Last bump pictures

Since tomorrow is the big day, I asked Svea to take some last minute pictures of my baby bump. She got some really great ones of both Elin and Van and I.

39 weeks 6 days. 

We'll try to get another picture in the red shirt/jeans combo out by the tree for a comparison shot tomorrow, it will probably be in the dark, as we have to leave for the hospital before 7.

2/28/13

Van calls a hammer a hamera, like it rhymes with camera.
"Daddy, where are your hameras?"

Van has been 'helping' Andy tile the fireplace. He says "Daddy are you ready to build? I just want to be your best helper!"

Or if we get him a glass of water or something he'll say, "thank you, you're my best helper"

***

Van has an insult, at first I heard him use it at Finn's house, then later when we were shopping he used it on me.
"You meteor! I'm so mad at you"

This is hilarious because Van knows about meteors from all the dinosaur movies he watches. He just knows they hit the earth in a fiery explosion and decided that this was a good thing to call someone you were mad at.

Baby Showers

I finally got a couple pictures uploaded from the baby showers. It's funny because the first one was 3 weeks ago and I remember thinking that it was planned too late and that Esther would probably arrive before it. Boy was I wrong.

The first shower was at Courtney's house. Laura made the deserts, and Svea planned the dinner. It was fantastic! I wish I had a group shot, there were so many fun ladies there.

delicious deserts!

Laura, Courtney and I

Then the next week, the ladies in my Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae group threw Christi and I a joint shower. (Another one I was sure I was going to miss...)

Bump to bump

The whole group

The mommas

Anyway, thank you to everyone who helped with either shower, I had so much fun!

The Update

Well I had my doctors appointment today and she said I am 4-5 cm dilated.

And actually when she saw my name on the schedule, my midwife went ahead and reserved an appointment for me in labor and delivery to have my water broken. She said I didn't have to take it, but it's there if I want it.

So then I had a decision to make.
On the one side, this is a good option because it assures I'll be at the hospital when I deliver the baby and they can handle any complications.
On the other side, if they break my water and I don't go into labor they'll give me pitosin and things will  go from there. Once my water is broken, they will deliver the baby within 24 hours, one way or another.

I feel torn between letting things happen naturally and using medical intervention. I know both avenues are good, and that neither is good when taken to the extreme.
What I decided is to do move the appointment (original penned in for Wednesday) to my due date on Friday.

This solves several problems in my mind
 - it is the perfect P50 estimate of when the baby should come. I'm not taking an unnecessary risk by letting it go to far.
 - I'm also not being overly risk averse and 'inducing' labor unnecessarily early.
 - As a very important aside, if I am going to arbitrarily select the due date, well I want to make it a good one. and 3.1.13, that's pretty cool. Everyone likes a palindrome.

So she could come any time this week on her own, but if she doesn't, she'll definitely be here on Friday.
And we are excited to meet her :)

39 weeks

39 weeks today. Andy and I went to the hospital last night for a false alarm, we were there from 9:30PM - 2:30AM, but the contractions were inconsistent and did not increase in intensity so eventually we went home. They kept us for so long because I am 4 cm dilated, so once it does start, it should get serious pretty quick.  But still no guarantee on when.

Eye Spy and others

Van: "Mama, let's play eye spy!"
Me: "ok"
Van: "I spy something that looks like a house."
Me: "Is it our house?"
Van: "It's a Tiger's house!"
Me: "alright, cool."
Van: "I spy something green and shiny."
Me: "What is it?"
Van: "It's a pelican!"

I'm not sure he knows how eye spy works.

***
"Oh look! my cards"
Van holds up Taufeeq and Misha's wedding invitation upside down.
"This card says 'Finn Jon Lunoe is a good friend to all.' I better put this card in my car."

38 weeks

Well I made it to 38 weeks. I'm actually 38 weeks and 1 day today which is 4 days longer than I was pregnant with Van. So I am a little bit anxious. Last Monday I was 3 cm dilated, 85% effaced and her head was in the +2 position, so it's nice to know at least that things are progressing, but I really expected last week to be it. On Monday I'll have another doctors appointment, so we'll see what they say...

In the meantime, here's the comparison

Dinner

I came home from work today and Van was eating dinner.
I sat down next to him to eat too.
"So mom," he says, "did you have a great day?"
I told him I did and asked if he did as well.
"yeah" he said.
I sat down next to him with a full plate of food, but I told him I might open a new can of green beans because they were all gone.
He handed me one of each thing off his plate (this included mashed potatoes,
rice and beans, chicken and green beans. All with his hands).
Then he said, "You eat all of that, and then I will give you some more."

Walk for Warmth

Svea and some friends threw me an awesome baby shower last night, but I think I might get some pictures from Svea, so I want to wait to post about it until then.

This morning Van and I did United Way's Walk for Warmth. It was a little tough because around the course there was a playground so we got distracted there, and I ended up cutting it short because I had to carry him part of the way (not easy at 37 weeks). But it was still a fun morning.
We came downtown early to sign up then had breakfast at a local coffee shop that is right around the corner from my office.

Van is 'spelling' everyone's name he knows in a big line. He'll put a lot of random letters together and then read it to me. One time it said. 

"Van is a very good boy"

He also wanted me to spell Finn's name and then he put it next to his. Then he read. 'Finn is a great boy. but he is a bad boy and bites me sometimes.'

2/2/2013

Quotes from today.

6:30 AM Saturday morning.
"Come on mama!" Van says, "Daddy, you go back to sleep."
why does he get the easy job?
Alamo is going crazy like he usually does first thing in the morning.
"Mama, I think mo man loves you" Van says.

***

Van sits on the back of the couch and drums on my head. I have a cold and a headache so I tell him to stop. So he tries other things with my head like, 'wiggle your head, wiggle your head. shake your head, shake your head' I yell at him and tell him to stop.
He gets down and looks at me and says, "mama, why are you not happy?"
I tell him my head hurts.
"where?"
I say the whole thing.
"oh" he says, and leans over and smooches my forehead.


***

Van wakes up from his nap and walks sleepily upstairs with his blanket. He sees me on the couch and comes to snuggle on my lap.
"Medicine" he says pitifully.
"You need medicine? do you feel yucky? what hurts?"
"My tummy hurts. And that's why," he pauses for dramatic effect, then says very seriously, "I need some candy."

***

I feel so lucky to have him in my life. Love that little man.

Esther's room

Svea painted flowers on the tree to change Van's room into Esther's room. Beautiful!

36 weeks

36 weeks! So close and yet so far away.
Van was born at 37 weeks so I'm trying to be prepared, but I think Esther will hang out a little longer. I bet I'll be able to make a 38 week picture. My doctors appointment for 36 weeks is on Monday so I'll post if I learn anything new.