The Week Before Declan....

The exhaustion physically, mentally and emotionally had definitely hit this 39 week pregnant person.  I went down to half days at work because I cried in my doctors office... or at least that is why I think she made me.... Those were nice and made it possible to nap and take 2-3 oatmeal bath/showers a day to relieve my hive itching... which was at its all time worst at this point.

I also had started having regular bouts of contractions starting May 29th... and I remember this date as it was the night before I was to take my girl's to golf sections in Pebble Creek in Becker, MN... around 2 hrs from Hutch.  I was nervous about going and put my awesome partner in his last year before retirement on call ;) But I made it thru the meet (with an hour straight of contractions that were getting me a little nervous but they subsided :) )

 39 Weeks

 June 4th (39 W 5 Days) "Induction Day"

What we thought would be last picture of us as just the two of us.

Notice Andy's shirt...Obviously Nintendo but the 1UP mushroom to "Get a Life"... He was on his way to "get the new life" :) But of course you all know Declan's birthday was June 8th so no it was not a 4 day induction :) 

My doctor had suggested inducing me about 39 weeks if I still was miserable and with hives, and I had reservations about it and wish I would've gone with my gut and not my selfish mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted self...  But the date was pushed back from Sun 2nd, to Mon the 3rd and finally on the 4th my doctor was not letting the Labor and Delivery reschedule me even though they had 5 babies in house and 1 woman in labor... but I was easy enough to take care of and monitor... especially after two rounds of Cervidal my cervix didn't change and they offered to try one more thing.  In the hospital though, I had the best night of sleep I'd had in over 3 weeks as they gave me an Ambien... who knew I could've been having a sleeping pill the last couple weeks?? I didn't... but really was disappointed the first time in my Dr. that she hadn't suggested this as I know I could've made it if I had just SLEPT!   Anyhow, I  was ready to go home and wait and see and wait and see...with prescription for Ambien... and keep my fingers cross baby would be here before June 13th we they would try again to induce...  It was only sad to be going home without meeting my baby but I knew in my RESTED HEAD and heart it was right.  

Going home had me facing one more problem... I had NOTHING left to do in my house to keep busy... I had gotten EVERYTHING done before induction day... so I mowed the lawn Friday morning June 7th while Andy was still asleep.. but of course the lawn mower woke him and he was a little worried all the neighbors were judging him for letting his 9 month pregnant wife mow... but I think those vibrations and walks did it... contractions started that Friday night... 

and thankfully continued thru.... THE DAY OF DECLAN!