little of this... little of that

Well let's see... tomorrow marks 37 weeks. As long as I make it to get a pay check next week, Riley's allowed to arrive any time. If she'd go ahead and wait until next Friday to come, that'd be PERFECT. You see... I have next Friday off. So then I wouldn't be not working any hours I was already paid for. (I'm paid hourly and I'm paid ahead of time.) However, Lara did cancel her trip for early next week... she didn't want to go in the first place and also said that she was feeling uneasy leaving me stranded like that. Haha. She is too sweet.

Let's see... some updates. We went on the hospital tour tonight. It was quite nice! Now that I know where to go... I'm ready to have this kid! haha. As of last Thursday, I weighed in at 125.5 lbs. I am 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Really... it's nice to know SOMETHING is going on... but it really doesn't make a difference! I could stay like that for another 5 weeks, really. Or... I could have her tomorrow. So... yes, reassuring that there is some progress, but doesn't promise anything. I am, however, now feeling lots of discomfort in my lower abdomen... I wasn't having any of that before.

Ok... on to the good stuff!!

Today was my first big scare... I stood up from the chair I was sitting in (I was giving Benjamin his lunch) and all of a sudden I feel this cool sensation on the back of my upper thigh. At first I thought, "OH NO! My mucus plug! This is so embarassing!" Then I realize that, no... it can't be that it's wet... not gooey! and then... I thought, "OH NO! My water just broke! OH CRAP! Not yet!!"... in th end, I had just spilled some of my water on my chair and didn't realize it... it was also down the front of my shirt. WHOOPS! But it was pretty hilarious, none the less.

Right now Ryan is setting up the exersaucer... you know, this kid needs to start exercising the day she comes home... and the dog is trying to help. He has the bottom "saucer" part sitting gon the floor, so Ella sat in it. She looked at him as if she were saying, "Thanks for this great new seat you got for me, Dad! You're the greatest!" Unfortunately, by the time I snapped the picture, she was getting off of it. DANG IT! By the way... it is KILLING me not to set up the exersaucer and just let Ryan do it... I'm so obsessive about things that I assume he is going to break it or mess it up... just because HE is doing it and not ME. I'm out of control these days. (update... he has it all together and just is working on adding the toys... however, as soon as he got the top on... he had to push on it to make sure it bounces. It does... he gave it the nod of approval. This is serious business apparently. Oh... and he has to test out every toy that goes on there... he approves.)

Ella lost her bear privileges... you see, something in the fur kept making her hack! We'd think she was about to throw up and rush her outside... and then nothing. And then she'll do that hacking... as if she is some sort of cat trying to cough up a hairball for a few hours. I freak out and think she is choking and dying... Ryan laughs at me. I don't know what he's laughing at. I'm not dramatic or anything. She is still stealing socks... she's kept it to one at a time lately, though. Thank goodness. The other thing she has been doing is hiding stuff! It's hysterical!! She will push things in to the crack of the couch so that she thinks nobody can see them. She also will get her ball and tuck it under her chin (when she is laying down on the couch) and if we come close, she makes sure we can't see it. It's pretty funny. I love that dog.

Alright... I'm sure tomorrow I'll be able to think of some new ailments to tell you about... For now here are some pictures and a little verse at the end that my brother in law sent me today.

36 weeks 2 days bare belly

36 weeks 2 days clothed

Today I'll leave you with this verse...
Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

I'm back!

I think I might try to start updating this more often. Haha. You know, like actually keep people posted about things.

Here's what's going on.

Friday - had my 34 wk appt. Lost .5 lbs from last time. Which means I am only up 10.5 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight. It worries me a little bit, but I'm measuring fine and my dr doesn't seem worried! She said she'd let me know when I need to worry. Haha. Next appt will be the beginning of the end. Internals start and so do weekly visits. AHH!!
Next was the baby shower at Ryan's work. It was neat to meet all of these people he works with. Mostly just a bunch of ladies... I think 2 guys stopped in. We got our travel system (the gender neutral one - and it really makes more sense in the long run.), a HUGE box of Pampers Swaddlers diapers (I think it is 256 diapers... 1/2 size 1 and 1/2 size 2), and a really cute quilt. I will try to get an album up and going to post these things in.

Yesterday - In laws came in town. Got in about 1:30. We just relaxed mostly (we'd been cleaning and running errands all morning, so that was nice) and just chatted. We had an AMAZING dinner! Grilled some steak, twice baked potatoes, salad, and cake. I got to practice my decorating! They were impressed! haha

Today - church. We went to sunday school AND service!! Usually we just leave after the music, but the ILs wanted to stay. Glad we did. VERY good message! Then out to lunch... Doug and Linda left to head home. Yep, they came yesterday afternoon and left today. They were here for exactly 24 hrs. Yes, it does take them 8 hrs each way to drive. Insane! I dropped my brother off at the ER to see if he had a broken arm. Turns out it isn't, just really bad bruise I guess. Sucks for him. Can't even get pain meds! While he had my car... I worked on Riley's room a little bit. Last weekend we went through TONS of hand me downs and so today I separated them in to sizes and put all of the 12 - 24 months stuff into a storage container.

I still need to do some laundry (which includes Riley's stuff too) and vacuum again (dog sheds a lot), but overall... we accomplished a LOT this weekend!! Next weekend is our shower back home with family! Woo hoo!

Pregnancy update. As of today I am 34 weeks 3 days. This means 5 weeks 4 days or 39 days until my adjusted due date. It's getting soooooooo close! I cannot believe it!! In no longer than 7 weeks and 4 days I will have my little girl in my arms! (that's giving that she has until 2 weeks after my due date to get here). I'll be glad to have her out of my ribs! However - I've had such an easy and uneventful pregnancy. I looooove feeling her move! It's so neat! I'll miss that a lot!! But I think that holding her will be so much better! I'll try to update and post belly pictures as well!

heart broken

It absolutely breaks my heart these days to see what people say and how they do not value other human beings. The message board I am on on a regular basis proved to me that my little world is not so realistic. I like to believe that people are not so hateful and not so selfish that if they were to find out their child was not perfect, they would love it all the same and continue with the pregnancy. Apparently... this is not how it goes! I was shocked to see so many women - who are pregnant, have children, or are trying to get pregnant - said they would kill their baby if they found out it had some sort of severe disability. What are they going to do if something isn't detected and they find out after birth that the child has a severe disability? How many times have those tests been wrong? How many times have people beat the odds? How could somebody still decide to terminate a child based on a probability?

There are some things that I will just never understand. Ever. Maybe it is because I have been touched by people with special needs. I have been touched by families of those with special needs. I could never make a decision to kill my baby because it wasn't perfect. God would not give me something I couldn't handle. Not to say it wouldn't be hard - I'm not saying that at all. But, if God brings me to it - He'll bring me through it. Even if I am kicking and screaming and crying the whole time! Haha.