39 weeks

See that picture up there? That's me jumping. That's what I was doing at the beginning of the week. Steve wanted me to hop all over the house to bring on labor. Such was my Monday. On Wednesday we went out for a big lobster lunch (lobster contains oxytocin, supposedly stimulates labor). "You're uncomfortable, aren't you?" The waitress asked. "No, we're just really excited to have a baby."  That night we polished off Indian takeout so spicy I was sweating. We were having fun with this. What other old wives' tales could I try?

There was a red spot on my belly that was a little itchy, a little annoying, but nothing I couldn't handle.

Ha.

By Thursday the 'red spot' had recruited lots of little red bumps and had spread to my thighs. By Friday it was on my arms and chest. And on Saturday my back decided to join in on the fun. This is me, Saturday. Yuck.

It's PUPPP, something that affects 1% of pregnant women. Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. Unfortunately the itching makes sleeping next to impossible. After a few days of frantic, howamigonnahandlelaboron45minutesofsleep panicked moments, I'm going to try focusing on the bigger picture. 1) I'm about to have a baby.  2) This will all be worth it because there's a baby at the end of all this. and 3) I'm having a baby. 

So this is me, Saturday night. Taking an oatmeal bath, drinking a half-glass of wine (midwife's permission), about to lather myself in anti-itch cream and take half a dose of tylenol pm...all of which still found me scratching, scratching, scratching on the couch at 4 am.

But.
Baby's coming.
It's my new mantra.