Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

Well, it's official - I can't take care of myself anymore! Ha ha...Ryan arranged a babysitter for me over the weekend! He & his friend Cody went to Randolph on Saturday to play with their Jeeps (Cody just got a new one) so my Mother came to Hesston to "watch" me while they were gone. We figured there better be someone around just in case something were to happen & I went into labor...it's just Murphy's Law that it would happen while Ryan is out of town! Plus, Saturday was the 26th & that date repeats itself for birthdays on my side of the family. At least he wasn't more than a couple of hours away...better safe than sorry though...I don't exactly think that driving myself to the hospital would be a good option even if it is only 10 miles away.

On Wednesday I had my first contractions...it was early in the morning & I felt this tightening & releasing sensation high in my abdomen. I guess you would call them contractions; I don't exactly know what to expect...this is new to me! People say that it feels like menstrual cramps but I didn't think that it felt like that at all. On Saturday my Mom & I went to Wichita to run some errands. The Lambs & Ivy room decorations I ordered came in & I wanted to get them picked up & put in the nursery before the baby arrives! Of course we ran all around town & by the time we started home I was exhausted & my feet were starting to swell & I was starting to have contractions again. My Mom asked if we should just go to the hospital as we were driving by & I said that I didn't think it was quite time to head over there just yet.

I was in a tizzy about getting the nursery ready before the baby got here so my Mom helped me organize the room. I decided that we needed to move the furniture around & so I convinced Ryan to help my Mother move the dresser & the crib. He was certain that when the glider & ottoman get here that I won't be happy with where I placed the furniture because "it will be much bigger than you think it is"...he kept saying that the rocker was going to take up a ton of space so I should just leave things as they were...I said we'd just deal with that when the time comes but I wanted the furniture moved NOW! I guess you could say that I am having a bit of a nesting instinct. Every little thing just seems to be attracting my attention...I am borderline obsessive-compulsive anyway & now it is like everything is magnified & each item has to have its place & be in it! Of course, it's not enough that things be in their place, they have to be folded just right & sitting at just the right angle or it just drives me nuts!

But we had fun moving the baby things around & deciding where to hang the little wall decorations. Ryan kept coming in & saying, "you guys are STILL in here?" Then my Mom & I decided to hang the quilt on the wall & we formed a plan on how to hang it. We figured if we sewed some loops of ribbon on the edge then we could hang it from that. Then I realized that I didn't have the kind of ribbon that I thought I did. I found some wide elastic & decided that we could use safety pins to put it on the back. So here we are with the quilt lying on the table & all our supplies at hand & as we start measuring & pinning I realize that there is already a loop of fabric sewen on the back of the quilt to make it easy to hang! LOL! Here we were going to alter the thing when there was already a hanger on it - story of our lives! Now, all we have to do is convince Ryan to help us hang the wrought iron hanger on the wall...and he absolutely HATES hanging things...with a passion! He says he doesn't know why we would want to put holes in a perfectly good wall - but he is usually happy with the results so I don't know what the big deal is. I guess it is just the fact that its a pain measuring & making sure everything is straight & what not. He finally gives in & hangs the pole on the wall...& makes fun of the way I hung the little cloth decorations on the other walls because I used sewing needles. I told him that I used sewing needles so there wouldn't be big holes in the wall!

I went to the doctor today & things are getting closer but she isn't sure if we'll see the baby this week or not. I had a little bit of a pinkish discharge this morning & she said that is a sign that things are moving along. She checked me & said that my cervix is soft & beginning to thin but that there isn't any dilation yet. I haven't really gained any weight since the last checkup...just a few ounces. There is a chance this baby could arrive before next Monday but I made an appointment for next week anyway. She said we can always just sit & have coffee & talk about how wonderful the baby is! I am so excited to see this little guy that I feel like I am just going to explode if I have to wait much longer! This waiting is ridiculous....ahhhh!

Barefoot & Pregnant

Wow, is it HOT in here or is it just me? Hmmm, Ryan claims that it is just me but I really think it's time to turn on the air conditioning! My feet are HOT HOT HOT, my armpits are HOT HOT HOT...the house is HOT, ugh! But it is really nice outside...so that helps!

So, I completely understand the whole "Barefoot & Pregnant" stereotype now! Bring on the flip flops!

We went to the doc today & she asked if I've had any contractions or any signs of labor & so far I haven't had anything. She wasn't going to do a vaginal check but when I said that it felt like the baby had dropped down she said maybe we'd better just take a quick look! She says that his head had definitely moved down into the pelvis now & the cervix is starting to soften but it doesn't look like I have started to dilate yet. We made an appointment for a checkup next Monday & she says that she is pretty sure that I won't be having a baby before then; most first time Moms take more than a week for the cervix to really get soft & ready for dilation...but sometimes things do move quicker.

This is really getting exciting now...in a couple more weeks we could be holding this precious little child & looking into his eyes for the first time! I can't believe it...now if I can just get used to the waiting that lies ahead! THAT will be the hard part...waiting, waiting, waiting!

This Experience is En"Lightening"

The baby is dropping! Oh no! LOL. Seriously though, he seems to be making more moves toward his big escape! I was walking up the stairs from the basement last night & I got about halfway up & had to stop & take a breather. Ryan says, "Are you ok? Gonna make it?" I told him that I felt like a cowboy who had been riding his horse too long...I think I have the bowlegs & everything!

I am pretty sure that I am experiencing the "lightening" effect that they talk about when the baby moves farther down into the pelvis. It seems like it is a little easier to breath now and I don't have that baby butt pushing up into my ribs anymore - whew, that in itself is a relief! Ryan says that my boobs aren't lying on my belly anymore either; guess that's a plus ;) I suppose I will have to ask the doctor on Monday if she thinks he has dropped down or not...but I think he has.

I was going to go to Ashley's track meet at Tabor today but I wasn't sure that I wanted to drive myself up there after all...I am feeling a bit uncomfortable with this baby in my pelvis...I think I will wait for the next opportunity. The weather was just beautiful today; Kasey & I just sat outside for awhile & enjoyed the warmth...it made us both very happy. We have a folding Coleman hammock that I sat out on the deck & I propped myself up with a couple of pillows & read a book & just enjoyed the sunshine. Very nice.

However, I think that I am beginning to understand why women complain about their pregnancies toward the end. This is certainly an uncomfortable position for me & the baby to be in! I can tell that he is more cramped than ever...but he still moves around A LOT! But instead of doing cartwheels in my belly he is more into the kickboxing moves. It is hilarious because you can really see the movement on the outside of my tummy; you will see this little bulge coming outward & then moving under the skin...total extraterrestrial stuff. Plus, he feels soooo strong when he moves. He really is making his presence known!

Five Foot Seven Inches!!!!

Woo Hoo! Congratulations SAM!!!!

We went to Emporia again this weekend to watch Sam's track meet - she is trying to qualify for Nationals in California & with this being her last year in college she was mostly trying to reach her goal of jumping 5'7" in a meet. AND SHE DID IT! Yes! I am so excited for you Sam! Congratulations!

We had a really great weekend overall...Sam came to visit us over the weekend & we did a photo shoot of my pregnant belly...I haven't seen all the photos yet but they should be very interesting! If anything it will give her a more diverse portfolio...ha ha. I will have to post a few pics once she gets done sorting & editing them. We went to Aggies for dinner...yummy yummy yummy...they have the BEST open face roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes & brown gravy...oh it is soooooooo good! Actually, I don't think they serve anything there that isn't absolutely delicious. Maybe that is what got Sam jumping so high...guess we need to go to dinner there before every meet!

Happy Birthday!

Today is Ryan's BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday to Ryan!

I love you, sweetness!

You are so silly sometimes & I love that we can laugh & talk & just do anything together & have fun. I know that our world is starting to change & things will be different around here but I will always love you & I am looking forward to making new memories with our new family.

And...when you are soooo thirsty that you can't get up off the couch to get a drink because you are absolutely withering away because you are sooo parched...I will be there to get you a drink (as long as you have enough strength to help push me off the couch)...ha ha ha!

And...I really will make you a carrot cake - as soon as I get to the grocery store to buy carrots!

The Head is DOWN!

Well, we went to the doctor today & she said that the baby is in position to be born...his head is down & that is where he is supposed to be! I think that I've gained about 25 pounds over the course of the pregnancy. The doc just says that everything is normal & looking good! She doesn't really critique the weight chart or the measurements like she is going over it with a magnifying glass or anything like that - I suppose that if there was a problem then it would be different. But so far everything is a-ok!

The Furley Chainsaw Massacre

We went to the farm today & Ryan decided he would try to cut down one of the old dead cedar trees. I wasn't sure he was going to be able to do it with the little chainsaw but it ended up being the Furley Chainsaw Massacre! After what seemed like forever the tree finally came down. He thinks that he is going to pull it over by the fire pit & cut little chunks out of it to make it into a bench but I was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to pull it over there with fourwheeler so I said we'd better save that for next time.

I think the best part of the whole day was lounging around in our portable Coleman hammock! The sun was shining & I it was great just lying down, taking a nice little nap while Ryan was out getting muddy on the fourwheeler. But, I have to say that I do miss riding!

Kasey had a fun day too...as always, she loves the farm! But now it is time to go home :)

The Little Byrd is Turning...I Think!

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

...at least that is how the The Byrds sang it...Ecclesiastes 3, verses 1–8 says it a bit differently; but mostly it is all the same message! The thing is that there is a purpose for everything & everything has its purpose in its season. We may not understand life completely but at least we can find some comfort in knowing that life has an understanding of us...& feel confident that God knows what He is doing even when we don't know what we are doing!

As for the little bitty baby...he seems to be working on his plans for the great escape! It feels like he has moved from a diagonal position from my lower left abdomen (where I usually feel lots of kicking/movement) & up under my ribs on the right side (where I get this tremendous pressure & a big hard knobby mound pushing outward) to a position where he is lying directly across my belly from left to right! It is very weird because you can actually see the difference when you look at my tummy...so funny.

At least I am still feeling well & I don't have much to complain about! When I sat down in the church the other day my hands & feet started swelling up like crazy...but for the most part I haven't even had to deal with much swelling. This pregnancy has been going very good :) Yea...hopefully it continues to be easy all the way through labor & delivery!