It's just about time...

Well, this is our last night as free adults (sort of. Not like we haven't been caring for her for nine months already!). Tomorrow we will be arriving at the hospital at 7:30am tomorrow morning to start the Aiden's birth journey! I can't believe it is already here. It seems like only yesterday I peed on that stick and it said, "Well yeah you're pregnant. Why else are you up at 3am to pee?". It is so exciting and so scary at the same time. I never found the idea of labor frightening until now. I think the nerves come from this being somewhat unnatural. I was really hoping Aiden would come on her own, but we tried everything and she's just not coming out. I have a feeling she would have to have a nudge if we went now or if we waited two weeks. She has definitely been putting a lot more pressure on my cervix. I haven't been able to sit straight down all evening. I think she must know that it's time. Maybe she will be a really intuitive child, very stubborn, but intuitive.
The only things we have left to unpack now are pictures and knick-knacks. So we are officially moved in and just decorating now :-) This makes me feel so much better. We have completely finished Aiden's room, complete with pictures. It is so adorable and I can't wait for her to take up occupancy in it (and not in my uterus!).
As I mentioned, we will be heading to the hospital around 7am and arriving at 7:30. They will be monitoring me and doing an exam to determine whether they would rather start me on Pitocin or break my water. I'm sort of hoping they will decide to break my water, as I'm hoping to do this whole thing drug free. Keeping my options open of course, but it never hurts to attempt. We are calling the grandparents when we know when the actual induction will start and then we begin. Everyone should be getting calls via the calling tree some time after that. People are welcome to come to the hospital whenever, but I would caution you to call first. We won't be admitting anyone to the room (excluding grandparents) once we are in the full swing of contractions. This is for your safety. From what I hear, women in labor are violent and I'm sure I will regret killing my loved ones after I have come back to my senses. If you don't get through on the phone, please feel free to leave a message and we'll do our best to have someone get back to you.
We will have someone in charge of the video camera (and digital camera), as we are hoping to have personal messages to Aiden recorded by all of her loving family and friends who stop by. I'm sure she will love seeing this later and I know that it would make Dan and I so happy to have all of you as involved as we can have you be. This is one way we are hoping to do this. So please don't leave before sharing in this project! It would mean so much to us!
As for my feelings at this time: Despite all of the reassurances, I am absolutely terrified. I have never been a fan of doing something when I don't know what I'm getting into. So this is a very big deal for me in the realm of willingly stepping out into the unknown. I think I'm most afraid because I'm not sure if the contractions will start gradually (letting me build up to them) or just hit head on. Different women say different things. So there's no way to know for sure. I'm also nervous for Dan. He's been more concerned and protective since I've been pregnant and I know it's going to be hard for him to see me in so much pain. I'm also concerned about difficulties (c-sections in particular). They run in my family and, although I'm not at increased risk because I'm so far along already, I'm concerned about that suddenly being necessary. I'm sure that that is rather irrational, but I just can't help worrying about every little thing. I'm sure once we get going, I won't be thinking about any of this, but tonight it is definitely preoccupying my thoughts.
Well, to leave with some good thoughts- Either tomorrow or very early Tuesday we will have our beautiful little girl and I just can't wait to meet her! I'm so excited to begin this whole experience and I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful man to journey it with me. Thank you to all of you for your good thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate it and can't wait to introduce you to Aiden!
Now for some belly pictures: