Biding my time...

(Ivan played in the pool for like 3 hours that day! No kidding. The kid is part fish!)

(Right before she got in trouble for giving Ethan wedgies and had to get out!)

(soaking up the sun)

(Where I spend the majority of my time these days)

Well I am finally taking a minute to sit down and update my blog. There has been a lot going on but if you have been following me on facebook...well you are pretty much caught up. But lets see what I can do...

This week I have tried to relax and take it easy. I am so grateful to my Mom because I have been able to lay down a lot. :) My doctor even let me know that she was spoiling me!

I have non-stress tests every Tuesday and Friday. These are supposed to be one hour long appts but have turned into 2-4 hours! It is taking it's toll and I am ready to be done with them.

After being in the hospital all last weekend, I had to go back on Tuesday. I was checked again and was having a lot of regular contractions while on the monitor. The dr. decided to have me admitted to the Mother Baby Unit and given a shot of medicine to stop the contractions. This did work and they resided for awhile.

Wednesday and Thursday I did a little more activity and was rewarded with some soreness and contractions.

Friday I went to a different dr. ( oh how I love military hospitals) and he was completely different than my other one. Personality wise. Very laid back and easy going. I wish I would have had him the whole time! He did an ultrasound and said three things that filled me with relief...1) Mason has really chunky legs! Why is that good? Because it means that he weighs enough! 2) Mason was "breathing". In the womb, they don't really breathe, but they do mimic it. Why is this good? It means his lungs have developed. 3) I have lots of amniotic fluid. Why is this good? Apparently with gestational diabetes babies that can be a problem. So even though my blood sugars weren't perfect...he is looking fabulous. So bring on labor...right?

Well...yesterday Mom and I took the kids to eat and play. Then I was home for a little bit and Ben and I went to Home Depot. Walking around made me so tired, that I opted to sit in the car while he ran into K-Mart. I felt sore and was having contractions so took it nice and easy for the evening.

Until 8:30 when contractions started full force. At first they were coming every 12 minutes. Then got down to 8..then 7. Ben was at a Hail and Farewell and I had to call him home! We made the decision to go to the hospital.

We got there and I got an IV of fluids, put on a monitor...you know all that good stuff! They checked my cervix and I am now between a 3-4. I am 60% effaced. However, because I am only 35 weeks they won't do anything to "help" the labor. In fact, they keep giving me drugs to stop it! We ended up coming home at about 2:30. Tired and still no baby!

So where does that leave us? I have keep taking my perscription. Ben has round 4 of his tests for his architects license on Tuesday. I am trying to wait until then so he can go take it. No promises though. The doctors have said that I can stop the perscription at 36 weeks which would be next Saturday. However...I am going to stop on Wed. I know I am not following doctors orders. But I really don't believe that 2 days will make a huge difference! All of these appts., perscriptions, going in and out of the hospital is taking it's toll. Physically and emotionally. I am done with this pregnancy, what can I say?

I know everyone has probably fallen asleep by now but that is what we have been doing around here. The kids have cabin fever as they have been stuck at the house. We did get them a pool the other day and they had a blast playing in it. So that is what the pictures are from. They are at each other's throats and I know are just getting sick of each other. I am going to "research" some summer boredom busters because they are driving us crazy! Hey, does anyone have a child who wants to have a pen pal? They could write some letters, that would be something fun.

Anyway, I am closing this novel of a post. I will keep you updated on Mason's big debut!

update

We had decided that if my Mom were ok with it, we were going to fly her out to help us when Mason made his debut. However, we weren't sure about the timing. I didn't want her here to early and just kind of waste her time, but I also didn't want it to be too late in case we headed to Japan or something.

Well after a week of contractions, and being told that I need to come in for non stress tests twice a week, we decided to get her out asap. Friday morning (around 2:30 am) we made our way home from the airport. We got a little sleep and than I had to go up to the hospital for a couple of routine tests. I also had an appt at 2:30. So with all the contractions that I had been having, I really wanted my cervix checked to see if I had dialated (sorry to all males or anyone who thinks it's TMI!). Ben was there with me and I think that is the only reason the doctor checked me. Anyway, he said I was between a 2-3. He wanted to do a test (by this time it was after 4) but the results wouldn't be in for an hour. If the result was positive, that would mean that I was dialating too fast and would need to come into the hospital.

So he sent me home, and than said if I didn't hear from him by 6, I was in the clear. I had maybe been home 20 minutes when he called and said I was to check into the hospital for a 48 hr stay. Oh joy! Luckily my Mom was here!

I went in Friday night and was poked, prodded, tested, monitored, drugged. It was a long night. Saturday was not as bad as I wasn't "chained to the bed". I did have a scare Friday night when 3 nurses came in and put oxygen on me and Mason's heart beat dropped. Luckily he was back up to his baseline very quickly.

Saturday night I had them rush in because I was having major contractions. They had given me a sleep aid and I hadn't even felt them!

Well today is Sunday for me. I was told if I hadn't had any change, they would send me home. I am on a perscription to help slow it down and apparently it worked. I was the same. So I was home by 11:30 and was very happy about that. So this is the rundown for now...

I am 34 weeks. I go in every Tues & Friday to get a non stress test. They will be checking my cervix at every appt. to check for dialation. If I go into "real labor" this prescription will not work. So there would be a possibility of going to Japan. BUT, while in the hospital I was given steroids to help his lungs develop, treated for Group B strep (just a precaution) and those are some of the biggest concerns. If this perscription does it's job and we make it to 36 weeks, then I can stop taking it and they will let nature take it's course. And we would be out of the woods with having to go to Japan.

So, phew that is what is going on. We will keep everyone posted!

This Monday morning...

(birds nest treats)


(the end result)
(not a very pretty picture (food photographer I am not) but that was the ice cream cake)
(eating ice cream cake)
(The Junior GS troop, ready to go home after a long night!)
( Way to go Harm!!)
**********I started this post when it says I did. However, after a major power outtage and some very bad whiney days from me, it took awhile to get back to it!

It is 8:26 am on Monday. The kids have been gone for almost an hour. After a 4 day weekend, Ben is back at work. The dishwasher and washer are both humming away. Ivan is playing and watching tv (with no one to fight with) and Astro is taking a nap. Can a morning get any better than that? (yeah and than we had a nice long power outtage. 2nd one in less than 24 hours!!) So here is what is on my mind today...

**I felt like such a SINNER for not being at church on Easter Sunday. Why weren't we there? Because here, it was conference weekend. So I sat at home and watched conference. It was delightful but...still didn't quite feel the same!

**Saturday night I went to return some movies...and was pulled over for a sobriety check. I have never, not once, been asked to do this. There was a big concert here and so they were checking anyone who came on to base. Yes, even innocent pregnant women driving mini-vans. And just to put everyone at ease...I passed! :)

**Harmony went camping from Thursday night to Friday. I picked her up and she was feeling car sick on the way home. It is an awful road anyway, but with little sleep and eggs for breakfast...well not a good combo. I did manage to drag her to the NEX and to the commissary. Around 3 pm she was throwing a fit, and so I told her to go lay on her bed until she could calm down. We saw her Saturday morning at 6 am! She completely crashed! She had no idea that she had slept that long, just that she felt hungry!

**Speaking of Ms. Harmony, she got 5th place in the science fair! She was so excited and wore her ribbons on her wrists for a long time. She is totally anxious for next year's!

**Remember a while ago, when I was asking for lunch bag ideas? Well, upon doing some research ie. "google", I came across "Bento" sites. Have you seen these? While I don't feel that I would ever have the time,patience, creativity or energy to prepare a full Bento lunch, I am obsessed with looking at them! Harmony loves it too. The boxes and other "gear" are way expensive but I told her if I could find something on sale...we will see. Let me see if I can get this link to work, if not, google Bento and I am sure you can find tons of stuff! Here is hopefully the link...
http://www.laptoplunches.com/

**Easter weekend was a pretty typical weekend for us! We spent Saturday cleaning rooms, laundry and working like crazy. And yet at the end of the night, I didn't feel like I had accomplished much! Ben told me, " you can run that washer and dryer all day,but you will never, never be done with laundry." Thanks for the reminder dear!!

**Sunday the kids dyed eggs, put stickers all over plastic eggs( they made one for Mason...awww) and opened baskets. We made bird nest treats and I made an ice cream cake that everyone devoured. It was good!Ecspecially after taking Astro for a walk when it was still nice and hot outside! We had a traditional meal and the kids really enjoyed eating "crashed hot potatoes". I found the recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks and everyone loves them. Ecspecially Ben, but I was suprised with how much the kids did. It's a yummy recipe, let me know if you want it.

Ivan and I are headed to the NEX to get some outside toys. Today is my last den meeting and so I am just going to let them run around like crazy! Sounds fun huh? I am so grateful to be almost done with scouts. The boys were great, parents were supportive, but it just takes a lot of energy and creativity, which I do not have in my possession right now! :)

the baby 411

So I honestly did not intend to leave people in the dark about our baby situation. The facts are that 1) I have not felt well at all and 2) my sister just adopted and I didn't want to rain on her parade! :) But here is the scoop for all the interested parties....

**********************DISCLAIMER*********************

Men feel free to skip through this! :)

So we had been toying with the issue of whether or not we wanted to have another child. To be honest, we have been toying with it for over a year ( if not more!). We prayed and finally decided to put it in the Lord's hands. And so we stopped using any form of birth control.

Well in the middle of October, I really wasn't feeling well. Car trips made me sick, I was constantly getting sick from different foods. So I thought that I might be preggo. I took a test and it was negative. Then we were talking about timing, and how we wanted to be able to go home over the summer. When you fly on a military flight, there is a rule about being preggo and infants. They won't fly you when you are within 6 weeks of your due date and then 6 weeks after the baby is born.

We were thinking about the timing of all that, and so we were kind of half hearted about trying. Sometimes using birth control sometimes not. I ended up getting my period at the end of October. I talked to a friend of mine, who is a nurse, and she was saying that sometimes you can get it while your pregnant. So I was feeling a little unsure.

Fast forward and I have been absolutely exaughsted. Taking long naps and than still crashing at like 8 at night. It was hard to get my head off the pillow. Then came the nausea. I decided to take a test. Ben thinks that pregnancy tests are a waste of money, so I just didn't tell him. lol

I bought a 2 pack and figured I would save one for later. The first one I took was invalid. The control window didn't have anything in it. So the next morning, I took the other one while Ben was at PT. I was shocked but happy.

Because of the Thanksgiving weekend I wasn't able to make an appt. with my doctor. So I have to go in and do a pregnancy test at the clinic, then from there I get my first appt. and so on and so forth. However, according to our calculations, we are looking at July.

The kiddos are so excited. Ecspecially Ethan. He keeps telling me the cutest things. I was frustrated yesterday because the kids have been fighting everything I say. Like, " Can I go to the park Mom?" "No, not right now." "But, please so and so got too and I did my homework and it's not fair that I can't go." Things like that. So I sat them all down and told them that it was disrespectful to me when they did that. Ethan pipes up with, " yeah and it's disrespectful to the baby!"

Although Ben says "Marie is just fine". I have been having issues. Feeling light headed and dizzy vs. nausea. So I am going to get my blood sugar checked and make sure everythng is ok with that. I am extremely tired and do have my moments of nausea. I am hoping it will go away soon.

So anyway, that's our story. I will keep you posted on everything!