Oh Those Last Few Weeks

You remember them, right? The last 3 weeks before your baby was born. Its almost as though someone flips a switch daily. And I'm not sure if my energy is going to be on (full blast) or off. We are in true nesting mode around here. Well, at least we were this weekend. As I was feverishly scrubbing my kitchen counters and backsplash, I caught my husband stopped dead in his tracks staring at me. It was then that I realized, "Wow, I really am a crazy pregnant woman right now." It seemed necessary at the time. I guess to him, it was completely insane. Nesting this early can drive a woman crazy. I have all of the clothes clean, folded and put away. Bassinet ready for a new baby to sleep in. Laundry (almost) caught up. The only thing left to do is have a baby. And, well, that could take weeks.

So, I have two choices, sulk or keep busy. I've chosen the latter. Its noon and we've already cleaned part of the house, laundry is going, took a 2 mile walk and Anne is now down for a nap.

Come, Elliora, come.

Drum Roll Please

Yes, I had my 36 week appointment today and I am officially 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced.

While I realize this doesn't necessarily mean anything...

It means a lot for me.

One week before Annelise was due, I was only 1 cm dilated, 70% effaced and showing no signs of going anywhere, anytime soon.

Even after being induced and in labor for 12 hours, I only ever dilated to a 4.

So, the fact that 4 weeks before I'm due, my body is beginning to work on its own is very encouraging. Especially considering our decision to try for a VBAC this time around.

Tonight, I get to enjoy a serious chick flick with my hubby (sans daughter)! We're going to see "The Time Traveler's Wife" and I'm so excited to enjoy a few hours of time with Matthew.

Here's to the first weekend since school started, gestational dilation and salty popcorn at the movie theater!

Our Last Hurrah!

Every family expecting a little one needs to get away.  At least that's my opinion.  So, this past Thursday, Matt surprised us with a trip away.  It was a short trip - both in distance and time, but just what we needed before school starts tomorrow and our new baby arrives in just a few short weeks.

Me & Annelise at the zoo.

There was a shark swimming above her head!

Daddy & Annelise at the fish tank.  She loves fish!

Enjoying the water slide at the hotel we stayed at.

A view of the water park.  It was a blast!

So, here's a BIG THANKS to Matt for thinking of his family this week.  We had a wonderful time, just the three (and a half) of us.  School can officially start tomorrow and this baby can arrive whenever she's ready.  I think we're as ready as we're gonna get...

I Hate Meijer

I don't usually dedicate my blog posts to such negativity.  But I'm so fuming mad, I think this might be the only way to get over it.

I ran to Meijer today.  Just a quick trip to pick up a shower curtain liner, because ours ripped and I'm sick of stepping in cold water throughout the day.  

I decided that it would be fun to pay $1 and get Annelise a tv cart.  I mean, the dollar goes towards the Children's Hospital and I figured, what's a dollar when you're 34 weeks pregnant and have to cart a toddler around the store.

I put Annelise into the car - she was thrilled! - and put my dollar into the machine.  It gladly accepted my hard earned money, but then proceeded to tell me that cart rental was currently unavailable.  Huh?  Why take my money then?  

I flagged down the nearest, red shirt wearing person I could find and asked for help (nicely, mind you).  She very quickly stated, "I can't help you, I'm not on the clock.  You'll need to find someone else."

(Blood beginning to warm, but not boil...yet.)

I flag down another woman, who is on the phone.  She tells me, "Oh, you'll have to go to the desk...wait, no...see that girl walking?  Grab her, she can help you."

I look to my right and see another red shirt clad woman swiftly walking away from me, with a phone to her ear.

At this point, I have no choice but to remove my child from the tv cart, which I know what you're all thinking.  Wait for it, wait for it...

Yes, Annelise starts throwing the most horrendous fit ever.

I walk with my screaming child (34 weeks pregnant) after the women and finally catch her.  We stand and wait while she is on the phone.  I stand as close to her as I can get so that my child screaming really annoys her.

She was kind enough to help us.  "Sorry, those things never work.  You'll have to go to Customer Service and fill out a form to get your dollar back."

Huh?  Can't you just give me a dollar?  

When we return to the cart stand, I realize the cart is free for the taking, the TV just doesn't work.  No problem - my kid just likes the cart anyways.  So, we continue on, pacified but certainly NOT satisfied.

While perusing the store, I notice that children's rain boots are on sale.  SCORE!  I've been wanting to buy Annelise a pair, but just can't justify the $17 that Target is charging these days. I find a cute little green pair in her size and we make our way to the checkout.

With only two items, I think the self-checkout is probably the best option.  We scan the shower curtain liner...$3.99.  Then we scan the boots...$16.99.  What?!  I flag down the lady helping the self-checkout people...it happens to be the lady that was "not on the clock" earlier.  

She swiftly grabs the boots from Annelise - which starts another horrendous fit, this time including alligator tears which broke mommy's heart.  When she returned, she coldly explained that only the pink boots were $5, but the green boots were full price.

No, no - I know this isn't true.  I priced them all.  The boots I grabbed just must have been unmarked.  

"Well, you'll have to go back there and get a pair for yourself."

Oh no you didn't.

I think I must have given her the look of death at that point.  I never paid for an item so quickly and stormed out of the store.

Morale of the story:  never expect anyone that works at Meijer to go above and beyond their stated position.   Even if you're 34 weeks pregnant, carrying a screaming toddler.

My Little Peanut

Annelise had her 18 month check up today - even though she's 19 months.  Oops, pregnant-brained mommy forgot to get her in to the doctor sooner.  

She weighed 22 pounds (10th percentile) and measured 31.5 inches long (25th percentile).  What a peanut!  The doctor says she is extremely healthy and highly advanced in her recognition, language and fine motor skills.  

Phew!

And, thank you ALL for your advice and direction on my birthing dilemma.  We have thought and prayed about it a lot.  Considering the fact that my first c-section was mainly due to being induced (I don't think my body was ready to have the baby) and the fact that my placenta ruptured (fluke) I'm going to chance the VBAC.  My doctor says its completely safe for me to try to go naturally and I intend to do just that.  I'm not in a hurry to get this baby out.

Now, I'll let you know if I change my mind in a few weeks. 

Oh the Dilemma

Went for another doctor's appointment yesterday.  I'm 33 weeks, measuring a healthy 37.  The doctor is fairly confident that due to the baby's measurements (on ultrasound) that she will be quite large.  Well, large for me.  8.5 pounds does seem big when you've only ever had a 6 pound baby.  She is encouraging me to schedule a c-section a week to ten days early.  I was hoping to go VBAC this time, but am now questioning that decision.  I have two weeks before I see her again. What to do, what to do?

Any thoughts from those of you that have gone before me?

Girls Playing

Day Two

I made it through yesterday without a glitch.

Ok, that's a lie.  I was totally exhausted by the time Matt got home.  And now I'm officially scared to death to have two children - and work from home.

I realize being pregnant - 33 weeks pregnant - adds a lot to the situation.  I have Alayna again today.  She's usually a dream.  But today, not so much.  I love her, but she's constipated, tired and I think she misses her mommy.  Add to that a 19 month old who wants to "help" constantly.

Yeah, I think I'm not getting much work done today.

Come swiftly Lord.

Um...Hi

I'm crazy, really.  Today is Matt's first official day back to work since summer started.  Its a long, sad day for all of us.  Annelise has already called for him twice, with a look of disappointment on her face when there was no answer.  School starts in two weeks, so teachers are back to work preparing.

Today is also the day that my sister Sarah heads back to college in West Virginia.  Leah (her twin) went along for the ride, so I am watching her 6 month old.  

Did I also mention that Matt's day started at 8 and won't end until 9?

Oh and our second car is at the mechanic having body work done, so I'm stuck at the house.

And...I borrowed my mom's carpet cleaner to try to salvage the rug in the our living room - since Annelise thought spilling a whole cup of black coffee on it would be a grandiose idea.

So, its 11:35 - I've already vaccuumed the floors, cleaned the rug in the living room, put Alayna down for a nap, snuck Annelise' teddy bear and blanket into the wash while she watches cartoons and managed to drink a glass of orange juice.

Phew!  It might be a long day.  But, a great taste of the reality that is going to hit me in 6 weeks. I have decided that starting the prayers now would be a great idea.

Why Hello 6 AM on Saturday

I haven't seen you in a while.  Although, I have a feeling we're going to get quite acquainted over the next few months.  Here's to hoping we get along well.

Friday Rain

After dinner tonight I swiftly marched into Annelise' bedroom and said,

"Mommy wants the next 45 minutes to herself."

Matt looked a little shell shocked, but responded with an "ok?"

I think he was hoping I wasn't on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  

Actually, I had just made myself a hot cup of chai and decided it would be perfectly enjoyed 

at my desk, in my office, watching the rain fall, while I blog.

So, here goes.  

Isn't he sweet?  Little Mason Oliver Williams was born to my best friend Lisa and her family on July 30th.  Here's to a "better late than never" congrats on my blog.  

Alayna Jay is getting so big!  Leah and I have been swapping kids lately, so she and Annelise are getting quite acquainted with one another.  Annelise LOVES her. 

 

I've nervous to even say that we hit a milestone...but Annelise pooped in the potty for the first time last week.  Mind you, she hasn't done it since.  But, it was a small step in the right direction.  I've already determined I'm not going to push her to potty train.  She's been asking to use the potty, so we've been allowing her to try.  I'm not naive enough to think that we can even slightly manage to get her trained in 8 weeks before this new baby arrives.  I'm very comfortable with the fact that I will have two in diapers.  At least one can tell me when they've pooped, right?

Did I mention that Annelise LOVES Alayna?  I found her in the exersaucer yesterday.  When I entered the room, she quickly bounced up and down chanting "Layna, Layna."  I guess that makes it ok?

And I'll leave you with this kind of sweet, kind of scary photo of Annelise, taken this evening. In her mischievousness, she brought me the digital camera, turned on and said, "Cheese."  So, I amused her by taking a photo.  I have to admit, she's pretty darn cute when she's being naughty - which is more often than I'd like.

Oh and lest you think I'm forgetting that I'm pregnant, um...no.  I'm 33 weeks, measuring 35, which means nothing I know.  This pregnancy has flown by and I have been so blessed with a summer that has been cooler than normal.  As I enter the home stretch, I must say, I'm feeling this baby's size much more than I did with Annelise.  The doctor says her legs are very long (in the 90th percentile!) and this past week she has given me every reason to believe she is going to be bigger than Anne's 6 lbs 13 oz.  Boo!

I'll leave you with this comical story.  Last night we spent the evening in downtown Holland watching the street performers that they have every Thursday night.  Its a great way to entertain ourselves (FREE) and get some exercise walking.  As we stood in a crowd of people, watching a performer, Matt witnessed two young girls staring at me.  Without breaking her stare, one leaned over to the other and said,

"Oh my, she - is - VERY - pregnant!"

AHA!

I admit, the majority of my AHA moments as a mother are not due to any particular strategizing that I have done.  In fact, most of them just happen.  Which is why my response is - AHA!

Who knew that switching Annelise to her big girl bed would solve our bedtime woes?

We babysat Alayna (my niece) last night and needed to lay her down for bed before her parents got here.  Naturally, we used Annelise' crib.  Much to my dismay, Annelise grew very cranky earlier than normal and we needed to put her in bed.  

At which time we were faced with the dilemma.  Do we put her in the big girl bed?  Left without much choice, we did just that.  And would you know it?  She stayed there all night long.  No spankings.  No coercing from mommy.

For nap time today, she headed straight for her crib.  I quickly directed her to the big girl bed, which brought a joyous smile to her bright 19-month old face.  I love those moments.

It occurred to me several minutes ago that I did not have to check on her once, spank her or place her back in bed.  She's out cold, in her big girl bed.

What an AHA moment!

Bedtime Woes

She looks so sweet and innocent, doesn't she?  Don't be fooled.  My dear husband spent the better part of an hour trying to get her to nap in her bed today.  Disciplining your child in a God-honoring, consistent way is exhausting.  After 5 spankings and lots of crying, screaming and manipulation, she finally fell asleep.  I'm sure that the majority of parents reading this are snickering under their breath.  So, since you've been through it and obviously think its funny, any advice?

We've determined this is a battle we're going to fight and win, especially before our sweet Elliora arrives in October.

Double Stroller

So, I've seen a few posts about this on friends' blogs, but haven't seen much in solution.  I'm really the kind of person that needs someone to tell me, definitely, what they think is the best product out there and why.  What kind of double stroller should Matt and I purchase for our babies?  I've heard a sit 'n stand is the best - especially for active toddlers - like Annelise.  I found two Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand LX strollers on Craigslist for only $80 each.  Then, I wonder, is there a reason they are selling them so cheaply and so soon after they bought?

So, HELP!  Tell me what you think.  I'm all ears.

My Sweet Girl

 

I've tried for months to find a solution to Annelise' constant need of me when I have work to do from home.  She hates to be in a room alone and often requires much of my attention during the day, even if it means she sits on my lap while I type.  While we were on vacation, we decided to get her a new toy.  My mom bought her a small set of legos, which she took to very quickly. Who knew that a $5 set of blocks could solve much of my work-from-home woes!  She now plays very happily on the office floor, while I accomplish my work at the desk above her.  I even enjoy her frequent serenades, as seen in this video.

31 Weeks

Well, here is me at 31 weeks pregnant (nearly 32 weeks!)...

And here is me at 30 weeks pregnant with Annelise.  

I think I'm just a little bit bigger this time.  

I will see my doctor again tomorrow morning - and then every two weeks.  The last time I went to the doctor, she said I was measuring 3 weeks ahead, which I know means virtually nothing. But, a girl can hope, right?  I'm feeling great these days, other than the normal exhaustion that comes with your third trimester.  Running a vacuum is like running a marathon.  Although, I wouldn't really know what that feels like, but I can imagine.

The closer I get to my due date, the older Annelise seems.  When we left for vacation, she was communicating in one word sentences.  Since we've been back, she's been putting two words together and I swear I even heard her say "I want down" today.  She's growing up too quickly and I fear that she will seem even older the day I birth her sister.  What's that saying?  "When you're a mother, the days seem so long but the years go by so quickly."  I can resonate.

And We're Back

I love vacation.  Although, my dad and I were talking and both agreed that much of the joy that comes from vacation is in the anticipation of what's to happen.  I must say, the reality was more similar to the anticipation than it has ever been. 

Before we left for vacation, I managed to scrounge up enough money to get Matt a new set of golf clubs.  I'm pretty sure the garage sale set he was using was older than him (that's old for golf clubs).  Needless to say he was surprised and overjoyed.  The best part: I made the 30 minute trek to Grandville to purchase the clubs with a toddler (during nap time) and a 5 month old.  I must have been a site to see!  I paid for the clubs with cash too.  That felt great!

We vacationed at my sister-in-law's parents' cottage in Muskegon, Michigan.  This is the view of the channel that leads out to Lake Michigan.  It was a beautiful place to stay!

Papa and Granny with Annelise on the beach.  It was a little windy, but she was loving every minute of it.

Playing a "civil" game of Monopoly our first night at the cottage.  I won't brag, but I won.  Enough said.

I couldn't resist buying the cousins matching outfits.  Annelise is almost 19 months old and Alayna is 5 1/2 months old.  They ended up switching the underwear that went with the dresses because the 18 months were too big for Annelise.  That cracks me up!

She looks so sweet and innocent, doesn't she?  Don't be fooled.

Me, 31 weeks pregnant and feeling it.  I think I was taking a rest after our walk.

Uncle Matt and Annelise enjoying snack time by the pool.  

Aunt Leah taking the girls swimming. 

 

Annelise watching daddy and Aunt Sarah play beach volleyball.  PS - See that beautiful, purple sippy cup?  I got it on sale at Dick's for $6.99.  A little pricey for a sippy cup, but its a Nalgene and our new favorite.  She loves using it!

Matt, being the outgoing extrovert that he is, invited himself to play beach volleyball with a bunch of strangers.  He had a great time - and my sister even joined him!

I thought this shot was cool.  

1)  Could she be any skinnier?  Try not to hate.  

2)  Look at that form!  I hope she's playing college volleyball this year!

And last, but not least, the girls decided to do a little something for themselves this week. Since the guys spent the majority of the vacation money on golf, we decided a pedicure was in order. And boy did it feel glorious!  Here's mom and Leah enjoying their pampering.

As we return to reality (its so hard after such a long time away) we're anticipating many milestones in our future.  School starts in 6 weeks, we will have a new addition to our home in 9 weeks and life will be completely different after that.  

And We're Off

Again.  Vacation officially starts tomorrow. We're heading to a cottage at Maranatha for a week of family fun.  We hope to enjoy lots of sun, relaxation, golf, swimming, shopping, eating - and all of the other things you do on vacation.  Pictures will follow.

Pregnancy Update

Even in the midst of a busy summer, I have managed to carve out time for my OB visits.  Maybe that sounds surprising to you, but it just hasn't been much of a priority this time around.  15 minutes in the doctor's office for them to tell me I am still pregnant and have gained weight doesn't sound too appealing.  Can you blame me?

At any rate, I have felt much bigger this time, much more movement from the baby and have been increasingly more uncomfortable.  Lest you think I'm complaining, I'm really not disliking this pregnancy as much as the first.  It has really flown by.  

My doctor confirmed a lot that I had been feeling today.  Apparently I am measuring almost 3 weeks ahead.  The baby's legs are extremely long (which explains my inability to find a comfortable position other than standing).  And I gained 7 pounds.  That brings my total to 15 pounds.  Not bad.  

So, we're either going to have our little girl early, our big girl on time, or our abnormally large girl late.  Doesn't leave you with much, huh?