Hosanna Joy's Birth Story

Okay, so it took me a while to get this posted - a month after the sweet baby girl was born, in fact. But here it is - the story of the arrival of baby number four to our family.

When my estimated due date came and went, I posted this picture on Facebook. I was so ready to have that baby! The nights were miserable with painful Braxton Hicks contractions, and the days were endless. I had not been able to make any firm commitments to attend any of the various Christmas functions we had been invited to since we had no idea when Little Sprout finally would make her appearance. The day after my due date, I attended a Ladies' Christmas Ornament Exchange Party for my church and stopped counting how many people asked, "Oh so you haven't had that baby yet?"

On Friday evening (December 9), after doing several laps at the mall and Target and only ending up with swollen ankles and an aching back, I saw online that there was going to be a lunar eclipse in the early morning. Not only that, but a full moon was scheduled for that Saturday night. I'm by no means superstitious, but both of my boys had been born during a full moon - so I was hopeful. Unfortunately, it was entirely too foggy in our area to view the lunar eclipse that morning. I had even set my alarm for 4:00 am to see it! That morning, I could barely move because I was experiencing some intense lower back pain. I had had this pain off and on during the pregnancy. I was bummed because I wanted the pain to at least be productive contractions! We decided to go out with the kids for a little while, but I was exhausted and hurting. The back spasms kept coming and I just wanted to go home and sleep. Our Sunday School class had a Christmas party scheduled for that evening. We had not planned on going because we thought Little Sprout would have arrived by then. I didn't really feel like going but thought it might be distracting and help keep my mind off the whole "when is this baby going to come?"

While dropping the kids off at childcare before heading to the party, the back spasms started getting much more intense. I could barely breathe when they came, nearly doubling me over with pain. A friend suggested that I might be in labor, but since I had never experienced back labor with my other babies, I was reluctant to think this might be true. I was also really tired of false labor! At the party, everyone was merrily eating and talking. I could barely take a bite before I would feel that "stabbed in the back" pain, and I would have to sit there and force myself to breathe through it. The Nerd convinced me to start timing the back spasms, in case it really was labor. They started becoming very regular, about ten minutes apart and lasting forty seconds to a minute. I still insisted on staying at the party for the gift exchange :) At this point, I was having trouble focusing on anyone or anything. We left the party and went to pick up the kids. Although I was against it, the Nerd called the hospital to let them know I was in labor. By this time, the contractions were 8 minutes apart, but I was sure the nurse was just going to tell me to wait it out until they got closer together before coming in to the hospital. However, she told us to come in right away.

My in-laws came and got the kids, and we headed in to the hospital. While walking to the labor and delivery floor, I had to stop every couple of minutes and work through a contraction. I remember thinking that I had never experienced such painful contractions in either of my previous deliveries. I looked out the window while we were checking in and noticed the full moon. It wasn't long before the nurses had me settled in a room and hooked up to the monitors and IV. The Nerd started setting up his cot and letting people know I was in labor. We knew from previous babies that my labors were long, so there was no need to rush things. The midwife came in to check my cervix and announced, to my great shock, that I was 8 cm dilated and would be delivering the baby within the next couple of hours! Everything started happening so quickly at that point. I asked if I could still get an epidural to help with the back pain. The anesthesiologist told me that he could give me an epidural but that it wouldn't be able to take full effect since I was so close to delivering. It took him two tries (ouch!) but he finally got it in. At that point, any relief from the back pain was welcome! Apparently Little Sprout was positioned right up against my tailbone and the pressure was causing the back spasms. At midnight, I was ready to push, and after 45 tiring minutes of pushing, this adorable little girl came into our lives and stole our hearts instantly:

I wasn't able to hold her right away. Her lungs had a lot of fluid in them; so she had to lay flat in the warm bassinet for a while in order for her muscles not to work so hard to breathe. But oh! When they finally placed little Hosanna Joy in my arms, my heart swelled with happiness as I looked at my brand-new daughter.

She looked just like a girly version of our Spud. Her head of dark hair amazed and delighted us.

The Nerd was instantly smitten - another Daddy's girl has joined our family!

When the siblings were able to come visit later that morning, the Beast would not leave her side. The others got distracted by flashing buttons and curtains and nurses that gave them ice cream. The Beast held his little sister with great pride and showered her with kisses.

The Spud was pretty excited too! Look at that face!

We had an amazing stay at the hospital - our nurses were wonderful and everything went so well. But we were more than ready to take our newest addition home that Tuesday morning. She fits into our family like a glove - now just a month later and none of us can imagine our family without her.

Welcome, Hosanna Joy! Our family was not complete until you arrived, and now our lives are even more full of joy. :)

She's Here!

And I am so thrilled, so blessed, so insanely happy to be posting this picture today. (Although 41 weeks was technically last Wednesday, but hey cut me some slack, I just had a baby!) :)

I have lots to share about the wonderful birth experience and the amazing bundle of joy that God chose to bless us with, but those will have to wait until a later date. Right now, I am just trying to soak up all these first moments with my family, to get adjusted to life with a newborn again as well as balancing four kids, and to enjoy this Christmas season with my man and kiddos.

And here she is - introducing Hosanna Joy, who arrived very early on Sunday morning (December 11th). She weighed in at seven pounds fifteen ounces and measured 20 inches long. She looks so much like my newborn pics of the Spud. Of course, she has the Foster blue eyes, but she was born with the darkest hair of any of my kids. It is already starting to get a little lighter though - I am sure she will join our ranks of blondies.

Our family is full now and completely blessed. Eeny, meeny, miny, mo - whichever you choose, they light up my heart and make me smile. :)

Thirty-Eight Weeks/Thirty-Nine Weeks

Okay, so this post is a whole week late, but hey, here it is. Contractions and stomach flu sweeping through the house have not made the past week easy, especially since it was Thanksgiving week.

Sweet Baby Girl is doing well, although she has one enlarged kidney. My doctor thinks that the kidney will return to normal size after she is born. She is really crammed in there and hopefully is ready to come out soon!

I am extremely uncomfortable - everything is a chore these days. I am dilated almost 2 centimeters but contractions aren't making any progress yet. I really thought she would try to be a November baby, but it doesn't look like she will come until December. We are all living in a holding pattern, waiting for baby and not making too many definite plans for anything in the next two weeks or so.

WE are all just so ready for her to be here already! Everything is set up and in place for her, and Mommy is tired of watching Biggest Loser marathons on Netflix while "resting" and waiting. Come on baby girl!

Thirty-Seven Weeks

The Baby: Little Sprout is pretty firmly wedged in there now. Her movements are more rippling and rolling and wriggling than kicking. She is the length of Swiss chard now (ha, love these food comparisons) and making Momma's tummy stick out further and further. At this point, everything is fully developed so she can make her entrance into the world at any time.

Me: I am just patiently waiting for her to come - really not in a rush except at night, when I am a lot more uncomfortable. My maternity clothes are getting tighter, and I am just about ready for this pregnancy to be over. Otherwise, I feel pretty good and am trying to use what energy I have to get ready for baby and enjoy the holiday coming up.

The Siblings: My family and friends just threw a nice baby shower for the Sprout and me, and the house is now full of cute baby things. With all these reminders lying around, the kids are now constantly talking about the coming baby. The Drama Queen and Beast are very excited and can't wait to help out with Little Sprout; while the Spud is adamant that he doesn't want a new baby and that she can just stay at the hospital when she is born. Poor little guy - I know he will come around, but it's tough when your position as youngest is being usurped. :)

The Plans: As I said, I was blessed with a wonderful baby shower the other night. Little Sprout now boasts a wardrobe more stylish than her momma's! I am grateful for the gifts of diapers, bibs, wipes, blankets, and other essentials for sure. One thoughtful lady even gave the Nerd and I some money for a date night. Super sweet and super thoughtful! I didn't expect a lot of people to come - after all, it is baby number four for us; so I was humbled and amazed by the great turnout. My mother-in-law and my friend Dawn worked hard to make it a big success.

The guests all took turns sniffing a variety of diapers to guess what melted candy bar was inside.

It was so fun to talk and catch up with friends.

Three teams worked to decorate their "baby" with toilet paper - the one with the drinking problem on the end was the winner!

The little guests had fun too - maybe a little too much cake!

We're ready! Come on, Little Sprout, you can come any time now!

My View

So.

I can't see my feet. Which is probably a good thing, since I am well aware that my last toenail polish job is sadly in need of help.

I can't put on any shoes that require tying laces by myself.

Heaven forbid I drop something on the floor. Fortunately I have three eager young helpers to pick it up for me.

I get extremely winded climbing the stairs to our front door.

Probably three-fourths of my maternity clothes don't fit anymore.

I sang with my ladies' group in the morning church service today and almost passed out from lack of breath.

Still three weeks to go. Unless Little Sprout decides to come a bit earlier. Momma wouldn't mind at all!

Thirty-Six Weeks

The Baby: She is growing and becoming increasingly more uncomfortable for mommy. :) At an estimated six pounds, she is big enough now for a safe delivery, which means momma no longer has to be on bed rest. Praises! We are all eager to meet her but want her to stay in for a while yet to grow and develop as much as possible.

Me: I am getting a little antsy for sure - all the baby weight is solely in front which puts a tremendous strain on my lower back. Now that the bed rest has been lifted, the nesting instincts have kicked in and I have been cleaning like a mad woman. My back is not thanking me for that! I went in to see my doctor a few days ago and was tested for the group B strep. Today I got the call that I did indeed test positive so I will have to be on antibiotics during the labor and delivery process. In my doctor's words, "Now we just wait for the labor to start - it could be tomorrow, or it could be another couple of weeks."

The Siblings: Unfortunately, I was not able to get a babysitter for this last doctor's appointment; and all three kiddos got to come along with me. That prompted a lot of questions about how the baby gets out of mommy, etc. I did my best to answer the questions without giving out too much information. I heard the Drama Queen explaining to the Beast today that "when the baby is ready to come, Mommy's body will know and will know how to get it out safely." Nice work, kiddo.

This is definitely the hardest time of pregnancy. It's hard to focus on other things besides the upcoming arrival of Little Sprout. But we are excited, knowing that she will be coming soon. And then we'll be a family of six! Amazing!

Thirty-Five Weeks

(yes, I know I look like I am about to pop, and yes, I still have five weeks before this baby is due)

The Baby: She is firmly in there, with little room to move around. Still she manages to keep me up at night with her kicking and punching, making my ribs ache and my belly sore. Her size this week is comparable to the weight of a honeydew melon, and her job now is to just keep putting on more weight so she will be fat and happy when the day comes to change our world.

Me: The days seem interminably long at this point. I remember this point well from previous pregnancies. Because I am not sleeping well at night, it feels like the time is ticking by so slowly. Still, I am grateful that Little Sprout stayed in place for another week and am hoping that despite all my discomfort, she continues to stay in there until she is fully grown and developed. I am so thankful for my mother-in-law, who has come over several times to help with the housework. She also took the kids out for a few hours the other day so they could get out of the house and so I could get some rest. My good friend Dawn has been faithfully taking the Beast to and from preschool and helping out in any way she can. Friends at church are helping to cover my responsibilities in children's church; so I feel deeply blessed.

The Siblings: I think they are all ready to get Mommy's lap back! Also, I am pretty sure they are tired of the "Momma can't pick you up, remember, she's carrying a baby" and the "Sorry honey Mommy needs to rest". I made them special shirts to wear to the hospital when Little Sprout is born.

Whew! I'll just keep plugging along until this baby makes an appearance.

Thirty-Four Weeks

(isn't it ridiculous how that maternity shirt doesn't even begin to cover my belly?!)

The Baby: The fruit/vegetable comparison for weight this week is a cantaloupe. Little Sprout is already head-down and moving around like crazy. When I was in the hospital on Tuesday morning, the entire time I was strapped to the monitors, the baby would not keep still. She was very annoyed at the weights resting on my belly and did everything in her power to dislodge them. Her heart rate was crazy high, with the highest being 198 beats a minutes. She was clearly very agitated.

Me: I am on modified bed rest, which is kind of crazy for a mommy of three. I am doing my best to refrain from much physical activity, but it is hard. I sit as much as possible while homeschooling the girlie, and I am blessed to have a hubby that is willing to do dishes, laundry, vacuuming, kids' baths, etc, in his evenings as well as some outside help (read: superwoman mother-in-law who cleans the house and entertains the kids and lets me rest). Basically any physical activity can trigger contractions, and we want this baby to stay inside me for at least a few more weeks.

The Siblings: The kiddies have been taking turns being my buddy while I rest. I'm not sure if they completely understand why Mommy has to rest so much. I am hoping these next few weeks go by quickly! Meanwhile, I am currently being served by the cutest little wait staff ever. :)

The Plans: After the little scare with all the contractions over the weekend, I made sure that all the hospital paperwork is in order and that the hospital bag was packed!

Iphone Photo Phun - Bed Rest

I just have a few photos to share today, since my view is a bit limited. After two days of contractions and general discomfort, I went in for my regular ob appointment and ended up spending quite a bit of my day being monitored in the labor/delivery ward to be sure that preterm labor wasn't happening. Long story short, the doctor was able to confirm that no active labor was taking place. However, since even light activity seemed to be stimulating contractions, she put me under strict orders to severely limit my physical activity and to sit/lie down whenever possible. Ha ha, says the mother of three incredibly active children. However, I really don't want this baby coming too early; so I am trying hard to rest when I can.

A wonderful friend was able to take the older two to burn off some energy at the pumpkin farm for the afternoon. This little guy got to spend the afternoon in bed with Momma. Thank goodness for Little Einsteins episodes on the internet.

And don't I look thrilled? In theory, putting my feet up and getting some rest time sounds great, but it's only been a day and it's already getting old. :)

Well, at least I can still blog. . .

Thirty-Three Weeks

The Baby: Little Sprout is weighing the same as an average pineapple now, and I swear she is just as scratchy! It's as if she is trying to claw her way out of my tummy! All her bones are hardening and getting ready for birth. The child is sitting (or jumping, or kicking, or somersaulting) directly on my bladder.

Me: I am doing well. The last few days I was fighting a cold, which is always interesting when one is pregnant. Of course the hubby was sick too; so that made for a fun family dynamic. Three extremely healthy and exuberant kids plus two sick, tired, and grumpy adults is an equation for disaster. But we muddled through just fine. I am struggling to find clothes that stretch all the way over my baby bump. I certainly don't want to go out and buy anything though so I am trying to figure out how to make the current collection of maternity clothes/hubby's shirts work.

The Siblings: All of the kids have been excited about feeling the baby kick in the past few days. They giggle hysterically and demand that I "make her do it again, Momma!" Of course, I am not able to do that, but I have found that just "popping my belly out a little" satisfies them just as much. The Beast discovered a manual breast pump among all the baby things and has subsequently had a lot of questions about "milk machines" and boobs in general. Joy.

The Plans: This coming week, I think I will go ahead and get my hospital bag ready. I just have this feeling that Little Sprout is going to be a bit early. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking. :) We still don't have a place set up for her to sleep yet; so I'm putting that on hubby's to-do list this weekend.

I am hoping to find some time later today to sneak in a little nap. Dinner is in the crock pot, and if the kids cooperate, I might be able to squeeze one in. Just seven weeks to go!

Three Little Pumpkins - Soon to Be Four

We made our annual visit to the local pumpkin farm last weekend. The day was cool but surprisingly not rainy; so we had to take advantage of the weather. There are dozens of pumpkin farms to choose from in our area, but we started going to Lee Farms when the Drama Queen was just a year old and have made it a tradition. I love that most of the activities are geared towards younger kids, but let's face it - the real reason we love going to Lee Farms is to eat their phenomenal pumpkin and apple cider donuts!

It just so happened that on that same day, Old Navy was running one of their "one-day-only" sales on their puffy vests. Since the kids needed some new winter wear anyway, we stopped there first and scored cozy vests for the whole family.

The Spud got his tractor fix.

The Drama Queen was sweet and helped her brothers find pumpkins before she chose hers. She is getting so grown-up these days!

The kids eagerly anticipated their apple cider donuts.

I enjoyed waddling all around the grounds, watching the kids excitedly choose pumpkins and run through the hay maze. It will be really fun next year with four kids!

We have the kids pose here every year. Mr. Beast is catching up to the Drama Queen in height and has already passed her in weight. Makes me want to stop time for just a little while. . .

Face painting was a first this year. The Spud decided half-way through that he was finished; so his pumpkin looked a little funny.

And this is my absolute favorite photo of the day. It was such fun to see the Beast enjoy himself without getting overwhelmed or having a meltdown. It is usually really hard to get him to pose for a photo anyway, and I love this candid shot of my little man.

So pumpkin carving will be in the near future for us. We can't do them too far ahead of time because here in rainy Oregon, carved pumpkins rot much more quickly.

Thirty-Two Weeks

(happily unbalanced)

The Baby: Little Sprout is moving around like a little crazy woman. Now the size of a large jicama (3.75 pounds), she is certainly making her presence known. Complete strangers have stopped to stare at my shape-changing belly, and a few have even asked if they can "feel it." Um, no. It's crazy enough when you're sitting in church and your friends are pressing on the side of your belly to make the baby dance. Babycenter tells me that I should be gaining about a pound a week now, with half of that going directly to Little Sprout. At that rate, we will no longer be able to call her "little"! If all goes according to previous pattern, she will be my biggest baby. The Drama Queen weighed in at 6 lb 3 oz (she was three weeks early though); the Beast was 8 lb 8 oz at birth, and the Spud was 8 lb 12 oz.

Me: I am doing way better this week emotionally than last week. For the rest of this pregnancy, I am sure I will be putting "tired and hurting" as my status; but it is not too bad. Despite the much cooler temperatures now, I still run our air conditioner every night to stay comfortable. Whatever that is. Insomnia has also kicked in - so Netflix and my Kindle have been keeping me company in the wee hours of the morning. Well, that and the ever faithful bathroom. We are good friends lately.

(me playing around with our three-way mirror in the bathroom and avoiding the kid knocking on the bathroom door and shouting, "Momma, are you peein' in there?")

The Siblings: The Drama Queen is really ready for her little sister to come join the family. She has a baby dolly named "Jennifer" that she takes with her everywhere, stopping frequently to change her diaper, bathe her, and feed her. Last night she informed me not to worry if she was up a lot during the night because Jennifer wasn't sleeping through the night yet. Looks like I am going to have one awesome helper!

The Plans: I finally retrieved our infant car seat from a friend who had been borrowing it. It makes me feel better that that is ready to go. I also spent some time this week thinking about all the details - where the kids will go when all the action starts, what vehicle we will use, etc.

As of today, I technically have 54 days to go. It sounds like a lot still, but with the thousand and one activities we have going on at this time of year, I know it will speed by. After all, thirty-two weeks have already flown by! (and speaking of thirty-two, a certain momma will be turning that number just a few days before her due date.) hmmm.

Thirty-One Weeks

(yeah so I missed the thirty-week mark. no pics. nothing to record.)

The Baby: Her weight this week is comparable to the weight of four navel oranges. (3.3 pounds) Now's the time she will be gaining weight like crazy while still driving her mother crazy with her twists, turns, and painful kicks to the ribs.

Me: Well, I think I covered this in a previous post, but the past two weeks have been the hardest emotionally for me. Tears fall often and for no discernible reason. Hopefully this will pass soon, and I will get back to my usual cheerful self. The thoughtless comments, which previously would have just made me laugh, are cutting deep. I feel ridiculous reacting the way I do, but I can't seem to help myself. One woman at church commented to me after asking how far along I was that she could not remember a person ever being so big at "just" thirty weeks. I seriously wonder where her filter was. Anyway, I'm over it.

The Siblings: They are starting to get very excited again about the arrival of Little Sprout, especially when they found out that they will get to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a little while when Momma does end up going in to the hospital. My belly gets lots of hugs and kisses from all three littles!

Every kick and every hiccup just make me want to meet Little Sprout sooner! I know it'll be a while yet, but I am so looking forward to making her a part of our ever-growing family. She has no idea how much she is loved already!

Tired

Tired. Tired because the little acrobat inside me won't let me sleep at night. Tired of the massive heartburn that occurs no matter what I eat. Tired of whining and the "But why?"s and the complaining (ironic I know) and the general non-attention of my children. Tired of all my extra responsibilities that yes indeed I know I brought upon myself so I have no one else to blame. Tired of washing the same little pairs of underwear with Thomas the Tank Engine staring back at me because a certain little boy has decided that he no longer wants to use the potty anymore. Tired of the demands of three picky eaters at dinner time, not to mention the one who pretty much refuses to eat dinner at all. ever. no exaggeration. Tired of looking all around me and seeing the 101 things that still need to be accomplished and just aren't getting done.

Not just tired, but overwhelmed. Wondering how on earth I am going to manage this when the baby comes and demands a lot more of my attention.

I guess I just need some encouragement right now. I love my family and the coming baby, but I am struggling with loving my life right now. :(

Yikes. I sound like a major complainer. Truth is, it's reality though and not everything is positive all the time.

And I've got two hyper boys screeching and racing each other up and down the stairs. My little "woe is me" moment is over. . .

Twenty-Nine Weeks

(me and my current favorite ice cream flavor - Breyers Heath Bar Explosion)

The Baby: So Little Sprout is getting a bigger head now to make room for all those brains that run in the family. :) Her vegetable or fruit comparison of the week is a butternut squash, completely fitting for the season. I am supposed to be upping my intake of calcium to help baby's skeleton get stronger and harder. As you can see, I work hard on that every day with a big bowl of ice cream.

Me: I'm fine - just tired as usual and not inclined to do much of anything outside the realm of necessity. I have been happily eating my fair share of food these days, taking full advantage of the fact that I am pregnant and can eat whatever I want. Well, of course that's a myth but no one is going to argue with a preggo lady or try to take her food away. That would be extremely foolish.

The Siblings: I think the Spud is definitely getting more of a sense of what is happening. He is extra-snuggly and asks, "hold me like a baby, momma." It is certainly going to be a time of upheaval for him. I probably should try to wean him a little from this baby-like behavior, but selfish me eats it up and relishes it as much as possible because I know it won't be the same once Little Sprout arrives. The Beast has also made it quite clear that he does not appreciate having to sit next to Momma to read instead of on her lap due to my burgeoning belly.

The Plans: Nothing new this week. I am starting to realize how quickly December is coming and how busy the fall months will be for us; so a sense of urgency is beginning to develop. I still have to make a space for baby in our bedroom. I need to get our infant car seat back from a friend and have it ready to go. I have to fill out a lot of hospital paperwork. I need to figure out items I still need before baby arrives.

And just typing that list of things to do is exhausting. :) I would go take a nap, but three littles are not showing any signs of slowing down today. . .

Twenty-Eight Weeks

The Baby: Little Sprout has been supremely active lately. Last night the Nerd was watching in amazement as my belly suddenly sprouted mini-mountains due to the little ninja's fists or feet or elbows or who knows what. "What does that feel like?" he wanted to know. I don't know - like a crazy little alien inside of you is punching your guts out? Maybe like that. Anyway, since she is a walloping 2 1/4 pounds now and measuring up to a Chinese cabbage in weight, she certainly is bulking up for her journey outside the womb in just a couple of months. Her mother is also bulking up, due to the advent of candy corn and pumpkin spice lattes.

Me: I now claim a kinship to one of the seven dwarves - Sleepy! I feel as if everything I do these days wears me out. Yesterday I needed a nap so desperately that I bribed the kids with candy corn and some Tom and Jerry with instructions to keep it down and don't get into anything while Momma naps for a few minutes. It didn't work - the Drama Queen and the Beast kept filing in and out of my room to tell me what the Spud was doing. Today I managed to get a twenty-minute-nap in during "recess" which helped tremendously later in the whole haul-the-crew-to-the-library-for-story-time event. I am relieved that the weather has cooled down significantly, enough that I am not turning our bedroom into an ice cube trying to stay comfortable. The Nerd is thankful as well - I have noted that he has not had to pull out the extra quilts in the past few nights.

The Siblings: The Drama Queen loves to point out to each and every person we meet that "Momma is having a baby soon - that's why she's so fat and tired." It seems that the boys don't think about it that much - except at prayer time, when they all clamor to be the one to pray for the baby.

The Plans: Last week I purchased what we enjoy referring to as "amazing grace." (pacifiers) I also did some research on breast pumps and checked out some local stores for their pricing on these. We took advantage of the Babys R Us Great Trade-In Event, in which you can trade in any used car seat, stroller, crib, or other baby equipment and get 25% off your purchase of a new one. The only stroller we had was this old, dirty, cheap umbrella stroller that we had been using to corral the Spud when we went on day trips like the zoo or the mall. I'm pretty sure we only paid $12 for that thing brand-new. By trading it in however (sippy cup stains and all!) we were able to save $20 on the purchase of the Graco LiteRider Stroller in Pippin. It is by far the nicest stroller we have ever owned - all our other children rode around in Craigslist finds that worked well for us then. However, this one has cupholders. Awesomeness. And it folds and unfolds literally with one flick of the wrist. Also awesomeness. It has a large basket underneath for everything that can drop down so the baby won't be disturbed when you're getting out the diaper bag or purse. The Nerd likes that it rides on a suspension system, and I am pleased that our infant car seat can snap right into it, if we need to do so. And it doesn't hurt that the stroller is done up in an adorable green and brown elephant theme. :)

I finally remembered to take pictures of the bibs I made for Little Sprout using scraps of material from Great-Grandma:

Aren't they cute? I adore oversized ric rac! I used a soft fuzzy pink fabric that I found on clearance on the back of the bibs - they are reversible. The pattern was super easy to follow and you can find the tutorial right here.

And it's on to the third trimester!

Twenty-Seven Weeks

The Baby: So Little Sprout (I am dying to use her name we chose for her but I promised the Nerd to keep it a secret!) is almost two pounds now, the same as a head of cauliflower. According to BabyCenter, she is taking turns sleeping and being wide awake now, practicing for her sleep patterns when she joins us. Whatever. I am pretty convinced that child never sleeps, given the amount of time she uses my ribs as a trampoline.

Me: I am finding the need to sit down a lot more lately, as these poor legs and ankles get tired and swollen rather quickly. Thankfully that works out well with the whole homeschooling thing. Chasing little boys, however, is not helping. Also, although I am grateful that both boys seem to really be hitting their stride with the whole potty training thing, I do wish they would be able to hit the toilet more often. Getting down to scrub up all their "misses" off the floor is not on this preggo lady's list of fun things to do.

The Siblings: The Beast asked me to lift him up at the playground the other day so he could reach the zipline. I reminded him that Mommy was not able to lift that kind of weight right now. He said, "Oh yeah, I forgot. You can't pick me up cuz you're too fat!" (This said in a very loud voice - the Beast has only two volumes: loud and very very loud!) Sighing, I contended that it was not that Mommy was too fat, but that Mommy was carrying a baby in her tummy and didn't want to do anything to hurt the baby. "No, mom." he insisted. "It's cuz you're way too fat." Thanks kiddo. Self-esteem is now just soaring through the roof.

The Plans: I got nothin. Well, actually, if you count switching three rooms around in the house and doing way too much manual labor to give ourselves a bedroom with more room for baby, then I guess the plans have been going on as usual. I wonder if she would like sleeping in a dresser drawer?

I am just about ready to head on in to that third trimester. To all those who have made the kind remark of "Haven't you had that baby yet?", no and I am pretty sure you will know when I have. What? Do I look that big?

People. . .

Twenty-Six Weeks

(posing here with the baby of the family. Poor little guy will not get to hold that title much longer!)

The Baby: Little Sprout is growing more and more, measuring the length of an English hothouse cucumber and weighing close to two pounds now. She is quite the gymnast, turning somersault after somersault and moving in ways that make her momma very uncomfortable. She can also definitely hear my voice now as well as the Nerd's - by the time she is born she will be well-versed in computer technology and the family budget. :)

Me: I am doing well, although the little girl certainly likes to keep me up at night. There are nights when I feel as if I don't sleep at all, and other nights when I drop off to sleep at 9:30 pm and sleep soundly into the morning. Those are the nights I have very vivid dreams of the baby. I am starting to feel huge - everything is tighter and more awkward to wear.

The Siblings: The other day we visited the dollar store to pick up some things, and the Beast asked if he could spend his dollar on something for his "little baby sister." That definitely made me smile. The Spud got to feel the baby kicking today. He kept giggling and shouting, "Do it again momma! That funny thing with your tummy!"

The Plans: Last weekend, our church held their annual parking lot sale. I went and walked around in the 90-degree heat for a little while. I spotted a cute jungle animal fold-up baby swing at one of the booths and managed to snag it for $5! The same vendor also sold me a box of baby girl clothes - $3 for the box! I barely glanced through the box, figuring that $3 was an awesome deal no matter what was in there. Later I went through all the contents of the box and was surprised to discover adorable outfits from Children's Place, Baby Gap, and Gymboree. There was even the cutest tiny swimsuit and matching hats for some of the outfits. While we were out at the coast a couple of weekends ago, Grandma Myrna gave me a whole pile of scrap fabric to use to make bibs and burp cloths and the like. So far I have managed to make three bibs using an easy tutorial and pattern - and they are reversible! I will share pics of the cute things in a future post.

Tomorrow I get to do the whole glucola test and waddle around in the doctor's office. It should be fun. Then I get to go to the store and buy some - ahem - larger undergarments. Also fun.

Who am I kidding?

Twenty-Five Weeks

(sure hope you all are enjoying the view of our cracked bathroom mirror each week. classy)

The Baby: According to Babycenter, Little Sprout now weighs about a pound and a half. To demonstrate this weight, they use the comparison of a rutabaga. Oh yeah. I just was making something with rutabagas yesterday - so I totally get the comparison. Anyway, her skin is starting to smooth out, and if she will have any, her hair is growing too! All three of my other younguns were born with quite a bit of blonde hair; I think it's safe to say that Little Sprout will do the same. Unless she decides to be a redhead. There is a possibility of that.

Me: I certainly do not want to whine and complain, as this has been the "easiest" pregnancy I've had so far. However, this week was a bit tough with pregnancy migraines hitting me over the weekend and confining me to my bedroom for a solid day. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who took care of the kiddos and my children's church responsibilities and pretty much everything I normally do so that I could take that time to "sleep it off." Then, apparently summer finally decided to make an appearance here in western Oregon. The past few days, the temperatures have been in the nineties, which makes sleeping at night a little uncomfortable. We don't have any air conditioning in our bedroom downstairs - just a fan that blows all those wonderful allergens right to me. The living room does have an air conditioner - so I am claiming that as my bedroom tonight.

The Siblings: It is becoming increasingly harder for the kids to sit in my lap for story time or "ow I just got a boo-boo" time. The Spud especially is not happy about sharing his favorite place with this unknown sister of his and sometimes will stalk off in a huff when I ask him to sit next to me instead of on my lap as usual. The Drama Queen has been most aware of Momma's limitations lately and will remind me that I should probably not get on the floor to play with the kids cuz remember how hard it was to get up last time?!

The Plans: Nothing new. I am trying to get everything ready for homeschooling the Drama Queen this year; so that has been occupying most of my planning time.

Next week I get to go in and take the glucola test. Oh joy to my soul! And the weeks just keep marching along. . .

Twenty-Four Weeks

(my, the time is just flying by!)

The Baby: Little Sprout is the length of an ear of corn now and weighing over a whole pound. That means she gained about four ounces in the past week! (we will not discuss how much weight her mother put on in the past week). Her brain and lungs are continuing to develop and get stronger. This child is not really a kicker as much as she is a roller. At night, it feels like all she does is roll back and forth in my tummy. I can actually see her movement because it is so intense. Something tells me this little girl is going to come out rarin' to go!

Me: Just where did all that second trimester energy go? I have felt more tired in the last few days than I have in a long time. On Sunday, I made the mistake of wearing heels with ankle straps to church. I worked in children's church - meaning a lot of standing - and by the time we got home, my ankles were so swollen that the Nerd had to help me get the shoes off my feet. Today, my wonderful mother-in-law came over for a few hours to help out and cleaned house while watching the kiddos so I could get in a glorious nap.

Siblings: The Beast has been "practicing" putting a diaper on his Elmo doll so that he will be ready to help out with his little sister. :)

The Plans: I scored some more diapers for Little Sprout with an awesome deal I found on Amazon.com. Yesterday a tiny crocheted hat with interchangeable flowers arrived from Cute Kid Couture for the little one. She is going to be one stylin' little girl! Also, I finally finished my reversible nursing cover.(tutorial here) It was the most complicated sewing project I've taken on in a while, but I love the results!

There is boning in the top seam of the cover so I can still peek at baby and make any adjustments if necessary.

Its reversibility will help me not get bored, but more importantly, I will always have a clean side to use! :)

All these baby projects are getting me pretty excited about the arrival of Little Sprout. We still have a few months yet, and in just a week I will be busy with the start of school.

Hmmm. . .I do have a little of these pretty fabrics left. Something tells me Little Sprout is going to get a matching hair bow!