Today's Non-Labor-Inducing Activities

So like I said, we're trying to plan fun activities for every day that keep me busy and walking and prevent me from sitting on my couch, staring at my stomach, and waiting for the baby to come out. (One site on natural induction methods recommended visualizing a flower opening, and I can assure you all that that didn't work either, so I'm trying physical activities rather than mental ones.)

Today, Mom, Murray and I went to the hospital for a non-stress test. Everything is okay and the baby is doing well still. Then Mom and I dropped Murray off at work and went out to find some good walking activities. Shopping is always a good idea, so we headed over to the Riverwoods where we shopped around, and also decided to get manicures (note: manicures are not known to induce labor, but we felt we deserved it).

We had originally planned to go to Salt Lake with Murray's mom Lynette, but the road conditions deteriorated really quickly, so the three of us decided to go bowling instead. We figured that bowling might just be the trick to inducing labor, and if it was, we could patent it. Or at least start up a pregnancy bowling alley called Prego Lanes.

I really absolutely loved the bowling, even though my performance was a disgrace. My first game, I bowled a 44 and my second game a 56 (note that there was at least improvement). It's a good thing that we had Lynette there to help us out with pointers and tips. The first time I went to an American bowling alley, I thought, "Wow! This is, like, a RETRO bowling alley, with huge balls with holes in them and everything! Just like in the movies!" The second time I went to an American bowling alley, I thought, "Goodness gracious! Another retro bowling alley with holes in the balls!" I eventually learned that in Canada, we have 5-pin bowling, which is quite different from the more traditional American style. Our balls are much smaller (and certainly have no holes!), the pins are smaller, there are only five of them, and my mom and I swear that you're supposed to get three turns to try and knock them all down instead of just two.

At least no one cared about what the scores were. We all had a fantastic time and did a lot of laughing. And I may not have ever gotten a strike, but at least I got a spare once. Oh, and on the scoreboard, my name was listed as Selma. At least when my poor scores came in, I had plausible deniability. They weren't attached to MY name.

Unfortunately, after an hour or so of poorly hucking a ball down the lanes (I could only manage to shuffle up to the line each time, and I certainly couldn't bend much when releasing the ball), my water didn't break and labor pains didn't start. There's always hope for tonight, right? If I go into labor before tomorrow morning, I still plan on attributing it to the bowling. Otherwise, we've got to find something else to try tomorrow. Bouncing on a trampoline? Springboard diving?

(The master, with perfect form.)

(Ootsie, who was a much better bowler than me.)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hee! My sister married a Canadian, and (this might turn into a long story; I'm sorry), and one year for my birthday she gave me a card that read, "Let's go bowling in Canada! That way, when we're old, we can look at each other and say, 'Remember that time we went bowling in Canada?'"
And then we went to visit her husband's family in Canada, and his sister took us bowling, and we did, indeed, get three chances to use the teeny tiny ball to knock the pins over. You are not mistaken.
And then my sister's niece (4 years old) accidentally pushed the reset button just as a bowled, which resulted in the mistaken reading of "strike," thereby winning me the game. I love Canadian bowling!

Anonymous said...

Oops. That should read "My sister's niece accidentally pushed the reset button just as I bowled." I am so ashamed.

jeri said...

I'm pretty sure you're the cutest 40+ week preggo ever. No swollen face or anything. It's just not fair...

Nemesis said...

And yet you look so stinkin' cute. Please remind me to look like you when I'm 40 weeks pregnant.

Also, my suggestion for inducing labor involves the Incredible Toilet Plunger of Awesomeness. I figure if it could take care of my Christmas back-up then it could surely handly a fetus. You can get one at Wammart for $3.97.

Saule Cogneur said...

Booo for stubborn babies, but yay for bowling! Maybe you should take up blood sacrifices to the prego gods. That way you can be productive AND entertained.

Unknown said...

Who knew that American and Canadian bowling were so different? Not I. Now I'm sad I didn't go bowling when I was in Canada.

Jenny said...

You aren't going to have this baby until you look less cute and you outgrow all your clothes. Sorry. Those are the facts of life. I wanted to call you today and tell you that you should try bowling. But I guess I used my mind powers instead.

You could find a puppy to babysit, rearrange furniture, volunteer at a soup kitchen, walk at the BYU indoor track, chase around some young children. OHH! Memorize the choreography to the Annie musical number they do on the stairs. All that hopping up and down and back and forth.

FoxyJ said...

What you need to do is make an enormous mess in your house and possibly start some large-scale projects. And eat up all the food in your pantry and fridge. Babies only come when you're totally not ready. I'm still holding out for a Three Kings Day baby. That would be awesome!

PS--I'm impressed that you're still out bowling. By week 36 I was holed up in my house eating Doritos.

Anonymous said...

There was an episode of Friends about this very thing. If it worked for Rachel, it can work for you.

http://www.tv.com/friends/the-one-where-rachel-is-late/episode/130043/summary.html

bedelia said...

We like to tell people that lemon square bars make your water break. (is that the right break?) Anyways, my water broke an hour after eating these so definitely worth trying. I mean if all the other weird stuff works. Ok I'm pretty sure it won't work, but we're hoping to make it onto one of those lists that say the natural ways to go into labor.

Cicada said...

Loradona: I'm so glad that I wasn't making that three turns thing up. When I went to take my third turn today, my mil told me I only got two! So unfair considering my first two tries were gutter balls.

Jeri: No swollen feet, either. Well, not much anyway. At least I recognize and appreciate the fact that I have an easy pregnancy!

Nemesis: Could I ask you to be on the other end of that plunger?

Jenny: I'll add all of those to the list of things to do tomorrow. And I won't do my hair or makeup or brush my teeth.

FoxyJ: Crap. My mom and I just did our grocery shopping for the week today! And I've had the hospital bag packed and in the car for a whole two weeks now. Clearly I got this all wrong!

Anonymous: I know the method to which you allude. And I'll say no more.

Bedelia: Mmm. Lemon square bars. How about chocolate gingerbread cookies? That's what I've been eating (in moderation, of course, and balanced with protein to help my body manage the sugars).

I also just ate some fresh pineapple which is supposed to have an enzyme that would kick me into gear, but let's face it. I'm skeptical. Besides, because of the diabetes, I could only eat a moderate amount of pineapple anyway, and I'm sure that it won't work in moderate quantities. But wait... if it does put me into labor then it shouldn't matter that my blood sugar is high because the baby would be coming out of me imminently anyway, right?

hairofgold said...

Jumping jacks. My cousin used to do them when she was pregnant just to see people's faces. I bet that would help the little guy come out. Man the wait is killing me, I can only imagine how you feel. Best of Luck to you all.

gumball said...

looks like fun