UGH. COME OUT, BABY.

So I am officially over being pregnant.  I know I've said that before in different (nicer) ways, but I really AM totally over it.  And this is coming from a girl who loves being pregnant!

Well THAT'S creepy.

I've been "tired" of being pregnant just because I've been tired of being tired and what not.  Typical pregnancy woes for anybody who is or has been pregnant.  But for those out there with more than one child, you can relate to my current level of tiredness because you know how much more exhausting it is the second time around when you're pregnant AND taking care of another little one (or two or three).  It's not just all about you like the first time around.  And it is SERIOUSLY EXHAUSTING.

But I've talked about my heightened level of exhaustion for weeks, if not months.  That's nothing new.  And it's completely normal and expected.  What WAS new happened on Christmas night, I believe to be in the form of Braxton Hicks.  Well, either I was having some major Braxton Hicks contractions or just some major cramps (which are also apparently normal).  They started around 7:00 in the evening, while Lucas and I were sitting around watching TV.  At first I didn't think anything of it.....I just noticed that my belly was tightening and really becoming sore in my lower abdomen.  Then BAM!!  I had some super sharp pains that made me cry out and made my stomach tense up so tightly that I could barely move.  And of course it made the baby uncomfortable, so the baby was pushing and kicking and squirming around, which only made things worse.  Let's just say it hurt like a bitch and I was Googling causes and reliefs like a madwoman.  These horrible pains came off and on for a couple of hours (though not consistently) until I finally stood in a hot shower and then laid down on the bed (changing positions), which seemed to make it better.  I knew I wasn't in labor, but I sure was wishing it would cause me to go into labor!!  I was SO HOPEFUL that all that extreme belly tightening along with all that extreme baby squirming would cause my water to break.  But alas, it did not.

Nope.  Didn't happen.

I was terrified that yesterday was going to be the same way......loads of extreme cramps/contractions.  They hurt so bad that I really wasn't looking forward to them again.  I read that some women experience them like that for WEEKS.  And since I didn't have ANY pre-labor symptoms with Delano, this past Christmas Day was the first time I had ever personally experienced anything like that.  Luckily, I got off yesterday without a cramp or contraction.  And so far today has been the same.  I had some pretty sucky nausea this morning that took a while to sequester, but that was it.  My belly has been tightening a lot (which I guess could be considered contracting), but it hasn't been painful.  Thank goodness. 

I looked at my journal entries from 38 and 39 weeks from being pregnant with Delano, and it looks like the Number 1 thing I was battling back then was horrific heartburn.  I still (of course) have heartburn now, but it hasn't been "horrific" lately.  Thank goodness for that, too!  My 39 weeks journal entry also mentioned that at my 39 weeks doctor appointment, the doctor asked me if I wanted to wait it out or induce.....which is exactly what he said he would ask me at my appointment coming up this Monday.  Last time I decided to wait it out another week....this time I'm pretty certain I'll take the induction.  But we'll see.  :)

To wrap this up for now (since it's time to go eat dinner), here's my 38 weeks belly pic (which happened to fall on Christmas Day):

And my 38 weeks belly pic from last time: