Guess we'll go see

We're going to go get checked out at the hospital. I'm not so sure that it is the time yet, but we'll go find out.

Wish us luck!!

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Is today the big day?

So last night the contractions started at much more regular intervals. I was able to sleep for the majority of the night, but C couldn't sleep until after 4:00 because of the contractions. Now they are ranging from 3 to 9 minutes in duration. How do you know when to go to the hospital? How do you know when they are strong enough or close enough? I mean, at 4 minutes, but irregular, is it often enough? How strong should they be? Do they have to be strong enough that you can't talk?

They talk about these things in advance, but I'm not sure the pat answers were really all that helpful.

Is the baby coming today? I dunno. But I'll keep you posted.

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Still hanging out

Just a quick update to let you know that we are still hanging out. No real substantial news since yesterday. Well, I guess I could mention that C passed the mucus plug this morning. But that doesn't give any real timing indication yet. We could seriously still be three weeks away.

Part of me says, "Whew! Three more weeks would be great! There is so much to do." But another, louder part of me says, "Lets get this baby here!"

Here's hoping it will be sooner rather than later, because this is getting really uncomfortable for C...

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Just two more weeks!

This is getting so close that I'm getting giddy. I can't wait for this baby to come. I'm so excited to be a dad -- even if it means sleepless nights and poopy diapers and baby spit-up.

I have this aversion to all bodily fluids (and solids, too, for that matter), so the fact that I'd be excited about changing a diaper is kind of funny. But I'm excited for all of it. I'm ready for the whole shebang, if you know what I mean.

At the doctor's office for the weekly visit today we found out that C is 50% effaced, and dilated to one centimeter. That doesn't mean that this baby is coming any time soon--chances are good she'll still hang out until her Dec 7th due date--but at least we know that things are progressing normally. C's body is doing whatever 38-week-pregnant bodies do at 38 weeks.

We have a car seat, so my mom can stop freaking out. Seriously, about three weeks ago my mom called me on the phone and asked if we had a car seat yet.

"Not yet" I replied.

"You do realize that you can't take the baby home unless you have a car seat installed in your car, don't you?" My mom asked.

I'm trying to figure out if that was a real question. I mean, of course we know this. Does she honestly think we don't understand this? Or does she think that we would ever consider taking the baby in a moving vehicle without a car seat?

"Yes mom, I realize this. But we've still got five weeks. And even if the baby were to make an early appearance, I could still drop by Babies'Я'Us and get a car seat."

Seriously.

But she ended up buying us a car seat, so I shouldn't complain. She took us shopping and let us pick the one we wanted. That was pretty cool. So thanks, Mom. I appreciate it.

I kept hoping the baby would come early, but BW is hoping to get her thesis sign-off today. If not today, then for sure on Monday. At this point, the baby can come anytime after the thesis has been signed off. Even if that means a week late. I'll just be glad that the thesis is done.

Two more weeks! Horay!!

Don't worry, I'll post pictures. :)

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A graduation of sorts

So last night we had the final "Lamaze" class. I put it in quotes, because at the end of it, I'm not sure why it was categorized as a "Lamaze" class. Really, it was a third-trimester class. We discussed Lamaze only on the first week, and only for part of the time. That was a disappointment for me because we were hoping to get more information on natural birthing options. As it was, all I could tell was that our instructor favored natural birthing, but didn't really care what we decided to do.

Here's the roundup.

Week 1: Overview of pregnancy; Nutrition throughout pregnancy; Trimesters; some breathing, massaging, and relaxation exercises.

Week 2: Stages of labor; "the video"

Week 3: Epidurals; spinal blocks; tour of the hospital maternity ward

Week 4: Newborn care; Postpartum care; 10-minute refresher on recommended breathing patterns during contractions.

It was an interesting class, but it wasn't a "Lamaze" class. That's too bad, since we paid almost double the price of the third-trimester class with little to no information about Lamaze. I expected some Lamaze-specific material, tips on breathing with follow-up on subsequent weeks, homework on breathing, stuff like that. For a third-trimester class, it was really good. For a Lamaze-specific class, it was, um, lacking.

Other than that, I'm glad we took the class. I learned a lot of information, and I feel a lot more confident about the concept of birth than I did four weeks ago. I think that I might be able to get through it without passing out, which would be a bonus. I think I'm even going to try to cut the cord myself. This is a major step up. So this class has, after all, been a good thing.

So I think we're ready; at least in terms of knowing more about what to expect. I feel ready, I guess; as ready as we're going to be, since you're probably never _ready_. BW (Beautiful Wife) still needs to finish her thesis, but that will happen this week. Which is coincidentally the week BW hits the 37 week mark, which is considered "full-term." We had a lady at our church on Sunday tell us that you can just tell when somebody is ready for labor, and BW apparently has that look. She thought that BW might have her baby even this week. You could just see it in BW's face, apparently.

I hope not. We still haven't picked a name.

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Five Weeks to Go

This week we had our second (of four) Lamaze classes at the hospital where we expect our little girl will be born sometime in the next five weeks.

I was proud of myself. This was the class where we had to watch "the video" and I think I handled it amazingly well, thank you very much. It will be interesting to see what actually happens, but I'm thinking that this will be a good experience all the way around. At least I hope it will be. You can't prepare for every possible situation, and I frankly, there are some I'd rather not prepare for because they are too scary, but in general, I'm an optimist, so I expect that our case will be like most and everything will be okay.

Anyway, the class was good. We talked a lot about the procedure of birth and the stages and stuff. There was a lot of it that was new information for me, and I'm glad to have more of an understanding of what to expect.

I haven't said anything here yet, but a recent comment made me decide to tell you that we've decided to use a non-traditional birthing method. We are preparing to do a hypnotic birthing, following the "Hypnobabies" course. I'm really excited about it, and think ti will be a very powerful, positive experience. I have no expectation that we will fail, but it is nice to know that if something unexpected *does* occur, we are in the hospital and can have necessary intervention.

We talked to the Lamaze instructor after the class on Monday and asked her about how supportive the hospital staff will be with the decision to use hypnobirthing techniques. She was very positive about it and said the hospital would be very supportive. Even better, she knew that our doctor in particular is very supportive of women who choose alternative birthing options. That was encouraging, because we haven't talked to him about it yet. In fact, he asked on the very first appointment if we were planning on an epidural or a natural birth, and we said we didn't know. He has never brought it up again. Neither have we. (We will at our next appointment on Wednesday.) So it is nice to know that he will be on board with us. What we need to be successful is people supporting the decision, rather than a bunch of critics saying how hard it is going to be. So I'm glad he'll be on our team.

It was also nice to have the Lamaze instructor (who is also a head nurse [I forget the correct term] in the labor and delivery department) tell us that if we requested a birthing nurse who is familiar with hypnobirthing that we could get a nurse who will be supportive of us.

In the end, we started the course a little late, but BW (beautiful wife) is working on the courses at an advanced pace, and all seems to be going well. I also got a CD with scripts for the birthing partner that I get to use.

I hope you aren't bored by this whole explanation. I'm just excited about the decision and am really excited about welcoming a little baby girl into the family sometime in the next month or so. Yay!!

Now I just need to practice relaxing -- which is hard when you are as excited as I am .

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Breathe in -- breathe out

I survived our first prenatal class.

It wasn't that bad, actually, except for the part where the woman behind us kept talking about how she is on blood thinners, and she has to give herself shots, and she just jabs the needle straight into her belly, and she is worried that she might puncture the sac and start spewing forth amniotic fluid, which she thought might have happened earlier today because the fluid that came out was white (her DH thought it was kind of cloudy), and what color was amniotic fluid anyway? (Now picture me turning green in the face, my wife leaning over and asking, "are you going to be okay?")

I so don't have the stomach for childbirth. A full 12 hours after the event, and it still makes me sick to my stomach to listen to.

The more I think about it, the more I'm glad that my wife is planning on a natural birth (assuming all goes as planned). I don't think I can handle LOOKING at the epidural needle, never mind being in the same hospital as my wife when she were to get the shot.

I think the thing my wife learned last night that she liked the most was that birthing room 1 in our hospital has an in-room jacuzzi. She wanted to know if we could call ahead and reserve the room.

(Me on the phone: "Yes, hospital? Labor and Delivery please. Yes. I'll hold.... Yes, Labor and Delivery? Oh good. Hey, we're planning a birth in 6 weeks, well, we're due in six weeks, and we wondered if we couldn't just schedule birthing room 1 for sometime that week. In fact, just block off the whole week for us, okay?")

Joking aside, it was a good class, albeit long (2.5 hours). I should have thought to bring snacks, as we were both starving at the end.

The class covered a bunch of stuff we already knew (don't smoke, drink, do drugs, take over-the-counter drugs, and be sure to take a multi-vitamin). Truth be told, it was actually kind of late for that kind of advice. (Birth is "scheduled" in 6 weeks, 2 days, lest you forget.) Then she talked about eating healthy, and all the kinds of food you should and shouldn't be eating.

This part was amusing because I've been doing Weight Watchers now for about 8 months, and I've become very aware of the food I eat and the quantity I eat. The class leader was talking about how easy it is to get your grains, and she said, "do you realize that a serving of cold cereal is just a half a cup? That is like this much" and she made a small cup with her hand. "Nobody ever eats just one serving of cold cereal. I'm sure you all eat at least 3."

And I'm thinking to myself, "Well, the cold cereal I had this morning is 3/4 cup for one serving, which is 30 grams. I had about 35 grams plus milk, so I think I came pretty close to my one serving."

So while I think the nutrition part is important, it wasn't new information for either my wife or myself.

Then we did the massaging (my wife loved this part). We ended with some relaxation techniques, something along the lines of hypno-birthing. That was really interesting, and it is something we want to look more into. It's not voodoo-ish or anything. It's just a relaxation technique where you learn to relax yourself and be aware of what is happening in your body, and then when labor happens, you work with your body instead of against it. It was very interesting, and very relaxing.

All in all, it was a good class. Now our prenatal classes are 1/4 over. Which is a good thing, because by the time class is done, we will be within 2 weeks of our "scheduled" delivery.

I better go reserve birthing room 1. Jacuzzi here we come!

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Pushing 8 Months

Maybe this post should be called "8 Months and Pushing." It kind of works either way.

Here's the story. Yesterday BW (Beautiful Wife), who as you remember is in her 8th month of pregnancy, was driving our truck. She parked it in front of our condo, but forgot to turn off the lights. When she went back out at 3:15 to head to her 3:30 appointment, she realized she couldn't start the truck because the lights had been left on (notice the passive construction).

She called me in a panic at work. I told her if she could get somebody to push the truck, she could pop the clutch. She told me she'd figure it out. Here's what she figured out: She (the 8-month-pregnant-she) pushed the truck out of its parking spot, and got it pointed down hill. The she started to push it, but couldn't get it going fast enough. A guy who was taking out the trash saw her and offered to help. So she got in and he pushed, but BW couldn't get the clutch to pop. So SHE SWITCHED PLACES WITH THE GUY.

Here is BW, standing at the back of the truck, pushing it, while this random neighbor pushed from the driver's side. After they got it moving fast enough, the guy jumped into the truck and popped the clutch.

BW called me on the phone, panting, almost unable to speak, quite proud of what she'd done. I was dumbfounded. She assures me that she wouldn't have (and this is a direct quote) "pushed it too far, both literally and figuratively."

But she did hurt in various places last night. I'm still not sure it was a wise thing to do. But I sure wish we'd gotten a picture.

You know, it was one of those experiences where its pretty funny afterwards because nothing bad came of it, but if something awful had happened, we'd look at it and say "Boy, that was dumb." But remember, she promises that "[she] wouldn't have pushed it too far."

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An impatient daddy's ramblings

We have started the 33rd of 40 weeks. It might as well be 400 weeks. Those who have been there recently tell me that the last month can't go by fast enough. I am wondering about the last two months ... :)

I'm so ready for this baby girl to get here. In fact, I'm impatient for it to happen.

I know, I know. I should have learned patience right now. I remember that while serving as a missionary, people would always tell me, "Elder, the Lord is trying to teach you patience." Well, I want to hurry up and learn it already, because I'm tired of waiting!

No, really, we are excited for the baby's arrival. Still no name yet, and that's really because we haven't chosen one, not because we're just not telling. Although I will tell you that there are a couple that we really like. But I don't think a decision will be made until she decides to make her appearance.

C is starting to get to the uncomfortable phase of her pregnancy. She has to get up multiple times a night to take care of business. Plus, she can't sleep unless she has like 4 pillows and three blankets strategically placed on, around, under, and over her. You gotta feel sorry for her. It doesn't look like much fun, but she is a trooper and doesn't complain (much at least). She is much more worried right now about her master's thesis, which she is trying to finish before the baby comes. She actually hopes to finish it, defend, and turn in any revisions before the baby comes, so she isn't feeling like 8 weeks sounds all that far away. Of course, when I think about it in work terms, I don't think it seems that far away either. We've gone one cycle left in our agile development process before our release date, and that is right before the baby is due (and the same weekend that C wants to defend her thesis).

Our next-door-neighbor came over last night to borrow something, and she told us that they found out that they are expecting. She's only about 6 weeks along (which is crazy pregnancy math that counts two weeks as if you were pregnant when any rational person can tall you is malarkey...). She said she is due in early June. My first thought was, "June. That is so far away!" My next thought, "Well, early December's not so bad, I suppose."

So I keep going back and forth. Sometimes 8 weeks seems like forever, and sometimes it seems like there is a slight chance it might go somewhat faster than I worry that it won't (if that makes sense). I always laugh at those people who tell me, "It will be here before you know it." I have to think to my self that it's like telling the mother of a departing missionary that her child will be home before she knows it. A mother of a missionary feels every day. So does an expectant parent. At least when that expectant parent is me.

by really, its going to be great. I'm so excited!! I can't wait.

Is it December 7th yet? Is it December 7th yet?

(I wonder if I could bribe St. Nikolaus to hook up with the stork for his rounds on December 6th. I'd clean my Nikolaus-Stiefel really good, I promise!!)

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11-ish weeks and counting

Well, with delivery planned in just over 11 weeks, things feel like they are finally picking up in pace. Eleven weeks sounds like forever, but I think it is going to go by very quickly.

Now C is in the third trimester, and things are going great. There are currently no signs of any complications and our little girl seems to be doing great. She keeps C up at all hours of the night, probably helping her to get ready for weeks of sleepless nights after she arrives. I don't get any such early preparation, but I suppose that is okay. I don't mind sleeping through the nights now, even knowing that I won't get to in December. Poor C, though, doesn't get much choice.

C recently went to visit her family in another state. While she was there, her mom hosted a baby shower for friends and relatives. It took an extra suitcase, and an extra duffle bag to get all the generously-given gifts back home. And I've never seen so much pink in my whole life. There are pink outfits and pink blankets. Pink dresses and pink pants. Pink undershirts (I think they call these things onesies?) and pink bibs. Pink receiving blankets (I'm still not sure what you use a receiving blanket for yet...). It's all pretty cool. But it makes the pending arrival all that more real.

You know, it is kind of weird. For C, every moment of every day (and night, for that matter) is spent being pregnant. It is always on her mind, because she is carrying the baby with her all the time. For me, however, it isn't an ever-present kind of thing. I think about it when it comes up, but I don't spend every minute of every day anticipating the blessed event. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying I'm not excited, because I am. It just isn't an ever-present thought. Sometimes it kind of surprises me when I remember. But all these baby clothes around the house are making it seem more real.

We made our first joint trip to Babies R Us last week. Wow. They have a lot of stuff. We looked at clothes and strollers and baby monitors, and binkies and cribs and changing tables and mattresses. Wow. wow. wow. Talk about overwhelming. How am I ever supposed to make a decision on anything when there are 40,000 options for each thing?

I think we have narrowed the stroller options down, though. We are looking at a Mclaren, but are also considering the Pliko. Babies R Us had the Mclarens in stock, and I loved that as a 6'4" dad, I won't have to bend over to push it. The Pliko got great reviews on one of the web sites I read, but I haven't found one in stock yet to try out.

Fun fun fun!

Stay tuned for my next post on planning for the 3rd trimester classes...

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