Start with the post before this one. 

…

Or maybe, just maybe, having our babies this close together will be the best thing we’ve ever done.  Maybe one day we’ll look back and say that we couldn’t have imagined it any other way.  Maybe one or both of us would have lost our fertility otherwise or maybe, just maybe, we would have never “decided” that the time was right to have another baby.  Maybe the babies will be the best of buddies and provide each other with years and years of companionship.  Maybe Theo will take to the baby right away and somehow understand that he or she requires a gentler touch.  Maybe it will be no time at all before having a baby brother or sister is all Theo can remember.  Maybe one day he will appreciate that we gave him a sibling close enough in age to be his very best friend. 

Maybe this (vaginal) birth will go smoother than the last one.  Maybe the shoulder dystocia last time had nothing to do with my gestational diabetes and this baby will decide to come out less…traumatically (for both of us).  Maybe this baby will latch right on and I won’t have to go through the torture of teaching a newborn (and myself) how to breastfeed.  Maybe this baby will have a calm, happy personality and will sleep through the night at a young age like Theo did.  Maybe we will get lucky (again).  Or maybe we already have.

Maybe this baby will make our family complete.  (Maybe not).  Maybe sharing the responsibility and honor of parenting two children will bring us closer.  Maybe things will all work out (because really, what’s the alternative?).  Maybe we’ll find that living in that tiny house for just a bit longer opened doors that we would’ve otherwise missed.  Maybe, amidst all the chaos, we will take family vacations and lots of pictures and relish the fleeting moments that we have to spend with our kids.

Maybe, just maybe, we’ll realize what a gift it is to be parents.  (Maybe we already do).  Maybe we’ll make the most of each experience, agonizing and rewarding alike.  Maybe we’ll look at this baby, just like we look at Theo, and think proudly to ourselves we did that…we made that…we’re like…magical sorcerers who can make the bestest, cutest, coolest kids ever. 

Just maybe,
~C~

Yes, friends, this is where it gets really annoying.  I’m going to the doctor every week now.  Luckily there should only be about 2 more of these updates.  Hopefully it will be fun for me to look back at them one day and remember just how I was feeling.  I know shortly after I had Theo, I had all these feelings of was I ever really pregnant? I could barely remember just what the weight of this belly felt and looked like or how the kicks, shoves, and wiggles made me moan and groan.

Since I woke up 3 hours before my alarm went off, I went ahead and picked up Theo before my appointment.  Big mistake.  They had to “work me in” so of course that means we waited.  Got there at 4:40 and didn’t see the doctor til 5:10.  Theo was o.v.e.r. it.  Luckily the appointment went quickly and I got lots of good news to share!

Weight gain is back up to 20 pounds (normal fluctuating, if you ask me). 
BP was 110/60.
Heartbeat was in the 140s.
Belly was measuring….I don’t remember what she said…
Blood sugars are “perfect.”

All systems go for a scheduled induction on May 12!  They scheduled it, or were calling the hospital to set it up when I left so I need to call back and find out exactly what time I have to be there.  And the rest of the report…

1cm dilated
50% effaced
Cervix is “very” soft (due to recently having a baby) and should respond nicely to Pitocin. 

I’m most excited about the soft cervix because that means I don’t have to go in the night before they start my induction for Cervidil.  Why is this a good thing?  For one, it hurts.  But mostly because I can sleep in my own bed rather than a hospital bed the night before the baby is born.  And I won’t have to be hooked up to an IV and monitors and all that junk for as long.  It’s really inconvenient using the bathroom and just moving around while there are 53 kinds of tubes and wires coming out of your oh-so-flattering minty-green hospital gown.  Not to mention the fact that it’s that much less time away from Theo.  Yes, skipping Cervidil is a good, good thing. 

I told the doctor that I am still not sleeping because I couldn’t bring myself to pay $108 for 20 Ambien CRs.  She said she’d rx me the regular Ambien, although she didn’t think it was as effective.  I don’t know how much cheaper it is.  I slept a little better over the weekend.  I mean a little.  But when I went back to work, it was back to 3-4 hours of sleep per day.  Not. Sufficient.  My body just hurts from being so tired.  I keep telling myself, it’s just a few more days.  Anyway, I forgot my prescription for the old-fashioned Ambien and haven’t decided if I’ll try it or not.  I might see about just getting 5 of the Ambien CRs to see if they are worth $5+ apiece.  Fat chance. 

Oh, on the sleeping pill note, I decided to try Unisom OTC when I found out how much the Ambien CR was going to cost me.  I swear, it gave me RLS! I took it three nights in a row and three nights in a row, I had the unstoppable urge to move my legs to relieve uncomfortable feelings of tingling and aching.  I can’t even explain how weird it was.  When I saw the commercials on tv for RLS a long time ago, I thought it was made up.  It’s not.  It might be one of the most annoying things I’ve ever experienced while trying to go to sleep.  Needless to say, Unisom did not do the trick!

I only have 8 more days of work before the baby comes.  Then it’s 12 weeks of round-the-clock work and not sleeping…but hey, at least I’ll be at home and can wear my jammies.  And I’ll be able to lie down on my stomach again – score!

I go back to the doctor next Thursday for my 37 week appointment.  I’ll have an ultrasound to get a look at the baby’s size.  I’m so paranoid that the tech is going to ruin the gender surprise.  We’ve made it this long, I sure don’t want her spoiling it now! 

eeeeeeeeek it’s getting close!!
~C~