Memorial Day

Last weekend we had so many people stop by to bring us food and gifts and send warm wishes while I sat around. Even though I couldn't participate, Paul and Noah decided to sleep out in the yard in a tent for the first time. We invited another family to come and grill with us and then they could sleep out as well. The older little girl, Clare, is Noah's girlfriend (according to us) and he follows her around like a little puppy and does whatever she asks of him. It is so nice when she is here because the two of them literally go and play together for hours without any fighting, complaining, or trouble. Clare's mommy Jane is a good friend of ours too and since she has two little girls and she is done with babies, she brought over HORDES of adorable little girl's clothes for us that she is completely done with.

While we were eating there were some cardinals flitting nervously around us. Justin is a vet and he saw two baby cardinals on the ground. Apparently they had fallen out of the nest and were too young to fly. Noah was soooo excited to see the babies, but we had to keep our distance. Jane picked one up in a leaf and put it closer to the parents, out of harms way.




After the bird excitement it started to get dark and the kids started to get ready for their camp out. These two are just toooooo cute!





Of course during all of this I was seated in a lawn chair observing {sadly} from a distance. Bedrest is sooooooo hard!!!!

In any case, I hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend!!!!!

Bored on Bedrest

I am working hard and getting ahead on everything I can, but I still am having a hard time sitting still. I had been wanting to making a quilt for the baby and so I grabbed a ton of fabric a few weeks ago at the craft store. I decided to start with a smaller project because it has been a long time since I sewed (probably since Noah was born!). This is the finished product of my trial... 2 bib/burp cloth sets and a mini-taggie blankie... so cute!!!!! I really like the way they turned out, just don't look too closely at the seams!

Stuck

For all of you who are wondering...

I went back to the doctor today. Dilation is about the same, I am effacing a little bit more than last week. At this point my instruction is to stay on bedrest for the next three weeks. At that point I am allowed to get up and resume normal activity because at that point it won't matter if I go into labor. My instructions are: no cooking, cleaning, laundry and I'm not allowed to pick up Noah. I am supposed to wake up, get ready for the day, sit on the couch and only get up for meals and bathroom needs. I am allowed to perform church functions that I consider "absolutely necessary."

I'm so bummed. I know it is for the baby and to help the baby, but it just seems a little dramatic. I'm not that dilated. I'm not trying to second guess the doctor, I'm really not. I just am sad because I was hoping to spend the early days of summer alone with Noah... at the zoo and the pool and at the park. And now I can't even push him on the swing in the yard. Three weeks will go quickly, I'm sure. I missed my anniversary gift, I'm missing lots of events we had planned with our friends and I'm just a little sad and disappointed.

I have gotten a lot of scrapbooking done, made some bibs and burp cloths, and I bought items to make baby girl a beautiful quilt. Those things will make me happy. And I thank God that I am healthy and the baby is healthy and that there is no danger on the horizon.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers....

33 Weeks -- Clueless

So, today I went for my doctor's appointment.  The doctor wasn't there so I had her nurse which I was fine with.  I told her I was having Braxton Hicks and feeling a lot of pressure and I thought that was pretty normal.   The doctor wanted me to be checked before I went to NYC this weekend just in case.  I thought was a little much because it is all still so early and I really want to go!

So, she checked me and I was 2 cm dialated and 25% effaced.  I was completely shocked.  I really expected nothing.  I have lots of friends who were 0 cm at 40 weeks.  So, she went to confer with another doctor and came back.  Her verdict: head to the hospital, no NYC, monitor contractions.

Well, the fact is I don't really feel these so called contractions!  I didn't with Noah either.  So, I asked the doctor if I could at least go get a book because I know how slow Triage is.  So, I headed to Borders and bought some books and went right to the hospital.  I started to actually feel some contractions, but nothing big.  They took me in and hooked me up and there were contractions on the monitor, but nothing regular.  They checked me again and I was still the same.  So, they sent me home.  

My real doctor will call in the morning and tell me what to do next.  Best case scenario -- Go to NYC for the weekend and enjoy my wedding anniversary.  Worst Case Scenario --  bedrest to keep anything from progressing.   Possibilities-- anything in between.

The big hullaballoo is that I was 5 cm with Noah at 36 weeks and never felt a thing.  The doctor looked me right in the eye and said "this is abnormal."  She is concerned that since this is #2 it could go much faster and progress quickly.  But, since nothing is regular, it could take another 4--6 weeks or more.  Who knows!!!!!

I don't mind it all, but I just don't want to have to go to L&D every week to get checked when nothing is happening! I'll feel like a big moron!  

"Other" Kids

So, I know I give Noah a hard time for being so rough and for being generally fussy (even at age 3!).  But, this weekend I really had my eyes opened to stuff I already knew but needed to be reminded of.  

Last night after dinner we went to the local dairy farm for ice cream and to play on their nice playground.  Noah was climbing up and down and all over just like normal.  There were 2 other boys about his exact age playing as well (we don't know them).  One of the little boys (Gregory) was afraid to go down the big slide and was just sitting at the top.  The other little boy (Matthew) came up from behind and tried to push him, which I have seen a bunch of times.  Gregory started crying and Matthew pinned him down and jumped on him and started trying to wrestle him and hurt him.   Gregory's grandparents grabbed him off of the playset.  Matthew's parents started screaming at him.  Matthew's mom said to Gregory (who was 2-3!).."Hit him back, push him, he deserves it.  I'll push him if you don't"  and then when she tried to grab him off and he ran away she yelled across the playground "I hate him! He's so embarrassing."  She finally yanked him and drug him to the car.  

I was completely shell shocked at the whole thing.  Noah can push his way through the play ground but I always try to make it better and have him resolve things.  I certainly drag him to the car enough and get frustrated, but to say that I hate him?  My goodness.  

Then today we went to a tractor show at Noah's school.  There were these great trees to climb on, very low to the ground with lots of branches.  Another boy who might have been four was on the tree and kept calling Noah a "poophead" and blocked his way when he tried to climb.   I told the boy it wasn't okay and that he had to move and he just said "no!" and kept getting in the way.  Finally he moved and I helped Noah climb up.  He wouldn't let Noah get any farther though and when he wanted to get down he just said "Noah, move!"  Noah got right out the way and I was amazed at how easily Noah listened to this bully! 

I just got so sad at the thought of how mean kids are to each other.  I know all the teachers out there know this all too well, but I wish it didn't have to be that way!!!  I sometimes wonder if it is innate or if kids absorb it from their parents and television and surroundings.  And the sad part is that there is nothing you can really do to protect your kids from it, is there?

So, today (for a brief moment) I am happy that Noah is genuinely loving and is known for his hugs and kisses and compassion.  Everyone always says how sweet and kind he is.  I'm proud of that, especially in light of how many kids at 2 and 3 are so mean already!!!!  

That's just a little rant on my part.  

 

32 Weeks... ugh.

Well, here I am, just a few weeks away. 8 months pregnant. Ugh is all I can say! I had an appointment last week and the doctor wants me to stay close to home. Paul and I have Broadway tickets for May 23 and I have instructions to go in and be checked before we go unless I want to deliver in Manhattan. I'll only be 34 weeks at that point, but with Noah I was 5cm dialed at 35 weeks and she doesn't want to take chances. (neither do I!).

Everything is going just fine. I was having some blood pressure/headache issues and the doctor was starting to suggest leaving work early but I asked for a second chance to reduce some stress and she agreed. My headaches disappeared and my bp came right down.

It's a very weird feeling to be 32 weeks, because if I think about 37 weeks that's only 5 weeks away and that totally freaks me out! But if I think 40 weeks then 8 weeks seems like a lot more time. Overanalyze much?

I have definitely entered bigdom and it totally sucks. No matter what I wear or how I sit I just feel large. And I am sooooooooo tired. Yesterday I didn't think I was going to make it through the day. I don't remember feeling this tired with Noah but I am completely wiped out to the point of extreme fatigue. It also doesn't help that Noah is beginning to fight his nap which is normal for a 3 year old and many of his friends don't nap anymore at 3. But for a pregnant momma who can't manage to store up any energy, a wired and overtired 3 year old is an arch nemesis!

So, slowly but surely we keep pecking away at baby stuff. I made this bulletin board from the fabric I bought and I really love the way it turned out. I also got the buttons from etsy.




I got this cool bank from artfire:


And I bought some blinds for the room finally.

Last night some friends and I sat down and made a mobile which isn't finished yet, but I am totally in love with it and I'll post pictures soon. We also have had some friends lend us some hand me downs and so we feel good about having enough clothes ready. I'm still struggling with stroller decisions and what will work best. It stinks because there is no way to know what I will like until I use it! I'm leaning toward a sit and stand and a double jogger (I use my single jogger allllll the time) Any suggestions in that department would be appreaciated.

Noah is also beginning to show some less favorable signs about the baby coming. He begged for a high chair today after resisting one for the past 14 months. He was asking for diapers when I got them out. Today he sat in the bouncer and kept mumbling baby noises and refused to use words. And yesterday I was holding a friends baby (which I do all the time) and he lost it. He immediately wanted to be picked up and wanted to go in the baby swing at the park. So, I'm not sure how to do all of this since he is 3 and really aware of what's happening. Not that I've ever been sure how to do any of this!!!!!! But.... in the next 2-3 months we'll figure it out, won't we!!!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

We had a great mother's day weekend here. Friday Paul and I went to an amazing string quartet performance in town by the Wisteria Quartet (YoYo Ma has played with them!!!). Noah hung out with some of our friends and then we went over to all hang out later on. Saturday Paul had a work day at church and Noah and I went to some yard sales and to Kilby Cream where my good friend Yaz bought me chocolate covered ice cream bon bons and a gorgeous wildflower bouquet. I got home and Paul and Noah gave me a variety of flower bulbs to plant as my mother's day gift.

Today Noah slept until 8:15 and then we headed to church for the morning. My parents came and we went to lunch and then Paul's mom came and hung out after dinner. It was a very nice chill weekend for all of us. Here's me and my little monster....



making silly faces....