Life in the Dub Lane: July 2009

O Happy Day...

This is definitely the most “bittersweet” week I have ever had. I am excited yet sad about leaving my job. My last day is Friday and it’s quickly approaching. However... never once has the thought crossed my mind that I will regret this decision. To have the opportunity to stay at home with my little Kyah is amazing and in my opinion there is nothing that can compare. But, in all my years of working I finally found a job that I absolutely love. The money isn’t great… I work at a Church... but the people that I work with are amazing and the job that I do is so rewarding. I guess in the end… I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m quite certain that life will go on (as I know it will) and that my co-workers will eventually forget about me altogether. I on the other hand could not have been more blessed to work with such an amazing group of people. And the best part… to serve our Lord at the same time.

To Nest or Not to Nest?

Ok, so I know that nesting should kick in towards the end of pregnancy, but I don't think that I was expecting it quite so soon. Luckily Bryce was out of town and it gave me free run of the house to do what I needed to.

First of all, let me say how excited I was to wake up at 10am yesterday morning. It's only been 6 or 7 months since I have been able to do that and... wow... it was wonderful!

After I woke up I realized that I had all this energy and I wanted to use it productively. It began with the simple task of unloading the dishwasher and then starting a load of laundry. Before you knew it, I was in full blown clean the house mode. But here's the deal ladies.. I keep a really clean and organized house anyways (on most days) so I never would have dreamed that I would have had this much to do.

Either way, here is a list of things that I got done yesterday (I'm so proud of myself).

- Dishes

- Laundry

- Dusted

- Cleaned all of the glass and wood in the house

- Took out the trash in all rooms and sorted my recycle items

- Trimmed the Houseplants (and watered them)

- Swept

- Dusted the Baseboards

- Mopped

- Vacuumed

- Cleaned the toilets

- Washed all of the bed linens and changed them out.

- Used a Magic Eraser on all of the doors in the house.

- Cleaned out the Fridge. I took everything out, scrubbed it down and then re organized it.

- Went to the Grocery Store and stocked the house with food. This is especially important for those mid night snacks. (haha)

- Packed the bags for the hospital (for Me, Bryce and Kyah).

- Packed snacks for the hospital.

- Created a Who to Call list for when I go into Labor. I can hand it off and be done with it.

- Revised my Birth Plan, made it prettier and printed off copies for the hospital.

- And then I ended the evening reading "Becoming Baby Wise". I hear controversial opinions about this book so I figured that I would read it and form my own opinion. So far, so good.

To be honest, there might be more... I just can't remember. Overall, though, I think that you get the idea.

I have tons more on my to-do list after I quit working, but this will help me feel better about things and allow me to "maintain" rather than worry about it. Hopefully I can just relax more now that this stuff has been done.

And if you are curious (which, I know you aren't) here are some of the last minute things that I need to get done after I quit working:

-Make the Dogs a grooming appointment so they can be fresh and clean for the baby (and because I won't get to it for at least another 6 weeks)

-Make an appointment(s) with a Pediatrician(s) so that I can have one chosen by the time he arrives. I'm pretty sure that I should have done this part already, but I figured that having a month off work before he is "scheduled" to arrive should allow me time.

- Scrap book the last few weeks in his book

- Take inventory of "Kyah" supplies and make sure that we have everything we need. If not I will hit up the stores and use these gift cards to make purchases.

- Pre cook Meals

- Make a Gift Basket for the Nurses at the hospital (to go along with my Birth Plan)

- Swim and relax with the girlfriends

- Read Baby books (and say "so-long" to the Pregnancy ones)

- Sleep in (as much as I want)

AND... Just so you know... the best part of the whole blog entry is this...

BRYCE IS COMING HOME TODAY!

I am going to run and get ready so I can pick him up at the Airport! See you girls later!

35 Weeks and a Dogs Birthday!

Wooo Hooo! 35 weeks today! Can you believe it (I can’t)? I am just feeling so grateful these days! It’s not that I haven’t been feeling grateful the whole time, but I guess it’s just the anticipation of meeting our son that has me filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness.

There are so many women that fill their pregnancies with gripes and complaints (on a daily, hourly and minutely basis) that they don’t really enjoy the small, fun things about it. I have had two “major” complaints during the last 9 months – headaches in the beginning and then the misaligned tailbone towards the end- but I would go through them over and over again in order to have our little man join our family. As uncomfortable as they were, they pale in comparison to the fact that I have helped to create new life and will be meeting our new family member in a few weeks.

Well, enough about that…

Bryce is enjoying his time in PA with his best friend Dan and Dan’s family. Everyone is in town for the wedding, so Bryce is able to enjoy to company of the entire family. Normally, Dan’s family would be split across the US and Mexico (missionaries) so it’s nice to have them all in the same location. The Rehearsal dinner is tonight, and like always, Bryce forgot the camera so I can’t post pictures. The wedding is tomorrow afternoon and the reception is later tomorrow evening/night.

While he is out of town I will be enjoying my time at home with the pups, scrapbooking, decorating my office and cleaning the house. I’m totally feeling the “cleaning” coming on. I can’t wait to get home as scrub the floors and do the dishes… Yes.. even though I am exhausted, that’s all I want to get done. My house is always “clean” but I want it ALL clean and smelling great. I might even bake something this weekend!

Oh, and I also want to wish my puppy, Cohen, a happy 5th Birthday! I can’t believe that he turned 5 years old today! I love this little buddy!~

Burnt Buscuits

A co-worker of mine emailed this to me today and I wanted to share it with the rest of you.

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When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she hadmade breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned biscuits." Later that night, I went to hug Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said,"Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. Andbesides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people.. and I'm sure not the best at much. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate eachother's differences. - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship, inbusiness or otherwise!

33 Week Picture

For those of you that have been so patiently waiting... here is the 33 week picture!

Can you believe that I will be 35 Weeks on Friday! WOW... only a few more to go!

Other updates:

I took Bryce to the airport this morning so that he could fly out to PA for his Best Friends wedding. They are going to have a great time hanging out with the guys before the big day on Saturday. He will be coming home on Sunday... which can't be soon enough! I already miss him SO much.

Dr. Appointment Update (34 weeks)

PICTURE UPDATE:

Here is our little Munchkin at 34w3d. It's not a very clear profile picture, but you get the idea.

Just another picture confirming his boy parts are still there. The Sono tech said that this is the classic Turtle and Shell picture. haha

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Bryce and I had our 34 week Dr. Appointment today. Everything looks great! We had a sonogram today to measure Kyah and see where he stands, and it’s no surprise that he still measures 9 days bigger. When I asked for them to explain what exactly it was measuring so large they said “his head”. Lovely! The Dr. was nice and gave us the measurements to put in the baby book. They were also able to tell us that Kyah is in the head down position and that he is Right Oblique Posterior (not the best position, but I can work with it). This just means that for now he is head down, his back is facing towards my back (and slightly to the left) and that his cute little face is looking towards the right. There are some exercise positions that I can try that will help get him to move around, but it’s likely that he will natrually turn either before he engages or during labor. The only negative if he does not turn prior to labor is that I will have a higher chance of Back Labor. I can’t wait… back labor and a baby with a big head. That should make for a fun time! (Sense the sarcasm). haha

We also went over the Birth Plan during the appointment (this time with the acutal Dr and not the Nurse Practitioner). It was obviously the rough draft version but we were able to talk about that and discuss two of the things that I had on there. She said that everything else looked great and she could totally work with it.

On the birth plan I have that I do not want my water broken just because THEY want the labor to progress. In all of the research that I have done and what the classes have taught, is that Labor may slow down for a bit but it’s natural! As long as I am able to be up and moving around, stretching, etc. there is no need to break the water just to keep things going. However, with a through explanation as to why it might be needed earlier in the labor I am completely open to the idea. The most important thing is to have a helathy mommy and baby.

The other thing that we talked about is Resident Observation. I do not want a room full of people “observing” the birth. It’s not at all an option and they will regret messing with me if they even think about it. (I will have something to say – in pain or not). I do however understand that resident Doctors need to learn and I am completely open to them being a part of the birth. Just not a room full of people with clipboards and discussions. I’m sure that things will be chaotic enough and that’s the last thing I need.

Also, we talked with the Dr. and decided that the circumcision will be done 1 week later when his blood will be able to clot better. As much as I was hoping for this, it was actually the Doctor’s idea and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Overall, I think that I am pretty flexible, but I WILL stand my grounds on what I think is important. I guess that’s just part of parenting. Making decisions that you think are the best for you and your family and well.. if people don’t want to agree… that’s fine. :)

I lied...

I never got around to taking a picture today therefore I can't post one.

I can however say that I got a new dresser for my bedroom this afternoon. I love it!

That's about all I feel like posting now. Completely exhausted from running around ALLLLL day, cleaning house, putting furniture together, organizing the Master Bedroom Closet, cooking dinner..etc.

Enjoy your evening and I will post again tomorrow. (Hopefully with pictures)

34 Weeks

I'm 34 weeks today! I can't believe how quickly time has passed. It feels like a few weeks ago we found out that we were pregnant and only a few days ago that we found out Ittle was a boy.

In my mind 34 weeks is super close to D-day but then I think about having 6 more weeks left and it feels like an eternity. I'm just glad that I have stuff to do to keep me busy.

Beginning Monday I have 10 more working days before I am able to stay at home and focus on what needs to get done before he arrives. Though, like I said in the previous post, I do plan on having lots of girl-time that involves a lot of relaxation, fun in the sun time and good food. This might be the only time in my life that I will have a few weeks to myself to do whatever I want, when I want. I am totally going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Also, Bryce is flying to PA next week to be in his Best Friends wedding. He is looking forward to the time that he is going to be able to spend with the guys. He leaves on Wednesday and will return Sunday. The next week he might have to travel to San Antonio for a short business conference. Depending if he has to go and which days he will need to be there, I might go with him so we can enjoy some time alone (on the company's dime). We'll see. The girls at work at throwing a shower for me that Wednesday so it would only be polite to show up for it (smile).

As for this weekend.. Bryce and I are going to be out and about tomorrow. Go to IKEA and see what they have that we might "want" (note: I did not say "need"). Then I will need to work tomorrow night before church service begins. Not sure why, but I said that I would. It's only for 15 minutes.

Sunday we are going to enjoy a pool party at 4pm with a group of friends from the Church... aka, our Community Group. Can't wait!

Also... I'll post a 34 week picture tomorrow!

Bitter-Sweet

I know that this doesn't mean a whole lot to you ladies, but our last Summer Camp is departing Friday morning! It doesn't sound like much but I have been investing many hours into our Summer camps and this is the end. It's definitely a bitter-sweet moment. As excited as I am to be done with camp entries, registration, medical forms and "parents", I will miss the routine that I have created and that's been such a part of my life since the beginning of my pregnancy. What's even harder for me is that this means it's also the end of my career at Lake Pointe... my favorite place to work (ever!). I have two weeks left to work there and train my replacement and then I will become a stay-at-home-expecting-mom until Kyah gets here. From July 31st until the day Kayh joins us will be filled with organization and relaxation. I'm going to enjoy every moment of it, as I know that life will change drastically when Kyah arrives.

I have plenty of things on my to-do list after I quit working. The first item on the list.. sleep as much as possible.. sleep in, take naps, early to bed, etc. It's crazy how tired have been getting. The whole pregnancy has been great and I have always had a ton of energy. I even suffered from pregnancy insomnia during the 1st trimester and still ran on an energy level of 8 out of 10. These last few weeks have sure taken a toll on me. Finishing work, getting things ready for him and just the fact that he is taking more of my energy to grow and be strong has left me completely drained in the evenings and even more tired when the alarm goes off in the mornings.

I am also going to be hanging out with my girlfriends that are still on summer break (from teaching). One is a mommy-to-be herself (3 months behind me) and the other is just an amazing friend that is super fun to hang out with and talk. We plan on lots of pool time, laying in the sun and girl talk.

I plan to get as much organizing done as possible. There are small things on the list like organizing the master closet in our room... grocery shopping to stock the pantry, pre cooking a few meals and getting all of my bags pack, lists made, etc. These are just to list a few.

I am also having my last few baby showers soon. My co-workers are throwing a shower for me on Jan 29th and the my friend Liz is hosting another shower on August 1st. After that I will have more stuff that I need to find a place for in the house/nursery. Woo hoo!

The week after that my Sister in law is having her second shower. Her first shower happens to be on the same day as my last (August 1st). The first shower will be in LA and I obviously will not be able to attend as I will be at mine. But the next weekend she is having her Dallas shower. I'm SO excited about that! Can't wait to be a part of it and see all the little girl stuff she gets!

On a completely different subject....

Bryce and I installed the car seat in the car the other day. We wanted to make sure that we did it correctly and that we had time to have it checked just in case we didn't feel confident that we did it right. Long story short, it worked great and was super simple. So simple in fact, that I could have sworn that it was wrong. Either way, it looks great, works great and I can't wait to put our little man in it and bring him home.

And now.. I'm going to bed. I'm completely exhausted! Enjoy the rest of your week in case I don't get to post.

Baby Update

Well, we had a Dr. Appointment yesterday. The appointment itself was great, the waiting... not so great. We had to wait about 2 hours in the lobby and then another hour in the room. I was scheduled to see the Nurse Practitioner. Since this is something I knew in advance I didn't plan on talking to her about my Birth Plan; therefore I didn't bring it with me. However things changed when I had to wait so long. I decided that for having to wait 3 hours she was going to have to take her time with me and answer all my questions. The good news... she told us that she used to work in the L&D Unit of Baylor before working there at that office.

She was SUPER sweet and was able to answer all of my questions. The only answer that I didn't like was the fact that I can't snack on anything while in labor (in the event that I am hungry). But, I can say that I probably won't feel like eating so I guess it's not that big of a deal. I just assume that I can stuff my face afterwards. Here are a few of the questions that I asked her and her response:

Q: I know that I am allowed to walk around during the labor to help it progress... Do they have a Birthing tub that I can get in to ease the pain while I labor (not deliver)?

A: No, they don't have a "Birthing Tub" but they do have the tubs in the rooms. You are more than welcome to use that, though they aren't very big. They do have the Birthing Balls, Squat Bars and rocking chairs, etc....

Q: Well, I plan on walking... even if they don't have the tub. With that said, will I have to be hooked up to an IV during labor?

A: Nope... not at all. You never once have to be hooked up to an IV unless you end up requesting the Epidural or it's medically necessary. You will be given apple juice and water (clear fluids) as often as you want. We will also monitor you and the baby every 30 minutes with the mobile equipment so that you will not have to lay in the bed strapped to the continuous fetal monitors.

Q: We are learning about different Birthing positions and I am interested in trying out a few of the ones that we are reading up on. Are these an option at Baylor? (I then explained the positions).

A: Absolutely... we have moms deliver in different positions everyday. And in your particular case I would highly recommend those positions you mentioned. It will help expand your pelvis by 15% over the "standard" birthing position. This will be especially useful to you since you have a more narrow pelvis and you are having pain in your tailbone. * The positions that we were talking about where the sitting positions with the Squat bar over the bed to where I can lean forward on it. This position as well as a few others are also known to reduce tearing. Gravity is more on your side and keeps you from "over pushing".

Q: Will I be able to have Kyah immediately after birth so that we can be skin to skin (not cleaned off prior)?

A: Yes. We want all moms to have the chance to take the baby and bond with it. We would also like to see you Breastfeed the baby immediately and then, only then will we take the baby for clean up. (Unless something medically necessary comes up of course).

Q: Can I wait to have the Umbilical Cord clamped and Cut. I would like for it to stop pulsating prior to anything being done to it.

A: We ALWAYS let the Umbilical cord stop pulsating before clamping and cutting unless there is an emergency. This way baby will be able to receive all of the nutrients that are SO important for the first few weeks of life. (White Blood Cells, extra Oxygen, etc).

Q: I prefer to not to have assistance in the expulsion of the Placenta. Will this be an option for me?

A: Yes. I have seen it take up to 30 minutes to deliver the placenta, but doing it naturally, without the help of massage, lessens the risk of hemorrhaging.

*Sorry if that was TMI....

That was not all of my questions, but that gives you an idea of the appointment. I am very relieved that things will go the way I am planning. I understand that things my change and that they may change drastically... and I am OK with that, as long as Kyah and I are Ok. However, in a perfect world I would like to hope that everything CAN and WILL go as I would like. I guess we'll know soon enough huh? 7 weeks left... crazy!

NOTES:

Kyah is measuring about 33 1/2 weeks (and I was 32 weeks)

They say that he has a VERY strong heartbeat. It was at 155bpm. This is where it's been for months now.

We go to our next appointment on July 20th. At this appointment we will be getting a sono just to do measurements, etc. I'm anxious to see how big this guy is. We are guessing he is about 4 lbs and about 16 inches right now. I can't wait to see for sure.

hmmm....

I think that is about it for now. I'm getting sleepy, so I am going to head to bed now.

I have some updates to share with you about work. I will write about that tomorrow.

Happy 4th of July!

First of all... Happy 4th of July!

Today was a pretty average day. Bryce got up early to play a round of golf. I want to say that his tee time was at 8:45am. Apparently the whole world wanted to get out and play today. The poor guys didn't finish their round until 3:30pm. It was such a long and hot day for them. The most important part though was that they had a great time.

After Bryce got home we went to his parents house to see Bryce's family. His Papa and Aunt Candy and Uncle Bill are in town so we wanted to see them before they head back to TN. We had a great time visiting, talking about the babies that will be joining us soon (as Bethany and Phillip were there as well).

Bethany was kind enough to snap a few 4th of July Pictures for us. So sweet!! Thanks Beth!