So, everyone....STOP WATCHING! Quick! Avert your eyes! :) I know, I know, easier said than done. As most of you know, we had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. While we waited for the doctor, my belly got hooked up to two "sensors" (one for the baby's heartbeat and one for contractions) that were connected to a monitor that printed out the feedback and the nurse gave me a button to push whenever I felt the baby move. This is what's called a fetal non-stress test. The point is to track the baby's heartbeat and how it reacts to the baby's own movements. If the baby is healthy and getting enough oxygen then the heart rate increases when the baby moves. If there is a problem with the baby's oxygen, the heart rate stays the same even when the baby moves.

I was worried at first that Izzy would not cooperate and would instead nap through the test. I shouldn't have worried--let's be honest, it wouldn't be my baby if it didn't like to put on a show, right? She performed better than I could have expected. She started with a few kicks and "pushes" and accelerated to full-out acrobatics in my belly. At one point during her flawless performance, she moved so much that her heart rate jumped significantly and the sensor actually "lost" her for a second! That's my girl!

Dr. K came in and looked at the printout and declared that our little wonder "passed" the non-stress test. I'm sorry to report that this was the high point of the appointment. Dr. K did a quick exam and confirmed what I suspected (and blogged about) last week: my cervix is a dud. It's not doing anything...I'm not dilated and I'm not effaced. In fact, the baby is still at negative-whatever station--whatever station that means that she hasn't decided to step up to the plate quite yet. She's not even on deck. She's still in the dugout.

Alas, here's where we are as of today: We have another appointment Friday morning at 8 am, during which we'll do another non-stress test. We will also schedule an induction for next week sometime. So...at some point next week, we will have a baby born...one way or the other. As you can imagine, Jeff and I were pretty disappointed that there was no progress, but at the same time, we're very happy to know that our baby is doing well in there. She's just not ready to come out yet, that's all.

I finished the baby blanket last night. Like I said, I'm horrible about finishing any crafty project if it's not for someone. It doesn't hurt that I need something to keep my hands busy and my mind occupied right now. But now that I've finished the cross-stitch and the blanket, I've moved on to my trusty Age of Empires III computer game :) From one end of the pendulum swing to the other--pretty pink crochet to raising and fighting armies. Whatever keeps me busy, right?

So everyone, I know it's hard to wait...trust me, Jeff and I both are having a terrible time waiting...but we'll know something definitive on Friday, so stay patient with us (ha!) and stay tuned for an update on Friday...

Aside: Go David Cook! Rocker can even sing Dolly!