D-Day

Well, here we are. August 6. 5th Anniversary. Our son's due date.

We've had a pretty wonderful 5 years, and I'm happy to say that marriage continues to get better. As our love for each other deepens, so does our patience, wisdom, character, and joy. We have sharpened each other, and grown into people more fit to do good in the world. And we hope, fit to be just the right kind of parents to nurture our little boy.

Our focus has been so baby-heavy, that we've scarcely thought about celebrating our marriage. In a way, baby is a celebration of marriage. Still, since we are here, and I have yet to go into labor, we have dinner plans at the Troutdale Bistro, a little local place downtown where we happen to have a great gift certificate. And this morning, I made a quiche, crust from scratch and everything. So, we're staying sweet around here, in spite of the frustration of one more day of waiting.

Mom flies in tomorrow around noon, and it will be so dear to see her. I had thought when we booked the ticket last month that there would be a baby by then, but alas, time will tell if things start moving in the next 24 hours. At this week's doctor's appointment, the doc scheduled an induction for Tuesday the 10th, though if we don't mind a different doctor performing it, he will let us put off induction until Friday the 13th...but wait a minute...who wants that? Maybe the 12th? Or we could just say, "No way, Jose, you're not inducing until at least 42 weeks." We could just put our foot down. Like my mother-in-law continues to remind us, "All babies are born eventually." Still, she doesn't understand our doctor's rationale that we might be better off and less likely to have a c-section if baby doesn't get too big. But try telling that to a woman who had a 10 pound baby naturally, 5 weeks late.

If I haven't had a baby by Sunday, I'm considering castor oil. I'm not kidding.

I guess it's hard to be patient when most of my pregnant friends have had their babies early. But the truth is, early babies don't run in my family. According to my mom, I was born the day after my due date, and my three sisters were born 11 days after theirs, 2 of whom were induced.

I think I got my hopes up with the doctor's reports of dilation and effacement, but I've been 4 cm and 80% for 2 weeks. And the rule appears to be, every woman is different, and the amount of dilation isn't really a predictor of when you'll go into labor. Unless, that is, you've had several kids and you know your body that well. This being my first, it's just a guessing game.

The good news is, baby's healthy, I'm healthy, Brandon's happy, the house is perfect. We've got the best community in the world to support us through this. People are praying, and God's timing will be exact. So really, what's a few more days? If I really don't want to be induced Tuesday, I can always call Monday and push it back a little. No harm done, right?

P.S. Happy Birthday to Harper Faye, who's birthday we hijacked for our anniversary and maybe our son's birthday.