Tik Tok

Ruggs and I have been playing the waiting game since he returned from his trip a couple of weeks ago. We feel like we're ready and excited to move into the next phase.

We took some pregnancy pictures a couple of weeks ago and they turned out pretty good! We didn't want to spend the money on a professional photographer, but we tried to mimic some of the poses. I'm a little embarrassed to share them since they were really just meant for us, but they turned out so well I decided to share a couple...

We have our last Bradley class this coming Monday, but we've covered all the stages of labor so if I do go into labor I don't think we'll feel ill prepared. We've really enjoyed the classes and I found them extremely helpful. They also helped pass the time since I've felt like we've just been waiting around since we got the nursery put together. 

I estimate Baby J.T. is about 8 lbs now (since he's gaining 1/2 lb per week and he was 7 lbs 2 weeks ago). There's not much room in there for him to wiggle or kick, so a lot of what I'm feeling is just movement (he'll turn from side to side and reposition occasionally). He's full term and ready to come at any time. I feel like he dropped last weekend and I'm starting to have Braxton Hicks (practice contractions), though it took Dr Huynh telling me what it was I was feeling.

At my check up last week, Dr Huynh asked me to start walking to start helping my body progress towards labor. So everyday I've been on the treadmill for 1/2 hour. I don't usually feel like doing it, but it's gotten a little easier each time. I'm also sitting on the ball, stretching and doing stair stretches everyday.

I went in for a check up yesterday and there's been some progress! I'm dilated 1 cm and 70% effaced. (Effacement is when the cervix gradually softens, shortens and becomes thinner. When you are 100% effaced, your cervix is paper-thin and labor is right around the corner. For first time moms, your cervix will usually efface before it dilates. Second time moms will usually dilate before effacement.) It could take another week or 2 for things to progress or I could go into labor this weekend. It really just depends on how active I am and how my body responds - everyone is different. Ruggs and I are ready so we're hoping it's sooner than later!