No baby. . . But I am being a baby

We had a wonderful time with my dad last weekend. The girls were all asleep by the time we brought him home at 9:30 Friday night so we leaned over them one by one and had them wake up to a Grandpa smiling at them. Dad said the first thing they would say though is, "Where's Grandma?" That's exactly what happened.

Dad was really shocked about the cold Friday night. He was wearing a very thin coat. He didn't complain about the 60 degree temp in our house, but he never took his coat off once indoors so I know that he was going through culture shock. At their bed and breakfast they have to keep it nice and toasty. Mom's cooking all the time and there is a fireplace in every single room!

We went to N. Tonawanda on Saturday to visit the Riviera Theatre (built in 1927) to see, "Enchanted". We all loved it. On saturdays they show kids movies for $2. Afterwards, my dad, who is known for making quick friends, stopped to chat to the popcorn man. He invited us for a personal tour upstairs in the balcony. It is a beautiful old theatre and I would recommend anyone in the area to visit it with their children. Get there a half hour early and listen to an old guy play showtunes on the organ until showtime.

The rest of the time we just hung out. Mainly because I was having contractions and kept thinking we would be going to the hospital at anytime. YOU CAN SKIP THE NEXT PART IF YOU DON"T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE DIALATING AND EFFACING AND CRYING.

In past pregnancies I have never had any contractions until 24 hours before the baby comes out and they just keep increasing until they are close and painful. Then I go to the hospital, I am always dialated to a 4, they break my water, I start hurting, and we have a baby in a few hours. So that was the plan.

But then Sunday afternoon they just stopped. By 9:30 p.m they started up again, though fast and furious. I packed, showered, fixed my hair to look great for the labor shots, got all organized then went to bed hoping to sleep a few hours. I could not till about 2 a.m. because I was having contraction on top of contraction. I wanted Brent to get some rest before we left so I just laying there not in too much pain, but going crazy.

Finally I guess I fell asleep because I woke up at 6 a.m. and was surprised they had stopped. At this point I am just beginning to feel strung around with this impending delivery. But by 7 they had started again. I wanted to wait for a while and see what happened. But Brent was anxious to get it overwith. It was Monday and all weekend long he said that he absolutely couldn't miss tues, wed, or thursday. So we had to do this now!

We dropped off Caroline at a friends, Dad at the airport and then got to the hospital by 9:30 a.m. When they checked me I was a little discouraged because I was only a 4 like usual and 60 % effaced. But I was having contractions still and told them, "Just break my water and we'll have the baby soon."
Don't you think I should be calling some of the shots since I am a pro at this going on my fifth labor?

Unfortantely that was not going to happen. My OB office is the University GYN practice. I had residents there training on me and they were determined to do everything by the book. (It was just like getting a cavity filled at the dental school) You lay there forever while someone who doesn't know what he is doing learns on you then has to keep having the Dr. come check everything they did. They said that they would break my water but not till a week after my due date. I was so mad and frusterated I just started bawling right there in the hospital and the whole way out to the car. And that's pretty much what I did all the rest of the day. I just couldn't believe it last night that I was home doing laundry, mopping floors, cooking dinner. I was suppossed to be holding my baby by now! But maybe they were right because the contractions completely stopped by night time and I slept wonderfully all night.

This morning I am currently having painful very far apart contractions and just wondering how long this is going to go on. They are really starting to hurt, but I am afraid that doesn't mean I am dialating. Are they seriously going to make me go on like this for another week and a half before they help me get it overwith?

The phone kept ringing yesterday, and I never got it. All very cheery people leaving messages, wondering if I now had 5 children instead of 4 and I just couldn't talk to anyone.

To top off my day, My mother in law called during dinner and the kids got it and handed it to me. She said, "Guess what I have great news, Brianne and Derek just had their baby." She is my niece due three weeks AFTER me! I told her that was the last thing that I wanted to hear right now.

I know that I am just being a baby. Everything is fine, and I should just be grateful that the baby and I are healthy and it will all be over soon, but all I am is depressed and so frusterated. It is really hard to be stuck with an associated practice with lots of Dr's I have never even met, no one even knows me and I am sure that they could care less if I am home stressing, in pain, or if I won't ever go into labor until they break my water. I wish I was still in Washington with my old doctor. Yesterday he would have smiled at me, rubbed my back, told me how great I was doing, and assured me that they were going to do everything they could so I could have my baby that night.