Week 36: Honeydew House

Julia, you're now 36 weeks along on this magical journey they call the road to life, or pregnancy, or whatever. Whatever it is, you've only got about 3 weeks left of it!

You've been doing your job quite well: You're growing, rolling around, kicking and squirming.

Your Mom is as beautiful as always:

It's so interesting to compare the Julia with the Aidan belly at the same week in pregnancy. Here's your Mom about 3 years ago, very pregnant with Aidan:

I think you may be a bigger belly, Miss Julia...but just by a hair! But, there's no real sense in comparing apples to oranges, when you're really the size of a honeydew melon.

News from the womb indicates that your heaing is fully developped, that your liver and kidneys are in working order, that your circulation and immune systems are pretty much good to go and that you're finalizing those steps to be able to breathe on your own. Also, we know that your Mom's cervical lining (that glue which basically keeps the first steps of labor from starting to happen) is all-but gone. It was thinned to 80% two weeks ago, and this week the doctor didn't even bother to check.

Now since you're coming via C-section anyway, we don't really need to worry about dilation and all that, like we did last time. BUT if you decide you're ready to come earlier than October 11, 2012, then we'd better be ready.

Which makes the honeydew even more important. See, we've been scrambling to get everything ready for your arrival. Feels like we've been prepping hard since the beginning of summer, but we really kicked it into high gear recently. We made our "honey-do" lists (you know, like "honey, do this", "honey, do that", we checked them twice, and we started crossing them off our list. Everything's falling into place...

Your Yaya finshed work on your dresser, and we got that put in place of the old changing table.
I painted different walls in different rooms.
We went to Ikea to finish setting up your Mom's new office (so we could move the office stuff from the playroom, so we could get the playroom all set up).
We sold old stuff, and bought new stuff: new swing, new stroller, new bouncy chair.
I cleaned out and organized the shed (yes, that had to be done before you came!)
I scooted over Aidan's seat and installed yours.

Looks Good right? I keep asking Aidan if he knows who's going to be sitting next to him soon. His answer thus far has been, "huh?"

We're prepping Aidan for our stay at the hospital by doing a test run of spending the night at Yaya's house tonight.
We're working extra hard with Aidan on being gentle with the items you will soon frequent.
We got out all the old baby toys and put them away. Aidan keeps taking them out.

All this honey-do-ing can sure make a guy tired...

But, we're getting there baby, and there are only a few more honey-do's to do. But you know what? You have a loving brother waiting for you (occasionally he waits behind trees):

You've got a loving, beautiful Mom who is QUITE ready for you to arrive.

And you've got a devoted Dad who is so excited to meet you and finally get to hold you.

Plus two doggies who you're just going to love, 4 awesome grandparents, aunts and uncles and friends.

So, if you come tomorrow, you'll be all set. It doesn't matter if that picture doesn't get framed and hung, or the ceiling paint touched-up. Those honey-do's can all wait once our perfect honeydew arrives.

Defcon 1: Snow and Centimeters

We knew it was coming. We knew it was going to hit Dallas. It does snow here every so often (and already did on Christmas!). But we didn't think it'd be like this! The weather outside may be frightful, but today was a great day!

Imagine when we woke up this morning for our weekly appointment with Dr. Hagood and saw this outside our window!


But, the snow didn't keep us from taking you to not one, but two doctor's appointments!

At the first appointment with Dr. Hagood, we got to hear your heartbeat again. I never get tired of hearing that sound. And then, your Mom asked Dr. Hagood if she could tell where you were oriented in her belly. So, with a few squeezes, she showed us where your head was (downward, well below your mom's bellybutton and near to the pelvic bone), where your tushy was (above the belly button) and even found your back and a couple of knees! So, you are in position for sure, but that doesn't mean you'll stay that way, nor does it mean you're ready to come out right now either.

We also found out that we were downgraded from Defcon 2 back to Defcon 1! That's right: your Mom is only 1 cm dilated, according to Dr. Hagood. It's not that your Mom has "closed back up," as far as we know. But, since last week we met with Dr. Richards and this week was with Dr. Hagood, they must just have two systems of measurement. But either way, we're 1 Centimeter dilated now.

Now, this actually isn't a downgrade and it actually doesn't mean anything as far as when you'll be coming. Someone 2 CM dilated today could give birth in 3 weeks; someone 1 cm dilated today could give birth tomorrow. On top of that, your mom is 50% effaced (meaning that the cervix has thinned by 50%). So really, this diagnosis doesn't really mean anything as far as WHEN you'll be coming. But it DOES mean that your Mom's body is readying itself for your arrival, which is good! We want the body to be as ready as the mind, for sure!

As the snow day marched on, the roads remained safe for driving, so we went to the next appointment and met Dr. Denison, potentially your pediatrician! We really liked Dr. Denison and the practice and office. They were playing "Finding Nemo" in the waiting room and have an antique barber chair for older kids to sit on while giving blood (it was a bit "Sweeney Todd", but you haven't seen that, so you won't be concerned). We may audition one more Pediatrician just to be safe. But Dr. Dension may be the man to be giving you lollipops for the next 15 years or so!

With the Doctor's appointments behind us, I knew I wasn't going to be venturing into the snow again this evening. So, with my last hurrah, my gloves on right and my scarf tied tight I did something which I hope to do with you someday soon: I made snowmen! Actually, a snow family to be more correct. Your Mom stayed inside, which is a good decision- there's no reason that she and you should be standing out in the snowy cold and getting her hands wet and freezing.

But me? Yeah, I'm allowed to do that! I made one for me, one for your Mom and even one little snow baby just for you!


Oh yeah, those are carrot noses! This is the real deal, baby! Except we didn't have coal, so I used rocks for the eyes...and no buttons. But the grownups did look naked, so I clothed them when I was done with my hat and scarf.

The reason I tell you this now is because I hope it snows like this when you come out. Maybe when you're like 1 or 2, so you can really enjoy it and so we can do this together. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've ever built snowmen. But, seeing as how I grew up in Texas, that's not too hard to believe. I guess I just never made snowmen in college in Boston...too busy making snow forts and snow balls.
But the snow family wasn't complete without their three doppelgangers. So our neighbor Brian was kind enough to snap a shot of the whole family (flesh AND snow) (except for the dogs, who pretty much refuse to go outside!):


So. Here we are: It's week 36, we're 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and it's snowing in Dallas (and has been all day). Although we can't wait to meet you, we ask politely that you hibernate for at least a few more days...after all, you're full term (37 weeks) as of this Saturday!

week 36!

Everyone loves a snow day, for sure! But, on this snow day we got to meet a promising Pediatrician, hear your heart beat, find out for sure where your head is (and your tush), and visually see on our own lawn, in front of our own house that what a family of 3 will look like. Our 2 big snowmen (and 2 snow dogs) will very very soon become 2 big snowmen, 2 snow dogs and 1 tiny little snow man. Except that none of us, hopefully, have carrots for noses!

It's Week 36, and you've got class!

Wow. It's week 36 already! That's the beginning of your ninth month! Just about 4 weeks to go, but theoretically, you could come as early as next Saturday and be considered full term!

But we're keeping our fingers (and legs) crossed for a March debut! But, if you come in February, we won't think you're any less cool!

We celebrated the beginning of your Ninth month in a classroom in the basement of the hospital in which you'll be born.

It sounds boring, I know. But it was anything but boring!

Your mother and I learned so many cool things about labor and pain management and delivery and what happens next!

There's a lot to learn here, dude!

Your mom and I learned some breathing techniques to promote calm (but none of the hee-hee-hee-hooooooo lamaze stuff you see in the movies), I was taught a couple very simple massage techniques (one using a pool noodle) to help your Mom's back, your Mom learned a couple stretches and exercises to help lull you into the right position and loosen her hips. We learned about the magical uterus!

We learned all about different ways to cope with the pain, fear and anxiety about labor. There are tons of things the partner (me) can do to help your Mom work through early labor before we get to the hospital.

Apparently joke-telling isn't one of them.

The teacher had all the women in the class put a clothes pin on the most-sensitive part of their ear and keep it there for one minute. The partners weren't allowed to interact with them at all. The clothes pins stayed on for one minute.


Then we tried the experiment again, but this time, the partners could interact. So we held hands, I played with her hair, did some shoulder massage and told some really awesome jokes.

Your Mom initially thought that she preferred the version Without me! Because, apparently, I was annoying. But, then she learned that the second clothes-pin-on-ear segment lasted for TWO minutes! And she thought it had gone by as fast- if not faster- as the first one.

Turns out I'm not completely useless (much to our collective dismay!).

But, I learned a lot of obvious things too: don't argue with Holly during labor; don't tell her to do things she's already doing (breathe!); don't ask her stupid questions (apparently there are such things!), and don't tell jokes just because I'm nervous. But, I can still be funny if the moment calls for it. I think it was foolish to leave it up to me to determine when that moment may be!
We learned alot about Drugs. Most of our lives they teach us to "Just Say No" to Drugs. But for pregnant women, there are several options to help manage the pain of labor. One is a Narcotic (called an Analgesic) one is an Epidural (which sends pain medicine directly into an area in the spinal column). Before this class your Mom was thinking of being completely drugged up the entire time. She was operating under the axiom that, with today's technology, a woman doesn't need to feel any pain in the labor and delivery.
And that's true! The epidural can be administered so well that the Mother can't even feel contractions. She has to put her hands on her belly to physically feel for them to know when to push!
After seeing these videos and learning more about the options, your Mom has changed her mind. She wants to try to go as long as possible without the drugs. In effect, she wants to feel some of the pain! But, when she's no longer satisfied with her ability to cope, she'll get the druggy druggy drugs.
But her philosophy on the pain management has changed. Your Mom's idea is that a woman shouldn't have to feel any pain that she doesn't want to feel!

At the end of the class, we got on a tour of the facility to see where you will actually be born! We saw the Labor and Delivery rooms (we're definitely requesting one with a jacuzzi in it!) and our Private Room where you, me and your Mom will stay for about 48 hours after your birth.
We also got to peek into the nursery and see two newborn baby girls. They were under an hour or so old, and way bigger than I thought they'd be. Or way bigger than I thought you will be! It's still amazing that a creature that size is inside your Mom's womb right now!
It's even more amazing to think in about 4 weeks we will all be back at that hospital, in those rooms and finally, you will be here!
I watched a little animation at the end of this blog that shows how much you've grown (from a poppyseed or smaller to a watermelon). I must admit, though I didn't cry or get teary eyed, I knew at that moment that when you arrive, I'm most likely going to cry. This was re-confirmed for me while we were sitting in the Private Post-Birth Recovery room where the new family of three will be reunited for the first time. I daydreamed about you, me and your Mom sitting there together. And I knew, again, that I'm going to be so happy to see you, to finally meet you, that -yup-there will be some old fashioned waterworks going on.
But, hopefully I don't cry like a baby. Because, at that point, you'll officially be a baby- instead of a fetus- and crying like one will officially be your job!
Oh, and for the record, I didn't last for 15 seconds with the clothes pin on my ear.