39 Weeks

Our God is an Awesome God! and man is he ever persistent in teaching us lessons like patience.

So, Warren and I went to my doctor's appointment on Thursday (I turned 39 weeks pregnant the next day (Friday), but Warren had a meeting on Friday and wanted to be with me at my appointment). The result...no change, still 2 cm dilated and 75-80% effaced. Wait, didn't the doctor say 2 weeks ago that this little girl would likely be here within the next week and a half to 2 weeks? Ugh! To say I was frustrated and impatient would be an understatement. [momentarily forgetting all the praises and blessings that I have a healthy baby, a healthy pregnancy, etc, etc, etc]

Friday: some of my dearest friends from Charleston [Nancy, Dorothy, Aileen, Katherine] came up to Columbia with their families for a trip to the zoo. I had the day off so Eason and I joined them. I walked around, pushing a stroller, and rode the tram for nearly 5 hours. Surely that should get this little girl movin'...nothin. But we did have a GREAT time with all our friends and Eason has grown quite fond of "Bose and Mills." Even if Mills did acurately assess that we are "slow as Christmas." :)

[Pictures to come later]

Saturday: I made french toast on our griddle (I love that thing)! Then, Eason and I returned to the Tot Trade (an awesome and massive children's consignment sale held in Columbia twice a year). Friday morning, Eason and I went with Momma B and got him some new clothes for the warmer months, but didn't even have time to scratch the surface of the girls' clothing side before it was time to join our friends at the zoo. So, on Saturday, E and I went shopping for Evie. What fun to shop for a little girl! And especially when, I have a precious little helper with me. I swear some of the dresses looked like they are meant for dolls. I am going to have my very own doll baby to dress up. I saw a friend from seminary, who had 2 children and one on the way. As I began to grumble about still being pregnant, she smiled and gracefully said it must be nice to be able to carry your babies to term. She has had 5 miscarriages (all boys), had to have her cervix sewn shut for her other pregnancies and deliver each one early. The praise, God had given her 2 healthy girls and although she was told she could not have boys, she is successfully along with a baby boy in her womb. I love it when God shows off! However, I was still focused on me and my prideful timetable to get this little girl outta my belly and in my arms. by the way...still no contractions.

We returned home and I scheduled a pedicure at Belk (I had a coupon for the spa and had heard that foot massages can trigger contractions). My appointment was for 4 o'clock, Warren was returning from an errand so I could go and so I called the spa to say, I'd be 10 minutes late, we only live 5 minutes from the mall. I head out the door and the traffic on Harbison is like Christmas. It was ridiculous! I was also banking on getting one of the expectant mother parking spots at Belk, to no avail, the only "spots" available were the gridded areas at the end of the rows. I parked there and hurriedly waddled inside. (A lovely sight, I am sure.) The girl at the counter said, "you're 30 minutes late and she's already taken some else back." Oh no you didn't, I thought. I responded, I'm 20 minutes late, had called to say I would be 10 minutes late and can't help it if the traffic outside is like Christmas weekend. This was followed by a "don't-you-dare-try-to-tell-me-I-can't-have-my-pedicure,-do-you-see-how-pregnant-I-am" glare. She rearranged some things, and said that they could squeeze me back in. I sat in the waiting area for about 20 minutes, when the manager (lovely girl, can't remember her name, but lovely girl) came over and apologized for my long wait and offered me a complimentary 20 minute massage while I waited for my pedicure. Seriously? OK! Um, that was nice, then off to my hour-long pedicure. What wonderful pampering. Meanwhile, Warren is at home with a toddler who refuses to nap. What a great man. I got a french pedi at his request. I mean if Warren is going to pay attention to my toes enough to suggest a color & pay for my appointment & allow me the opportunity to go, I'll have them paint my toes whatever he wants! It was lovely, my toes look fabulous, but...still no contractions.

Sunday: We go to church. The deacons at the door literally laugh that we are still prego. Great service, as we head home to get Murray and go the Bazemore's for Sunday dinner, I beg Warren to take me by the grocery store. I had read that rasberry leaf tea may trigger contractions. One tall glass coming right up. Other home remedies were attempted, including a relaxing bath... still no contractions. Instead, I just became more uncomfortable as the night wore on. Warren graciously offered to take us to Monterry's for dinner. Maybe some spicy mexican salsa would help. still no contractions.

Okay God, I get it. I cannot count the number of times You have already taught me this lesson, maybe one day it will sink in. Things will be done on Your timetable, Your perfect timing and will. I surrender! I will wait on You.

38 Weeks

So, two days later, Warren and I went back in to the docotr's office for my 38 week check. I had had 1 or 2 braxton-hicks contractions the past weekend, but no real activity to speak of. The result, still at 2 cm and maybe about 75-80% effaced. Let me tell you, I am ready to meet this little lady. I am trying to maintain a positive outlook, but am getting quite uncomfortable. I forgot to mention that at the 37 week appointment, I asked the doctor, "has she dropped?" His response, "oh yeah, she's dropped."

Her head is in the downward position and she is at about -1 station [+5 is crowning]. So here we are, just waiting. Praise the Lord everything is looking good though, we are so blessed!

37 & 1/2 Weeks

Warren had to return to MB Wed. AM and I felt "funny" all day. I don't really know how to describe it, but I felt almost a little lightheaded and had some weird downward sensations and my lower back was aching. So, I called the doctor's office. Have I mentioned how much better this ob/gyn practice is than the one I went to with Eason?

When I was pregnant with Eason, I called in one time after hours because I was afraid I was leaking amniotic fluid. The oncall doc made me feel like an absolute idiot and dismissed my fears as foolish. I called my stepdad, who is an amazing doctor with a very kind bedside manner, and expressed my fears to him. He said that when he practiced Ob and had a woman call in with concerns such as mine he would allow the patient to be admitted and checked on to assuage her concerns and fears. So, I called that snooty doc back and told him that I would like to be admitted to the hospital and checked out. He was hesitant, but complied. Now, as a first time pregnant lady I was reading up on anything about pregnancy and had essentially self-diagnosed myself as leaking amniotic fluid. Warren, who had been home everynight during that pregnancy was conducting interviews for the insurance company that he worked for in the upstate. Since he had to be there early the next AM, he was going to spend the night up there. We were several weeks away from our due date, but I was feelin' weird and he came home to take me to the hospital. What a sweet and precious man the Lord has given me.

When we arrived at the hospital a young nurse helped me change into a gown to set me up on the monitors. As she was helping me change, she noted that I was wearing a Young Life t-shirt. She remarked about being invoved with YL in college. It was nice to know I was being taken care of by a fellow sister in Christ. As she began helping me into the bed I asked for Warren to hand me my water bottle. The water bottle I used was a Silers Bald (SB) bottle from their debut of Thirst. As Warren handed me the bottle the young nurse noted the SB on it and, recognizing yet another thing we had in common, began to say, "don't tell me you're a Silers Bald fan too?!" Up to this point, she had not really noticed Warren and he was still wearing a suit from having conducted interviews all day, so he was not looking like band-Bazemore, but rather like business-Bazemore. However, as he handed me the bottle, she began her remarks and then...it clicked - standing before her was the Warren Bazemore of Silers Bald.

The nurse's comment "don't tell me you're a Silers Bald fan too?!" trailed off into rising decibles of "oh my god, oh my God, OH MY GOD...I hope you are ruptured" [which translates into, I hope your water has broken so I can be your nurse]. It was hilarious and awesome. I always enjoy running into fellow SB fans that appreciate my husband and the talents the Lord has given him. Turns out that she graduated from Clemson and was a huge SB fan. It was later determined that I was not leaking amniotic fluid and we were discharged to go home and wait several more weeks for Eason's arrival, but it sure made for an memorable experience. While that nurse and the hospital staff were great, the doctor's practice left much to be desired.

This new practice is wonderful though! And when I called in with concerns, they not only did not dismiss me, but also invited me to come in and get checked to assuage my fears. I took some tylenol first and put my feet up, but by that afternoon I was still unsure and decided to go in for a check. I arrived around 4:10 and the ob side was already shut down for the day, with the exception of the ob nurse, Sharon. She was so sweet and precious to me, she is invaluable to that practice! I said, "I'll just go home, I'm sure I'm fine," as I was starting to feel very silly for coming in. She refused, "Now honey, you came in and we are gonna take care of you, let me put you in one of the rooms and I'll get a doctor to come and check on you." Then she smiled and said, "I bet you're nervous cause hubby is so far away." She totally hit the nail on the head. With Warren in MB, he needs at least 2.5 hours to get to me and I keep hearing stories of labors going really fast. So, I am trying to stay tuned to the first sign of labor to get him on the road.

Well, the same doctor checked me that I had seen the Friday before, and he and his assistant were so sweet. They did not make me feel like a silly girl and as it turned out nothing had really changed. But the doctor remarked that I probably was feeling funny and that was probably because my body was getting ready for me to have the baby in the next week or so. I so appreciated their time, compassion and not dismissing my fears. I had my next appointment set for Friday and instead of telling me, "no need to come back." The doctor said, "Yeah c'mom back in on Friday and we'll check you again." I am sure knowing, that at this stage of pregnancy, women want as many updates as possible.

37 Weeks

(posting this for posterity at 38+ weeks pregnant)

The past few days I had been having some good Braxton-hicks contractions, getting me excited about our upcoming due date. Warren and Eason accompanied me to my doctor's appointment on Friday, March 6, when I turned 37 weeks pregnant with Evie. Eason was strapped safely in his stroller, positioned so he would not see anything that might scar him for the rest of his life. My appointment was at 9:15 and Warren had a 10:00 meeting, but this new doctor's practice that I go to is very efficient and wonderful. As we were waiting on the doctor, I encouraged Warren to go ahead and leave for his appointment, but he faithfully stayed by my side and said, "No, I want to hear the doctor say that nothing is going on and we still have at least 3 more weeks before the baby comes."

The doctor arrived soon after asked how we were and I relayed to him that I had been having some good practice contractions. he seemed pleased with that and said well let's see what we've got. Upon his examination he remarks, "you have been having contractions. You are dilated about 2 cm and 70% effaced." Warren's face went a little ashen, as the doctor then said, "you'll probably have this baby within the next week and a half to two weeks."

C'mon Evie, Mommy is ready to meet you!