Work? What Work?

Peter goes back tonight...you know, that work place...it's been a while. 7 weeks to be exact. It's just one night thank goodness. Then we have the whole week off together for one last time. Thursday is Open House(!!), Peter works Friday & Saturday then I go back on Tuesday. Two years ago we were preparing for a memorial day wedding; this year we prepare to rejoin the work force...

Bits About Blake

He squeaks when he sleeps.

He has a favorite pacifier.

He eats and eats and eats some more.

He makes big buggers and then snores loudly due to clogged passages.

Since day one, he has been able to hold his head up (high).

Kicking is his favorite past time.

He stores things in his neck rolls. Lots of things.

He has many admirers. 

He grows like a weed. 2 inches in 5 weeks. What is this madness?

Bath time is his favorite time.

At 6 weeks, he slept through the night.

He has one dimple.

His farts are our entertainment.

He folds his hands when he sleeps.

He has the biggest smile...

And the most adoring parents.

Silly Daddy!

First Beach Trip

I was very excited about this first beach trip. I had high hopes. "I hope he likes the sand. I hope he likes the water. I hope he grips his new shovel for a picture." Well, while my hopes were high, my standards were low and good thing! We went shopping 4 times and each time forgot to grab sand toys...we made a special trip to Target on the way there. Oh, don't worry! Peter told me I was ridiculous for "needing" a bucket and shovel for his first trip but I was adamant. Next issue: he was very fussy. Our little bundle of joy gets hot SUPER fast. Their was no way I was getting his bathing suit on him and the blue hat only made it in one picture. I tried. He was great at avoiding the sand and by the end of the hour we were so tired of calming him that we didn't even bother dipping his toe in the water. We had lots of laughs though and had our fair share of wildlife encounters-- a whale and tons of dolphins! We also watched some paddleboarders and I continued debating whether I wanted one or not. Later that night, Peter surprised me with a brand new paddleboard in the garage! Say what?!?! Happy Mother's Day to me!

Tell me the sand toys were not worth the trip to Target??

Peter's Funny

Just before going to sleep, lying in bed and referring to my overly producing milk ducts:

"Sleeping with you is like sleeping with a Capri Sun!"

Oh Honey, you hit the nail on the head.

My Signs of Motherhood

I know I'm a mom now because...

::when peed on, I don't even bother wiping it off...I just air dry
::the washing machine has doubled its value
::taking a shower is like taking a vacation
::all I want to do is stare at my baby (all day long)
::dressing up Baby is way more fun than dressing up Barbie
::if we get out the door within thirty minutes of our goal time, we celebrate a victory
::shopping is no longer a hop in, hop out kinda thing
::I no longer sleep between 12 and 2 am. Why, Baby, why?
::everything is always wet: baby's butt, baby's shirt, my shirt-anything within 3 feet of baby and me
::my left hand is now just as coordinated as my right
::the baby swing is my new favorite piece of furniture
::my phone and I are no longer attached at the waist
::when Peter comes home after an extended leave and by extended leave I mean 1 hour, it's like I can breathe again
::my blog has taken a serious hit

Umm, so...

I'd totally write a post right now but, uh, I'm too busy staring at my ridiculously good looking baby; so, uh, ya...sorry 'bout that. I'll be back some day, just not today. Meanwhile, enjoy my baby album and mobile uploads on facebook.

3 Weeks Young

Livin' it up!

Tomorrow, Blake will be embarking on his 3rd vacation.

No time like the present.

Our Baby Story

Sunday morning, April 1, 2012 at 5:30 am, I woke up. We had a fun time with Alyssa and Andrew the night before at Cheesecake Factory and I wasn't quite ready to open my eyes. Thing was, some cramping was going on in my stomach and though the pain wasn't dyer, it was enough to disturb my slumber. I had had cramps before, similar to these ones even, periodically over the last 4 weeks so I wasn't real concerned. I laid there, watching Peter sleep, for two hours noting the pattern, frequency and strength. I knew if this was it, Peter was going to need as much sleep as possible stored up.

The contractions were regular and every now and then, painful. The true test however was the shower. The contractions always went away when I got in the shower. Before I got out of bed, the thought crossed my mind, "If this is labor, I don't think I'll be able to keep him in until midnight; April Fool's it is!"

Well, the shower didn't change anything. Knowing my time had come, I figured I better shave my legs. Have you ever shaved your legs with contractions? It was a challenge and required frequent breaks but we made it. Surprisingly, Peter woke up to the shower and came in.

"How's it goin, babe?"

"Uh, I think I'm in labor."

"Oh. How far apart are the contractions?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what do you think?"

"Honey, can you let me finish in here and then we'll lay down and time them?"

"OK."

With the iphone in hand, we timed the contractions. I didn't really know what I was doing because I'd never been in labor before. Peter had the notes from the doctor on how to tell and when to come in. At our appointments she always said I wouldn't be able to talk through them. I certainly wasn't at that point. I didn't have relief between contractions; it was more like a dull pain between mildly intense pain. So, we timed peak to peak. After 3 contractions, we determined they were 2 minutes apart and it was time to go. I blow dried my hair, put some make up on, made the bed, and straightened up the house. Peter did a great job packing the car. Then we headed to the hospital.

By this point, we'd already called our moms and siblings. Mom knew if the house phone rang and my number was on the caller ID, her grandson was coming. When she answered, all I had to say was, "I'm calling on the house phone!" I still wasn't in that much pain, not nearly the pain level I would have expected based on all the stories I'd heard.

We arrived at the hospital at 8:30 and entered through the ER. A nurse then escorted us to the Labor and Delivery area. She was talking all about her labor and I really wasn't interested in being sociable. As we rounded the corner, there were my mom and dad. They would beat us to the hospital! I waddled up to the check in and said, "I think I'm in labor." Right away I got a great impression from the staff. Penny, who I would end up spending all day with, took me to be examined.

This was my first time in the hospital as a patient. Never before had I laid in the bed, worn the gown, or been stuck with an IV. Let's just say: increased anxiety! For the first time, panic crossed my mind; they might turn me away for not being in "enough" labor. Not to fear though, I came in at 6 centimeters! I was pretty proud of myself for getting that far with little pain and no drugs. I was wheeled up to my room. This was it. Next fear: the IV and epidural going in.

Tiff showed up soon after and we chatted, settled in and answered "no" to all the nurse's medical questions. I was still in very little pain. I survived the IV and the epidural guy was due to come in any minute. I told Penny I needed to use the bathroom and she said, "No you don't, you just went 45 minutes ago. If he comes in and you're in the bathroom, he will leave. He'll think you must not need it very bad." Well, that kind of ticked me off! Sorry Penny but you don't know me or my bladder...But their wasn't much I could do about it.

I asked how painful the needle was and she told me women aren't worried about the pain because the contractions hurt so bad. I took the hint and shut up. I didn't want them denying me the drugs just because I wasn't in pain. I knew it would get worse and I didn't need to be a hero that day.

The epidural guy was the same guy I had met when I checked in and I liked him. He told me what to do and I told him to keep talking so I'd be distracted. Peter was a great support and guess what? The epidural was no big deal! The IV hurt more! Once that was finished, sweet relief flooded over me. You would have thought I'd already delivered. I think I was more scared for that then the baby part...

More and more family trickled in and soon the waiting room outside my door was full, or so I was told. For an hour, we talked and waited. When a SWAT team of nurses rushed in, that's when I got scared. Two times I had a long contraction (4.5 min) and the baby went into distress, dropping his heart rate to the 50s. They didn't know the cause and the doctor said if it happened again, we'd be going in for a c-section. She didn't want to wait to find out if he'd recover a fourth time and since I was only at 8 cm, I was still too far away from pushing.

Tears streamed down my face. My body was doing so well! Baby just couldn't handle it. Strike 3 came and went and I was quickly wheeled to the OR. Terrified, my only consolation was that I'd see my baby in 20 minutes. Peter had to wait outside while they got ready. I hated being away from him at such a scary moment. Penny got right in my face and comforted me, Dr. Audel explained everything I needed to know and the epidural guy pumped me with drugs, kept me distracted, rubbed my head and put Chapstick on my lips. I was well cared for by all.

I felt a sharp point and yelled out in a panic, "I can feel that!" They pumped more drugs and tested again. "I can still feel that!" They thought they might have to put me under completely but then I was numb enough and they began the procedure. Operation Fetch Blake! Peter was beside me the whole time, some how he captured amazing still photos, and a video of the whole birth, all without me even knowing he was multitasking. He felt very present.

Then, we heard the cry. It was overwhelming. All I could see of Peter between his mask and hat were his eyes spilling over with joyful tears. The tears of a new dad. I told him to go to Blake and hold him, hold his hand. I'll be fine. His son needs him. The two questions I asked the doctors as they pulled Blake out were, Is he a boy? and Does he have hair? Yes to both.

They cleaned him up and finished working on me. At 9 lbs 5 oz, 21 inches long, everyone thought he was big. I thought he was perfect. Not pudgy, not scrawny but lean and long like his daddy. From when I first heard his due date, I'd said, "He's going to be an April fool's baby." It was going to be God's reminder to me, "Don't be foolish, I make the plans not you." Baby Blake was God's idea and man are we thankful for the surprise!

Believe it or not their's more details to be told but I think that covers the story well enough. Everyone had to wait two hours to see us and Blake while I was in recovery. Peter and Blake bonded while I waited for the drugs to wear off. I have never shaken so violently in my life; it was miserable. I hadn't eaten anything all day and would have paid way too much for a glass of water. Blake scored an 8 and then a 9 on his apgar test, loved getting his hair washed and had to have a few ounces of formula at first because his blood sugar was low.

We stayed in the hospital until Thursday afternoon, entertained probably about 100 visitors, and Peter never left our sides. He slept on the pull out couch and then each morning, the three of us would be cuddling in my bed. We are loving this thing called family.

First Holiday: Happy Easter!

Our Palm Sunday

I'm Here!!

April 1, 2012 @ 1:49 pm

9 pounds, 5 ounces

21 inches long

cutest baby ever

Down to it

Yesterday's appointment did not go as expected. I expected:

1. to see a full image of my baby on the screen for 30+ minutes

2. to confirm he is indeed a boy

3. to learn how much he weighed

4. to see my doctor and have my regular internal exam

Well, instead I:

1. saw parts of my baby that I couldn't even define for about 4 minutes

2. listened to the tech say "there's no fluid" for about 3 minutes

3. was called down the hall to a closet and strapped under two monitors with a clicker in my hand. They were monitoring my contractions (none) and the baby's heart rate and I was suppose to click the button when I felt him move

4. was told I wouldn't be seeing my doctor today but they would call and tell her the news

5. watched my baby's head get buzzed twice because he wasn't active enough

6. sat in the waiting room for 25 minutes while she called the on call doctor, my doctor, and the hospital.

7. was told I might be going into the hospital for an induction because my fluid was so low but they had to see if they could take me

8. They couldn't because they were swamped so I was sent home with low fluid and scheduled for an induction Monday morning at 7 am.

A bit contrasting don't you think?? Oh and I felt so reassured that they wanted me to go in to the hospital right then but since it was full, all of the sudden he could wait another 2 days...not cool team. Not cool.

When they told me I might be going in right then I nearly burst into tears. Apparently I am a lot more terrified than I realized. All this to say, as we drove back to mom and dad's to kick off dad's birthday party, I was a silent, hot mess. Extremely over stimulated by all the information flooding through me, I was not in the mood to talk or even share the news. Peter, on the other hand, was thrilled by the set due date and not concerned by the test results. He shared the news and mingled easily (as always).

Mom was a great support, knowing my thoughts telepathically, hugging me at just the right times, and holding in the cliches that I'm getting so sick of hearing. Who cares if a million women have gone before me, this is my journey and I have no idea what to expect. Peter is an awesome support and I know it will all be fine in the end but I'm not at the end yet. I'm at the beginning.

The Goal

Pop out my little cowboy.

Tonight

Maybe after we make another batch of Grandma June blueberry pancakes and watch Amazing Race THEN we'll go to the hospital? Maybe? One can only hope. The candles are lit. The fire is blazing and muffin mix is on its way...the start of a good night either way.

Time Oriented.

He's not. For those who voted before or on the due date, I'm going to go out on a limb here...at 11:13 pm...and say, "He's LATE!"

4 DOWN

Whelp, we're at 4 centimeters. The most the doc has ever seen a first time mom come in at is 3-4 centimeters. Way to make the record team Styffe. She is still holding to her "I think he'll come before your due date" line she threw out 2 weeks ago. She also said on that same day that he could "come tonight". I like her and all but next time a doctor tells me when, I'm plugging my ears!

My body has continued to make steady and substantial progress. She is very impressed with my baby birthing skills. Not going to lie, I'm kinda impressed too. So is Peter but he better be impressed with any and everything my body does for his baby! Something happened at the appointment that was another giant leap forward; it was kinda bloody and that's all I'll say...maybe you get it, maybe you don't. I don't want to get any TMI clicks down there in the reactions bar.

Tomorrow is Elizabeth's birthday (Peter's mama). Good day to have a baby? She thinks so! Celebrating the first grandchild on her birthday in the delivery room sounds like her kinda party according to her. I am happy with whatever day is soonest! I'm just glad we passed St. Patty's day...no leprechauns in this household! As always, I'll keep you posted.

I did it! I did it!

This whole time I have been trying to add the "reactions" part to my blog like I did on my old one. Problem was, I couldn't figure out how I set it up the first time. Peter googled it in two seconds and here we are: Back in business! I also added a survey on the right panel just for kicks and giggles.

React! Also, if you have other "reactions" than the ones mentioned, let me know; I'll add them!

If you haven't figured out what I'm talking about, the "reactions" section is located at the bottom of each post. Check a box...it's anonymous and so fun to see when people have been here.

Dearest Blakers,

You're already keeping me up past my bed time
Since you're not even here yet, this most certainly is a crime.
For all I know, you could arrive ontime.
So since I've got nothing to do but wait, I shall create a little rhyme.

Your dad couldn't be more excited to meet you
same goes for me and the rest of the crew.
They'll be coming to the hospital two by two
and after awhile we'll bid them adieu.

We've got the pack-n-play all set
and plenty of diapers for you to get wet.
Their are tons of soft blankets for you to pet
along with a swing if you get upset.

The birthing DVDs have been viewed.
It seems this whole labor thing is tried and trued.
We loved the day when they could conlude
you were a healthy, growing, baby dude.

So in a few hours, or maybe days, we'd like to see your face
feel the warmth of our family embrace
count your toes and wiggle your nose
and thank God for his good grace.

xo, your mama & papa

do do do do do do dooooooo

That's the Jeopardy song if you couldn't tell.

Yep, we're still waiting.

O! O! Oooo!

Today's 38 week appointment:

Well, he is now facing the other way and his head is still down; he must not have dropped very much since he can still rotate.

He's probably about 6.5-7 lbs right now and can grow about .5 lbs per week.

*Puts on gloves and digs in....

Oh!! Ohh wow! He's dropped! You're 3 centimeters! Wow! You could go into labor tonight! Wowww! Ya! Wowwwwww!

me: since she was shocked and slightly panicked just because of her shockedness, I got totally freaked out! 3 cm! Tonight?! Ahhhhhh!

And that my friends, is the update...

It's Like a Riddle

I'm swollen.

I'm round.

I'm hard to move.

What am I?

In other news, Peter brought home potted tulips today. Just 'cause he likes me. Best.

Scrubbin'

Tonight, for the first time in my life, I washed two loads of baby clothes. Mom helped. No! I don't need help using the washer; she helped me figure out what I needed and what I may have received too much of at the showers. It was awesome.

The whole baby wardrobe thing is kind of overwhelming to me. Is that pajamas or an out-on-the-town outfit? How many bibs does a baby need? Do I need 18 baby wash clothes or can I just have a few and share my Walmart jumbo pack with him? These newborn outfits say 5-8 lbs. Peter and I both weighed more than that at birth. Are these even going to fit my kid? If he's too big for the newborn outfits then the next option is to jump straight to the 3 month size. That sure seems like a reach...What should he wear home from the hospital? It's hard to pick the perfect outfit when you haven't a clue as to what he looks like. And you know, he could be a she...

Did you hear my big news? I'm 70% efface, 1.5 cm dilated and he's dropped! This all happened by 36 weeks and 4 days. I was pretty proud of myself. I think I dilated another cm today because I was cramping for an hour. If someone taped me, I'm sure I looked pretty funny. I'd jerk to one side in pain and then it'd go away. Another pain would come on and I'd twitch to the other side. All this was happening while I was weighing 5th graders for their PE testing. It was nice to see someone else on the scale for once since I have to get weighed at every stinking appointment!

Well, the dryer just buzzed. Time to pull out cute, shrunken baby clothes!

We love our minivan!

A Whirl Wind

Bought the car on Friday @ 6:00

Picked it up Saturday @ 10:00

Awesome Baby Shower @ 11:00

Friend calls from Moscow to tell me she's engaged @ 2:00

Family Party @ 4:00

Friends over @ 6:00

Peter goes to work 6:40

Nest the whole rest of the night!!

We're ready!

Waiting for a Second Ring

We wrote the check last night! Now we are waiting for them to call us and say, "It's ready!" They still hadn't cleaned it from the last owner since they owned it less than a week. Needless to say, we are a little excited about the call and can't wait to see our shinny new (to us) car! Oh and I have a baby shower! Ya, it's a pretty killer weekend!

Waiting for a Ring

We've been shopping for minivans since Monday. Peter has literally been driving himself nuts. He is much more particular than I which is not a bad thing...but he drove himself nuts.

option 1: spend more money and get a lower milage car that will last longer

option 2: spend less money and get a higher milage car that will not last as long

and of course, there are all the issues of model, low end, high end, cloth, leather, etc. I just want a minivan so I'd take anything. Peter likes himself some features. Neither of us cared about a DVD player- as in whether it's there or not my kids won't know what it's for. Peter liked the idea of dual air conditioning- he has his temperature, I have mine. I told him we solved that problem by always having a blanket in the car for me. Navigation was a big whoppie twang because I have the iphone which has the same thing. Neither of us felt strongly about cloth or leather seats. Peter doesn't like the rims on the lowest model. Rims? What rims? Civy has awesome rims apparently and I didn't even know until someone told me after I bought it. I also really liked the Toyota Sienna. I considered the Odyssey and Sienna to be nearly the same car. Somewhere along the way I turned Peter into a Honda man and he couldn't stand the Sienna. Go me! Kind of...

So, all week we've had dealers calling us and asking us if we'd decided, continuing to try and sell us and occasionally lowering the price. Let me just tell you right now, I love playing hard ball. We've had the RSM dealer calling us since Monday. Not only is the sales guy calling us but the manager as well. Each time they get closer...but have yet to reach the number I set out on the table Monday. Well, the call just came in. He agreed to my number. He is verifying with the manager and I am waiting for the call back. I'm not positive, but we might of just bought a car. Mind you, Peter was running out the door for work when he called so we were trying to decide if we still wanted the car even at our ideal price without feeling pressure from the clock or the sales guy. Tough, but we did it. I continued to drop the price a little more as Peter is dying in the background over my conversation. I love this game.

And so I wait. Peter is at work and the phone should ring soon. Maybe we did it, maybe we didn't. The whole mantra of the week has been "We don't need this van or any other van" and we've walked away from many a deal. We knew if God wanted it to happen, it would, in his timing, on his terms. We're just in the game.

Really Excited

That's how we're feelin' around here! Today as we sat out on our blossoming balcony, we imagined little Blake on the ground checking out the buds and trying to pull leaves off the vines. I keep petting the soft diaper changing pad and remember how in a time not so far away I will grow to despise the diaper station. Peter's eager to attach the baby bike seat to his bike. He is also thrilled at the idea of seeing his son smile, cuddling together and the warmth of Blake's grasp around his finger. That's how we're doing. How are you?

A Home in the Forest

I just have one small complaint... When I have stayed up until midnight, 5 hours beyond bedtime, and finally crawl into bed...I don't want other things crawling in with me. Yes, folks. While Peter was picking up dead termites off the bathroom floor, I was peeling back layers of sheets only to discover their friends...still alive. At a saturated level of exhaustion, inch long bugs with wings are not a welcomed sight. Peter was very kind and promptly moved me to a bug free cabin where we both feel asleep almost immediately...once I got the itchy feelings out of my head. It's been a busy and occasionally disgusting weekend up in the mountains. We're making the best of it though.

Today

I engaged in illegal activity.

Pulled the pregnant card.

Paid students to do what I asked.

Ate too much chocolate.

Drove around with an empty car seat.

Woke my husband up too early.

And stayed up way past my bed time.

whoops. Try again tomorrow.

Happy February All!

I hesitate to say that next month is our baby month cause I'm still mentally preparing for April... but we're getting closer! Yesterday was 7 weeks and counting and I'm measuring 33 inches...right on schedule. This week I was plagued with a sinus cold which was miserable. No medicine with a head about to pop off-not ideal. The baby is moving and grooving all the time. There are less kicks and more major roll arounds and pressure pushes with a few jolts every now and then.

Big news of the week: My Christmas present finally arrived! Yep, it's February and Peter was a little late in delivery but wait 'til you hear what it is! Using a website, he downloaded all the posts from my first blog into a hardbound book. Oh yes he did! Guys, I am a published author! Well, it feels like it anyway when you see the size of this book! He customized the layout and entered every post. It's at least 2 inches thick! I was so shocked and surprised and thrilled!

The other big news of the week: Nathan and Alli are engaged! They've been dating for 5.5 years and will be getting married in the summer of 2013. We had a big party for them last night at the Styffe house and got to hear their story and see lots of pictures. It was quite special.

And one more newsflash! Today is our first baby shower! Peter and I are beyond excited! I'm so glad he is coming to partake because the baby wait is really starting to get to him which is pretty much the sweetest thing on the planet. I cannot wait to see him and Blake together. Last night we were looking at a baby on a blog I read and he was just aching to hold his own baby. Melts my heart. Well, some of you, see you in a few hours!!

New Favorite...

Enjoy!

9 weeks Away

We are getting closer! Random things are getting me really excited! The idea of a car seat... we're gonna go places. Baby swim trunks and all the time Blake, Peter and I are going to spend in the pool/beach. How cute is my kid going to be covered in sand and whipping a shovel around? Walks in the stroller... Cuddling in bed... putting sweaters on him all the time... Peter using his hiking baby backpack... Seeing our family play with the babe... Peter biking with Blakers... It's going to be good. It's going to be hard. It's going to be different. It's going to be soon.

Conference Room

Tomorrow I help interview for my long term sub...Just 4 months ago, I was on the other side of the table. So thankful for my job.

A Story to Tell

The first week back from Christmas break, a strange thing happened in my classroom. I was sitting at my desk in the early morning. My students were doing their DOL. A student approaches my desk, "Mrs. Styffe, their's underwear in the middle of the floor." "What?!" "Their's underwear in the middle on the floor." "OKKK, where?" Student points. "I think it was (names a student)'s because it was stuck to her foot and fell off." Hmmm. I get up to investigate.

Sure enough, their it was, a dirty pair of girl's underwear lying in the middle of the room. How the heck did it get there? The girl named was standing over it and telling everyone, "That is not my underwear! I'm wearing my underwear! Who's not wearing their underwear??" It was pretty darn hilarious. Mind you, no one was being teased about it. I step up to take control of the crazy scene. "Is this anyone's underwear?" Dead silence. "Ok". I grab two tissues, pick it up and walk out to the hall trashcan. On my way out, the aide is just arriving. "Hey, (her name), did you forget your underwear today 'cause I've got an extra pair if you need some!" She looks in honor at the kleenex and we laugh hysterically.

And that's my story about the unclaimed dirty underwear found smack dab in the middle of the room. This week, by the middle of the day, their was one dirty sock in the back on the floor. Of course, no one claimed it. Who is losing all their clothes???

OucH! What was that?

So pregnancy throws another curve ball. Today it chose to strike during math...and I was doing such a good job on my instruction! All of the sudden my stomach ached sooo bad! Mom walked into my room at one point and I called her over to me. "Mama, I don't feel good; can you take me out of school?" It was funny but a true plea. Finally the lunch bell rang and I kicked those kids out of there as fast as I could. I had to waddle to the bano! Unfortunately, it didn't help much. I went to the nurse and had her take my temperature. Just as I figured...nothing. I never have a temperature. The office noticed my agony and inquired. They suggested I go home. I said I only had music and PE the rest of the day and should be able to manage. They said, "You only have music and PE the rest of the day; we should be able to manage." Oh, well if you put it that way...

I checked with my partner to see if she could handle PE and went back to prepare my homework email for the kids. I was out as fast as I could waddle.

On the way home I talked to my nurse-in-law and called the doctor's office. I was headed to CVS for some tums.

I waddled in, searched for the antacid isle and located the precious bottle. I waited 'til I got home to get the final OK from Peter. He agreed and I popped those suckers so fast! Sweet relief was just minutes away. Praise the Lord.

...And that is the story of my first heart burn experience.

Spontaneous Visitor

Friday night Tiff called. I answered, "Hey! How are ya? Wanna come over?" She said, "Uhhh, maybe?!" I told her to hang out with Jared, go on a date and drive down late after traffic. We could have a sleep over. And that's just what she did! It was awesome. Jar has a very intense 2 week class and therefore had a lot of homework to do.

We played her new instrument, watched a movie, talked, ate, slept, talked some more, went to the mall, had lunch with the fam and then hung out some more. 24 hours well spent!

I think I finished our baby registry. If you have any suggestions on what to/not to get, let me know! Reminder, some things are cheaper on our Amazon baby registry. Also, there are some very "Peter" items on our Amazon site such as a hiking baby carrying backpack, his daddy diaper bag, a baby bike seat, etc. He's hoping people don't miss those very exciting items. :)

Final note: Shout out to our sister, Rachel! She is now a Disneyland employee and we couldn't be more excited for her and ourselves!! You go, girl!

In Less Words...

-Peter went hunting this week but only Papa Glenn brought a bird down.

-My kids are awesome.

-My baby is doing great. All my dr says at the appointment is "normal". I told Peter I could do her job because every question I ask, she comes back with, "That's normal." I'm sorry, but I don't want to be "normal", I want an explanation! I was a little irritated after yesterday's appointment.

-I passed my glucose test with flying colors. I was 89 and you can be up to 140...whatever those numbers mean.

-I'm down to my two/month appointments. Tomorrow is 29 weeks. Aye! Yes, I am panicking about labor and delivery. I'm not an anxious person normally and it's driving me nuts to be anxious. Trust me, I've been praying it over but if I think about it for more than a minute...anxiety.

-Peter could not possibly be more supportive if you paid him, or gave him all the guns he could ever want, or told him he could make it snow on command. He is THAT supportive! Physically with hugs and facial expressions and cuddling. Emotionally with words and tenderness and encouragement. Behind that hot bod is more hotness!

-I got a new fake wedding ring after Christmas so that my swollen hands could sport some marriage. I felt newly engaged and stared at that $11 bling for two days straight.

-Baby kicks ALL the time. Does that mean he will be super active outside the womb?

-If you want to buy an item over $20 off our babies-r-us registry, check our Amazon baby registry first because it is probably $50 cheaper and has free shipping. Just saying... Go to Amazon.com, gifts & wish lists, baby registry, write our name in.

-I'd love to know who my long term sub is, but I don't. bummer.

-We are still very festive around here! I did unplug the outside lights because I was a little embarrassed to be the ONLY one, for several days now, with lights on.

-It's 7:06 which means I'm late for bed. Adios!

Registries

Today was run errands day. First we went to Bed Bath and Beyond to do one final wedding gift return. Next, we went next door to register at Babies R Us. Two very different registries...on the same day. We thought it was strange. Favorite moments of the Babies R Us registry:

"No, not that; it's going to take up so much room!" "We can put it in the attic." "Ug."

"My bath tub now has a toy storage organizer."

"Are we going to get a butt thermometer?" "Yes, we are getting a rectal thermometer."

"Mom and Dad want to know if we want to join them for dinner." "We done?" "No but let's hit; I'm done for the day."

"How do they expect pregnant people to walk around the store for hours? I need a stroller!"

Enjoy our incomplete registry!!

The 6 of us Christmas

Note to self: next year, take more pictures of people. Peter and I, group shots, etc. Why didn't I get a group shot of the 32 Terrys or the 6 of us? Blast!

As Peter and I sat amongst the family at each Christmas, I kept reminding myself how different next Christmas will be. A child will be squirming, pulling off ornaments, etc. I will just be distracted next year, attention divided. I grieved over this a bit; change is hard. Sure baby will bring so many wonderful joys but still, change is hard. Thanks God for the nine month "adjustment" period.

I woke up at 6 AM Friday morning and waited for Peter to stir. It took a while. Once I rolled him out of bed, we were off to Mom and Dad's where Tiff and Jar were already waiting with the padres. Will I ever feel like an adult on Christmas morning? I didn't even have a wish list and I still couldn't wait for "Christmas morning". It was awesome. Mom and Dad are always so generous. Mom pays such close attention to everyone's likes and interests that every gift you open is amazing. We had coffee cake and jelly beans for breakfast. After 2+ hours of presents we watched Dad's new Bourne Identity movies. I watched about half with my eyes closed 'cause I can't handle the slightest bit of suspense. I think the grandparents came over for dinner. Us kids tried on all our new clothes for a fashion show. Everyone looked hot! It was a pretty spectacular day.

Terry Christmas

It's funny how 32 people can sound like 52 people...I'm so thankful for each aunt, uncle, cousin, second cousin and grandparent. And I'm so thankful for my mom who makes all the phone calls to coordinate so many people's lives and bring us all together. It's a hard job but she does it well.