Place your bets

I saw my OB for my 36 week check-up/GBS swab toady. That's group B strep for those not in the know--if positive you need antibiotics during delivery. There's a long explanation for it but it's fairly normal and common; I was GBS- for both of my other pregnancies but that means nothing. I got my birth plan approved with very little discussion. :) My biggies are no problem, like no episiotomy. My OB says that she doesn't do them anyway. YAY!!! I hated recovering from that with E. Anyway.....

Time to place your bets on when Carson will arrive. There's no stopping labor now if it starts. Let's see, I gained another pound (23 pounds so far), urine was clear, BP was high for me at 128/72 and I measured in at 37 centimeters, 1 week ahead. Carson's heart rate was 128 bpm and he kicked up a storm for the doctor. She said that he might be small but he's spunky. That's my kid. His head is resting on the left side of my pelvis between the cervix and hip. He's been in that position for as long as I can remember, the exact same position as Drew and E. (I think; I know that she was head down early on and stayed that way like Drew and Carson). Haven't lost my mucous plug yet (I know that it can regenerate).

This past weekend, and especially today, I've been having contractions. They are not big ones and not necessarily painful but very uncomfortable. They are not Braxton Hicks contractions according to the doctor, they're the real deal and can continue on for weeks. Lucky me, it's just making me miserable at this point. I cannot find a comfortable position for the life of me. The last month of PG really kicks my ass physically.

One more pertinent bit of information before predicting the day Carson gets here--I'm only dilated to 1 cm. and my cervix is still high. That depressed me even though I want to go to term; anyone who has endured those last 4 weeks of PG knows how much you just want the darn baby out due to discomfort.

So there's the deal on Carson. My own prediction, and take it for what it's worth since I was off with E. and off with Drew, is that Carson will be born about 1 week past his due date (around April 23) and will weigh somewhere between E. and Drew, say 6 lbs. 4 oz.

It's spring break out here this week and it's supposed to rain all week long so wish me well that I retain my sanity with E. She's becoming increasingly difficult and argumentative.

Ok, just one E. story. I can't resist because something like this would only happen to a family that has been through what we have (I know that many of you can relate). And only we would find it amusing. She has a Wiggles ride-on car that she's really too big for but she likes it anyway. She was pushing it around the living room saying that it was her, "cemetery car." She would put various items on it and take them to the cemetery. What a kid, it made me sad and smile at the same time.