Okay, well Valentine's Day was actually awesome. A card from the Pookie and her daddy, roses delivered while I was napping (Ryan happened to be home to get them), and Rory had a lovely half day and then went straight to Grandma and Grandpa's. I packed a little heart with 6 chocolates into her suitcase as a surprise, and got a delighted thank you phone call later.
We had an 8:30 reservation at Rosso (that's right. AND I WAS AWAKE), a restaurant in the new Hotel Sorello on the plaza. They had a chocolate themed prix fixe menu, and I ate veal. Which only happens when pregnant. And when it's braised in Boulevard Chocolate Ale on a chocolate nib risotto. Amazing.
The dessert course was freakishly lacking. And also, so was the wine list. An Italian restaurant with a menu full of California Pinots? Please. So we went to Capital Grille, where the wine list makes me happy and we got to witness the most spectacular drunken shit show of all time ever.
Ryan dropped me and went to park the car, and I cozied up to the wine list (via iPad) next to the two drunkest humans on earth. Ryan then joined me, and we listened to them loudly plan to walk out on their $250 tab (combined with lots of "You are so expensive" from him and "Don't be mean!" whines from her). I headed to the ladies room to give the staff a heads up, and they were MORE than aware. Then we got to listen to them complain about their bill. It was a situation that could have ruined the mood, if for whatever perverse reason, it hadn't cracked me up. And I got crème brulee and a tasty Amarone, so I was good.
Saturday we slept in, and Ryan picked First Watch for brunch (also known as "where we go every weekend, but this time with a free birthday coupon"). Then we went to the Robocop reboot, which was a big pile of "meh" but Ryan enjoyed it. It lacked the originals wit and "R" rating. Felt very bland. And I would love Sam Jackson to display an emotion other than anger. At the end he goes into one of his trademark rants, and even Ryan (who knows my dislike of Jackson is based on these rants) was like, "Man! He almost made it the whole movie without doing that!"
From there we went to Whole Foods for a "Steak and Cake" run (also known as "the best thing ever), and saw lobster tail on sale, so added that to the birthday dinner feast. Ryan cooked his own birthday dinner while I laid on the couch and was pitiful. And then I got up and ate. By the time we were done with dinner it was probably 11? And we watched The Princess Bride. Or, he did, I fell asleep.
And then came Sunday. We drove out to Columbia to pick up Rory and bring cake to celebrate Ryan's birthday. Rory gave Ryan the painting she made for him and the cookies she and Grandma made, we visited, and we headed home. And then in the car, I started having uterine activity.
It started very light and rhythmic. For about 30-40 minutes. Easy stuff. And then it just got bad. 45 minutes of pain (probably at a 7). I could not get comfortable, I could not get out of the car (although Ryan offered to stop). I texted my midwife, she offered to come over, and then declared she was coming over.
We got home, I stood up and felt instantly better, but still very uncomfortable. Tried to take a bath, but there was no relief and I still felt claustrophobic and unable to find a comfortable position. I sat on the ball, Rory hung out with me, and we alerted the sitter and photographer that this could be it, everyone be on standby.
For six hours nothing happened. Rory went to bed. I had contractions, I was in the tub, I was walking, I was moaning, I was exhausted. At 11:30 Sarah checked my cervix, and nothing. Same stats as the doctor on Monday - dilated to a 2. Although fully effaced and the cervix has moved forward, there was no dilation progress. Sarah gave me two tinctures - passion fruit to help me sleep, and black haw to stop the uterus activity. Two doses of the black haw and everything calmed down.
I feel horrible for taking Sarah away from her family (they were at a movie), but she insists it's what she gets paid for. And she had a mom do something similar the last Sunday, but she'd stayed all night. I also feel dumb, because this is not my first baby. I should know. But Rory's was such an anomaly (nothing noticeable until WHAM - water breaks, nonstop contractions, midwives arrive and I'm dilated to a 7). I don't know what gradually going into labor feels like.
But, it was a good practice run. Rory got a better idea of what to expect, and she lost interest in Bekah coming over. She filled the tub, checked to see if the hose was hot, got towels, folded and put them away (unbidden), and held my hand and breathed with me.
She was VERY upset about being put to bed, and only settled down after lots of promises that we would come get her when the baby started coming, and when she was given her baby. And of course, she was disappointed with the absolute lack of a baby here.
Today, I had a prenatal massage (a gift from my chiro friend), and it was totally hippied out. She burned moxa and did cupping (my back looks like I was beaten, but feels a lot better). She also put essential oils on my feet and belly and basically did all the fun, natural things to cause contractions. Between Sarah, Alyssa, and the massage therapist, I like to surround myself with good witches.
Then I took the car to get the oil change and they found TWO oil leaks. Ryan is really delighted he gets to fix the car again. And I've been having nesting-related melt downs almost daily, which my husband is handling by making me sit down or nap while he does everything. Tomorrow the carpets get cleaned, and I cannot be more excited.
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