The Time Has Come!!

I'm back from the Doctor!!

Here's the update!!....

The morning started off a bit scary. I woke up and felt very nauseous - I popped a zofran pill as I usually do when I start to feel like me and the vomit bucket are about to see eachother eye to eye. I rested until the pill kicked in and then I made myself a bagel with cream cheese and had a glass of orange juice to put something in my stomach. I was still feeling "off" even after eating. While I was straightening up the livingroom I started to feel very dizzy and light-headed...and then I began stumbling a bit and felt like I was going to faint. I had felt Ilah moving very early in the morning but suddenly realized that her activity wasn't as it normally was. I started pressing my stomach a bit to get her to move to bring me some ease. She didn't respond like she always does - with a small kick or jab or a rolling motion. All of these things combined put me in a bit of a panic. I sent my husband a text message, and when I didn't hear back from him, I called him three times. No answer. When I couldn't get a hold of him, I called my mom to tell her how I was feeling - she offered to come and drive me to the Dr. but I was optimistic that my husband would call me back soon - and he did, within the half hour - he was in a meeting. My mom began to pray that everything would be ok. We both thought that my blood pressure must be high - I just wanted to get to the Dr. asap. I was so glad that I had called the Dr.'s office this morning to move my appointment time up. My husband met me at the house and we drove to the Doctor's office together. I remained as calm as I could. I was nervous, but didn't shed a tear. On the way to my appointment, Ilah started giving me lots of assurance as she began moving non-stop.

As it turned out, my blood pressure was 158 over 84, or 48 {I don't remember} - but it was on the high side. The Doctor said it was time for the baby to come on out. My cervix has thinned out to 80% but I'm just a finger tip dilated. The Doctor scheduled me to go to the hospital TONIGHT {between 5 pm - 8:00 pm} to start the process of having this baby! The plan is to get my cervix thinned to 100% and then they will start the induction process; our aim is that I get fully dilated to a 10 and achieve a vaginal delivery sometime tomorrow and avoid having a c-section.

While at the Doctor's office, they did a non-stress test to ensure that everything was ok with the baby and to monitor her fetal movement. She was pretty much moving the entire time I was strapped up! It gave me such reassurance!

When the nurse came in {followed by the Dr.} to check on me and review the readings, both said, "No worries with the baby; she's more than just fine! She's an active little girl, look at her go!".

So, my friends, the time has finally come!!! I'm guessing that Ilah will make her debut tomorrow!!

I just finished up eating lunch with my husband and my mom and am feeling great and about to take a nap!

Thank you so very much for all the encouraging comments and private emails that you have sent my way. I apologize for not yet getting around to answering them individually. All of your prayers and well wishes have been incredibly thoughtful - thank you!!

I can't put into words the excitement that we feel {I'm trying to supress the bit of anxiety that I also feel!} knowing that we are headed to the labor and delivery ward in just a few hours where we will soon hold our little girl in our arms!!

"If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle". -Vincent van Gogh

We can't wait to meet you Ilah!!! It will literally be a dream come true.