More Busy Days...

Yesterday the computer was off when I got home, so I decided to leave it off. I had a dinner out at church with the ladies, and the hubs put the kiddos down. Unfortunately, Monkey had a humongous screaming fit for some reason and it wasn't a super smooth night for him. There's no telling what's going on with her exactly. Here's her update though. We still think she's teething, those 2 year molars. She won't hardly eat anything that involves any chewing. She'll put her hand to her jawline and say "ouch". Or "hurt". So today I worked really hard to only give her foods she could eat. Which, for the entire day, included one bite of cheerios at breakfast, half a stick of cheddar cheese at lunch, 1/3 container of yogurt, then at dinner she had half a piece of bread and most of her yogurt. She's had tons of fluids, and never complains of hunger. So I'm guessing she's not totally up to par. Not to mention her insanely disgusting diapers. Sorry, but it's such a huge part of the last two days. Feel free to skip. She's just been pooping a ton, and it's horribly odorous, kinda runny, and she says it hurts. I'm guessing it's diarrhea-ish. But since she's not eating too much, I'm hoping she'll run out and the pooping will slow down. Tuesday she seriously only ate cheddar cheese all day. For the most part. That was when we were starting to realize she didn't like to eat certain things, especially if it involved chewing. But even today, she couldn't hardly touch it. Either because she was sick of it (who wouldn't be after eating it all day) or her gums are just continuing in their sensitivity. Either way, we're making adjustments to her diet, and continuing to try and ease the pain with ibuprofen or tylenol. I just hope this doesn't last long. Granted, I haven't checked out her mouth the last few days to see if I can see anything, but as of late last week, I couldn't see any evidence of teeth. Perhaps they're coming in fast. I hope this doesn't last long. Moose never had anything weird go on when he got teeth. He barely drooled extra. So this is totally foreign territory for us. But I figure if we keep her hydrated (which we have been) and try and offer her foods she can eat that I won't feel horrible about her eating all day, (For now her selection is bread, bananas, applesauce, and yogurt.) she'll work through it. If she doesn't improve in a day or two, however, we're going to go visit the doc. Better safe than sorry.

Today was another busy day. I slept in as much as possible, took the kiddos to the library, (where me and Moose both managed to get paint on the fronts of our shirts. He painted himself. I was painted on my Monkey.) had a semblance of naptime, then ran to the music store, (Looking for more piano music for my students. I'm going to have 3 when I'm done with my maternity leave. How exciting!) ran back to the library, (they had 2 more books on reserve for us that weren't ready this morning) and stopped at the toy store. The kids love it there, and they totally just let you play. I ended up getting them both a small toy. Moose was happy enough to pick something, although the small inexpensive choices were not his first pick. Monkey, however, was impossible to buy something for. She kept saying "no" everytime I found something I thought she'd like. It was kinda funny. She finally said yes to a small rubber ducky. But then when it was time to buy it, she said "no" again. But we bought it anyway. We enjoyed dinner sans the hubs, plopped the kids in a bubble bath, then dressed for bed and watched a small bit of "elmo show" (Monkey's favorite) and one of Moose's library videos. When it was time to go back for bed, the hubs had gotten home (parent teacher conferences tonight) and took them back to bed. It was a long and tiresome day, but a good day.

Tomorrow I'm hosting my last round of preschool. Just talked to the hubs. He left shortly after the kids went to bed. His brother is having a CD release party tomorrow and he's helping set up. Whatever they get done tonight is time he doesn't have to spend Thursday and Friday night getting ready. So he's most likely going to be there til midnight or later. So I'm going to go tuck myself in to bed and read a book til I'm tired. Maybe that means the next 2 days won't be as bad since I was planning on him being gone both days basically from 6:30 am to at least 8 pm. But maybe this one late night will keep him at home with us the next 2 nights. Perhaps.

Feeling more and more ready to be done being pregnant. My rib hurts, occasionally my back, and I'm waddling something awful. (It's the hips. They get so sore.) 9 days til my mom comes. 16 til the baby comes. (Or perhaps less. It could always be less.)  :)

It Begins...

Last night was a little late for us, so I opted out of blogging to get me in bed asap. We had a fun family dinner, and the kiddos stayed up late. Monkey ended up whacking her head on the edge of a metal desk, giving her a small owie above her eye. It was really sad, but she recovered quickly. (Faster than her Grandpa, who was playing with her at the time. But I find I'm the same way.) She's got a pretty scab today, and it will take a while to go away, I imagine. But no bruising or swelling. Yay for that.

Today was the first of a busy week for us. I had a make-up piano lesson from my one student. She'll be back on Thursday for her regular lesson. Then I had my anticipated doctor's appointment. I say anticipated, but not really. I was just eager to see if my body was beginning to gear up for labor. Which it is. Yay. A week and a half ago, I was not dilated or effaced at all. As of today, I'm dilated to 1, and effaced 75%.  So my body's been doing something to get ready this last week and a half. I imagine by the time I go in next week, I'll be progressed just a little bit further. I've learned (since this is my third) that dilated and whatnot doesn't really mean much at this point, but I'm happier knowing my body is getting ready, versus being at 39 or 40 weeks with nothing having happened. That would feel frustrating. Being a VBAC, I can't be induced for fear of rupturing the uterus, so I have a very literal deadline of April 8th. Then I'm in for a c-section. I don't anticipate that happening, but you never know. So for me, any progress keeps me positive and upbeat. I'll be back in next Tuesday for another appointment.

Tomorrow is another busy day for us. I'm doing my last week hosting our preschool group before the baby comes. So I'll have 3 kiddos plus Monkey running around. (One is gone, so that's nice in a way.) Then tomorrow evening I'm attending a dinner at church for the ladies, so it'll be a ladies night out for me. So, not too busy. But there's two or more things for the rest of the days this week. I welcome the busyness though. It keeps my mind off of wanting to go into labor already. It's really just a waiting game at this point since I feel ready, the house is ready, the hubs and the kids are ready. But she won't come until she's ready, so the rest of us just get to wait.

11 days til my Mom comes. (Yippee!) 18 til the baby comes. (Hooray!)

Money Treasure Game...

The hubs officially wins creative parent of the year award from me. He suggested playing a family game tonight. So we popped some popcorn (the kids were probably more excited for that than anything else) and pulled out our Monopoly board. (Which happens to be some Super Bowl version.) He proceeded to make up a game for them to play, letting them roll the dice (Monkey very carefully placed them in the middle of the board instead of rolling them.), move their pieces and earn rewards. They sometimes had to sing songs, or act out like animals. Like when Monkey landed on the Cardinals, she had to fly around like a bird. Anyhow, it was such a simple thing, but the kiddos loved it and really had a blast. Moose named the game the "money treasure" game, so he can request it again in the future.

I've been feeling really well the last few days. Today I had a momentary lapse of "I want to have the baby already" but not out of frustration or discomfort, just an eagerness. I feel like at this point it's purely a waiting game. I feel ready, the kids are excited, so now we just get to wait. Granted, I'll feel better about it all once my mom is here, but that's a little less than 2 weeks from now. I try to do something every day to feel like I'm getting ready. The crib has been set up for months, the clothes, blankets and whatnot out for weeks. I've been putting the final touches on our hospital bag. I've got my labor music on my mp3 player. I've got a baby book. I suppose we still need to borrow my bro-in-law's bassinet. We keep forgetting to mention it. Although his kiddos have been sick, so it's okay waiting. I'm starting to mentally prep myself. Positive thinking and all that. (For the pain of labor and whatnot.) I fully plan on getting some meds to help out. Last time I had an intrathecal, which was a non-permanent epidural. I really liked it. But if you get it too soon, it might wear off before the delivery, which I most certainly don't want. So I figure I have to hold out long enough to make it last through delivery. With Monkey I had it when I was dilated to about a 5 or so, and I delivered maybe an hour or hour and a half later. It was still fully functional, which was awesome. I loved being able to deliver without worrying about pain.

Tonight we're setting the clocks ahead. Don't forget. This can always do some serious damage to kid's schedules. We try our best to go with the flow. But we get them adjusting as quickly as possible. It seems like this change can be a bit easier since it makes it seem like they sleep in for a while. But you just have to adjust so they're not going to bed super late. I'm sure it'll be a struggle for a few days, but I'm glad we have enough time to adjust before the baby's born.

13 days til my Mom comes. 20 days til the baby comes!

What's The Use...

The other day Moose and I read a book. In it there was the line "I lost my lunch. What's the use?" For some reasom Moose picked up on this and kept repeating it over and over again. To our surprise, Monkey started repeating him, and she will now say over and over again "What use." It's so hilarious.  I said "What's the use?" to her in the car tonight to see if she'd do it, since the hubs hadn't really heard it. She started repeating it over and over again and we were all laughing. Then Moose quoted another line from the book that says something about "burgers and fries". So then Monkey started saying "Boobers fries." over and over again. We just laughed harder. She's really talking so much, and mimics everything. It's just funny. She'll also say, multiple times a day, "sis, sesen, eight, nine, TEN!" It's so cute. I know it won't last forever, but it's definitely a fun stage.

Another Day...

My plans for the day changed, but it was still a nice day. It was a tiny bit rainy, but it was in the mid-40s for most of the day, which was so nice!  My doctor's appointment this morning was first moved, then cancelled completely. My doc had a c-section this morning, which is why they moved it. Then when the nurse called, she said there were 3 gals in labor, so she doubted I'd be able to get in today at all. She said I could go in and the nurse could do the regulars, and listen to the heartbeat, but since I'm doing well and don't have any concerns, I can just wait. Since I would've been going with Monkey, I decided waiting is just fine. So now I'm rescheduled for Monday, after the hubs gets home. So I actually get to go on my own!

I'm finding that I'm more and more able to "last" until the hubs gets home after 5. It's so ironic that I'd finally be getting to this point, now that we're adding another kid, and upping the difficulty level for me. But that's always how it is. You adjust to parenting in phases, and stages.

As I was sending Moose off to bed, he came to give me a good night hug and kiss. He also kissed my belly and said good night to the baby, telling her she was the bestest. He's getting more and more excited for her to come! (And for Grandma too!) It's so great. I love feeling his enthusiasm. It keeps me going. It's also nice that he understands so much. If I tell him I can't do something or need a few minutes because of discomfort he understands. Yesterday I had him fetch me my water bottle and tylenol from my dresser and he did it happily. He's such a great helper. I just know he's going to be a big help when the baby's born. (And when he's not having a bad day. That still does happen.)

15 days til Mom comes. 22 days til the baby comes!

Decent day...

Today was a decent day. The kiddos woke up too early, unfortunately, but I dealt. Fed them, got them set up with their shows and napped a tiny bit. Then we set off for the library and storytime. Today was the first time I was able to get Monkey to go and sit with Moose during the stories. I bribed her with fruit snacks. Unfortunately, every time she finished a fruit snack, she'd come back to me for another one, then go sit back down. But it was an improvement. Naps weren't fantastic either. Moose never fell asleep. He interrupted my bath to go potty, then came out and noisily shut the door 30 minutes later, which is most likely why Monkey came out a few minutes after that. All that happening while I was still in the bathtub. So it ended a little early. It's okay though. I wasn't terribly comfortable anyhow since I've been dealing with rib pains today. The bath only helps with my back. The ribs, it seems, aren't really helped by anything.

Still sleeping okay. (I know I'm amazingly fortunate in that regard. My sister spent her last pregnancy's third trimester sleeping in a recliner.) But I'm still finding myself completely exhausted by the end of the day. As I was chatting with my mom last night, we talked about what was going to keep us busy over the next few weeks. I know this little one will be born before we know it, but it's still hard to have that perspective all the time. So I've been trying to remind myself of what I have that will keep me busy for the next 2 weeks til my mom comes, the hubs has spring break, and I can sleep in as much as I need to.

Next week I'm hosting my last round of our preschool group. So that's Tuesday and Thursday, with prep time on Monday and Wednesday. Definitely something to keep me busy and keep my mind occupied. This Friday me and the hubs are going to tour the hospital. (Our first two were born in different states. This one is the same state as Monkey, but different city. New doctors, new hospitals.) And pick up registration paperwork. The week my mom comes I don't have a ton on the agenda, but I'm hoping it'll go quickly because it's so close to her coming. We'll see. Or maybe I'll just have to keep devouring books like I've been doing to keep myself occupied? Whatever works I guess. I'm also keeping a really close eye on the weather. Spring is trying so hard to make its way. Every day is a tiny bit warmer, and each day the ten-day forecast is a little bit warmer than it was the day before. Each day still forecasts rain or snow, or both. But so far we actually haven't had any of either. So I'm looking forward to the possible 50 degrees tomorrow. Once it gets warm enough, I can start going on walks outside. Oh, how I look forward to going on walks!

So let's hope I can keep myself busy, so I don't focus too much on how much time is left. I'm trying to stay positive. For me, a positive mental outlook changes everything, and keeps me feeling so much better. So think happy and productive thoughts for me. :)

16 days til Mom comes. 23 til baby comes.

Packages...

I received a package in the mail today from my mom. Can I just say she is awesome? Well, this package is packed full of stuff for the baby. Two blankets, each with two matching burp cloths, a hoodie towel, and a quilted blanket. It's all so adorable. The kiddos were super excited to see what came, and then of course they both wanted to hold and carry around her stuff. So I had to go and pull out the kiddo's quilts. (They both received even more when they were born since they were the first boy and girl for us.) So now they both have their own quilts out, so they can leave the baby's stuff alone. There's just something fun and sweet about baby blankets and clothes. The clothes have been out and put away for a while now, so having our sweet package with new blankets and spit rags was too fun. My mom is insanely talented and I'm so lucky that she uses her time to make such amazing things for my kids. (They each have their own blanket that was knit or crocheted as well.)

I've been able to sleep comfortably the last few days, so I'm feeling more patient about waiting out my 3 1/2 weeks. I know it's such a short period of time really, but when you're being stretched about from the inside out, sometimes it's hard to be patient. And I can't wait to sleep without a pain in my ribs. (Or back.) I know the downers of the baby being out. (No longer having a 24/7 feeding/diaper changing service.) But I'm definitely looking forward to her being in my arms and out of my belly.

While I was reading to Moose today, the baby was doing some serious stretching. So we stopped reading his book and he felt the baby moving. When the baby moved under his hand, his face lit up, "She's moving!" It was so precious! Then I talked to him about how the baby is folded up with her feet in her face, and she'll need to come out head first, so she'll be upside down. Then he talked to her, telling her that she's "the bestest." Last, we looked at the calendar to see where we are today and when she's due to come. It was such a sweet moment for me. He's really so excited for her to come, and I think Monkey will follow suit. She's such a baby-enthusiast in general and I think she's understanding in her simple way that there is a baby coming.

17 days til Mom comes. 24 til our newest addition is due. :)

One, Two, Three...

Today was alright. Monkey is still sick, and Moose has a slight cough. They woke up normal time. Monkey fell asleep just before noon watching Baby Einstein. Of course my attempt to carry her back to bed failed miserably. So I put them down together at 1, which meant the lights didn't turn off til 1:30. And ultimately Moose was in my bed by 2. She was awake by 3. I heard her playing first, then I heard sudden crying/screaming.

When I went in, I had no idea what to expect. She was sitting on her bed sans socks or pants. I thought she might's managed to pee on herself somehow. (Despite a fresh diaper) I still don't really know what happened. But I think she was trying to take her diaper off. She had a gnarly poo in there and I think something freaked her out. She didn't get it off. (Hallelujah!) She only managed to pull off one tab. But I ended up changing her, and then thanking my lucky stars that I didn't just become a parent with a "my kid smeared poo on the wall" story. Fortunately, my kids will never touch poo voluntarily.

Anywho, we just put them down. She is so exhausted. Poor thing. On the bright side, she can count to ten. Randomly she'll say "six, seven, eight, nine, TEN". It's so darn cute. I've been trying out small "preschool" activities with her. I started Moose when he was a bit older than her, but she sees him doing it all the time, I thought it might be good to give her her own things. So we've been doing colors. She's so darn good at them, I think it's time to move to counting. She can also repeat back the alphabet. Never tried that til today, but she'll repeat back any letter you give her. I love it.

So all in all a decent day. Hoping the kids sleep better tonight and that I continue to sleep well. The better the sleep I get, the more relaxed I am about being pregnant another day. It's when I have a few uncomfortable days that I become the grouchy lady who tells people how tired she is of being pregnant. I'm really okay with it. As long as I can get decent sleep. Today was a good day in that regard. Oh, and I think the little one had hiccups today. First time that I can recall for her.

18 days til my Mom comes! (Is it sad that I had to pull up the calculator to figure that out? Don't answer that.)

Sunshine...

I just have to say that today was fantastic. For those who are in warmer climates, it won't mean much, but it was almost 45 outside, so we all went for a walk this afternoon. We still ended up trudging through some ice piles and the kids totally got mud all over their shoes. But it was awesome. It felt so good. I love looking at the weather every day because each day's predictions are warmer than the last. I'm hoping that within a week, it will actually look like spring in the forecast. We're still too close (degree wise) to the snow zone, that it's not spring yet. But more and more days are forecasting in the low and mid 40's. So perhaps in a while, it'll be upper 40's, low 50's? I sure do hope so! (I know my Mom hopes so too!) I really don't want my baby to be born in the winter. I want to be able to get out and walk around these next few weeks. That's what we did before Monkey was born and I just loved it. And I want to be able to get out (should I desire it) after the baby's born. Choosing to stay inside is one thing, but having to stay in because the weather is yucky is entirely another.

Today Monkey was a bit sick. Boo. She's got some congestion and a runny nose. At this point, anything she gets could be her two year molars coming in, so we don't know for sure what it is, but there is so much yuckiness going around right now that it's a no-brainer. Keeping her in, doing whatever we can to get her better. Moose has a little cough too, but it seems like kids get those constantly and it doesn't necessarily mean anything most of the time. So unless something else comes up for him, I'm not gonna make a fuss about it. I do hope they don't get sick. I'd hate to have sick kids in the house before the baby's born. Although it's still early enough that they could get better before she comes.

Slept so great last night. It was so fantastic. Hoping that whatever it was (possibly tylenol every 4) works again tonight so I can be that comfy again. Although tomorrow I won't have the luxury of sleeping in til 8:30 since the hubs has work. But I'll sleep in as long as I can. My kids are pretty reasonable about it.

19 days til Mom comes. Yay!

Day Trip...

So we did make our day trip. The kids had a fantastic time with the in-laws, for which I am super grateful. But most of all, I learned that I will never again travel 3 1/2 hours one way and 3 hours back (the way there took longer because of weather) when I am 36 weeks pregnant. Never again.

My back is killing me. We are both so super tired. The kids were tired. They're already in bed. We're going to turn our brains off and watch something on tv. Something. Then be in bed. Probably by 8:30. Hope you are all having a great weekend. Our trip was great. But exhausting. Now I'm back to counting down til this little one is no longer weighing me down from the inside out.

20 days til my Mom comes. :)  Oh, and I probably have never mentioned, I have a sister due 4 weeks after me. Probably less since she's scheduling a c-section. And I have 2 sister in laws that are pregnant. Babies are just always coming in my family. :)