Is this an episode of Candid Camera?

I realize I'm ageing myself by referencing the original reality show, but COME ON. This is honestly all starting to feel like one colossal joke. Every day is like Groundhog Day - same routine, over and over. I mean, EXACT same routine. The things we do (walk, walk, walk) but also all the stuff in-between: the agony over what to do for dinner (buy groceries? Get takeout because surely, this must be it?); the way I seem to have a contraction or two while Chad is home for lunch every single time, but then nothing for the rest of the day; the way I have run into people lately that I haven't seen for YEARS, and all the 'splaining I have to do with them; the people I run into that I seem to see every single day, and having to give the smile and shoulder shrug and say, I know... nothing yet!!. It's maddening. Really, really loony-bin maddening.

I was all set for my appointment with Dr. Bailey yesterday. When she came into the room she asked what I wanted to do. I told her I was still reluctant to be induced but really, really want an end to this. We decided to see how things are going before talking any more, and lo and behold discovered that (a), the baby has dropped another 2 cm, and (b), I am dilated 1 cm. Which doesn't sound like a lot, until you put it into perspective: it took me 14 hours of labour with Liam to get to 1 cm. So this seemed very celebration-worthy and again caused her to declare it could happen any minute. Ha - you'd think I'd know better by now.

With such good 'it must be any time now' news, we decided to hold off on induction plans until after the weekend. The drop-dead induction date is next Wednesday, which is 14 days overdue by my last ultrasound, and 16 days overdue by my actual due date. I go for a nonstress test at the hospital on Monday to make sure things are still on track, and that's probably the earliest I would be induced at this point. Dr. Bailey will be around next week after all, so there's no worry any more about speeding things along to cover off her absence. I feel better about letting nature take its course than I do about an induction, though of course as I sit here now, more than 24 hours after my appointment, with nary a uterine twitch I think: if I had gone ahead with the induction plans yesterday.... this could all be over by now. Ah well... too late for regrets.