Picture Overload. Sharing the Goodness.

Mr. Wonderful

We're all in love.

What's NOT to love??!

  

We're still fighting with bilirubin levels (jaundice), but they're heading the right direction.  Praying they'll stay down so we can get back to lots of snuggling.  He has a "Bilibed" phototherapy bed here at home, a little platform with lights in it.  He needs to spend ALL of his time on the lights with the exception of nursing, so for now cuddling has to be kept to a minimum.

Bj has been able to spend a lot of time with us here at home, I'm so thankful for all of his help.  Abby is also a wonderful "little mommy"... I can put her "in charge" while I shower and she'll pop in to the bathroom with regular updates like: "He spit up a little, but I have it UNDER CONTROL." and "He's just resting now mom, I have it UNDER CONTROL." or "I sang him a song mom, it's UNDER CONTROL!"  

Whew.  All is right with the world--Abby has it UNDER CONTROL.

Pleased to Meet You!

Elijah Matthew

8 lbs, 7 oz

20 in long

5:12 pm, 11/7/08

After an easy labor and delivery, we're all home, and glad to be here. We couldn't have asked for a more fun birth, a better eater, or a prouder big brother and sister.

Alex's reaction to meeting his brother sums it all up...we're all feeling delighted and a little giddy...

The name: Elijah--my God is the Lord, Matthew--gift from God. True. All of it. And now, we're going to go snuggle.

Thank God.

I spoke with Dr. Olson a short while ago, and he said to come on in this morning for an induction! We're heading up to the hospital now!

Nope.

Still waiting. I called the doctor's office this morning per his request, but he and his nurse are out today...guess I'll call in the morning. My friend Toni was kind enough to suffer along with me for an hour of walking laps at the community center last night, but all that really came of it was sore hips and calves.

There is definitely an increase in discomfort and contractions. But they still have yet to develop into any sort of pattern. We're all restless...just waiting, feeling a little aimless, waiting...I feel like we're holding our breath, life and routine are paused while we wait...meanwhile, baby grows bigger and bigger.

Sigh...

Tomorrow we enter our 41st week of pregnancy. I did NOT see this coming...I don't know why I was so certain this baby would be here by week 39, but I was. After holding onto that idea for the entire pregnancy, I feel like I'm already weeks overdue. Dr. Olson asked that we call him to schedule an induction if baby doesn't appear by Thursday. I'm not totally thrilled with the idea--I keep remembering the scary moments of Alex's heartrate dipping tremendously low during his induction...

I'm still contracting on and off every day, feeling like I have one foot in and one foot out of active labor.

Yesterday was our 6th anniversary!! We didn't do much...Grandma took the kids for the afternoon (thanks, Mom!) and we caught a movie. But it was fun...probably the last movie we'll see in the theater for quite a while.

If you're wondering where all the pictures are, the camera is packed up in the hospital bag, lol!

Whew, that was BAD!

2 entire days without internet!!! I went through withdrawals. But it's fixed, whew. On the baby front, not much has changed. There are still contractions several times a day, with no pattern. I'm so surprised that I'm still pregnant at this point. I suppose it was wishful thinking...

Oh the Pain

Rudely awakened this morning at 4:20 with PAINFUL contrax. They hurt. For 3 hours they hurt, bad. We planned the day around a baby coming. Then they stopped. Completely.

I'm not sure which is worse: the pain, or the annoyance and frustration I feel now.

The suspense is killing me.

More. Of the Same.

Last night Abby had a terrible night with an earache--she was kind enough to share her misery with the entire household, for the entire night. So, it was an extremely short night for all. We hauled the kids out of bed at 8:30 and went to church, as Bj and I both had Sunday School commitments, but we didn't stay for the whole service. Instead, we came home, had lunch and spent the afternoon napping, watching movies, napping, and ignoring a barrage of phone calls.

Another contracty day, with contrax on and off for much of the afternoon, several painful, and a general "crampiness". But by this point of the evening, Bj's lost hope for his 3rd to be born with a 26th birthday to match the other 2...

Well...

Walked the mall today hoping for action...only came up with a few random contractions. Got a new cookbook and a fun day with the fam out of the deal anyway.

Nothing.

Not much to report today. One second physically I feel like I'm well on the way to labor, and the next minute I feel like the time is no where near. Emotions are on just as crazy a ride-one second I'm ready and can't WAIT to be done, the next second I'm frantically hoping the baby doesn't come yet so I can finish up just a few more little projects and items on my list. It's exhausting, haha. When I'm so ready to be done and am disappointed that there's not more action, I have to keep reminding myself that technically there IS still a week and a half left to go to due date...

Contractions are still happening occasionally today, but they're not very business-like.

Still Waiting...

I thought since I feel like we're getting really close, I'd start filling everyone in on what's going on...so here begins your blow-by-blow of prelabor signs and symptoms! Yesterday I had lots of contractions, but they weren't painful...and my stomach was upset. Upset stomach/diarrhea was a huge part of my labor with Abby, so I'm expecting that to be a sign this time around too. I was SO disappointed to wake this morning and realize I'd slept well, with no contractions.

Went to see Dr. Olson today--we're dilated 3 cm (need to make it to 10), and baby is LOW. He keeps mentioning induction, but I'm leaning away from that route. Alex was induced and I've regretted it a little since then--I think he could have handled a little more fattening up. But, I won't go past my due date, so if things start looking like they're headed that way, we'll induce.

Energy levels are up too--good sign!!!

Ready and Waiting...

It seems fall has nearly passed by us unnoticed...our thoughts have been taken over by waiting and baby prep...well, mine have been anyway. It ocurred to me the other day that we're almost out of decent outside weather, so we packed up and took school outdoors! It was convenient that science is taking us through a nature unit right now...so I made the kids some "gathering bags" so I don't have to be the pack mule for all their sticks, rocks, acorns, leaves and other findings, we tossed in nature journals and crayons, and off we went.



They enjoyed drawing things they saw and making crayon rubbings of the different leaves and textures we found. Tossing rocks in the "Mrs. Ippi" river is always a hit, and the crunchy fallen leaves provided a fun soundtrack for our "hike". It has amazed me how quickly they take the lead on learning when given the opportunity...nothing is more gratifying than seeing their enthusiasm for a subject lead to discovery and learning.

It sounds cheesy, but most days my heart is full to overflowing of gratitude and a little disbelief at the amazing amount of blessing in our lives. It's astounding that our home gets to be the container for so much joy...as physically uncomfortable this time is for me, and as loooong as the waiting gets, it's so important to me that every moment is savored and lived in. I know a day is coming that we will struggle to remember what the early years of our family were like.

That being said, we're also overwhelmed with anticipation and excitement! Baby will be here soon (right??) and soon after that the holidays will be here, followed by endless days of cozy-ing, cuddling, reading, and being together, tucked away from the wintery blasts. I love this time of year a little more every year!

In the meantime, we're ready...

ready...

ready...

ready and waiting.

(This is a 35 week picture, so imagine it 3 weeks bigger.)

Diapers, check. Teensy, tiny sleepers, check. Teensy, tiny socks, check. Crib set up, check. Burp cloths, check. Minivan, check. (!!!Hooray!!! The Saturn was ok and met our needs, but it is SO nice to be able to travel outside of a 20 mile radius without fear of breaking down...and to have A/C...and a blower fan that blows--but in a good way...and to have a bumper that is attached to the front rather than jerry-rigged with wire and a hope and a prayer. And a muffler that...well, muffles!) So, there'll one more visit with Dr. Olson this week, then hopefully, hopefully...!!!!

Good intentions...

don't get a blog post written. But here is a glimpse of our last days of summer...

Bj's birthday...I left much of the planning up to the kids, does it show? Storebought cupcakes (artfully arranged and sprinkled with jelly beans by chef Abby), gummy worms, gifts of Legos and a fuzzy blanket, lots of hand drawn pictures and cards. Happy 31, Bj!

In the absence of a "Birthday Tree", it was decided by the Birthday Executives that gifts should be stored under the kitchen table. (photography also by Abby)

A spur-of-the-moment trip to Mall of America...

A rediscovered (for Dad) and newly discovered (for Son) passion for Legos...I imagine I'll be stepping on these things for quite a while now...

One last beach picnic with a cousin before the weather turned...

Summer days always fly by so quickly! We're ready though, to sink into the coziness of home that cooler weather brings. Our fall schedule has begun--Sunday School, Wednesday evening Home Group, the kids' Mommy and Me type classes on Wednesday and Friday mornings...we're finding a rhythm and routine.

Abby is still an enthusiastic student and is flying through her schoolwork. Her maturity is increasing by leaps and bounds--she's a wonderful, chatty, obedient little friend to take wherever I go--we've been enjoying each other more and more all the time.

Alex has decided he simply doesn't have the time to use the toilet anymore. I've given up the fight for now and will try again later. He's keeping us laughing and proudly tells all who will listen that his "Baby brother is in my mommy's tummy!"

Baby Brother is coming along nicely. We had another ultrasound this week to (as Dr. Olson put it) make sure baby is "locked and loaded" for the homestretch. Head down and heading towards a bigger birthweight than either of the other two, baby is indeed "locked and loaded"!

I'm uncomfortable and tired. And uncomfortable. And tired. And still nesting, nesting, nesting...IGS is still humming along, although not at quite so alarming a rate. Next month marks the 2 year anniversary of the company...the time has gone quickly, but at the same time, I can barely remember a time Bj didn't work for himself. It has been more of a blessing than we could have imagined at the very start.

Little people clammoring for food...this is where I'd normally make promises of next post not being so long in coming, but I'm not even going to bother. Because I really don't know when the next post will be. Because I'm uncomfortable. And tired.

See Pop!

See Pop pitch! Pitch, Pop, pitch!

See Pop hit! Hit, Pop, hit!

See Pop catch! Catch, Pop, catch!

Go, Pop, go!

That was fun! Otherwise a relatively peaceful weekend, thank goodness!

Now we're knee deep in school. An unexpected result of working hard on schoolwork in the morning is that it seems to make the kids' little heads tired and/or they're tired of having my undivided attention...afternoons have been very peaceful with little bickering between them and no clammoring for my attention. Several times I've had to check on them after realizing I hadn't heard from them in over an hour...there they are, peacefully playing trains, reading stories or playing dollhouse.

It's hard to believe summer is already coming to an end. I hope everyone's enjoying the last hot days!

Whew.

Well. Last week's un-busy, peaceful pace at home is but a distant memory after the weekend. It flew by in a whirlwind of friends, family, church, more friends and too many late nights and missed naps. This morning I have 2 crabby kids to show for it. This week is the annual "Campfire" at church, a sort of Vacation Bible School--the preschool class runs 9-11 each morning Mon-Wed. Of course we were late to the first class this morning, with the kids waking up late, then balking and arguing at each point of getting ready and getting out the door. I feel a serious need for slow-down this afternoon...naps all around!!

After Wednesday things should settle down again for a while...for a couple more weeks before we jump into fall schedule. I'll be teaching preschool Sunday School while Bj takes the teens, hosting a home group on Wednesday nights, and the kids will each be enrolled in a one day a week Early Childhood Education class here in our school district. I gave up playing keyboard on Sunday mornings as there seems to be a greater Sunday School teacher need, and doing both is unrealistic.

IGS is crazy busy. They purchased another truck and gutter machine and are looking for more installers, considering yet another truck/machine--they've been turning away new contractors, and falling behind quickly with the work load their current contractors are throwing at them. This makes for long work days and stressed out owners as contractors call daily wondering when their jobs will be completed. They're not anticipating the usual slow down in business when winter arrives this year. Over all, mostly good problems to have. (But I was looking forward to having a little help at home when Newbie arrives.)

Last week my friend Lisa lead worship at church with the song "A Little Longer" in the mix--since then the words have been swirling around my heart (and the Ipod over and over, lol) in the midst of the busy and daily life:

What can I do for You? What can I bring to You?
What kind of song would you like me to sing?
Cause I'll dance a dance for You
Pour out my love to You
What can I do for You beautiful king?

'Cause I... can't thank You enough.
I can't thank You enough
What can I do for You?
What can I bring to You?
What kind of song would you like me to sing?

I hear You say...
"You... don't have to do a thing
Just simply be with me and let those things go
'Cause they can wait another minute
Wait... this moment is too sweet
Would you please stay here with Me
And love on Me a little longer
I'd love to be with you a little longer
'Cause I'm in love with you

I find myself needing the daily reminder to "let those things go, cause they can wait another minute"...contractor phone calls and getting the kids to class and setting up homeschool and finding time to be with friends and planning for Sunday school...all of those things fade in importance next to the question "What can I do for YOU, beautiful King?"

So. There's the nitty gritty. I'll be back probably late in the week with more fun pictures and entertaining posts. I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!!

Goodmorning Friend!

This guy often hops out of his cool and shadowy flower pot home to say hello...he loves seeing who he can startle the most. I think he's gotten the most miles out of Alex lately...I know when I hear a little boy yelp from the porch that our frog is chuckling again.