Waiting Game

We are sitting at 38 weeks today.  LaRue is kicking and wiggling and dropping into position to be born.  I've been having very strong Braxton Hicks contractions for around 3 weeks now, some quite long and regular for hours - and then it just stops.   And I've been in an agitated nesting state for nearly 2 weeks.  I think I'm driving everybody nuts - and I really am trying to stay calm and reasonable.   I really hope I don't go another several weeks in this state! 

Every pregnancy is different.  With Kendra, I started at a nice weight, kept to a good weight gain, and was sick well into the 2nd trimester.  I just KNEW she was a girl, in spite of no sonogram, but we had had names picked out for our first child since our honeymoon.  I'm just a little weird that way.  Then in the third trimester, we had problems, I gained over 50 lbs in 2 months.  Turned out later that I was allergic to milk - and was drinking more to get enough protien in my diet.  My water broke at 37 weeks 2 days (on a Monday morning).  That night we went to the hospital to be induced and ended up with a C-Section.  She was a pretty good baby - easy going and happy.

Vannan was an easy pregnancy.  I only gained 30 lbs with her, but had plenty of Kendra weight that I was (and still am) carrying around.  We had false labor with her from about 5 months on ... and were surprised when I started labor at 40weeks and 2 days on our 7th anniversary.  We homebirthed and I was able to fully enjoy having her with me from the moment she was born.  She was a very fussy baby and in spite of my best efforts, I was unable to get her and Kendra onto similar schedules for nearly 5 months.  One exhausted Momma.  And Kendra had given up naps!

There was a long break between Vannan and Joel, and finally on Halloween, I found out I was expecting again.  My blood pressure was a problem, and I ended up with a doctor and a shoe string promise of being allowed a VBAC, which got thinner and thinner with each visit.  I lost 20 lbs while I was pregnant and my blood pressure dropped to normal.  I felt great (if only I had stayed on that diet!).  Then at 37 weeks and 5 days, my water broke, I called our midwife - I knew our doctor would not come to the hospital on a weekend.  And she delivered Joel early Sunday morning.  Best birth ever.

So now we sit and wait for LaRue (although Kendra is absolutely sure the sonagram was wrong and we'll end up with a Rueben instead).   We've passed the 37 weeks - she could come any time now.  It's just a waiting game.