40 weeks

due date: jan 10
how many weeks down/days left/days of work left: 40 weeks/0 days/done
baby is the size of: a small pumpkin
sleep: sleep is elusive.  i wake up several times per night, either to pee or to just roll over or just because i'm uncomfortable.
best moment this week: last day of work!
what are you looking forward to: meeting our little boy!  definitely happening this week (see below)
what do you miss: sleep. pain-free movement.
symptoms: pain in my pelvis (baby's dropping).  painful and swollen hands.  big old belly. 
weight gain: 33 pounds.
movement: he's still moving, but not as much. 
gender: baby boy!
belly button: it sticks out a little bit, but i definitely wouldn't call it a "popped" belly button.
rings: all off.

we had an appointment on tuesday night with the ob.  still only 1cm dilated, which i've been now since 36 weeks, and about 50% effaced.  my practice does not let you go more than a week late, so we talked about induction.  if baby doesn't come on his own before then, we'll be induced on thursday morning.  we'll go into the hospital wednesday night for cytotec, which is a cervical ripening agent.  the goal there is to help my cervix dilate and shorten, and then help to kickstart labor without having to actually induce with pitocin. 

still really hoping to avoid having to do any kind of medical induction, but i feel better with starting with cytotec than going straight to pitocin.  in the meantime, i'm trying all kinds of diy-induction techniques.  now that i am officially out on maternity leave, i'm taking walks (thank you, weirdly warm january weather).  bouncing on my birthing ball.  eating pineapple and dates and spicy foods.  picked up some raspberry leaf tea.   and then there's the old stand-by - sex.  sex has been terribly uncomfortable for me for most of this pregnancy, but i may just suck it up and give it a shot.  dr. tara also reminded me about castor oil, but....that's a last resort, i think.  it just sounds too risky to me!