Final Approach

In 20 minutes, the month of November will be here. It really is hard to believe how quickly this year has gone. Early in the pregnancy, everybody told us, "The time will FLY by." It's not that we didn't believe them...it's just that in the early stages (10,12,14 weeks), the pregnancy, in my opinion, is still a bit surreal--you know in your head that your life is on course for a huge change, but the concept is still so very new. Our life at that point really wasn't any different. Leah wasn't sick. Her clothes still fit. All we had to do was wait and wonder what the next several months held. I remember actually commenting to Leah, "Just think, we've got to endure the entire summer, daylight saving time, Halloween, and maybe even Thankgiving before he gets here." It seemed so far away at the time. Now, we're 4 weeks away--and that's if he's on schedule and not early. We know we're getting close . . . and beginning to make sure all i's are dotted and t's are crossed in terms of preparation. The suitcase is ready and waiting beside the door.

I was playing golf on Saturday, and my cell phone rang. My boss said, "I guess the phone ringing takes on a whole new meaning these days, doesn't it?" Indeed it does. I don't know how feasible it would be for her to go into labor at, say, 36 or 37 weeks, but I suppose stranger things have happened. I've always been the planner, the organizer, the antithesis of the "impromptu, just take it as it comes" type. From cigars to photo ops to outfits, I wanna be ready. That's just the way I am. I've thought about where I or we will be when "the time" comes. About all the jillion things that will be running through my head as we head to the hospital. Something akin to strapping myself into the Revolution, anticipating the lifelong ride that is about to begin.

Of course, any woman that has endured pregnancy knows that this is easily the beginning of the most miserable stage of it all. The baby is bigger and has less room the move. Ligaments and nerves and vessels and bladder are all being sat on, kicked, and probably twisted like an Auntie Anne's pretzel. The back hurts more. The discomfort factor gets kicked up a notch. The insomnia is in high gear. Leah was having some pretty painful, uh, pains last night and this morning (in places and of intensity not yet experienced), so she thought she'd describe them to the doctor's office and see what they said. She wasn't freaking out or anything--just wanted to make sure they agree that it was perfectly normal. Actually, they told her to come on in and get checked. The doctor determined that Leah is dialated 2 cm--a pretty drastic change since her visit a week ago Thursday. Her blood pressure was a little high, which can indicate preeclampsia, but no other indicators were present that would lead to worry. The doc suggested having it rechecked tomorrow (which she will), but she's already checked it tonight with our home bp monitor and it's dropped significantly. Leah's regularly schedule appointment is Thursday, at which time an ultrasound will be done to get perhaps a final peek at him before we see him live in few weeks!