"You're going the wrong way!!!"

(A truly classic line from the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.)

That's what my friend Lucia said when I told her that Girby had actually gone from +3 to +4 yesterday. I didn't even know there was such thing as a +4... but apparently there is, and it's nearing my chest cavity. Maybe she's decided to come out the top instead.

I had my weekly check-up (one day shy of 37 weeks) with Dr. Adams yesterday and when she went to check me, Girby was so high that she couldn't. (Boy, that doesn't leave much to the imagination, does it?)

She guessed after several painful and intense seconds (while I thought her fingers were going to come out my tonsils), that I was about 4 centimeters dialated. So... she said, other than being a week closer to my due date, I was actually "closer" to delivery last week. Weird, I know! But then, she followed that statement with, "or your water could break tonight." There is just no way of knowing what these little bundles of joy are going to do!

They also put me on a NST monitor to track her movement and heart rate and to see if I was having any contractions. She was apparently sleeping and they needed to jolt her a bit to get good readings so after about 20 minutes they had me drink a Coke. That got her hopping pretty fast and they were able to see what they needed.

As usual, I went into my spill about only wanting her (Dr. Adams) to deliver me and jokingly asked what day of the week she is off, exclaiming I was going to stay in bed that entire day. As it turns out, since her office has changed locations since Trace was born 4 years ago, she works predominately out of the Erlanger East location on Gunbarrel instead of downtown Erlanger. She is only on call downtown on Wednesdays. So essentially, if I want her, I have to go to her... at Women's East.

This was not my plan, but she sees no reason why I shouldn't deliver there and so we are considering it. I have mixed emotions. I've always felt like if something went wrong, being at "the big house" would be where I would want to be. I've heard horror stories of mothers being separated from their newborns moments after birth because the baby had to go downtown for care that Women's East couldn't provide. But, she assured me that she has never had that happen and that she would and still will tell me if at any point she feels like being downtown would be the best choice. So... we will see. Depending on the day I go into labor and how fast and far along I seem to be progressing may determine where we end up.

Again, another unknown. I'm a planner... the unknown is NOT in my comfort zone, but I'm learning to trust in the Lord and relinquish that control. We have no idea when she will come, where she will come, or her name. But I know that all of those things will be worked out in God's timing and plan only... and I find great peace in that!