Birth Story, part 1

Baby Boy's (I'll call him JW from now on) birth story begins with my doctor appointment on Monday (12/20) morning.  We always try for the early morning appointments because then James can head into work from there.  So we went in separate cars.  (Mom was here so she went with me in my car.)  Get to the appointment, pee in a cup, get weighed and blood pressure.  My BP was higher than normal, twice (top number was around 155 and it is usually 118-120).  It had been that high the week before, but it went back down - I think I was having a BH contraction.  Nurse really doesn't say anything, go to room to see doctor.  Baby's HR is 120 but again, they didn't really say anything one way or another.  Doctor does exam (2cm) and asks "Did your water break?"  Um, no not that I can recall.  Well, she couldn't feel the bag of water, so in came the ultrasound machine.  (we were all very careful not to look at the picture because it would have been horrible to not know for this long and to accidentally see something).  There are 4 quadrants where the measure water volume, I was only measuring in one.  So, we were sent to the hospital.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200, and no, you don't have time to stop at home for your bags.  James and I headed to the hospital and Mom headed home to get our bags and meet us at the hospital.  Ummm, can we say wave of emotion?  I had been ready for Baby for at least a week, but the moment the doctor said, it's time....I got a little scared.  On our way to the hospital, I started thinking back to the previous days to see if I could remember my water breaking.....from what I can remember, I think the birth story goes back the previous Thursday night. 
We attended a Christmas dinner that night.  Things seemed fine but on the drive home I got a couple pretty intense BH contractions.  I had been having them, and there was not a pattern, so I didn't think much of it.  I woke up in the middle of the night for my usual trip to the potty.  (this part might be tmi) I noticed that my underwear were soaked.  But I had sweat through my tshirt as well.  I changed my underwear and thought to myself that if they were soaked again in the morning, then we would call the doctor.  Friday morning, dry underwear.  I didn't think much more of it.  Though I did tell James that he might want to answer a phone call from me that day because "my water might have broken overnight."  Again, nothing more throughout the day, so I didn't think much more of it. 
Friday night I did not sleep well.  I think I woke up at 3ish and did not go back to sleep.  Around 5:00 I went downstairs to eat (I was hungry).  James wasn't too far behind me.  So we did a few things around the house and then decided to run some last minute errands.  We were home around noon and I decided to take a nap.  I woke up around 2 with BH that were coming every 3-5 minutes.  After an hour, I called James into the room and we decided to call the doctor.  Talked to the midwife and she did not think I was in labor.  I told her my water had not broken and the contractions were not unbearable and still felt like the previous BH I had previously.  She said to take a walk and if things change (I would know if it was real labor) to call back.  It was raining, so I vacuumed - Mom & Dad were arriving that night.  I did not have an appetite and did not eat much the rest of the day, just in case.
Sunday was more of the same.  BH but nothing unbearable.  Went antique shopping with Mom & Dad hoping the walking would get things moving.  Felt a little uncomfortable when we got home, but again nothing that was truly unbearable.  Went to bed and woke up the next morning for my appointment.  (In hindsight, I think I had an idea we would be having baby soon - I have a very small breakfast of cheerios and apple juice). 

This is from Sunday night and is the last belly shot I have.