Christmas Day...

Christmas Eve...

Ready!


We crashed our cars for a while...




Lovin the shoes and keyboard!!

A little Christmas...

39 Weeks...

I'm kind of embarrassed about this picture...but I guess here I am...39 weeks and feeling every bit of it! It has been a rough week. I've had a cold that seems to continually get worse and I'm wanting to avoid the c-section so every day that I don't go into labor makes me sad.
I will most likely have a c-section on Friday at 730 am so no matter what, we will meet our little guy very very soon!

A picture...

38 weeks. 3 days.

38 weeks

(insert picture of a beached whale)

I am SO ready!!!

Physically I feel amazing...all things considered. I have a decent amount of energy...not too many aches and pains...no swelling...nothing much sounds amazing to eat anymore (except maybe Subway..??) and it is a workout to do much moving...but again, all things considered...

Micah and I have a cold...boo...

I cannot sleep...and TRUST ME I try...I know once the little guy comes that is all I'll want to do...

I had Micah 'today' in my pregnancy...exactly 38 weeks..

...which makes me jealous of my first pregnancy.

I am dyinggggg for a natural labor. I think that is why I'm so anxious for this guy to come out...because if he doesn't come on his own by the 28th I'll have a c-section. I have a hard time explaining this one...I didn't mind my first c-section and it would cut out the labor pain and I'd know exactly what to expect...but I feel like I need to prove to myself that my body can do what mother nature intended. I'm just afraid I won't get the opportunity...my mom's babies were all really late and my doctor won't let me go late.

So I sit around and will/pray this baby out....because I know that that works...ha.

Yea, it is really hard (for me) to not have a one-track mind that is sort of depressed...but I am really working on being more disciplined in my thinking and think about things I am thankful for....like time with Micah and Dusty, and opportunties to sleep (even if I can't) and the ability to run errands with one baby...

Old, (I think ugly) bassinet....


New re-done bassinet. I think for my lack of experience and the fact that I messed up a million times this turned out good.




I had leftover yarn and cardboard so....:)

37 Weeks

He's fully cooked so I would be incredibly happy if he would decide to come out any time now! At my doctor's appointment we discovered he is now breech which was surprising because at my ultrasound the week before he was head down. Guess he just wants me to have a c-section. It's possible for him to flip so I hope he does and I can try labor. I talked to my doctor about that and she didn't seem too excited. I'm pretty confident that the odds are just that I will have a c-section and I'm going to be ok with that.
I still don't have any swelling and I feel pretty energetic and motivated to get 'everything' done. Sometimes the kicks are really random and painful...once in a while I'll just stop walking or grab my belly or squeak because it hurts from a kick which is kind of embarrassing because nobody knows what I'm doing.
I do really want to meet this little guy and want him out of my belly but I have been really appreciating the naps and sleep I get uninterrupted by baby. I KNOW that chances are I'll be really exhausted and crazy after he comes.
Last Friday evening I went to a 'Pintrest party' at one of the churches we've gone to during the last couple of months. (the ladies just got together and did crafty things) I had a really good time and met a bunch of nice ladies who are in the same(ish) stage of life. I'm pretty excited about that and hope we can kind of settle on going to this church and building relationships. Micah and I were even invited on a playdate on Tuesday! Yay for meeting people finally!
My birthday is on Wednesday this week...I kind of want a baby for my birthday...

36 Weeks

I can't believe it! Pregnancy always seems to drag for me but now its flying. Its hard to believe I had Micah at 38 weeks...and that is in only two weeks!! I think one reason it feels like it is going so fast now is because of all the things I think I need to do...I have been working on a bassinet which has turned into a HUGE project and I'm afraid I won't finish. Nesting has definitely hit me hard this time around!
Two days ago (Nov. 30) I had a growth ultrasound. Baby measured 5 lb 7 oz (who really knows though) and everything looks great. The tech said he has chubby cheeks! It would be cool to have a chubby baby since Micah was always so skinny. Side note... Micah stepped on the scale...he weighs 27lbs with shoes and a coat on. I have gained 19 lbs so far in this pregnancy. (I gained 20 with Micah)
My doctor will let me try labor if I go into labor before my c-section date. I think I would like to try...actually I really really want to try to have a normal labor but I do get scared about the risk of rupture. I have a feeling that I won't get the opportunity...I don't see myself going into labor before 40 weeks, but we'll see. (I base that on my mom being pretty late for all three of her kids)
I have been feeling very energetic lately although I really want to take advantage of my sleep while I can these last few weeks. I haven't had any swelling. I generally hate pregnancy but this last week has been good...maybe because I'm nearing the end.
Oh, and I predict a dark eyed, olive skinned baby boy...

35 Weeks

(oohh...nice happy face)

Well, it's been a busy week...not really because of Thanksgiving, but because Dusty had to work a TON (Sunday-Wednesday) and we've (Dusty) had a four-day weekend...which I have completely taken advantage of. I've been flip-flopping between being ridiculously tired, grumpy, and lazy and having energy and finishing odds and ends around the house/going out shopping for things we/I have needed. I guess it is probably nesting that I'm doing...I just keep getting this feeling that I need to finish everything up so this baby can come out...and the longer I take getting things ready, the longer he'll just stay put.
They say the baby puts on a half pound these last few weeks and I think each half pound impacts me greatly...the discomfort increases every week. Now when the baby moves I feel like I'm getting a message gone overboard...like I'm bruised but he just keeps going. I am thankful that he's moving good though. I also often have a hard time breathing and getting comfortable. I've had no swelling so far which has been nice.
Dusty starts working days this week...training to be a driver at Coke. It already feels different having him home Sunday evening...
And here's a picture of Mr. Micah. I read him a bedtime story and let him take the book to bed and when I checked on him here's what I found...

Awww...

34 Weeks

I saw my doctor on Thursday and got a c-section date scheduled for December 28th. I'm happy about the late date (almost 40 weeks) because I have a better chance of going into labor on my own earlier than that. I go back and forth, but a big part of me really wants to just experience not having a c-section...and I would be comforted that the baby came on its own timing.
My belly has been hurting a lot right around where my c-section scar is...and I even got worried and asked my doctor if it was possible for it to just bust open...and I was serious about the question...she said no. I feel silly about asking but it really hurts...but it's just the ligaments stretching. My back has also been hurting...last night I bit the bullet and took half a dose of Tylenol (I hate taking medication) which helped.
I have a hard time breathing when I'm sitting up and I can't lay back very well without feeling like I'm being smashed.
Today I tried to organize the boys' room a little more and got the newborn clothes out of the closet. It's so hard to shift things around and make things work with such little space but slowly its coming together.

We celebrated Thanksgiving a little early with my mother-in-law on Saturday...and we got a couple of family pictures...Micah was not in the mood to cooperate!!




...and in other news...Dusty got a position as a driver at Coke so this is his LAST.WEEK.ON.NIGHTS....woooohooooo!!!

33 weeks...

Well, I think I've crossed over into the not-so-fun part of the third trimester. Always tired, feeling giant, hard to move, hard to breathe...punching bag to a very strong 4 lb baby. I often feel very useless...like there is so much I want/need to do but I get tired so quickly. The awesome thing is that during this pregnancy I'm more patient and accepting of that (I've had SUCH a hard time not being able to do everything in the past)...anyways, it shows that God has taught me quite a bit since I was pregnant with Micah. What a change he can bring about by humbling us through things like pregnancy and parenting!

Here is a picture of a bassinet we got from some friends when Micah was born...I think it's about the ugliest thing ever so I'm going to try to re-do it...hopefully I'll be able to show an 'after' picture.

Oh my...and a very unhappy Micah...

Iowa...

I had a whirlwind 4 day trip to Iowa with Micah over this last weekend. In some ways it was way.too.short...and in other ways I couldn't wait to get home. I regret the most that I did not get more time with my favorite cousin in the whole world...Kate...who is AMAZING with Micah and I just love her. I will miss Casey's taco pizza and my wonderful gramma. My roots are definitely in Iowa and there is something very comforting about the landscape and the people...I love Ohio and my family here but me and Ohio don't go way back like me and Iowa do.


Micah loved this little nook at my dad's house...also my brother put gel in his hair...which accentuated his giant forehead...ha


Micah and uncle Matthew (my lil bro)


Micah and my dad and his first Casey's donut...he ate the whole thing!:)


Micah and Mom's husband John...Micah loves John!!


Micah and my beautiful inside and out mama


Me being a pregnant bum at my mom's house


Me and my sweet little guy


Me, Micah, mom, mom's twin and my aunt Karen


Micah's great aunt Karen...who got an amazingly slobbery kiss from my baby!

Toddler discipline...

When I go home to Iowa I tend to have a lot of anxiety about how Micah will behave while there. I don't always know how he will react to new situations or if he will just have a bad day. I get so little time with my family that I really worry about what they will think...especially since he is the first baby around for the last 19 years.
I think my approach to parenting is patient and loving and my discipline is firm and consistent. I'm not afraid to give a controlled spank (I do not beat my child in any way) and then let him know I still love him. While I think I am consistent he definitely hasn't consistently shown good behavior...it's like a broken math equation to me....consistently discipline should equal consistent good behavior because of known consequences. This does NOT happen though. He is constantly testing his boundaries and asserting his (strong) will. He whimpers sometimes, he fusses, he is not always a gem when I put him down for a nap or bed. He can honestly REALLY test my patience and be naughty and leave me frazzled...he's definitely not perfect!
I am generally around a side of our family here in Ohio and I think they definitely tend toward a very loving patient parenting style. While I was at home in Iowa I realized a huge contrast in parenting philosophy from a ***couple*** (not nearly all) of my family members. I kept hearing comments about what a handful he was....said in a way that did not seem to understand that he is a toddler with energy but insinuated that he was just a naughty boy. (during a time I thought he was being good!) One of my family members even took it upon his/her self to spank him when he/she thought he was being bad...which definitely rubbed me the wrong way since Micah doesn't even know this person from any other person on the street.
Anyways I really was faced with a very harsh seeming form of discipline (to me). Part of me thinks most of my family just hasn't been around small children for ages so don't realize how almost 2-year olds act and they are just grumpy people who don't appreciate the creativity of toddlers and are dying to wield their authority on others. The other part of me questions how I parent and wonders if by now Micah should be really good all the time because he really knows the awful consequences of being naughty like being spanked constantly. Maybe I'm creating 'that kid' for the kindergarten teacher that makes her room look like a tornado blew through. Maybe he will grow up with no boundaries and turn into an awful rebel.
My gut says he is a sweet little guy who is practicing being independent and who often gets frustrated because he is not very good at communicating what he wants/needs. I think he struggles a little in some new situations like taking naps at different homes and he gets bored when he is in the house a lot with nothing to do. And sometimes he IS just strong-willed and naughty.
I really want to respect how sine of my family deals with things and maybe I'm looking on a few people too harshly because I felt like such a bad parent around them (by not wielding enough authority and spanking enough/quickly enough, using anger..etc.)
Anyways, parenting is HARD and I know that I am a HUGE WORK IN PROGRESS!!! I have no doubt that I often don't have a clue. All this questioning has led me to think A LOT about God and how I really need to do my best with Micah and trust in him that he will lead both me and Micah the way we should be.

32 Weeks

This is the only picture from the whole weekend that you can see my belly...not exactly a belly picture but oh well.

So at my doctor appointment my doctor told me that the computer messed up my due date and I am due December 31 like I thought. The only drawback to me was another month of being a giant preggo person and all that comes with that. I'm ok with it now though. I am thinking I want to just schecule the c-section as late as possible and hope to go into labor before it...and have the baby naturally. We'll see.
Micah and I flew to Iowa last weekend and I would NOT recommend traveling with a willful toddler while 32 weeks pregnant. It was just chaos, especially in our layover in Chicago. He kept laying flat on the ground and I had to keep squatting (hard for the preggo lady) and picking him up while carrying a million other things. Anyways I think my bicep is 4x as big as it was just from carrying him. It was hard but I'm glad I made it home.
That's about it for the pregnancy this week. Bye for now.

31...or 35 weeks?!?

This has been a crazy week in my pregnant world. My nurse called on Friday to tell me my c-section is scheduled November 29th. She said that that would be 39 weeks. I was in shock because my due date has always been December 31....in which case 39 weeks would be December 24th. Anyways, I see my Dr. on Tuesday and hope to get it all straightened out...I highly doubt they would want to risk me having a 36 week baby so I think they will change it. I just don't understand how things got so mixed up.
All this has made me kind of emotional this week. I question a lot what I'm doing. I don't like the whole c-section thing. I don't like not knowing myself when my due date 'should' be. I don't like not being able to trust my body to labor the way a it 'should' be able to. I wish I just didn't think about it all...but I feel like this has complicated it and it would be easier to know I can just let nature take its course.
I've felt pretty bad this week. I feel sick often. I'm not sure if it is anxiety or what. I just want it to stop! I feel like all my organs are crushed. I get heartburn. My belly runs into things I think I should clear as I go past...I don't realize how far it sticks out. I'm always tired...I have a hard time switching from side to side when I'm in bed now and the night time running back and forth to the bathroom is definitely a workout.
This coming Friday Micah and I will be flying to Iowa for 4 days. It will be a short trip and I hope I get out of the funk I'm in right now so I can enjoy being home with family.
And...here is something I can be thankful for....I still have ankles...

30 weeks

Whoop! 30 weeks!
I feel like the baby has grown a lot this week. We had a growth ultrasound on Wednesday and she calculated the baby to be 2 lb 12 oz.
I am down to very few items of clothing that fit but I don't want to buy any more because I basically stay at home (yay husband's clothes) and I'm only a couple of months away so I don't feel like I can justify getting expensive clothing that I will only wear a few times.
I spend a lot of time on the couch with my belly out (I guess the baby feels constricted in clothes). Anyways Micah likes to come up to me and poke my belly and say 'bebee' although I think he thinks my belly button is the baby and that he and daddy also have a baby.
I still have no swelling. I can't remember when my swelling started with Micah but I know its getting close. Anyways I'm thankful for that because nobody likes calves the size of watermelons.
I am constantly trying to figure out how to organize our little apartment for when the baby comes. I keep coming up with things to change but I get SOO tired so quickly that it usually takes a couple of days to move things around. It is driving me nuts trying to get it perfect.
Ok, all for now...

29 Weeks

Ok...don't make fun...I look like a dork but it is my only picture so...

Hello 29 weeks! I am excited to see my doctor on Tuesday to see if she gotten the 38 week c-section approved.
I've felt busy this last week because we're still getting settled in our new apartment. The unpacking and organizing is so slow with Micah and being pregnant. I'm learning to be ok with that! We have gone to two churches the two weekends we've lived over here. It has been kind of discouraging because it doesn't seem like there are a lot of options here on the east side and with all of them it seems like we will have to compromise something important to us. There is also a lot of pressure to figure something out very soon because I don't have any friends over here and I'm afraid if I don't make some fast I'll end up a friendless hermit with 2 small children going nuts. Church is probably the biggest way I'll meet people and where Micah will interact most with other kids so I hope that we can figure that out soon!
Ok...I wanted to write my weekly update but I feel like I have a lot more to say....so maybe I'll write more this coming week:). Bye for now!

28 Weeks

Happy 3rd trimester!
Yay, hopefully only 10 more weeks before the baby comes if a 38 week c-section is approved. I should know tomorrow about how my glucose test turned out. They tried to call last week but we don't get reception at our new apartment yet so I am anxious to find that out.
I've been sitting around this week being very mentally motivated to put things away in our new apartment but I haven't. I'm just too tired after doing all the normal daily things and chasing after Micah. Yay pregnancy. I'm also sort of an insomniac these days...a very tired, unable to sleep person.
I still feel nauseous most days. Yuck! That is definitely enough to make me want to have this baby sooner than later!
Um...that's pretty much it for now...pretty uneventful pregnancy nowadays...

'28' week appointment...

I had my first appointment of this pregnancy with my old doctor (the one who delivered Micah). I'm very happy to be going to her! At this appointment I had my glucose tolerance test done. Hopefully in the next couple of days I'll get the results of that. I HOPE the results are fine because the next test is really awful (I had to do the second when I was pregnant with Micah). I have officially gained 16.5 lbs. Everything was good with the baby so I am relieved. I get anxious about how he is doing often so it is always good for me to hear his heartbeat and to hear the dr. say he is fine.
I asked about when she wanted to do my c-section. She said the hospital is very strict about waiting until 39 weeks to do them. I think that is a good policy...the longer cookin' the better, but that is Christmas Eve so she said she may be able to move it up a little. We'll see...I would love that but only if it is ok for the baby.
We are in the process of deciding about how we want to go about preventing more kids...kind of a hard thing to figure out and decide. Anyways, we need to decide in the next 2 weeks if I want tubal ligation during my c-section so that we can plead our case with the Catholic hospital. I think its very strange that you have to do that but I guess that's the way it is.
Alright...that's all for now...

27 weeks...

It has been a busy week moving! I finally got an appointment set up to see my old doctor on the east side this coming Tuesday so I'm excited about that. I'll get my glucose test done during that appointment. Hopefully I can get an official c-section date set too!!! I've been feeling sick this last week, but I'd assume it is more from stress (of moving) than morning sickness. I hope that goes away again because I don't like feeling sick! Baby is getting stronger...jabbing me pretty hard and I'm sure he will be kicking harder in the coming weeks. I'm in awe of the places I feel him...I'm not sure where my organs have gone because he seems to be everywhere. I really miss being able to sleep on my stomach...I still sort of do but I'm kind of tilted and often I just sleep on my side (which I don't like b/c my arms fall asleep). Ok, that's all for now..

We moved!

Well, we have finally moved from the west side of Columbus to the east. I just discovered that we live in Blacklick, not Reynoldsburg...which is what I have been accidentally telling people (they're really close).
I have been anticipating this move with a lot of stress and so I am glad it is over. Yesterday, the actual moving day, was pretty bad. Our moving truck was 4 hours later than we expected and we hadn't prepared by packing as well as we should have so it made for a very long day. I felt pretty helpless since I am pregnant and basically was only good for watching Micah and unpacking a little bit. Anyways, since we got our moving truck so late and packing took so long we ended up with quite a mess last night...

...kitchen


...dinning room


...entry way


...living room

So now we have to organize and unpack...which I think will take a while since I'm easily tired and have to chase a toddler around all day. Oh well, at least we're here.

Oh, and we live by the airport so Micah LOVES to point at the sky and watch the 'duckys' (airplanes)....no matter how many times we say 'plane' he still says ducky.

26 Weeks

...can you believe my husband went to work before taking my picture for me...;)

Well 26 sounds like a big number and that makes me happy since that means I'm getting closer to the end of this pregnancy! I feel like not much has changed this week as far as the pregnancy. I'm having trouble sleeping but I'm not sure if that is pregnancy related or because Dusty works nights. I also have very strange and vivid dreams. Baby's kicks are getting harder and he moves a lot after I eat chicken...I may have made that up but I think its true. I'm still in the process of trying to get my records transferred from my current doctor to the one that delivered Micah since we are moving next week. Hopefully this week that will all be figured out (faxing issues at current dr. office...boo).
Micah has been a handful...testing his boundaries constantly. It doesn't really make me mad but it wears me out. Its like he wants to do the opposite of what he should do or what I want him to do all the time and it is easy for me to think I am doing something wrong as a parent but I have to keep reminding myself that it is a normal phase and we'll get through it.
So we're moving this next Saturday to the east side of Columbus to be closer to family and Dusty's job. We've been working on packing and doing all the things related to moving. This is our third time moving in the 2.5 years we've been married and I hope we settle a little more on the area at least this time. It is hard to make friends and get used to a place then leave over and over. I will be glad to have this move behind us and to get settled and have this baby!

25 Weeks

Still pregnant...still wish I was closer to 40 weeks...