16 days to go!

Time has sure flown by. When I started on modified bed rest working from home 6 weeks ago it seemed there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Now we only have 16 days to go until our scheduled c-section on the 16th! Just as long as we make it through our Mad Hatter Tea Party shower this Sat, baby b can come whenever he likes after that:)

So far I have put on 44 lbs and weigh more than I ever have but I feel pretty good. I am 4 weeks beyond were I made it to with Reagan so this is a huge feat!

This picture was taken Monday at 36 weeks and 2 days...I look like there are twins in there! Actually I just cook big kiddos b/c this one is expected to be between 9-10 lbs...so much for the super cute newborn outfit I had all ready to bring him home in:( Oh well...at least he's made it this far and won't need to spend any time in the NICU! Yeah for a normal birth experience where baby gets to be in the room with me and we get to bring him home at the same time I go home:)



And here is how my hat turned out for the tea party shower. His nursey colors are teal, lime green and chocolate with a sea theme of star fish, sea horses and sea turtles...

28 weeks 4 days

Moving right along...and when I say moving, I'm not kidding. This little guy is quite the mover! We started fetal monitoring this week and all went well. A little juice before I went was all he needed to jump around like crazy and give the nurse a good read. He even cooperated for his u/e and gave us a face shot, opened and closed his mouth a couple times and let us get a profile picture:)

I go on modified bed rest effective 1/14. This means I work from home on a laptop with my feet up. I expect my days will go like this: wake, shower, wake G, take her to daycare, come home, eat, answer emails and then read some dreadfully boring plans that are in desperate need of updating. Once the reading is all done, I can start the updating. In the afternoons I have a small window of activity which to me means get dinner ready before DH comes home with the kiddo and the chaos ensues!

In G news, she climbed out of her crib last week. No joke, 16 months and 1 day...she woke up, hollered a bit and then managed to lift herself up and over the side ending in a loud thud on the floor. I was in the shower so DH rushed in when the crying started and there she was sitting on the floor a little dazed and confused. We moved the mattress to the floor inside the crib frame and went on a hunt for a crib tent. Alas, our specialty crib doesn't allow for them to fit so her mattress is on the floor and this is working for now. It gives us about 5 more inches and hopefully a couple of months so that we can transition her into a toddler bed. She just isn't ready yet! Ugg. Over achiever!

She is truly a delight though and we look forward to what 2012 brings. Her vocabulary is building everyday as is her understanding so we look forward to continuing to watch her grow. Here are some recent pics:

Another NICU baby in the family, etc.

I'm a little slow on the uptake but Baby B arrived a week after my BFF delivered her twin sister stillborn. She arrived on 10/25...at only 24 1/2 weeks. She is so tiny, born at 1 lb 9 oz and 11 inches long, reminds me of my Sweet Scarlett who was 1.8 and 12 inches. Her weight is up and down an oz or 2, but she is currently 1 lb 11 oz and off the vent in less that 3 weeks which is wonderful news! They heard her cry for the first time a day or so ago and can't hold her until she is 2 lbs 3 oz...going to be awhile. She has also opened her eyes now which were still fuzzed shut at delivery. I am so happy that all is going well and we had her baby shower yesterday which was so nice. So much cute premie stuff, not to mention the boxes and boxes I haven't taken her yet...she has so much coming I told her to return all the clothes:)

Our Baby B is progressing along, moving all the time. We were 21 weeks on Sat and finally took a bump picture this last week. I am way bigger, faster this time around but thankfully I had lost all the weight from G so I'm still pretty small even though I am 5 lbs over the 'normal' weight gain at this point...oops. It is true what they say though, you don't do as much for the 2nd...I haven't even started his baby book yet:( Oh well...G's is on hold too so it's not like she has one completed and he won't. I'll get to them, it just might be awhile:) Still no names...stay tuned.

DHs ex has been up to her old crap again...sent us a demand letter back in March for a 60% increase in support due to 'cost of living' increases. This is code for, we bought a big house we can't afford that is upside down and stupidly went out and bought your 15 year old daugther a brand new car that we don't want to pay for anymore, send us money. Yeah, bite me. We were seriously not in a position to give her anything else and wrote a very nice and detailed letter explaining our position which got ignored until a month or 2 later when in August she sent a demand email with the 60% option or 50% plus, plus...um, we still have had no change and can't give you what we don't have. At that point we were pulling the contribution to SDs college fund out of savings every month to cover it since we are bound by a court order to do so. All along we told her once I was working again (even though my working has no bearing on the $ she gets) and DH knew his contract updates in October, we would let her know and be prepared to discuss providing additional help if she needed it.

Instead of waiting 1 more month, she slapped us with court papers demanding a 100% increase, plus, plus. RUFKM? So stupid, now we had to call our attorney, pull $ out of savings to send him so we can reply to her crap through him and she still isn't getting anymore $ because now things are all tied up in the legal system. So frustrating! She even had the nerve to send us a bill for $185 in yearbook and ASB fees...WTH? That is what your support goes towards. Why not make SD buy her own yearbook? She works...I always had to pay for my own. She kills me.

Anyways, it will all work out, it always does, it's just one more thing on my plate and this time of year and now with a baby on the way I just didn't need the stress. I have been really staying out of it this time and letting DH deal with our attorney when in the past I have had to do most of that because he wasn't in a position with work to be able to make phone calls, etc. Now that he has a desk job he can run point and just loop me in when need be. The bottom line is that we will help with what we can but with actual expenses for his DD, minus the new car. She didn't NEED a brand new car...I just got my first in 20 years. Parents who buy their 15-16 YOs brand new cars need their heads examined...seriously. DH wasn't consulted on it, wasn't asked to help or contribute, nothing. We didn't even know about it until SD updated her yahoo status with..."My parents just bought me a brand new XXX, cutest flipping car ever". Wow, nice, good for you. If they bought a house they can't afford that is on them. They have moved 3 times in 5 years continually upgrading to bigger and better...we have 1000 sq feet b/c we can't afford to move and we aren't going to pretend we can and get in over our heads to do it. Not to mention the fact that she hasn't honored the visitation agreement in 3 years and the one time we had enough travel rewards for DH to go up to visit was for a sporting event and he got to see DD for all of 10 minutes and that was only after her step-dad went and forced her to come say "hi" to him because her mother told her she didn't have to even after they invited him to come. The whole thing is just blek!

Here we go again...

First news...we are PG...again. Due date is 3.24.12...and IT'S A BOY!

We are in total shock...well DH is, I kinda had a feeling. He was ready for another girl. 3 for 3 so far, so it was just kinda a given, so he thought. But nope, surprise surprise...a little man will be joining the family late March. They will share a room though so now I have to try and make 1/2 suitable for a little boy! Good thing the walls are green:)

In other news...my very best friend was expecting twin girls in February. We got the terrible news that baby A had a variety of medical issues the greatest of which being that she had a hole in her heart. The Dr's didn't expect he to make it much longer as she had stopped growing at about 22 weeks. She passed last week which was confirmed by an ultrasound...no heartbeat. The plan was to leave her and just wait for delivery of baby B...well that came sooner than expected.

She went into labor early this am and was leaking fluid. They admitted her to the hospital and have been working to stop the contractions all day. An ultrasound confirmed that baby B's fluids were good and the contractions were slowing. The Dr. checked her to find she was dilated to 1 and baby A was laying right on her cervix which is beginning to shorten...not good news. The contractions have increased and they have given her all the meds they can. The plan is to deliver baby A without delivering baby B but no guarantees. Once A has delivered they will give her more meds to try and relax her uterus...lots of prayers headed her way that they are able to keep baby B in there a few more weeks. She will be 24 weeks PG on Friday. It's way too soon!

I feel so badly for her. She is now not only dealing with the delivery of a stillborn, but the possible premature birth of the 2nd with a low expectation that she will survive let alone not suffer from any number of complications and issues. She is only 1 lb, 9oz. Had she carried baby B to term, at that point baby A would just be calcified tissue and they wouldn't even get to see her. According to her Dr. she would not be considered a birth, still or otherwise, and they would not have to deal with remains, etc. That had seemed the best outcome given the circumstances so that they did not have to mourn the loss of one while celebrating the other...

I had hoped to never experience either of these things again personally or through someone I know. I would never wish this on anyone and to have to watch she and her family go through this just sucks! My heart is breaking for her. I know how scared she is that she could lose them both and there is nothing I can do for her.

Well, she's 1...

Enjoying the special Tiffany's boxes daddy made.


She liked the bubble sticks better than the actual bubbles.



Dessert for everyone!



My first chocolate cupcake! YUM!


Opening a special blue box from mommy and daddy.

She liked the box better than the actual bling...mommy will wear it until she is ready...darn it!

Can't believe it's been a year!


We love you peanut girl to the moon and back!

Party planning part I...

First for the food...with 5 days to go I made the hot marinated, Mexican style carrots with onion and cauliflower. After just overnight they are so YUM! I would like them hotter but these should appeal to most of the guests:)






Next some of the decor...

DH made 3 Tiffany's boxes that we will set in a corner of the yard for a photo spot. He made the small one especially for Reagan so she could sit on it:) Such a good daddy!



I am decorating the #1 to hang on the front door and hope to get a few pics of Reagan carrying it around too.

The BIG Birthday Extravaganza!

Can't believe she is going to be ONE in just a few short days...the planning and preparations are in full swing...



Tiffany's is the theme of the party:) I figure this year I get to do what I want since next year she will be able to talk and likely will have a very strong opinion!

We have a taco vendor coming. I am making hot marinated carrots, onions and cauliflower (cooling on the stove as we speak...pics to post later), and Mexican shrimp cocktail. We will also have nachos with the melted cheese and jalapenos because those are my favorite. To drink we are doing water, lemonade (regular and strawberry), beer and margaritas, and soda. Cupcakes, cookie and candy bar for dessert.

Tables and chairs were ordered today and will be delivered Friday. I went with 10-12person rounds with teal tables linens. I am using the vases from the wedding filled with tiffany blue crystals and just whatever white flowers costco has sat morning...I'm hoping for gerbers but will take whatever they have. I am making teal sandpails filled with goodies for all the kiddos. I still need to order balloons...I'm going to ask my mom to take care of that since the party is at her house and it's easier for her to just run over and take care of that party:) We have about 95 people RSVP'd...should be a fun time!