December 31st! And by that time, the baby and I will be covered by PA Medical Assistance (which pro-rates back 90 days!).

Worry is a sin.
So why do I do it?
Clearly, the Lord provides.
Will I ever learn?
Probably not.
But I'm thankful for a Lord Who not only provides,
but Who is patient and forgiving!
What a wonderful God we serve...

Contractions? I wish.

Well, it seems that our lil' miss Annaleigh may come sooner than later. Although I'm no doctor, I have this 'feeling'. And it's mostly the feeling of Braxton Hicks (or prodromal labor) since Wednesday (11/18)! Now I completely understand these 'false' contractions can almost mean nothing other than my body 'practicing' for real labor. But I am telling you, it is taking a serious physical toll on my body.

I ended up taking the day off of work on Friday (much to the excitable anxiousness of my co-workers - they think I'm not going to last the weekend). It's not only exhausting being preggo and working all day, which it is. It's adding on 500 'sit-ups' to that.

I rested. I drank water. Both prescribed by the on-call OB.

And it definitely helped. Today, I have a good amount more of energy. Trying to allow myself the non-normal Michelle self-talk of "lazy is good. lazy is OK.". But I have no other choice. My body really won't allow anything different.

I always thought that labor contractions would follow a relatively calmed state and then just "hit" me. I never imagined I would have this intermittent period of time where my stomach would randomly ball up and harden and then relax after some time. Phew. Hard work.

At first, scary.
At second, exciting.
Now, annoying and getting very old.

Can't we just get this over with?
Labor. Or no labor.
Because I sure am not enjoying this practice session. Oh, wait...happening again....arg.

Just further proves my dislike for exercising...blah.