More later

I'm hanging in there. Only 9 more days until induction day. Hopefully, we'll get him out before then. More later.

STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just CANNOT express how thoroughly I am ready to be done with the dizzy/fainting/whatever. Seriously...I spent Sunday through Tuesday in the hospital. Pretty much a full 48 hours. This time, I was in the Women's Health ward for half of my stay and then the telemetry (constant heart monitoring) for the other half. My hemoglobin (which, as you'll remember, should be about 12) is finally up from 8 to 9.7, so we're making progress, but my iron was done low again...not as low as 2 weeks ago, but still low. I had tests run, consults with several different doctors, and everything checked out normal as far as neurological, cardiac, stomach, etc. It's all just that this baby is sucking my iron down faster than I can manage to make blood and take in iron. They gave me iron on Monday and I had a terrible reaction to it this time. I'm not sure if they were giving it to me too fast or if they gave me too much...that was never really determined. Either way, I was the hottest I've ever been in my entire life. Seriously, like walking with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo in the fiery furnace hot...even though my temp was normal. The hot feeling made me nauseous (they ended up giving me the anti-nausea med Zofran) where I was wretching. THEN, I started having awful cramps in the muscles that are between your ribs (intercostal) and in my abdominal muscles where they would clinch really tight and spasm. It was just really not fun. I had wet wash cloths and my mom was fanning me...none of that affected my hot feeling at all. It took about 2 hours for that to calm down. Not fun...

Here's the BIG news, though: If baby doesn't come by June 9th, I'm being induced that morning. I have to be at the hospital at 6:30. ICK! I really, really do not want to be induced, though, so I'm going to do everything that I can to try to avoid that and convince him to come early. SO, we'll see what happens with that, but I'm hopeful. I am typically very anti-inducing, but when I'm having this many problems...it's just better to get him out ASAP.

Well, that's my story for now. More hospital...no baby. I told them that I wasn't coming back to the hospital unless the baby was crowning. :) Then I said, "Okay...maybe I'm not coming back unless I'm ready for an epidural..." :)

My hope is that this will carry me through June 9th. They gave me a larger dose of iron this time. Last time, it lasted 1 week and 2 days. I had ZERO symptoms between that week and 2 days. SO, I figure bigger dose should last me through just under 2 weeks, right? :) Plus, I'm taking iron pills, so that adds to the store in my body and I really feel like I should make it to then with no fainting. We'll see.

SO, June 9 is d-day. That's the important part of the whole post. :) Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate it (and so does Mark)!

Cassie is silly.

Did I mention to you all yet that Cassie is really into buckles lately? She wants to buckle every buckle she sees be it the grocery store cart, a high chair, her carseat, etc. You know, the buckles that just snap 2 pieces together? I HATE the buckles on carts and public high chairs. They totally gross me out. I have never, ever let her touch them. We always say, "Don't touch the buckle" as soon as we sit her down. Well, 4 times now lately, Mark has gone to get her out of a high chair at a restaurant or out of the cart at Target only to find her securely buckled in. HA! Have you ever watched someone try to pick up a kid that is buckled in still? It's pretty funny. Cassie just cracks up each time. SO ORNERY!!! I don't know what the facination is with buckles, but she goes around the house buckling things. Her booster seat has 6-8 straps that all can fit together because it hooks onto a regular chair. She'll buckle them in all kinds of configurations and then just giggle. It is a pain to unbuckle all of them just to let her sit down! They criss-cross all over the place and have to all be undone before she can sit in the seat. Also, she does the straps on her high chair here at home countless times each day.

You know those learning dolls where they have zippers, snaps, buttons, buckles, etc? I think that I need to buy a doll and just sew tons of buckles to it. Hmmm...that might be a good idea. :)

FABULOUS sister, update, and randomosity

First of all, Kelly, I guess my sis-in-law is not worried about spelling it out for me on here! I knew what you meant, but she let the world know. :) Actually, Mark is weirded out by the thought of "doing it" to get the baby to come out. He said, "I don't want to make him come out with a headache!" HA! He knows that it doesn't work that way, but I think it offends him that I want to "use" him that way! HA HA HA!!!

NOW, on to bigger and better things...my fabulous sister, Dani. Last night, she won the Jester Award for outstanding female lead vocalist for the entire Wichita area for her performance in the operetta, "Amahl and the Night Visitors." The show was back in December and then she found out that she was nominated a month or 2 ago. Last night, they had the awards show...kind of like a local Grammys. There were like 15 nominees or something from various musicals around the Wichita area. They also had chosen her to be one of the performers between awards...you know like how the Grammys will have Faith Hill perform? That was my sister last night. :) Anyway, she got a really neat glass award that has her name and such on it. She was thrilled. I am so excited for her, as I know that this has really boosted her confidence in herself. I just hope that she has many opportunities in college to shine brilliantly! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, DANIELLE!!!

Let's see...update...nothing too exciting going on here. I did have lots of contractions yesterday afternoon. I had them every 4 minutes for 40 minutes before they slowed down to 6 and then 10 and then further down until they were just every once in awhile. BUMMER! They have to be every 3-4 minutes for a full hour before going to the hospital, so that was just a big tease.

Cassie and I are going stir crazy. We had decided that I was not going to drive anymore until Conrey is out...not sure if I'd mentioned that yet or not. Also, I am not taking her on walks and such by myself. The risks of me passing out are just too great. I don't want to risk a wreck or risk passing out on the sidewalk and Cassie running off or into the street or something. So, we're stuck here and are incredibly bored. We have watched WAY too much TV and it is just getting old. If for no other reason, that is reason enough to want to get him out...freedom! Wait...does having 2 kids to get ready, get in and out of the car, and lug around lead to freedom? I'm not so sure...

Oh, Meshellyn...will you call me sometime when you're awake. I know you worked last night, so I didn't want to bother you. But, I need to see about a favor. :)

I made peanut butter cookies yesterday. You know, where you actually use pb and flour and stuff? NOT Break'N'Bake??? I think that I've eaten about half of the batch so far. YIKES! OH! That reminds of something completely scary. Last night, not only did I eat an ENTIRE Chipotle burrito (which NEVER happens), but I BEAT MARK BEING DONE!!! WHAT?!? I finished and looked over and he still had about 1/4 of his left! WHAT?!?!? Oh, Mylanta!!! That is ALL I have to say about that. I don't ever even finish, much LESS finish ANY meal before Mark! YIKES!

Well, I suppose that that is enough rambling for today...or at least for now. :) I hope that you each have a great day!

Hangin' in there...

Well, I'm hangin in there. It's been a looooong 2 weeks since my first passing out until now. I figured out that I have spent pretty much 40 hours at the hospital between my 3 visits in those 2 weeks.

I am actually feeling pretty good. My head feels clear and oxygenated. :) I feel like I can do stuff around here, though I'm trying to be smart about it and not let myself do too much. All in all, I think that it was a success, though I'm not sure if it was enough. They will do a complete blood count (CBC) when I go to my OB on Tuesday to see where my numbers are. I am just really thinking that after baby is born, I'll need more blood. We'll see, though. I would be much happier to NOT have to have it, as it just ups the anty on all of the risks involved, but I'm just not sure that I'm to a "normal" level yet. We'll see what the tests say next week.

On to a topic I enjoy much more...Cassie. She has been such a doll through all of this. It has really stressed her out a few times, but she has just been so, so good like she knows that Momma needs her to be or something. Yesterday, she kept saying, "I help Momma..." I'd say that we needed to clean up and she'd say, "I help Momma keen up." She just has been helpful and loving and wonderful. I have been praising her and snuggling her and trying to reassure her the whole time.

Every morning and then periodically throughout the day, she asks where Daddy went. Either I'll say "work" or I'll ask her to tell me. Yesterday she asked and I asked her and she said, "Work. Daddy works at Target." HA! The Home Depot that we pointed out as "Daddy's work" to her (which isn't really his store) is right next door to Target. I wonder if she wasn't confused. We talked about it and now if you ask her she tells you that Daddy works at "Home Peepoh." Close enough. :)

I don't think that I ever really updated on her doctor's appt from this week. She has gained 4 lbs in the last 6 months (up to 26 lbs), but not a whole lot in height (up to 33 inches). She's on the low end for height now according to the percentages and all of that. I was surprised. They pricked her finger and she just whimpered a bit. She was really brave. However, when they put the cotton and band-aid on her finger...man, oh man! She went NUTS! She started screaming and trying to yank it off. It was such a funny/weird reaction, as she was so brave about the poke! Anyway, we got it off and washed it thoroughly (it had cotton stuck to it) and then she was fine. Silly rabbit.

Well, that's all I know for now, I guess. Mark called and said he'd had a rough morning already and that if I wanted to go into labor today, that would be great with him. :) I said, "If you figure out how to make that happen, you be sure and let me know and I will DO IT!!!" :) So, send me those ideas, ladies! My husband needs me!!! :) :) :)

Oh, and I've done pineapple, spicy foods, raspberry leaf tea, and evening primrose oil, so other suggestions besides those... :)

Are you KIDDING me?!?

Seriously. This has GOT to stop. I passed out yesterday...1.5 times. I know that sounds strange. The second time I do not believe that I lost consciousness fully, but I was alone, so I'm not really sure. The first time, I was sitting and thought, "OH CRAP!" The next thing I knew, I was laying on the floor. Ow. I was feeling GREAT up until then. I'm not sure what happened.

SO, guess what that means? Oh, you're so smart...trip #383 to the ER. Oh...my...lanta.

I got there at like 1:45 p.m. or something. I left at 11:45 p.m. After being a pincushion yet again (4 total pricks this time), it was determined that my blood count was still way down (hemoglobin was 8, which should be at least 12). I ended up with a blood transfusion. I sat there for 2-1/2 hours watching someone else's blood slowly infiltrate mine. There might not be any sensation so odd as to know that the life blood of a stranger is going to help strengthen me and get me through this pregnancy. They gave me 1 unit of A+ blood (you knew I was smart, right? It's because I'm A+). :) After confirming that I had no reaction to it after it was all said and done, they sent me home. That's not to say that I couldn't have had a reaction in the night, but the likelihood diminished greatly the longer the donor blood was in me. The decision to risk a blood transfusion was a very difficult one to make. We went back and forth on if it was the right decision for us to make. With so many diseases and such out there, it is just scary. There is still a chance of me contracting hepatitis or something from the transfusion, but we are relying on faith and trust in God that that will not happen.

SO, with the help of some kind blood donor, I will hopefully not only make it through this labor and delivery at whence time it comes, but I will thrive through it and recover much better than I did last time.

The question I know many of you are wondering is: "What happened to the iron transfusion? I thought that was supposed to help?"

ANSWER: It will...it just hasn't had time to boost my actual blood volume, which is the issue here...blood volume. I did not have enough blood pumping through my veins and the iron transfusion, while it boosted my iron levels, has not had the time to adequately resupply my red blood cells.

There is still a possibility that I'll need another transfusion before this pregnancy is up or right after delivery. If that happens, it happens, but we're praying that it doesn't. They will have blood on hand at the time of my delivery in case I need it. We'll just have to see what happens and pray for safety and health.

I've decided one thing for sure. If this happens again, I'm going to be going in to the hospital demanding (nicely, of course), that they just get this baby out! I cannot keep wasting my life away at the hospital like this and it's getting ridiculous, if you ask me. I truly think that, if this transfusion didn't do the job, that it will just keep on happening until Conrey comes out.

Well, that's my newest story. I'm HOPING and PRAYING that this is the last story I have for you that is not a funny little anecdote from Cassie or something. She's been really stressed out, too, and I'm ready for that all to cease (not that baby brother is going to bring calm to our lives, but you know...).

OK...the end. Peace out.

Links

So, I just updated my links on the sidebar on my "Blogs Worth Visiting" feature. If you're on there and don't want to be or if you WANT to be on there and you're not, please let me know. I was trying to be careful about who I linked to and such, so just let me know. If your blog is invite-only and you're on there, it's still secure and people STILL have to have an invite from you before getting on, so you're still safe.

That's all...just wanted to say that. The end. OUCH! CONTRACTION!!!

Not holding my breath...

So, as I've thought about everything with my pregnancy, I'm really not holding my breath that my due date is earlier. I don't know where the mix-up has occured, but I am sure of my "dates" and of when things happened and have always actually believed my due date to be June 17th rather than 15th. So, I am not fully convinced of the new due date. HOWEVER, my doctor said that he doesn't think that I'm going to make it to June 3rd even, so I guess it really doesn't matter in the BIG scheme of things...it just matters mentally and emotionally to me. If you've been pregnant, you know that there is a bit of a rollercoaster at the end with emotions of being ready to be done...being apprehensive about the delivery...being apprehensive about having a baby (or in this case, a 2nd child)...being miserable at times...lots of stuff. So, the thought of it all being done sooner rather than later is glorious, but not really reality, I don't think. We'll see.

Well, it's 9:40 and I'm exhausted...I'm going to bed. Good night!

Excited???...I THINK SO!!!

So, I had a dr's appt today. Everything looked good. He said my cervix is all softened up and ready to go whenever the ball starts rolling. What's so exciting, you ask? He is now quoting my due date as...NOT June 15th...oh, no...June 3rd!!! Did you catch that?!? TWELVE days early! WOO-HOO!!! I am just so, so excited! He said that he doesn't think that I'll make it that far...in fact, I may not even make it to my appt next Tues according to him. SO, baby Conrey Graham...COME ON DOWN!

I will write about Cassie's party later, but it was great. Everything went really well...until Cassie had a huge meltdown from being overwhelmed, tired, and hot. Oh, well. It's her party and she'll cry if she wants to, right? :) More on that later.

June 3rd, HERE I COME!!!

Birthday Cake and Presents

Here's the cake. It's DONE. I'm no professional, but it turned out alright considering the issues I encountered. See the peach frosting that is her face and hands? Well, that was done last. It would have looked better, but I had a HUGE frustration when the side seam of my bag burst and frosting went all over parts I had already done. So, those parts got simplified...her facial features got minimized and simplified, and I was just frustrated! :) After that, I did the "seeds" on her strawberries, so they weren't done very patiently either. It turned out okay for a first-timer, but I'm not sure if I'll do many more of this type of cake for the future. We'll see...


There are the presents from Momma and Daddy. The big one that is blue/pink/purple/green was a DOOZIE to wrap! You can't really tell, but it's horridly odd-shaped. I forgot to mention 1 of her presents earlier...it's the little box with the polka dots. It is her 2-year figurine from my friend, Bekah Lynn...aka the 1st Bek from the previous post. Read the comments if you don't understand what I'm talking about. Anyway, they are little porcelien girls that are holding the number of which birthday it is...ie this one is holding a #2. They were actually Bek's when she was little and she gave them to Cassie, so they're pretty special. On her shelf currently are the "birth" and "1" figurines and tonight we'll add the "2."

Well, that's it. Loads more housecleaning to do, so I'd best get to it. Hope you all have a great day!

WHAT?!?

Where on EARTH has the time gone??? MAN! Let's start at the beginning...6 years ago tomorrow is when Mark proposed to me. Four years later, I have a darling baby girl and 2 years after that, my son is on his way.

TWO YEARS later?!? How has it been TWO YEARS since my little princess joined our lives? What did we DO before she came? We must have been the laziest butts ever!!! Let me tell you, a year in the life of a baby and/or toddler makes SUCH a huge difference. Two years ago right now, she was still nestled snuggly in my belly. At about 10 a.m., I took castor oil. Nothing happened...all day. I felt jipped. I didn't even get the "bathroom issues" that you're supposed to experience (thankfully). At 3:30-4, I started having contractions pretty regularly, but not particularly close together. At 4:45, they stopped dead in their tracks. At 5:08, my water broke. Still no contractions until 6:30 up at the hospital. At 11:13 p.m., my little miracle was born after only 11 minutes of pushing. It was one of the most momumental, amazing, special days of my entire life 3rd only to my baptism and my wedding day. Absolutely the most incredible experience.

Last year on this special day, I cried at the thought of already passing through the first year of life. Where had it gone? I went all out with a party for her and she didn't understand much of anything that was going on...just that lots of people were fussing over her.

The difference turning 2 makes? The first words out of her mouth today were, "That Happy Birthday to Tassie today!!!" Then, after Daddy left for work, she said, "Otay, I need my house!" You see, she was with me when I bought her dollhouse, which I explained she couldn't have until her birthday. Now, I had to explain that she couldn't have it until Daddy got home tonight. All day yesterday, she kept singing, "Happy Birthday to You, ME! Happy Birthday to You, ME! Happy Birthday to You, Tassie! Happy Birthday to You, ME!" I think she understands this year that this is HER special day...you think? :)

So, with my darling princess turning the big 2, I look at the transformation from helpless, tiny infant to communicative, intelligent 2-year-old and am amazed at the wonders of God's design. WOW!

Of course, I can't help but think that I'm about to start back at square 1 with baby brother. Before I know it, I'll have a 4-year-old and 2-year-old and will wonder where HIS first 2 years went.

*SIGH*

LIFE...is beautiful...

Cassie's Birthday Presents

I'm so, so excited about Cassie's b-day presents. She is getting quite a few from us this year...partially because Momma went nuts and partially because my dad paid for 2 of them when we were at the store. He made me put them in with his purchases. Therefore, I had more allowance to spend on her! :)

The first thing that I got her was a package of glow-in-the-dark stars. She LOVES the ones in my old bedroom at my parents' house, so I got some for her. I know she'll love them.

Secondly, I got a huge floor coloring book with new colors for her. It is all of her favorite characters from Nick Jr.

She is getting a table and chairs from Mark's parents, so I got her a teaset. Every little girl has to have a teaset, right?

She is getting a set of balls that has a basketball, a football, and a soccerball.

THEN, the thing that I'm most excited about...is this:

It's the Play Town Family House. I know that this is a lot of presents, but last year, we got her like 2-3 outfits and that was all we could afford. SO, I'm kinda making up for that (not that she knows) and kinda just excited about how excited she is about her "pawty" AKA party. So, there you have it. Cassie's presents from Momma and Daddy. YAY for birthdays!

ALPHABET SOUP "J"

Time for another exciting installment of alphabet soup. This week's favorite things: J! First, however, I must do an ADD to my "h" list.

HAIR/HEAD MASSAGES: As in having my hair played with at night so that I can drift off to sleep or having my scalp massaged. It's fabulous...it's relaxing...it's bliss. I love it. :)

OK...NOW, on to "J's!"

JESUS: I couldn't start off my list without Jesus. I made that mistake with the "G's." Jesus is my reason for being...my reason for joy...the reason I don't dispair. Thank you God, for sending your son.

JELLYFISH: I don't wanna touch one, but have you ever watched them swim in an aquarium or something? They are soooo amazing! I just cannot imagine how God came up with all of the animals that He did, but this one is quite amazing with no eyes to see, but great perception, nonetheless.

JAMMIES: Yes, I live my life primarily in pajamas. That's the benefit of being at home and being pregnant...you get to wear what you want. A great pair of PJ pants and a t-shirt or tank top...that's all I need!

JUICE: I do enjoy juice, though I have trouble drinking it first thing in the morning...too acidic. I love apple juice, pineapple juice, orange-pineapple juice, grape juice. I like juice! :)

JEWELRY: Although I don't wear jewelry much anymore, I love it. I love to browse the spinny things of jewelry at the stores. I love when you find JUST the right jewelry for an outfit. I love how it adds just the right finish to an outfit. I love the sparkle.

Well, that's all I can think of at the moment. I hope you enjoyed the "J's." Peace out!

1 MONTH!!!

Just FYI, my official due date is ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!!! :) :) :)

Hospital visit #???

Well, girls, I thought that last night was "it." You know how they tell you to wait until you have contractions every 5 minutes for over an hour and they are a "4" on the pain scale 1-10? Well, I had contractions really regularly all afternoon. I didn't even give them any attention, as we all know I've had contractions...and lots of them...for a few weeks. While we were eating dinner, they started increasing in frequeny and intensity. Finally, when they were at 3-4 minutes apart and fairly intense (4-5 on my scale), I decided to go. Why did I wait? Well, I'm a bit gunshy about going to the hospital after my multitude of trips. Albeit, they have all been valid (well, maybe not the one where I was insisting that I had an ovarian cyst and they insisted that it was just ligament pain, but the rest were legit), but I really didn't want to be someone who got sent home.

If you'll remember, I had NO dilation in the hospital during the iron episode the previous day and my cervix was really, really high where it was hard to even check. When I got to the hospital last night at about 10, they hooked me up to the monitors and such and saw that I WAS having contractions every 2-4 minutes. They checked me at 10:30 (pm) and I was at 1, still really thick, but not as high. I labored for an hour, at which point I was at 1.5, so they said that my dr would not admit me. I was really concerned about how you know when to come back when you even exceeded their guidelines, but were still sent home. She said that I could labor for another hour if I wanted. An hour later, I was at a 2...still not adequate, apparently. They gave me Ambien (a sleep aid) and sent me home. All night long, I very, very vaguely remember moaning and tossing and turning, but it really knocked me out. I woke up to a contraction at 9:20 this morning and have had them off and on all day...sometimes in regular patterns that eventually dissolve...sometimes just here and there.

The worst part of my day is that I've felt really drugged out all day. I've never done drugs or had a hangover, but I imagine that this is what one of those events feels like. I'm just NOT myself and feel odd. I won't be taking Ambien ever again...if I can help it.

So, I've had contractions off and on all day. Conrey seems determined to come sooner rather than later, but hopefully, we'll hold off a little bit longer. I am trusting fully on God to know when he's ready to come out...I just wish we'd do one or the other...either stop the contractions or come out! :)

That's the end of my saga for now. I hope you've enjoyed my fabulous story. So many details were cut out for brevity (I know, you're all thinking, "That was brief?!?" It really was...). All in all, we're just watching and waiting...waiting and watching. I'll keep you updated...

Tired, but doing well...

If you didn't read the post below, I spent some time in the hospital...actually checked in this time. I'm doing really well, though I am so, so tired from losing pretty much a night of sleep. However, I am coping SOOOO much better than I normally would have after losing sleep and I attribute that to the iron. I have been warmer, peppier, and just feeling better in general. It is a huge change from normal life.

So, I now have Cassie and Conrey updates...much more fun than health updates. We'll start with the little guy.

They did a sonogram to make sure that I wasn't bleeding in the womb...specifically that my placenta wasn't bleeding requiring an emergency C-Section. Now, I have had way more sonos during this pregnancy than I care for, but at the same time, it is so incredibly amazing that you can't help but want one every, single day!!! Not only was this amazing because of how big he now is, but it was amazing because when they ARE this big, they put it on more high-powered settings that show so much detail. We could see his hair. We could see particles floating around in the amniotic fluid. We never did get to see his little face, because he was looking straight back at my spine, but otherwise, we saw just an amazing little baby growing in there.

In general, sonogram dating gets LESS accurate the later in the pregnancy you are. Having said this, however, the sonographer put his due date according to the sono at June 4th, which is 11 days early. That is based on size. He was estimated at 6 lbs 7 oz. That is definitely still big for the average at this point, but not as drastically oversized from my 29-week sono. All of his systems looked good, though, and if he comes out anytime soon, he should be in good shape overall.

Now, on to my princess. It has been a hard several days for her. Friday night, she was kept up late so that she could see my parents, aunt, sister, and sister's bf before going to bed. She got to sleep really late, only to wake up just a little later than her normal time. Saturday, she was again kept up late and then had to get up for church. Then, Sunday, things went topsy-turvy for her as they left me at the hospital (until Mark's dad could take care of Cassie so that Mark could be with me)...she didn't see me that night or until mid-morning the next day...then she had to leave me there again for awhile... It was all just a lot for a 2-year-old. It was stressful on her and she cried for me a lot, but she did okay. I think that it was seeing me all hooked up to stuff that mainly stressed her out. She's much better today, though.

I have mentioned many times how amazed I am at things that she knows/picks up that I have no clue she understands or has even heard before. Sometimes it's little things like when she asked where her cup was and when I told her she said, "Oh, yeah..." Other times, it's when she repeats catch phrases or sayings that she's heard people say...especially when she uses them in the correct context. Today, she said, "Goodness' sakes! That's what Grannie says. I love my grannie..." Grannie is my mom whom she spent lots of time with this weekend. I just thought it was funny and I didn't ever notice my mom saying that, but apparently she did. :) At the hospital, a guy in the lobby said hi to her and she said, "I'm going to see my Momma!" Of course, then he called her a 'good boy,' which irritated Daddy, but she found it necessary to explain to the random guy why she was there. I just think that it is so fun when they start turning into "people" rather than babies. :)

Maybe I should do a Mark update, as I don't do that nearly enough. He is still working at Home Depot, obviously, but not loving it. Retail is hard on him, as he takes things too personally. If someone is rude to him, he takes it totally personally. I told him that he can't do that...he doesn't know what it going on in their lives or maybe they're just rude people...if he knows that he is helping him as best he can, then it is not against him. He has just never done retail before. He IS getting better about it each day, I think, but if there were another opportunity for him right now, I wouldn't be surprised at him wanting to jump on it. For now, it pays the bills and he can tolerate it, so he's trying. :)

Well, I think that that is about all I have to write today. For now, I'll say adios and I'll be back again soon.

The HOSPITAL

Yes, once again, folks...it was the hospital for me. The difference? This time was an overnight stay. Friday, I passed out. Saturday, I was really dizzy off and on all day. Sunday, I got really dizzy in Bible class and then it stayed with me all day. At 6:20 p.m., I passed out. I checked in just before 7 p.m. and came home today at almost 5:00 p.m. LOOOOONG evening/night/day. I had extremely low iron...like to the point where you almost die. I had lots of contractions, too. They gave me an iron transfusion and lots and lots of fluids. I'm home now and better, though soooo tired from lack of sleep.

Speaking of which, I am going to bed. I'm exhausted. I'll try to be more detailed later.

David and Jessica

So, to those of you who know my friends, David and Jessica, and those of you who don't, we need some prayers going up. You'll remember 1 month ago today I wrote about the crazy birth experience that I witnessed 1 month ago yesterday. 5 days after baby Abigail was brought home, her older 2 siblings came down with THE flu...you know, influenza...they were on tamaflu...the whole bit AND pink eye. Anyway, since that epidemic, the family has continued to come back down with pink eye several times, has had various other ailments, have all just been sick, sick, sick...FOUR WEEKS, people!!! NOW, their 2-year-old has strep and an ear infection and David has the stomach bug with copious vomitting. Please, pray for our friends that they may regain health and strength. Even the newborn baby has had pink eye and upper respiratory congestion and stuff. Having a 3rd baby added to your household already makes things tough...you add in all of this junk and I imagine that they are at their wits' end. Please pray for them and if you're in our group of friends, you might send them a note or give them a call. I know that they could use the love and support!!!

Thanks!

37 days...whoa.

Randomosity

I am tired today. Actually, I think that it would be more appropriate to say that I'm exhausted. I did a TON yesterday and then did NOT get adequate sleep last night. Now, I'm just so tired. It does not help that it is rainy and dreary here. That makes me just want to sleep and sleep. I was in bed at 10:00 last night, but had a very chatty husband who wanted to tell me about 20 stories from work. Don't get me wrong, I love to spend this 1-on-1 time with him where we can just talk...uninterrupted. I was just so tired last night. By the time I got to sleep, it was probably around 12:40 or so. Of course, as luck would have it, Cassie woke up at 6:55. UGH! What a great gift that was! The one day that I was desperate to sleep until like 8 or something sees her up and at 'em before 7.

Here's the kicker to this whole story: Mark's parents (and maybe sister) are coming here for dinner. Then, about 10 p.m. or so, my parents will get here. THEN, my brother called to see if he could stay the night here (mom and dad are staying in a hotel), but he wouldn't be getting here until midnight. If Mark has to work tomorrow, I'll let you guess who would have to stay up to let my brother in... UGH!

So, today cannot be a day of lounging and rest. Though I have felt MUCH more in control of my house and do not feel the panicky sensation that I normally do when the fam comes to visit, I still have stuff to do before their arrival...namely dusting, bathroom cleaning, and general straightening. I'm not overwhelmed by it all and will definitely be taking a nap when Cassie does, but this is just one of those days where you'd rather just lay on the couch all day long or something.

Oh, well...such is the life of an ordinary momma...

ALPHABET SOUP "H" and "I"

OOOOOOO...I can't be outdone by Meshellyn, so I had to do 2 letters, too! :) So, here we go.

HUBBY: My hubby, to be precise. I would have never thought us a likely couple had a read his dating resume (no, he didn't really have one...). We are about as opposite as night and day in almost every possible way. However, God knew what we each needed to balance ourselves out. He is the perfect fit for me and I hope he feels the same about me. He is the "disciplined" one, the money-thinking one, laid back (in some ways), the provider, the introverted, and the serious one. I am the out-going, carefree, nurturing, patient, sensitive one. There are many other qualities that we bring to the table to make us balance each other. While this often causes conflict, I am thankful that God saw each of our needs and fulfilled them so perfectly.

HOME: Yes, I'm a homebody. There is nothing better to me than being at home with my family, whether that be here in my home with Mark and Cassie or at my parents' home.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM: OK, so this one is going to be repetitive on "h" and "i," because I just love ice cream in general. However, there is something about a Fourth of July party complete with homemade ice cream to make me long for those burning days of summer. I must say, my mom's homemade ice cream takes the cake, if you will, above any I've had.

HOT BATHS: Did I say baths on "b?" I don't remember, but there is no better way to enjoy an evening after Cassie's in bed than a hot bath with a good book. I love hot tubs, too, but I won't list them separately.

HEATERS: I love heaters. I love to be warm. I love space heaters. Chances are, if I'm sitting here at the computer, the space heater is on at my feet most of the year...maybe 10 months out of the year, if not more. :)

HARRY POTTER: I was completely and totally opposed to Harry Potter before reading the 1st book. I think that they are incredibly magical (pardon the pun) fiction books that can get non-readers reading and that can totally transport you to a time and place that is real when you are reading these books.

ICE CREAM: I told you it'd be back. I love all ice cream. It's all delish. Here's my secret: My favorite right now is Bubblegum ice cream. I always like it...right now, I LOVE it! :) Otherwise, I usually would pick cookies'n'cream, mint chocolate chip, or something fruity like strawberry or blackberry.

ICICLES: I cannot spell that word in all caps. Is that right? Anyway, I love icicles. I love when you look out at the trees and they are iced over. It is just magical looking to me. I hate being cold, but if it is going to be stinkin' cold, then at least let us have something beautiful to look at! :)

"I" words are hard to come up with. I can't even think of "i" words, much less ones that I love...

IKEA: I don't own any, but wish that I could furnish my entire house with Ikea stuff. I so would!

ICE SKATING: Watching it, that is. I don't mind doing it, though I have weak ankles so I don't last long and I'm not very good. There is, however, something awfully romantic about it. But, I do love watching ice skating or figure skating. It is amazing to me the things they can do...the jumps, lifts, twirls, and all of that. TALENT!

IDEAS: I just love it when a perfect idea pops into your head to solve a problem you've been working on OR if it is just a fun idea. It is amazing how complex the human brain is...

OK...I think that that is all I can come up with. Tune in next time for the "J's."

Update

Well, I had my dr's appt. Nothing too exciting. He did check me, but my cervix was too high to really tell if there was change. He could have been more invasive and found out, but he didn't want to aggrevate things. I basically had contractions for nearly 11 hours yesterday...it was a long day. My belly and back are sore, sore, sore today. I feel like I did 5000 crunches! I am up to 143.6 or something like that. Not bad. He said if I have this baby then I have this baby...they won't stop it. Otherwise, he'll see me in 2 weeks and then we'll go to every week. SO, looks like he's gonna get more time to cook. We'll just have to wait and see!

40 days...is it raining?

Someone reminded me that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights in the great flood. Was that you, Tracy? Whomever it was, I don't want rain for that long...while it is seeming like a short, short deadline right now with the baby coming, raining for that long seems never-ending.

HOWEVER, I'm thoroughly not convinced that Conrey is going to be content in there for 40 more days. It's been a rough afternoon, folks. It all started about 1:30-1:45...somewhere in there. What started? Contractions...every 8 minutes for an hour and a half...sometimes every 6 minutes. After that timeframe, they slowed to 10-12 minutes for 45 min or so. Then, it was back to 8. WHAT??? Finally, by about 6 p.m., they had slowed to 15-20 minutes where they currently reside. Yes, it is 9 p.m. and I'm still having contractions every 15-20 minutes. SHEESH! I'm supposed to wait until I have them every 5 minutes for a whole hour before going to the hospital. Um...I think that if they get to every 6-7 min for an hour, I might go and fib. Do you KNOW how quick my labor went last time? I started contracting at 6:30 and Cassie was born at 11:13. For tonight, though, it looks like labor is not organizing and I'll be okay.

Mentally, I am so not prepared for him to come right now. Physically...well, you all know how that's been. However, I do feel a bit jipped for all of these contractions with no baby. Oh, well...he's safe in there and is getting stronger every day that he's in there. I trust that God will have him come out when he's ready and not until then. Let's just leave the contractions until...well...then. :)

Misc.

Thought I'd start off with some pics from our photoshoot. We went to Portrait Innovations. It was a great experience and I will go there again! I think the pictures speak for themselves as to the quality. Yes, they were digital pictures and I got the CD of all 77 pics. Of course, I spent way too much money in the process, but can you blame me? :) :) :)



Mark got Conrey's room almost completely painted (2 coats) last night. He has 2 more walls to do the second coat on before the base is done. Then, we'll do circles on the walls in blues and browns and get his stuff set up. I'll get pictures up as soon as it's done. I'm really excited. The base color is a tan, which is a color that I've never done before, so it's branching out for me! :) The only thing that I'm not crazy about is that his room with kind of be a hodge podge of furniture...white changing table...everything else different shades of wood. Oh, well, at least he'll have a bed, right?!? :)



For now, here are the things that I need to purchase before he comes:
*Bassinet sheets that are not pink
*Hooded towels that are not pink
*Changing table cover that is...you guessed it...not pink
*Some type of dresser/bookcase/toy organizer for Cassie's room, as that is currently the job of the changing table. This is what my parents are giving us money for for her b-day. I just have to find one and get it now.
*Hangers for his clothes (Yes, I have pink and purple ones in Cassie's closet, but they're all being used)

I think that's it off the top of my head. He won't need "toys" per se at the beginning, but a large majority of our baby toys are pink. Poor kid! :) I tried really, really hard to get the big ticket items in neutral colors, patterns, etc. The bumbo is green, the high chair, infant seat, stroller, swing, etc. are all gender neutral. I think I'm good on all of that. It's just the toys...



Cassie has been really excited about babies lately wherever we go. I tell her "that baby is like baby Conrey is going to be." She just oogles over them and is so, so excited. I just hope that excitement continues once he's actually here!!! :) I think that you can tell how much she already loves him by the "belly pics" above, though.



As for Conrey...this boy keeps getting those super-sonic hiccups and he's still moving around quite a bit. Not as much, but still quite a bit. I officially have lost over half of my wardrobe because he's so big that things don't hide my belly anymore. I usually have to try something on and then ask Mark if he can see my belly. More often than not, it's a "yes." SO, if you see me wearing the same things over and over, just know that it's because nothing fits!!! :)



Well, that's all I know for now. If you're in our area, we're always up for playdates and company, so come on by to see us! We get bored around here just the 2 (well...3) of us! :) :) :)

Cassie's 2-year-old pictures

If you would like a link to Cassie's 2-year-old pictures, just send me an email and I'll send you the link...if I know who you are, that is! :) I will get some on here ASAP. They...are...priceless!

Birth Order

I thought that this was cute. It's about how you change from pregnancy to pregnancy and child to child. Hope you enjoy! Oh, and I have to say that there are certain ones that I am NOT! :)

Clothes:
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible...ghetto rigging the button with a rubber band.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes already ARE your regular clothes.
_________________________________________
Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month. _________________________________________
The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
_________________________________________
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to restart the swing.
_________________________________________
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in. _________________________________________
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
_________________________________________
Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.
_________________________________________
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
_________________________________________
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
_________________________________________
Swallowing Coins:
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

WILD night x2

We had a crazy night of storms again last night. Oh, the joys of spring in the midwest! At about 1:30 or so, there was a rotation over our town. Luckily, it did not turn into a tornado. We did, however, have hurricane-like conditions with 70-80 MPH winds. Thank you Lord, for letting our new roof get put on before this! Up north of us, they had winds that measured up to 111 MPH. There was tons of damage and destruction. Quite crazy! Needless to say, I'm quite sleepy today.

I'm also bored today at only 8:40 a.m. SO, if anyone has a hankerin' to hang out, give me a call.

Finally, I wanted to pause to mention my sis-in-law and brother in OR who are putting an offer on a house today. We're praying for you, guys! I know that God has the perfect house picked out for you! If this is it, then I pray that the negotiations go smoothly and that you're proud homeowners SOON! :)

Everyone have a great day!

45 days to go

...until my due date, that is. Man. As each of those days ticks by, I am reminded of the mountain of things to do. Poor little man has NOT been prepared for due to my "issues" during this pregnancy. By this point, I'm pretty sure Cassie's room was all ready to go...her clothes had been washed...I was waiting for those 45 days to pass. That's like 30+15! That's just not much!!!

I have to weed through all of Cassie's old things to see what is gender neutral. I'll give you a hint...not much. Mark and/or his dad have to get the nursery painted. After that, there is bedding to wash and the crib to put together. Then, I have to get out the carseat, swing, bouncer, etc. and get those all washed up and ready. The changing table has to be moved from Cassie's room where it is currently a toy holder to Conrey's room so that it can be a changing table again. Oh, and I need to buy a cover for it that is not pink. :) Hmmm...what else? Tracy and Lori had said that I could borrow some clothes from them, so I have to get them and organize them. Lots to do...only 45 days (or less...that's the stressful part...the OR LESS!!!) to get it all done.

Do you think my tune has changed a bit on this whole due date thing? My outlook is so much better now that I'm not in constant agony. Please continue to pray that it stays that way. I really want to enjoy my last 45 (or less) days with just Cassie and Momma. We've been playing outside a bunch. If you happen to drive by, you'll see our artwork on the driveway. We've been going places (her favorites are Target and Toys'R'Us). We've been just having fun together. I want that to continue clear up until baby brother comes.

Well, trash duty calls. Everyone have a splendid evening/day and I'll catch ya later.