And waiting...

I am shocked to have made it this far in this pregnancy. Since starting to have contractions at 24 weeks, then being to the hospital three times starting at 28 weeks, then being in the hospital in pre-term labor at just shy of 35 weeks. I am shocked. But, good for Leo! I am glad that he has had more time to grow and develop. Last night, I thought it was time. I was so tired when we put Olivia down for bed that I went to sleep at 7. Contractions woke me at 9 and they were the worst I've had so far. They came every three minutes for about two hours. I took a shower during this time and warned Nicholas to get some rest. I couldn't sleep. By 11, though, the contractions started slowing down. My last timing was 6 minutes apart at 11:40, and I fell asleep. I was up again at 12:30, but they were 8 minutes apart. Today they are just coming randomly again. Oh, Leo! I'm ready!

In the mean time, Nicholas put together the double stroller, and Olivia loves her seat.



And Olivia's concentration in painting took on a whole new level the other night.

And waiting...

Leo's head just isn't descended enough, Dr. Chwe said. That means that labor could be long, which could lead to c-section, and since there is no reason to induce, we aren't risking it. That's okay with me since I want what is best for Leo and for me. I am only a tad disappointed. My next appointment is Wednesday of next week, which was my original due date. Here is a picture at 38 weeks exactly. Do I look bigger than last week? Still eight lbs shy of the 32 lbs I put on with Olivia. I'm slamming the whole milk, though!



In other news, Olivia has discovered several new words including "important", "treasure", and "tennis". I let Olivia hold my keys in the grocery store and I told her that was an important job. Now whenever she sees the keys, she says, "I hold Mama's keys. Important job." Whenever we read Thomas's ABC book, where "I is for important", Olivia says, "Hold keys. Important job." She also found a picture of a treasure chest and wanted to find one. So, I put some jewelry in a box and let her decorate it with markers. About once a day now, she says, "Treasure!" Here is a picture of the treasure box.



And, on such a happy note, I know what I want Olivia to wear for the photos with Leo! I'm so excited that these fit now!

Still waiting

Dr. Chwe has me on his calendar to be induced on Friday, but if my cervix hasn't changed since my appointment on Tuesday, he's going to cancel it. Although the risk of a c-section is small, he doesn't want to take the chance of inducing and causing one if my body isn't ready. That being said, he thought the likelihood that my cervix would be "favorable" is very good. We'll see. I'm calling Mom on Wednesday with the news, and if I go in on Friday, she will come Thursday to be here with Olivia. I'm ready!! My bags are in the van, and have been for a while. The diapers are out of the package. The sheets are on. Ready!

In the mean time, I've been walking with Olivia to the playground (or wherever) as much as I can. Here are some photos:

Riding the big girl swings:



Riding the dolphins:




I think that Olivia is finally understanding that Leo is coming. She looks in my belly button and says, "I see him!" Yesterday she brought me a peanut butter cracker and tried to feed it to my belly button. She said, "Baby hungry." Hilarious!

"I drive! I drive!" and "I help! I help!"

This is what I hear whenever we approach the van now. Olivia loves to pretend to drive the car. She says, "Fast, fast." And then, "Whoa!!!" She likes pressing all the buttons, turning on the lights, using the steering wheel, and in general just being a ham.




Olivia is always "helping", too. I'll say, "Olivia, I am going to go get dressed now." She'll say, "I help! I help!" Here are some pictures of Olivia helping Daddy. Our solution to not having a guest bedroom anymore was to move my part of the office to the built-in bookcases and put a sleeper sofa in with Nicholas's part, making it more of a den. Here is Olivia helping Daddy move my desks out. (Incidentally, Nicholas brought the sleeper sofa home today and it doesn't fit through the hallway to the office. ARGH!!! So, we have a couch and a half in the living room and half a couch and a chair in the "den." Our curved sofa was two pieces, thus the 1/2 couches in two rooms.)

Waiting on Leo

We made it to 37 weeks!! Full term! Hooray!!

The bad news is that it doesn't look like Leo is ready to come anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I am still having contractions everyday, I have a hard time sleeping at night, and I am so ready for Leo to arrive, but Dr. Chwe said Wednesday that I am no more dilated and that Leo's head is not far down. I asked if I could be induced at 39 weeks because I am just so ready and so miserable at least part of every day. Dr. Chwe said that was fine and we could talk about it more at my next two appointments. Tentatively, the date is January 27th if Leo hasn't come before. So exciting!! Even though I have gained ten less pounds than with Olivia, I am still measuring big! All my T-shirts are barely covering my belly now. I thought I would add a photo for comic relief.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

It's been rainy here, so we have been trying to have an "activity" everyday. Here are photos from my phone:

Sunday: We went to Barnes and Noble for a decaf latte and chocolate milk, and some play time with the Lego set and the Thomas the Tank Engine train set.




Monday: We hit up CHOM and Olivia loved being the tug boat captain.




Tuesday: We played in the rain for two hours this afternoon, getting totally wet, changing coats and hats twice, and having loads of fun.

More December photos

I just took some photos off my phone. Here is Olivia on the trampoline with Abby while we were visiting in December. Olivia, obviously, LOVED the trampoline!



Here is Olivia feeding the chickens some oats one cold morning.




And here she is hugging the Rudolph toy that sang and kind of danced. I need to get her something like this!

Leo's room

Aunt Stephy

My sister Stephanie came down last Saturday to help with Olivia and me while I was in the hospital. We thought I was going to be on bed rest when I got out, so she planned to stay until Thursday. Even though they didn't put me on bed rest, she stayed until Thursday because I wasn't feeling great. Olivia LOVES her "Aunt Stephy" and was attached to her hip most of the time she was here. Steph played and played and played with Olivia, cleaned the house, and was just great company for me. She even got up with Olivia during the night if/when she got up and let me sleep in in the morning. Awwww! Nice!

Here she is with her hair fixed by Steph on top of her head. She would NEVER let me do that!



I didn't get too many pictures, but here is one of Olivia making formula for "little brother".



And here they are braving it to the cold, windy playground one afternoon.

Christmas morning

I took photos of Christmas afternoon with Stephanie's camera, and I forgot to get those, so they will be posted soon. Here are pictures from Christmas morning that Steph's mother-in-law Cindy took. Thanks, Cindy! Love these!

Craig with his Harry Potter wand and his light saber! Be warned!



Abby with her pink BB gun. She was stoked!



And so was Craig about his youth 22.



Olivia's favorite gift of the morning was the curvy straw Craig got her.



Just looking cute in an old pair of Abby's Christmas pajamas from Mike and Cindy.



Cuddling up with uncle Brandon. Or, as Olivia called him, "Uncle Break Down".



Abby and her new turtle habitat for her turtle Tipsy.



Olivia and part of a cookie that Santa didn't eat.



All the kids helping Olivia open one of her presents.



Me looking rough, which was my perpetual state over the holidays. I didn't realize how high up I have to hold Olivia!



My dad and Abby putting together Olivia's stroller. Whoops! I guess I should have done that the night before!



Olivia holding Rudolph's hand while he sang. So cute!

Little Leo in a little labor

So, Leo and I spent New Year's Eve in Northport DCH. After waking me from my nap on Friday afternoon, my contractions were painful and about five minutes apart. I called the doctor and she said to come on in as I was a day shy of 35 weeks, and delivery was not what we wanted to happen. When I got there, the nurse said I was a "stretchy" 3 centimeters dilated. The on-call doctor said this is preterm labor, that I wasn't going home, and hooked me up with IV fluids and a steroid shot for Leo's lungs in case he made is appearance. I called Nicholas and he took Olivia to one of our friends' houses for the afternoon. Once the contractions started slowing down, Nicholas went home to get Olivia. My sister Stephanie said she would come down the next day to help. I was in the hospital Friday night and Saturday night. They gave me a second steroid shot on Saturday evening. The on call doctor on Friday and Saturday said that if I got to go home, I would be on bed rest for at least a week until I hit 36 weeks. Luckily for me, Dr. Chwe was on call on Sunday morning. He said that a cervix is shaped like a cone, and although I am technically 4 cm dilated, the inner valve is only 1.5 cm. He said that I didn't have to be on bed rest, but I should "take it easy." I was thrilled about this and almost sent Stephanie home on Monday. Thank goodness I didn't because I am up and down as far as how well I feel. Sometimes it is painful for me to sit up or walk. Last night I had regular, almost painful contractions most of the night and throughout this morning, and I thought I was in labor. I had another appointment today, and my dilation hasn't changed. It looks like I may be in this state of "labor" where nothing is really happening for a while. It is too early in my pregnancy to speed it up. It is too late in my pregnancy to stop it. It's exhausting.

At my appointment today, I was up 20 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight--much less than where I was with Olivia at this time. But, I think my belly looks similarly large, even if different in shape. Also, Dr. Chwe showed me how Leo is positioned--head down, but up on my left side, kicking me on my right. All very reassuring.



Here's the link to my 35-week belly with Olivia.