EVICTION NOTICE

Baby Joel ---

The time has come. Your welcome, medically speaking, is over. You have about 38 hours to leave your current home or you will be removed (forcefully).

You have made my belly your home for 41 weeks and several days. According to my doctor, my placenta is growing weaker, my blood pressure is increasing, and the risks of delivering are also increasing. You need to come out. My mid-wife thinks you weigh about seven pounds and based on your kicking skills I'm sure you are ready for a little more room. Last night while sitting around willing you to come out and reading The Atlantic I was able to confirm you have five toes on your left foot. You kicked so hard I actually saw your footprint in my belly.

If you would like to please your mother on your first day of life, please start kicking in a downward direction. In order to attempt a VBAC on Wednesday, I need three things to occur: 1) I need my cervix to soften; 2) I need my cervix to dialate; and 3) I need you to drop. Currently your little head is about three-fingers length below my belly button - a little too far up. As much as it will hurt me now, start pushing downward (on whatever you can get your feet on) NOW. If one of these three things fail to happen before 6am on Wednesday, I'll be forced to undergo a repeat c-section, which means we'll miss Thai take-out on Friday evening for dinner and I will be forced to live on the second floor of our house for a week or so (no stairs post-c-section). I will also have to refrain from driving for a couple of weeks, which just complicates things.

So push downward, Joel. Push hard.

Love,
Mama-Bear

All things considered, I am doing fairly well for being nearly 2 weeks overdue. I'm tired and not sleeping well, but that is to be expected. My BP is a little high, but nothing to worry about 36 hours before eviction day. We have an OR reserved for 10:30am on Wednesday, but I'm hoping to go on further than the L&D room.

Here's hoping...

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FYI... based on my tummy shape, most strangers believe I am having a boy. My mother and K's nanny, who will also be taking care of Joel, both feel strongly that I am having a boy. My father and grandmother both believe I am having a girl. The Y in my left eye suggests that I am having a girl.

Only (a short) time will tell...

I believe we have agreed on both a boy and girl name. Final agreements will be reached in the moments prior to birth.