FINALLY!

Well....here we are! Julia has been officially admitted to the hospital. The doctor is on the way to do a complete exam.....they have had her walking the halls for the last 90 minutes...(does that sound familiar to anyone??) All looks good so far....Julia is in good humor and Jason is just plain excited! Will keep posting as things change!

No baby yet....but today a man on a horse rode down the middle of our street right in front of the house.

If he doesn't come soon, my stomach just might explode.

Waiting

and waiting and waiting and waiting....

Still no Eli yet....

My mom got in last Wednesday evening, so we have been hanging out since then, giving Eli pep talks hoping he'll show up any day now.

I went back in to the doctor last Friday and he said I was still progressing, so that's a good sign. Although when I am asked whether I have had any contractions, all I can do is shrug my shoulders, because until they really start to hurt, I don't think I'm going to notice.

Walked and walked around IKEA yesterday. The only thing that that really accomplished was making my feet and back sore. We did get some neat buys though, so it was worth it. It seemed the place to go for pregnant mommies, I certainly saw a lot of them!

My mom knows how to update the blog, so as soon as we get the all clear from Eli, she'll let you know.

So here's the cutest baby girl you ever did see:

Madelyn is doing very well, but my brother's basement is flooding! Hopefully it stays in the basement and stops raining soon.

As for Eli:

He's still prepping for his big day, which is quickly approaching, as I am reminded every time I say that I am 8 and a half months pregnant! The doctor thought he would come early at our appt. last Tuesday and our next one is Friday afternoon. Hopefully they'll say the same things, but we'll see.

I came in late to work this morning because there's just something about waking up at 6 that does not sit well with Eli, and some people thought it was because I was in labor! I was not, and am still not in labor, just fatigued, nauseous, and generally ready to meet my son.

My mom's getting into town tonight, which is really exciting. It will be nice to have more people to talk to as we just sit and wait every evening now.

The final test is tomorrow! Then he'll have his summer break, all of July. It's kind of a bummer that it is short, but awesome that God planned Eli's birth so perfectly (should we even doubt!).

Much love to you all....please leave a comment because I don't do much more now than waste time waiting, so at least I'll have something to read!

I'm an aunt! The baby boom has begun....my neice was born yesterday at 11 in the morning and she is what I like to call a baby chunk. Only I can say that because I was also a baby chunk when I was born. She was 9 lbs. 1 oz. and 21 inches long....baby chunk! Here are some pics:

The proud papa:

The hand off from new grandpa to new daddy:

I went to the doctor yesterday and she sounds pretty confident that he wants to be born early (definately not late), so that has my mom ready to drive on down right now! We're going weekly to the doctor now, so I'll be sure to keep updated.

Off to the doctor again tomorrow. It's poke and prod time to find the baby's head!

My brother and sister-in-law are waiting (not exactly patiently) for their daughter to come. The due date is tomorrow, and I undestand being punctual, but seriously!

I am feeling fatter and believe that I have begun the pregnant waddle. Heartburn is more of a problem, but so far no major swelling of the extremities. Other than that, no complaints, except that there is no nap time at work!

Read left to right and up to down.....only 5 more weeks!

The countdown to our niece is in full swing! She is due some time this month, and from what I understand, her mommy can't wait for that to happen. Please keep my brother and his family in your prayers as the day gets ever closer, and please help mommy through the struggles of each day. Sitting and waiting is no fun.

Our last check-up revealed that everything was still going along normally, which is great. I met with an anesthesiologist and showed him my x-rays. He says that the hardware should be no problem to work around, but my natural lower back curve (which everyone has) is just a little more defined, so it may be a little harder to give an epidural. We'll see....it's just nice to know that the option is still an option. I am hoping that I won't need one because my body and medicine tend to be in conflict so the less I need, the better. Who's to say though.

We've been washing all his clothes (he has about twice as much as me!) and getting the room cleaned up so we can actually walk around in it. Unfortunately the bedding pattern was lost in the shuffle of moving, so hopfully I'll find it before he outgrows his crib!

I haven't gotten substantially bigger yet, although everyone assures me it is coming. So far, no major swelling, and my heartburn is now under control with Pepcid. My senses are heightening I think because last night I couldn't sleep and it really seemed like I could hear the dog blink.

Please pray for patience and endurance through the last few weeks of this semester. He is really feeling drained and ready to have a break....and a son in his arms, so pray he can stay focused this little while longer!

We have been trying to get a good "belly picture" for you all, but every which way we try, you can't tell. That is my excuse for providing the following picture:



He's in there though, trust me.

I would also like everyone to know that my wonderful husband made homemade lasagne for dinner last night when I said I was hungry for Itlaian food. A sweeter man I've never known.

The baby shower at work was a total blessing. When you struggle with long hours and not enough work to fill them, it is nice to know that people appreciate you. I guess they like me. Here are a few pictures:

Okay, I tried to pick pictures that showed my belly, hope I did alright. We currently can't find any batteries for our digital camera so we can't take any at home. I'm trying! Anyway, Stefanie (who is also pregnant) hung up all the clothes and blankets on a clothesline and I had to walk it to the other end of the room to spread it out, it was a big hit with all the ladies who came. Very cute idea! She was also the one who made my hat. The way it sat cock-eyed on my head made me feel like Scarlet O'Hara trying on that green hat from Paris in Gone With the Wind, except for all the women who were laughing!

We're looking forward to a baby shower/house warming party next weekend and then the shower in Georgetown. I cannot wait to see everyone in G-town again...it has been too long!

Don't forget to tell your mom you love her tomorrow!

Here is the craziness that is our dog Trolley....

My favorite part is that the tennis ball doesn't really fit in her mouth! It is Tank's ball, and he is very serious about it, but she just takes it and sits in her chair, just to annoy him! Usually she is lying down with it between her paws and her chin resting on it. Tank is two feet away staring at her. She doesn't even look sorry about it, does she.

Now on to the baby......

Tomorrow is the baby shower at work and I am getting excited, mostly because everyone else is getting excited! Maybe I'll be able to get some pictures, we'll see what works out.

The shower up north was wonderful.

So much of my family came in to town and it was so great to see them! Even Ray came down from NYC which I know was a real blessing for Jase. I liked the fact that they tired Kid out so much he didn't have the energy to jump up on me anymore!

Eli's room is coming together. We now have the changing table (thank you Aunt Janice!) and a car seat (yea!) and I realized that we painted his room the exact (literally exact) same color as his stroller! Tank appreciates all the toys we bring home that rattle and squeek. It will be interesting dealing with that little matter.

For those of you who know about my surgery, you will know that I have a few less ribs on my right side. Eli has found out that there is a little extra room there and has begun exploring it with his feet. I know they are his feet because sometimes he pokes them against the skin and I can see little outlines. Maybe I am giving my son more credit than an almost 31 week old baby deserves, but once he found a little more room on the right side, he has begun exploring the left. Unfortunately, there is no more room over there and the pushing kinda hurts! Hopefully he will give up soon and just be content to keep his piggy toes on the right side.

To quote my husband, "I am ready to see what is hiding inside my wife!" I'm ready too.

Another post soon about tomorrow's party, but I leave you with this beautiful photo of my mom's picturesque farm house...

me and hubby and my brother and his wife......more to come....

There's nothing like a big ol' shot in your keister to wake you up in the morning...

Things are going quite nicely with the little guy. I went in this morning for my Rhogam shot. It was a seriously big needle, about 1/16 of an inch (look on a ruler, you'll understand) and the nurse described it as a deep intermuscular tissue injection. I was so excited.

It wasn't that bad in the end, Linda was very nice and the only pain was the ache while she emptied the syrine (which was equally as huge). So one down, one to go!

Jason is moving right along with the floor in the house. It looks so beautiful! As soon as he's done, I'll get pictures up for you guys. Currently, our piano is in the foyer with the rolled up carpet and pictures and lamps and coffee table, and if anyone knocks on the front door, we'll either have to climb out the window or go through the garage to let them in.

We're headed up to Pennsylvania this weekend....and I am sooooo excited to see my family! More updates and pictures (I promise!) to come.

This past weekend was so busy, and it is only one of the first in a long line of busy weekends! We moved (or shall I say Jason and his very nice, gracious buddies) into our house over the weekend. Although I did no lifting what-so-ever, I am still bone weary and ready to take a nap for the whole week! I put a picture up of the front of the house, but since there is only one pathway around the clutter inside, you don't get to see that yet.

The dogs are enjoying the backyard. Trolley just sits there listening to all the new dog barks and trying to figure out how to get to them. No digging as of it, except by Tank when Jason goes out the gate.

Hopefully more pictures to come soon....looking forward to this weekend in Dallas!

My mom was down over the weekend, and we had a good time waiting for Eli to move and seeing the house and we even painted the nursery! It is so beautiful, the color is green garland, but I'll have to get a picture up for you.

We have another doctor's appointment this Thursday. They will be testing me for gestational diabetes, and I'll get a shot of Rhogam (for my O negative blood). Things seem to be moving right along.

I have discovered that maternity clothes (at least the ones I can afford) do not come in my size and I can't just buy bigger "regular" clothes because my belly seems to be the only thing growing. It is pretty frustrating, so whenever I am at home, I just wear Jason's pants because they are soft, baggy, and comfortable. The only problem is is that he wants to wear them too.

Something appears to be wrong with Tank. He is an emotional wreck, but we can't quite figure it out. It may be the moving that has him worried, he may have something stuck in his paw (he lets out these funny little cries every now and then), or he's just moody. Poor guy, if only he could just tell us the problem! Trolley on the other hand loves going back and forth to the house and runs around as soon as she is out of the car. Maybe Tank thinks we like her more?!

So it seems that the most interesting thing going on is our dog's mental/physical health....interesting....

So here I am again,
a lot bigger this time!

Eli is kicking and moving a lot now. I try to keep him off my bladder, without much success. Stefanie (a friend at work who is also pregnant) says the water must be warmer there!

Everything else is running smoothly here. I don't know if being pregnant makes you a klutz but today my radar was off and I kept walking into doors and spilling water on my desk!


Hope your days are well!

The internet is temporarily out of service at home, sorry about the late posting.

The doctor's appointment was fine. She said they were able to see all the parts on the sonogram, which is good because that means nothing is missing! She also said they saw no abnormalities...Praise God for his handiwork! Dr. Sander also said that he was in the 52% on size, which means perfect is you ask me ;) She also introduced me to my round ligaments which are just inside my hips and enjoy jolting me with short stabbing pains that leave me bent in half. (All of which, I was assured, is perfectly normal, and as long as they don't persist over a long period of time are nothing to worry about).

Saw Angela (my sister-in-law) on Sunday. She was down for Spring Break with her family and they had a baby shower for her. It was good to see her, we haven't seen each other since the news. She looks just as beautiful as ever and getting ready to start student teaching in an inner-city Reading Middle School. I told her that inner-city Reading didn't sound as intimidating as inner-city Houston, but who knows...crazy Yanks!

Jase got his block 4 scores and did amazing, obviously, and I'm so proud of him. I can't wait to see what he is going to do with all this stuff he is learning! He'll be such a good doctor, whatever kind it is.

I am almost finished with my Medical Language class, I just have to schedule the final. I started the Coding class this weekend, and it will be quite a bit more challenging, but that's something I need right now! Hope to find "adult education" classes that discuss Health Insurance because I didn't even know how to fill out Pre-Registration forms for the Hospital with information from my card....I think I need some help!

Maybe some more pictures soon....

We go in to the doctor tomorrow for an interpretation of the sonogram! Hopefully we won't have any surprises. He's still kicking and moving around, especially at meal times. Some people think I have a pretty big baby belly, and others keep asking when I am going to get one, so go figure. Being thin, I think my belly is huge, but I guess it's all just a matter of perspective.

Randy and Mickie came for a visit this past weekend. We had a nice time looking at different cribs and we took a tour of the hospital where he will be born. They even put little GPS devices on their umbilical cords so the babies can't leave secure zones! The hospital looked very nice and well organized, and I'm sure it will be a pleasant and painful stay! (I don't really have any other hospital birthing experiences to compare it to). Jase will be able to get on the internet thier and post updates for all of you after the birth, and probably some pictures too!

I have found that my body does not like orange juice (sad) but still loves chocolate milk (happy!), and that my appetite is growing, on more than one occasion I have eaten more that Jase!

Everything is going well...just updating my belly pictures!