Jeopardy Theme Song - 40 Weeks

So here we are at our due date and we are...waiting, waiting, waiting. And I don't mind the wait! As long as I get a Thanksgiving dinner with my family, I will be content with being a few days overdue.

At this week's appointment, the doctor asked if I was interested in "getting things started" by "stirring things up a bit" during a physical checkup. This would essentially require him to ram his hand inside me and perform violent actions on my cervix. As pleasant as this sounded, I politely declined. However, I did get a lecture on my progress - or lack thereof. Even though I am 80% effaced and starting to dilate, Dr. may insist on "stirring" things at my appointment next Monday if I have not made any further progress. Although I am more for doing things au naturale, the monitoring of Baby if I go past 41 weeks will be far more invasive than getting my cervix stirred by Dr. McDreamy. So come Monday, stirred I shall be...unless a baby head stirs me instead.

Here is my update:

• I still have cramping, but very few contractions. The contractions I do have are not painful, just uncomfortable.
• I am still receiving unsolicited comments from everyone and their mother about how terrible and scary labor is going to be.
• All the usual pregnancy symptoms are still present: swelling/cankles, heartburn, round ligament pain, cramping, pelvic floor pressure, headaches, fatigue, creaking and cracking hips (my pelvic bone started cracking too), etc.
• Jeff was approved for paternity leave!
• Gossip Girl is still keeping me entertained.
• The most exciting part of my week was when a new pair of slip-on shoes came in the mail. I know I'm technically due tomorrow, but this new addition to my wardrobe shaved about 10 minutes off my time getting ready this morning. And they're perfect for after pregnancy, as my cankles stretched out my other slip-ons. 
• I wore my new slip-ons to see Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2. 

Breakdown
How do I feel?
Hanging in there. I am glad this is a short work week because I don't know if I'll be able to manage this for much longer.

Also, I have an exciting new pregnancy symptom: carpal tunnel syndrome. Yay! Turns out all that swelling is starting to cause problems. Jeff has to wrap my arm every night to prevent numbness in my wrist and fingers the next day. I am quite the unfortunate sight with my arm in a huge wrap, my oversize pajamas, and a heating pad on my pelvis.

Weight gain?
35lbs

Food cravings?
Gimmee some orange juice! I can't get enough of this stuff. I bought a gallon of OJ two days ago, and am already more than halfway through with it. Nothing sounds better than this sweet elixir of the sun.

Food aversions?
Nope.  

Sleep?
I have a new sleep routine! Please read on.

By 10:00pm - fall asleep on left side
1:00am - wake up with severe cramps; attempt to get out of bed and fail
1:45am -  try to get out of bed again and succeed; might as well use bathroom
2:30pm - fall back asleep on right side since being on left side now causes cramping
3:00am - wake myself (and Jeff) with congestion
3:05am - try to blow nose but nothing comes out
3:06am to 4:59am - sniffle, snooze, snore
5:00am - blow nose, which then causes whistling in nostrils; attempt to sleep again
5:45am - alarm goes off; begin process of getting out of bed
6:12am - finally manage to get out of bed; successfully blow nose


Projected Game Day?
November 22, 2012/Thanksgiving Day/Today? - Dr. says it is pretty likely I'll get through the next couple days without going into labor.

Movement?
It's getting pretty crammed in there.

Stretch marks?
None to be found. Are you wanting to know my secret yet?

Bellybutton?
Painful. Innie. 

Gender?
Package. I know technically I should be using the term "Sex" in this section, but my Catholic upbringing makes me bashful and hesitant to mention THAT word...so taboo! Not really. I guess talking about getting your cervix stirred is worse than referring to your baby's sex. But it's 40 weeks, and if I could go back in time to change the past, this probably wouldn't be on the top of my list of things to change.

What have I learned?
It is important to be positive and active during these last few days. Although I feel like sitting on the couch and avoiding any sort of activity, being out and about makes me feel so much better. And I find that once I sit down, it is incredibly difficult to get back up.

I am very excited to get my body back. Not in the sense that I get to put on my old skinny jeans, but rather I am looking forward to not having heartburn, being able to turn over in the night, and walking without having intense pressure on my ligaments.

And ya'll, THERE'S A BABY COMING SOON. This is still a concept that is hard for my brain to comprehend.

40 weeks