39 Weeks, 5 Days

Dear Baby Batts,

Well, this isn't exactly how we anticipated today's appointment going:

Hooked up to monitors.

Excited.... NOT.

At our appointment today, we found out that I have not made any progress in preparing for you to come. Nothing, in fact, has changed in about three or four weeks. Ugh. We had hoped you'd be here by Thanksgiving, but that doesn't seem to be the case. 

However, I also mentioned that you were not super active today... so Donna sent us to the hospital for a baby stress test. We drove immediately there and they hooked us up to a machine that tracks your heart rate. You ranged between the 120s and the 150s, which is normal, but it was mostly low... we think you were just relaxed in there. The lead nurse had me drink some juice and ice water to see if it got you moving some. And it did! Donna came over to the hospital, checked your heart rate, and gave us a clean bill of health. Praise the Lord. 

The lead nurse and Donna both said it seemed like it would be a while before you joined us. They likened it to being in a hot tub: why would you, Ruthie, want to leave a warm cozy place to come into a cold, snowy world?! Can't say I blame you, baby girl...

... but if you don't come within about 11 days, they are going to induce me. And I really don't want that. 

Your daddy and I stopped at Q'doba for dinner. I got the spiciest cheese and salsa they had on my nachos (Donna said it may help move things along) but instead of helping, I think it just burned all of the tastebuds out of my mouth. Eek. Your daddy ate a bite or two of my nachos after I was full and he was shocked at the heat also! It ended up giving me some heartburn and an upset tummy. Not exactly what we were going for. 

We walked around Fred Meyer, too, and looked at all the things. I felt a couple of contractions (when we were hooked up to the monitors, I had a contraction that read on the chart; now that I know what they really feel like, I know I've had a couple of them throughout the last several days), which was encouraging. Not enough to think anything will happen soon but enough to stay hopeful that you really won't be in me forever.

We'll try to be patient, little bug, but I hope you don't get too too comfy in there... We want to see you in our arms and not just in my tummy. If you still aren't here on Monday, we'll get an ultrasound done to see how much fluid there is around you, view the location of my placenta, and discuss options for induction. 

We're praying it doesn't come to that. We trust that the Lord knows all of your days, Ruthie, and especially the first one. He has a good plan for you!

Love you to the moon,

Mama