Andrew Isn't Here Yet, But...

Ellie was on her way to the hospital tonight, very pregnant, but there was still time for a quick shot. (Luke is the proud "dad")
Luke is showing us where the arm, or maybe a leg is. Her baby was having trouble staying in (unlike mine).


And now after a very quick, easy labor, we have a very large baby and a fully recovered Ellie! We have obviously been going over what will happen in the next few days quite a bit. Ellie is excited but sometimes gets a little nervous about it all. I think it is on her mind a lot, therefore the constant pretending of hospital/babies.
Here is the very real pregnant belly. And as you can see, it's starting to take on the deformed/pointed shape that it always does in the last few weeks. We're all ready to go! Yesterday I panicked a little at the state my house was in (not a good one to bring a baby and all my crazy hormones home to), so my mom and Steven answered the call and this house is cleaner than it's been in a long time (maybe ever). I guess we're ready. I will do my best to keep you posted. Thanks for prayers!

Needed to change something

No, I haven't gone into labor since I last posted. But after reading it, I realized something sounded kind of weird. Steven will definitely be with me at the hospital when I am in labor. Laura Beth was going to go with me just for the night of sleeping and Steven would come very early in the morning. It sounded like I was going to have my sister there, rather than my husband. Not so. Just wanted to make that clear. That's all.

One more week

So, I promised a pregnancy update after my appointment last week, but honestly, there wasn't much to tell. I was still only dilated 1 cm. I had an ultrasound which had Andrew weighing in at right around 7 lbs. It leaves me pretty confused about fetal weight measurement. I've heard and read several different things. Luke's weight was estimated at about 7 1/2 lbs. (I think around 37 weeks-can't remember for sure). Now I wish I knew exactly because I could figure out how much weight he gained the last few weeks. (9 lbs. 1 oz. when he was born-40 weeks and 2 days) Anyway, I hear and read different things from different doctors. So, are they way off or do some babies just gain a lot more in the last few weeks? Probably both.

Today I had another doctor's appt. And in keeping with my previous dilating experiences, no further dilation. I always do this-get very frustrated-but at who or what? I give Ellie and Luke baths, lift them in and out of the tub, pick them up even (when it is absolutely necessary), cook dinner on my feet, climb up and down the stairs, bend over to pick up dirty laundry, vacuum, etc., all the while having contractions. And nothing!!??? I laughed last time when the doctor said, maybe you should try walking around the mall or something, to see if you can get some contractions going.

Anyway, enough complaining, I am actually not as frustrated as I sound. He has penciled me in to induce me on Mon. (Feb. 2). I go back on Thurs. to see if I am dilated any further. (I feel it might be a little unnecessary). If I am not, then I will go in on Sunday night to have Cervadil put on and then will get started with the Pitocin on Mon. morning. That is the plan. My birthday is actually on Sunday. And I think my sister (LB) will be coming in that day. We've talked about her going with me to the hospital that night and Steven could stay with Ellie and Luke. So, maybe we could even leave early-grab some dinner, possibly even see a movie and then head over to the hospital to get started having a baby. Sounds like a good birthday to me!

No, really, in all seriousness, I realize that the Lord has long ago known the exact day, hour, and minute that Andrew will (Lord-willing) be born into this world. Because I firmly believe his life began at the moment of conception. "...And in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." Psalm 139:16 I can't wait to see him and experience that newnesss of life and find out who is this little person that God has been growing and forming. And to smell that newborn smell and hear all those little sounds. There's nothing like it!

Here is his little "corner" that we have ready for him to come home to. May the Lord bring him safely here!

The Sino Song

Ellie likes me to sing a song or two or three (if she had her way) before bedtime. And we have been really stuck on Christmas songs. She has me singing O Holy Night every night. And I cannot sing at all. Don't ask me why she wants to keep hearing it. Anyway, I have been trying to steer us away from Christmas songs. So, tonight she said, what about "the sino" one. What?? She is getting very frustrated (it is late and she hasn't had a nap). I am very tired, and I'm saying, I just don't know what you're talking about. She keeps saying, you know "the sino", "the sino". I ask her to try and think of some more of the words in the song, and she says something like, the Bible tells me so. So, what she was talking about was Jesus loves me, this I know or as she was hearing it, Jesus loves me, the sino. Ohhhh... So then I sing the song very slowly and clearly. Ooops...maybe I rush through the singing too much before bedtime, or maybe, like I said, I can't sing too well, or maybe 3 year olds just hear funny things!

P.S. I will have a pregnancy update after Wednesday. I have an ultrasound to try and get a fetal weight measurement. I am starting to feel like Andrew is trying to catch up with Luke. Stay tuned...

In Case You Were Wondering

If by chance you are taking notice, you will see I have changed the due date for the baby. And while I was changing that, I am announcing his name, although we decided on it months ago. The due date was originally Feb. 13, and awhile back (like around the ultrasound at 5 months) it was confirmed that he was measuring about 5 days ahead of that. So, my due date has actually been Feb. 8 for awhile. I have just been very lazy about getting around to changing it.

We have been referring to "the baby" as Andrew for awhile now also. Again, just laziness for not having posted it. We don't have any deep reasons or long stories as to why we are naming him Andrew. We just like it-call us shallow if you like. I would prefer always use family names, but sometimes that just doesn't work out. Bailey, however, is my middle name. I have always wanted to use it and realized I have had 2 children now and haven't used it yet. With Ellie, I really wanted to name her after both my mom and Steven's mom-so her name is actually Elizabeth Diana. We wanted Luke to have Steven's name-but not a junior, so his is Steven Luke. Andrew is one we tossed around with Luke, we added Bailey and so it was decided fairly easily.

I promised when I first got pregnant that I would keep you posted with pictures of my growing belly. I realized a few weeks ago I had not taken one picture of my belly. I have been in a few shots (on accident) that you can tell I'm pregnant. But you know how with the first, you stand to the side with your shirt up every month and take a picture? Not happening with the third. That's not all that isn't happening. Aside from a few onesies I bought at a Carter's outlet, he doesn't have a single item of clothing that wasn't Luke's. (Not that that's a bad thing-so glad to be able to reuse all those clothes that hardly get worn) At this point in my pregnancies with Ellie and Luke, I had a baby book that I had been recording in for awhile-Andrew doesn't have one. At least he's a boy. I mean, I don't see him caring so much about how I felt when I found out I was pregnant or the first time I felt him kick. I do plan on getting one, however, just haven't done it yet.

Anyway...back to the picture. I did finally take one after I realized I had none. This was a few weeks ago at mom's house. Luke is helping me pose.

Rewind almost 2 1/2 years ago and here is Luke in my belly. (40 weeks) This baby feels a little smaller (so far). I don't feel quite as miserable as I did with Ellie or Luke, but I do still have over 4 more weeks. There is still plenty of time for him to grow.

Potty Troubles

Let me first say that I hope everyone is having a more exciting New Year's than I am. While I should be very grateful for this day that Steven is at home along with other family, it has gotten extremely long and BORING! Not that there aren't things around the house I should and could be doing, I just have zero motivation to do them.

Warning: This post will probably be of no interest to anyone without children. If I didn't have children, I really don't know that I would want to read about potty training.

So, here is what's going on. I am about to post a fact that I am a little embarassed about, but really don't know what to do about it and that is partially why I am posting this. Ellie is over 3 1/2. She will be four on April 24. She still wears pull-ups during her nap and at night. She doesn't keep them dry, in fact, they are more wet than Luke's. When Ellie was first potty-trained (around a year ago), she would come and tell me when she had to go. At some point between then and now, she has degressed. It's not that she has accidents (she actually never does), it's just that hours will go by and I will realize she hasn't gone to the bathroom. I know you're thinking "there is your problem." And I have recently realized this and for several days we really worked on it (and are still working on it). Like, I made her go almost every hour. But her pull-up? Still pretty wet! Has something not clicked over in her brain or am I doing something wrong?

As for Luke, I have always heard boys are more difficult to potty-train than girls. But...shortly after he turned two he would go on command when I put him in the tub. So then we started doing it on the potty before his bath and before his nap. No problem! He will almost always go (along with a little help from some running water). Yesterday I bought him some "Cars" underwear and of course he wanted to put them on. It went well until he came to me saying he had a poopy diaper. I said, "okay, Luke, let's go change it". Then I remember he doesn't have on a diaper.

After a second attempt at panties during Ellie's nap yesterday (only to change her sheets for the second day in a row) and after changing another pair of dirty underwear last night, I said that I was done until after this baby came. And then this morning Luke comes running by saying "I have to go potty". So I followed him to the bathroom and take off his diaper (which is dry) and he goes! (#1) We clap, he runs to tell Ellie and Steven what he's done, and he gets the treat. So, I guess we'll just go with it for now. But I cannot change sheets everyday. So-what would you do? About Ellie and/or about Luke? My plan is to keep making Ellie go throughout the day (like set the timer). And with Luke I am not going to stress over it until after the baby comes. But I would love any feedback!