baby update

I'd been feeling like I wasn't getting much done lately. Didn't really feel ready for the baby but didn't really feel motivated to do much either. Wednesday that changed. All of the sudden I was motivated. Wanted to get the bookshelves out of Lydia's room so we could put in the toddler bed. Not only did I want to get the bookshelves out, I wanted to box up all the books rearrange the room and get those bookshelves out of our house all together. So I got to work. Lifting books (heavy books), putting them in boxes, lifting those boxes, moving (empty but still heavy) bookshelves to different rooms. I also walked over 2.5 miles because I was feeling good.

Wednesday night I woke up in the middle of the night with really bad back pain and fairly tough contractions. These continued through the day on Thursday. Patrick's mom was so sweet and came to my rescue. It was so hard for me to lift Lydia when I really just wanted to lay on the couch all day. She came over and did every thing! She took Lydia and went to the grocery store for us. She told me to sit on my bottom and she finished boxing up the books that I was so eager to have gone. (THANKS DIANE!!!)

Mid day on Thursday after taking easy and spending lots of time on the couch but still having contractions, I called the doctor just to see what they wanted me to do because I am only 35 weeks. She told me to drink 2 big glasses of water and lay on my left side while counting contractions for the next hour. If I had over 4 she wanted me to go to the hospital. I had about 2 in the first 30 min and then all of the sudden I sat up and had to run to the bathroom. Nasty VOMITTING took place. After that I had 4-5 more in the remaining 30 minutes.

When Patrick got home from work his mom took Lydia to their house so Patrick and I could head over the hospital for me to get checked out.

We concluded that I was having contractions and am 1 cm dilated. They continued to monitor me for about an hour and then checked me again. Because I hadn't dilated any further they sent me home saying I wasn't in active labor. They told me to take it easy and not to lift anymore heavy things and that they'd see me back when I was in more active labor.

My back is still sore today but not nearly as bad as Thursday. I still had some contractions today but again not nearly as bad and not as consistent. I go to my OB on Monday for my normal 36 week appointment so she will check me again and see if there has been any more progress.

It's funny how I've known all along that this baby has got to come out of me eventually. I mean that's what happens right. You don't keep a baby in there forever (thankfully)! But I still get a little anxious when I think about going through labor. Experiencing even these baby contractions has me wanting an epidural. HA I'm suck a weakling.

Not being able to lift heavy things means that I really have to limit how much I hold and carry Lydia. She is such a wiggle worm lately that it's even hard for her to sit in my lap. She flops all around and will elbow or kick my stomach (on accident) and send me into a contraction. I hate it because I know that these last few weeks of just her are precious and I want to be able to soak them up. I want to be able to hold her a while before laying her in bed at night. It's just not possible right now. It kills my back. I've been praying that the Lord would give Lydia much grace in dealing with her mommy and daddy as we adjust to having 2 kiddos.

Today my mom came up and helped with laundry and dishes and also took me out for lunch. We went and picked up some newborn diapers and a few outfits for the new babe. She bought me some new pajamas so that I'll be comfy and not so blah looking in the hospital. I'm feeling more and more prepared (house wise) for this little one.

So thankful for all the help of our sweet family! Can't wait to meet this little girl (in a week or so)

baby #2: 32/33/34/35 weeks

You know you are WAY behind on posting when you have to combine 4 weeks worth of updates.

At 32 weeks I went for my normal appointment. I saw a different doctor than usual because mine was on vacation. She measured my stomach and said I was measuring 29/30 cm and suggested I get an ultrasound the next time I came in to check the babies growth. I wasn't worried because I'm pretty sure I measured small a few times with Lydia and then the next time would be right on track or bigger than what was expected. Another reason I wasn't worried was because I just figured with it being a different doctor they probably measure a little differently from each other. Anyway left that appointment excited to get to see baby at next appointment

I had also gained 1 lb (138lbs). Can't remember my blood pressure or babies heart rate but they were all just fine.

Here is a 33 weeks picture.



Last Monday rolled around and I went for my 34 week appointment. My mom came up to help with Lydia at the office and to get a peek at the little girl in utero. So thankful that she was there because we ended up being at the dr's office for 2 hrs.

I made up for weight gain this time and gained 4 lbs (142). My blood pressure was normal.

Everything checked out wonderfully with the ultrasound. She's measuring just fine. (When my normal doctor measured my stomach this time I was right at 34 cm)

I am thankful for the good report and don't take it for granted. I know that every single day with this baby growing inside of me is a gift from the Lord. He is the giver and sustainer of all life.

And here is a 35 week and 2 day picture. (taken just before posting this post)



I'm feeling very big and starting to get pretty uncomfortable. Currently experiencing heart burn. My face has started to retain water or just gaining weight there?? I don't know. I haven't really been swelling in my feet but my hands have started to feel a little tight if I'm really hot. Getting excited to meet this little girl. Just bought a toddler bed for Lydia tonight and now it's time to get the room set up for two girls (even though they probably wont be officially sharing the room for at least a few months).

baby kate and family

Sweet, sweet dear friends. Snapped a few pictures for them one night after dinner. Thankful for the Lord bringing such friends into our lives. I think baby K was three weeks in these pictures

complications

I have a ton of posts that I need to post but am having trouble with photobucket (the site I use to put up all my pictures). Please forgive me if I bombard your google reader with 10 posts at one time.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

17 months

Our little girl is almost a whole year and a half. Oh, and she is about to go from being our little girl to our big girl. Lots of changes about to take place!!



Lydia is learning and changing so much with every day. She is picking up new words and abilities.





She is 24 1/2 pounds and 31 inches long. She has her top front 4 teeth and her bottom front four teeth as well as cutting all four 1 year molars.



She can go up and down stairs really well (although I don't trust her completely on the coming down part). She can now climb up onto our dining room chairs. This really shocked me one day when I walked in to find her standing up at the table. Ha thankfully she wasn't on the table...



Lydia is still a very sweet and affectionate girl. She freely gives kisses and hugs. She's not shy and waves to everyone she sees.

(this is one of our neighbor boys...Lydia thinks he's funny)


We've come into a new phase where she is becoming kind of picky with food. She'll wave her hands in front of her face and say, "no no no." I ask her to say no thank you instead and then usually still make her eat the food. It's generally not that she doesn't like the food but more that she would rather have something else instead (bread). If she keeps sticking her hands in front of her mouth we swat her hand and then try again. It usually only takes one time of doing this and she'll eat the rest with out any problem. When she first started doing this I was really having a hard time knowing what to do. I was worrying about what people were thinking of me and how I was responding to her actions. Now that Patrick and I have decided on this method I feel much more comfortable and it's really seeming to work.



We are also really working on her obeying when we say "come." We don't want her to delay in obeying us when we ask her to come because this could be a huge safety issue. If she is about to do something that could cause her harm she needs to immediately obey when we say stop or come.

Some newer things that she is saying: hi mama/dada (she is starting to put a few words together), thank you, no thank you, everything, down, plane. I'm sure she's saying more I am just having a hard time thinking of them.



We ask her who made her and she'll point up and say God. We also hold her hands when we pray at meal times. When we are finished (well, actually she usually says this right in the middle of the prayer...but she's getting better) she says AMEN and it's the cutest thing ever.

Some of the songs she really likes right now are: the itsy bitsy spider, if all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum grops, our God is so big, and peanut sitting on a railroad track.

Patrick and I are extremely thankful for every single day we have with Lydia. She is truly a gift from the Lord that has brought us much joy. Just tonight I was sitting in the living room listening while Patrick was in the other room getting her ready for bed. She was giggling and loving her daddy. I was sitting there with a very full heart thankful to the Lord for one of his many many good gifts to us.

hanging out back

We don't spend a ton of time in our back yard but in the late afternoon it's perfect for reading and getting some sun. Lydia likes to roam.

beginning of baby season

It seems like babies come in huge waves with all of our friends. The births have just started last week. One of my friends, Amanda, had twins on Monday and then two of my other friends had both their little girls on Wednesday.

Here are a few of our friends at a shower a few weeks ago. The two ladies on the left are the ones that had their girlies on Wednesday.



Here are some of the girls from our bible study at the shower


And here is one of those babies... miss Kate. Who is as sweet as can be and makes me very anxious to meet our little girl.