Welcome baby girl Ripp!

You wait 9 or 10 months, going through a ton of pregnancy-related trials and tribulations, but there does finally come a day when the joyful product is realized. That day was today for us, as we went in to Howard County Hospital to be induced (at 39 weeks, 1 day gestation). We arrived at 6AM, and after about 11 hours of waitful preparation and relatively quick labor, we welcomed a new baby girl to our family. No, she does not yet have a name (in the proud M&M tradition of waiting till after we meet our kids).
She weighed 8 lbs, 12 ounces, and was 21 3/4 inches long. She pinked up pretty quickly (Apgars of 9 and 10 out of 10), shouted just long enough to open up her tiny lungs to full early capacity, and then settled down, all swaddled up, in her parents' arms.

We got to know her for an hour before giving mom and baby some separate time to rest up. Since baby was born at 5:08PM, a happily-received dinner soon arrived in Maggie's room, and there was much rejoicing.

More pix and news to follow!

Wednesday and Thursday, June 6-7

Unless someone else has an emergency...I'm scheduled to go to the hospital Wednesday evening to start the process and should have the baby in my arms by Thursday :) Since my being induced is optional, I have to call an hour prior to leaving for the hospital to make sure no one bumped me down on the schedule. Still working on names!

Baby Girl to arrive next week!

Scheduling an induction is underway! I had my 38 wk. appointment today. Doc said I'm not progressing...still dilated to a 1, she didn't mention effacement, baby's head is still down but floating, but this is not our first baby (i.e. I've had four inductions before, and my body is all stretched out!), and my belly's measuring 43 cm! She plans to get me in (when I'm 39 weeks along) Thursday night to start the ripening gel and then the pitocin on Friday. Friday sounds like a good day to have a baby! Someone from scheduling is supposed to call me by Monday to let me know when I go in! It looks like Grandma will have to take or pick up kids from school only once :) The 8th is the last day of school (and half day) for my kids! Now to figure out a name!

Basketball or Watermelon?

 Did someone swallow a watermelon? I love how my kids squeezed in the tiny bathroom with me. Their faces say it all ;) [These are the ones I took that didn't turn out all that great. The first one had the flash in the way.]

[This is the one Matt took :) ]

Here are some belly pictures from a few days ago. I really can't comfortably wear maternity pants anymore. Plus it's hot outside! Most of the maternity dresses out there are too short (and shirts are too low-cut), hence the extra white fabric added to the clothes. Luckily, I have some decent maternity skirts that should get me through these last couple of weeks!

37 weeks

So today, the doc (different one than last week, same practice) says I'm measuring at 38 cm. That sounds more reasonable! Still at a 1 but 40% effaced. :) In two weeks and dilated at a 2, I can be induced! I tried to get a belly picture this morning, but it didn't really turn out. I'll have to let my hubby do it when he gets home :)

over 8 lbs.

The ultrasound tech says the baby girl is happy and healthy weighing 8 lbs. 3 oz. today. About 3 weeks to go! My next ob appointment is Thursday. I wonder what the doc will say! I hope the baby decides to come on her own! Otherwise I can be induced at 39 weeks :) I'm so glad that I won't have to wait until 41 weeks, like I did when we lived in Michigan. Waiting so long was depressing and so uncomfortable! Not that I'm comfortable now ;)

36 weeks

I've reached the 36th week of my pregnancy, and my belly is measuring at 40 cm! I'll have another sonogram done soon to check baby's growth. We'll see if my doctor decides to change my due date. She did it once, maybe she'll do it again?!