The Problem with Having Expectations

38 weeks, last weekend

Here's the problem with expectations. They can be wrong.

I'm proud to say I actually still feel sane as I quickly approach the mark today where I will be the most pregnant I've ever been. I don't really fault myself for having expectations of an early delivery. My first baby was born at 38 weeks, 6 days and my second came quite suddenly about 4 hours after I hit the 38 week mark. 1 week early for baby #1, 2 weeks early for baby #2, heck I was thinking 3 weeks early for baby #3 was a possibility considering that my third pregnancy has been my most intense. I'd had a lot of pre term contractions with Cora's pregnancy and more intense ones with this pregnancy, so I was worried I might not even make it to the full term 37 week mark.

So as a planner and preparer, I wanted to get as much ready by 36 weeks as possible and went ahead and planned my maternity leave to begin shortly after 38 weeks. (Though this was really a set start date if I wanted to use up all my vacation days before they expire at the end of our fiscal year.) My mom, who had missed Cora's arrival, planned to arrive a bit earlier as well.

8 votes were cast by immediate family members on Baby Luke's likely delivery date. All 8 were between March 3 and March 10.  Mom arrived on March 6.

And now here we are on March 14, no baby! I still feel good so I've been able to stay active all week and that has helped keep me occupied. We had a busy weekend last weekend and then Jack and Cora were out of school on Monday and Tuesday. When Wednesday arrived and they were back in school, my mom helped distract me and I found myself attending events I hadn't even put on our calendar, because I'd assumed I'd be a no-show due to a new baby.

I've had three nights this week where contractions were coming every 10 minutes for hours and even into the night. But they don't seem to want to speed up! By last night, Jacob and I were laughing (though it's not actually funny) because I'd hit him every time I had a contraction and he'd say, yep 9:28, yep 9:38, yep 9:48. The contractions have gotten stronger over the week, but not more frequent.

38.5 weeks

It's funny how imminent Luke's arrival felt two weeks ago as I was finishing up work and waiting for my mom to arrive. Now he seems tucked in and like he might stay that way! I really hope I'm wrong as I'm so ready to meet him, as is everyone else in this house. I think Jack and Cora now probably don't believe a baby is actually coming. I mean all our "guess dates" have passed and Mommy still just has a round belly.When I ask Cora if she thinks baby Luke will come that day, she just laughs and says "No, few more days."

Please don't hate me if you've been past due yourself, I know I have nothing to complain about as I creep up tonight on the 39 week mark!

If my expectations about when this baby might arrive were wrong, it's also making me realize I have no idea what this labor might actually be like. The slow lead-in over the last week is certainly different than past experiences. As they say in France, "Enfin, on verra bien..."