35 Weeks . . . and 3 Days. . . .

Well, I'm still pregnant and it's 35 weeks and 3 days today, so I've made (and passed) my second goal due date. My third goal due date is 37 weeks, when Penelope would be considered full-term. Some days I think Penelope is planning her appearance for that day, and other days I think she has no plans to exit. Likewise, some days I feel great and as if I can easily make it indefinitely on bedrest, and other days I am not sure I can make it through the day. This past Friday, at 35 weeks, I stopped taking my procardia, which I had been taking every 6 hours to help with contractions. I'm still on alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (a/k/a 17P or delalutin) injections every 5 days, but I will stop taking those in 2 weeks when I am 37 weeks. I can still take Tylenol, percocet, and ambien as needed. I usually take Tylenol once or twice a day to help with the contractions, percocet 2-3 times a week if my contractions start getting out of control, and ambien every night (which usually gives me 5-6 hours of sleep and occasionally more, though I do wake up every now and then with particularly strong contractions).

My contractions have consistently picked up in strength, though they don't seem to be as frequent (most of the time) as they had been. Now I usually have contractions every 8-10 minutes throughout the day -- but sometimes as close as 3-5 minutes. Once they hit 3-5 minutes, I start really paying attention to them, but they usually slow down within a couple of hours or so and after I take percocet so I can avoid going into the hospital. From what I understand, at this point the doctors will probably not stop labor, but they also will not help it along (absent a problem with the Penelope where she needs to come out sooner). Apparently, whether labor is stopped or not may depend on whatever physician is attending when I go in, so things aren't exactly concrete. I'm a huge planner, so I'm trying not to think about how things aren't exactly set in stone yet.

I had an appointment last Tuesday and my cervix still hadn't changed -- I was still 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I go back a week from today for another appointment. I haven't been back to the MEU in two weeks, which is the longest I've gone without a MEU visit since they started up for contractions this pregnancy.

Gary and I have already decided that if I am still pregnant next Friday when I turn 36 weeks that I am leaving this house for a mani-pedi. I've now been on bedrest for 7 weeks and only have left for doctor's appointments and hospital visits. I can't wait to have a "fun" trip away from the house!!

The nursery is almost ready, and so are we. Gary has a small list of things to do -- install the carseat bases, hang a couple of decorative items, put some bookshelves together, etc. My mom was here a few weeks ago and helped me clean out Penelope's closet, and I've gone through the girls old "small" clothes and pulled out things for Penelope, which Stephanie washed and put away for me. Penelope's crib is made, and her glider and ottoman should be here in 2-3 weeks. Since I'll be having a repeat c-section and not even walking up the stairs for 2-3 weeks after I have her, I think it will be here in plenty of time.

I started this post on Friday with great intentions of posting some pictures as well. I do have some pictures of me -- and the cake Gary brought me for our 35 week celebration. However, those pictures are all on Gary's camera and I've been too lazy to get them. I'll try to post those at some point. And maybe we'll even take some more pictures soon with my camera, which for some reason I find easier to upload.

And now we just wait on Penelope. . . .