Just a quick update.

L lost her mucus plug tonight… we think with “bloody show” (part of it was clearly tinged a slight brown and pink). This prompted me to make sure that we were really finished packing for the hospital (yes, I know it could still be a while… but really, why rush at the last minute?).

In any case, it seems that I might be only days away from arriving at Fatherland!

Stay tuned for more updates…

At this week’s OB appointment, L learned that she’s “making good progress” and “wouldn’t need to hear the speech on inducing.” She’s still at 1cm, but she’s now 80% effaced and Emerson seems lower still. So, we wait…

Soon? Maybe. A week away? Maybe. Who knows? I’m willing to entertain predictions.

Fortunately, we’re now fully ready to go.

Bags packed. Nursery ready. Supplies on hand.

We’ve reached Week 38!

Since there’s nothing else to report on (just waiting!), I’ll provide a few health updates:

How’s Libby doing?

As I’ve mentioned, L’s had a (blissfully) trouble-free pregnancy. But, the last couple of weeks have started to wear on her.

She had some sort of weird rash on her back and upper chest (which is finally getting better) – that the doctors thought might be fungal but didn’t want to prescribe anything due to her advanced gestational state.

Her voice sounds like she has a cold. However, she’s not sick. We think this might be related to heartburn or reflux.

Speaking of heartburn, she’s had a lot of it lately. Indeed, she was up a good bit of the night dealing first with heartburn and then some sort of pain in her upper back. This is starting to become a recurring theme.

She’s also taken to calling herself “Momma the Hut.”

Needless to say, she’s ready for Emerson to arrive.

Biopsy results

Yesterday, I learned via a voicemail that I have a “mildly atypical (dyplastic) nevus” which Dr. Google tells me is pathology-speak for a “slightly funny looking mole.” The good news is that this isn’t cancer. The (slightly) bad news is that it means I will need more investigation and biopsies (mostly precautionary, I assume). And, I’ll likely need to remain under the observation of a dermatologist for the rest of my life, as I’m now twice more likely to get melanoma than a typical person (though it’s far from a foregone conclusion and far less likely than someone with a history of melanoma in their family).

I’ll find out more details today when I speak to the doctor’s office.

Success! Finally! Yeah, me!

Here’s a video from Edmunds that I found most helpful:

We used a seat protector for each car (the Elite DuoMat by Kiddopatamus purchased from Amazon.com for about $30) and a single pool noodle (purchased at a local pool supply store for $3), which I cut to size with a knife. Both worked well and were great investments.

Here are some photos of our cars tricked out with Emerson’s seat:

This one doesn’t get a car seat:

Yesterday was a big day for a couple of reasons:

First, we went to the OB’s office for L’s week 37 check-up. It was actually fortuitous timing because she began having the first signs of contractions the prior night! She described these as “relatively minor menstrual cramps” (something she hasn’t felt in many months) and the doctor confirmed this was a natural and expected step forward.

I think the realization that her happy and blissfully uneventful pregnancy is coming to an end really hit her yesterday. She’s (understandably) nervous about going through labor and deliver. She wants to “do a good job” (which, while I’m not sure what exactly that means, is very much in keeping with her personality).

Second, L started her maternity leave officially yesterday. She’ll now be off from work—with full pay and benefits—through at least May 1. She actually has about another six weeks of fully paid leave that she could take, but she’s going to keep her powder dry in case she needs that time at a later date for Emerson. This is a huge, if albeit temporary, transition for her.

Car seat update

In other news, we’re finalizing the last bit of preparation for the arrival of Emerson. I looked into getting the car seat checked, but I found out that local fire and police don’t assist in our area. The closest location is nearly twenty miles away! Good grief. I’m going to wait for the arrival of the seat protectors / bucket inserts and then take another run at it myself. Using the LATCH system and tightening isn’t the problem… it’s mostly just overcoming the design “limitations” with our cars.

I kind of “get” the seat design on the XJ8 VDP. I mean what percentage of Jag’s demographics for that model are new parents? It clearly is more the vehicle of those in or headed for God’s waiting (rather than delivery) room. However, I think they could/should have done better with the Cayenne… after all, isn’t that presumably why people would buy a Porsche SUV rather than a sports car?