Saturday, March 29, 2008

Painting...

Painting my upstairs bathroom has officially ended. I just finished up the second coat. Words cannot express my relief at having accomplished this and to be "done" with it. In a few hours, or at the latest tomorrow, Matt will hang our mirror, install the new wall sconce light fixture, install the new faucet, rehang the doors of the lower cabinet that I painted, and put the new drawer pulls in. Then, I'll hang the new shower curtain, and put back some of our decorative things, and call it a day. Finally...after 9 LONG months. Of course, tomorrow we have to run to home depot and pick up some new trim and paint it, but that should be a very short job. I'm hoping to be DONE completely by tomorrow night. I'll have to fill you in then to let you know...

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

19 days to go...

Yup, just 19 days to go, more or less. I saw my midwife again last night for another weekly appointment. She said the baby had really grown quite a bit since last weeks appointment and was noticeably larger. I, on the other hand, lost a pound. I was told that is pretty common for this stage of the pregnancy. I had to laugh when I remembered how much I ate on Easter, and how I had been sneaking candy from the kids baskets this week. Now I don't feel as bad! She was really happy with the fact that I am having a lot more Braxton Hicks contractions and the baby's activity level (it likes to kick her when she feels its position). She thought I might have more amniotic fluid than before, so if it seems that way to her next week also, then she'll likely send me for another ultrasound to measure the fluid. If it is indeed high, then she won't want me to go much past my due date. Those are a lot of "ifs", though. I'm not at all concerned. I really, really should pack my hospital bag, seeing as I'm now considered full term and the baby could come any time. I guess I'm not overly worried about it as both my other kids showed up after their due dates.

I'm really just wanting to finish up a few projects around the house that will really make me feel "ready". I'm hoping this weekend will help me accomplish just that. I would LOVE to finish the bathroom this weekend. Who knows how much longer this nesting instinct will stick around?!

Monday, March 24, 2008

21 days to go...

That's right....only 21 days to go. Actually, its anytime from now until about 5 weeks from now. In 5 weeks time at the most, I will be holding our new little one!!

No time to blog more right now...I have to many things to cross off my "to do" list! Can you say "nesting"?

Monday, March 17, 2008

The Home Stretch...

I am officially in the last month of my pregnancy. I have reached the 36 week mark. Depending on how you view "months" when you are pregnant, you would probably say I'm 9 months along. Although, if you count just 4 weeks as being equal to 1 month, then women who deliver at 40 weeks are 10 months along. Its safe to say that sometime, from now until 6 weeks from now (you are not usually allowed to go past 42 weeks without being induced), we will be welcoming our newest family member. If the baby decided to come a week early, that is only 3 weeks from now....WOW! It has felt like I've been pregnant forever, but now that the pregnancy is nearly over, it has really sped up. I now feel like I'm on a race against the clock...how much more organizing and nesting can I get done before #3 arrives? I'm definitely soooo excited to meet and hold and kiss this new baby. My excitement over this new baby is equal to my excitement with Noah and Rylee's births, for which I'm glad. I don't ever want to feel blase or apathetic towards a new life.

This weekend was a fun time of preparation. I got my Moby Wrap in the mail on Saturday. For those of you who are not sure what that is, its a very long piece of stretchy cloth that you can wrap around you and the baby to hold the baby in tons of positions, without putting all the baby's weight on your shoulders. I was able to find a very gently used one on Craigslist. Speaking of Craigslist...I was also able to get a free changing table from Craigslist. I had placed a "wanted" for an inexpensive changing table, and a woman who was really trying to clean out her attic contacted me and offered her nice one for free. Its in good shape. I was able to find some new, wicker, cloth lined baskets to place on the shelves to hold baby supplies really inexpensively. Saturday night I rearranged Noah's room, and got things fairly set up in his room for the baby. Tonight, the crib gets set up.

Yesterday, I sorted through all of our baby clothes and pulled out all the 0-3 month gender neutral clothes. They were washed in baby detergent and are not awaiting being put away later when the crib is in place (I have a nice, large drawer under the crib). It was so fun to see how tiny the little socks are, and remember either Noah or Rylee in certain outfits. They joined me in sorting the clothes and even loading the washer. They were laughing at how tiny the clothes were. We all were amazed at the newborn size diapers I got this weekend. Is it possible our baby's butt will be so small to actually fit in these diapers? Well, yes..but not for very long. Both my other kids only fit in newborn diapers for the length of time it took to go through 1 package. Then, it was on to size 1's. The only thing I really need to still purchase is a diaper pail...any suggestions? I've heard conflicting reports about which ones are best.

On a totally different subject...Happy St. Patrick's Day! Yes, I'm Irish, but only a little. I feel like I should be more Irish than I am because of my red hair and green eyes, but I really had no say in the matter. My crock pot is now filled with corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and carrots...one of my favorite meals! I don't really have any green maternity shirts, so I feel like I'm not fully participating in the holiday.

I have seen 2 large, black ants in our house this weekend...how does that happen when its still cold out? Doesn't it seem a little early for those? Guess its time to buy some of those ant traps again. I thought that possibly with the new windows, we wouldn't get them this year.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Update...

On Tuesday I saw the midwife again. The baby definitely dropped, and is sitting extremely low. I'm 1 cm dilated, which she was pleased with. She was able to touch the baby's head during my internal exam! I have not really started to efface yet, which just tells her that I won't go into labor right away (which is good since my due date is still a month away!). She said the baby is posterior, which is facing upwards, instead of facing towards my spine. She said the baby has plenty of time to turn around. If not, she said my pelvis was "great" and that I could push the baby out face up just fine. I mentioned that I started drinking the raspberry leaf tea today, which is supposed to tone my uterus and make contractions more productive in labor, she said that was great, but she grinned and whispered, "i don't think you will even need its help!" I will start going for appointments every Tuesday from now on. I was also cultured today for Group B Strep. I'll find out soon about those results. If its positive (I was for sure with Noah, and cannot remember with Rylee), then I'll just have to have two rounds of IV antibiotics during labor, but won't be hooked to the IV during my whole labor. It was a great appointment, and Matt got to meet the midwife and liked her quite a bit.

Right after that appointment, we all went to my hairstylists house so Rylee and I could get haircuts. Rylee got about 2 or 3 inches taken off, and really looks so much older. Its not getting tangled nearly as easily, and she is able to help keep it brushed and neat looking. Its still long, just more manageable. I got several inches off of mine, with lots of short layers. My hair is now well above my shoulders, and I even had some bangs cut in that are swept to the side. Its a really low maintenance cut, and so far I have received a bunch of compliments. I think I've become very predictable when it comes to getting a 3rd trimester "new hairstyle". It has happened with all 3 pregnancies. I feel better about myself with an updated "do", I guess.

I have something funny to report...did you ever get one of those emails that says to spread a bunch of Vicks Vaporub all over your feet, then cover with socks if you have a bad cough? Well, after Noah and I barely slept Tuesday night, I was desperate to try something other than standard cough medicine. Last night I spread it all over both of our feet, then covered them in socks. Did it work? Amazingly, I did not cough even one time once I turned out the light, and Noah was absolutely silent the whole night? I doubt it was a coincidence, as we have both coughed a bit this AM, and were coughing last night before bed. I guess you could say that I'm a believer now. I have no idea why or how this works. Especially on your feet, the furthest point from your nose, where you could breath the vapors in, but it does work. Still a skeptic? Next time you are hacking away, losing sleep, try it.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Fun things...

After church today I asked Matt (we had to drive separate today) to pick up some Chinese food on the way home, for lunch. Can I just say that I love Chinese food? Today we got vegetable lo mein and sweet and sour chicken...YUM! I loved not having to cook a quick meal. We are always so hungry when we get home from church, and nobody, including myself, wants to wait long to eat.

I also love naps. I especially love Sunday afternoon naps. I like them even better when I'm having trouble sleeping at night like I have been lately. I think its just the normal "end of pregnancy" fitful sleep. I got to take a nap today, which was great!

I love it when my kids are sweet to each other and well behaved. Not only does it make parenting easier, but it makes me proud.

Today, some friends of ours got us 3 outfits for the new baby. All three were gender neutral, so we are safe for whatever gender we have. My favorite was an adorable aqua colored one that said, "I love Daddy!" It was so much fun to get stuff for the new baby. It was amazing to see how small the 0-3 month size was, and to know that when our little one is born in roughly 5 weeks that it will fit in this size. I was grateful our friends did not get us "newborn" size, as those clothes never seem to fit my good sized babies.

I was thinking today that I have some things that need to get done soon in preparation for the baby:

:: Set up crib, which will entail rearranging Noah's room and giving my sister a preschool size desk for Brock to make room for everything.

:: Take a trip to Walmart, so I can use my gift card to stock up on tiny diapers, and other essentials.

:: Buy a sensitive detergent (although my kids have never had problems or allergies with their skin), and wash at least a weeks worth of baby boy clothes and baby girl clothes. Since we don't know what we are having, I want to be ready and not have to do a bunch of laundry my first day home from the hospital!

:: Set up our bassinet in our room, although I have yet to bear a child that enjoys sleeping in it!

:: Write out a list for my nephew, Jordan, who will house sit for us while we are in the hospital. He will need to know how often to feed the animals, and how much, etc. He has house sat once before, so it shouldn't be a major thing, but I would still like to be ready

:: Pack the "all essential, hospital bag". I will pack as much as I can ahead of time, then I'll just have to make a list of last minute items to include. There are so many things I only have one of, that I use every day (hair dryer, toothbrush, address book with phone numbers) that I'll have to pack these at the last minute. I've never really gone into labor on my own, other than my water breaking with Rylee. Even then, it was 24 hours with no contractions before it was determined I would have to be on Pitocin. I was induced with Noah because of a condition called Polyhydramnios, which is excessive amniotic fluid. In both instances, I had plenty of time to make sure I had everything I needed.

Yes, I do have some work ahead of me, but its actually fun stuff. After all, I'm getting prepared to meet the newest member of our family, otherwise known currently as Baby #3.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Homeschooling setbacks

I recently became aware of two court rulings that have delivered a devastating blow to the home school community. The most recent was a courts decision in California to not allow parents to home school their own children unless they hold a teaching certificate. If you don't hold that teaching certificate, your children are considered truants, and you, as a parent can face prosecution. Wow!! One woman who was interviewed by a San Francisco newspaper home schools her two children. She does not do so for religious reasons, but more because she is disillusioned by public schools. She holds a law degree, but because she does not have a teaching certificate, she can now face prosecution. I find that crazy! I understand that the idea behind the law is to make sure children are receiving a "proper" education. But tell me this...who cares more about my children and their education...me, their mother, or a state education board? Of course I care more about my kids. Every home school parent I have met have chosen to home school their child because they felt they could do a better job at tailoring their children's education to their meet their specific needs, not because we have nothing better to do with our time, or are "antisocial". Its actually comical...do I really need to attend college for years and years, just so I can teach my child their ABC's, basic math, and how to read? Are we that stupid of a society that we have to attend college in order to educate our young in the most basic principals? What's next? To require a masters before one can procreate and have children?

The second court ruling effects us here in NY state. Until recently, you could home school your special needs child, but you could also take advantage of special classes and resources offered through your local school district. That was overturned. You either give up your right to home school your child, so they can receive those special services, or continue to home school your child, with no additional resources from your local school district. I have one major question...do we not, as homeschooling parents, also pay the same school taxes as our neighbor who chooses to send their child to public school? Why are we being singled out and discriminated against. Thank God I do not have a "special needs" child, but if I did...I would be irate. I'm already so angered by such blatant attempts to undermine my right to home school my child. One by one, our rights are being stripped away, and its sad. The government is trying to overstep its bounds by decreeing that certain things can no longer take place, but I feel they are not making these rulings in the best interest of MY child. I have signed petitions with about 100,000 other home school parents to try to appeal these rulings, and can only hope and pray that things change in our favor, for our children's sake.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Because you asked...

Several of you have asked me recently how Eric and Laurie are. They are the parents of the children killed in a car accident a few weeks ago. While I do not have any updated info on them, they wrote a very touching letter to the community that was published in the Suburban News this past weekend. They basically thanked their friends and family and first responders for all they had done for them recently. They said "together, we will get through this dark time". I just sent an e-mail to Mary Ellen, my former neighbor, asking if they had returned to work yet, and how they were doing. I imagine that now, several weeks later, is just as hard, if not harder for them to deal with their loss. The attention has died down and they are now left to deal with their loss.

Many of you also asked about the calling hours we attended. We were so happy at the number of people who showed up to pay their respects. We got to the church at 6:00 pm, and waited 2 hours to see Laurie and Eric. there were literally hundreds of people there. The usher told some friends of ours who were seated just a few rows behind us, that there were over 300 people in line ahead of them, and to expect a long wait. The local fire department was directing traffic, and the church lot was filled completely, and people had to park across the street in a neighboring church's lot. There were tons of pictures and flowers. It was hard to see Tori's favorite Barbie doll sitting on a table beside a flower arrangement. Chris's baseball team mates had signed his jersey and wrote touching things to him. The pictures were so sweet. Birth until just a few weeks before their death. Their dad said, "look how many people my kids touched". He was genuinely in awe of their influence. When we approached Laurie, she was initially dry eyed. She hugged us both, then stepped back and rubbed my large, pregnant belly. Then, she grabbed me and just started sobbing, saying, "get that baby home, just get that baby home!" It was heart wrenching. On the way to my sisters house to pick up our children after the calling hours, I said to Matt, "It really puts things into perspective, doesn't it? We really dwell on such little, insignificant things so much of the time, and it makes you see just how truly blessed you really are." He agreed, and we drove to our kids with tears in our eyes.

Last week we were able to spend several days with Matt's "God parents". These were the parents of his best pal (a girl) growing up, as well as his mom and dad's best friends. When Matt's dad became so sick with brain cancer, and required surgery, Matt and his 3 siblings went to live with this family and their 3 kids. They stayed for 2 months while his mom helped his dad recover in a neighboring city. Jim and Lisa are great people. They now live in Kentucky, and Jim recently retired. He and Lisa have become quite the travelers. While on their way to NY city this past weekend, they stayed in Churchville to visit with us for several days. We really had a good time and caught up with each others lives. I learned a lot about Matt's family, specifically his dad. I never had the pleasure of knowing him, as he passed away when Matt was only 10 years old. It was great to hear, from his best friend, what kind of guy he was like. I wasn't too surprised to hear that Matt is so much like him. Nobody has ever really had anything negative to say about Matt's dad. We will often get stopped in his hometown by strangers, asking if Matt is "Rick Atkinson's boy". When they hear that he is, we are treated to a great story about how kind or helpful Matt's dad was, and what a great influence he was. Its so great to hear that.

Sunday night I was reminded once again of how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends. The girls from my "mom's group", and Hannah and her sister, Abby, who just happened to be in town from NY city, and I all went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. They threw me a little shower. I was given a generous gift card for baby things, plus lots of little things for me. Lotion, adorable slipper socks, etc. They even paid for my dinner. Aren't I blessed?

Tuesday we took our kids to Great Wolf Lodge once again for their birthdays. We had a blast, as usual. Noah was a bit older now and really loves the water slides now. Even Rylee was much more adventurous. While I was not able to join them on the water slides, and had to enjoy the hot tub with just my legs soaking in it, I still had so much fun. When both your kids are grinning from ear to ear, how can you not enjoy yourself? Tuesday was Brock's birthday, and he, Madyson, and my sister and brother in law all went to Great Wolf as well. All three times we have gone, we have coordinated to be there the same time as them, and the kids enjoy having cousins to hang out with. Brock and Noah would zip down the water slides, and if Noah was not fast enough getting back out of the pool to go to another water slide, Brock would grab his hand and say, "C'mon Noah!!" It was so cute.

Tonight, Matt and I are off to a belated "Christmas Party" at Mario's with his boss and fellow employee's. At Christmas time, his boss's family all got sick. They postponed the dinner so we would be able to attend (we were in Indiana for a week and a half), which was very nice of them to do. I'm looking forward to the dinner. Mario's is always great.

I'll try not to let so much time pass in between posts...

New Look...

For those of you who are observant, you will notice I changed the look of my blog. Its still in pink, but the design is a bit different. Most importantly, I was able to add a few pictures. They are not super recent, but still fun. The best pictures are on Matt's laptop, and I just have not taken the time to add the pictures from there to my blog. I also added 3 really cute "lilypie tickers". Two are for Noah and Rylee and count down to their next birthday. The other is a countdown to my due date. They are adorable, but only half of them show up! HELP!! Do any of you guys know what I'm doing wrong? I posted a question in the "help" section, and I'm hoping someone from the blog group gets back to me with some helpful insight. Nothing I do seems to shrink them to fit. The only thing that worked was moving them to the bottom of the page, but then nobody would even see them, as most poeple just view the most recent post. Ahhh....the joys of blogging. Now, on to a new post to get you all updated.
 

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