Friday the 13th

Well, it's looking like that might end up being the Baby's new due date. I'm sorry I didn't realize that I should have listed that date as a choice on the voting poll. But, unless a miracle happens between now and then, we're scheduled to go to the hospital Thursday night for pretreatment with cervidil to help me dilate the rest of the way before trying pitocin and having my water broken on Friday morning. If Baby Z still doesn't want to come out by the end of Friday, we'll be looking at a C-section, which I'll be really bummed about, so we're just trying to keep thinking positively.

Today at our appointment we learned that I am almost 3 cm dilated (I think she just said that to make me feel better), with about a 1 inch cervix (in terms of effacement) that was "softer than last time." She doesn't think the baby has "dropped," but she does think that the head is at least engaged in the pelvis, which, for now, lowers her suspicion that we'll end up needing a c-section eventually. The ultrasound technician didn't take any measurements this time, so we don't have a new estimate on weight, but we do know that Baby Z still has plenty of amniotic fluid surrounding him/her, with a functional placenta, that he/she is doing lots of "practice breathing" and his/her heart rate is still healthy at 135. All good things... The doctor stripped my membranes again, hoping to help speed things along.

So, it doesn't look like the labor cookies, the 24 miles of walking, the pumpkin spice cookies, the Italian spicy meatloaf, the swinging, the driving down bumpy roads, the jumping jacks or jogging, the relaxing soaks in the tub or the "mommy-daddy-time" have done anything to help us go into labor yet. But, at this point, I actually don't care anymore. I have class on Thursday afternoon in Kansas City, and if I can't go, I have to write a paper to make up for my absence, so I'd rather just go to the class- and, the only way I can do that is if Baby Z waits until Friday morning to arrive. So, I guess I'm tossing in the towel on doing anything that will try to force Baby Z to vacate the premises... until Thursday night, that is.

And here, since some of you have asked, is a picture of me at 40 weeks 5 days. I'm really glad that I don't have to show my beached whale self in public too much these days.

And, to end on a lighter note, here's a conversation I had with a 6 year old at church yesterday that really made me laugh:

Little Girl: "So, when is that baby going to come out?"
Me: "Well, the baby was supposed to come out last Wednesday."
Little Girl: "Hmm... sounds to me like you need a c-section."
Me: "Oh. Maybe. Thanks."
Little Girl: "How many babies do you have in there, anyway?"