Didn't think I'd still be here!

Well, I'm 38 weeks along now. I've never been this pregnant before...it's weird. I just kept praying and praying to make it to 37 weeks so that Tucker would be considered full term and the NICU nurses wouldn't have to take him away before I got to hold him (this happened with Madeline...an unpleasant but necessary precaution). Well, at my 37 week check up- A WHOLE WEEK AGO- I was 3cm and 50-60% effaced! Who walks around like this for a week?

Me, I guess.

I keep frantically cleaning the house after my doctor appointments thinking that I won't make it through the weekend. All of the laundry is done. His room is ready. I made up errands today so that I had something to do...the house is as clean as it is going to get.


It is kind of spooky to be this pregnant. I don't know what to expect. With Madeline I had a sense that she was coming. I went to the Doctor on Wednesday and I was 2cm and 50% effaced. All of the nurses told me that I was going to have her that weekend. I woke up at about 4 in the morning Saturday morning with bad cramps. I woke up Tyler and asked him if it was too early for McDonald's and told him I was going to have his baby that day. He didn't believe me. I got up, worked on a painting for her room, and later in the afternoon had my mom and grandmother come over to take the old polish off my toenails. I couldn't reach them anymore and I couldn't go to the hospital looking trashy! So, as I was sitting on the couch with my feet propped up I would say, "I kind of feel something Tyler." And he would write it down. We realized that these "somethings" were getting closer and closer and we decided it wouldn't hurt to go and get checked out.


I told the nurses that I thought I was in labor and they looked at me like I was crazy. I also told them that I wanted the "good" room- the one with the larger bath tub in case labor took a while. Again, looking at me like I was crazy they took me to the good room, checked me, and I was 4-5cm dilated...in active labor. No one could believe it AND my in-laws- ALL OF THEM- were on a cruise ship somewhere in the middle of the ocean! Labor and delivery were so fun. Mom says I got mean at some point but I don't remember it. I just remember hanging out with Tyler, being on the phone a lot, and watching his face change from its usual calm to a look that I had never seen on Tyler before when the nurse said I was at 10cm.


Tyler had made me laugh all through our birthing classes with Madeline. I had to get up and leave several times because I was laughing so hard. I told him that I was afraid I wouldn't know what to do when the time came because he had made me laugh all through our instruction. Sure enough...at one point during delivery...I was laughing Madeline out. Might be too much information but it is true. I had a mirror. I saw it. I will never forget it. She arrived after about 5 hours of labor at 9:30 Saturday night. She weighed 6lbs. and 3oz. She was beautiful. I will never forget the initial weight of her in my arms. It was a new feeling- so warm and tiny. So new.


I have no idea what to expect this time. I am anxious and excited and nervous and hopeful and apprehensive. Nothing can be that great twice, can it? The end product will be the same, though. Another miracle. Another blessing that God has chosen me to raise. It is such a powerful and overwhelming gift. I can't wait to see his little face...if the ears are any indication...he is gonna be a looker!