Is there nothing benedryl can’t fix?

Went into the hospital last night with contractions. I had been having them pretty consistently for four or five hours, every four to eight minutes and they hurt. I had cleaned like a madwoman yesterday, Sara came over and we rearranged the living room and brought down the swing from the attic, set up the baby chairs, purged the toys, etc. I probably just overdid it, plus I had some other stress going on as well… but after sitting at the hospital, hooked up to a monitor for three hours, it turns out that while I’m contracting – they aren’t consistent and aren’t really, really doing much of anything. Her head is lower, but apparently bouncing in my pelvis (isn’t that a lovely image?). The midwife said I have a really deep pelvis, and her head is right there, but not engaged. So the midwife sent me home, with instructions to drink a lot of fluid, relax as much as possible, and take benedryl and tylenol. Tylenol to help with the cramping and benedryl to essentially sedate the uterus.

In other news – the Wii is becoming the bane of my existence. I’m sure the novelty will wear off soon, I’m hoping it will, but it’s the cause of much stress and heartache around here. Much joy as well – as Sam and Jess and Marc are delighted with it, but Sam sobbed yesterday as we were leaving for the hospital, begging Marc to stay with him and play, and Jess and Sam seem to fight over who’s going first all the live long day. I’m limiting it, they played for about a half hour this morning and are now happily playing Barbies and superheros in the living room.

Am feeling a renewed sense of gratitude for being pregnant. Last night, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to be in labor or if I wanted to go home. Because it’s still early, and it would be better for the baby to wait, I went with not wanting to be in active labor, but it was a tough call, because the thought of having her in my arms and not being pregnant any more sounded really, really good. But now I feel so much closer to the end, like at any minute, my water could break and she could come rocketing out, so I’m trying to just enjoy this sensation of having her inside my body, kicking and safe. If nothing else, it helps on days like today, when my poor little Samilicious is an emotional wreck and in need of a lot of extra attention.