39 Week Update | Baby Miller #2

Y'all I seriously can't get over this pregnancy! I can't believe how smooth it's been and how far we've made it without blood pressure issues! We are so so thankful and giving so much praise that I am 39 weeks along. For those of you who prayed for May with us, THANK YOU! 
Now our prayer has shifted to hoping I go into labor before induction. Due to my previous preeclampsia, my healthcare team won't let me go past my due date. Their policy is actual to induce at 39 weeks but because I've done so well this pregnancy and I requested a few more days, they are letting me go past. 
This last week has been a bit of a whirlwind. I've had random braxton hicks contractions for several weeks now but last Tuesday afternoon I started having contractions about every 15 minutes. By later in the evening I was having them every 7-8 min. My midwife encouraged me to hydrate and rest and see what happened. I had contractions through the night but was able to sleep on and off for a few hours. The next morning I was still having them so we put into motions plans for family travel and Levi's care thinking that labor must be coming...
By the afternoon, my family was on their way from VA and Levi was with friends. We went in for my weekly ultrasound and also had a growth scan that were already scheduled and then went to the mall to walk. By 8 or so my contractions were 4-5 min apart. They weren't crazy painful, just uncomfortable and consistent. Since our mall is near the hospital (both about 40 min from our house) we decided to go in and get checked so we could know whether we should stay up north or come home and rest. 
When maternity triage put me in bed for their standard 30 minute monitoring, my contractions immediately slowed. They checked me to find that I was only still at 2cm (where I'd been on Monday before all this started). It was disappointing especially given that my family had just completed the 9+ hour trip from VA but we were hopeful that I'd progress in the next couple of days while they were here.  But I didn't.
Today makes a week of pretty regular contractions. Sometimes they get strong enough that I have to take a shower or I can't sit through them but for the most part they are mild and just there... around every 10 minutes or so. It's bizarre to me and not what I ever imagined my labor would be like. Some nights they keep me awake and some nights they don't seem to bother me as much. They are honestly probably more mentally exhausting than anything because every time they seem to pick up, my mind starts wondering if we need to put a plan into place with Levi and when I need to give my mom a heads up that it might be time to head back.
Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be seeing my midwife. She'll strip my membranes and help me make the decision of inducing on Thursday (with her) or waiting til Monday (with another midwife) in hopes that I'll go on my own this weekend. 
With all those pre labor details out of the way... here's a little update on each of us.


BABY | Malachi already looks so much like Levi in my opinion. This is from our scan last Wednesday. They estimated him at 7lbs 11oz so my guess is he'll probably be 8lbs or so when he's born... which is going to feel huge in my arm compared to my tiny 4lbs 10oz Levi baby. He's such an active little guy and loves to roll around. He even surprised nurses and ultrasound techs with how much he moves ha. I get asked all the time, "is he always this active?" Yes, yes he is. But Levi was surprisingly even more active than him so I really don't think about it that much. 
 MOMMA | I am feeling overall pretty good to be 39 weeks and having contractions every 10 minutes haha. Other than a couple random (mild) spikes with the heat, my blood pressure has been great! This pregnancy has been even more so enjoyable than Levi's because of my health. In the last couple of weeks I have started to look forward to snuggling him in my arms instead of my belly but I know that I'll most likely miss being pregnant after he's born ha. I'm trying to soak up this time with Levi knowing it'll never be just the two of us during the days anymore. I'm also thoroughly enjoying our new minivan! EEEK! We went with the Kia Sedona and are loving it!


 DADDY | Joel has been knocking it out of the park with getting us ready for baby. He did all the negotiating and making the minivan happen and is nesting maybe more that I am haha. He hates when I say that, but it's true. The moment we have enough clothes to do a load of laundry, he's on it. If the grass is the least bit long, he's ready to mow. It's awesome though and such a huge help!



BROTHER | Oh how I can't wait to see this boy with "his baby." He loves that the "baby's seat" is in the "bye bye car" now and comments on it often. He has random concerns about the baby wondering if he's cold or wet when it rains haha. It's quite adorable. He's been a little extra needy these last couple weeks which I hear is normal at the end of pregnancy... and he's also 2 haha. But overall, he's still such an independent (and baby obsessed) toddler that I'm not overly worried about our transition. 
So here's my polling questions for mommas! Did you have your membranes stripped? If so, how far along were you and did it put you into labor? ]
*** Next time I update, there will be lots of Malachi photos!!!!!