Quick update on D-day...

Well, today is the baby's due date and obviously, I'm still very much pregnant considering I'm sitting at my computer writing this.  But with the countless questions and inquiries I've been getting, I thought I'd just give you a brief update, and hope that this will be the last I have to give before the big event. :)

I woke up this morning at around 4:00am with fairly intense contractions.  They lasted til about 6:00am but were very sporadic and inconsistent so I was pretty certain that I wasn't actually in labour.  Plus, everything stopped shortly after 6am and didn't start up again.  But I still felt quite optimistic because I had a doctor's appt. set for 11:40am and was going to have another membrane sweep.  At my last appt., my doctor found that I wasn't dilated yet but that my cervix was very soft and he was able to sweep about 1cm.  I figured with this morning's "false labour," and the "burst of energy" I got a few days ago (the final "nesting" period, so I'm told) that surely, this membrane sweep would do the trick.  Either that, or my doctor would find that I was already dilated at least a bit.  Alas, this was not the case.  I had already prepared myself for "bad news," but had still really hoped that he'd find I had progressed.  Unfortunately, I still hadn't dilated at all.  He said that the baby had moved down a bit more and was definitely engaged, and my cervix was again, very soft and easy to sweep (he was able to do 1cm again), but that was it.  

So... if nothing happens in the next few days, I have an appt. set for Thursday in which he'll do another sweep, and if that doesn't do it, my induction has been set for Monday, June 29.  All I can do is pray that I don't go to induction--- for two reasons.  A) I would just really prefer to go into labour naturally, and B) Craig & Jen fly in that day and I really didn't want to be in hospital when they arrive.  So if you think of it, please send up a prayer that baby would join us sooner than Monday :)  And even better... tonight would be a great night to go into labour, as my doctor is on for labour/delivery at the hospital tomorrow and I would love to have him there to 'do the honours' :)

PS:  Sarah S. ... if you're reading this, I did try the stairs and will continue to do it.  I walked up and down our main flight of stairs 20 times the other night ('til my legs felt like jello and I was ready to puke!)  And that was after we had already gone for a long walk around the neighbourhood.  I went for another LONG walk at the river with my parents tonight and will climb our stairs 'til I'm blue in the face, if that's what it takes :)  At least its a healthy way of trying to bring on this baby! 

Our newest addition...

... unfortunately, I'm not talking about our baby.  Sorry... didn't mean to get anyone's hopes up :)  

Jon and I finally got a new camera this week!  Our other one (which we've had for over 5 years now) has been on the fritz for a while and has been completely unpredictable.  I'm never quite sure how the pictures will turn out, regardless of how clear they may look on the camera's screen.  And for the most part, they always seem to be blurry and out of focus.  A camera wasn't exactly something we had been planning on investing in any time soon, but with babe's due date quickly approaching, we wanted to be sure that we'd get some good shots of him/her when we welcome them into the world.  So, we started doing some research and finally decided on the Canon SX110 IS.  We've been watching the flyers and checking the stores for sales, and finally, we found it for a great price at FutureShop on Thursday night.  We haven't really had a chance to play around with it much yet, but are very impressed with the little we have seen so far.

One of the biggest reasons we rushed out to hunt for the camera on Thursday night, was due to the fact that things seemed to be progressing in the way of labour.  I use the word "seemed" quite strongly because unfortunately, things came to a halt fairly soon after that.  But none the less, we thought that "little kicker" may be joining us sooner than we had expected, and figured we'd better get the camera before it was too late :)

I had my weekly doctor's appt. on Tuesday.  They told me a while back, that they would start sweeping my membranes at the 38 week mark, in hopes of preventing induction.  The idea of having things start naturally sounded great to me, and of course, the thought of not having to go overdue seemed perfect as well.  So Tuesday's appt. marked the first attempt.  To my disappointment (even though it wasn't that surprising), the doctor wasn't quite able to do the sweep, as my cervix was still hard and tough to reach.  He and the nurse tried to encourage me that "things change very quickly" and I shouldn't lose hope.  They'd try again next week.

So off I went, a bit discouraged, but trying to tell myself that it wouldn't be much longer.  Well... by the next day, I started to feel "different."  I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew that I was feeling somewhat out of the ordinary.  And sure enough, I lost my "plug" later that afternoon.  Then, throughout the night, and into the afternoon on Thursday, I felt incredibly crampy and uncomfortable.  After talking to my friend's mom (who is a maternity nurse), it became clear that I most likely had lost my mucus plug and could very well go into labour at any point.  Or.... it could still be a matter of weeks :(  But, none the less, Tuesday's exam had obviously progressed things to some degree, and that was encouraging.  

So as soon as Jon got home from work on Thursday, it was quickly decided that we'd grab something to eat at the mall and do a lot of walking, in hopes of starting labour.  Plus, get the camera while we were at it ;)  But... much to my dismay, all cramping & mild contracting completely stopped by the time evening hit and I had a strong feeling that there wasn't going to be any action that night. 

Turns out, I was right.  So... we went for a LONG walk at the river trail last night, hoping that maybe, JUST MAYBE, it would be enough to get things going.  Jon and I both agreed that having the baby on the weekend would be fantastic because then he wouldn't have to miss as much work during the week.  But, we all know that these things are out of our hands :)  

I did have some mild contractions while we were walking, and a few in the middle of the night, but again... no real action.

So... I guess Jr. isn't quite ready to make his/her appearance just yet.  I know I'm still a week away from my due date, but my brother & sister-in-law arrive for a visit from SK, on June 29 and it would be SO nice to be somewhat "on the road to recovery" before they get here.  I only get to see them once a year so I'd really like to be able to enjoy our time with them, and think it would be so much easier to do so, if I'm not just getting out of the hospital when they arrive.  But again, I realize that its all in God's hands and His timing will be just right, even if its not my timing.  

My doctor will be sweeping my membranes every week now (or as many times a week) as is necessary to avoid going overdue so hopefully, this Tuesday's appt. will be successful.  If not, I guess we'll just keep waiting, as patiently as is humanly possible at this point, and going for more river walks :)  I'll be sure to keep you all posted... 

Pregnancy photo shoot...

Here I am at 38 weeks. 

And just when I thought I couldn't get any bigger... :)

We got our pregnancy pictures back from Roxanna late last week.  We're absolutely thrilled with how they turned out.  Click on the link below if you want to check them out...

Jon & Bonnie's Pregnancy Photo Shoot

Saying goodbye...

My Granny passed away yesterday (my mom's mom).  She was my only surviving Grandparent and we were so thrilled that she was going to be around for the birth of her first great grandchild.  We had planned on naming the baby after her if it was a girl.  It just breaks my heart to know that she didn't quite make it long enough to hear the news of this new little life.  

All of my Mom's family are over in South Africa so even though Gran wouldn't have been here to meet the baby, I know she would have been thrilled to hear of its arrival.  I'm just so glad that my Mom was able to share with her over the phone, that the baby would be her namesake if it was indeed a girl.  She seemed to be so touched and excited about that.  

I just wish we could turn back the clock... have the chance to say good-bye... tell her how much we love her and how we're not ready to let her go...

We love you so much Gran.  May you know that you will 

always be missed and the void that is now left will 

never be filled.  Thank-you for the love & joy you brought

to our lives, even though we have been so far away.

We wish we could've had you here forever.  We love you...

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Clinging to the promise, that when life feels like too much... when the pain is too great, 

He will hold us in His arms.  

... This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

and you survive.

This is what it means to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

when everything fell,

we'd be held...

-- Natalie Grant --

Sunny days & a sweaty countdown...

Its hard to believe that I'm already half way through my first week of mat leave.  The weather has been the ultimate reward--- +30 degrees everyday.  I heard today is supposed to hit +33 or +34.  And its only June 3.  We could be in for a very hot summer if this keeps up.  Yesterday's heat made me extremely grateful for the fact that I won't have to be pregnant through the hottest part of the summer.  If this is June, and I'm already perma-sweating, then I can't imagine how brutal July & August might be!  Thank goodness I only have another couple of weeks to go :)

Only 19 days til "D-day."  Wow.  I'm not sure its even sunk in that I will be holding a baby in my arms so soon.  I mean, we've been preparing for months and counting down the days, but its still so hard to imagine what that day will be like.  Plus, the reality that I still have to get through the labour part is a little daunting.  Ok... so its a lot daunting :)  But thankfully the excitement that continues to build as we get closer and closer, helps that part feel a bit less intimidating.  Maybe that's naive.  Or maybe its just positive thinking.  Either way, I'm eagerly anticipating the moment when labour is a distant memory, and cuddling our little one becomes a part of every day life.  I truly can't wait!