I've written down in my calendar when I need to have certain things done by.... but we're moving it all up again. We just don't want to be caught off guard, and with the amount of achy-ness/tiredness I've been experiencing, we're just wondering really how long my blood pressure will stay acceptable. I've started to notice some swelling in my feet, hands, and legs, so if it gets bad or gets to my face, that'll be the end of the waiting. My poor toes look like tiny appendages coming out from a giant sausage foot. :)
My ultrasound for week 34 is Monday. I'm betting they'll tell me Ilse is upwards of five pounds and that I've gained 10 in the past two weeks. I wouldn't be surprised at all. Of course, after doing some reading, I've learned that a gain of more than two pounds a week is a reflection of blood pressure, so I'll be relieved if I've really only gained four pounds.
I've mostly completed my list of items necessary to have here when we come home from the hospital. Mom told me of some things I never would have thought of, and we are planning this shopping trip on May 8. It won't be fun. Shopping is already not fun, but maybe if I nap a very long time day before, I'll be able to get through it. ;)
I think Dad is helping us paint Ilse's room Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, and the following Wednesday (because I think by then I will have mostly recuperated from our May 8 shopping trip) I am going to buy some nightgowns, because I don't want to wear a hospital one.
Soon I'm going to recruit Ivy to do some bodily beautifying on me, like paint my toes, unless I can do it myself. I might still be able to, since I just did it a couple weeks ago. I think I'm done with this green, though. I need to choose another fab color for the fab day to come.
I cleaned my bathroom floor tonight, and I'm hoping that tomorrow morning I'll be able to do some vacuuming. It seems like wanting to do vacuuming is my recurring theme..... :)
I'm also seriously considering making a doctor appointment for my wrist. It is still hurting, and nothing I'm doing is making it feel better. I know what I really need is an anti-inflammatory, but that just isn't allowed. I'd also like to talk to the doctor about getting some other medicine for a condition that may, or may not, be going around. I'd just like to be proactive considering I don't think getting this condition that may, or may not, be going around would be good for my blood pressure. :) I do love everyone, though. :)
Here's something else that has been on my mind, and please, bear with me since this is a bit of a soap box.
I am more than thankful to be pregnant. I'm rejoicing in each and every new symptom or issue because it means....... I'M PREGNANT. Wow, it's still amazing to me that God did this. So even if I say I'm tired, or I say I'm concerned about my blood pressure, or if I say that I'm having trouble getting my vacuuming done, or if I say I'm peeing constantly and sitting in the church nursery on Sundays now because the only maternity skirt I have is so short I can't sit modestly in the service and the chair is killing my wrist and tailbone anyway..... et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.....
I'm STILL thankful that I'm pregnant, and none of those comments should be taken as complaining, because I'm really not. I'm so happy to be experiencing even this complete exhaustion. I'm so thankful that my wrist hurts enough to make want to cuss but I HAVEN'T :) and I'm so pleased to spend money that isn't in the bank account yet to have a delicious epidural, and I'm uber uber thankful that my feet are swollen and my skin on my belly is itchy and stretched and doesn't even feel like mine anymore.
God created an amazing little life and he blessed me with the experience of pregnancy that I have wanted to have for such a tremendously long time.
So please, hear my comments and don't think I'm complaining. I don't feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever (yet) even though I have been known to cry lately because I feel so stupid for being so tired and making Tim do all the work, but I'm still amazingly HAPPY.
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
More of Life
Last night I went to the consignment sale with my mom, and I had a very hard time not picking out only dresses. I don't know why, but I can't imagine little Ilse in anything BUT dresses. As mom pointed out, she needs pants to crawl around in, so I forced myself to buy some. Hopefully we got everything in the right size. I'm washing it all now. I bought about two and a half loads of clothes, and I can't wait to fold it all and put it away. I know, it's shameful that I want to put away her laundry and no one else's, but that will just be our secret, ok?
The boys made me so proud today. I completely and totally exhausted myself at the consignment sale. By the time I got home, I was fending off the exhaustion barfs. I successfully fended them off all night long and into the morning time. Then, I gave the boys an opportunity to make me proud by letting them play quietly in their room while Mommy took a nap. I won't tell you how long I napped, but suffice it to say, by the time I dragged myself out of bed I felt some better and decided to reward the boys with a special lunch (they chose Taco Bell pizza) and a trip to the park. We used, for the first time ever, one of our wedding shower presents-- a picnic blanket thing. It was quite the hit. Ivy had introduced the boys to picnics, so by the time I took them today, they had a pretty good handle on what we were going to do. Telling of our lifestyle, though, they did want to clarify if we were going to eat in the car before we got out at the park. :)
I sat nicely on that picnic blanket while the boys ran wild. There was some other child there at the park (I'm sorry if you are his mother and happen to read my blog) that I was hoping hoping hoping (!) did not rub off on Joey. I do not want him to go around shouting "To infinity and beyond!!!!" every time he slides down a slide on his tummy. We won't be showing those movies to the boys anytime soon.... we try to steer clear of movies in general.
I started reading a book my MIL gave me called The Fussy Baby book. I have to say, I hope Ilse is not as dramatic as the child in the book. I kinda don't think she will be since she doesn't seem to have too much of a personality as of yet. Perhaps she'll be like me and not come into her true personality until she's married. You just never know.
When we got home from picking Tim up, I fixed Joey's bike (he had tried to play crashes in it, something we don't allow) and then I let them ride for a couple hours in the driveway. I figured they were good and tired out after the park and bike riding, and I gave them their supper, showered them, and put them to bed. I intended to have them in bed 7:15 to 7:30ish, but I'm so competent :) LOL, that I prayed with them, came out of the room, and saw that it was only 6:45. Whoops! But I bet they'll go to sleep right away. Who wouldn't after a nice shower washing off all the disgusting Parmesan cheese, park germs, and bike germs of the day?
After I finish with Ilse's laundry, unless I get the bug to vacuum the living room (Oh my, I hope not!), I'll be joining them in sweet, sweet slumber, hopefully to be continued a bit into Saturday morning.... if Tim will be so kind. We'll see if I can entice him to take pity on this aching, tired old body. :)
I've started taking tylenol when I lay down at night just so that I can get comfortable. I was telling Ivy that sitting on the floor last night to take those hated safety pins out of all my purchases was a big mistake... not because of my giant tummy, but because my butt muscles feel like I've run 20 marathons. They do NOT want to move.
Tim and I are looking forward to my Dad's Men of Note concert to which we are going tomorrow afternoon. This is the first time in a long time Tim and I get to go together, and it's all because dear old Auntie Ellen and Uncle Stevie(!) volunteered to watch the boys. I've even managed to talk them into keeping them a bit longer so Tim and I can go to dinner. I think the salmon from the Cheesecake Factory is on my menu, not to mention that I told the babysitters I'd bring them some cheesecake. :)
On other topic:
Here's to hoping we make it through the last four weeks and three days of Ilse's womb growth without another cold, or other worse things that might, or might not, be going around.
And yesterday I finally, for the first time, got the remark that pregnant women supposedly hate, even though it didn't bother me at all. "Are you sure there's just one baby in there?" Yes, I'm sure. And I was told several times lately by strangers that I just look ready to pop. Isn't that funny. I don't think I look THAT finished with being pregnant. Still looks like a bit of an overinflated basketball to me.
The boys made me so proud today. I completely and totally exhausted myself at the consignment sale. By the time I got home, I was fending off the exhaustion barfs. I successfully fended them off all night long and into the morning time. Then, I gave the boys an opportunity to make me proud by letting them play quietly in their room while Mommy took a nap. I won't tell you how long I napped, but suffice it to say, by the time I dragged myself out of bed I felt some better and decided to reward the boys with a special lunch (they chose Taco Bell pizza) and a trip to the park. We used, for the first time ever, one of our wedding shower presents-- a picnic blanket thing. It was quite the hit. Ivy had introduced the boys to picnics, so by the time I took them today, they had a pretty good handle on what we were going to do. Telling of our lifestyle, though, they did want to clarify if we were going to eat in the car before we got out at the park. :)
I sat nicely on that picnic blanket while the boys ran wild. There was some other child there at the park (I'm sorry if you are his mother and happen to read my blog) that I was hoping hoping hoping (!) did not rub off on Joey. I do not want him to go around shouting "To infinity and beyond!!!!" every time he slides down a slide on his tummy. We won't be showing those movies to the boys anytime soon.... we try to steer clear of movies in general.
I started reading a book my MIL gave me called The Fussy Baby book. I have to say, I hope Ilse is not as dramatic as the child in the book. I kinda don't think she will be since she doesn't seem to have too much of a personality as of yet. Perhaps she'll be like me and not come into her true personality until she's married. You just never know.
When we got home from picking Tim up, I fixed Joey's bike (he had tried to play crashes in it, something we don't allow) and then I let them ride for a couple hours in the driveway. I figured they were good and tired out after the park and bike riding, and I gave them their supper, showered them, and put them to bed. I intended to have them in bed 7:15 to 7:30ish, but I'm so competent :) LOL, that I prayed with them, came out of the room, and saw that it was only 6:45. Whoops! But I bet they'll go to sleep right away. Who wouldn't after a nice shower washing off all the disgusting Parmesan cheese, park germs, and bike germs of the day?
After I finish with Ilse's laundry, unless I get the bug to vacuum the living room (Oh my, I hope not!), I'll be joining them in sweet, sweet slumber, hopefully to be continued a bit into Saturday morning.... if Tim will be so kind. We'll see if I can entice him to take pity on this aching, tired old body. :)
I've started taking tylenol when I lay down at night just so that I can get comfortable. I was telling Ivy that sitting on the floor last night to take those hated safety pins out of all my purchases was a big mistake... not because of my giant tummy, but because my butt muscles feel like I've run 20 marathons. They do NOT want to move.
Tim and I are looking forward to my Dad's Men of Note concert to which we are going tomorrow afternoon. This is the first time in a long time Tim and I get to go together, and it's all because dear old Auntie Ellen and Uncle Stevie(!) volunteered to watch the boys. I've even managed to talk them into keeping them a bit longer so Tim and I can go to dinner. I think the salmon from the Cheesecake Factory is on my menu, not to mention that I told the babysitters I'd bring them some cheesecake. :)
On other topic:
Here's to hoping we make it through the last four weeks and three days of Ilse's womb growth without another cold, or other worse things that might, or might not, be going around.
And yesterday I finally, for the first time, got the remark that pregnant women supposedly hate, even though it didn't bother me at all. "Are you sure there's just one baby in there?" Yes, I'm sure. And I was told several times lately by strangers that I just look ready to pop. Isn't that funny. I don't think I look THAT finished with being pregnant. Still looks like a bit of an overinflated basketball to me.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Life
Tim has been home the last three days due to the TAKS testing schedule. I cannot express how very much I've enjoyed having him here. He loves helping me get things done, and even when I am exhausted he still loves doing the things we had planned on doing, even though he's doing them alone... ok, with me propping an eye open to give general directions occasionally.
Today, though, the fun had to end. He's back at work today, even though he only had to go in at 11am instead of 7:15. He said he'd hardly call that 'back to the grind', but I sure do considering I really had enjoyed the last few days. I told him this morning, on the way to work, that I felt like it was the end of our honeymoon--- as if I slept constantly when we were in San Antonio, as if we had two little boys then and a baby on the way, and as if we had a house that desperately needed vacuuming. But nevertheless, I felt like this morning was the end of an era.
Can you say, Pregnancy hormones!!!
So after I dropped him off, the boys and I got the oil changed (woefully late) and then we went to get much needed haircuts. Yes, the boys are bald once again. Gone are the months of teaching them how to use their fingers to rinse out hair in the shower. Now the sprayer can do it all by itself. That was a hard concept for them to understand.
I've been overdosing the boys on salad since we had so much left over from Easter lunch at Ivy's. Joey likes it, but Bam-Bam has a real hard time eating it unless there is dressing on it. He is a very strong willed child, and after he did better with his attitude after the first few anger sessions, I added dressing and croutons to it today, and he is not complaining at all. He is making me chuckle inside right now talking about 'salad is goooooood!' Yeah right, Bam-Bam. You're not fooling me. You want the dum-dum the lady at the hair cut place gave you. Well, whatever gets the job done, I guess. :)
The lawn guys came this morning before I was even dressed, so thankfully Tim was here to get the dogs in and the gate unlocked. I certainly wasn't going to the door in robe. Some things are just too embarrassing, and I don't know any pregnant lady who looks decent after a night of tossing and turning, trying to find just that one comfortable position that will delude her into thinking she can catch another hour before peeing, or maybe her sciatic nerve won't bother her if she lays just this way....
I'm glad the lawn guys came before naptime. Now when I lay the boys down (and me, yay!) here in a few, we can sleep uninterrupted for at least a couple hours. Then we will go get Tim and our nice evening can begin.
That's our day today. Oh, of course, my nice evening will have an outing with mother, since we are going to a consignment sale. I'm on the hunt for some baby clothes, and Joey is in desperate need of church pants. I'm not deluding myself into thinking I'll actually find some secondhand, but I'll try.
I'll leave you with these gems:
Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions. A. A. Latimer
Those always make me laugh, but my favorite, by far, is:
Today, though, the fun had to end. He's back at work today, even though he only had to go in at 11am instead of 7:15. He said he'd hardly call that 'back to the grind', but I sure do considering I really had enjoyed the last few days. I told him this morning, on the way to work, that I felt like it was the end of our honeymoon--- as if I slept constantly when we were in San Antonio, as if we had two little boys then and a baby on the way, and as if we had a house that desperately needed vacuuming. But nevertheless, I felt like this morning was the end of an era.
Can you say, Pregnancy hormones!!!
So after I dropped him off, the boys and I got the oil changed (woefully late) and then we went to get much needed haircuts. Yes, the boys are bald once again. Gone are the months of teaching them how to use their fingers to rinse out hair in the shower. Now the sprayer can do it all by itself. That was a hard concept for them to understand.
I've been overdosing the boys on salad since we had so much left over from Easter lunch at Ivy's. Joey likes it, but Bam-Bam has a real hard time eating it unless there is dressing on it. He is a very strong willed child, and after he did better with his attitude after the first few anger sessions, I added dressing and croutons to it today, and he is not complaining at all. He is making me chuckle inside right now talking about 'salad is goooooood!' Yeah right, Bam-Bam. You're not fooling me. You want the dum-dum the lady at the hair cut place gave you. Well, whatever gets the job done, I guess. :)
The lawn guys came this morning before I was even dressed, so thankfully Tim was here to get the dogs in and the gate unlocked. I certainly wasn't going to the door in robe. Some things are just too embarrassing, and I don't know any pregnant lady who looks decent after a night of tossing and turning, trying to find just that one comfortable position that will delude her into thinking she can catch another hour before peeing, or maybe her sciatic nerve won't bother her if she lays just this way....
I'm glad the lawn guys came before naptime. Now when I lay the boys down (and me, yay!) here in a few, we can sleep uninterrupted for at least a couple hours. Then we will go get Tim and our nice evening can begin.
That's our day today. Oh, of course, my nice evening will have an outing with mother, since we are going to a consignment sale. I'm on the hunt for some baby clothes, and Joey is in desperate need of church pants. I'm not deluding myself into thinking I'll actually find some secondhand, but I'll try.
I'll leave you with these gems:
"When their numbers dwindled from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect Hungry."
"Streakers re‑pant! Your end is in sight."
"It takes money to make money, because you have to copy the design exactly."
"Children are natural mimics ‑ they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manners."
I wash everything on the gentle cycle. It=s much more humane.
Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions. A. A. Latimer
Those always make me laugh, but my favorite, by far, is:
The new composer's dictionary:
'Adagio Frommagio'‑‑ to play in a slow and cheesy manner
'Angus Dei'‑‑ to play with a divine, beefy tone
'A Patella'‑‑ unaccompanied knee‑slapping
'Frugalhorn'‑‑ a sensible, inexpensive brass instrument
'Dill Piccolino'‑‑ a wind instrument that plays only sour notes
and my ultimate favorite:
'Approximento'‑‑ a musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Induction Day
Tim and I went to the hospital the other day to pay for Ilse's birth, and we're very happy to have it done! Even if I go in the night before to get the cervix softening medicine (whatever it's called), we will only have to pay a very small bit extra for an extra night.
All in all, we are paying LESS than Marc and Ivy paid for Will, and they had insurance. Isn't that something.
But, more to the point........ Induction Day is May 31, and we are to be there at 5am. We'll have the boys sleep over at Kim's the night before since 5 is too early for man or beast to be out and about. When I told that to Ivy she asked me who the beast was, and I think, that day, I'll be happy to be a beast so long as it will result in an Ilse.
After we see how I'm progressing with the Pitocin, we'll order the epidural and hopefully, if it works, I'll be in hog heaven. No, I'm not that ignorant. But hopefully I won't be in agony.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mom came by today and gave the Mamaw Seal of Approval to Ilse's lovely recliner. I love it, and Tim said today that he could sleep all day in that chair. I'm so thankful for it. Anyone care to come try it out? You just have to leave it by the time I go to the hospital.
Today we went out to look for a mirror for above Ilse's changing table/dresser. Tim asked me what we needed a mirror for, and I did have a lot of fun demonstrating how we will use the mirror with Ilse. I remember, not too long ago, taking Charlie around their house and showing him himself in all the multitudes of mirrors. He loved it, and I'm sure Ilse will too. However, when we didn't find a mirror (and having searched Craigslist, there aren't any on there, either), we (I) decided to buy some cute little birdies for her dresser instead. So I got a little pitcher/vase that's green, and two birds-- one yellow and the other blue. They are uber cute, and we'll see if I think they're still cute tomorrow. If I do, I guess I'll keep 'em. I know Grace Aldape would love them, so I'll have to post a pic for you when I get around to it. :)
This afternoon I need to get some vacuuming done now that Tim fixed the vacuum that I didn't even know was broken. I was deliriously upset to discover last night the beater was broken on my lovely vacuum.... and I discovered it just when I started vacuuming my room. I'd been talking about vacuuming it for days, and Tim just assumed I knew the vacuum was broken (he said it'd been broken for months, and that right there tells you how out of it I've been.) Of course, I didn't know, because I never would have been content fake vacuuming when I'm in the midst of nesting.
My response was a frantic, "Well, I need you to fix it!!!" And he did. I don't know about you, but in an old house, in the springtime, I do not want to be without a vacuum for even a night in case there is a creepy crawler I have to vacuum up, so I am thankful I didn't have to take the dumb thing to the shop.
So I got the room vacuumed and dusted, and hopefully today I can get the living room done. :) It's just a hope, and hopefully this hope will not disappoint. Although it really might since I don't particularly want to drag myself out of my chair, even if I do get the reputation of being Lazy Elsie Marley.
Just kidding. Kind of. :)
All in all, we are paying LESS than Marc and Ivy paid for Will, and they had insurance. Isn't that something.
But, more to the point........ Induction Day is May 31, and we are to be there at 5am. We'll have the boys sleep over at Kim's the night before since 5 is too early for man or beast to be out and about. When I told that to Ivy she asked me who the beast was, and I think, that day, I'll be happy to be a beast so long as it will result in an Ilse.
After we see how I'm progressing with the Pitocin, we'll order the epidural and hopefully, if it works, I'll be in hog heaven. No, I'm not that ignorant. But hopefully I won't be in agony.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mom came by today and gave the Mamaw Seal of Approval to Ilse's lovely recliner. I love it, and Tim said today that he could sleep all day in that chair. I'm so thankful for it. Anyone care to come try it out? You just have to leave it by the time I go to the hospital.
Today we went out to look for a mirror for above Ilse's changing table/dresser. Tim asked me what we needed a mirror for, and I did have a lot of fun demonstrating how we will use the mirror with Ilse. I remember, not too long ago, taking Charlie around their house and showing him himself in all the multitudes of mirrors. He loved it, and I'm sure Ilse will too. However, when we didn't find a mirror (and having searched Craigslist, there aren't any on there, either), we (I) decided to buy some cute little birdies for her dresser instead. So I got a little pitcher/vase that's green, and two birds-- one yellow and the other blue. They are uber cute, and we'll see if I think they're still cute tomorrow. If I do, I guess I'll keep 'em. I know Grace Aldape would love them, so I'll have to post a pic for you when I get around to it. :)
This afternoon I need to get some vacuuming done now that Tim fixed the vacuum that I didn't even know was broken. I was deliriously upset to discover last night the beater was broken on my lovely vacuum.... and I discovered it just when I started vacuuming my room. I'd been talking about vacuuming it for days, and Tim just assumed I knew the vacuum was broken (he said it'd been broken for months, and that right there tells you how out of it I've been.) Of course, I didn't know, because I never would have been content fake vacuuming when I'm in the midst of nesting.
My response was a frantic, "Well, I need you to fix it!!!" And he did. I don't know about you, but in an old house, in the springtime, I do not want to be without a vacuum for even a night in case there is a creepy crawler I have to vacuum up, so I am thankful I didn't have to take the dumb thing to the shop.
So I got the room vacuumed and dusted, and hopefully today I can get the living room done. :) It's just a hope, and hopefully this hope will not disappoint. Although it really might since I don't particularly want to drag myself out of my chair, even if I do get the reputation of being Lazy Elsie Marley.
Just kidding. Kind of. :)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Not Me Monday (a day late)
I did not wake up briefly at 8 this morning and hope my husband wouldn't be able to find a sub job for today. I did not go back to sleep until 10:30am. I did not then get up, eat Cheerios, do a very few token things, and go back to bed at 1:30pm. Then, I absolutely most certainly did not sleep until 5pm.
And, without a doubt, I do not plan to go back to bed as soon as possible.
Nope. Not me.
And, without a doubt, I do not plan to go back to bed as soon as possible.
Nope. Not me.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
33 weeks, tomorrow
In case you didn't ketch it from the title, tomorrow makes 33 weeks of Ilse-ness. She is huge, and I think she might have dropped the other day, but not knowing the things I don't know, I can't be sure.
I do know that I almost updated my facebook the other day talking about how I can still wear my wedding ring, and yay me! Then that night I had to take it off because it felt so tight. I've taken it off every night in the middle of the night since. It's probably just the heat in the house, but I've heard horror stories of swelling and, considering I'm at such high risk of preeclampsia, I don't want my beloved ring to have to be cut off.
And then today, Tim told me my feet were swollen. I believe he's right. We'll see what the next several days bring. I was a bit lightheaded today, but going over the questions the doctor had asked me when I told her about the last time I was lightheaded, it occurred to me that of course I was, I didn't eat worth diddly squat today. Do you know what I ate? We were out, so I ate part of a muchaco, a taco, and a piece of banana bread. That's all I've currently eaten, and it's 9 pm. At least there was some meat in there. Oh, I did have a couple malt eggs as I was stuffing our Easter eggs for tomorrow.
I'm sure I'll eat much better tomorrow, and then tonight Tim got me something special. Ohhh, tomorrow... you know what we're eating? Lasagna (or as my family says, lazag), salad, bread, strawberries, IC, and my mother's famous Apple Book worthy chocolate cake. That will be a lovely lunch. I don't know what's for dinner, but it will likely be left overs or something of the sort, depending on how long we stay at Ivy's. I guess that depends on how tired this mommy is.
We have five weeks and two or three days until inducement day. I hope we make it!
I do know that I almost updated my facebook the other day talking about how I can still wear my wedding ring, and yay me! Then that night I had to take it off because it felt so tight. I've taken it off every night in the middle of the night since. It's probably just the heat in the house, but I've heard horror stories of swelling and, considering I'm at such high risk of preeclampsia, I don't want my beloved ring to have to be cut off.
And then today, Tim told me my feet were swollen. I believe he's right. We'll see what the next several days bring. I was a bit lightheaded today, but going over the questions the doctor had asked me when I told her about the last time I was lightheaded, it occurred to me that of course I was, I didn't eat worth diddly squat today. Do you know what I ate? We were out, so I ate part of a muchaco, a taco, and a piece of banana bread. That's all I've currently eaten, and it's 9 pm. At least there was some meat in there. Oh, I did have a couple malt eggs as I was stuffing our Easter eggs for tomorrow.
I'm sure I'll eat much better tomorrow, and then tonight Tim got me something special. Ohhh, tomorrow... you know what we're eating? Lasagna (or as my family says, lazag), salad, bread, strawberries, IC, and my mother's famous Apple Book worthy chocolate cake. That will be a lovely lunch. I don't know what's for dinner, but it will likely be left overs or something of the sort, depending on how long we stay at Ivy's. I guess that depends on how tired this mommy is.
We have five weeks and two or three days until inducement day. I hope we make it!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I'm a Stock Owner...
... according to Tim.
I used to joke that we had eaten so much food we basically had stock in the fast food companies.
Well, I overheard Tim last night telling the boys that we now have stock in the Tums company. Yes, I guess that has been one of my major consumables lately-- that and Braum's milk.
I read on the Braum's website the other day exactly why their milk is so good. I've always thought that most brands of whole milk are equivalent to Braum's 1 or 2 percent. Apparently it's because Braum's removes a 1/3 of the water from their milk, making it have more calcium and yummy goodness per glass.
Yes, I was spoiled at an early age by only drinking the best milk. I can't wait to complete the spoiling of the boys and begin spoiling Ilse on utter goodness.
I used to joke that we had eaten so much food we basically had stock in the fast food companies.
Well, I overheard Tim last night telling the boys that we now have stock in the Tums company. Yes, I guess that has been one of my major consumables lately-- that and Braum's milk.
I read on the Braum's website the other day exactly why their milk is so good. I've always thought that most brands of whole milk are equivalent to Braum's 1 or 2 percent. Apparently it's because Braum's removes a 1/3 of the water from their milk, making it have more calcium and yummy goodness per glass.
Yes, I was spoiled at an early age by only drinking the best milk. I can't wait to complete the spoiling of the boys and begin spoiling Ilse on utter goodness.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Decisions, Decisions
I had my 32 week Ilse appointment today, and I had a lot to talk to the doctor about. Why was I so infernally lightheaded the last two days?!? I wasn't good for anything on Saturday or Sunday. I even cried over it. Dumb, but true. There is nothing worse (to me) than feeling absolutely worthless, and when I can't drive Tim somewhere he needs to be because I am so lightheaded I'd crash the car, that's the time I feel worthless. Then, and when the house is a dump, like it is right now. My dishwasher has decided that it will clean everything but the silverware, which is coated in a residue so disgusting, even if I use vinegar with the detergent.... so I have pounds and pounds of dirty, soaking silverware that I have been putting off washing because I don't want to stand up that long. That makes me feel quite worthless.
But, you say, just tough it out!
Well... I suppose I could. If I wanted to fall over, stress myself out, send myself into preeclampsia.... you get the picture. I'll stick with babying myself a bit these last six weeks.
And I say six weeks because, based on what the doctor told me today, we've decided to induce on May 31, unless my blood pressure causes us to deliver even earlier.
Here's the reasoning (in case you're interested):
Babies are considered full term at 37 weeks, and we're going to let Ilse cook for 9 days longer than that.
She is currently measuring 2 weeks ahead.... not good for my you-know-what! The doctor said if we go to the due date or after (since first babies are usually late) I will be in for a C-section because of her size. She simply won't fit. I'd personally like to avoid that if possible.
We have another ultrasound at 34 weeks, and if Ilse really is as big as they think, we'll solidify the induction date and have her that day, May 31.
My blood pressure is chronically high, so the sooner we deliver her the better. Every time I go to the doctor, someone says, "And you're not on medicine for this?" Today my blood pressure was 133 over 94, which the doctor said is equivalent to the 148 over 84 or 83 or 89 I've been having. If I remember right, that was very close to the number that made the doctor send Kim to the hospital to be induced for Luke.
There is one other consideration (financial) into which I will not go, but it is a good reason. :)
That's our news. Unless something changes, it's looking like Ilse's birthday will be May 31, 2011. That's a good day I think.
I'm going to do everything I can to keep calm, de-stressed, and not overdo it so that I don't send my blood pressure up. Also, I'm going to hurry up and do the last minute things that I have carefully spaced out over the next several weeks... I'll do them earlier and closer together and with more help from Tim. I won't wait until 36 weeks to pack the boys' bag like I had planned. I'll probably do it in the next few days, just because of how I felt over the weekend. Something was wrong..... generally I'm never rude (I HOPE!) to people at church, but I left church on Sunday thinking I'd been rude to two people. I was so out of it with my lightheadedness that I wasn't socially aware at all. I also heard myself saying some completely weird things.
I'm also going to try to keep my weight gain down. The problem is, now that I've slowly started to gain weight (I'm just barely over my pre getting the boys weight, and no, I won't tell you what that was, except I did tell one person, but if she tells, boy do I have some dirt to tell on her! :) I am just so hungry! Before, I wasn't hungry at all. And then, I was hungry but everything sounded so gross I couldn't eat it. Just in the last month have I been hungry and wanting to eat. Unfortunately, I've been wanting to eat Pringles and Ben and Jerry's. And salmon and broccoli.... and my new fave.... TOMATO PIE! Yum!
At any rate, I don't want to give in to my hunger (even though I certainly don't eat too much... the doctor is always after me to eat more if I let on how much I really eat, which I try not to do because I almost threw up in the doctor's office looking at the giant list of food I'm supposed to be eating) because I don't want Ilse to be even bigger than she's going to be. I guess I feel like if she needs to dine more than I'm letting her, she can eat what's left of my butt or leg fat.
I know this was a very convoluted post. But honestly, that's just what happens when one is so confused she can't even remember where she put the bulletins for the church sing thing on Friday. I'm pretty sure I bought them early, but I simply can't remember.
Pray for us as we try to make it these last six weeks. I do not want to have preeclampsia. And as much as I adore my husband.... I have to say, at this juncture, I'm wishing his genes were not quite so big. My sister (married to my husband's brother) delivered an 8 pound 14 ounce baby eleven days early. That is huge. And, I must not forget to mention, that weight was noted after Charlie peed all over the nurses and the paperwork. Before he peed he was over 9 pounds. Big genes.... oh my.
What can I say. :)
But, you say, just tough it out!
Well... I suppose I could. If I wanted to fall over, stress myself out, send myself into preeclampsia.... you get the picture. I'll stick with babying myself a bit these last six weeks.
And I say six weeks because, based on what the doctor told me today, we've decided to induce on May 31, unless my blood pressure causes us to deliver even earlier.
Here's the reasoning (in case you're interested):
Babies are considered full term at 37 weeks, and we're going to let Ilse cook for 9 days longer than that.
She is currently measuring 2 weeks ahead.... not good for my you-know-what! The doctor said if we go to the due date or after (since first babies are usually late) I will be in for a C-section because of her size. She simply won't fit. I'd personally like to avoid that if possible.
We have another ultrasound at 34 weeks, and if Ilse really is as big as they think, we'll solidify the induction date and have her that day, May 31.
My blood pressure is chronically high, so the sooner we deliver her the better. Every time I go to the doctor, someone says, "And you're not on medicine for this?" Today my blood pressure was 133 over 94, which the doctor said is equivalent to the 148 over 84 or 83 or 89 I've been having. If I remember right, that was very close to the number that made the doctor send Kim to the hospital to be induced for Luke.
There is one other consideration (financial) into which I will not go, but it is a good reason. :)
That's our news. Unless something changes, it's looking like Ilse's birthday will be May 31, 2011. That's a good day I think.
I'm going to do everything I can to keep calm, de-stressed, and not overdo it so that I don't send my blood pressure up. Also, I'm going to hurry up and do the last minute things that I have carefully spaced out over the next several weeks... I'll do them earlier and closer together and with more help from Tim. I won't wait until 36 weeks to pack the boys' bag like I had planned. I'll probably do it in the next few days, just because of how I felt over the weekend. Something was wrong..... generally I'm never rude (I HOPE!) to people at church, but I left church on Sunday thinking I'd been rude to two people. I was so out of it with my lightheadedness that I wasn't socially aware at all. I also heard myself saying some completely weird things.
I'm also going to try to keep my weight gain down. The problem is, now that I've slowly started to gain weight (I'm just barely over my pre getting the boys weight, and no, I won't tell you what that was, except I did tell one person, but if she tells, boy do I have some dirt to tell on her! :) I am just so hungry! Before, I wasn't hungry at all. And then, I was hungry but everything sounded so gross I couldn't eat it. Just in the last month have I been hungry and wanting to eat. Unfortunately, I've been wanting to eat Pringles and Ben and Jerry's. And salmon and broccoli.... and my new fave.... TOMATO PIE! Yum!
At any rate, I don't want to give in to my hunger (even though I certainly don't eat too much... the doctor is always after me to eat more if I let on how much I really eat, which I try not to do because I almost threw up in the doctor's office looking at the giant list of food I'm supposed to be eating) because I don't want Ilse to be even bigger than she's going to be. I guess I feel like if she needs to dine more than I'm letting her, she can eat what's left of my butt or leg fat.
I know this was a very convoluted post. But honestly, that's just what happens when one is so confused she can't even remember where she put the bulletins for the church sing thing on Friday. I'm pretty sure I bought them early, but I simply can't remember.
Pray for us as we try to make it these last six weeks. I do not want to have preeclampsia. And as much as I adore my husband.... I have to say, at this juncture, I'm wishing his genes were not quite so big. My sister (married to my husband's brother) delivered an 8 pound 14 ounce baby eleven days early. That is huge. And, I must not forget to mention, that weight was noted after Charlie peed all over the nurses and the paperwork. Before he peed he was over 9 pounds. Big genes.... oh my.
What can I say. :)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Baby Belly Pic
This is the first and possibly only baby belly pic. I'm not posting it under a delusion that I'm cute today... I don't know that that day will ever come, but nevertheless, it's a BABY pic! And I love my little Ilse Joy.
She seems absolutely giant to me. My cousin Tiffany just gave birth to my first cousin twice removed, and when we went to see her in the hospital I (and someone else) brought it to my attention that my baby bump is as big or bigger (thanks Kim) than Tiffany's. Maybe so. At any rate..... Ilse is healthy and happy, and she is still growing. That means if and I do mean IF I post another picture, the bump will be even huger. As the boys say, it will be "the hugest bump I've ever sawd!"
She seems absolutely giant to me. My cousin Tiffany just gave birth to my first cousin twice removed, and when we went to see her in the hospital I (and someone else) brought it to my attention that my baby bump is as big or bigger (thanks Kim) than Tiffany's. Maybe so. At any rate..... Ilse is healthy and happy, and she is still growing. That means if and I do mean IF I post another picture, the bump will be even huger. As the boys say, it will be "the hugest bump I've ever sawd!"
Stella and Faith and other Real Life Situations
Today I finally got tired of the massive container of pretzels just sitting around my house. I know, Charlie generally consumes a few when he comes over, but that isn't altogether often, and I have to purge my house some.
No, even though it was suggested (Thanks, Kim) I'm not doing a giveaway of junk I want to get rid of anyway, but, I did come up with a nice option for getting rid of the bottom 1/5 of the container of pretzels.
I gave them to the dogs. Boy, did the dogs go wild.... at first. I thought Stella was going to bite my fingers off in her enthusiasm to get at those disgusting pretzels. However, one stern "SHHH! Stella!" and she calmed right down and began 'performing' to get her treats. She would sit, and then if I didn't give her one in a timely manner, she would lay down, all the while looking at me ready to take the pretzel ever so gently from my fingers.
Faith, on the other hand, was an absolute wild beast. I'm starting to like her a bit, but she needs to learn some stuff before I decide I'd like a Faith rug instead of a little tiny puppy, who isn't little anymore at all. It took many sit! commands before she would sit still long enough to get a pretzel, but then she managed to accomplish taking it from me calmly several times. Her teeth, of course, aren't as sharp as Stella's, but I still wouldn't like to be bitten accidentally. What would my dad say?!?!? :) Although, I have to admit, it would be ironic if the lab bit me instead of my murdering cutthroat beast. That would earn a laugh from me, and my family would shake their heads in disbelief.
Faith is starting to get a few manners. She doesn't nip at Joey so badly when he goes out to feed and water the dogs, which, perhaps is not so much manners as she doesn't want to get yelled at from a big ol' mean mommy, who has started going out with Joey. It's funny that I go out to protect him from Faith when Stella (our murdering cutthroat beast) just calmly and politely sniffs Joey's butt or stands in his way because she wants water, by george!
Tim's been talking about getting our new yard guys ($25.75 for the yard now, as opposed to $43.80, and these guys come before naptime, yay!) to plant some grass, but I say, what's the use? We're not moving this week, and the dogs would just tear it up anyway. We need to hold off and do the yard when we are leaving. It is an eyesore to Tim though, but in my view, the roses in the back (amazing blooms!) shield the yard from too many lookers, so maybe Tim and our next door neighbors are really the only ones who mind the grass anyway.
I've just plugged in the camera to charge, so if you are dying to see pictures of my roses, I'll post some later today. I know Jean has posted amazing pictures of her roses, and frankly they (and the music she has on her blog) make me kinda jealous. :) But nevertheless, I do love my roses, and I'm a bit disconcerted because I didn't feel that alive in February and so I didn't cut them back, so now this summer they're going to be even more massive than last year. I'm thinking the city might come by and complain because the bushes are encroaching on the alley. I have read, though, that you aren't supposed to cut these kinds of roses back because it makes them more bushy, but, what do I know. Either way they're too massive and the city will complain.
Speaking of complaining....... I'm fully expecting Tim to get arrested here shortly, since the city of Dallas is rounding up all the people with outstanding parking tickets. We have one, through no fault of our own. D&M Leasing didn't reregister the car they bought from us, even though they were supposed to, and some doofus parked the wrong way in Dallas. We, of course, got the ticket, and when I didn't act on it like within five days, we got another one with a fine added on. Good grief. We called D&M, and the lady said she would take care of it. Hopefully she did, or when the SWAT team shows up here, I'll have to direct them to Tim's work because, by george, I'm not leaving my babies to go to jail for a misunderstanding. Thankfully, Tim is totally on board with me throwing him under the bus in this way. What a nice husband I have. :) And yes, it is a SWAT team that would show up, or so the radio announcement said. Maybe I should call the city or something to see the state of that ticket. That might be a brilliant idea. And you're all like, "Well duh!"
I want to give a shout of for my lovely sons.... they are so helpful. Granted, today when I said we were doing laundry they announced they wanted to ride their bikes and I had to say, umm no, we're doing laundry, but in general they are incredibly helpful to a mommy who does not currently like to bend over. Every time I bend over I'm worried I'll feel that terribly sharp pain that I felt the other day in the shower. I think I might have broken Ilse's arm or something, because, clearly, something other than ME was in the way of my bend. And I didn't even try a snap. That would be a disaster at this juncture. I could, at this point, link to YouTube with the fabulous bend and snap scene from Legally Blond, but that the risk of offending my more sensitive readers, I'll refrain. I'm sure you've scene :) it.
Back to the boys: they are so fabulous at helping pick up the dirty laundry and putting it in the washer.... once we learned which one was the washer. Also, Joey loves switching loads over. Boy, are their wives going to love them.
Now if I can just teach them to get the vacuum and vacuum up the massive spiders they keep discovering in their rooms, and not let me know about it, I'd be one eternally happy momma.
No, even though it was suggested (Thanks, Kim) I'm not doing a giveaway of junk I want to get rid of anyway, but, I did come up with a nice option for getting rid of the bottom 1/5 of the container of pretzels.
I gave them to the dogs. Boy, did the dogs go wild.... at first. I thought Stella was going to bite my fingers off in her enthusiasm to get at those disgusting pretzels. However, one stern "SHHH! Stella!" and she calmed right down and began 'performing' to get her treats. She would sit, and then if I didn't give her one in a timely manner, she would lay down, all the while looking at me ready to take the pretzel ever so gently from my fingers.
Faith, on the other hand, was an absolute wild beast. I'm starting to like her a bit, but she needs to learn some stuff before I decide I'd like a Faith rug instead of a little tiny puppy, who isn't little anymore at all. It took many sit! commands before she would sit still long enough to get a pretzel, but then she managed to accomplish taking it from me calmly several times. Her teeth, of course, aren't as sharp as Stella's, but I still wouldn't like to be bitten accidentally. What would my dad say?!?!? :) Although, I have to admit, it would be ironic if the lab bit me instead of my murdering cutthroat beast. That would earn a laugh from me, and my family would shake their heads in disbelief.
Faith is starting to get a few manners. She doesn't nip at Joey so badly when he goes out to feed and water the dogs, which, perhaps is not so much manners as she doesn't want to get yelled at from a big ol' mean mommy, who has started going out with Joey. It's funny that I go out to protect him from Faith when Stella (our murdering cutthroat beast) just calmly and politely sniffs Joey's butt or stands in his way because she wants water, by george!
Tim's been talking about getting our new yard guys ($25.75 for the yard now, as opposed to $43.80, and these guys come before naptime, yay!) to plant some grass, but I say, what's the use? We're not moving this week, and the dogs would just tear it up anyway. We need to hold off and do the yard when we are leaving. It is an eyesore to Tim though, but in my view, the roses in the back (amazing blooms!) shield the yard from too many lookers, so maybe Tim and our next door neighbors are really the only ones who mind the grass anyway.
I've just plugged in the camera to charge, so if you are dying to see pictures of my roses, I'll post some later today. I know Jean has posted amazing pictures of her roses, and frankly they (and the music she has on her blog) make me kinda jealous. :) But nevertheless, I do love my roses, and I'm a bit disconcerted because I didn't feel that alive in February and so I didn't cut them back, so now this summer they're going to be even more massive than last year. I'm thinking the city might come by and complain because the bushes are encroaching on the alley. I have read, though, that you aren't supposed to cut these kinds of roses back because it makes them more bushy, but, what do I know. Either way they're too massive and the city will complain.
Speaking of complaining....... I'm fully expecting Tim to get arrested here shortly, since the city of Dallas is rounding up all the people with outstanding parking tickets. We have one, through no fault of our own. D&M Leasing didn't reregister the car they bought from us, even though they were supposed to, and some doofus parked the wrong way in Dallas. We, of course, got the ticket, and when I didn't act on it like within five days, we got another one with a fine added on. Good grief. We called D&M, and the lady said she would take care of it. Hopefully she did, or when the SWAT team shows up here, I'll have to direct them to Tim's work because, by george, I'm not leaving my babies to go to jail for a misunderstanding. Thankfully, Tim is totally on board with me throwing him under the bus in this way. What a nice husband I have. :) And yes, it is a SWAT team that would show up, or so the radio announcement said. Maybe I should call the city or something to see the state of that ticket. That might be a brilliant idea. And you're all like, "Well duh!"
I want to give a shout of for my lovely sons.... they are so helpful. Granted, today when I said we were doing laundry they announced they wanted to ride their bikes and I had to say, umm no, we're doing laundry, but in general they are incredibly helpful to a mommy who does not currently like to bend over. Every time I bend over I'm worried I'll feel that terribly sharp pain that I felt the other day in the shower. I think I might have broken Ilse's arm or something, because, clearly, something other than ME was in the way of my bend. And I didn't even try a snap. That would be a disaster at this juncture. I could, at this point, link to YouTube with the fabulous bend and snap scene from Legally Blond, but that the risk of offending my more sensitive readers, I'll refrain. I'm sure you've scene :) it.
Back to the boys: they are so fabulous at helping pick up the dirty laundry and putting it in the washer.... once we learned which one was the washer. Also, Joey loves switching loads over. Boy, are their wives going to love them.
Now if I can just teach them to get the vacuum and vacuum up the massive spiders they keep discovering in their rooms, and not let me know about it, I'd be one eternally happy momma.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Week 31
I am slowly but surely starting to get our house in baby-perfect order. It's a job, let me tell you. I have some items in Ilse's closet that I need to find homes for, and I need to wash her gowns that I bought and her stuffed animals. I also need to buy a recliner for her room; this is something Tim and I have put off, but soon after May 10 (tax return day?!?!?) we need to go find one and snap it up. I need to choose a paint color for Ilse's room and either paint it myself or beg help from my Daddy. I don't mind painting it, but I was told in no uncertain terms (thanks, Mom :) that I don't belong on a ladder. I can't blame my mother: I told Tim the exact same thing. He certainly doesn't belong on a ladder.
I'd love to clean out the closets in my room of unnecessary items, but I'm not holding my breath about it. Also, I need to figure out how to wash a pack 'n' play, as if that's possible.
I also need to pack the boys' overnight bags and continue to prepare them (and the person they stay with) about what's coming. Our boys are so not normal, and I need to make sure that Kim is aware of what they need. There's still time to back out, Eunice!
It's going to be a little difficult getting this stuff done, just because I've gotten so tired. Let me clarify; I've gotten so sleepy! The other day was my two nap day, and then yesterday I also took two naps EVEN THOUGH I slept 8 plus hours the night before. I'm so thankful the boys can play so happily as I doze. I'm also thankful my bedroom door and bed is exactly straight down the hall from their room, so all I have to do to check on them is pop open an eyeball and look ahead of me. I'm so thankful they have each other to entertain each other... a second pregnancy when you only have one 18 month old must be very hard. How on earth would you nap? I'm glad that I've been able to nap pretty much anytime I need to, just because there are two precious boys living here instead of one.
Ilse has started to poke my ribs. I wondered when this day would come, and now that it's here, I'm thinking... oooo, uncomfortable! It feels like there is something pushing OUT from under my ribs... like my chest cavity is being filled with water or air, like a torture victim, and I can't do anything about it except try to stand as straight as possible and breathe. How on earth did women wear corsets??? Pushing out is bad enough, how would pushing ribs in be?
That's pretty much all that's going on pregnancy-wise this week. My 32 week appointment is on Monday, and hopefully my blood pressure won't have skyrocketed. At least I know Ben and Jerry's ice cream doesn't really contribute to blood sugar, because I've sure been enjoying me some lately. :)
I'd love to clean out the closets in my room of unnecessary items, but I'm not holding my breath about it. Also, I need to figure out how to wash a pack 'n' play, as if that's possible.
I also need to pack the boys' overnight bags and continue to prepare them (and the person they stay with) about what's coming. Our boys are so not normal, and I need to make sure that Kim is aware of what they need. There's still time to back out, Eunice!
It's going to be a little difficult getting this stuff done, just because I've gotten so tired. Let me clarify; I've gotten so sleepy! The other day was my two nap day, and then yesterday I also took two naps EVEN THOUGH I slept 8 plus hours the night before. I'm so thankful the boys can play so happily as I doze. I'm also thankful my bedroom door and bed is exactly straight down the hall from their room, so all I have to do to check on them is pop open an eyeball and look ahead of me. I'm so thankful they have each other to entertain each other... a second pregnancy when you only have one 18 month old must be very hard. How on earth would you nap? I'm glad that I've been able to nap pretty much anytime I need to, just because there are two precious boys living here instead of one.
Ilse has started to poke my ribs. I wondered when this day would come, and now that it's here, I'm thinking... oooo, uncomfortable! It feels like there is something pushing OUT from under my ribs... like my chest cavity is being filled with water or air, like a torture victim, and I can't do anything about it except try to stand as straight as possible and breathe. How on earth did women wear corsets??? Pushing out is bad enough, how would pushing ribs in be?
That's pretty much all that's going on pregnancy-wise this week. My 32 week appointment is on Monday, and hopefully my blood pressure won't have skyrocketed. At least I know Ben and Jerry's ice cream doesn't really contribute to blood sugar, because I've sure been enjoying me some lately. :)
Friday, April 8, 2011
30 Week Appointment
I had my 30 week appointment on Wednesday, and surprise, surprise, my blood pressure went down. I know. What a shocker. Even the doctor was surprised. I don't know how that could have happened, because I certainly didn't do anything to warrant it. It'd pretty much even stopped drinking my grape juice. Nevertheless, down it was, and I'm glad.
Don't get any ideas, though, it was still high. Really high, actually, but lower than it was the last time. :)
Everything is progressing well. I'm not swollen, not diabetic, not anything, yet. We're just hanging out... and when I say hanging out, I do mean hanging out. Ilse's getting bigger every day, and she is making my stomach muscles ACHE! Ouchie kazoochie!
After my two nap day yesterday, Joey has taken to asking me (several times already today) "Are you going to take a nap, Mommy?" If I didn't know better I'd think he had something nefarious planned, but he's a bit too young for that.
I'm trying hard not to overdo it, but I do have a lot of things to do to get ready to go later. I need to clean my kitchen, pack my bag, go to Sam's, get the food ready, and get another water bowl for my puppies.
Speaking of puppies, I guess I'm starting to like Faith a little bit. It helps that she is learning how to sit down and let me pet her, although, I do shake a stick at her when she nips at me. She just can't be doing that to get attention, either mine or Joey's. That's like a kid that cusses to get attention. Not. Gonna. Happen.
Back to the doctor: I go back in two weeks, and hopefully my blood pressure will still be good. I'll be excited when we get to 36 weeks. I think I'll feel like she'll come any day, and I'll get really excited. I'm managing my excitement at this state, and plus, I don't really have the energy to be too excited right now. Ilse is making me
so
so
tired.
Don't get any ideas, though, it was still high. Really high, actually, but lower than it was the last time. :)
Everything is progressing well. I'm not swollen, not diabetic, not anything, yet. We're just hanging out... and when I say hanging out, I do mean hanging out. Ilse's getting bigger every day, and she is making my stomach muscles ACHE! Ouchie kazoochie!
After my two nap day yesterday, Joey has taken to asking me (several times already today) "Are you going to take a nap, Mommy?" If I didn't know better I'd think he had something nefarious planned, but he's a bit too young for that.
I'm trying hard not to overdo it, but I do have a lot of things to do to get ready to go later. I need to clean my kitchen, pack my bag, go to Sam's, get the food ready, and get another water bowl for my puppies.
Speaking of puppies, I guess I'm starting to like Faith a little bit. It helps that she is learning how to sit down and let me pet her, although, I do shake a stick at her when she nips at me. She just can't be doing that to get attention, either mine or Joey's. That's like a kid that cusses to get attention. Not. Gonna. Happen.
Back to the doctor: I go back in two weeks, and hopefully my blood pressure will still be good. I'll be excited when we get to 36 weeks. I think I'll feel like she'll come any day, and I'll get really excited. I'm managing my excitement at this state, and plus, I don't really have the energy to be too excited right now. Ilse is making me
so
so
tired.
Bone Tired
I realized again today what Ivy meant when she said being pregnant makes one 'bone tired'. Is she right or what!
Today was a two nap day. I know, it sounds absolutely crazy, but I was dead on my feet! In the morning, the boys took a nap, too, but in the afternoon when I napped one child played quietly nearby while the other was alone in his room since he'd been horribly mean to the other brother.
In between my naps, we did a lot of running around trying to get ready for our tiny vacay tomorrow night (while mean ol' Stella guards the house).
Also, I'm starting to have severe leg cramps in the mornings when I wake up. I guess that's a pregnancy thing. I remember Ivy crying in the night when we were little because of her Charley Horses, but I had never experienced it with any regularity. Now it's my turn, and I have to say, ouch!
Today was a two nap day. I know, it sounds absolutely crazy, but I was dead on my feet! In the morning, the boys took a nap, too, but in the afternoon when I napped one child played quietly nearby while the other was alone in his room since he'd been horribly mean to the other brother.
In between my naps, we did a lot of running around trying to get ready for our tiny vacay tomorrow night (while mean ol' Stella guards the house).
Also, I'm starting to have severe leg cramps in the mornings when I wake up. I guess that's a pregnancy thing. I remember Ivy crying in the night when we were little because of her Charley Horses, but I had never experienced it with any regularity. Now it's my turn, and I have to say, ouch!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Date Night
Thanks to Dee, Tim and I had a nice date night tonight. We went to Olive Garden; I expected to get just salad, because honestly, what could be better? But then, I saw the salmon and I had to have it. What could be better for a pregnant woman than salmon and broccoli? I still got my salad fix, and I have to say, I left that table feeling very satisfied with deliciousness.
Then we went to Lowes to get a new faucet for the kitchen sink. The plumber told us today that we needed a new one, and we didn't want to put if off because one never knows what could happen, and besides, I'm kinda tired of the low water pressure I've been enduring.... and not having a sprayer. It has leaked for a long time.
So the plumber Hutch fixed our leaky sink this morning, and I'll call the company back tomorrow. Maybe he can come out in the afternoon Wednesday or Thursday morning and install this lovely new faucet for us.
We reminded him how much we want to move; we're hoping that the pipes under the house will survive long enough to get out before we have to do a major replacement of them. Hutch recommended last time we had a major pipe clog that we do the fix fast before it gets even more expensive (he's thinking old pipes/tree roots), but we don't want to spend a couple thousand right now on that. We'd so much rather move. We'll see, won't we. :)
I was teasing Tim that on our date we had pleasure and business, what with Olive Garden and Lowes, and I guess that's how dates get to be when you've been married for a while and you have kids. It was nice walking through Lowes with my husband. That store, actually, is one of our favorite places to go. I remember back when we were in the apartment Tim used to tell me about how he and his brothers absolutely hated going to Home Depot with their dad... how it would take hours! Then, we got a house, and that very first weekend we owned it he had an epiphany. I did too, and we've gone to Lowes regularly since. We just adore that store.
Tim was home the last two days with me, and I cannot express how much he has helped me. We made a good dent in the laundry, he helped me file some things, and he let me sleep in both mornings. He is also so good with the boys. I feel much better about the house; I was close to freak out regarding some things. One of the other things Tim did was install our new shower head (Lowes, again.) Our old one was quite broken and mineral encrusted. I wanted a hand held sprayer so I could more easily shower the boys, and boy howdy was it easier tonight! The boys liked it too, even though I'm afraid it will hamper Joey's learning to shower himself since now I hold the sprayer and move it to wash him off instead of him having to rinse his own hair out. That's ok; so long as I can bathe them and he/I is/am not embarrassed, then that's what we'll do.
We've had a wonderful two days, and we're all looking forward to this weekend because we will leave our murdering cutthroat beast to guard the house and we will go to Great Wolf Lodge. It'll be fun!
Then we went to Lowes to get a new faucet for the kitchen sink. The plumber told us today that we needed a new one, and we didn't want to put if off because one never knows what could happen, and besides, I'm kinda tired of the low water pressure I've been enduring.... and not having a sprayer. It has leaked for a long time.
So the plumber Hutch fixed our leaky sink this morning, and I'll call the company back tomorrow. Maybe he can come out in the afternoon Wednesday or Thursday morning and install this lovely new faucet for us.
We reminded him how much we want to move; we're hoping that the pipes under the house will survive long enough to get out before we have to do a major replacement of them. Hutch recommended last time we had a major pipe clog that we do the fix fast before it gets even more expensive (he's thinking old pipes/tree roots), but we don't want to spend a couple thousand right now on that. We'd so much rather move. We'll see, won't we. :)
I was teasing Tim that on our date we had pleasure and business, what with Olive Garden and Lowes, and I guess that's how dates get to be when you've been married for a while and you have kids. It was nice walking through Lowes with my husband. That store, actually, is one of our favorite places to go. I remember back when we were in the apartment Tim used to tell me about how he and his brothers absolutely hated going to Home Depot with their dad... how it would take hours! Then, we got a house, and that very first weekend we owned it he had an epiphany. I did too, and we've gone to Lowes regularly since. We just adore that store.
Tim was home the last two days with me, and I cannot express how much he has helped me. We made a good dent in the laundry, he helped me file some things, and he let me sleep in both mornings. He is also so good with the boys. I feel much better about the house; I was close to freak out regarding some things. One of the other things Tim did was install our new shower head (Lowes, again.) Our old one was quite broken and mineral encrusted. I wanted a hand held sprayer so I could more easily shower the boys, and boy howdy was it easier tonight! The boys liked it too, even though I'm afraid it will hamper Joey's learning to shower himself since now I hold the sprayer and move it to wash him off instead of him having to rinse his own hair out. That's ok; so long as I can bathe them and he/I is/am not embarrassed, then that's what we'll do.
We've had a wonderful two days, and we're all looking forward to this weekend because we will leave our murdering cutthroat beast to guard the house and we will go to Great Wolf Lodge. It'll be fun!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
30 weeks
and boy, how time does fly!
We are ten weeks from Birth Day IF Ilse comes on her due date. Is that likely? Who knows. At any rate, we are more than likely several weeks from Birth Day unless my blood pressure skyrockets. This week I'll ask the doctor when we need to do another 24 hour urine protein check; who knows, maybe we won't yet and that will give us even more time to grow Ilse. Tim and I would be happy if she waited to come until after we get our tax return. Wouldn't that be nice.
I've been trying to remember to take my iron pill. It's been difficult, but we're making an effort. I am done with jeans, I think. I started getting the pregnancy hots last night, and it hasn't really stopped yet. Last night my pillow was on fire, and today in church I was so hot I was nauseated and had to go get some ice in a towel to pat my face with. Dumb, I know, but you do what you gotta do so you don't skip out on too much of the service.
Mood swings are back again, and as any Foster knows, when we are hot our moods are not lovely. We try, but unfortunately, that's the way we are. Mom used to say that if we were grumpy as kids, she knew we were hot. With us, it's either we're hot, tired, or hungry. And I bet we're not the only family like that. So lately, I've been hot, tired, and hungry constantly, and pretty much I've held it together. I was mad yesterday and this morning, but it didn't take long to calm down and it took even less time to make it right with the poor one I'd gotten mad at. (Granted, the poor one was EXTREMELY naughty.) I know this part of the blog post doesn't make me look like a very nice person, but I'm writing it anyway.
My precious boys are still sick. I am at a complete loss with this. It's been constant colds. Christopher is so congested. Joey keeps drinking after Christopher so then he catches it. At least Joey can blow his own nose. I've been giving the boys cold medicine even though Bam-Bam isn't four, and the other day I completely messed up and bought a cold medicine for 6 year olds before I realized it. I gave them half the six year old dose, and by george, it helped them sleep without coughing! I was so excited and they woke up feeling so much better. Medicine is totally worth it. I hate hearing my babies coughing in the night and knowing there is nothing I can do about it. I really hesitate to make a doctor trip because she'd just say, it's a cold! No kidding. That's always the way it is with me. "Hey, my foot hurts!" "Tendonitis.... take ibuprofen." "My arm hurts." "Take ibuprofen." So now I just take ibuprofen... or I did, before I discovered we had a little Ilse. Now my foot is killing me and I'm just dealing with it.
The other pregnancy symptoms I'm experiencing beside the hot spells and mood swings are sharp stabbing pains when I walk too much, sharp stabbing pains if I wait too long to go to the bathroom (this only happens at night), and unbelievable thirst.
All in all, I feel like I'm doing great. Ilse is growing at a shocking rate. She seems giant and she'll continue to grow at this horrendous pace until she's born, apparently. Good for her. :)
I got to ask my dear friend Ivy some baby questions last night, and I was so happy when I got off the phone that she answers me so graciously, affirmatively, and nicely. She is chock full of information and she doesn't mind dispensing it, so long as I ask nicely. :)
I'll update on the pregnancy again after my appointment on Wednesday.
We are ten weeks from Birth Day IF Ilse comes on her due date. Is that likely? Who knows. At any rate, we are more than likely several weeks from Birth Day unless my blood pressure skyrockets. This week I'll ask the doctor when we need to do another 24 hour urine protein check; who knows, maybe we won't yet and that will give us even more time to grow Ilse. Tim and I would be happy if she waited to come until after we get our tax return. Wouldn't that be nice.
I've been trying to remember to take my iron pill. It's been difficult, but we're making an effort. I am done with jeans, I think. I started getting the pregnancy hots last night, and it hasn't really stopped yet. Last night my pillow was on fire, and today in church I was so hot I was nauseated and had to go get some ice in a towel to pat my face with. Dumb, I know, but you do what you gotta do so you don't skip out on too much of the service.
Mood swings are back again, and as any Foster knows, when we are hot our moods are not lovely. We try, but unfortunately, that's the way we are. Mom used to say that if we were grumpy as kids, she knew we were hot. With us, it's either we're hot, tired, or hungry. And I bet we're not the only family like that. So lately, I've been hot, tired, and hungry constantly, and pretty much I've held it together. I was mad yesterday and this morning, but it didn't take long to calm down and it took even less time to make it right with the poor one I'd gotten mad at. (Granted, the poor one was EXTREMELY naughty.) I know this part of the blog post doesn't make me look like a very nice person, but I'm writing it anyway.
My precious boys are still sick. I am at a complete loss with this. It's been constant colds. Christopher is so congested. Joey keeps drinking after Christopher so then he catches it. At least Joey can blow his own nose. I've been giving the boys cold medicine even though Bam-Bam isn't four, and the other day I completely messed up and bought a cold medicine for 6 year olds before I realized it. I gave them half the six year old dose, and by george, it helped them sleep without coughing! I was so excited and they woke up feeling so much better. Medicine is totally worth it. I hate hearing my babies coughing in the night and knowing there is nothing I can do about it. I really hesitate to make a doctor trip because she'd just say, it's a cold! No kidding. That's always the way it is with me. "Hey, my foot hurts!" "Tendonitis.... take ibuprofen." "My arm hurts." "Take ibuprofen." So now I just take ibuprofen... or I did, before I discovered we had a little Ilse. Now my foot is killing me and I'm just dealing with it.
The other pregnancy symptoms I'm experiencing beside the hot spells and mood swings are sharp stabbing pains when I walk too much, sharp stabbing pains if I wait too long to go to the bathroom (this only happens at night), and unbelievable thirst.
All in all, I feel like I'm doing great. Ilse is growing at a shocking rate. She seems giant and she'll continue to grow at this horrendous pace until she's born, apparently. Good for her. :)
I got to ask my dear friend Ivy some baby questions last night, and I was so happy when I got off the phone that she answers me so graciously, affirmatively, and nicely. She is chock full of information and she doesn't mind dispensing it, so long as I ask nicely. :)
I'll update on the pregnancy again after my appointment on Wednesday.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
29 Week Growth Ultrasound
If you remember, the doctor said my blood pressure might cause Ilse to grow too slowly, and so she prescribed two growth ultrasounds to check on the sweet baby's progress.
The first ultrasound at 25 weeks and 3 days revealed a healthy baby that was measuring at 25 weeks and 4 days. I was relieved. Thanks for the prayers!
The second ultrasound was done this morning, and jokingly, as I was headed out the door from Kim's (she watched the boys), I remarked that the baby would be a week big. Well, she is. She's exactly a week big. She is measuring at 30 weeks 3 days instead of 29 and 3. Yay for Ilse! I'm so glad my BP is not interfering with her growth.
Here are her stats: She is perfectly proportionate-- no one part of her body is larger than the others. She has very long legs (Thank you, Parker genes-- they're the tall ones.) Her brain looks excellent. She has no sign of spina bifida (which is a relief to me since I haven't been faithfully taking my folic acid.) She has all ten toes, although it's impossible to tell if they are webbed like little Gracie's, and I think someone else's? The sono tech told me she doesn't have club feet or a cleft lip. She is guesstimated to be at 3 pounds 11 ounces, which is quite a bit bigger than BabyCenter predicts at this week, but the sono tech said that we are within the two week window of normality. Ilse is upside down and facing the right way. I wonder if she'll stay that way? She still won't give us a true profile during an ultrasound. She must be like Zoolander and not want to turn left.
Ilse looks to be perfectly healthy and wonderful. We got a couple good pics of her little lips and nose. She has two nostrils, for anyone who was wondering about that all important fact. Some day, she'll be able to blow her nose in the manner of most other people on the planet.
I have been taking my iron pill regularly and I feel some better; however, I would almost trade the renewed energy for the fresh breath I used to enjoy. Now I am plagued in the mornings with an atrocious taste in my mouth. It is like I swallowed metal.... which I guess I basically did.
I am having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions which is a new and different sensation. We're getting through it, although it has caught me off guard a couple of times. These are not fun while I am driving, which, if you know me, is something I am almost always doing. Constantly.
My feet haven't grown and neither has anything else that was supposed to. I don't even believe I'm taller, even though somebody, maybe Christie? grew a couple inches when she was pregnant with one of the boys. I do have worse skin, on my face, but the rash on my stomach that I've had for several years is actually better. And my hair is nice and soft. And my fingernails are so thick I can hardly cut them. :)
Ilse and I are doing great; we are enjoying being in each other's space and I just can't wait for the day (night) when she keeps me up kicking. I am downing quite a few Tums each day, but other than the added sugar, I don't guess it will kill me. They sure make me breathe easier.
We are supposed to paint Ilse's room this weekend. I hope I am up to it, because even not being pregnant, painting is hard. The up and down, up and down, up and down hurts my sciatic nerve. Nevertheless, we are going to do our best, and historically, our best looks pretty nice. I am the painter in the family, although no one has called on me in a long time.
When Mom was planning on painting, I offered, and she said, "No, you might have kids soon!" That was last May, and I remember replying, "Um, no, adoptions take much longer! Even if we got a call tomorrow we wouldn't have the kids for weeks." How stupid was I! The next day we got the call about the boys, and that very day they arrived. Perhaps that is why I haven't been asked to paint anything. Clearly I'm not living in the world of reality. :)
The first ultrasound at 25 weeks and 3 days revealed a healthy baby that was measuring at 25 weeks and 4 days. I was relieved. Thanks for the prayers!
The second ultrasound was done this morning, and jokingly, as I was headed out the door from Kim's (she watched the boys), I remarked that the baby would be a week big. Well, she is. She's exactly a week big. She is measuring at 30 weeks 3 days instead of 29 and 3. Yay for Ilse! I'm so glad my BP is not interfering with her growth.
Here are her stats: She is perfectly proportionate-- no one part of her body is larger than the others. She has very long legs (Thank you, Parker genes-- they're the tall ones.) Her brain looks excellent. She has no sign of spina bifida (which is a relief to me since I haven't been faithfully taking my folic acid.) She has all ten toes, although it's impossible to tell if they are webbed like little Gracie's, and I think someone else's? The sono tech told me she doesn't have club feet or a cleft lip. She is guesstimated to be at 3 pounds 11 ounces, which is quite a bit bigger than BabyCenter predicts at this week, but the sono tech said that we are within the two week window of normality. Ilse is upside down and facing the right way. I wonder if she'll stay that way? She still won't give us a true profile during an ultrasound. She must be like Zoolander and not want to turn left.
Ilse looks to be perfectly healthy and wonderful. We got a couple good pics of her little lips and nose. She has two nostrils, for anyone who was wondering about that all important fact. Some day, she'll be able to blow her nose in the manner of most other people on the planet.
I have been taking my iron pill regularly and I feel some better; however, I would almost trade the renewed energy for the fresh breath I used to enjoy. Now I am plagued in the mornings with an atrocious taste in my mouth. It is like I swallowed metal.... which I guess I basically did.
I am having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions which is a new and different sensation. We're getting through it, although it has caught me off guard a couple of times. These are not fun while I am driving, which, if you know me, is something I am almost always doing. Constantly.
My feet haven't grown and neither has anything else that was supposed to. I don't even believe I'm taller, even though somebody, maybe Christie? grew a couple inches when she was pregnant with one of the boys. I do have worse skin, on my face, but the rash on my stomach that I've had for several years is actually better. And my hair is nice and soft. And my fingernails are so thick I can hardly cut them. :)
Ilse and I are doing great; we are enjoying being in each other's space and I just can't wait for the day (night) when she keeps me up kicking. I am downing quite a few Tums each day, but other than the added sugar, I don't guess it will kill me. They sure make me breathe easier.
We are supposed to paint Ilse's room this weekend. I hope I am up to it, because even not being pregnant, painting is hard. The up and down, up and down, up and down hurts my sciatic nerve. Nevertheless, we are going to do our best, and historically, our best looks pretty nice. I am the painter in the family, although no one has called on me in a long time.
When Mom was planning on painting, I offered, and she said, "No, you might have kids soon!" That was last May, and I remember replying, "Um, no, adoptions take much longer! Even if we got a call tomorrow we wouldn't have the kids for weeks." How stupid was I! The next day we got the call about the boys, and that very day they arrived. Perhaps that is why I haven't been asked to paint anything. Clearly I'm not living in the world of reality. :)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
God Made Ilse, the Baby
God made Ilse, the Baby..... that's what Joey told me at breakfast this morning. God made all the 'peoples', Joey told me also, but most of all, I'm glad that Joey knows that God made our baby.
Tomorrow is my second growth ultrasound. I was worried before the first ultrasound because of the things the doctor said, but it looks to me like Ilse is completely on track and so I'm not worried before this second ultrasound.
At 28 weeks I was measuring a week ahead, and Ilse's size was a day ahead at 25 weeks. I'm guessing she'll be even more ahead this time since I actually gained three pounds. :-O What a shock.
Here are some pictures from the 3D ultrasound that we had on Saturday. Even the ultrasound tech was overcome with how giant Ilse's cheeks are.
Apparently, her nose and lips look just like mine, and her delicious cheeks come straight from a gene Kimberly has too. Ivy claims to have seen in these pictures (maybe in one I didn't post) an expression that I make. It's only two and a half months at the longest that we have to wait to get a look at her in person.
Birth Day prep is underway. I'm beginning the housecleaning, and this week or next I'll pack the boys' bags and stow them in the car. I'll also make our Herald List (if you want to get called when I go to the hospital, let me know, and also let me know your preference for possibly getting a call in the night), and I need to make the list of what I want to take with me to the hospital. I already have a few things on my list. They include my computer, phone, and a nice set of clothes. I don't want to come home looking like a bag, because then I'll feel even more like a bag than I probably already am going to.
I (Tim) needs to clean the car and we will put Ilse's seat in there, and I need to get ahead of the lady on Craigslist from whom I want to buy the pack n play. Her dad has cancer, and so I hesitate to bother her too much. At the end of April we're doing a test run for the boys' sake-- they will spend the night at Kim's and we'll see how secure they feel.
I'm planning on taking Ivy's advice and starting to rest every possibly minute starting week 32 so that I will be fresh as a daisy on Birth Day. We'll see how that goes. Somehow my resting never exactly works the way I plan.
Another exciting tidbit (at least to me): I felt my first Braxton Hicks contraction on Sunday at Awanas.
29 weeks and counting. If she goes to 40 weeks, we're only 11 weeks away from Birth Day. I don't think she or I will last that long. I'm thinking my blood pressure will skyrocket and we'll do an emergency something. Something's bound to happen. As I've been told, this pregnancy has been TOO easy. But you never know. Possibly the seven years we tried to get pregnant were the hard years, and maybe everything that's left will be easy. Lol..... I can dream, can't I? :)
Tomorrow is my second growth ultrasound. I was worried before the first ultrasound because of the things the doctor said, but it looks to me like Ilse is completely on track and so I'm not worried before this second ultrasound.
At 28 weeks I was measuring a week ahead, and Ilse's size was a day ahead at 25 weeks. I'm guessing she'll be even more ahead this time since I actually gained three pounds. :-O What a shock.
Here are some pictures from the 3D ultrasound that we had on Saturday. Even the ultrasound tech was overcome with how giant Ilse's cheeks are.
The picture below is odd. You can see right through her eyelids.
Apparently, her nose and lips look just like mine, and her delicious cheeks come straight from a gene Kimberly has too. Ivy claims to have seen in these pictures (maybe in one I didn't post) an expression that I make. It's only two and a half months at the longest that we have to wait to get a look at her in person.
Birth Day prep is underway. I'm beginning the housecleaning, and this week or next I'll pack the boys' bags and stow them in the car. I'll also make our Herald List (if you want to get called when I go to the hospital, let me know, and also let me know your preference for possibly getting a call in the night), and I need to make the list of what I want to take with me to the hospital. I already have a few things on my list. They include my computer, phone, and a nice set of clothes. I don't want to come home looking like a bag, because then I'll feel even more like a bag than I probably already am going to.
I (Tim) needs to clean the car and we will put Ilse's seat in there, and I need to get ahead of the lady on Craigslist from whom I want to buy the pack n play. Her dad has cancer, and so I hesitate to bother her too much. At the end of April we're doing a test run for the boys' sake-- they will spend the night at Kim's and we'll see how secure they feel.
I'm planning on taking Ivy's advice and starting to rest every possibly minute starting week 32 so that I will be fresh as a daisy on Birth Day. We'll see how that goes. Somehow my resting never exactly works the way I plan.
Another exciting tidbit (at least to me): I felt my first Braxton Hicks contraction on Sunday at Awanas.
29 weeks and counting. If she goes to 40 weeks, we're only 11 weeks away from Birth Day. I don't think she or I will last that long. I'm thinking my blood pressure will skyrocket and we'll do an emergency something. Something's bound to happen. As I've been told, this pregnancy has been TOO easy. But you never know. Possibly the seven years we tried to get pregnant were the hard years, and maybe everything that's left will be easy. Lol..... I can dream, can't I? :)
Friday, March 25, 2011
This Morning
I had a very interesting morning today. After taking Tim to work and coming home, I was overcome with extreme exhaustion. I must have been pretty anemic to be that tired and lightheaded. I immediately rejoiced that I was safely at home :) and not out walking in the heat, and then, after trying to conquer the exhaustion by sitting down, I realized that I had to take more drastic measures. I don't know how I thought of it, but I thought of Jamba Juice and how they add stuff to their drinks. I drove there yawning, and the guy offered me wheat grass. Um, no. I'd rather be tired than drink a shot of wheat grass. We compromised on a drink with strawberries, blueberries, spinach and I don't know what all else, but about half an hour after drinking it, I felt immeasurably better.
I also hightailed it to Wal-mart for an iron supplement. I figured that if I am going to be able to get through the rest of the day, I better take some. So I got two kinds (in case one hurts my stomach) and then I caved to how I felt and got the boys vitamins too, so that they won't ever feel half as bad as I did at the time.
I also succumbed to the girly side of me that I'll need to be a little girl's mother and bought green nail polish. It's a bit sparkly and I've already used it. It's fabulous. Now I can look down at my toes and think of spring, pools, leafy trees, and fresh cut grass. It's a total happy spot, kind of like Ilse's curtains.
I just put up the second curtain and I am very pleased with the results. We are going to replace the curtain rod since it droops in the middle, but my nesting instinct hasn't demanded that I do that, yet.
Last night I put the second mattress in the crib. I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but if I raise the mattress up to the level needed for a newborn, the dust ruffle doesn't show below the crib bars. I can't bear that. So we are stacking two mattresses, and now it is nearly to the perfect height for getting Ilse out without too much trouble. I bought the mattress pad and lovely knit sheet so I could put it together. I think it's lovely. I am going to pray daily that I don't spoil this child with beautiful things; I don't think I'm off to a very good start.
The little purple donkey is from Auntie Kimberly. Mom told me it's the same brand as the Bear Kim had forever. (I'm sure she still has it, but I'm equally sure she doesn't still sleep with it.) The outfit is Ilse's coming home outfit, unless I change my mind.
Now I think I might have the energy to fold the laundry on the couch that's been there forever. Why is it that laundry accumulates so badly? Other than the obvious reason of course...
I'm not the only one in my family who loathes the chore of putting away laundry. I don't know what it is about it. Kimberly recommended that I put the unfolded laundry in the room to which it will go, and then, it is pretty much already put away. The only problem with that is that there's now been a basket of unfolded laundry in the boys' room for weeks. Out of sight, out of mind. The basket in there is good for one thing, though. It's good for teaching the boys how to look for something. Both of them have gotten better at finding stuff since I started having them dig for their clean underwear in a basket full of clothes. Ahh, the silver lining. :)
And here's what the boys are doing this afternoon. Don't worry, Dad, Mom, and everyone else worried about our murdering cutthroat beast: I'm supervising them.
I love our boys. And Stella. :)
I also hightailed it to Wal-mart for an iron supplement. I figured that if I am going to be able to get through the rest of the day, I better take some. So I got two kinds (in case one hurts my stomach) and then I caved to how I felt and got the boys vitamins too, so that they won't ever feel half as bad as I did at the time.
I also succumbed to the girly side of me that I'll need to be a little girl's mother and bought green nail polish. It's a bit sparkly and I've already used it. It's fabulous. Now I can look down at my toes and think of spring, pools, leafy trees, and fresh cut grass. It's a total happy spot, kind of like Ilse's curtains.
I just put up the second curtain and I am very pleased with the results. We are going to replace the curtain rod since it droops in the middle, but my nesting instinct hasn't demanded that I do that, yet.
Last night I put the second mattress in the crib. I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but if I raise the mattress up to the level needed for a newborn, the dust ruffle doesn't show below the crib bars. I can't bear that. So we are stacking two mattresses, and now it is nearly to the perfect height for getting Ilse out without too much trouble. I bought the mattress pad and lovely knit sheet so I could put it together. I think it's lovely. I am going to pray daily that I don't spoil this child with beautiful things; I don't think I'm off to a very good start.
The little purple donkey is from Auntie Kimberly. Mom told me it's the same brand as the Bear Kim had forever. (I'm sure she still has it, but I'm equally sure she doesn't still sleep with it.) The outfit is Ilse's coming home outfit, unless I change my mind.
Now I think I might have the energy to fold the laundry on the couch that's been there forever. Why is it that laundry accumulates so badly? Other than the obvious reason of course...
I'm not the only one in my family who loathes the chore of putting away laundry. I don't know what it is about it. Kimberly recommended that I put the unfolded laundry in the room to which it will go, and then, it is pretty much already put away. The only problem with that is that there's now been a basket of unfolded laundry in the boys' room for weeks. Out of sight, out of mind. The basket in there is good for one thing, though. It's good for teaching the boys how to look for something. Both of them have gotten better at finding stuff since I started having them dig for their clean underwear in a basket full of clothes. Ahh, the silver lining. :)
And here's what the boys are doing this afternoon. Don't worry, Dad, Mom, and everyone else worried about our murdering cutthroat beast: I'm supervising them.
I love our boys. And Stella. :)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pregnancy Update for Week 28
Ilse is kicking her Mommy with regularity, but so far it hasn't kept me awake. I really kinda wish it would. Wait.... should I be careful what I wish for? :)
I am also pleased to report that I passed my glucola test, which means I don't have to take the three hour gestational diabetes test. I am so thankful! I am not a good eater and I was overwhelmed with the idea of such regular and set meals. It's too much to contemplate and the good Lord spared me. He didn't spare me by much, though. The doctor considers 137 and below as normal, and what was my number? 137. Yes, that's right. I had decided to eat cereal that morning, and I am so glad I didn't drink the milk in the bottom of the bowl, and when I was still hungry, I'm glad I chose to eat popcorn instead of a yogurt.
We are still watching my blood pressure, and I am drinking as much water as is humanly possible.
And if you want to know the knitty gritty.... I have discovered my least favorite part of pregnancy. Don't read this if you don't like TMI.
It's the peeing. It's constant. It's worse than constant. I barely go and get my hands washed before I'm back in there again. And one might say, Well, duh, Emily. Drink less water! But I can't. I need it. I crave it. I feel like Tim's dad... he says there's nothing better than water, and by george, he's right. I will keep myself hydrated if I make our water bill go up by hundreds! And that, possibly, is why I'm measuring big. It's not extra weight (the doctor said so!) It's more likely the giant amounts of water I'm contributing to the amniotic fluid. :)
Ok, TMI is over.
So early today when I got the call from the doctor's office, my heart just plunged. They had told me they wouldn't call if my glucola test was normal. The nurse asked how I was doing, and I told her that since she was calling, I guess I was doing worse than I thought. But no! She was calling because I'm apparently "a little bit anemic." That's so much better than having to go do that horrendous three hour test. So she told me to take an iron pill in addition to my prenatal, and I heroically refrained from telling her I haven't taken my prenatal in months... months, I tell you. I simply couldn't remember it, and I was told that I only needed it for folic acid, which I get plenty of anyway with all of the fortified breads and cereals I eat. But now I need it for iron, so I have to try to remember to take it, and my friend said she'd give me some iron pills that she has, so I'll take those too and possibly I won't have any more spells of dizziness and lightheadedness. That would be nice.
I did buy some maternity clothes. It wasexciting frustrating. And long. I went to five stores, at least. I found one pair of shorts and one skirt. I'm thankful for them. But all that walking made me tired and further fortified my decision not to go to the Arboretum tomorrow which, apparently, set off an international debacle. Even Obama AND the Japanese emperor (can you imagine that he had the time for me with all that is going on over there?!?) called me to try to get me to go, but, I remain firm. I shall stay home in cool comfort, with my enormous amounts of water close by and my wonderful potty in there just a room away.
That's the update for week 28. We're in the home stretch. Ilse wants to come out and see mommy and daddy and Joey and Bam-Bam, but since she is a responsible girl, she'll wait a bit longer. Good girl, Ilse Joy. We love you!
I am also pleased to report that I passed my glucola test, which means I don't have to take the three hour gestational diabetes test. I am so thankful! I am not a good eater and I was overwhelmed with the idea of such regular and set meals. It's too much to contemplate and the good Lord spared me. He didn't spare me by much, though. The doctor considers 137 and below as normal, and what was my number? 137. Yes, that's right. I had decided to eat cereal that morning, and I am so glad I didn't drink the milk in the bottom of the bowl, and when I was still hungry, I'm glad I chose to eat popcorn instead of a yogurt.
We are still watching my blood pressure, and I am drinking as much water as is humanly possible.
And if you want to know the knitty gritty.... I have discovered my least favorite part of pregnancy. Don't read this if you don't like TMI.
It's the peeing. It's constant. It's worse than constant. I barely go and get my hands washed before I'm back in there again. And one might say, Well, duh, Emily. Drink less water! But I can't. I need it. I crave it. I feel like Tim's dad... he says there's nothing better than water, and by george, he's right. I will keep myself hydrated if I make our water bill go up by hundreds! And that, possibly, is why I'm measuring big. It's not extra weight (the doctor said so!) It's more likely the giant amounts of water I'm contributing to the amniotic fluid. :)
Ok, TMI is over.
So early today when I got the call from the doctor's office, my heart just plunged. They had told me they wouldn't call if my glucola test was normal. The nurse asked how I was doing, and I told her that since she was calling, I guess I was doing worse than I thought. But no! She was calling because I'm apparently "a little bit anemic." That's so much better than having to go do that horrendous three hour test. So she told me to take an iron pill in addition to my prenatal, and I heroically refrained from telling her I haven't taken my prenatal in months... months, I tell you. I simply couldn't remember it, and I was told that I only needed it for folic acid, which I get plenty of anyway with all of the fortified breads and cereals I eat. But now I need it for iron, so I have to try to remember to take it, and my friend said she'd give me some iron pills that she has, so I'll take those too and possibly I won't have any more spells of dizziness and lightheadedness. That would be nice.
I did buy some maternity clothes. It was
That's the update for week 28. We're in the home stretch. Ilse wants to come out and see mommy and daddy and Joey and Bam-Bam, but since she is a responsible girl, she'll wait a bit longer. Good girl, Ilse Joy. We love you!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Pregnancy Notes and Purchases for Ilse
Tim and I have spent some of the week this week accumulating baby items. Ok, that's a bit of an understatement. I have spent MOST of our week searching on Craigslist for items, negotiating prices (not) and going to pick the items up.
We got a stroller frame (Kim and Ivy's recommendation), a Jenny Jump Up (which I'm not too sure about), a free portable sleeping item that I'll give away (because it does not look sanitary), a valance, and a bouncy seat. Here's a picture of the bouncy seat. I LOVE it!
Then, from Babies R Us we got the larger stroller (which Tim and I couldn't resist) and the car seat. Here's a pic of the car seat. Notice it matches the bouncy seat.
We love all our purchases, and so far, we've stayed within our budget. Yay me! :) Ivy has already asked me if we'll loan these things to our niece Olivia, yet to be created, and of course we will! They are too gorgeous to store in a garage.
We still need some things like a play gym and I am planning on buying it myself. I am trying to buy the most expensive things myself. Even though Ivy is planning a shower for me from the church, I would rather have cheaper things on a registry for people to gift me instead of expecting larger things. That seems more loving to me than stocking a registry with $30 plus items and putting people in a bind. And while even addressing this topic seems a bit tacky, what's even more tacky is putting people in the situation I've been put in before looking at a registry thinking that nearly everything was more than I wanted to spend. I don't want that to happen to the people who are inclined to bring something to my shower. (Not that anyone should feel like they MUST bring anything anyway.) Ok, touchy subject done. :)
Ilse's room is looking wonderful, and here in a minute I am going to wash the valance I got today and then later hang it up. We are also going to shift the kids around in the car and let them get used to their new seats. This will accomplish two things: Bam-Bam will be forced to learn quickly how to buckle himself since I can't as quickly do it since he'll be on the other side of the car. And, Tim and I really want to put Ilse's car seat base in her new seat. Just for fun.
In two weeks we will paint the nursery. Hopefully I'll physically be able to then. Ilse is getting bigger daily, and in two weeks I'll be 30 weeks. That sounds giant.
When I remember that the doctor told me we didn't want to deliver at 32 weeks because of high blood pressure but that if we need to we will, I feel like time is just slipping away and I better hurry up to get done what I need to.
My weight is still quite under control (even though I went on a cookie binge this week) and I don't believe my blood pressure is any worse than it was. Maybe Ilse will stay where she is supposed to all the way till June 12, although I wouldn't argue if she wanted to come June 6, which is the last day of school for Tim. That sounds like a great day.
As we were out today I noticed that I am having trouble standing for long periods of time because I get hot and lightheaded. That makes standing around at Half Price Books not so much fun, especially since bending down, standing up, bending down, standing up ad infinitum makes me quite dizzy because of the excess blood I'm toting around these days. I prefer to be upright, and I prefer not to stand or sit up too quickly since it makes the blood drain or rush from or to wherever it isn't supposed to, resulting in dizziness. More than likely though, since I just noticed this today, all of this stems from the heat and the fact that I'm wearing jeans. I think my jeans are about to get put away and I am about to go shopping for maternity skirts, since the normal skirts I have sit too high on my waist (which I don't really have anymore.) I wonder where I can find some fun skirts?
And what doesn't help is the allergies I'm having.... they make my contacts all fuzzy. How annoying is that? My fuzzy contacts, though, don't prevent me from seeing the wonderful graciousness of God in gifting me a husband, two precious boys, and a soon to be met little Ilse Joy.
These next three months will be exciting, and every day I will get a little more antsy to see our precious baby. Who will she look like? I know she'll have blue/green eyes and a cleft chin since there's no other option genetically. But will she be fair like me? Maybe she'll be more brown like Tim. Maybe she'll be olive like Kim. Will she have curly hair like Kim and Ellen, or will it be wavy like mine? Maybe it will be straight as a board like Tim's. Maybe it will be straight on top and wavy underneath like Mamaw's. We'll just have to wait and see. Bummer! :)
We got a stroller frame (Kim and Ivy's recommendation), a Jenny Jump Up (which I'm not too sure about), a free portable sleeping item that I'll give away (because it does not look sanitary), a valance, and a bouncy seat. Here's a picture of the bouncy seat. I LOVE it!
Then, from Babies R Us we got the larger stroller (which Tim and I couldn't resist) and the car seat. Here's a pic of the car seat. Notice it matches the bouncy seat.
We love all our purchases, and so far, we've stayed within our budget. Yay me! :) Ivy has already asked me if we'll loan these things to our niece Olivia, yet to be created, and of course we will! They are too gorgeous to store in a garage.
We still need some things like a play gym and I am planning on buying it myself. I am trying to buy the most expensive things myself. Even though Ivy is planning a shower for me from the church, I would rather have cheaper things on a registry for people to gift me instead of expecting larger things. That seems more loving to me than stocking a registry with $30 plus items and putting people in a bind. And while even addressing this topic seems a bit tacky, what's even more tacky is putting people in the situation I've been put in before looking at a registry thinking that nearly everything was more than I wanted to spend. I don't want that to happen to the people who are inclined to bring something to my shower. (Not that anyone should feel like they MUST bring anything anyway.) Ok, touchy subject done. :)
Ilse's room is looking wonderful, and here in a minute I am going to wash the valance I got today and then later hang it up. We are also going to shift the kids around in the car and let them get used to their new seats. This will accomplish two things: Bam-Bam will be forced to learn quickly how to buckle himself since I can't as quickly do it since he'll be on the other side of the car. And, Tim and I really want to put Ilse's car seat base in her new seat. Just for fun.
In two weeks we will paint the nursery. Hopefully I'll physically be able to then. Ilse is getting bigger daily, and in two weeks I'll be 30 weeks. That sounds giant.
When I remember that the doctor told me we didn't want to deliver at 32 weeks because of high blood pressure but that if we need to we will, I feel like time is just slipping away and I better hurry up to get done what I need to.
My weight is still quite under control (even though I went on a cookie binge this week) and I don't believe my blood pressure is any worse than it was. Maybe Ilse will stay where she is supposed to all the way till June 12, although I wouldn't argue if she wanted to come June 6, which is the last day of school for Tim. That sounds like a great day.
As we were out today I noticed that I am having trouble standing for long periods of time because I get hot and lightheaded. That makes standing around at Half Price Books not so much fun, especially since bending down, standing up, bending down, standing up ad infinitum makes me quite dizzy because of the excess blood I'm toting around these days. I prefer to be upright, and I prefer not to stand or sit up too quickly since it makes the blood drain or rush from or to wherever it isn't supposed to, resulting in dizziness. More than likely though, since I just noticed this today, all of this stems from the heat and the fact that I'm wearing jeans. I think my jeans are about to get put away and I am about to go shopping for maternity skirts, since the normal skirts I have sit too high on my waist (which I don't really have anymore.) I wonder where I can find some fun skirts?
And what doesn't help is the allergies I'm having.... they make my contacts all fuzzy. How annoying is that? My fuzzy contacts, though, don't prevent me from seeing the wonderful graciousness of God in gifting me a husband, two precious boys, and a soon to be met little Ilse Joy.
These next three months will be exciting, and every day I will get a little more antsy to see our precious baby. Who will she look like? I know she'll have blue/green eyes and a cleft chin since there's no other option genetically. But will she be fair like me? Maybe she'll be more brown like Tim. Maybe she'll be olive like Kim. Will she have curly hair like Kim and Ellen, or will it be wavy like mine? Maybe it will be straight as a board like Tim's. Maybe it will be straight on top and wavy underneath like Mamaw's. We'll just have to wait and see. Bummer! :)
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