What happens next?

Well, today is an exciting day I guess.

I went in for my 38 week check-up, and my doctor surprised me by offering to stretch my cervix and sweep my membranes. Doctors do that sometimes as a way of inducing labor without requiring drugs. It doesn't always work--my doctor said not to go home counting on going into labor. She says if the baby is ready, it might speed things up, and if not, it won't. I decided to give it a try... hopefully that was the right call! I only knew a little bit about it and I wasn't expecting her to offer to do it this soon. Now I've been home frantically researching. The jury is out on whether it works or not. One website compared it to shaking a tree--if apples are ripe, they fall out, and if they aren't ready, they don't.

So now I am waiting to see what happens. Hopefully baby won't be forced out if he isn't ready. People report such different experiences, I don't know what to expect. Could experience nothing, could have a higher chance of labor in the next 48 hours or even in the next week. Some people wrote they started having contractions two hours after the sweep. Mine was at 4:15 and we're almost to two hours without any contractions, just lots and lots of baby movement. I don't think he liked being poked!

In the midst of my Googling, I heard that Iran has shot 12 missiles at two of our military bases in Iraq. This was of course in retaliation for the death of Soleimani. Trump said if they tried to retaliate against us, he had missiles locked and loaded at 52 sites across Iran, ready to respond. So besides anxiously waiting to see if baby appears, I'm also anxiously waiting to see what the president decides to do. It feels like we're awfully close to the brink of war to me... But I'm no expert and the president is somewhat unpredictable, so really all I can do is wait and see what happens.

Two big "wait and sees" within such a short time. Yeesh.

Waiting for Baby

Oh man. Everyone warned me that the last month of pregnancy drags. They said it gets to a point where you are so uncomfortable that you just want the baby to come out--nature's way of making you willing to go through labor.

They weren't kidding!!! I am huge, achy, and grumpy. Sometimes I feel so so ready for baby to come. Other times I realize I don't fully understand what I am getting into with newborn care and I don't feel so ready.`But more often than not, I'm a little disappointed when another day goes by with no baby.

There are so many reasons it would be better for baby to wait, anyway. That gives him more time to grow and develop inside me.

If I can make it until tomorrow (very likely!) we'll have better insurance coverage for his birth.
If I can make it until January 5, I'll get to go to my baby shower pre-baby!
If I can make it as long as possible past January 6, I'll go back to work after our holiday break and get more done before my maternity leave.

I just need to be patient. Baby will come when he's ready. No need to rush things before.

Released and Baby Thoughts

Yesterday Trevor and I were released from our calling as teachers of the 7-8 year old primary class.

I'm usually sad when I get released and this time was no different. I love those little kids in our class and I've loved teaching them this year. It was great too to co-teach with Trevor and work side by side on our lessons. I feel like I learned so much from my time in primary, hopefully lessons I can apply when little guy is born.

That is why we were released. I requested it, actually, for the first time in my life, because I figured Primary wasn't the best place to bring a little newborn--so many cute kids there but also so many germs! I guess it's back to the adult class for me now. Gosh... I haven't really been in the adult class since my singles' ward days. Everything has changed since then! It'll be interesting to see how Come Follow Me works for adults.

I am so excited for the baby to come. A few weeks back, I had a goofy dream that he was born, and we were so so happy. And then we realized that my hospital bed was actually in a horse stall in a stable, and that my doctor had tricked me into giving birth in a stable like the Christmas story. :) Before that, the dream was awesome! I was disappointed when I woke up and realized how long it would be before I could hold baby in my arms.

Other times I get a little panicked, though. We still don't have a lot of baby things--no nursery set up, and lots to do to get ready. I need to get a move on that.  I managed to buy some essential baby items on black Friday, so we should have the basics at least, and one of the wonderful sisters in my ward gave me a lot of her baby stuff so we are at least somewhat prepared.

I found us a ridiculously cheap newborn photographer who will come to our house to take some pictures (I'm a fan of studio pictures, but Trevor isn't). Her example photos all seem to feature adorable nurseries that are perfectly decorated. My goal is to have something cute set up before she comes (and ideally before baby is here!)

Right now we are taking a birthing class. So far we've only had 1 session, but in that session I was amazed how much I learned about exactly how my body works and what labor is going to look like. This week our class is taking a tour of the birth center at the hospital--I have a feeling that will make things a lot more real. On Friday I'm also heading to the hospital to get pre-registered for baby's big day.

To sum up: I simultaneously cannot wait for baby to arrive, and am terrified thinking of everything I need to get ready by then. But mostly I am excited to meet him and see what he looks like. I'm curious to learn his personality. I hope I can be a good parent to him like my parents were to me.