2 & 1/2 Weeks = FOREVER!!!!

Only 2 1/2 weeks to go, but it feels like a life time. I am at the very end, which is what they say is the hardest to get through, and boy are they right. Between the sleepless nights, waking up at 3 am with contractions that are infrequent and go away after a few hours, serious knee pain every time I sit or stand from a sitting position, and the cramped no room in my tummy for any of my vital organs feeling is getting a little tiring.

I went to the dr. yesterday and I told the dr. I was concerned that I've got sausages for toes, feet, and hands now from all the swelling and I'm having signs of early labor. I was hoping for some kind of progress report even if it was only that I was effaced part way or maybe dilated just a little.... but no, even with all the contractions I've been having there has been no progress. Instead I found out that in the past week I have lost a half of pound but my belly has grown 4 inches!!! The belly / baby is only suppose to grow an inch a week. So my dr. scheduled me an ultrasound on Monday morning to find out what's going on in there. She thinks that suddenly there could be to much aminoic fluid and that is what made me grow and is keeping the baby from dropping into the pelvis, or we could just have a big baby. Uh.... I don't know which one of thoes I'd rather hope for it to be. But I am looking forward to seeing my little on on the big screen again just to get one more look before she arrives here any day.

1st Sprout !!

Here is my first wild flower sprout!! There is one more tiny one coming up too. I can't wait until I have flowers!!!

'Middle Wife'

This story is just way too funny. I laughed out loud several times reading it.

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students.. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that.. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me.. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.
They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.
I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

Could It Be Time??

Yesterday I went on a really great bible study with a friend in Kent. Then on my way home I started having some cramping. When I got home The cramping was accompanied by back pain and so I drank a bunch of water and just hung out on the couch to rest. The contractions started coming even though light at first then by 8pm they were getting much stronger and my back pain was much worse. I decided to get in the shower and see how I felt after that. The warm water was so nice I just stayed in the shower for a while. By the time I got out the contractions and back pain were gone. When we went to bed I only had mild cramping and back pain, and even through I had difficulty sleeping I woke up with the same feeling this morning. I can tell my body is getting ready, I just don't know if that means it's getting ready for tonight, tomorrow, or two weeks from now. I'm just playing the waiting game now. Tic Toc Tic Toc.

Spring To Life

Here is a picture from our bay window with my new little seeds that will hopefully turn to little sprouts soon. I've planted Tomatoes (may be to late to start by sprouts), Basil, Strawberries, Red Peppers, and Wild Flowers. I can't wait to see how they turn out this year.

Hungry Hungry Hippo

I'm not sure what happened. The first 7 1/2 months I felt hungry like a normal person feels hungry. I did really good eating mostly vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, and lots of lean proteins. But now I'm hungry ALL THE TIME. I can't eat quite as much at a time as I used to because Talitha is pushing up on my stomach with her little feet making it smaller than before. But I can eat all the time now and the bad part is I want to. I'm happy that my weight is on track I'm gaining the recommended 1 & 1/2 lbs a week (Yes Dad that's normal for a pregnant woman) and I have just 3 1/2 weeks to go. woo hoo for that!

Now that Talitha is about 6 lbs she's taking up all kinds of room in my tummy. It feels like she hardly has any room in there at all and is nearly bursting out my stomach at times when she rolls over or changes positions. Noe feels her moving more than ever and can even hear her bumping around in there when he lays his head on my stomach. He's funny it's like a surprise to him every time he feels her move he says "Woah, Woah!!" He tells her she needs to come out soon because he's tired of talking to my tummy. Not much longer now!!!

In the Red Zone!!

Look my progress chart is on the last one.... I'm almost there!! finally.

April 17th Best Day Ever!!!

April 17th will be my last day at work... and I anticipate it to be the BEST DAY EVER!!!!!

OR MAYBE THE BEST DAY COMES THE DAY AFTER.

Pricless Expressions