Waiting...

Ashleigh at 2 1/2 posing before church (5/13/07)

Ashleigh and me (at 36 weeks)

Ashleigh, Kenzie, and Hanna looking for eggs and feeding horses in the country (5/30)

Memorial Day at my sister's (37 weeks)

Ashleigh and me (at 38 weeks)

I'm sure many of you have been checking the website wondering whether I've had the baby yet. Well, we're still waiting with one week to go before the due date. The baby is due on Father's Day, which would be a great Father's Day gift! I've been pretty bad about updating the website, but will definitely post new baby pictures when he/she arrives.

I've been feeling well with minimal swelling, which is better than when I was pregnant with Ashleigh and had huge ankles. I feel like it could be any day now, especially as things are starting to progress and the baby is starting to make its way down to where it needs to go eventually. I'd like to have a natural birth without pain medications as we were designed to give birth, but we'll see how that goes. I've been reading up on natural childbirth and Rob and I have been practicing relaxation techniques and taking it much more seriously than we did with Ashleigh. Seems with her, I spent most of my time reading about pregnancy and just the time in our short childbirth class on the labor.

First Haircut

This was so fun today! I took Ashleigh to Lollilocks for her first haircut. She did great and sat very still while they cut her hair (no crying either and a sucker afterwards). They even made up a certificate for her with a picture and locks of hair in a clear envelope with her name and the date. Very cute! Here are the before, during, and after pictures:

Before the haircut in the play area

Are we done yet?!?

Yea! Now we're done!

What an improvement!

On a side note, my back and siatic nerve are feeling much better now! Seems those physical therapists know what they're talking about. I'm watching my posture when picking up the kids and doing chores around the house. I've also been wearing one of those maternity support belts that she recommended since Tuesday, which also helps, especially when I'm using the treadmill.
Before, I was feeling like 10 weeks was an eternity before I'd get to feeling better, and now feel a renewed energy. Don't think it's the spring weather as it's 30F here today with icy rainy drizzle. I do love this time of year, even if it is cold now and then, spring is my favorite season.

Healthy baby (Praise God!)

I had my ultrasound on Friday and found out that the baby's kidneys are back within a normal range and were around the same size as my previous ultrasound four weeks prior! No more monitoring or ultrasounds and we also don't need to visit with a specialist. I truly believe God hears and answers prayers, so thank you all for your prayers and kind words during this uncertain time!

As for my pregnancy, I'm definitely feeling like it's the last trimester. My lower back is sore sometimes and my siatic nerve is pinched too. Not to the point where I can't do things, but definitely where I feel it when I do certain things. Walking on the treadmill and various stretches help. I started my weekly physical therapy appointments with a pre-natal specialist yesterday who gave me several tips on how to lift kids, get out of bed, and do chores around the house. It is really amazing how your body changes when you're pregnant! From reduced range of motion to the loose ligaments and joints. Eleven weeks to go now! I think this last trimester will probably go by the slowest, even though the pregnancy really has flown by.

On a side note, we got Ashleigh's spring pictures taken last week and I am taking her in this Friday for her first haircut and Easter pictures. I pasted in the low resolution pictures from the photographer's website above and if you want to see the other three or order pictures, click on the link in the space below, but I warn you that they're expensive...

Growing, growing, growing

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed (Mackenzie and Ashleigh)

Me in February (5 months)

Me in March (6 1/2 months)

Rob and Ashleigh hanging out 03/25/07

It has been a while since my last posting and I guess between the nice spring-time weather we're having and watching another toddler in addition to my own keeps me really busy. As you can see from the two pictures I posted, the first taken February 18th and the second taken March 25th, I've grown quite a bit in the last month. I'm now almost 29 weeks along in my pregnancy and pretty convinced I'm having a boy, even though we aren't finding out. I have another ultrasound this Friday, so I'll also post an update after the appointment. We're praying that all goes well and that the kidneys are back to normal size. Thank you for all your prayers!

I'm going through the book of Psalms and happened upon my posted verse on Tuesday and was reminded that everyday with our children is a gift from the Lord. It's up to him how long he gives us with them. I got Ashleigh's picture taken on Monday by a Christian girl who is ex-military and had twin girls that were born a day before Ashleigh. They were taken away to be with the Lord after 4 hours and 9 hours and I asked her if it's hard to work with kids or twins Ashleigh's age. She said she learned a lot about life in Iraq and has peace about it - that everything happens for a reason. Amazing! It was the next day I re-read my verse and it spoke to me in a different kind of way.

Doctors and Ultrasounds

I am now almost 25 weeks along in my pregnancy, had my third ultrasound this morning, and am scheduled for a fourth one in four weeks. We aren't finding out the sex of the baby before it's born, and for now we're calling it Jr. Good news is that the placenta is moving away from the cervix, so no more risk of placenta previa. Bad news is that Jr's kidneys are showing that they're dilated, which could either mean an obstruction and/or a Downs indicator. I declined the triple screen in the beginning to determine whether the baby has Down Syndrome as we would have this baby regardless of the outcome of that test. Sometimes I wonder if we really need to know this much to have a healthy and successful birth. There isn't much that can be done in the meantime while they're in the womb, other than worry about things that we may not need to worry about at all! I declined the doctor's suggestion to go see a maternal specialist and opted for another ultrasound to check it again at the next appointment instead.

Here are two pictures from the first ultrasound at my 20-week appointment. We have printed 3D pictures of the face, but not electronically. That was a goof-up on the office's part as they didn't make it onto the CD. They promised to have them at my 28-week appointment, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Things are good with us, otherwise. Busy, but that's the life of a mom. I am getting my rest during Ashleigh's nap time and exercise about 3x a week on our treadmill (walking). Enjoy the picts!