36w5d

Or, alternately titled, the day we might have a baby on the outside.

It's 10 weeks since I delivered Bobby and Maya gestationally.  And, last night, around 6pm, irregular but painful contractions started.  By the time 1am rolled around (without any real sleep to speak of), I was still contracting from 30 seconds to 2.5 minutes, but spaced anywhere from 5 minutes to 14 minutes apart.  By 4:30am, they had slowed to about 4 an hour (same intensity, but longer spacing), and I was able to sleep off and on until 6:30am, when I got up this morning and took a shower.  I called the message service for Dr. B. around 8am, asking for a call back as soon as he or one of the nurses get in the office (don't want to deal with the on call, and I have no desire to deal with a resident at the hospital either if the office hasn't called ahead.)

The contractions are real and, while I'm breathing through them, they are still painful.  They go between a contracting between the back/butt/belly and hardcore menstrual-like cramps.  No bleeding or spotting.  No fluid leakage.  But (TMI) definitely some of the other prelabor signs, like soft stool, constant urination that causes or accompanies contractions, dry heaving, and nausea. 

At 10pm, the compulsion to eat eggs overwhelmed me, so as I was contracting, I was frying up eggs and making rye toast.  At 3am, poor Peter was a trooper and hit a local 24 hour fast food restaurant.  I guess we're getting the full experience in that regard.

I'm happy to be at this gestation, please don't get me wrong.  But during one of my contractions this morning, I just sobbed.  I really wanted 37 weeks so badly, not just for Michael, but for me.  I know that, maybe, this isn't the end, and we'll still get our 37 weeks (and maybe beyond!).  But, for now, Peter is dropping Bobby and Maya off at their first day of preschool camp (which was the main reason I didn't want to go into the hospital last night if I could avoid it) and then coming home so that we can head down to the hospital.

Just in case, this is the end, here's the shot of my belly from just now.

36w5d

(Assuming we do deliver, I will try to update the blog from my phone, but the best way to get an update would be through my Facebook page, which is open.)

Our pregnancy journey thus far...