36...37...38...

The last few weeks of pregnancy are perhaps the most annoying and most wonderful. I loved them and I hated them at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I loved being pregnant and even at the end I was completely fine with lasting to the 40-week mark. I didn't mind being huge or seeing the scale hit a number that I had never come close to in my entire life. I didn't mind the fact that I couldn't go long distances in the car, or the fact that it was literally one of the hottest summers on record in Boston (thank you, central air). What I minded was not knowing when she would arrive. Yes, is the annoying part of pregnancy that every mother has to deal with.

My last post mentioned how I was told that I could go "any day now" fairly early on. I think it was week 36 or week 37 when I was first told that Ella was basically ready to go. I was 100% effaced and 3cm dilated and my doctor even said, "I'm at the hospital this weekend!" with a smile. And she's conservative. The conservative doctor who never indicates anything that might mean I'm remotely close to delivering said I might see her this weekend. "Oh my God," I thought, "I'm going to be a mom this weekend!"

Nope.

The anticipation was getting to me. Everyone expected me to go early, a week or two at least. They would call or e-mail or post messages on Facebook about when I was going to deliver. My response: "still pregnant." I didn't mind that they were asking, heck, I'd ask me, too. And, I kinda like that they were asking because it meant that they were excited about me delivering. And, that only added to the anticipation. But, my husband will tell you, I'm horrible with surprise. I love them and I absolutely hate them at the same time. I kept waking up every morning wondering if that was the day I was going to become a mom. I kept wondering where I would be when my water would break...or if it would break at all. I will tell you, that freaked me out more than anything. Not knowing then liters of water would come rushing out of you was weird...and scary.

But yes, I was "still pregnant." And I would be pregnant for a while, until that weird and scary moment happened.

My Life Will Never Be the Same Again

I mentioned in my last blog that I knew I was pregnant a day before I told my husband. I didn't tell him the day before because I wanted to be 100% sure before I told him. I remember driving home that day...the I-have-a-secret day and thinking to myself, "My life will never be the same again." And, I got a little emotional about it. My eyes welled and a tear formed...and so did a smile. I had a life growing inside of me and was now responsible for my body in a whole new way.

I had a wonderful pregnancy -- beyond wonderful. Besides being a little dizzy and queasy at night in the early weeks, I had no "morning" sickness (moms will know why there are quotes), no heartburn (despite giving birth to a girl with a full head of hear...2" long), no stretch marks, no crazy weight gain, no acne, no mask of pregnancy, no nothing.

Until week 34.

I went to the doctor's office for an exam and learned that Ella had finally turned in the right direction -- thank God. After weeks of reading about ECVs and debating about whether or not I should go see a chiropractor for the Webster technique or for acupuncture, Ella got a clue and figured out that she needed to do a flip. So, with a little good news comes some bad. My doctor did an exam and then asked me, "So, what do you do for work?" Immediately I knew what was happening -- bed rest. I said, "I own my own company and work at home...why?" "Well," she said, "let's just say if you worked at an office I'd tell you to stay home." She went on to tell me that I had to be on modified bed rest. This meant that I could get up to use the restroom (glamorous), make some lunch, and get back down on the couch. Lovely. My body was at 37 weeks rather than 34 weeks so I needed to try my best to keep the pregnancy going. Luckily my coworkers are all fabulous and completely understood and so did my husband. Aaron did just about everything around the house -- the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, the dishes, everything. My mom also helped on her days off from work which was a huge help.

When you're on bed rest you feel like a burden to everyone. I knew -- and so did everyone else -- that I had no other option and had no problem doing whatever I needed to do to take care of my body (and my baby). But, still, you feel like a burden. Somebody is cleaning your house, cooking your meals, taking care of your puppy, going grocery shopping, doing errands, canceling plans because you can't make it....blah blah blah. But, that's what needed to be done. At 37 weeks my doctor took me off bed rest but told me not to drive or go long distances -- freedom at last. I immediately got my hair colored and cut and did some shopping. Thank the good Lord. I was 3cm and 100% effaced and was told I could go any day now.

What a tease.