The Waiting Game

So, today is one day past my due date and no baby to report yet. Not even any labor so far. Most women seem to be miserable and begging for the pregnancy to end at this point, me, not so much. I started my maternity leave from work as of 12/1, last week Tuesday. Not being at work has made things waaaaay better as far as I'm concerned. I've kept myself busy with doctor appointments, grocery shopping to stock the house up for once Kaleb is here (yes, we named him Kaleb Eugene :), I don't think I've put that in here yet), doing last minute stuff in the nursery, babysitting Analyn a couple times to Laura could get stuff done, snuggling with Loki, reading to my heart's content, and enjoying time spent with just Kyle and I during these last few days of peace and quiet before our world is turned upside down with caring for and falling in love with a newborn.
The last few weeks of work got to be pretty rough, not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Obviously I was a tad distracted with thoughts of Kaleb so it made it hard to focus on anything. But the worst part was the, albeit well-meaning, constant comments from everyone I work with. Being in an office with hundreds of people meant I interacted with lots of people all day every day. And everyone felt the need to share their thoughts whenever they would see me. Thoughts like "Holy cow! You're as big as a house!" or "You haven't had that baby yet?!?!" (when I still had a month or more to go) or "Geez, you're HUGE! You'll never make it to your due date" or the incredulous "You're still here?!!" And many other variations on the above. I know people all meant well, and no one was trying to be offensive or mean at all, people just want to comment and talk about a pregnancy because its exciting. But I think people would do well to stop and consider how what they are saying is being received, something that should apply every time we open our mouths to speak, ya know? To a person who is 9 months pregnant, being told she is as big as a house just isn't all that encouraging, even if it is totally true! Towards the end it was getting harder and harder to smile and laugh with people, I would honestly get at least 10+ comments like the above a day. It got to the point where I didn't want to leave my desk because I didn't have the patience to "run the gauntlet" as I started calling it. haha! It did become a great learning experience for myself and the people I work closely with. We are now very aware of what we say to pregnant women with whom we are acquaintances (sp?), and that it should always only be encouraging and kind!
Last week I was scheduled for my regular check-up and got a call that we had to reschedule me because Dr. Harro (my family doctor since I was 5) was out of the office. When I did finally make it in to see him I learned that he had a slipped disc/pinched nerve in his shoulder or back and was going to need surgery! The surgery was last Friday, everything went really well and he is currently recovering. But there is a good chance that if I go into labor anytime before next weekend I won't be able to have Dr. Harro deliver my baby :( I'm definitely sad about that one! I know everything will be fine, there are plenty of other great doctors in that practice, but I've had Dr. Harro as my doctor from the start of this pregnancy, and I would really be comforted and feel a million times better if he is the one there when it's time to push, not some stranger! I saw one of his partners for my check-up this week, and I guess Dr. Harro told her to ask me to hang on, that he was recovering as fast as he could and he really wanted to be the one to deliver Kaleb. We'll see how that plays out! So far, Kaleb seems to be fine with staying in mommmy's tummy for a while longer, and, while I'm waaay excited to meet him, I'm perfectly comfortable, so if he wants to hang out in there for a bit longer I suppose that's okay with me.
Kyle seems to think I'll be going into labor any minute now. We are in the middle of the "Blizzard of 2009" (as it is being called by meteorologists across the country). The news is going crazy with reports of snowing, blowing, drifting, and whiteout conditions all the way from Arizona to here. Schools have been closed for days, the news people are telling us not to be on the roads unless it is absolutely necessary. Kyle says that, when we found out this summer that our due date was actually December instead of January, he had a feeling even then that we'd be driving to the hospital during a huge snow storm. If he's right then Kaleb should be coming any day now!
For now, the nursery is ready, the house is set for him to come home. The family and friends are all anxiously awaiting that call from us telling them "it's time!" and we are just waiting for Kaleb to decide it's time for his grand entrance. Mommy is ready and just waiting for that first official contraction. Plenty of Braxton-Hicks so far, and they are getting more and more intense. I've finally got my treadmill here in the basement and have been logging 3-4 miles a day, as walking is supposed to help bring on labor. Aunt Kerry let me borrow her yoga ball, so I've been sitting, bouncing, and rocking on that, and have been eating some spicy foods since they say that may spur contractions as well. Daddy is so excited for Kaleb to get here! When we are sitting together on the couch, everytime I move and make a sound (which seems to be a requirement for moving these days!) he looks at me with that question of "is it time?!?" on his face. He's got the route to the hospital all mapped out, the bags packed, and he is ready to get this show on the road :)
No matter what, Kaleb will be here by Christmas Eve. My doctor won't let me go more than 2 weeks past my due date, which puts us at 12/24. I kind of hope it is sooner than that since we have family coming in to town for Christmas and they will all want to meet him, and I'd like to have at least a few days to recover from delivery before trying to go out and celebrate holidays. But, as I said, it is all up to Mr. Kaleb and whatever he decides will be just fine with me! Who knows when I'll get to post again, so for now just know that Kyle and I are quite possibly the most excited new parents you'll ever meet, that I am already head over heels in love with this little guy and I can't begin to imagine how much more intense this feeling is going to be once I actually get to meet him, that there are tons of people anxiously awaiting this birth, and that we can't wait to meet Kaleb Eugene Remsburg!!!