Family visit...

This weekend Jay and Cindy came to visit. I wasn't quite feeling the best so I laid low most of the weekend. But that didn't stop the boys from doing a bunch of yard work. Good bonding time for Jim and his dad. They covered some of the bare spots in the lawn with dirt and then seeded. Hilo had a blast playing in the pile of black dirt... every white spot was completely black and his entire face was covered in black dirt. Jim had to give him a good scrub that afternoon. Everytime we let him out for the rest of the weekend we had to wipe his feet down because he would inevitably get into it.

Cindy and I installed the carseat this weekend... that was a lot of work and it definitely wasn't right. So I scheduled an appointment with our Fire Department to get that figured out later this week. But we tried! We also took Hilo for a long walk. She did a lot of cooking while again, I got some extra sleep.

Saturday night Jim and I woke up to our neighbors house on fire. Yeah - scary. 3am sirens went off and our room was lit up like a football field. This is the neighbor directly behind us. They had the fire out in about 30 minutes but the firefighters were there till later that morning. We found out on Sunday that the fire started from his woodpile on the outside of his garage... they think it was lit by a tiki torch! Kinda scary.

Sunday Jim's parents left after breakfast and Jim and I lounged for the rest of the day.... total couch potatoes! We are taking advantage of it now that is forsure!

Baby has LOTS of hair...

Today was another weekly checkup at the doctors office. I didn't put any updates about last weeks appointment - but it went very well and I was dialated to 1 cm at that point. Not wanting to get my hopes up I was figuring that I would hear that there was no change during today's appointment. Well, we got a lot more than anticipated!

First off there was some protein in my urine dip so that was the second time in a row that it showed small amounts which is one of the many pre-eclampsia signs. So naturally i was a bit concerned. Then my bloodpressure check was completely normal, however higher than normal for me. So that is another sign. So when the doctor came in I asked about both of them and she said not to be concerned at this point as the levels were normal but just to be on the safe side she wanted to have some blood work done. Next the exam in which we found out that baby has dropped significantly or that I am losing amniotic fluid.... and the good news I am now at 2 cm! Yeah! So a test for amniotic fluid and the blood work was next... if either showed positive results... I would have been induced today!

I was hooked up to the fetal monitor which looks at baby's heartrate, my ability to feel the baby move, and any possible contractions. During the 10 minute test Jimbo and I sat there... at first you could tell we were a bit nervous. But then we turned to the equipment and started figuring it all out. I had 3 contractions during the 10 minutes... 1 I could hardly feel at all. The other two though just felt like baby was trying to roll over and it was very tight... So that is apparently what a contraction feels like at this point... Good to know! Everything came back great and the doc said that the movements were spectacular - baby is doing very well!

Finally - the ultrasound. This was just another precaution to make sure that there was plenty of amniotic fluid. How exciting to see the baby one more time! Unfortunately we couldn't see the face because baby is way to far down. But we got to see the feet - all 10 toes, the stomach, and heart beating... The ultrasound Tech said immediately - wow baby has a LOT of hair, so much so that it is waving in the water! We also learned that baby is about 6 lbs 10 oz... and measuring 1.5 weeks ahead of schedule for size... all but the head... which is measuring 39.5 weeks! Wonderful. I shouldn't have asked...

All in all it was a good visit because everything came back with baby healthy and no need for inducing... but geez - I was exhausted after all the poking and excitement. Early to bed for me!

Ah Hee, Ah Hee, Ah Hee, Ah Whhooooo...

Yes. This weekend was Lamaze class. It also happened to be the nicest weekend yet this Spring so being in class from 9-3 each day was really difficult. All in all the class was helpful. I think I was most happy to learn about the numerous drug options... I haven't made a decision one way or the other... I am going to play it by ear for now. If I want drugs... they are there and I know which ones I would prefer to try.

I was a bit worried Sunday that I might be going into labor. I am not sure if it was all the practicing, but I was definitely having more "braxton hicks" than ever. For a good 3 hours they were happening pretty frequently - at least every 15-20 minutes. Then I had a very upset stomach... another thing they tell you to watch for - Flu like symptoms. But all is well. I can hardly believe we are almost there. This last month is going to go so quickly!

This week is my mother-in-law's B-day - Happy B-day Cindy! And it is also my dad's B-day. Happy Birthday Daddy-O!!! Wish I could head to Florida with you and the fam this weekend... a nice get a way - I would probably end up in the hospital with heat exhaustion! Seriously am glad the pregnancy is not going to carry on through the summer... I have no idea how people have August babies. I am seriously dying of heat all the time these days!

Girls Weekend

This weekend my cousin Kristy came to visit. Jim was out of town for work through Sunday so it was nice to have someone coming to visit. She came on Friday night and we went out for dinner to a tasty Thai restaurant. After that we went home and played rummikub... both of our husbands are anti-board games so it was nice to be able to play one without any complaints!

Saturday Kristy went for a run while I took Hilo out for an early morning walk. It was SO nice outside. Then we went to the outlet mall to see what deals we could get on maternity/baby stuff. We stopped at motherhood maternity to check out nursing bras... ugh! I have avoided this at all cost up until this point. Kristy was quick to point out the good ones and within 45 minutes of leaving home I was buying 2 bras and a top. Nice. I am definitely not a shopper. We went around to a bunch of the other stores and found some really really cute baby clothes... I can't wait to find out what we are having!

After shopping we pampered ourselves with a pedicure then a movie... definitely don't recommend it. Friends with Money. It was fine to get us some rest after shopping, but really there wasn't a plot to follow at all. We went to a greek restaurant for dinner and it was fantastic! Thanks Kristy for leaving the soup behind by the way! We came back to watch another movie - one of my favorites - the Life of David Gale.

Sunday we got in some exercise right away in the morning then picked up Jim from the airport. After lunch Kristy took off and Jim and I found comfy spots on the couch to relax for the afternoon. After dinner I decided to go through the baby stuff and read up on the markers that were used to decorate all the onesies... Apparently the design needs to be ironed for 4 minutes before they can be washed... So I spent Sunday night watching TV and ironing onesies... Jim can't wait to tell our child, "Mom used to iron your onesies!". If the designs don't stay I am going to be so so disappointed! Because they are way too cute!

Hilo is 1 years old!

Today is Hilo's first birthday. I can't believe how tiny he used to be! So here is the latest and greatest picture of Mr. Hilo and of course one when we first brought him home... He is about 50lbs now we think... when we brought him home he was barely 6 lbs!

He is definitely in his "terrible two's" now as he likes to get into absolutely anything that we don't want him too. His favorite is kleenex and and cardboard from the bathroom garbage cans. Nice! Definitely something I don't understand... But he is a dog!

Yes, he is back at daycare today... And let me tell you how excited he was to go. I was hoping to get him there super early this morning - but he once again decided to wake me up at 3am and then again at 5:30 am. This meant that getting up before 6am was not going to happen. So finally at 7:30 am I was down in the kitchen packing up breakfast and I casually mentioned the word "Daycare" to Hilo... He started pacing around and around the kitchen. I opened the door to the garage and he sprinted to the back of the car and waited for me to open up the back. The entire drive there he did a whimper and occassional howl... GEEZ O PETE he really likes daycare! As soon as we got there he bolted toward the door... and the collar snapped right off! Thankfully the dogsitters rescued me and got Hilo back into the play area!

39 days to go!

Today was the last of the 2 week appointments... next week begins the weekly doctor visits! Wow has time flown by! Here are the stats... Belly is measuring 43" around, weight is up 28 lbs, baby is measuring 35 cm, heartbeat was 145bpm, no hiccups this time, and my anxiety attacks are normal. Ha ha! I have been getting these "anxiety attacks" lately... where I will be out shopping for example and all of a sudden my heart will start racing and I will start getting all light headed... then usually get clammy... i have been finding a nice spot to sit whenever this comes on and it eventually goes away. But they are happening more often lately - maybe every couple days now. Doctor said it was normal but if I ever faint or they happen more frequently, to give them a call. I think we'll be okay.

And I am back to believing baby is a girl...

Getting the list of things to bring to the hospital together... I bought my first calling card in years... apparently it would be bad to call family and friends with my cell phone while at the hospital... it supposedly interferes with the equipment... I have seen Mythbusters and know this is highly unlikely, however I will follow the rules. And driving directions have been completed, printed, and emailed to the future "Grandparents". So we are doing well.

Happy Easter!

This weekend the Walsh family came to visit. Mom and Dad got into town late Thursday night and then the siblings all showed up late Friday night. Jim and the 'rents' spent Friday grocery shopping for the Easter dinner and mom organized the baby kitchen stuff. I got home from work around 3pm and we lounged for a bit. We had dinner at Emiliano's in Appleton and then hit up The Hobby Lobby - my mom's FAVORITE store! The boys thoroughly enjoyed it. We got home and agreed on the movie "Departed" while we waited for the siblings to show up... they got there with only 20 minutes left in the movie so of course we paused it... by the time we finished watching the movie it was close to 1:30 am! We ended up finally all going to bed Friday night around 2 am.

Saturday was a very busy day. Shannon, mom, and I went down to Mandy's to visit/meet baby Willa... She is HUGE! not really - but since she is only a month old she has gained 5lbs! They grow so quickly! After that we did some shopping... We returned to find dinner on the table and ready to eat! Jim had prepared an entire feast for us... and even had time to build a makeshift leaf for our dining room table so it could fit all 8 of us! It was delicious!

That night we carried on the Walsh tradition of painting eggs - and this year we went all out by putting in 3 tablets per color rather than just one... the eggs were SO much brighter! Everyone also took the time to decorate a onesie for baby. This was quite the "arts and crafts" night for the Walsh family. And it definitely required some hard thinking on sayings...

Sunday the fam went to church and then came home for a big breakfast... egg bake, fresh pinneaple, and yummy caramel rolls! Around 1:30 everyone left and it was just Jimbo, Hilo, and I. So quiet! We spent the afternoon vegging on the couch. I think that is where I am going to back to as soon as this post is up!