Yesterday was a big day. It was my birthday (thanks for all of the birthday wishes) and it was a much anticipated trip to my doctor. It's all good news, but it's different from what I was expecting. I'll just cut to the chase. The baby is head down (so we have a good chance for a natural delivery...fully drugged, of course). I am dilated 3 cm and the baby is dropping (this explains the intense pain that I have been having off and on). This basically means the baby is coming any day now. It could be today, this week, next week...probably not much further than that. Good news, right? I just thought I had more time. I thought for sure I would make it to term (at least to July 5^th), but this is looking less of a sure thing. If the baby was born right now, there wouldn't be any anticipated problems, but as my co-worker says "a day in the womb is better than a day outside". Just to clarify, I am not in active labor, so at this time, I don't see her coming out today.

I am feeling a little guilty. Over the past week or so I have been more lenient with my restrictions. I had gone so long with no changes and I was SO over being horizontal that I spent much of the day sitting up. I also had a couple of days where I spent some time cleaning up and organizing around the house (could this be what they call "nesting"?). I didn't do anything very strenuous, but I was definitely walking around more than I should have been. My goal is to keep this baby in until she is full term (37 weeks)...another week and a half. That doesn't sound like a lot of time, but at the same time it seems so far away. Even though my bedrest restrictions technically end this Saturday, I think we will keep with them until after the 4^th of July. As I had stated in my last update, I have been spending a lot of time planning what I would do with these upcoming weeks of freedom...it looks like my plans are on hold. :(

I have been having contractions for so long that I have become somewhat desensitized to them. I'm sure that when the real deal comes, it will be unmistakable. I was induced with my first baby, so this is my first experience with the unknowns of natural labor. I am starting to have a little bit of anxiety about giving birth. When it was a month away, it didn't seem so bad, but now that it is around the corner, it is getting a little scary. I didn't sleep very well last night. I became alert with every contraction and I was in a lot of pain every time I needed to move. I'm feeling okay right now.

Gene is finished with school for this year, so he will be here full-time with me. He has his job cut out for him. He has to keep me down and entertained. I am finding TV only minimally stimulating. It is mainly on for background noise. I have little interest in reading right now. There isn't much else to do in bed. Gene is going to rent some Korean videos. Hopefully, this will keep me distracted and move time along a little quicker.

The baby is more active than ever. This is the part of pregnancy that I enjoy the most. Gene enjoys feeling her move and starts talking and singing to her. I have no doubt that she will be a daddy's girl. Anyone who knows him can see this coming. :)