Baby Update

I haven't updated on the baby in awhile and thought I would share what is going on with regards to our little one. We are about 37 weeks pregnant so s/he will be here soon. All is well. We did have a scare a couple of weeks ago, during a regular OB appointment the baby's heart rate was very low and when they put me on a monitor it was very eratic...sometimes as low as 90 and sometimes as high as 180! I ended up having to go upstairs to labor and delivery (my OBs office is in the hospital, very convienent!) for a couple of hours. I drank a lot of water and rested on my left side and eventually the baby's heart rate settled back into it's normal 120 range and I was able to go home. This experience caused me much anxiety and I spent the next 2 weeks constantly worrying and drinking massive amounts of water...my nurse speculated that perhaps the baby was under stress because I had gone on a 4 mile walk the morning of the appointment and had not had sufficient amounts of fluids following the walk. Needless to say, I am now practically floating I have so much water inside me! We had another appointment on Wednesday this week and it went much smoother...despite the fact that my OB was running 1.5 hours late...darn those babys being born!!! The baby's heart rate was great, higher than normal in the 135-145 range. In other exciting news I am almost 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. This doesn't mean that the baby's birth is going to be any time in the next couple of days, as I was 2 cm dilated with Ben for 2 weeks before his birth, but at least it means that things are progressing and my body is remembering how labor works. This is comforting, because I think I forget!! I know I have had a baby before, but I am very nervous suddenly (much as I was with Ben around this time in pregnancy) about the logistics of labor...will I know I am in labor...am I going to make it to the hospital in time...will the baby be ok...will I be in too much pain afterwards to enjoy my new baby and Ben...what impact will this have on Ben...how am I going to handle 2 children?! Needless to say, I don't sleep well with all of these thoughts going through my head. So, that is all that is going on in little peanut's world. I am sure s/he is starting to get anxious too as the environment is changing and s/he is getting very cramped and probably uncomfortable as well. At least we're in this together! It won't be long now. I know everyone is anxious to meet this little person and no one more than me, though perhaps Ben is the most excited. He remains so adorable with respect to being a big brother. He is always kissing my belly and talking to the baby. He is so excited that it is getting cold out because "know what that means, mom? That means it is almost time for my baby to come!" We were talking the other day and I was asking him questions about the baby and he said "I think she will have a big white face and lots of stringy hair like me!" Not a very attractive description, but interesting and sweet nonetheless!