Ready and Willing

Hormones are a weird and powerful beast.
I have to say that I am continually impressed with my bodily functions.
We went to the midwife today and I asked her if she was going to do an internal exam to see if I was dilated or if my cervix was ripe and squishy. She said - no, there is no reason to mess around up there all it will tell us is what it is right now - there is no future indication of the when.
So we are smack dab in the midst of the unknown. At any moment the process could begin and our lives will be changed forever. But as of right now, I just have heartburn.
We are in the middle of a heat wave. It has been hot and sunny. This is not beneficial to a woman who is carrying around 40 extra lbs. I am no longer disclosing my weight because it is upsetting. I get tired walking up the stairs. I have to sit down in the shower.
In other news, we were knocked out of seeing Harry Potter this weekend by a mass of adolescents. It was sold out for hours. We ended up going to Kiehl's and buying cute stuff for the baby. Then we went to the grown up theater and saw Capote. Philip Seymour Hoffman was fantastic. He should get an Oscar nod at least. You totally forget he is not Truman Capote. However when you go out to see Harry Potter and then you end up seeing Capote, there is really no hope. What can I say?

My fedex package showed up on Sunday. Isn't that weird? So my little meltdown was for naught and now I have my diaper liners and my little baby mirror. Hurray!

My beauty product plugs for the week:
In case you care thismakes my hair look so beautiful I can't stop brushing it and admiring the luster...
Also this stuff has all but erased the crows feet from around my eyes. Unless of course it is all this extra fat that has pooled in my face, but either way, no wrinkles around my eyes!

Think of me if you will while I make my husband engage in forced sex and nipple stimulation until #1 arrives!

"Are there any techniques I can try myself at home to get my labor going?
Yes, but none of them have been proven consistently effective, and some aren't safe to try at home. Here's the scoop on some do-it-yourself techniques you may have heard about:

• Nipple stimulation. Twisting or pinching your nipples releases your own natural oxytocin. A few studies have found it to be effective in getting labor going within 72 hours if your cervix is already ripe, but the method has not been well studied. And you shouldn't try it at home because it can sometimes cause prolonged contractions that could stress your baby and depress his heart rate.

• Sexual intercourse. Having sex won't induce labor, but it can't hurt to try! Semen contains some prostaglandin, and having an orgasm may stimulate a few contractions."
-http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/childbirth/173.html

"Natural Ways to Induce Labor
If the medical methods of jump starting labor sound a bit off putting, there are a number of home remedies for inducing labor naturally when you are past your due date. But remember: none of these remedies will start labor unless you have already begun to dilate. However, some methods can help you to tone and soften your uterus.

1. Eat spicy foods or pineapple.

2. Go for a walk or march up some stairs. This is thought to bring on labor because of the pressure of the babyÂ’s head pressing down on your cervix. At the very least, walking can help get your baby into a better position for labor.

3. Have sex. A favorite for many pregnant women, sex can help by releasing a hormone called oxytocin, which causes the uterus to contract. Additionally, semen contains a substance known as prostaglandins, which will help soften the cervix.

4. Nipple stimulation. For those who find sex just too uncomfortable right now, nipple stimulation may be a better choice. It helps to bring on labor in much the same way sex does, by releasing oxytocin. However, this method may take a bit more effort than sex to start labor."
-http://www.pregnancy-info.net/labor_inducing_labor.html