Still here!

Button and I are still here! I'm so glad to be done with Christmas and now I can just focus on getting ready for the baby. I got my hair cut, washed all the receiving blankets, sleepers, spit-up cloths, etc., and moved the changing table and co-sleeper to our room and now it's finally beginning to feel like a baby will be here soon.

The kids are getting excited and even Gustin understands to some extent. We talk about the "baby in Mommy's tummy" all the time. I know Gustin can't possibly understand how much his little world is going to change once the baby arrives, but he definitely senses the change coming. Just over the last few weeks he has started baby talking and wants to be held much more. I have to say, I do indulge him when he asks for cuddles. I want to savor that time with him, too.

I had another check up today. I'm now dilated at 3 cm, but other than that there hasn't been any major changes. I'm having a few contractions, but nothing like what I've had in the days immediately preceding birth of my other babies. So, we're taking it easy around here, relaxing, anticipating baby but not getting overly anxious yet. I'm still thinking it will be January before Button makes his or her debut. But, one thing I know for sure about babies is that you have to be ready for anything. Who knows, Button may come tomorrow or may even break the mold and actually go overdue. We'll just have to wait and see!

Update

I just got back from my OB appointment. Nothing has really changed since my last visit, which isn't surprising since I haven't had all that many contractions. The good news is that my Group B strep test came back negative, so I won't have to schedule an induction! Hurray! Button will get to come on his or her own time. We might actually make it to January after all, which would be my preference. Fabulous!

37 week OB check up

So, here are the stats:

2 cm dilated
60% effaced
baby's head at zero station


The doctor remarked that the baby's head is really low, as in if this was my first child, he would expect me to be in labor by tomorrow. But, since it's my fourth, he thinks I'll probably just carry low from here on and deliver at a time similar to my other pregnancies (I average about a week early).

After today's check up, the fact that Button will be here soon just got much more real. I'm starting to get excited!

Reflections on pregnancy #4

I'm at almost 37 weeks gestation now and Button will be here before we know it. For various reasons, I don't believe my body nor my doctor will allow Button to wait until the due date (January 8th). I'm fully expecting a new baby in our house before the end of the year. So, I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect over this fourth pregnancy that will soon come to an end.

This pregnancy has been very different than any of my others. But, I guess that is the norm. Just like every child is unique, their individual journeys into this world are different. For starters, this pregnancy has gone be very quickly. I might not have agreed with that statement in the early weeks of nausea and exhaustion, but it is true. Life has been very busy since we first found out about Button last May. Most of the busyness could be considered normal for a family of 5, but then we added selling a house, a move and a massive bedbug infestation. Our days and weeks have been very full, especially lately with all the holiday preparations thrown into the mix.

I've also been much more fatigued this pregnancy. The first trimester exhaustion has continued throughout the entire pregnancy. Looking back, I think I really should have talked to my doctor about it because at times the fatigue really has been extreme. Maybe I've been dealing with low iron or some other condition that the doctor could have helped alleviate. Instead, I got frustrated and upset with myself for how unproductive I have been when in reality I just wasn't physically capable of anything more. I need to learn when to say "uncle".

So, with all the busyness and fatigue, I feel like I have done very little preparation for Button. I've hardly been able to anticipate and ponder this new little one. I've put much less time and energy than normal into picking out names (which still isn't done), prepping baby supplies or just imagining what it will be like to hold a newborn once again. If you walked into my house right now, you would see virtually no evidence that a new little one is expected soon. That's so different than when I was expecting my first when practically everything was ready (including diapers and wipes bought and little sleepers hanging in the closet) months before Jonathan was born. I feel like Button has been cheated a little.

Finally, I have found myself much less tolerant this time around. That is, less tolerant of other people's opinions of when the baby will be born, what the gender will be, if I'm carrying high or low or if my belly is extremely large or surprisingly small for my number of weeks gestation. I smile and reply kindly, but sometimes I have to almost physically bite my tongue. The worst is some family members who repeatedly explain to me the exact date that will be most convenient for them for the baby to be born. Personally, I want Button to arrive exactly when God wills it, not a moment sooner or later regardless of the date on the calendar. I'm generally a patient person, but with crazy hormones, excessive fatigue, and feeling like everyone is rushing Button's arrival that I'm not ready for, that patience is being sorely tested.

Please pray for me. Pray that we have a peaceful Christmas, a healthy and safe delivery and a joyful experience of welcoming our newest little one into the world. Please pray that other people will be considerate of me, my needs, and my desires for Button's birth and that I can be calm, relaxed and patient. We have so much to be thankful for this Christmas season and I don't want to lose sight of that.

Deep thought for the day

You know how airplane bathrooms have the little sign on the door that says, "Occupied" or "Not Occupied"? Well, I think someone needs to invent on automatic sign to put on home bathroom doors that says, "Stinky" or "Not Stinky".

I'm just sayin'.

A girl needs some warning.

Love this shot and just had to share

Taken at my in-laws house over Thanksgiving. One last lonely butterfly.

The great snow event of 2009

Last Friday was the earliest snowfall in the Houston area in recorded history and also the first time that there has been snowfall two years in a row. This snow event was greatly anticipated around here and I felt all giddy when the first flakes began to fall Friday morning.

"See, Mama. There's snow...right...there!"

We had light flurries off and on all day and then just as the kids got out of school we had about 45 minutes of real snowfall. So much fun!

This is his "I'm too cool for the camera" face.

Look at those nice, straight permanent teeth with no underbite! He just got his top expander out.

Enough accumulated in that 45 minutes for the kids to each make a small snowball and by about an hour later, all of it had melted.

See the little ledge on the fence. That's about the only spot where snow accumulated.

Snow, thanks for coming for a short visit. You sure were fun while you lasted!

Poor Gustin

Gustin was sick and throwing up for most of the night last night. Poor baby. It's so hard to watch your kids suffer.

It's a little scary, too. My kids don't throw up often (their ailments usually involve snot, coughing and breathing treatments or maybe a mysterious rash or two). In fact, I can only remember two other incidents during my career as a parent when we had puking kiddos. Once was when Elizabeth was not even 6 weeks old and she ended up in the hospital for 6 days. The other was when Gustin was about 7 months old and he didn't stop throwing up for more than a month and ended up being hospitalized as well.

So, this time around, I'm really hoping for just a "normal" stomach bug!

Yes, we did...

...have a fantastic Thanksgiving celebrating with family. Can you tell?


I think the kids spent 90% of the day outside. Gotta love it!