Heck of a day for Henry...

Happy Parents-to-Be...



Holy moly...I finally made it.



How Daddy Perks assumes I will cheer for the Steelers...(or a really big yawn.)



How tired does my Mommy look after a long but amazing labor & delivery?!?  Full story to come!



Happy Perks Family...

Henry Isaac Perkins

Born: August 31st, 2009 @ 6:33 a.m.

Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz.

Height: 21 inches

So much to share...but thougth I'd tide you over with a few pictures.  Can't wait to catch you up!  Thank you all for your love and support as we became a family today.

Love,

The Perks

A Haiku for Henry.

Hurry up Henry.

You've been in there long enough.

Mom and Dad love you.

**Countdown to kickoff...43 hours**  (OR LESS!)

PS...Daddy Perks and I just got back from a 2 mile walk/jog which I followed up with some serious bouncing on the exercise ball.  Can't hurt right?

One Last Lazy Saturday...

Although at this point we can all agree that we wish Henry was here...Daddy Perks and I are doing the most to enjoy our last baby-free Saturday.

We went to my brother's football game this morning, curled up on the couch and watched a movie, took a 3 hour nap this afternoon, and we've got some friends coming over for dinner.  Something tells me that next Saturday's agenda won't be quite so care-free?

**Special shout out to my dear college friend Meredith who is walking "down the aisle" as we speak.  My less-than-cooperative baby boy has obviously prevented me from being in Indianapolis for her wedding today, but I'm certainly there in spirit.**  Love you Mere!

Thank you SO much to all of you for your calls, texts, and messages-they have truly gotten me and my belly through these past few days.

And for the record...I am well aware that spicy food and other ahem-"adult activities" are supposed to induce labor.  Believe me when I say WE HAVE TRIED IT ALL.

For those of you who are fans of countdowns...at this point we are talking mere hours until our "poky little puppy" finally makes his debut into the world...

We head to the hospital in 70 hours! (OR LESS for all you optimists out there!)

I hold ALL the Power.

Muah ha ha.

Ok, so SUE me for finding the PERKS in this whole situation :)

(After all, wouldn't this whole website be a sham if I wasn't able to find the bright side of being 40 weeks AND 4 days pregnant?!?)

Let me explain.  In the past few days I've realized just HOW much power I hold in my every move.  Perhaps this would best be explained in list format...

Top 3 PERKS of being an OVERDUE PREGNANT FIRST-TIME MAMA:

*When you're THIS pregnant...NOBODY screens your calls.  Hehe.  Come on people.  We've all been there.  The name pops up on the caller ID of your cell phone, and for any number of reasons, you convince yourself you don't have time to talk to the person calling.  Well guess what-when the person calling is 284 days pregnant...EVERYBODY answers-regardless of what they're doing in that moment.  Nevermind the fact that I've caused others to hang up on whoever they were talking to so they could click over and to talk to me, caused Daddy Perks to "step out of a meeting" to make sure I wasn't in labor, had the school secretary leave her post to hunt down my mom at the high school she works at, and interrupted multiple friends at work who I managed to keep on the phone for FAR longer than to simply inform them that "No-there isn't any baby news yet."  (***Disclaimer...When said pregnant person is on maternity leave but doesn't yet have a baby to fill her non-working hours with, she may or may not have extra time on her hands and call LOTS of her loved ones in hopes that they will help pass the time.)

*When you're THIS pregnant...you're constantly being reminded of  just HOW loved you are.  And I'm not just talking about my phone calls being answered at all hours of the day.  In the past few weeks I have had the pleasure of realizing just how grateful I am to be bringing my baby boy into a world where he is already so loved by so many.  There isn't a better feeling in the world than knowing that I've got such a team of supporters behind me as I venture down the road of pushing a watermelon through a peephole to bring an actual human into the world that I'll be responsible for for a very. long. time.  It's a scary thought-becoming a parent.  And I can't thank my dear family and friends enough for making me feel like I'm up for the challenge. Whether or not they actually believe what they're telling me-I've received countless calls, emails, and messages encouraging me to "hang in there" through these last few days of physically daunting pregnancy, and also so many sweet words about what a wonderful mother I'm going to be.  It is these kind words that have kept me sane in recent days when I've wondered if my swollen feet could take me much further.

*When you're THIS pregnant...all your concerns about weight gain have gone out the window.  By this I mean that not only have I stopped keeping track of how many pounds I've gained, but I feel more than entitled to eat whatever I want whenever I want in the land of overdue days. If this kid is going to stay cozy in my belly, then he'll have to do so with the likes of french fries, movie popcorn, 1/2 priced appetizers, fried cheese and all the other nutritional goodness I've treated myself to recently.  After all, my guilt-free indulgent days are numbered and this Mama will soon be joining "Operation Skinny Jeans."  I've actually forgotten what it feels like to zip/button my pants, and I can't WAIT to start utilizing more than3 % of my wardrobe.  (These days I'm down to approximately 3 shirts and 2 bottoms that still fit me without cutting off blood flow to my extremities-so apologies to those of you who see me on a regualar basis and are wondering if I have anything else to wear.  The answer is NO!)

Happy Friday to all of you.  Happy LAST Henry-less Friday to Daddy Perks and I :)

**Keeping my fingers crossed I'll have breaking baby news ASAP**

Henry Perks...AKA...the tease.

How much did I wish that I was going to be able to make a post today from the hosptial bed?!?

No. Such. Luck.

Daddy Perks and I headed to our appointment yesterday with an extra hitch in our giddy-up.  Eager first-time parents past their due date anxiously awaiting the arrival of their little one, we put our best foot forward and decided that we were destined to hear one of two things from our doctor...

1.) "Head to the hospital!"

OR

2.) "Let's schedule an induction for tomorrow!"

Wishful thinking much?

Instead the following exchange took place between us and our doctor (who we LOVE by the way) :

Doctor: "You're 3 CM dialated and I really think you can do this on your own.  I know we talked about scheduling an induction today, and we will-BUT, I'm confident that you won't make it to that induction based on what I'm seeing from you today.  You can do this on your own, and I know you'll be much happier if you go into labor on your own vs. having to be induced."

Daddy Perks: "So, what happens if she doesn't go into labor naturally?  Can we schedule an induction for later this week?  Like tomorrow?  Or Friday?"

Doctor: "You're not going to like it, but I was thinking let's hold off until next Tuesday, September 1st to induce her."

At this point Daddy Perks and I look at each other and back at him with the following look on our faces which translates into...

"You don't want to induce us for ANOTHER SIX DAYS ?!?"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.  (Internal screaming that occured in both of our brains as this reality set in.)

Doctor: "Look, I know you're anxious, but here's the reality.  Most first-time moms go past their due dates.  So right now, you're still part of the norm.  And I know these last few days are tough...but that baby is bound to come out sooner or later when he's ready.  If I induce you, your labor will most likely take between 12 and 24 hours.  If you go into labor natually, then it's likely to be a LOT quicker and more enjoyable.  So hang with me.  If you're still pregnant next Tuesday morning, then we'll move forward with the induction.  I'm confident we won't need to because I think you'll go into labor natually some time in the next few days."

Can we get that last part in writing?

So-that's the update.

Daddy Perks and I continue to wait.  I continue to be huge.  Our friends and family continue to answer their phones with dire anticipation in their voices every time we call.

All the while, our sweet little Baby Perks continues to be nestled safely in utero-laughing at all of us, thinking to himself...

"I think I'll hang out in here just a bit longer.  Hehe."

Hoping for news today...

Happy Wednesday All.

Yes.  It's Wednesday.  And Yes-Henry is STILL in my belly.  Holy moly this kid is taking his time.

I've developed a theory. I've come to the conclusion that when women are pregnant, they're brains are NOT equipped to believe that they will go past their due date.  It's beyond their mental capacity to do so as a means of survival.  I say this because the last few weeks are hard.  And if women had to think about the fact that their due date might come and go and their baby might STILL be in their belly...well let's just say, I've gained a new appreciation for the whole "one day hour minute at a time" mentality.

We are heading in to the doctor this morning for another appointment.  Am I taking a shower before I go? Yes.  Will my legs be shaved?  Yes.  Will I even curl my hair and throw on some make-up?  Yes and yes.  Will we take our hospital bags with us? Yes.

Will I be prepared for the doctor to say: "Mommy Perks-you're a pregnancy rockstar and you've waited long enough to meet your baby boy.  I hope you put your bags in the car because you should leave this office, drive straight to the hospital and settle in for a leisurely 2 hour labor (epidural given upon arrival) in which you'll push a few times and then before you know it, be holding your sweet baby boy in your arms.  I think you've EARNED that."

I don't think that's too much to ask, do you?

What will the doctor actually say?  I've had nightmares in recent nights that he'll tell me I've actually regressed and am currently dialated -4 centimeters.  NEGATIVE FOUR.  Is that even possible?  Oh god I hope not.  Regardless of whatever my progress has been in the last 7 days, Daddy Perks and I are definitely hoping for some type of definitive news on when we can expect our baby boy to be in our arms.  Or at least we'd like to know when we'll be  heading to the hospital.  The plan is that we'll set an induction date today at the appointment.

Anyways, as I sit here wide awake while most of the world is sleeping I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.  I know that it's only a matter of days before my world is going to be turned upside down in the most amazing way possible.

And I can't wait.

40. Weeks. Pregnant.

August 24, 2009...the DUE date.

I thought I'd give Henry all the glory he's earned for making it this far...



My sister took this belly shot tonight to officially document the fact that I WE have made it ALL 40 WEEKS.

I can hardly believe it.  As a girlfriend of mine put it the other night...

"You must have a really comfy uterus."

Wow.  As I type this I'm looking back up at this picture and realizing just how attractive my swollen fingers look.  Just call me one HOT mama. Anyways, the bottom line is...although Henry and I have made this journey together...apparently he's the one calling the shots about exactly when he wants his birthday to be.  If it had been up to me and all my lame attempts at induding labor, my little man would have been here weeks days ago. And after our doctor's appointment this past week I would have put money on the fact that he would have been here by now.  But apparently he's sticking with the statistics which say that first-time mommys tend to have an average pregnancy of 40 weeks and 3 days.  Now-if that's the case Henry will arrive on Thursday.  BUT-we've got another doctor's appointment scheduled for Wednesday...so chances are, by that point we'll have a MUCH better idea of exactly when we can expect Henry to arrive.  As I said before...my doctor promised that he won't let me go more than a week past my due date, so at the very latest...we are looking at August 31st as the BIG day.

In other news...Daddy Perks and I had another lovely baby-less weekend.  We went to a baseball game on Saturday night, ran some errands today, (including what I'm hoping is our LAST trip to Babies 'R Us before the baby arrives) hit up one of our favorite lunch spots & book stores, and then enjoyed a nice steak dinner this evening with my family.  My mom insisted that we play Wii bowling after dinner in an attempt to send me into labor.  (Little does she know...that if the 4 AM lunges and squats I've been doing the past few nights aren't doing the trick, I doubt a few flicks of the wrists is going to be the answer to my labor prayers.)  Yes you read that correctly...as far as trying to force myself into labor goes...I have tried. it. all.  I mean EVERYTHING.  (Thanks to each of you who left comments/suggestions on the labobr-inducing tricks that worked for you...like I said-apparently Henry's got his own agenda.)

I'm officially on maternity leave now-so until the babe arrives I'll be getting my game-face on for the big day...trying to stay busy, but also rest up and conserve my energy to make for a smooth labor/delievery.

As I reflect back on the past 40 weeks, words can't even describe how incredibly blessed I feel to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive people as Daddy Perks and I begin this new chapter in our lives.  We are overwhelmed by the excitement and love we feel from so many of you in anticipation of Henry's arrival...as you can imagine, we are on the edge of our seats waiting for my water to break or for contractions to really kick into high gear.

I promise that since I'm officially done working that I'll keep you as up-to-date as I can on the minute-by-minute developments of Baby Perks' BIG Arrival.

And just so I don't get accused of not giving an official full-sized belly bump update...here's a full shot of yours truly 40. Weeks. Pregnant.

Good thing the shirt I'm wearing doesn't draw ANY unwanted attention to my mid-section.