Dress Rehearsal

Dave and I know exactly what to do now when I go into labor, because we got to do the dress rehearsal last night. Let me start off by saying I knew it was too early to go to the hospital because I was not in active labor (but boy was I hopeful I was wrong!).

On Wednesday morning I had a doctor's appointment and I was finally dilated! I was only at 1/2 cm, but it was a start. And then late that afternoon I started having contractions. So the dilation + contractions got me excited that I might be in early labor. I ran to get a pedicure and while my nail polish was drying I decided to start timing my contractions. They were lasting only :30-:35 and were about 4.5-5 minutes apart. Promising start! I ran to Chipotle to pick up dinner and then went home for the night. By about 9:30pm the contractions had started to last longer (closer to :45 each time) but were getting further away - more like 7-8 minutes apart. So I decided I definitely wasn't going into labor anytime soon and tried to go to bed. I had a horrible night's sleep because the contractions kept waking me up.

Thursday morning the contractions were slow, so I didn't time them at all. By about 10am they were within 10 minutes of each other again so I started tracking. And I tracked them ALL DAY. On average they were lasting :55 and were 8 minutes apart. ALL DAY. And they were not the pain free variety. They started in my back and went to the front. My doctor told me to call if my contractions were 10 minutes apart for more than two hours. After talking to my mom she said it wouldn't hurt to call. I agreed, especially since it had been almost 20 hours of contractions by that point - way over the two hours my doc suggested.

My doctor suggested I go to the hospital to see if I was in labor. I knew I wasn't; I was just following her directions to call about my contractions! I called Dave and he was already on his way home. So we fed the dogs and put the car seat in the car and headed out. We didn't even call our friend, Brad, to come get the dogs because we knew we weren't actually going to stay at the hospital. We got to the hospital, checked in and they took us back to a room. I got in my own hospital gown (the one I brought - just trying to make it a little more like home) and got on the bed. The nurse came in and hooked my belly up to watch my contractions and the baby's heart rate. It was nice to actually see my contractions tracked on the screen; it confirmed I wasn't crazy! And it was great to hear lil fab's heart beat and see it tracked, too. The nurse said it was great that even with all the contractions I'd been having the baby didn't seem to mind at all. Thank goodness! She also checked to see if I had dilated anymore... and I had slightly to 1cm (hey, progress is progress!). They tracked me for an hour and then let us go home. Although we were there for two hours because it took them an hour to discharge us.

My contractions continued on until sometime in the middle of the night. I woke up for a while and then at some point they finally stopped. I haven't had a single contraction all day! And to be honest, that makes me very happy. I was fine when I thought the contractions meant something, but once I knew they didn't I wanted them to stop because they were painful. Since the contractions stopped while I was resting, I've decided to rest/relax the next few days. And then on Monday I'll pick it back up. I don't want those contractions coming back unless it's for real!

Random Thoughts by Merritt

• Pregnancy is sexy up until about week 24ish.
• The last time I peed my pants was in the fifth grade. I rushed home from the bus stop and couldn't find the key in time and peed on the back porch, melting the snow. That is no longer the last time I peed myself (see first bullet point).
• I love maternity clothes. I've never worn so many stripes and tight shirts. I'm going to miss them.
• My dogs are awesome. I love them.
• My husband has been "taking one for the team" since about mid-October. And by that I mean he's been sleeping on the couch most nights because I apparently snore like a freight train (see first bullet point). The last night he made it all the way through in the same bed as me was Christmas Eve. Poor guy has slept less than five nights on our new master bed. Once the baby comes we're looking forward to napping on that bed together in between feedings and diaper changes.
• My husband loves to cook brinner.
• After an emotional day last week (some irrational emotions, some legit) he brought home my favorite flowers and I loved it.
• Men at work don't really make nice comments about my growing belly. Are you having twins? Weren't you due last week? (and that one was asked at week 33... and his wife was pregnant at the time, too) You look big! Um... it's perfectly acceptable to not talk about my appearance. You can talk about the weather if you want.
• I am very excited to not go to work for a while. I know this will be a different kind of work, but one where I'm the CEO.
• I'm excited for Dave to change his first diaper.
• Our local wine/liquor store (you cannot buy in the grocery stores in TN) just stocked my favorite gluten free beer on my request. It's Green's Endeavor. I already bought two and have them in the fridge ready to go.
• I'm working from home from now until I go into labor. Which I am enjoying. I'm getting all caught up on HGTV.
• I love our house.
• I love my family.
• I love my friends.
• I love foot massages. I am going to get a pedicure on Saturday (Christmas gift from Dave) and a reflexology foot massage on Sunday.
• I have a fear of the unknown... I don't know what day this baby is coming, I don't know if I'll go into labor on my own or need to be induced, I don't know how I'll deliver...
• I'm pretty sure that if the girls on Sixteen and Pregnant can raise a child, Dave and I can, too.