Woo hooooooooooooooo! (updated 6/16)

Lastnight my parents ended up coming over since Russ wasn't around, and they helped me finish up with things in the nursery. We got my curtain valances up in the nursery, and finished putting the ceiling fan up. The nursery is officially FINISHED! WOO HOO! I took pictures of the room... I just need to upload them onto my computer and I'll put them on here.

In addition to the nursery stuff, we got the stroller/carseat out of the box (FINALLY!) and put all that together. All Russ and I have to do now is put the carseat in the car, and we're set where that is concerned. I still need to read up on a few things dealing with the travel system, but for the most part, I know the basics.

Getting all of those last-minute things done is SUCH a relief. I finally feel like I can relax a bit... I don't have 50 million things that I still need to do running through my head!

Now to the news of the day.... hee hee!

My appointment went GREAT this morning. My BP was good, 110/70. The baby was moving like crazy due to lots of Braxton Hicks. When the nurse asked if I've been having contractions, I said, "Well, yeah... a few over the past couple days." In addition to the braxton hicks, I had *mild* contractions this morning. My tummy got really tight, then my back and my lower belly would just ache for awhile. A few minutes later, another one... then not another for, oh, 20 minutes or so. Then they quit all together, so there went the idea that I might be in labor.

Anyway, I also lost half a pound this week, which I'm attributing to fluctuation due to water retention. Doc thinks so too. I was swollen today in my feet and ankles, but not as much as last week, so I think that's where the half pound came from. My feet really ARE huge today though... they BOTH look a little balloonish today. *sigh*

In the exam room, I was told the usual, "Ok...slide down on the table" (fun fun...lol) and so I told doc, "Give me some good news, ok?" LOL. When he checked me, he goes, "You're nice and soft... and about a fingertip dilated." WOO FRICKIN HOO! I've made SOME progress! SOMETHING is going on downstairs!

So I'm officially about 1.5cm dilated! I'm not sure if my OB did a membrane sweep or anything, but he really seemed to be digging around for SOMETHING up there. Gold, maybe?! LOL. It seemed like he went all around my cervix, and not to be TMI, but I've been really crampy and spotting for most of the day. At least I know I'm a liiiiiiittle closer to seeing my Alyson!

So now I go back to the doctor on Monday morning. I don't know whether that's a routine thing he does during the last week if you're dilated and such, or whether he thinks what he did today might cause me to progress quicker. Who knows. Hopefully Monday I'm dilated more. (If I MAKE it to Monday...lol. Wishful thinking!)I'll update more on Monday!

More good news... I'm now officially on maternity leave. My doctor wrote me a work release note! That's pretty much the first question they asked me-- "So are you still working?" I said, "Well, that's what I want to talk to you about. I think I'm done. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday nights and was miserable." They said that truthfully they can't believe I've worked THIS long. They said "It's very commendable that you stuck it out this far along in your pregnancy! Most people quit work by now." But the thing is, last week I still felt ok, and I wasn't even dilated, ya know? So after my doctor's appointment, I went to Human Resources and filled out all my maternity leave paperwork. The lady there was great, she said she'd notify my clinical manager AND the staffing office of my leave. So all I had to do was talk with her, and now everything is all set! :-) THAT is such a relief too, to know that at least when something labor-wise happens, I'll be home and not working. (Not like I wouldn't be at the right place, being that I work at the hospital I'm delivering at, but I just want to be able to get a shower and get everything situated before heading to the hospital when something happens!)

So that was my afternoon today. I went to my parents' house and ate lunch, BS'd with my mom for a while, then came home and relaxed for a bit. Did some stuff in Alyson's baby scrapbook, watched Oprah.... LOL. I don't get to do that often at all, so it was nice for a change!

OH...and more good news! The guys are like 90% finished with the bathroom upstairs!! I am soooooooooo happy! I have my upstairs back! My spare bedroom and the hallway are no longer covered with dropcloths,buckets of stuff and tools. All the one guy has to do is stop by real quick in the morning and seal up a few things with caulking, and put some handles on the shower doors. (The store sent the wrong ones, so they needed reordered.) That's about it. I was never so happy when they announced they were pretty much all done today. When they moved that utility trailer out of the driveway (which has been parked there for like 3 weeks....), I was about to throw a party. :-)

Needless to say, it's been an all around good day today! :-) And I think that's it for my rambling right now. Have a good night!

***UPDATE***

Here are the pics of Alyson's nursery that I promised I'd post!