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Happy Valentine's Day! (Okay I know, it's one day belated) Scott and I had an interesting last Valentine's Day as a couple without any kids running around. We started off the morning with heart-shaped pancakes and lit a few candles at supper time, but that's where the romance ended. We had our second Prenatal class yesterday evening - not very romantic that's for sure. We did plan ahead though, and when Scott's hockey game was cancelled on Friday we went out for our Valentine's date then. Dinner and a movie (my choice, and yes - I did make Scott sit through a chic flik!) and we had a great time. Anyway, back to the horrors of last night . . .

I went into the evening with some apprehension because I knew we'd be going over labour and delivery as well as watching a birthing video. Now understand people, I am VERY squeamish and gross out very easily with blood and pain. Up until this point, I have quite much been ignoring the fact that actually delivering the baby is looming ahead of me and like to imagine that one day overnight the baby will just magically transport itself from my tummy into its crib. After yesterday, I will never again go to sleep with that comforting misconception because the video we saw will haunt me in my every nightmare!!! Let's just say I almost had a panic attack while we watched "Deborah" go through over 12 hours of labour in the hospital, and yes - I did turn away every time they showed, well, you know. I did relax afterward, though when we went through the focus and relaxation techniques and things the partner can do to help. Scott was very encouraging too - he assured me that just because the woman on the video had a terrible time did not mean that I would go through the same thing. Everyone is different and we won't know till we get there. He is so great for me - I have a feeling he'll be able to make the delivery a lot more calming and pleasant for me than if he wasn't there. I really just have to give my fears over to God and let him be in control (He's going to be anyways so I may as well roll with it).

Ah yes, I cannot close without updating you all about our talkative little friend from last week's class. We had a different health nurse this week and she was better with either ignoring this woman, or just barrelling through as she tried to stutter out her comments for everything. She did manage to weasel her way in more than enough times though. And I was not the only one who began to get annoyed - I heard one girl say to her husband "it she opens her mouth one more time . . ." And yes, she did overshare about a few things but I won't put you all through the misery of hearing them - let's just say some of the things she shared about herself we DID NOT want to picture. Plus, she loved repeating almost word for word what the health nurse told us as if it were her own unique revelation about pregnancy and labour. I'll have to pray extra hard for patience on the Tuesday's to come!

Oh and one last thing! I found out yesterday that I've actually been having Braxton Hicks Contractions ALREADY! We were talking about them yesterday in class, and the more she described, the more I thought "Oh, so that's what that is . . ." and she said they can start any time in the third trimester so there you go!