40 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is the day. The turkey is done. I have been pregnant for 280 days, or maybe you prefer to say 40 weeks, or 9 months. Regardless... Liam, my dear, it's time to vacate the premises. This is a direct order from your mother! Take it seriously, sir! :)

We had a great Labor Day weekend! Saturday was the first football game of the season for the Wolfpack! I was determined that we were all going to be there. Liam could either be born well before Saturday or he needed to wait to after the game was over. What was I thinking to even suggest he would be EARLY?! No one in my family is ever early. NEVER. Certainly not any of my offspring. So here are a few pictures from Saturday...

Here we are at 39 weeks and 4 days. I haven't posted a belly shot in a while, so here you go! Papa Earl graced us with his presence on Saturday! :) Apparently Brett and Ryan were having a serious conversation.The band passes right by our tailgating spot... Ryan was happy to watch from a distance. It was too loud for him. Saturday was also my Mama's birthday. Ryan was helping her open her gifts. Shhh... we got her a new Duke t-shirt, but she was instructed to not flash it around amongst all the red.

And to show his love for her, Deddy "slaved" over this beautiful birthday cake... lol! (He actually cut up part of the cake her employees bought for her on Friday and stuck it in this charming aluminum dish.) CHEESE!!! Michael, Bubs & Mom... please excuse the horrible coloring of this pictures. We were standing under a red tent...

Deddy teaching Ryan the important things in life, like how to put a beer in a koozie.

Not really sure how he got her to wear a NCSU shirt... Another one of Brett & Ryan... discussing the ins and outs of Wolfpack tailgating, I'm sure.

Of course, I spent a lot of time this weekend trying to encourage Liam to come. I ate A LOT of Italian food this weekend. Friday night I slaved over stuffed shells, salad & garlic bread all in an attempt to consume as much oregano and basil needed to jump start contractions. (Another old wives tale about inducing labor.) It may have worked. Saturday morning I woke up to contractions, but as soon as I got out of bed and started moving around, they stopped. Then, Ryan and I went walking around the mall to shop for Mom's birthday, I had a couple then too, but nothing with a pattern. So, the oregano/basil deal could actually be true... who knows. However, by the time I got to the game, all contractions had stopped. Good thing too. I love NCSU, but not enough to deliver a baby in the back of an ambulance at one of their football games. EEK!

Sunday was spent being extremely lazy. Ryan slept until 9:30, as did I and Brett had to work. We laid around until about 1:30 and then went to get his hair cut. No contractions at all the entire day. Not a one... however... I did eat more stuffed shells and bounced on my ball. Sunday night, Brett's parents came over and brought baked ziti... YES! REAL Italian baked ziti... sausage and everything. Obviously it didn't work. I'm still pregnant. Nonetheless, it was yummy. :)

Monday was spent really trying to go into labor. Ryan and I got up, ate breakfast and walked to the park. He played while I swung on the swing (another wives tale... swing to encourage contractions) and then we walked to the fire station so he could see the fire trucks; this is our normal routine. We got home, ate lunch (more ziti for me!) and then both of us laid down for a nap. Brett got home, I woke up, went to the grocery store to do some semi-major shopping... must have food for when Liam decides to show up, then we went for ice cream, came home and grilled burgers. Contractions started about 5:20!!! Intense ones. Definitely not Braxton Hicks. However, by 6:30 they were gone. After dinner I got desperate and took both dogs, 75lb Dakoda and 95lb Carter, for a walk by myself. Surely they would start again, and they did, but by the time I unleashed the dogs and sat on my ball they had stopped. I took the steps 2 by 2 a couple times, but all that led to was sore legs and a feelings of intense heaviness in my lady parts. So, no labor for me on Labor Day.

I can't speak for William, Brett's grandfather, but from everything I remember of my Papa Earl, he was always on time. Of course, this could have been a trait he acquired after I was born... but PERHAPS, he has indirectly passed "timeliness" on to his namesake and Liam will be born today, on his due date!

I have a doctor's appointment later this morning. I'll update then.