Wednesday to Saturday

~~~ Wednesday, the 12th ~~~Mom got here on Wednesday, two days before my due date. Man, was she helpful in getting those last details taken care of. Especially after all the work done at the house, I was pretty beat, and her extra hands and smile went a long way. She remembers washing and folding socks and bibs...TONS of socks and bibs. She couldn't figure out WHY we had so many. Hand-me-downs. BTW, sorting baby socks IS NOT the most fun you'll ever have. (Blowing bubbles for your grandson, though, IS pretty darn fun.)The only thing about mom being here was that I was a watched pot. It was hard not to think about it. With every contraction and grunt and groan, she wondered if THIS WAS IT. Well, of course she did, she was nearly as excited as we were, and had been calling every day, multiple times a day, checking in.

You just can't help thinking the baby is coming early. You feel so huge, uncomfortable, aren't sleeping well, and people remind you daily that it could be any moment.

I had been so busy that it really had been ok to me that the baby hadn't come yet. One thing on my mind was Kirsten's gal weekend upcoming. Every day that passed this week was one day closer to her missing it. Wednesday, she sent me an email after I mentioned it again...

Subject: just so you know
Body: I'd gladly, happily, easily, readily skip pretty much anything, except the birth of my own kiddo, to attend the birth of yours.

Now that's an email. <3

~~~ Thursday, the 13th ~~~Thursday, no more distractions. I had really cherished having this time with Reece, though. Finally, we were really ready and gave that sweet baby permission to come. Remembering that here.

~~~ Friday, the 14th...aka DUE DAY ~~~Started the morning with a walk. Mom, Reece and I walked to the creek to feed the ducks, turtles, and fish. Such a small little spot in our neighborhood that provides such sweet enjoyment. I knew this was probably the last walk to the creek as a mom of 1. I can't remember now, but I'm sure mom made some fantabulous breakfast for us beforehand.

We decided I needed some pampering and a pedicure by a pro, while mom kept Reece. I'm sure I can still count the number of pedis I've ever had on my toes. ; )
I went in around lunchtime, and they seemed a little shocked when I answered with "I'm due today." I reclined, relaxed, and nestled in with my little baby, rubbing my belly and having some sweet bonding time as the pampering continued. It was soooo quiet in there and Mai Li was WONDERFUL. She gave me the best foot and leg massage I've ever had. I think I was there for nearly an hour.

In the afternoon, Kirsten met me at the Galleria for some walking. Walkapaloosa, I coined it later. ; ) It was just the afternoon, but I was hungry (imagine that!). We talked about what healthy things I should be eating and then found ourselves in front of Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It was delicious! - too much, but oh so delicious. The only negative was that the chairs were uncomfortable. I kept shifting around to find a better position and then banged one toe of my new pedi. Stink! My '3 Plums I Win' still looked awesome though.

We walked a lot. And up and down. I was pretty proud of myself for how much I wanted to walk up and down the stairs. Every time we found a set of stairs, we went for it. Kirsten was responsible for paying attention to the contractions along the way. They were noted, but not too notable, as I kept moving through them just fine. We walked a few hours, and I really enjoyed the gal time with her (which is so often desired yet so rare). I appreciated her taking her sans children time to spend with me.

Evening hit and it seemed so weird to be due...and nearly over due.
I blogged about the day here. The evening was more of the same sporadic contractions. I tracked a few contractions in the night, but was able to get back to sleep.

~~~ Saturday, the 15th...Overdue, what is this? ~~~
After breakfast, headed to Northpark with Mom for more walking and talking. Or maybe I should say walking and with some groaning. I had to stop for contractions and grabbed onto the side of doorways and storeways. I felt a little self conscious as people glanced/peered/stared. And Mom was a little uncomfortable seeing me in pain at times, but it was still nice time with her. I assured myself it was productive, even if this wasn't time. And, it wasn't.

In the evening, I downloaded a free contraction counter application on Darren's iPod Touch. I starting measuring them, but they were inconsistent. You start to get a little obsessed watching them. After doing that too long, and then visiting, it got late. Finally, I went to bed, knowing I will need as much rest as I can get, eventually, someday, when this precious boy decides to come.

And, it was only a few hours later than something began to happen...