So please don’t think we’ve some how forgotten you! It’s been borderline comical, the loved ones who think updating them has slipping our mind. Believe me, we wish we had something to tell as badly as you’d like to be told!

Today we vaccuumed out our respective cars (which was way more of a drama than it should have been. Blame no one carrying cash these days, Out-of-Service machines, Saturday morning traffic, and numerous car washes), had an impromptu business meeting, walked to the local teryaki joint for bubble teas, I napped while Tony did some stuff around the house, and are now about halfway through the second season of Project Runway. I finished Harry Potter this morning and that makes me sad. I miss it!

No contractions. No breaking of water. Just, what I assume, is typical late-late pregnancy fatigue, irritability, and inability to get/remain comfortable.  I have no idea how people go one, two or more weeks late. Please, God, don’t let me still be pregnant next weekend. Although I am sure, like most things, this is something you just have to take one day at a time.

As I’m sure is fairly obvious, today Ali is "due" to enter the world. I’m kind of thinking that’s not going to happen. Maybe tomorrow though. Maybe even EARLY tomorrow morning. Wouldn’t that be nice! Basically I’ve been feeling fine. Large and tired and cranky but okay other than that. I’ve slept really well the last two nights. Tony says I had a couple contractions last night and told him I’d been having them for a few hours but I don’t remember any of that (I tend to talk/have full conversations in my sleep).

This morning we took a hike-ish walk to and around a local county park. We did the same thing last Tuesday and had some major action later (although that may be more due to the stripping of membranes) so we shall see if we yield results from this latest endeavor. Either way, it was good to get out of the house, which I didn’t yesterday. The weather here has been very strange. Cloudy, overcast, threatening rain and yet very muggy. At the same time there are a lot of random sunbreaks so it really messes with you. Wednesday we went to the library and I was happy to find Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which I am now almost done re-reading in anticipation for the release of the last book in the series. Also, it’s a really good distraction…nobody is pregnant at Hogwarts!

I hope this baby comes soon. After my mom gets off work late tonight she has a break until Thursday evening (thanks to fourth of July) and Billie will be back in the country Sunday. Plus, to be quite honest, I am just through. I have little desire to boast about how overdue my child was and I am fully aware that each day she stays in she grows that much bigger. If I’m hoping to push this girl out with no pain medication, I’d prefer she be nothing remotely resembling massive!

todays the due date and still no action, but we’re working on it. went for another hilly hike to our neighborhood park. we’ll see what that does.

ali - your mom’s been craving taro bubble teas. pre-labor sign? let’s hope so. and on another note, daddys a genius cause he can post via cell phone now. see you soon!

Immediately after writing that last post I went to the bathroom and found my mucous plug. No contractions yet. It could still be awhile but, at this point, progression is a good sign. I called my mom and then we made some lunch (Tony’s working from home today). I’m trying to remind myself that patience is a virtue! And that we’ve got grandmas on both sides hoping she’ll stay in a few days longer…

Last night I was really struggling. I thought I had cramps/contractions/whatever they are all night. More likely, is I woke up whenever I had them so it just seemed like that. Tony said that after I fell asleep but before he did they were about an hour apart for thirty or so seconds. The morning I thought there was no way I was going to not have her today. But, I got up just before nine…and haven’t had more than a twinge since (that’s coming up on four hours). I took a bath and finished reading the book I started yesterday. It’s gray and overcast today, a stark difference from yesterday’s sunny and eighties. I’m tired and bored and somewhat overwhlemed by how dirty the house suddenly seems. Perhaps a nesting urge? If only there was a burst ofenergy to accompany it!

As far as RSS feeds go, Tony said he’d make a post to explain it. I’m not sure if I understand…I think it means you don’t have to check back for updates, but I’m not sure how one is updated. I dunno. But rest assured, any news will be posted. We have no lives…

Well, this morning was possibly my favorite doctor’s visit yet, albeit quite uncomfortable for Ash and her ripened cervix. The nurse was a new one to us and was quite chipper and let us listen to Ali’s beating heart for a few minutes. Then our boy came in and did his thing which gets more and more painful to watch by the week. After a quick feel, he asks the nurse a question and then says he wants to "strip the membranes".  This is something we were sort of hoping for and very happy that he seemed willing and able. He said everything is fantastic and Ashley is a solid 2 cm dilated. The procedure looked extremely, umm, uncomfortable. The stripping isn’t proven to help much at all, but theoretically it increases some labor hormones and often results in action within 48 hours. We shall see.

On a related note, we wanted to put some hospital information up here for those of you nearby or who just need to waste a bit of time on the internet. So, we’ll be staying/birthing at the lovely Providence Medical Center in scenic downtown Everett. The quickest way there is I-5 north to exit 193 (Pacific Ave) and head west until you see the place on your left. We’ll be on the third or fourth floor of the Pavilion for Women and Children.

Also, we’re hoping to liveblog this labor/birth as best we can, so if you haven’t already, you may want to set an rss feed for this site in the feed reader of your choice to keep yourself in the know. If you have no idea what that means or just don’t care, so be it.

Lastly, my guess for birth has come and passed. My sister Georgia is up next with tomorrow night around 10:30 pm. Right now we’re hoping she nailed it.

Today we had some pictures taken at the Edmonds beach by Ken, Tony’s boss. He did an amazing job and the weather turned out absolutely perfect. Tomorrow morning we are back at the doctors….hopefully with something to update then.

We are home for the weekend. Sadly, regrettably, and yet, probably wisely. I’ve been having a lot of cramping still, especially last night (Tony said I moaned and groaned pretty throughout) but no definite contractions, no discernable mucous plug or "bloody show." She seems to be dropping every day and I think even she’s to the point where she wants out. Sometimes it seems likeshe spends hours at a time trying to beat/spin/finagle her way out. Which is uncomfortable to say the least. The days have reached a delicate balancing act of doing enough "strenuous" exercise (lol, which includes dishes, laundry, walking, washing the car, etc.) and keeping my feet up so the left one, in particular, doesn’t swell right off me! Today we spent a good chunk of time gathering/organizing addresses so we could send out birth announcements. Now we just have to get a move on designing them!

A side note on cravings: while I haven’t had a ton throughout, the last week and a half or so I cannot stop thinking about Taro flavored Bubble Tea. I’ve been having them, like, every other day. There’s a teryaki shop that sells them five or so blocks from us and it’s a good excuse for a walk! Plus, they’re made with milk and, if you only get a third or half the normal amount of tapioca pearls, not too damaging calorically.

I want to congratulate Cynthia and Joel [and Shayla] on their wedding tomorrow! Know that we are there in spirit and soooooo happy for you guys.

So I was just finishing a lengthy post and it got deleted. Ugh. One of the drawbacks of blogging I guess. I can’t begin to explain it all again, so I’m going to do my best with some bullet points and pictures. I’m so easily irritated ya’ll are lucky you’re even getting this!

• I finished school last Tuesday and did get my 4.0.
• Since then I’ve been rather bored and am sick of uncertainty and waiting. I prefer structure and control.
• This week we washed our baby clothes and put them away, got the high chair put together, hung Reshma’s art up in our "nursery," and steam cleaned all our carpets.
• Happy 21st Birthday to Tony’s brother Dave!
• At the doctor this morning he said I’m 1-2cm dialated and 2cm "lower," whatever that means. We were also advised not to go to Oregon for Cynthia’s wedding this weekend. We have yet to make a decision on that.
• The doc also said he’d see us at our appointment next Tuesday if I’m still pregnant.
• Tomorrow marks one week until my due date!