36 1/2 Weeks Update

Here's a status update:

I had my OB check up this morning. I am now 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced and he is at -2 station. In english that means my cervix is pretty much ready to go so pretty much any time he wants he can come. 

If you want to understand the technical terms: dilation refers to how open the cervix is - 10 cm is fully dilated (aka "crowning"). Effacement refers to how soft and thin the cervix is. In order to open up it has to shorten and get thin and soft and flexible. Its about half way to as soft as it needs to be for the kid to get out. They measure how far down the kid is in stations going from -3 to 3. Zero means he's crowning, 3 he's OUT, -3 he's floating up in the uterus some where and not putting like any pressure on the cervix. -2 means that he's started to "engage the pelvis" - aka work his way south and put pressure on stuff. He's considered to have "dropped". 

So basically he could come anytime. It is still a bit early but not so early any body has to freak and also we know he's probably right about 7 lbs now b/c of the growth check ultrasound over a week ago so he's PLENTY big. If he doesn't come before then we'll do an induction on the 21st - which is 39 weeks b/c if we wait until he's a full 40 weeks then he'll be 9+ lbs at birth, and that's just not nice. 

I'm just telling him he at least has to wait until this Saturday b/c I want to go to my baby shower that a bunch of friends from church are throwing for me!