Operation Keep the Baby In Until This Video is DONE

Remember how I was all "Operation Walk the Baby OUT" and I was going to walk everyday? Yea. Not so much. I am solidly (at least for another few weeks) on Team KEEP THE BABY IN. As mentioned, we've had several nights of relatively strong contractions and blah blah blah. Walking makes me have EVEN MORE contractions so I try to do as little of it as possible. (Well, as far as exercise walking goes anyway.) I feel a little dramatic about the whole thing but I would really like some more TIME (and I realize Newbaby could stay in there for plenty more time with or without me walking but I'm avoiding for the moment, k?).

I had my assessment with my OB (2 cm, 30% effaced for those concerned about the state of my CERVIX!) and we also had our home visit with our midwives this past week. I (finally) started to get really excited about the birth and the baby at the end! (ABOUT TIME, RIGHT?) With Nate, we had a baby pool going to guess his arrival date and the nursery was all done up and I basically had NO IDEA what was REALLY going to happen when that baby popped out. This time, I feel like I have a slightly better idea of how labor is going to feel and how Karl and I are going to feel when Newbaby arrives. ( Ish.) Regardless, I want to do something special to show how much love and care we've ALL put into him or her before the official OUTSIDE arrival!

As previously stated, Karl and I are of the "closed door" policy during labor and delivery and early newborn stage, but we still want to know that you all are supporting us. We talked a little in our birth class (warning: hippy-like earthmama statements ahead!) about ways to create support in your labor environment - some people had necklaces that friends had gifted beads to, some people wrote positive affirmations and posted them on their walls, some had labor music that helped, some people had nothing other than a GET THIS FUCKING THING OUT OF ME attitude.

I've been mulling over this idea of creating a video and I did some googling to see what was out there (don't do it; unless that works for you, in which case, google all the cheesy naked women and flowers and sunsets set to instramental music that your little heart desires!) Nope. Found nothing that would suit me. Because what I want is something positive but something funny. And I think you can help me with that. (You will, right?) I feel like I'm pretty realistic about the possibility of things changing (and changing quickly) during labor but, at this point, I am planning for a happy, healthy best case scenario and I feel like this is something that will make me feel both happy and healthy so go with it, okay?!)

Like I want the first photo in the video to be this (taken today):

(Apparently Nate and his golf club understand labor is SERIOUS business.)

And the next to be something like so:

I mean, really, that's what is happening, right? One way or another!

And somewhere in there I want a photo of Nate like so (just to remind me that there will be additional challenges of birthing a baby and parenting a three year old):
I even thought it would be funny to have a couple of gender photos like this to remind me to get excited to FINALLY find out: A bit cheeseball but fun, right?

So here's what I want from you (if you are up for it):

A photo (or two or three) that SOMEHOW indicates support in SOME FORM. (Specific, right?)

It could be a funny picture or a picture of you and your baby or child (or all your babies or your most recent baby w/ siblings) on the VERY FIRST DAY WITH YOU or their VERY FIRST HOUR ON EARTH. It could be a picture of you in labor or in the OR. It could be a picture of you with your sweet baby kitty or puppy.

Example: Nate: day 1, 2008

Or of you celebrating your niece or nephew or first cousin twice removed (what does that even MEAN?!) or just some random newborn baby off the street that you happened to be holding. Or perhaps a picture of you strapped up to a breast pump at 2 in the morning or an image of you removing your screaming, tantruming child from an event to remind me of the REAL FUN STUFF. (Dear childless friends intending to have childs, NONE OF THAT HAPPENS. Ever. I swear.)

See?


Or it could be a fancy Instagram filtered image with words of encouragement like so:

Or, really, whatever you want it to be.

This is how easy it is.

Step 1: Take out your iPhone or Crackberry or (gasp) a REGULAR camera.

Step 2: Take a photo of something FUNNY AND SUPPORTIVE. (Or rustle one up out of your photo archives as suggested above.)

Step 3: Email it to me.

Well, actually, I don't want to see any of them until I'm actually trying to get that baby out of me. So, if you would, email them to newbabyhills@gmail.com (Yes, my unborn child has its own email address - are you really that surprised!?) and Karl (surprise honey!) will put them into video form and we will attempt to watch between contractions or during them, or, perhaps, depending on labor not at all until the baby is actually on the outside! Either way, knowing I have them available is going to be amazing.

Additionally, as I'm officially 37 weeks on Wednesday and the doctor at my assessment said he would most likely NOT be seeing me again (he would see me at 40 weeks if I haven't had a baby), I'm going to try and make the video next Wednesday (September 7). (YOU HAVE A LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO WORK ON THIS VERY INTENSE PROJECT!!!) That would put me at 38 weeks and, who knows, maybe I'll want to resume Operation Walk the Baby Out at that point?!?


Edited to add: In case you missed it, I'm submitting this GEM!