Bullet pointing, again:

*We are 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced. (I guess pregnancy is the only time in which it is acceptable to speak so openly about one’s cervix, no?)

*Baby has lowered down into my pelvis (at about -2), which means she is enjoying rolling her little head around on my bladder. It also means that my discomfort has ratcheted up a bit. Lower back pain, mid-back fatigue, feeling like my hips are unhinged, etc…I guess this is good because I would have been happy up to this point being pregnant much longer.

* Speaking of unhinged, Sugarpie is reveling in her show of 18 month old will. Her new and (not-so) improved toddlertude is on full display.

*HELLO pubic bone pain and general pelvic discomfort, ugh. It’s getting worse and I can barely walk. Putting my pants on is enough to make me want an epidural. Up to last week I could keep myself from waddling with some concentration. That is over.

*Sugarpie has been going through something (see above), so I’ve been relaxing my we-only-nurse-at-bedtime rule. It always works, I’m so glad that I decided to continue rather than weaning. It was the right decision for us. The upside (at this point in pregnancy) is that for the last week it has induced some pretty intense Braxton-Hicks contractions. Any bit of dilation I can achieve before actual labor begins is welcome!

*I am so over trying not to surpass my first pregnancy weight gain. In celebration, I have put on a good pound per week since 36 weeks…since I can’t eat very much, I am assuming that Baby Girl #2 is getting nice and fat!

*We are paying out-of-pocket for maternity care (will post on this in the future) because you can’t buy an individual plan with maternity coverage in Texas. This will change in 2014 when the Affordable Care Act will require insurance to provide coverage. Doesn’t help us now, but hopefully others like us will benefit! So we will try to forgo the epidural which will to cost nearly $3000. Yes, I meant to put 3 zeros. Can you believe that?! Can you just believe it?

*Sugarpie came 9 days early, so I am assuming this one might not want to wait either. We’ll see! I am trying not to be in a hurry.

Please read this article in the New York Times about the cost of having a baby in America. Very interesting stuff and it paints a great picture of what we’re dealing with.

Any day now!