It's Over!

The long crazy weekend is finally over. The Brad's open house went well. My mother had four times too much pop and twice as much food as she needed but other than that it went off with out a hitch. We made it to my cousins wedding on Saturday and the hubby got to meet Steve McNair and see his family. It helped him get over how irritated he was that the wedding and reception were 2 and 1/2 hours a part, how rude. It's funny how now that I'm married I think weddings are so overrated. Sunday we did nothing which was nice and Monday we made an appearance at the family thing. Lula broke out in hives Sunday night and itched all over until about 5 in the morning, it made for a very long night. The hubby was sweet and took over at 1:30 because I was so tired. Now I just have to sit and wait until this weekend so I can have the baby. The hubby said he's too busy to miss work so it has to be on the weekend. We'll just have to see if the baby thinks this is a good plan. I have a midwife appointment today so we'll see what she has to say. I was so hoping I wouldn't make it to today so I didn't have to weigh in. People are nicely informing me that they can tell I'm ready by the looks of my face. Yes I know its swelling, I don't need to be told. Well I better get caught back up on the laundry.

They've Started!

The "did you have the baby yet?" phone calls. I know people get curious and I too ask about others when they are getting close but I try not to call just to ask. This time it was a Grandma, come on like she wouldn't find out, have we ever forgot to tell them? Last night I had a complete stranger tell me that I would be having a baby really soon. Ya think? I am as big as a house and can hardly walk properly.
In other news Lula has finally stopped asking "can I ask you something?" before everything she says, she now says "do you know something?" and rambles on. She says "actually" all the time and out of context. She got princess sandals this morning and will not remove them, she is all girl let me tell ya. She also is petrified of bugs, bees to mosquitoes she can't help but run and scream at the sight of one.
Biggie is a crab lately, worse if he has no nap. His new thing is whenever I tell him do do something he informs me that he did that "yesterday". Like "wash hands yesterday", "change buns yesterday" to "ate lunch yesterday". It's quite cute.
Racky is asked constantly why he's not in school, why couldn't he be short? We had it this morning in the shoe store. The lady proceed to ask if you teach preschool at home? I nicely joke about kids not learning anything in preschool and that its not necessary and a waste. She then tells me she works at a preschool- oops. Open mouth insert foot.
Well I better do something today, have a good one.

What was he thinking?

The former owners of our house are stopping by later to pick up a package that was delivered here by accident. The hubby said they could stop by, I would of dropped it off to them just so they wouldn't have to come over. These people were meticulous to say the least. This house was so very very clean when we moved in. The day we got the keys from them I threw a half chewed cucumber from Racky in the sink because there was no other place to put it and the guy immediately cleaned the sink out. They mowed the lawn every three day and had two riding lawn mowers one did the back the other the front according to the neighbors. And they are stopping over, and I know the hubby he'll invite them in to see the place. I don't know why I care but I do, so I must for go my daily nap and CLEAN. Yes I know they were in there fifties, with no kids living here and both worked full time so the house wasn't lived in like it is know but I can help but think that they'll think I'm a total slacker if I don't clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pregnancy update!

I lost 3 fundal height centimeters at my last visit. Why you ask? Because this sweet bundle of joy keeps pushing its way downward and as she says giving it more room to grow. The midwife said she wouldn't say its head is engaged but it is very very low. I have never had this with any of my kids, well not this early anyway. I had it with Biggie but I was walking around at 4 plus centimeters dilated 15 days late. She also wants me to up my water intake to a gallon a day. The bladder is already working at about half size were is a gallon of water going to fit. I have to remind myself that I don't have to pee yet again and do a few kegels and wait a while. And lastly she said she'd see me in two weeks, not one but two! Not that I want to go every week but I want to know the end is near, and weekly visits are at the end. Well I suppose I should already know they come when there ready, not when I'm ready. I don't much care for being taught patience;)

I'm Selfish

I don't want this to be the last time I waddle around like this. I know it's crazy, I'm eight and a half months I should be swearing that I'll never do this again. I unpacked baby clothes and can't imagine parting with them after the birth of this baby. To give away the baby gear and not store it for the next little blessing. The logical side and emotional side of my brain is feuding over this. Lots of women I know say you just know when your done , what if you don't "know." Maybe it's just the hormones. I can kind of understand the hubby decision, I'm not the one to have to live with 30 to 40 plus food sensitivities and have my body hyper react to every little thing that it comes in contact with. But right know I'm just thinking about myself, this being the last baby to nurse and cuddle and hold. Well I better enjoy the belly and rub it lots in the next few weeks. (The hubby better enjoy the strange foreign objects a little higher than the belly because those too will vanish and sag.) So as my legs throb and swell and I ache and as somebody plays soccer with my internal organs I pray I enjoy every minute of this amazing miracle as so many woman would love to be in my shoes.

Just sittin' back and waiting!

I think everything I wanted to get done before the baby and open house are done. With the exception of staining the deck, but I stained this deck once before and it takes FOREVER, so it just gonna have to wait. I was contemplating painting a few rooms but I lost the urge. I the week before will be a last minute scramble to reclean everything like the garage and barn but the big stuff is done.
I ended up mowing the lawn yesterday, my little bro is just not anal enough for my liking, maybe its just the hormones but the lawn was driving me nuts. What he can do in an hour takes me two. Well he is shipping off to the Navy in June so I'll have to find myself a new and more particular lawn boy.
The hubby is taking me out tonight before I "pop" as he says. We have a gift certificate that's 6 months old we better use up or it will never get used. And after tonight I plan on taking it easy. The last weekend in May and first week in June are going to be crazy. Brad's open house, two family gatherings and two weddings. And I might squeeze in the birth of a new little one in there. Well here's to sitting with my swelling feet up sippin' lemonade for the next few weeks. I still am not miserable enough for it to be time for this baby yet. Have a great weekend.

The Birth of Biggie

If I recall correctly his pregnancy was my worst. I felt nausea's about 90% of the time. I would have a few hours in the afternoon when it was okay but otherwise I felt kinda crummy. Not vomiting sick just queasy. Lula's pregnancy was the same way but Racky still napped then and I wasn't on a strict no dairy, soy or nut diet which made getting enough protein easier which helped the energy level. Racky also jumped on my lower back when I was just four months along which made my hip go out and I caused me grief the rest of the pregnancy. He was a surprise blessing to say the least. I didn't believe the test and just threw it away. I ended up taking 6 test that day and all showed a faint second pink line. The hubby didn't believe me still after that. I ended up giving up nursing Lula because I just couldn't keep up with her and the diet restrictions of her allergies. And come to find out I would be due only 10 days after my sister-in-law. After I gave up nursing I gain ten pounds the first month I was rather slim at the time. The doctor then recommended I go back on the same diet I was on while nursing to possibly prevent the allergies from happening to this baby. It did work to some extent, he is not as reactive and he didn't have the colicky issues the other two had.
Well when the midwife saw how slim I was she told me to be ready to go early, underweight people have this tendency she said. She guessed I would go three weeks early. What does she know? The sister-in-law had her baby on her due date, how irritated was I? My due date came and went. My cousins wedding that I thought I would for sure miss came and went. My aunt who works in an OB office said I looked ready about two and half weeks before he was born. The midwife stopped scheduling my next appointment but would say "see you this week." Two Tuesdays in a row I called to schedule an appointment. My mother who drives school bus went back to work. It was the end off August. My mother is in panic mode, reminding me how big babies can get, I was 10 lbs, 12 oz. and one of my brother was 12 lbs, 1oz. At my final appoint the midwife agrees to check me, I'm dilated to 4 and easily stretch to 5. No wonder why I can't sit properly. She does sometime that started labor. I ordered Chinese on the way home, while going in to get it I knew tonight was the night, I gripped both kids hands as I wait for the food and have a real live contraction. At home I make the kids some food and waited for the hubby to come inside, he's in his truck talking with his bro. I don't want to say I'm in labor. I go inside and call his phone and again ask him when he's coming in because I am in labor and need some help with the children. Racky was 3.5 years old and Lula was 20 months old. We had a message from the in laws that they were going to stop over with a part for my mom's air purifier. When they got here we asked if they could take the kids home with them. The hubby and father in law are trying to fix the air purifier while I scramble to get the kids ready and explain the food/ protein shake protocol to my mother in law. I can't talk or stand during contractions. I had to keep leaning over the counter and quietly moan during them. The mother in law can see that they need to leave so I can have the baby, the guys keep working. Finally they leave.
Labor slows down drastically, the hubby fills the pool half way with hot water and at about 9:30/10 goes to bed. Labor has completely stopped now. I'm devastated. I say I'm saying up to walk this baby out. Around 11:15 I decide to go to bed. After I get in bed transition hits. It's one contraction after another, I can't speak but the hubby wakes up to me moaning quite loudly now and says he's calling the midwife, it's around 11:30. He finishes filling the pool and I get in. Around midnight she arrives. She told me later that she knew she didn't miss the birth when she stepped out of the car, I'm that loud. She checks me and says I can push, I never have the urge to push I need to be told. I ask her to break my water so there is 'less" to push out. She does. After a little less than 25 mins of pushing he is out. I didn't even want to hold him the first few seconds. She had to force me to hold him. When I did hold him I was so tired that I could hardly keep him up and out of the water. I was the one to get to announce that he was a boy. I had myself convinced he was a girl the last month. Hubby took him while I got cleaned up and settled into bed. He then disappeared for an hour, he had the pool in the garbage by 2 am. He also emailed pics to a bunch of people before 3 am. He was 9 lbs. 10 oz. and 23 1/2 inches long born 16 long days late. God is good.

Pics Finally!

I am the worst at getting the pictures off the camera, lets no even talk about printing them. (I haven't ever printed our digital pics, how terrible is that. We've have a digital camera for over four years.) Oh well here is a few highlights of our last month.

Here is the kids enjoying some juice. When I can peaches or pears I put apple juice over them so they can be sugar cane free. I love to make them share it its so darn cute. Yes Racky is in there somewhere.

My sweet little Lula at the zoo that month.

My little helpers, helping mom make applesauce.

Biggie and Lula "helping".

Our trip to the "big" zoo yesterday. It was great, the kids were wonderful unlike today;) I'm glad I didn't go any later in this pregnancy because I was a pile of mush by the time we got home. I crashed on the couch and let them watch cartoons when we got home, I was done for.