39 Weeks and Hanging in There!

Today I'm officially 39 weeks according to my estimated due date of October 26th!  I've really been feeling pretty good most days... some I am far more worn out than others, but I can't (and try to remind myself I shouldn't) complain.  I am more than ready to meet this baby of ours, but I guess I've made quite the cozy little home for the past 9 months that he or she is not quite ready to come out.  Here's the belly shot (feel free to compare it to my 34 week picture):

39 weeks along.  The belly button is popped out slightly.. I think that means he or she is done cookin'

As of my appointment yesterday I was still only 2 centimeters dilated and about 50% effaced... that's pretty much no change from the past 2 appointments, ugh!  I have been having a more consistent number contractions every day, but they're not progressing closer together or getting stronger... yet.  I've also been trying to work on my pride, because I have to come to terms that the longer baby stays inside of me the larger he or she is getting and the risk of having to deliver a big baby, could increase the risk of history repeating itself.  I am trying to let myself trust my doctor a little more on the fact that a more controlled labor and delivery might help lower my risk factors.  The doctor I saw this week (because mine is out on vacation this week) mentioned the same reasons induction might be helpful with my history.  My next appointment is the day before my due date, so the topic is likely to be brought up as a possibility again.  As a coworker and good friend pointed out to me, she scheduled her induction for one day, and her son was born after midnight the day she was supposed to come in for induction.

At this point every time I see a coworker that I don't see daily I get the "oh, how much longer do you have?"  Well, today I kept wanting to say "One away!" just as Brian Regan says "Two away" from his baseball sketch... Please enjoy a little comedy as much as it was going through my head all day today:



Here are my top reasons why I'd like to have this baby on or before Sunday, October 23rd:

1. My dad will be traveling next week.  (He was traveling when Jack was born so he didn't get to meet him until we were home from the hospital.)
2. October 23rd is Mole Day, so having a baby on that day would be pretty awesome for this chemist mama!
3. Matt is off work Friday, Saturday and Sunday so it would simply be easier if we were both off work when I went into labor.  (Matt's theory is that I'll go into labor tomorrow sometime because he's got the whole weekend off already!)
4. It would give us time to be home from the hospital and I would be able to go visit Jack at school next Thursday for his Halloween party!
5. The final pieces of the baby & Jack's Halloween costumes arrived today!
6. We are so very ready to meet this baby of ours!