Patiently Waiting...I've never been pregnant this long!

Well, the carseat is ready and bags are packed...so now we wait.

We went for my 36 week appt. on Monday, and it was fairly uneventful. I was 1 1/2 cm dilated, but she is still fairly high...of course all of this could change quickly. I go back again next Monday morning. I did have some pretty severe contractions Friday night, but they never got close enough together to go to the hospital.

He said that unless my water breaks or I have contractions that stay consistently strong every 4 to 5 minutes they will not take her before our scheduled 8-8-08 c-section even if I do dilate to 3 or 4 cm. in the next three weeks.

Anderson was here by this time when I was pregnant with him, but it was a complete miracle that he was big and healthy that (nearly 5 weeks) early. Dr. Madden said that if Lydia was born at this point she would most likely need a ventilator and would be in the NICU for a week or so. Hearing that made me feel a little more patient about her arrival. We certainly do not want a ventilator or any time in the NICU! Please continue to think of us and pray for Lydia's safe arrival.

I am increasingly nervous about what to do with Anderson in any of the million scenarios that could happen if I were to go into labor on my own. I can't labor for very long at all without causing complications for the c-section we will be having. So I am under Dr.'s orders to go straight to the hospital if my water breaks or I have consistent contractions. This makes me so nervous since everyone lives at least 30-45 minutes away. We had to come up with several "Plan-B's". Last time with him we just got in the car and went to have a baby...this time it is so different. I am so sensitive about how we handle things with him so that he is the most comfortable and that his regular routine remains as regular as possible.

• If I go into labor in the middle of the night our superstar babysitter, Chandler -whom Anderson ADORES has offered to get the middle of the night phone call and come right over. That way he wakes up to someone he knows and loves, but my mom and sisters can still be at the hospital with us.

• If it happens during the day, he will most likely be at school and we will just leave him there to finish the day and then my mom can go pick him up. She will be staying at our house with him while we are in the hospital.

• If it happens on a weekend then we will most likely call Chandler again or possibly our neighbors who we have regular play dates with.

So that's the plan for now...I'll let you all know what we hear when we go back on Monday.

****And by the way...How cute is this adorable carseat cover I got?? Our carseat fabric used to irritate the back of Anderson's legs (he had super sensitive skin). so we wanted to find a cover this time around, but they were all either $100.00 or more or so obnoxiously pink that I couldn't stomach it. Then I found this one on http://www.2littlemonkeys.com/ I love the butter cream minky dot fabric. It's so soft, and the paisley awning is just enough pink!