Welcome to the world, Judah!

Turns out Judah was waiting to be a summer solstice baby. He was born as the sun was coming up at 5:37 am on June 21st. He was 8 lbs and 21 inches at birth.

He is fantastic!

Eventually, I'll write up the birth story. But right now I'm going to go hang out with the most wonderful baby ever.

40 Weeks

Judah's due date was this last Thursday, June 16th, 2011. Needless to say, he did not think much of that. The photo above was taken on his due date while my mom and and I were walking around downtown Tacoma trying to inspire him to make his move. My regular photographer (Bill) was at work, so this one was taken by mom. I've given her the task of photo taker during birth and I'm a wee bit nervous about her skills. She is not what you would call handy with a digital camera.

We had our 40 week check up on Wednesday. There was (some) progress. I was dilated up to 2 cm and effaced 20%. The midwives will let us go up to 41 weeks, 5 days, and then after that it is time to induce. That gives Judah until June 28th to make his move (but hopefully sooner!). If I do end up having to be induced then I do not get to deliver at the Birthing Inn. I will have to be at the hospital. At least I would still have my same midwives and there is still a water birth option (the hospital has 2 rooms equipped for water births).

I am still having all the same pre labor signs that I was two weeks ago, although they no longer get us all excited. The signs are just part of the routine now. We are just waiting. And waiting. And waiting.  And hoping my boy will make his move.

Our next appointment with the midwives is for Thursday, when I hit 41 weeks. We have the non-stress test scheduled, as well as, our regular appointment. The non-stress test is where they hook up two big belt like things to my abdomen, one to measure Judah's heart-rate and the other to measure my contractions. They measure those for 30 minutes. After I hit 41 weeks then I have to come in every three days. But, of course, here's hoping I won't make it to 41 weeks... We really were convinced he was going to be early, but alas, we were wrong. Now we are just hoping that he won't be forcefully evicted after the 28th.

Come on, Judah! Come meet the world. We are all very excited to meet you!

39 Weeks

39 weeks. Otherwise known as, LETS GO, BABY week. Everyday we think, "Ok, this is it. Today is the day. If not, then most definitely it will happen tomorrow." And, you know what? It hasn't happened. I am still very much pregnant. I have had so many early labor signs over this last week or so. Judah is such a tease. He must have gotten his sense of humor from his mom.

Here are some super awesome (read: gross and disgusting) pre labor signs I have had:

• the poops
• nausea 
• lost my mucus plug
• pressure in my pelvis from his head dropping low
• some bloody show... well, maybe. It happened the day after having a cervical check- so I thought it was because of the check, but then I had some the next day too... Which made me think it was bloody show. But now I'm not sure since I'm still freaking pregnant. 
• dilated at 1 cm as of last Thursday and partially effaced (didn't catch what percentage).
• lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions (where as I hadn't been feeling any at all as of a week ago).

Now we are just playing the waiting game. Luckily, my mom is now here. So she is keeping me entertained during the day while Bill is at work. Otherwise, I would just be sitting (on my birth ball) or laying (on the couch) waiting for labor to really start. 

Also, turns out my due date is June 16th, not the 18th. I think what happened was at the beginning of the pregnancy there were quite a few dates being thrown around (since I don't track my period). I believe the 15th, 16th, and 18th were all on the table at some point. We started telling people the 18th and just kind of went with it, even though later ultrasounds determined the 16th as the actual due date. So, yeah, Judah is due on Thursday. Not like it matters though, something like only 2% of babies actually arrive on their due date.  

This last week of pregnancy has been the longest week of them all. It is just so hard to be patient knowing he could arrive anytime. Labor could (potentially) start in 15 minutes!... Or... it could still be over 2 weeks. Only Judah knows when he's coming. And he is not telling. 

Keep your fingers crossed he decides to come today. And, if not, then definitely tomorrow ;)

Could it be? An actual real contraction? Huzzah!

This morning, around 4 am, I went pee. Nothing new and exciting there. That happens pretty much every morning at 4 am (and 2 am, and midnight, and you get the idea). But, then... When I came back to bed and laid down I felt something a bit funny. I think it just might have been the first contraction I have actually felt. My midwives say I've probably been having them, just not noticing them (which is a nice thing). This time, though, I did notice it. Yay, progress! I have heard that contractions kind of feel like cramps when you are on your period. Not so much for me. That probably has something to do with the fact that my period cramps make me feel like I'm dying for about 10 minutes straight. This was more what I wish period cramps feel like. Of course, this was just one and I'm sure they will get about a septillion times worse. After it was over Judah started moving around like cray-zee! There were fists and elbows and knees and feet flying everywhere.

I think maybe I've felt one or two more besides that, but that 4am one was definitely the most noticeable. Makes me realize, I really need to get my butt in gear! Report cards need to get done- NOW. Hospital bag needs to get packed- NOW (even though it is really The Birthing Inn bag, but that doesn't have the same ring to it). Car seat needs to be put in the car- NOW.

Shit could really get serious here. At. Any. Time.

Of course, watch, now that I have written all this, Judah won't show up for another month.
Knock on wood. No one wants that to happen.

I promise I am go, go, going on report cards and he's going to promise to wait until I'm done. Right? Right??

38 Weeks

My first week of maternity leave has been pretty busy. I would like to say that I have finished up with school stuff (like report cards), but, alas, that is not the case. I made a serious dent in report cards, but still have quite a bit of work to do on them this weekend. They are due Tuesday, so I know I will get them done before that. Nothing like a deadline to get butt into gear.

Other than plodding away on report cards, this week I have:

• finished getting stuff ready for my sub
• thank you cards to my kids for their sweet gifts
• met with our future pediatrician 
• weekly midwife appointment (everything is still looking good)
• met with my doula and went for a nice walk by the water
• attended my first La Leche League meeting
• Lunch with coworkers
• been working on the nursery
• and a bunch of other stuff too

My hope is that Judah will be ready to come next week. Maybe Thursday or so? That would be perf with me. And we all knows that is what matters: my timeline. Ha!