Go time: Thursday, 6 a.m.

That's what time I'll check into the hospital to get this big scary ball of induction rolling. My OB promises that the pain won't go from zero to crippling too quickly -- they'll turn up the meds on the IV slowly. Have I mentioned that I've never been in the hospital or had an IV before? Yeah, not looking forward to that so much.

I've heard so much about women being "done" with pregnancy at this point. I just don't feel that way AT ALL. In fact, I'd rather go on living like this indefinitely, creaky hips and sore pelvis and stingy skin and heartburn and all, rather than give birth. It's absurd, I know. Fear of the unknown is one of the many things that rank high on my Long List of Irrational Fears.

For posterity's sake, stats from my 2/5 appointment:

BP: 115/74
baby's HR: 145
urine: fabulous as usual
3 cm dilated and 80% effaced (progress from last week!)

I got hooked up to monitors for my non-stress test, which basically consisted of kicking back in a recliner (note to self: we need to purchase one ASAP ... so comfy), and pressing a little clicker device -- probably similar to what contestants on Jeopardy use -- any time I felt the baby move. She was pretty sleepy in there, so they put a little device against my belly and buzzed it a few times to wake her up. That did the trick (though I can't imagine how much I'd like it if someone woke me from my sleep in that manner) and the test results looked good.

Next was an ultrasound, which I was really looking forward to. Unfortunately, I was so focused on how full my bladder was (instructions said drink 32 ounces of liquid 1 hour before the appointment) that I couldn't enjoy it and just wanted it over with. Holding your pee for that long = cruel and unusual punishment. I had a pain in my kidney area that was making me sweaty and nauseated, and being flat on my back with a wand pressing into me wasn't helping matters any.

Anyway, baby looked healthy and is head down in the locked-and-loaded position, so that's good. The tech said she could see hair floating around on the back of her head, but couldn't tell if she had any on the top. Maybe she'll have a little baby mullet? I guess we'll find out tomorrow. :)