Progress. . . Hooray!

Not yet!

We are trying to stay busy so we don't just sit around and wait for this little girl.  We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and I am thrilled to say that I am finally making progress!  Not much, but more than ever before.  I am having contractions each day but they are about an hour apart so they aren't close enough to go in and have her. I am starting to dilate and half way effaced.  Like I said, not much progress, but it is better than nothing!  The "lifesaver effect" has started!  The contractions are kind of strange and I wasn't sure if they were contractions or not, but my doctor said they were so I will trust him.  They aren't too painful yet and with being so anxious to get labor going I want more of them.  Never in my life have I wanted to be in pain or to be in the hospital, but knowing what is at the end of it is what is so exciting.  This is what we have been waiting all this time for!

I am pretty sure that I have dropped or at least started to drop.  This bowling ball of a baby is resting more and more on my legs, which has its perks.  I can really breathe now, which I didn't realize how much pressure she put on my lungs, but it is so nice now!  I also don't get heart burn like I used to as my food has a little more space to settle. . . very nice as well.  With this dropping, I feel like I am perfecting the giant pregnant woman walk.  I sometimes feel like I am trying to walk with a bowling ball between my legs.  I have also noticed that my hair is swaying a little out of control from side to side more and more and not in a ditsy blonde sort of way :)  In case anyone was wondering, I have spotted some of those "beautiful" pink markings/stripes. . . .not too many, but when the light hits them just right, they really shine!  And I now understand why giant pregnant ladies are portrayed as waddling with one hand on their lower back.  My bowling ball child is doing a wonderful job at pulling my back out of line.  With her dropping, she has pulled my spine with her, or so it feels.  Laying on my back seemed logical in trying to get her to push my spine back in place, but that is just about as far from comfortable as could be.  David is now in the routine of giving back rubs each night, which I look forward to each night.  I love them!  

Lately, if I don't answer the door right away, or my phone, or my email, or if I am not home when David gets home, then everyone assumes that I must be at the hospital.  It is a valid idea, but I'm not sure who is more involved in this waiting game.  I think that I am not the only one anxiously waiting and wondering :)  

It has been fun with everyone so excited for me. . . from family, to friends, apartment managers, mail men, grocery store clerks, neighbors, ward members, or anyone else that I even remotely have a conversation with.  It is definitely on my mind and it is obvious that I am ready to pop.  I think so many people have experienced how great children can be whether they have been parents themselves or not, and with us being so close to being a new mom and dad, they can't help but be excited for us.  My doctor seems very excited for us too which was fun yesterday!  He too can't wait to see what kind of baby has been so nice to me all along.

It seems that this little girl is not taking requests as I have had a lot of family stop through on their way to their vacations hoping to meet her.  She seems to have her own timing and doesn't care to rush anything.  David is very excited to start teaching her everything and so I think she is holding off just like everyone else that is dreading summer coming to an end and school starting up.  She must like our dates relaxing at the pool a little too much!