Oh Hi.

Hi my name is Chelsea, and I have an incompetent cervix.

Oh sorry, is that TMI? Since losing access to the outside world five short days ago, I seem to have gone native. Regular conversations about the state of my cervix with my father? That's happening. Dignity: gone.

Here's the deal: I'm 32 weeks, five days pregnant with a little boy. Five days ago, at exactly 32 weeks, doctors identified that my cervix had shortened to well below the "acceptable" length for this point in pregnancy, and was funneling - or opening - from the inside. This means my water could easily break and I could go into pre-term labor. Though I had already been on preventative progesterone since 27 weeks, and had a round of prophylactic betamethasone (steroid) shots for the baby's lungs, doctors decided to take a more aggressive approach to preventing further cervical changes - they prescribed the dreaded bed rest. Oh, and more 'roids. More on that later.

The good news: my cervix isn't technically incompetent, YET. Let's say that my cervix is just flirting with being incompetent. A little third trimester rebellion, if you will. Also good: if little Chalupa shows up today, he'll very likely be okay. He is very healthy, measuring large for his gestational age, and would have very good chances of thriving if born today. But we want him to keep baking and fattening up for at least a few more weeks. Born at a healthy 9.5 pounds as I was, I always expected to have large babies. So here's hoping that we have some more time to grow this little guy.

So why am I writing this? Well, I am laying on the couch for the fifth straight day, completely caught up on all franchises of the Real Housewives and all of my cross stitch projects, and contemplating new ways to fill my days. I am working from home during the week, but the hours normally spent getting ready for work, commuting, in meetings, running errands, walking the dogs, and generally being a useful human being are now free for navel gazing. I'm hoping this will be a fun way to pass the time and keep my family and friends up to date on the gestational life and times of baby Hernandez.

Should any kind internet strangers stumble upon this blog - it's probably because you're in a similar situation. Maybe this will make you smile, or give you ideas for passing the time. Or not. Whatever. Hopefully this story will have a happy ending and we can share this with the little dude the first time he tells me he hates me.