"Any day now!"

And that's where we are at! Had an amazing baby shower this past Sunday that my sister and mother in law hosted- super cute little man themed party filled with ties, mustaches, and daisies! We were incredibly blessed with everything we needed and some very nice comforts!

Monday doc said I was dilated to 3.5 and 40% effaced. Had to go home early on thursday night from work because I was so exhausted from having contractions while working! One patient asked why my hands were shaking- well, maybe I'm having a contraction! Course they never regulated out, but my doc had me come in for an evaluation just to check. Everything was fine and I'm now 60% effaced! I was pretty embarrassed that I came in but my doc said not to worry cuz when she was a 3rd year resident she got checked all the time, and it was her third kid! I have to say I have an amazing ob/gyn! Even Alan was asking if she could be our primary doc!
Was so worn out from getting things ready and working extra this week, I had to call in for Friday, which my body took advantage of and slept 13 hours straight followed by several naps today! I keep thinking "why am I so tired?" and then I remember, oh ya, I'm 9 months pregnant!

The summer heat hasn't been too bad simply because I've been avoiding the heat! I step outside and my feet instantly start swelling followed by a bunch of Braxton hicks! Simply looking forward to going on walks with baby here soon!
So with the doc thinking I'll go anytime and most likely next weekend, I'm doing my best to sleep and spend time with hubby as much as possible! I'm nervous about this big new life change- how will he be, how will we do as parents, how our lives will change- but at the same I'm so very excited and filled with joy at this amazing blessing that is about to happen! Makes me think to Hannah and her prayers for a child and unbelievable joy and gratitude to God when she was blessed with children. I'm so very excited! Yup, it beats the nerves!

2cm and counting!

Wow, I really don't mean for time to go that fast in between posting, but it sure has! I was so super blessed last weekend at my shower up in Tyler! I loved getting to seeing everyone again and was blown away at all the gifts! My aunt made a commit of how many people came to my shower when I don't even live in the town or go to the church any more-- and I have to agree that Alan and I are supremely blessed with a church family that loves us from afar!

My mother, of course, had a super cute set up filled with gourmet cupcakes and dangling sugar cookies.  I tell her all the time she needs to be on pinterest! My two bestest girls, brentany and jessi, also worked so hard getting things set up. My mom laughed at all our conversations of what it's like to be pregnant and all the crazy things that happen to your body-- she's slowly realizing that we're a very open group of friends! I do think I might have deterred brentany a little longer from wanting kids after I brought up the cervix checks and group b strep test! Sorry daniel!

I think people at work are still waiting for my belly to pop out more and most still think I'm 6 months pregnant because I'm small! But after wednesday, I think the rumor mill has caught them up! I was working and started having really bad cramping and lower pelvis pain, like a really bad menstrual cycle. Then I had some spotting. Well, I had been keeping my charge nurse up to date and she offered for me to go home early, which I greatly appreciated because my body just needed a rest.

I went ahead and called my doctors office in the morning and they had me come in to just get checked out. My actual  ob/gyn was off on vaca, but the doctor that saw me back in june with my lil scare was the same one to see me again! Well, Jonah was a champ on the monitor with perfect heart beat patterns and 38 kicks in 20 minutes! Not only that, but the doctor said I was already dilated to 2cm and believes that I can expect to go into labor in about 2-3 weeks! He also said my favorite phrase of the week of "And I think you will probably have an easier labor than most since you are dilating so well"! The hallelujah course started going off in my head!

The doctor said everything was fine for me to go back to work, so I did that night. Course when I got there, everyone was like "I thought you went into labor"! I even ended up seeing one of the patients I had taken care of the night before and she thought I had gone into labor too! No labor yet! But I'm hoping with working and maybe picking up a few extra shifts, I'll work that cervix into shape!
Now I have one more shower this weekend here in Waco and I'm so excited about it! So it's time for me to clean my room and get everything ready! Alan was a little freaked out my the dilation and now is ready to start packing the hospital bags and understands why I want things set up already (I've had a feeling that Jonah was going to come early my entire pregnancy)! So here we are in the final stretch! I have another doctors app. on monday and will keep everyone updated!