Last Time

My last time to write a blog post before this baby makes his debut!  I cannot believe we are to this point.  In some ways it seems like we have waited forever and in other ways I am shocked that he will join us tomorrow.  Either way, I am a bundle of emotions.  I have found myself hugging the kids a little tighter, snuggling the Professor (before his happy little world is rocked) and cleaning. Ha!  I am excited and nervous and happy and scared.  Please keep us in your prayers and look for an update soonish on our sweet baby!

Better News!

I got a call from my doctor's office later in the day.  My doctor knew how much it meant to me to have her deliver.  She called over herself and got me scheduled for an induction next Wednesday! As much as I would love to go on my own, I know that this is best.  I know my doctor's opinion on c-sections and she knows how much I never want one.  Plus, like I said, she is a Christian.  So it looks like we will have 2 children born in the same state, same hospital and same doctor!  Pretty exciting! 
Yesterday I had a bunch of Braxton Hicks contractions.  Whenever I was sitting they would come regularly but when I'd get up and move, the would completely stop.  Last night I was woken up by real contractions but they fizzled out as well.  Even if I do end up being induced, I am hopeful that these are at least helping me make some progress!
A week from now we could be holding our son!

Mixed News

Sigh.  I had my OB visit this morning.  The good, or rather, great news is that the baby looks healthy and fluid levels are all fine and dandy. 
The rest of the appointment just left me so disappointed.  My doctor hurt her thumb and is having surgery on Wednesday.  So she cannot work for the rest of the week.  During the ultrasound the baby is measuring very normally and not overly large at all.  He could be anywhere from 7-9 pounds right not, but we are definitely not looking at a big 10 pound baby or anything.  So she suggested and induction next Wednesday.  However, when I went to schedule it, the hospital is not doing any inductions on that day because of computer shut down and maintenance.  Well, next Wednesday is my doctors last day of work til 2013.  After all this time with her, she will not be the one to deliver.  I am just so bummed. I really trust her and like her and we have a good rapport.  She is one who helped us through our loss and she has gone above and beyond to help us with this pregnancy.  Plus she is a Christian.  I know it really is not that big of a deal but at this stage I am so tired and emotional it really feels like a big deal to me.
So it looks like our little man will make his appearance at the end of next week unless I go on my own before then.
Today I was 2 cm dialated but still just 60% thinned out.
 

Fitting it all in

38 weeks today!  Knowing that we have 2 weeks or less really makes me feel like we are in a time crunch.  I truly do not have much left to do.  Most of my list could be knocked out in an hour.  But still, I am ready to know everything is crossed off.  Then I just have to focus on my family and keeping the house cleaned.  Yesterday we got the bassinet set up, the carseat cover washed and ready and a few other things that were on my list. 
Even though there are things I need to get done, there is also a list of FUN things I have planned and want to do.
Tonight there is 2 live nativities and a park filled with Christmas lights that we want to take the kids to.
Sunday my husband get a real date.  A date where my parents take the kids and know we will be gone for awhile.  Some time after church they will get the kids and my husband and I will get dinner, a movie and a little bit of shopping.
Monday I have an ultrasound and a check up.
Tuesday my friend and I and the kids are supposed to do a little shopping and get some yummy Chick-Fil-A food.
The Professor has his 6 month post surgery check up.
We have home-school to try and get ahead on.
And I'd really love to cook a few family favorite meals since I know ramen noodles will be a staple soon enough. Ha!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Winding Down

This morning I took all 3 kids to my check up.  It went really well and the kids were so well behaved.  Thankfully these appointments are super fast!  I think we were in and out and buckled back up within 25 minutes.  The doctor said I am still just under 2 cm dialated but that I am 60% thinned out now.  Not quite the progress I would have liked but I will still take it for sure!  I go in on Monday for my next appointment.  The doctor said she will do an ultrasound to check on the baby's size.  About 1 month ago they had him at 6.6 pounds.  The average baby gains about 1/2 pound a week at this point.  In theory, this would put the baby right now at about 8 1/2 - 9 pounds.  Our other babies were 8.5, 8.7 and 9.4 so I think this baby will be on track to be about the same range.  However, the doctor wants to check and make sure he is not getting too big.  She said if he is measuring extra large she may look to set an induction at 39 weeks!  That would be NEXT Friday.  Crazy!  My husband and I will definitely have some discussing to do.  He does not mind an early induction at all, but I have such mixed feelings on it.  I really dislike going early.  However, I was induced with our first and third.  Our 2nd came on her own almost 2 weeks early and she still weighed 8.7.  Anyways, it kinda hit me today that things are really winding down and soon we will be holding our baby.  The only really impending sign I have that the time is drawing close is that my emotions are going crazy.  Today I cried hearing the Mariah Carey Christmas Song "All I Want for Christmas".  LOL!

21

Wow.  It seems like just yesterday that we posted this blog post announcing that baby #4 was on their way.  We did not know boy or girl and we were filled with equal parts excitement and fear.  The journey of losing one baby and then getting blessed with another baby led us to choose this baby's name.  We cannot wait to share it with our family on the day he is born.  My husband and I sit up at night relishing these quiet times after the kids are in bed and we talk about this new baby.  How happy we are with the name, wondering how big he will be, who will he look like, will he sleep?  It is amazing to look back and see all we have come through with this pregnancy and this sweet boy and to know that in about 21 days we will be holding him. 
We are blessed.

5 Weeks

We are 35 weeks pregnant today. 35. Weeks. That means 5 weeks or less til this baby makes his appearance!  This has been such a special pregnancy for me.  After losing our last baby at 15 weeks and 3 days, this pregnancy took on new meaning.  I have not taken it for granted.   I have tried to not complain.  I have felt so thankful for aches and pains, kicks from the baby and all the extra ultrasounds we had.  I have been so thankful for a Christian OB doctor who, literally, held my hand at times during this pregnancy.  This time around came with a lot of fear.  Not just for me, but for my husband and for the girls.  We have all prayed for this baby every single day since we got that first positive.  Rather than surprising the girls, we told them the same day we got the positive to allow them to be praying for this new life.  Now with Christmas nearing, I find myself thinking about and relating to Mary from the Bible.  The Christmas story feels extra special when you are waddling into the church 35 weeks pregnant with a very active baby boy kicking your rib cage.  This pregnancy has been filled with so many doctors appointments.  With the other pregnancies, I never had anything out of the ordinary.  This pregnancy was rocky from the start.  I had the low progesterone and it kept dropping until I ended up on painful injections here at home.  Then there was the scare with the hole in heart.  And now after all that we sit here at 35 weeks with a healthy baby boy kicking away inside me.  I am just overwhelmed with gratitude. 

5 more weeks!

Overnight Trip!

Surprising the kids was so much fun!  It actually took a lot of work to pull it off but they were totally surprised in the end.  We acted like we were heading off to church.  My husband had packed the van the night before.  The Hippie asked where we going and my husband said to get gas.  We were about 20 miles away when they asked again.  This time I told them.  They flipped!  Then we really did stop for gas, drinks and to hook up their dvd player.  We ended up shopping at a few stores and then had delicious Skyline Chili before heading off to the Creation Museum.

The Professor spent a lot of time looking up.  He was equally fascinated and slightly nervous of the dinosaurs.  "Saur-saurs" as he calls them.

The Hippie helping Noah build the ark.

Getting to ride a dinosaur!!!

The Hippie has officially entered the "i must pose in a weird/funny way for every photo" phase. Ha!

The water fountain was also a popular place to visit.

Attempting to get your family all in one photo.  Kinda hard to do.

After the museum we went to a few more stores but the kids were done.  We had found a really neat place to take them for dinner called Pizza Tower.  Every kid gets a very unsticky dough ball to play with!

The Professor was too tired for dough.

There is a kids area.  We got to sit here so he was able to run back and forth playing.

I believe that is a dog in the front and a heart in the back.

Dinner was delicious! A tad expensive for pizza with kids but well worth it since they were so entertained.  They got free ice cream with their meals.  The kids meals were kinda basic but the pizza my husband and I had was probably the best I have ever had!!!!

After dinner we checked in at the hotel and all went swimming!

Night time was rough with all of us in one room.  The Professor was exhausted and kept calling us all by name and saying "all done".  It was well after 9 before all the kids were asleep.  6 a.m. and everyone was awake again. 
We enjoyed the free breakfast and then took off for the Aquarium.  This was really the only snafu we hit on the trip.  We knew the Aquarium opened at 10 but there was a Barnes and Nobles bookstore next door.  So we went at 9 to go to the bookstore.  They did not open til 10. Uh-oh.  And it was cold and pouring rain.  Luckily there was a closed mall but the lobby areas were open.  We spent 45 minutes playing on escalators and running.

Finally, finally it was 10 and we got to go to the Aquarium.  We got there in time for the Penguin Parade.

The Professor was honestly just too tired.  The girls were loving it and he was just....grumpy.  We still made some fun memories though.  Afterwards we did end up going to the bookstore.  The Professor had never been to a Barnes and Nobles.  He LOVED the trains.  We let the girls each choose a book.  I was super proud of the choices the made with ZERO guidance from us!

When we left we drove through and got lunch in the van.  The Professor was asleep from the time we got in the van until we got home. Ha! 
We had a great time and I am so thankful for the time we all spent together!