end of october...

and still no baby.

I believe I was spoiled with my last pregnancies, I have never been pregnant this long.

Yesterday I had a Dr. appointment and I have progressed quite a bit, but obviously not enough to throw me into labor, although last night, my contractions were getting pretty strong...and then I laid down. They went away.

Being HALLOWEEN, I am hoping that maybe some one will spook me into labor.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

guess the date giveaway

My days are now filled with waiting...

and since I have tons to do, but don't really want to do them, I have been a slacker. Although, I got a spurt of energy all last week and raked our lawn, filling 12 large bags with leaves, only to find that a nice breeze came through on Sunday and dropped the leaves from out of our 5 maple trees and they are NOT little. Brinley has LOVED having leaves to play in. I was also able to do some deep cleaning in the bathroom and kitchen. my front room needs it everyday, but the beds got made daily and the clothes even got folded. Now putting them away, that is a different story. What do I hate more than folding clothes? Matching socks. I did quite a bit of that too. Matt is happy.

So this week, I have been doing all I can to get this little pumpkin to want to make her enterance into the world. Brinley and I walked through Costco yesterday for 2 hours, Sunday we went with Julie and Cody to Fitch Arboretum and walk around, and jumped some too. Today, I think I will get some of those leaves off the ground, or make piles for Brinley to play in.

now onto the next thing...

Now that I am getting down to the next few weeks (hopefully days), I am going to do a giveaway. You pick the date and am/pm and if you win, you will recieve a $20 giftcard to Target, my favorite place.

So far, here is what we have:

* FYI: all of the birthday's are people I am related to*

OCTOBER:

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DATE AM/PM

28 Sheree Martineau (AM)

29 Lori Lowe (AM)

30 Lindsey Gardener (AM)

31 Emily Lyman (AM) Pamala Phelps (PM)

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NOVEMBER:

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1 Jandre Sherwood (AM) Betsie Sayers (PM)happy birthday Laurie!

2 Amanda Jeppson (AM) Julie Eggleston (PM)happy birthday Brian!

3 Megan Erickson (AM) Sonnet Gunter (PM)

4 Renee Pendergrass (AM) Allyson Devenish (PM)

5 Tiffani Adamson (AM) Juli Call (PM) happy 6th birthday Ashleigh!

6 Raquel Ruggles (AM) Becky Wilson (PM) happy birthday Neal and Rocia!

7 Jill McComas (AM) Nick Call (PM)

8 Megan Call (AM) happy birthday Quinn!

I am not going to go past the 7th because I should be induced by then. I will change the color of the name as the date passes and no baby is here.

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Thank you!!! to ALL who are bringing me dinners, frozen or otherwise, in the next few weeks. Here is the list from my baby shower... just as a reminder.

October 29th, Julie Eggleston

October 30th, Lindsey Gardener

November 3rd, Pamala Phelps

November 4th, Lindsay Graham

November 5th, Cindy Johnson

November 6th, Lori Lowe

November 8th, Lisa Farman

November 9th, Joleen Robinson

doing my part...

Sarah needs to do hers.

batcat, eyeballs and trunk-r-treat

Last night Brinley and I (Matt was home, sick in bed...really, really sick) went to a trunk-r-treat with Julie and Merv. Brinley has been wanting to be Batcat for months now. If you watch Charlie and Lola, then you have probably heard of Batcat, like Batman, but a cat. So after working on her costume for about 5 minutes, this is what we came up with. She loved it.
Julie, Merv and Cody came dressed up as eyeballs. I kept telling them to put mustaches on, then they could have had eyebrows. Cody HATES Halloween, so to get him to dress up took a lot of talking it up.

Julie was told by someone that their husband thought me being pregnant was my costume. She told him, "no, I think she really is pregnant." He responded by, "Wow, she's huge."

I didn't dress up. I guess that was okay.

Merv and I decorated the back of my van. It wasn't all that cool this year, but people thought it was cool.

We all went to a halloween party at Pam and Larry's house. They have the best parties. Their house was decorated amazingly and their 4 oldest boys and Larry made a haunted house in their garage. It was really fun and they even got a few jumps out of me. I didn't take any pictures, but I am sure my sister julie will post a few.

come out little baby.

Today was a doctors appointment. He was going to stip my membranes, but no. I am locked up tight. Sarah hasn't dropped yet either. It is really depressing...

My ultrasound went fine and my fluid numbers have come down. They measured her and she is about 7 lbs. 10 oz. I think if I actually go to 39 weeks, when I will be induced, she may be at least 9 lbs. at least.

I am hoping my water breaks, like with Brinley, and I can just go in sometime this weekend...one can dream. Of course, because I am wanting her to come, she is going to be stubborn and stay in there.

My contractions are getting stronger, but not consistent and I could really do without throwing up, it makes me really tired and the indigestion gets really bad. Oh, and have you ever thrown up during a contraction? Not so fun.

no baby yet...

Nothing new to report.

I have been out walking a lot, doing some major DEEP cleaning around the house, walking up and down stairs and plan on raking leaves this week. I have still been having mild contractions, yesterday they actually woke me up during a nap, 4 times. I figure, if she is supposed to come early, then she will. (I will be 37 weeks on Wednesday). If not, then I will have a clean house, get some exercise and have a yard ready for winter, unitl the rest of the leaves fall off the trees. Our 4 maple trees have finally changed color. YEAH! I love Fall.

Tomorrow morning is yet another NST. We'll see what they have to tell me. Hopefully I won't have to be stuck to monitors for another 4 hours.

just a quick update

Yesterday was another NST and Ultrasound. My amniotic fluid is up again, but just slightly. Sarah had a deceleration in her heart rate a few times, enough to monitor me for longer. And I had a few contractions.

I was sent up to the Labor and Delivery floor where they hooked me up to more monitors for 4 HOURS...BORING! Nothing came of it and I was sent home. However, I got to see my contractions, which are totally wimpy, and how spaced out they are. But at least I know that they really are contractions and not just braxton-hicks. I will have another NST on Tuesday and then a doctor appointment, NST and Ultrasound next Friday...if I make it to next Friday.

I never have just a boring pregnancy, there is always something to deal with.

girls...

Yesterday my sister, Julie, found out she is having a girl. That makes all three of us preggo sisters having girls (within 4-5 months time). I was totally expecting her to have a boy, but am so excited that Sarah will have a girl cousin to play with.

I have been feeling small contractions since last Friday, nothing big enough to consider it labor, but I have been trying to take it easy and still get all the things I need to get done, done. Since I am officially 36 weeks today, I figure that should give me only 1 more week to go, if I make it that far.

I had a NST yesterday and have another on Friday, along with an ultrasound. I hope that maybe this weekend I'll be having a baby. It would be convenient for Matt if I could go into labor sometime after 7pm on Friday. Wouldn't that be nice.

Fro baby...

Little Sarah has a fro. I knew something was to come from all of this indigestion and heartburn. She wouldn't move her hands out of in front of her face, but they were able to get a good side profile pic (below) of her. It makes her look like she has a mohawk.

My appointments yesterday were eventful. My doctor appointment in the morning wasn't so much, but I am measuring about 1 1/2 weeks bigger than I am.

I had an NST in the afternoon. (NST is a non stress test. They put monitors on your belly, one for the babies heartrate and one for the mom to see if your uterus is contracting. you get to sit for 20 minutes and they record everything.) Since Sarah wasn't giving us a good read out on the strip, they had me stand up, sit up, lay back, whatever to get her moving and get a good readout. Her heartrate was at 140 and wouldn't go above 155. Finally, she cooperated with us and had some good accelerations. I had 3 contractions during this time, nothing big, but enough for them to want me to take it easy. if they get worse or whatever, I am supposed to go in.

Then I had my ultrasound. They found that my amniotic fluid was higher than last week. Wonderful...so they sent my info to my doctor, who is on vacation right now. Another doctor had to look at it but was in an amniocentisis at the time so I waited almost and HOUR in their office, after closing, for them to get back to me. They sent me home, but told me, yet again, if my contractions start to get worse to be admited. They also want me to journal Sarah's movements and take it easy, lay on the couch and drink lots of water when I feel the contractions.

I've been feeling pretty crappy the last few days. Mostly tired and just not feeling well. So I guess over the next, however long it takes for this baby to come, to just chill and do a lot of nothing.

Fall

you know when Fall finally arrives when you wake up to 25 degree weather and the high is 48...LOVE IT! It makes me want to bake apple cake, cook homemade soup and bread, drink hot cocoa and snuggle on the couch with Brinley, reading books or watch a not too scary Halloween movie.

my week so far...

Sunday: I had planned on watching conference on the internet with Matt, but I got called to the hospital to take photos. This sweet baby reminded me of Olivia. I just kept staring at him with all of his hair. Just a beautiful baby. I got home in time for the 2nd session of Conference, but it wasn't working over the internet. We went to my parents to hang out the rest of the day and eat their food. Came home and took bath.

Monday: I woke up feeling great. Ate some toast and then took Brinley to school. 5 minutes after walking through the door, I threw up...nice. It ruined my whole day and I didn't get much done. I felt like poop. Later that night, I had a belly/boob cast done. It was interesting and messy. I 'm not sure yet what i am going to do with it, but HOLY CRAP! I have a large belly. Then, I took a bath.

Tuesday: I was busy running errands all over the place, paying bills, yada, yada, yada. There was a MISS meeting that night and 6 new families. I didn't get home until 10. The meeting was great and a few of the new families I had done photos for. I hope they felt that the meeting helped them. You learn something new every time you go. On your journey through life, your grief changes, you think of what your child would be doing now, the milestones of year 1 and 2 and so on. As you talk to the parents of all the beautiful children who have passed, you remember your own experiences. I cried at the meeting, (I think i cry at every meeting) it was good for me.

Wednesday: I sat for 2 1/2 hours getting new tires and brake pads put on...fun. Luckily, I took a book and I finished it...Lisa, I am out of books to read. I am without a debit card for a week and realized how many place don't take a check anymore or won't let you get cash back...IT SUCKS! I finally got around to working on the CricKet stores finances and have a ways to go before I'm done...wait, it's never done. Matt was happy that I actually made dinner too. I've been slacking a bit lately. I guess he doesn't feel that throwing a potato in the microwave constitutes as a meal.
Brinley and I took a bath.

Thursday (today): So far, so good. I have to work at the CricKet store today, just me and Ami. Matt has a Corporate meeting. It should be an interesting few hours. Although, it is ALWAYS interesting when you work downtown. Lots of crazies and wierdos and people high on whatever. I could start a blog on Matt's stories of what people come into the store...good times. I am pretty sure a bath is on the schedule too.

Friday: I have a doctors appointment in the morning and then we are going to pick pumpkins at Green Bluff and then back in time for my non-stress test and ultrasound. Busy, busy day.

when I was a kid...

It's funny when you marry someone not too much older than you, but enough that you grew up in a "different time".

Matt and I were talking about the VCR this morning, I remember when we got one. We were living in Winnemucca, Nevada. I may have been 5 or 6. My parents had rented a copy of Michael Jackson's Thriller and I remember watching it and learning the dance. I was telling Matt about it, like he would have had VCR too. His comment "uh, I didn't grow up with a VCR. I was a teenager when my parents first got one." I laughed. It made him feel really old.

Isn't it weird to think that we didn't have what kids have now...cell phones, internet, debit cards, digital cameras, etc.

chubby cheeks

My appointment wasn't too eventful. I got some good news and bad news, but first, here is chubby cheeks: with pouty lips (that is the umbilical cord by her lips)
She was trying to chew on the cord, it was pretty funny to watch.
she is a little acrobat, and likes her foot by her head.

So the good news is...she finally turned and is now head down. We expect her to stay that way.

The bad news...my amniotic fluid #'s are a little high (it's either feast of famine with me) and they think I might have borderline gestational diabetes. I will be hearing about it on Monday. Luckily, I don't have much longer to wait till this pumpkin is born.

field trip

Today was Carver Farms day for the kindergartener's. The sun was out long enough for us to enjoy the outing, but poured down on the way home...highlights included: Picking our own popcorn. You have to wait 6 weeks for it to dry out before popping.
A little piece of Fall...in the form of a dried up weed.
The corn maze.
Dog poo on Brinley's shoe...so gross.
And picking mini pumpkins, gourds and a pumpkin the size of Brinley's head.

Today is another ultrasound and NST (non stress test) for me. I am pretty sure that Sarah has moved positions, but I'm not positive that her head is down. We will see today. Also, I am so excited...I get to buy a new lens for my camera. YIPPEE! I can't wait.

54

That's right...54 inches around and I'm 34 weeks pregnant. I'm HUGE!

Yesterday, while shopping, a cashier asked me how much longer I had.

"6 weeks." I told her.

Her response, "Are you having twins?"

No, but thanks for making me feel even bigger.

why do i bother?

What is the point of cleaning the front room when, just as you finish, this is what you come back to?
I guess a cushion "fort" is a lot more fun than sitting on the couch to watch TV.