38 week update...with a bit TMI

I suck at keeping baby books updated. My mom gave me a beautiful scrapbook at one of my showers when I was pregnant with L and I have put exactly zero photographs in it. It's actually already made. All I have to do is print the photos and paste them in. I have not even put one in. Go ahead and let that sink in for a minute. It's bad.

I had every intention of keeping a pregnancy journal and that didn't exactly happen, unless you count this blog. I do, thankyouverymuch.

I've discussed everything about my pregnancy. I've rejoiced. I've complained. And now I am crossing the TMI line. If you get grossed out by bodily/pregnancy details, stop reading now.

Last warning.

I am losing my mucous plug today and I totally have my hopes up that this baby is coming this weekend. I know I shouldn't. It won't come as a surprise to any of my regular readers to know I immediately googled how long it takes to go into labor after losing it. I read that it can be anywhere from 24 hours, to several days. I calmed down a little.

And then my mom called. I asked her how long it took her to go into labor after losing her plug, and she giddily told me it was less than 24 hours. I got all excited again, and upon hanging up with her, I realized that within five minutes, all of my mom's friends would be thinking about my vagina because she was calling all of them to tell them I lost my plug.

Yesterday, I felt weird all day. Not only was I shaky and nervous... and cold for the first time in nine months, my mouth went tingly at one point. I ran into the nurse's office and there were three nurses in there. When I breathlessly told them what was going on, they all nodded knowingly. "Baby's on a nerve," they said, almost without looking at me. I guess they were right, because after I moved my belly around, the numbness disappeared. Weird...right? And who wouldn't think they were in the beginning stages of a stroke? Not that I personally did. Ahem. The nurses all also told me that my other feelings were a good sign labor would be beginning soon.

So here I sit, hoping that I'll get to go to the hospital this weekend. I can. not. wait. to hold my new little man and make L a big brother.

And I am simultaneously terrified that I am going to give birth this weekend. I've done this before. I shouldn't be scared. Last time, it was a rough go of it. My blood pressure dropped. L's blood pressure dropped. My heart rate dropped, and so did his. I felt nauseous. I got a fever. I got so itchy that I had to get Benadryl, which made me high as a kite, and not a good high, if you know what I mean. I firmly believe that the majority of my problems were from the epidural, and I am hoping that at least waiting to get it this time will give me a better experience.

I'm trying to focus on that. Every time I start to get scared, B says, "Gina, the second L was born you said you wanted to do that again." (I did.)

So even though I know that this mucous plug means nothing, it totally could. *cue deep breathing*

Today I'm 38 weeks pregnant.




And it's hitting me that I'm going to have a baby. Soon.

Holy crap.