We are Ready!

The nursery is all ready, the clothes and linens are washed, and the bag is packed (well, not really, but we've started a to-go list). We are more than ready for little Robert's arrival!

I am getting fairly uncomfortable at this point, and though I've enjoyed sharing, I will selfishly admit that I want my body back. I wake up in the morning feeling okay, but as the day goes by, I start feeling heavier and heavier. By evening, all I can think about is lying down on my side to rest my big belly!

Robert is really active. Rob and I enjoy watching his record-breaking hiccup attacks. It's also fun when he sticks his butt out because when you gently push on it, you can sometimes make his leg stick out. He doesn't seem to mind.

I have finally cut my hours at work, which is making my evenings a little more comfortable because I get in an afternoon nap. I'm working from 8:30-2. It's good to be at work because if I were home I would probably be overexerting myself even more by microcleaning and organizing, addictions that keep coming on stronger as the weeks go by. I guess that's what they call nesting. Yesterday Rob and I washed the screens, the windows, the blinds, and even the dogs. Bless his heart for humoring me during this nesting stage. What a wonderful husband!

I'll be going to the doctor every week now. At this point his head is down, but other than that, no signs of impending labor, yet. That's okay, he's got a few weeks. While we're certainly ready for his arrival, we don't want to rush him. He'll come when it's time.

We'll keep you posted!

Oh, check out the Pregnancy picture album to the left for a few more pictures of the nursery.

The Whole Story

For those of you who haven't heard, I thought I'd just post the whole story here.

Baby Robert and I had a short stay at the hospital Tuesday evening due to a sudden bleeding incident that happened Tuesday just after work. I was getting in my car after work and felt a big gush when I sat down in the front seat. I immediately thought my water had broken (I'm only 31 weeks) and was really scared. But, when I reached down to feel it and pulled my hand back up, it was pure blood (Sorry for the graphic details, but I said I was going to tell the whole story!). Thank God that my friend was also pulling out of the parking lot at the same time, so I jumped out of the car and flagged her down. She had the good sense to have me lay down in the back on my car, and she went up the hill to get Rob, who was in the chapel about to attend Evening Prayer. He got back to the car, and we went straight to the hospital. They checked everything and couldn't tell where the blood was coming from, but baby Robert was fine and the bleeding was slowing down significantly. They kept me overnight and all day on Wed. The bleeding had stopped by late Tuesday night and was totally gone on Wed. The doctor's guess is that either a very small (invisible even on an ultrasound) corner of the placenta had lifted up OR that our active little Robert kicked the placenta and broke some blood vessels. Either scenario is not very serious as long as the bleeding stops, which it did. Thankfully, all I have to do is rest until Monday, and if all is still well, I can go back to work and regular life.
This was really scary, but it showed us how loved we are by our community, who took such good care of us through it all. Father McGlynn and his wife came to the hospital to pray over me, our neighbors fed and took care of the dogs, two families brought us supper Wed. and Thurs. night, and the whole community kept us in their prayers. Rob and I also tried to look at the bright side of the incident which is that we got a good "trial run" of our future trip to the hospital when it's really time for Robert to come. We've checked out the rooms, met the staff, tried the food, etc. So now we're all ready for the big day--hopefully no sooner than at least 9 weeks!
Thank you all who prayed for us. Keep praying!

Women of Nashotah House Baby Shower

This past Monday The Women of Nashotah House hosted a baby shower for 5 of the 6 pregnant women on campus. It was a wild night of crafting to make a special gift for each baby. The moms had a choice of a picture album where the women each decorated a page in the album OR a crib mobile where the women decorated the different shapes that hang from the mobile. I chose the mobile because the mobiles from the previous two showers this year turned out so cute, and the moms say their babies love to look at them. I don't have a picture of it, yet, because they had to wait to assemble it until the paint on the shapes dried. I'll put a picture up as soon as I get it. I just know Robert's going to love it! On top of the fun crafts and good food at the shower, everyone donated money to buy each mom a gift certificate for her favorite store. It was a generous donation that will come in very handy for all of my many Babies R Us purchases. It was a really special night and an affirmation of how truly blessed this place is! Check out the album to the left for more pictures.

"Hey, how am I supposed to get into my new bed?"

It's becoming quite clear to us that Sallie and Hazel think we are decorating a new room for them. As soon as I laid that cute new rug down in front of the bed, Sallie laid right down on it and claimed it as her own. She's been stiffing all around the crib, presumably trying to figure out what's in there and how she can get into it. Rob finally prompted her to put her paws up on the crib to take a peek. Once she saw in, she seemed more interested in the rug. However, when we lifted Hazel up to look in, she saw the baby toys and immediately started whining to get at them. I think the baby's going to have to fight her for them! Whenever I let her in the room, she sits by the crib and whines to get those toys.

The room is really coming along and we've got all kinds of new stuff for the baby, thanks to the baby shower we had while in Charleston. I've been spending lots of time "playing" in there: looking at all the stuff, hanging up clothes, decorating, putting the stroller together, etc. It reminds me of when I used to play house with my dolls when I was little. It's hard to believe that all this stuff is for a real baby that will be coming in just a few months!

I had a doctor's appointment last week, and everything is still uneventful and healthy. I'm feeling lots more kicks. When he's especially active, usually just before bedtime, I can just look at my stomach and see him kicking. That's really cool!

I feel great and am really looking forward to our Bradley Method birthing classes that start next week. We are so blessed that the Lord led us to a Christian Bradley instructor. I'll fill you in on more details after the first class.

Thank you for your prayers for our budding family!

Picture Albums

I put a link to a Pregnacy picture album to the left. I'm still not ready to put up belly shots, but I've been taking them. If you're really that interested, email me and I'll send you some.

Baby's Second Photo Shoot

Well, there he is! Yes, I wrote "he," in the male sense of the word. We found out we're having a boy! I know many of you heard us say over and over how we wanted a surprise, but a certain person in our marriage got a little antsy and decided to take matters into his own hands. In an attempt to know the gender without having to ask the sonographer, Rob spent time on the Internet the day of the appointment to try to learn how to detect gender on an ultrasound. Sneaky, huh!? Not too bad. He did tell me what he had done on the way to the appointment, and we decided that if he could really tell, we'd go ahead and ask the sonographer to verify it. Sure enough, Rob noted the gender within the first minute the baby was on the screen. And, at the end of the appointment, the sonographer verified that it was definitely a boy. She showed me, and sure enough, it's a boy--or either it's a girl with 11 fingers, one of which is nowhere near her hands!

I have to say, knowing the gender has really made the pregnancy even more real to us. We can talk specifically about what he may be like when he's born and what it will be like to have a son. Rob often refers to him as "my boy," which I think is just adorable! I've even found my prayers for the baby to be a bit more meaningful to me, knowing that I'm praying for my son and all the specific ways that I would like God to bless him...and protect him.

I am feeling the baby move more and more these days. Rob says that he has even felt the baby move a few times, which he loves. Sometimes when he's not moving much, Rob says, "Let me touch your belly. He'll move for me!" It's so awesome that Rob is already bonding with "his boy." If I love to watch it now, I can only imagine how wonderful it's going to be to see them together when he's born. Now if I can just get Rob to start reading to him! I read him The Velveteen Rabbit the other night. His Grandma Bennett got him that book for Christmas. It was one of my favorites when I was little, and I hope he'll love it, too. It's such a sweet story.

His nursery is coming along nicely so far--with special thanks to Aunt Julie, who sent us the crib bedding and some cute wall hangings, which I don't have up, yet. Check out the crib:

I love the primary colors, and from what I've been reading, I think babies can seem them more readily as well. In fact, I read the other day that the first color babies see is red!

So, as you can see, the pregnancy is still going smoothly, and Rob and I are getting more and more excited. We'll be heading home for a visit after Easter and can't wait to share our experiences with everyone in person!

I Think There Really Is a Baby in There!

Okay, so the reality of being pregnant is finally starting to kick in. I am beginning to get a noticeable belly. It's not huge, but it's beginning to show even through some of my clothes. It's also more like a pregnant belly and not just a chubby belly because it's hard and not very malleable when I bend over, which is an interesting feeling. I'm also noticing that my hands are beginning to naturally touch and rub my belly when they are in my coat pockets or my sweatshirt pouch. I've always wondered why pregnant women constantly touch their bellies, and it's awesome to experience the answer for myself. I think it's a mother's way of getting to know the baby inside of her, of getting as close to him/her as she can. I'm realizing that it's not even a conscious act at first. I didn't even realize I was doing it until I had been doing it for a while. I guess it's all part of nature--part of God's plan of bonding between a mother and her unborn child. And finally, the biggest realization of this little baby inside of me is that I am beginning to feel little flutters of movement around my belly button. Today is the first day that I felt them and really couldn't associate them with anything else (i.e. gas, hunger pangs, wishful thinking, etc.). I was fixing books when I felt them, so it's obvious that this baby gets very excited about books, just like his/her mommy.

Another reality for both Rob and me is the crib that is now set up in the baby's room. This beautiful crib was gifted to us by one of our neighbor's coworkers. She is a grandmother who used the crib for her grandchildren when they visited, but they have grown out of it. It is a lovely, very gently used crib. I love it and am so grateful to this woman! Seeing a crib in that room really makes this baby seem real to me. The room has a long way to go as far as organizing and some light decorating, but having the crib already in there is a huge blessing.

We have our big ultrasound appointment the first week in March, so check back for an update!