An update of sorts.. but not much to report

I went to the doctor yesterday (Friday) afternoon but there is nothing to report. shoot!!!! I am still not dialating and basically the same as last week so that's a bummer. My blood pressure was on the high side (140/80.. which is about where it started heading when I developed pre-eclampsia with Valerie) but I have no other symptoms luckily. However they want me to come back on Tuesday instead of waiting a full week. As for now, it's only 9 days until my scheduled c-section and due date so maybe this one just needs to bake a bit more. It is frustrating to have painful contractions that apparently aren't doing "work" but I also am of the belief that if she needs to stay in there, she needs to stay in there!!! :) We are off to the park, and possibly the zoo to enjoy the cooler weather this weekend! Hope you are all having a great weekend! :)

Ciao for now-

Nope, no baby. Here's some pics!

No baby yet.. still here! I've been contracting on and off daily but they don't get consistent so we're still waiting. That is alright with me, she will show up when she wants to. I just feel a little for my poor kids and mom who have to deal with me being so tired and no fun these days! We will see what the doctor says this afternoon at my routine appt.

We have been spending a lot of time in the a/c, the splash park, or on the back patio letting the kids swim in our little plastic pool as it's been in the 90's all week. Yesterday it said 98 on my car so I'm wondering what the heat index was. Us Chicago-lander's aren't quite loving this heat!! :) Here are some pics of the kids outside.

Grandma taught Val how to play hopscotch!

Her suit is a 3T.. her other 3T's are getting to be too small so I'm feeling like this one was mislabeled. silly gymboree.

Super Quick Dr Appt update

I've had quite a few contractions (and back labor) and a few other symptoms this week so I thought I'd atleast have made some progress. Last week I was 0cm and 0% effaced.. I was like ahrhghggh!! This week I'm only 1/2 cm dialated.. but I'm almost fully effaced! wahoo! SO hopefully that means it won't be forever. Next week would be great. Tmrw would be excellent. :) I know I sound impatient, and it is completely appreciated that I made it full term. However, at 38 weeks with Eleanor I was gladly still pregnant. I wasn't even ready for her yet. This time, I am in so much constant pelvic pain (my doc says this is normal for a 3rd pg?!) that I am just done. Derrick and I just walked for 30 mins around the neighborhood and I'm now up with some pretty painful contrax. again (totally irregular..) but let's hope they are doing something. As long as I can get myself into 'active labor' they will do the c-sect.. whatever that means. ;)
Good news is that Mom came up today just incase and to be prepared.. so we're ready!

ciao!

Beach!

This past Sunday was absolutely gorgeous out! We haven't had very many warm, sunny days yet this summer. According to the news, there has been a cold jet stream for weeks that usually hits farther north than here, so it is unseasonably cold! Sunday it was almost 80 and the girls have been begging to go to the beach so we spent the afternoon there! The water is still so cold this time of year, but it was perfect for splashing and digging.

This is the one of the IL state park's, and the only 6 mile stretch of coastline left that is designated to the parks (in IL). I wasn't extremely thrilled with the beach itself though, it left much to be desired. Growing up near the Indiana Dunes, I was a bit spoiled. The sand is perfect there for sand castles, there's actual bathrooms (hello.. this was NOT good for a lady who is 9 months pregnant) and huge sand dunes to climb on! This beach will have to do though, but we may try the beach on base or head down closer to Chicago next time. It was so rocky that we couldn't even make a sand castle!

My belly shadow. ha.

Thanks for looking! :)

Random pictures

I have hardly posted many pictures of normal life recently. My mind is consumed with having this baby and being prepared! I have had contractions on and off as well as some back pains (back labor? I had that with Val) all week but nothing serious yet. I will update after my appt tmrw.

Here are some random pics from the last week or two. They aren't edited, no time for that ;)

This is Ellie's growling face. She was growling at me because Norman ate her food.

The girls have been putting bibs, hats, onesies, and cloth diapers on their stuffed animals since I unpacked the baby stuff. Elephant had to join us at the breakfast table that day.

Sunday afternoon nap with Daddy.. they almost always fall asleep on the way home from church and then of course, don't nap. Inevitably they fall asleep while watching a movie on the couch.

37 weeks- Belly Pic

Nothing much to report yet...

This past Thursday, I had an u/s showing that she's already 7 lb 3 oz. Judging by the size of her head and her leg bones (so not just weight), her due date should be 6/30, not 7/11. HA .. just as I have been telling my doctor. So I am somewhere between 37-38 weeks and trying to be prepared! So far she is doing well in there though, as far as we know!

I don't feel as though I've dropped too much but have been feeling pretty sick on and off the last couple days which I have read is a very early sign. Ellie and I walked the entire mall twice today while Valerie was at VBS and I was feeling some contractions then. We'll see if anything progresses.. my next appt is Thursday. I'm not quite ready for her to show up yet (too much to do this week) but next week would be great! :)

Picture taken Saturday:

almost there!

Tomorrow I am 36 weeks!!! It is amazing to think that at this point almost 4 years ago, I had Valerie. She was 5 lbs 14 oz (although they did give me steroids at 32 b/c they knew she'd be early). I am so curious to see how big this one is, as Val and Ellie were pretty much on the same growth track and still are.

I go in on Thurs for another appt and u/s to check on everything. I'll update then. As of now, my csect is scheduled for 7/6 but that is basically my due date, so he says to just come in if I go into labor. At a routine appt with Eleanor, they checked me to find out I was already at 4cm and wasn't even in labor, so I am a bit worried still of not even catching it and having this kid in the car. My parents are 2 hours away, I don't know anyone here yet, and we are atleast 30 mins from the hospital with no traffic. arhghhh!! I am going to ask him to start checking me this week so hopefully we'll keep an eye on things.

This past week we went through a 2 day New Member's class at our new church, First Presbyterian in Libertyville! We love it there and are so excited to meet new friends, both for us and the kids. That took up most of our weekend. Friday we did take a break to take the girls on a paddle boat around our local forest preserve. The girls had a blast!! It was so peaceful. We saw otters, turtles, ducks, fish, and birds!!

Saturday we did find the girls some new beds for their 'big girl room' that they are happy to be sharing these days. We do have 4 BR but decided that while they are young and actually *want* to share, we'll keep the 4th as a guest room and make it easier when friends and family come to visit! Later when they are older, we will just have to get rid of it or turn the play room over the garage into a guest room. SO come visit! :) (after my c-section has healed and we're a bit settled though ... :) )

I promise to take more pictures, and will soon have pics of the girls' rooms up also. We're waiting for their new beds to be delivered next week and still have to paint Maddie's room. We plan to tackle that tonight. Enjoy your week!!

Busy Week!

What are you all up to this week?
Last weekend we decided to do a trial run camping with the girls in the backyard. Derrick has been wanting to take them, but we weren't sure if they'd freak out when it came down to sleeping in the woods at night. This way, if they did, we could easily run inside instead of packing up camp at 2am in the dark!!! We roasted smores in our fire pit and had a great time! The girls slept all night (with about 8 blankets and sleeping bags thrown on top of them) and poor D froze outside with them while I slept on the couch. Our air mattress sprung a leak somewhere and we slowly started feeling our hips sinking into the hard ground and it was too much for this pregnant woman to deal with! I am excited for the days to really camp though!

Saturday we took the girls to see the movie, "Up" at the theatre. It was alright. I thought the idea was cute, the old man was adorable. The scary dogs chasing them and shots being fired,etc. were a bit much for Val but they sat through it and seemed to like it over all. It was great for our rainy Saturday morning!

Sunday we planted some flowers and did some much needed yard work. We also attended our new "home" church for the second time and definitely want to stay there, what a relief! I hate church shopping, and we're excited to make new friends. Valerie will be old enough to go to VBS this year, which will also give me a break in 2 weeks!

Not much new to report as far as baby Madeline goes. Tmrw I have another appt at 35 weeks.. I am going weekly now just to make sure I don't develop pre-eclampsia again or have complications. Tomorrow evening we tour the hospital/OB area and pre register. The girls both had physicals today, Val's for pre-K. They both had to have shots, so we picked up some comfort food/aka mcD's & milkshakes and are about to all go take a nap.

Enjoy your week!