Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The "D-Day"

Well, today's the official D-Day...and still no baby! At yesterday's weekly appointment, I was about 2.5-3 centimeters dilated and about 60% effaced. Not much different from the previous week's appointment, but hey, at least we're getting somewhere! :o) I was almost 4 centimeters and 80% effaced for almost a whole week when I had my Peanut, so I know to take things with a grain of salt this time!

I've tried many of the natural labor induction methods that you may have heard of, including drinking red raspberry leaf tea (drank an entire box within a week), taking evening primrose oil, walking, walking, and more walking...but not much is happening. Just goes to show that no matter what you do, nothing can change the birthday plans that God has in store! :o)

Have a happy Tuesday, and stay tuned (hopefully!) for a labor story!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The ABC's and other milestones

Last Tuesday, my daughter shocked me (no, not literally...that would be bad). As we snuggled and were getting ready to enter mid-day dreamland, she told me she wanted to sing a song. This is what I heard:


It took me a second to realize I wasn't dreaming and that my little baby of almost 3 years is really turning into a little girl before my very eyes! Seriously...where DOES the time go???

I'm also happy to report that Peanut is officially and FULLY potty-trained! Yup, that means no more diapers for bedtimes (even overnight), and the business from the backend is even done on the potty. It's amazing what a "We'll buy you a big toy" bribe can do in a matter of a few weeks. :o) She chose her prize and got it last week: a stuffed dinosaur from Build-A-Bear. No, really...that's what she chose, and now Dinosaur is involved in decision-making and all kinds of daily activities and outings. I'll get a picture on here once I remember to take one. :o)

Now, the last thing to accomplish this month would be...you guessed it, labor and delivery! Oh, that and still picking a name for this little boy. All will come in good time, I'm sure! :o)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Two weeks to go...or maybe less!

I had my weekly prenatal visit yesterday, and while I was secretly hoping that the midwife would tell me I was, let's say, 5 centimeters dilated, I really didn't have my hopes up. I was happy that I'm about 50% effaced and around 1.5 centimeters dilated, so at least this butterball is working on coming out! :o)

Usually I'm not a huge proponent of babies coming too early, but there are a number of factors to consider. 1) My "due date" is two weeks from today, so I'm out of the "pre-term labor" zone. I wouldn't consider this "too early" anymore. 2) He's bigger than average right now, and there wouldn't be any worries about lung development or anything like that. 3) It's hot outside, and most days I feel like a big, sweaty beast that would like to shed several pounds and feel better. 4) I just submitted my last two grants that are due this month, and now I don't have any deadlines to meet until September 1 (thank God for that one!). So now I'll have a bit more time to feed my hunger to clean everything in site even more. :o)

I think we are all pretty much ready for this boy to be born. My Peanut has started asking when he's coming, and she demonstrates how she'll hold him, burp him, teach him things (such as hopping on one foot), and play with him. We're thinking she's going to be a great big sister, and we're excited to see her reaction when they meet. The only thing is that she told my friend Sarah and I that she was going to feed her brother the same way Sarah feeds her baby daughter (nursing). Hmm...not sure how to explain that one to a two year old, but we'll get around it somehow. :o)

So, as we await this life-changing occasion, we'd LOVE your prayers for a great labor (a.k.a. a really easy & short one), adaptability within our family, no postpartum "blues", and a speedy recovery. Oh, and thanks so much to those of you who sent in name suggestions! While we haven't yet decided on one name, we are narrowing it down and are almost there! :o)

Monday, July 7, 2008

Calling All Baby Namers!

With only 3 weeks to go until my due date, we are still undecided about a name for this little guy. It seems like we could come up with girl names left and right (if needed), but boy names are TOUGH!

Sooo...here we are, seeking out YOUR suggestions! If you have a great name idea for a boy, please leave a comment for us. We are looking for a name that is somewhat unique (sorry, not John or Bob), but not one that requires repeated pronouncing and spelling for others (such as Abednego). Also, we really like many names of people in our families, but we aren't looking to do a repeat. So, if you know any of our crazy relatives :o), just leave those names out.

We appreciate any input you may have! Oh, and since this guy is growing rapidly and could potentially come early, please hurry and help us out! :o)