This Week's Excitement

Since I have been off this week, I have been spending lots of quality time with Addy and Blake.  Even though I am anxious for the baby to come, I must say I have really enjoyed having some time with just the 2 of them before the baby comes.

Of course I have time with them on the weekends, since Saturday Aaron is still working.  But it is different, since I am not trying to get house chores done and such with the limited time before the weekend ends or the nights when we have to do baths quickly or something --- it has made it that much more enjoyable!

We had some crazy things come up these past few months, one that made us have to leave our daycare sooner than expected which has added stress and made me just want to hold my babies close --- so it is feels so good to just be home with them for a bit.  Even if it means I used a week of vacation that could've been during used as part of my leave :)  Can't put a price on precious time with your little ones...

Here's a bunch  of pics from our week!


We played at the mall....



We had lunch there also and then picked out some winter hats for the upcoming season!

Since I didn't feel like heading home that day, we stopped at my parents house, and my sister's kiddos were there.  So, we made Halloween brownies with them (this is Drew with Blake and Addy)

The next day we went for a walk...and it was cold enough to put our new hats and mittens to use.  Thank goodness we had purchased those!



On our way home we went to the park by our house :)

I took a picture of our house (I'm not sure if I ever shared a pic from the outside of our house, so figured I'd share, LOL!)

Addy got an American Girl catalogue in the mail ----- THANKS to whatever list we got on for that!  She's looked through it by herself and made me do it with her a zillion times and wants THREE dolls :)  He He!

We cuddled on the couch together and took silly pics of ourselves!  Oh yeah, this day we also colored for almost the entire morning!



Today we headed back to the Pumpkin Patch/Orchard that we had gone too earlier this year

We did it with both of my sisters and their kids, and my mom too :)

Blake loves his grandma Bonnie!  She was the only one able to pull him :)  (TOTALLY fine by me!)



After the orchard we had pizzas at our house and then baked Halloween sugar cookies!  Here's the kiddos eating some of the goods!

It has been a great week at home.  I've never actually had a vacation where I am just hanging out, so I am treasuring this time in that way.  But, I am ready for this baby.  Full moon tomorrow night, slight storm in the area tonight/tomorrow ----- SOMETHING has to be in my favor soon!

 

I do have some contractions, ones at night that wake me up, but still not often enough to get me excited.  I soooo hope tonight is the night...or tomorrow!

My sis took a pic of the baby and me at the orchard.  How Tall This Fall??!!!  --- OVERDUE!

40 + .... AGAIN!

Well --- once again I am overdue!  I guess I figured it would happen, given my track record but I REALLY hoped I wouldn't be this time around.  I still am hoping to go in on my own sometime this week (tomorrow would be great!).  Totally out of my control so I will just hold tight!

I had an appointment yesterday and it was somewhat dissapointing.  I am only a little more than 1 cm. dilated.  GRR!  Mayo has always had a 10 day rule for being induced, but for Addy my doc scheduled the induction for 7 days, and I was to be induced for Blake on my 8th day over (but went in on my own the night before). 

My doc was going to schedule an induction for next Monday (8 days over), because we had discussed how I was hoping to avoid 10/22 which is next Tuesday since that is Blake's birthday...

However, when she called to get that on the books, the person taking the call wouldn't do it.  Apparently there is a new STATE law that won't let them schedule until 10 days over unless medically necessary, so I had to get on the books for 10/23.  Boo to that.  I just hope/pray that I go in on my own before!

In the meantime, I am done with work until the baby comes.  It was a hard decision since I was due on a Sunday.  I was due during the week with the other 2 so I worked through that Friday...but I really didn't want to be at work an entire other week, and it is easier to just be done with coverage and such with my job than to not know each day if I will be back or not.

So, I am home, spending some time with this crazy kid!

And this sweet girl that can't wait to be a big sister again!

Today the kids did go to daycare --- but they are done now until the baby comes.  I might send them the week after the baby comes (depending on when that is and how things are going) on Addy's school days to keep some consistency -- but it would only be for the one week.

While they were gone today I hand-mopped my floors, dusted the house (including the panel doors and base boards), cleaned our shower, and made a meal that I can freeze for later.  I officially don't know what else I could create on my to-do list!  I guess I have to figure out how to just relax...

But I have to admit I'm not very good at "just" relaxing!  Ask Aaron --- drives him crazy!  I hope that relaxing will help things along, since apparently keeping busy doesn't do me any good :) 

Me and my 3 babes...hopefully soon #3 will be on the outside with these 2 crazies! 40 weeks, 2 days pregnant for this mama!

Until next time...

...which I hope is an introduction to our 3rd little one!

The Shelf

I have gotten comments on how low I have been carrying for most of my pregnancy.  And, as the month of my due date has come, I get a lot of people telling me how much I have "dropped"!  It cracks me up though, because it seems to be the same people that tell me I've dropped, and I wonder how much more I can "drop" in their eyes!

While I may be carrying low and perhaps I have dropped...I'm more convinced that it is due to carrying my little man around vs. the way my body is naturally carrying my baby around.  Blake has a nice little shelf that he has gotten to sit on for the last few months.

Hopefully he is helping out the progress of getting that baby low and ready to be born...I guess we will see in the next week or so if I actually go before my due date for the first time! :)

Pictures are blurry because Blaker was moving and wiggling, but you get the idea :)

My sweet boy...oh how much I love those big hugs he gives me!!!

39 weeks and counting...and now I OFFICIALLY have my pre-baby To Do list complete.  Aaron will read this and think "yeah right, and then I come home tonight and she'll be cleaning or whatever and have another list of things to do on the counter"...which, he is probably right, LOL!

However, all the things that I had on my original list to do before the baby comes (such as wash the neutral baby clothes, get diapers, pack for the hospital stay, set out shirts for Blake and Addy's hospital visit, pedicure, etc...) --- well those have been checked off the list.  I'm sure I'll make lists until I don't have the chance to make them anymore...it's in my nature.

......Maybe I should put "carry Blake around" on the list...so that he can help speed up the process as he puts more pressure on my "shelf"!.....

Fall Family Fun Day

Today was a nice fall day here in MN.  We first went around looking for Halloween costumes.  Addy wanted to be Strawberry Shortcake before we even left the house...so that was easy :)  Blake on the other hand had no idea what he wanted to be and every idea you gave him, he got excited about and said he wanted to be that!

 

He started off saying he wanted to be a bug...but then he went all over the board, and we went to 4 stores looking for a costume for him.  We settled on a Turtle - it is actually a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, but I'm pretty sure to Blake --- it is just a turtle :) 

 

After that we went to an Apple Orchard/Pumpkin Patch near our home to take some fall pictures, get out of the house, and of course get ourselves some pumpkins for some outside fall decor!

HOW TALL THIS FALL?!!!

 

Almost 3 1/2 feet!

 

It's probably the fact that Mr. Blake needs a haircut that makes him look taller than 3 feet, LOL!  He's got such thick, wavy hair :) 






We purchased some mums at the orchard also.  Given that we moved into our house in the spring, I haven't had any flowers so I am excited for this little bit of color, even if it is just for a month or so!  (Addy being a goof!)



 The place that we went to (Northwoods Orchard) also has a few animals...chickens/roosters, rabbits, and goats. 

Feeding the goats!

 After we walked around for a bit, we went and grabbed a snack (apples w/ caramel and popcorn), then we purchased our items and bought tickets to go on a wagon ride!

Picking out our pumpkins!

What a goof! We tried to tell Addy that we didn't need this little pumpkin...but she said -- with a pout on her face --- "But mommy & daaaaaaddy, this pumpkin needs a good home because it doesn't have a family".

Where does she come up with this stuff??!!! Well, we ended up purchasing this tiny little pumpkin. We are suckers!

 WAGON RIDE TIME!

 

 

Enjoying the ride :)

 

All smiles...

More fun pics!

 

 

And...because who knows how much longer I'll be pregnant...

38 weeks on the dot...2 more weeks and counting!

I really go back and forth on if this is a boy or a girl.  I have cankles like I did when I was pregnant with Addy --- and to me I feel bigger than I did with Blake...more like I felt when I was pregnant with Addalyn.  However, there are definite things that make me think boy as well -- one being the fact that EVERYONE tells me that is what I am having...I am so glad we will know soon!

 

As of tonight, I am also packed for the hospital stay with the exception of last minute things...this week at work I have a just a few meetings and final details to take care of...and then I'll feel comfortable walking away at the end of the week if I don't go back for 3 months!  I know my track record says I'll be working for 3 more weeks...but here's to wishful thinking!

 

I'm really uncomfortable most days...but try to keep telling myself to enjoy this --- it may be the last few weeks of me ever being pregnant so I am trying to go with the flow as much as possible!

 

 

***

 

 

Thanks everyone who has kept my cousin Zack in your thoughts and prayers.  The love has been felt, that's for sure!

Feathers from Heaven

Those of you reading this that are my family, and also friends that are on Facebook have likely heard about my cousin Zack.  Zack fell from a 70 foot cliff on Friday (9/20) while hiking and is currently in Critical Condition.  Zack has suffered from a traumatic brain injury along with other injuries from the fall.

I'm just asking that you keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  As a mother, I have such mixed emotions going through my head right now  -- with my pregnancy and other things as I pray for the healing of Zack.

My due date is actually Zack and his sibling's birthday (10/13).  Zack is a triplet...and I used to babysit these wonderful kiddos when they were younger.  Now, they are all grown up, Melena just graduating from college and Zack and Luke just a few semesters away from doing the same...

Zack, Melena, and Luke

 Anyway - I know that some of you reading my site have all too much familiarity with what we are going through in my family, given Aaron's cousin Dustin's injuries from his accident back in November of 2005.  That being said, Dust's strength, determination, and outstanding recovery gives me hope and peace as I wait to hear the status of Zack.  (for those of you that may not be familiar with Dustin, he was our best man at our wedding...and at the time he had recently suffered a traumatic brain injury from a car accident...his recovery from then to now is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G and we are so proud and thankful of this!)

Anyway - please pray for my cousin, and if you are interested, updates can be found on him at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/zacknelson.

I have an awesome little story that I need to document (and the reason for my title of this blog post)...my grandpa Bob told my aunt Nancy (Zack's mom) that he would send feathers from heaven when he passed.  My entire family often sees feathers and of course think of my grandpa.

Today, when I was walking into work, completely distracted by my thoughts of Zack, I had a huge black feather stop me in my tracks as I had to step over it when I was walking in...then a block later another feather was in my path - and last but not least a 3rd feather was near the entrance of my building on my way into work!

How cool is that??!!!

I sooooo needed that sign from my grandpa that him and my grandma are with us, watching over Zack and our family.  <3 p="">

School Days...it's starting!

Addy started what is called "School Readiness" at school on September 10th.  It's preschool as the world knows it :)

 

She was so excited to start school! 

 

The weekend before it started, I took her to Shopko to get her school supplies.  Thank goodness I went there instead of a place like Target.  The shelves were picked over, which was good in my opinion because she had a hard enough time choosing her items as it was!!

 

I am in T-R-O-U-B-L-E as this girl gets older....she had to match her backpack, her notebook, and her folder, etc.  We spent a lot of time in the school aisle.  Thank goodness she had a small list...I don't know what we would've done if she had to have more folders and notebooks than 1 :)

Debating which folder to get.....decisions, decisions!

The school always has an Orientation/Transportation night for the Early Childhood programs, where they get to see the school, meet the teachers, and check out some cool vehicles.  We got there a bit late, so we only had time to tour the school bus - but the kids loved it. 

 

 

Addy and Blake on Transportation Night!

 

Addy actually rides the bus home from school right now to a friend of mine's house with her kids...I think she LOVES that she gets to do that...makes her feel "big"! She also loves that she is at the same school as her cousins - the other day she got to see Drew during his lunch and saw Brooklynn TWICE in one day -- and Brookie gave her a hug. That was probably the coolest thing about school so far :)

 

Of course we had to take the traditional first day of school pics...our porch would be the perfect spot for these but we were having some work done on it...so our driveway had to do!

Can you believe how big this kid is getting...SERIOUSLY!??

 

Even daddy was able to be home to see her off on her first day --- yeah to that!

My 1st baby...getting way too big!

 Her school is actually from noon to 3:00, so I carpool with 2 friends of mine/moms of some preschoolers.  Chelsea brought the girls to school on the first day:

Addy & Quincee on the first day waiting to go in to the halls of school :) 

She doesn't like to share a lot of details of what she did at school, she says "I don't know" when I ask what she did.  This actually cracks me up a lot, because I KNOW I totally did that to my parents.  I'd offer more details if they didn't ask.  On her first day, I learned more about what she did by eavesdroppoing on her telling my mom about her day (it was my b-day so my mom had stopped by in the evening!!)

The third mom that drives is my friend Amy, who's son Ryan is the same age as well.  She got to get the kiddos this past Tuesday.  I got this pic via a text that put a huge grin on my face:

My goofy girl, with her buds Ryan and Quincee

We've gone back and forth since the day Addy was born on when she'll start kindergarten.  She could go next year, the cut-off is you have to be 5 by September to start.  I get nervous having her young, but in all reality - this girl is SOOOO ready so unless her teachers advise us not to send her...she will be a kindergartener next year.  I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!

It will be really good if she goes.  In our neighborhood, there will be 4 other kids that are kindergarteners next year.  And, at her new daycare, there will be 2 girls (Quincee being one of them) that are also going to be in kindergarten next year.  So, she already is on the way to knowing lots of peeps!

Addy is pretty social, which reminds me a lot of me.  We were leaving dance class the other night and as we were walkign to her car, she was yelling out bye to all of her friends that she just recently met...makes me happy that she is so friendly and outgoing!

She is has done awesome so far with school.  It makes me happy and sad all at the same time to be starting this time in our lives...why do they get big so fast??!!!!!!

36 Weeks...and R-E-A-D-Y!



As of this last Sunday (9/15) I was 36 weeks...and I'm definitely ready for this baby to come!!!  This summer has been a busy and sometimes an emotional one (isn't it always when you are pregnant!), so I am ready to just be home with my kids for my 12 weeks of leave!  We are in-between daycares right now - so Addy and Blake are at a few different places a week until I am on leave...so I'm ready for them to have some consistency again and just be home with me for a bit!

 

The good news with daycare - we will be starting a new one here in Pine Island after my maternity leave - one that can take all THREE of my kiddos!  It should be a good change, once we get there!

 

I would say this pregnancy has been physically harder for me than the other 2. I think it is because of the kiddos age and I just don't allow myself to rest as much as I did with the other pregnancies. I have had a lot more pain (my sciatic nerve???) that makes me feel uncomfortable a lot. That has been on and off since July. But, as I get bigger, I notice it more!

That being said - I do still really enjoy being pregnant as a whole - those baby moves will get me every time!

 

A birthday baby pose!  (My b-day was on 9/10, so I was 35 weeks/2 days in this pic)

This past Sunday we finally had the opportunity to go through the stuff we've had in our basement and get that organized - which means this mama got to put her nesting needs into full effect!  I was able to locate all our neutral baby clothes and blankets and all the newborn essentials.  They are now washed, folded, and waiting :) 

Addy had a BLAST looking at all the tiny baby clothes and was just loving helping fold and put the items away.  For now, we have the dresser for the baby in our walk-in closet, and the pack-and-play in our room as the bassinet.

We need to finish the bonus room which will be the baby's room + spare bedroom combination - because it is just too big to have occupied by one little being!  Plus, it'll be good to have a place for guests to sleep since we don't plan on finishing our basement right away.  When we have guests, we will have the baby sleep in our room, and with their older siblings as they get bigger. 

Finishing that room will be a winter project for Aaron when work slows down.  Both Addy and Blake were in our room until they were about 3 months old, so it'll work out just fine to finish it throughout the winter (all it needs is trim, paint, and carpet...it is drywalled and taped, etc and electrical is already done). 

I had an appointment yesterday, and all is looking fine.  The baby's heart-rate was in the mid 150s.  It has been that and 140s for most of the pregnancy.  I actually don't have very many appointments this time around - my last one was at 30 weeks, and I will have one 2 weeks from now and then 2 weeks after that...then I will be officially overdue if I make it that far!

My hopes is to not go over this time around (but I'm really not getting my hopes up, I don't have a good record with that)....and if did go over, my wish would for it the baby to be born on 10/16.  You may recall my Grandpa Paul passed away when I was already overdue with Blake...and the anniversary of his death is that day.  I like the idea of the Circle of Life, and think it would be neat to have that date be a birthday.

With that, and the fact that I could go as far as 10/23 if I have to be induced...and I really don't want Blake and this baby to share a birthday (which is 10/22)...I'd like to have the babe before that. 

PLUS --- it is MEA weekend starting on 10/16 (MN Education Association) which means all schools are closed - so I know my family is available to help out with the kiddos if I were in the hospital!!!!

Add all of that up and I'd rather just have the baby the week of my due date (which is the 13th!)

I go back and forth with how I am carrying and feeling and if this is a boy or girl.  Strangers love to tell me all of the time that it is a boy.  So I guess we will see!  Well, that about sums up the happenings for this pregnancy right now...hopefully we'll have some exciting posts coming soon :)