Maisy’s Room!

Yay, we finally have Maisy’s room together!  I didn’t have a theme, I just fell in love with the bedding and knew I wanted to pull some of the bright colors out of it, and everything kind of fell into place from there.

Ryder made stairs for himself to be able to get into Maisy’s crib!  Thanks to Mandi for passing down Bailey’s old crib, I absolutely love the white, it looks so good with her bedding.

Unfortunately I still have Ryder’s old wood dresser in there, I’ve been planning to get a white one to match the crib, but it’ll work for now. 

 

We’re trying to decide if we went a little overboard with the polka dots, but they’re only in that one corner, and I think the brown curtains and the simplicity on the other side tone it down some.

 

This is my favorite part of the room:

I’m in love with these bright colors and the name blocks that Nicki had made pull it all together so perfectly!

I can’t wait for Maisy to get here so she can come enjoy her room as much as we are now :)

 

A baby is today’s joy, tomorrow’s hope, and yesterday’s dream come true!

35 Weeks!

Here is what Alpha Mom says about this week:

Your Baby:

• Is over five pounds now, although these weight guesstimates will start getting very useless very quickly over the next few weeks.
• Since most of your baby’s organs are fully functional and major developmental milestones behind him or her, the next month is all about weight gain. And since “normal” weights for newborns these days can be anything between six and 10 pounds, it’s hard to predict how big YOUR baby will be from here on in.

You:

• Are the very picture of motherly grace and beauty. Also: waddling.
• Fatigue may be a big problem right now. You may need a daily nap, or find yourself crawling into bed by 9 pm. (I can barely make it to my toddler’s 8:30 bedtime most nights.) And while I’ve always seethed at people who love to cheerfully remind pregnant women to “Get some sleep! Once the baby’s here you won’t get any sleep!” I have to say…dude, get some sleep.

I’m feeling pretty good this week, considering I’m carrying around a baby the size that some people have at full-term!  I can feel my back arching and my stomach swaying side to side as I walk.  Luckily my back pain has been completely gone for a few weeks, thank God! 

I’m getting out of breath really easily these days.  Sometimes I just stand up and feel winded!  But then there are times that I get a burst of energy and don’t get short of breath at all, it’s strange.

I can definitely tell Maisy is running out of room in there.  Her movements now are all nudges and attempts to stretch, no more dancing and rolling around like she used to love to do.  I’m really getting so anxious to meet her and start learning all her little quirks and her little personality.

Next week I’ll start having weekly appointments with the OB and they will start to check me for dilation and all that fun stuff!  She’s going to be here before we know it!

Here we are at 35 weeks:

Conversations in Maisy’s Crib

One of Ryder’s favorite hang out spots right now is Maisy’s crib.  He has 2 stuffed animals set up in there and all her blankets.  First thing he has to do when he wakes up or gets home is go check on her crib and the animals!  He loves to sit in there and just talk and talk and talk…I finally decided to grab the camera and record one of our many conversations in Maisy’s crib:

Doctor Appointments

More Dr. Appt’s to talk about…Imagine that!

First, Ryder had a check up with his Kidney Doctor last week that I haven’t mentioned yet.  They did a sonogram of his kidneys and bladder which he sat completely still for and didn’t even cry!  What a big boy he was!  I had been telling him about it the day before and on the way there, so he was prepared and handled it like a champ.  I told him “Just watch the TV and you’ll be able to see pictures of your kidneys” and he said “Dat’s not a TV momma, Dat’s a computa!”  Oh, Excuse me!  The Doctor reviewed the images and said that Ryder’s body is doing exactly what he wants it to do every time.  He said there are still pockets of fluid inside the damaged kidney that he measures to make sure are getting smaller, which they are, and he measures the kidneys to make sure they are getting bigger, which they are!  We go back in 6 months for another follow up.

I talked to Ryder’s Pediatrician on the phone this week.  Just as I was recovering from the sadness of finding out Miss Erin was leaving, I find out his Pediatrician is leaving at the end of June!  We love her so much, I just can’t even get over it, she has been such a voice of reason for me in all of these decisions I’ve had to make from Day 1 with Ryder’s care.  He’s her little buddy and her name gets mentioned quite often in our house, mainly when someone is stalling at bed time.  I usually hear over the monitor “Momma….Mommma come see what’s da matta!”  What is the matter Ryder??  “Ryder doesn’t feel good, Ryder needs to go see Dr. Cray!”  What hurts?? “My tongue! (or whatever body part he has decided hurts that day).”  I don’t even know how to start telling him that all these people are not going to be his people anymore! 

Today we got to check in on Maisy and see how the baby girl is doing.  She’s growing!  A lot!  She now weighs 6 pounds 4 ounces!  Her abdomen was measuring ahead of schedule, but hopefully that’s stemming from nothing more than her being a big baby.  I begged asked nicely for a new picture, and the sweet sonogram tech tried really hard to get me one, which resulted in me laying on my side with her jamming the wand into my hip bone aiming down to try to get a good angle of her face.  It’s really hard at this point because she’s so low and so squished in there!  But here is what we got (sorry it’s kinda creepy how there is a reflection of her face, I promise she doesn’t have 2 heads!)

 

After the sono it was time to go see my OB for my regular check-up.  Which ended in more tears.  Gosh.  I am either A) over emotional right now, B) a big baby, C) struggling with major attachment issues, OR D) ALL OF THE ABOVE!  Obviously the answer is D!  Here’s the run down – I have been with this doctor since I was pregnant with Ryder.  The day Ryder was born I was sent to a new hospital (where Ryder’s doctors were) to be delivered by a new doctor.  I was so sad that my Doctor wasn’t going to be the one delivering me.  Fast forward to this pregnancy, everything is going great, I’m on schedule for my doctor to do my c-section and thennnn find out he has to leave the country that day.  We moved the date back 2 days to accommodate only to find out today that the Perinatologist will not approve the new date because it is prior to 39 weeks and not medically necessary.  Nice!  So now, I have no date and no doctor.  There are 3 other doctors available in the practice (who I have never met), he wants me to think about scheduling with one of them for the rest of my pregnancy.  The last thing I want to do this close to the end is start seeing a new doctor.  period.

ANYWAY I gained 2 pounds, bringing me to a total of 21 pounds.  Blood pressure is good, no swelling, Maisy has a nice strong heartbeat.  I’m very thankful for how healthy she is and ready to bring her into this world…maybe she’ll come early on her own and none of the above will even matter! *saying prayers*

Building Stuff

What is more fun for boys than using tools and building stuff?  Well for Ryder, not much can top that!  He loves to get his tools out and help Daddy build things, so that’s just what they spent the evening doing yesterday. 

First, they built a birdhouse:

Once it was together, they painted it:

 

 

 

After it was painted they hung it and Ryder said he was going to “wait and wait and wait for da birdies to come!”

 

Everything in our house has to be branded with the “HD”!

Then it was onto the next building project…a bookshelf for Maisy’s room. 

Once it was together Ryder came running with his paints and said “Okay its time to paint it!”  Thank goodness he always voices his plans before following through…or my perfect white bookshelf would have been quite colorful! 

He’s so proud of both his birdhouse and Maisy’s bookshelf…What a hard worker he is already!

Another Busy One!

It’s Tuesday and I’ve finally recovered enough energy to blog about our busy weekend!  They might be crazy and exhausting, but our weekends are always packed with lots of fun!

Saturday we wanted to take Ryder to do something special since he only has FOUR MORE WEEKENDS as our only child.  We went shopping, had lunch, and all he wanted to do was go to the garage!  We were thinking more along the lines of Chuck E Cheese or Funland, but hey…the garage is free and probably holds just as much excitement for Ryder, if not more!  I mean, he even has his very own moon bounce that was passed down from his cousin!  This was his first time in it and he had a blast:

  

Of course when he got bored with that, he just moved right along to his sandbox, then his lawn mower, then his motorcycle…never a dull moment in this boys life.

Sunday we woke up and got ready to head to the Frazier-Mason Memorial Event, where we got to see hundreds of motorcycles, some helicopters, and most importantly, Smokey Bottom BBQ!  No pics of the action because once all the bikes showed up things got crazy, but here’s what I got:

 

Then it was off to CJ & Angela’s for Carter’s 3rd Birthday party!  I still can’t believe Carter is 3 years old already, it doesn’t even seem possible.  I had to steal these pictures from Angela’s blog because I didn’t take any.

Ryder hanging out with the birthday boy!  He loved this pool and was being silly for a little mini photo shoot with Angela!

 

 

As you can see, we’re definitely enjoying the warm weather and all the activities the weekends bring our way :)

Something Silly & Something Sad

Aunt Jig-Jig bought Ryder this plate that we think is so funny.  Remember those little magnetic boards we used to have as kids where you could give the bald man hair and a beard?  Well now we get to do that with Ryder’s food every night, it’s pretty entertaining!

I’m glad there are little things like this that can make me laugh because I have been so sad since we left therapy yesterday.  Ryder’s therapist, Miss Erin, told me yesterday that she was going to be moving at the end of June and would no longer be there to see Ryder anymore.  This instantly brought tears to my eyes and I haven’t been able to stop crying since.  She has seen Ryder every Thursday for this past year and they have become so close.  In the beginning, she had to take a complete hands-off approach with Ryder because he didn’t trust her and would not tolerate her picking him up or placing him somewhere.  That changed right before our eyes though to the point where now when she comes out to the waiting room he runs to her to give her the biggest hug and sometimes tell her “Ryder missed you”, he prays for her every night, and talks about her on a daily basis.  She has been the most influential person in Ryder’s recovery this far.  When we first started seeing her, he was pretty far behind in his motor skills…was barely crawling on his hands and knees, wasn’t walking, climbing, jumping, nothing that kids his age had been accomplishing for months.  She figured out the best ways to get him to work hard and has helped him achieve all of these goals and MORE!  She is so good for him so to think about him not seeing her anymore breaks my heart, on a personal level and a professional level.  I keep trying to think of how I will tell him when the time comes that he won’t see Miss Erin anymore, I know he’ll never forget her, this child doesn’t forget anything!  It’s coming right at the time the new baby will be born, I can’t stand the thought of him having to go through so many transitions at once, and that I might not be able to be with him when he meets a new therapist or has to say goodbye to Miss Erin.  It’s just so much to think about and it would probably be easier if I could get my emotions under control, but for now…I’m just sad.  Happy for Erin and her family!  But sad that we’re losing one of the best people we’ve met along this crazy journey!

34 Weeks!

Here is what Alpha Mom has to say about this week:

Your Baby:

• Weighs as much as your average cantaloupe (4.75 pounds-ish) and is almost 18 inches long.
• Reaching the 34-week mark is a big milestone for anyone concerned about pre-term labor, as babies born at this stage usually do just fine (provided they’re otherwise healthy). Other than a slightly longer stay at the hospital, they generally don’t experience any of the long-term health problems that prematurity can cause.
• That said, don’t let your baby go and get any big ideas about escaping just yet. More baby fat and a few more weeks of lung maturity will still make everybody’s lives easier.

You:

• Fatigue, heartburn, nausea, frequent trips to the bathroom. It’s like the Return of the First Trimester, only much bigger and rounder and gruntier.

This week is a major milestone for me because this is the week that I had Ryder!  So it now marks the time that from this point on I have no clue what to expect!  I never experienced those final weeks of pregnancy where your feet swell, you feel all the pressure from dilating, and you just want to be DONE.  I’m already feeling ready to be done though, so if that’s any clue to what the last weeks have to offer, I’m a little nervous!

At my sonogram wednesday everything looked good with Maisy still, they will do new measurements next week so I’m anxious to see how much bigger she has gotten.  She is head down and her head is so low that they weren’t even able to get the pictures of her brain that they take every week.

Here we are at 34 weeks:

More Monster Talk

I get Ryder out of the bath, dry him off, and he takes off running to his room yelling “Ryder’s nakey boy Daddy!!!”  He takes a seat on the carpet, which I’m sure felt great on his bare behind, and Mommy waddles in the room slowly after him.  I start picking out his pajamas as he starts a conversation about what else but…his Monster! 

Ryder: Ryder’s Monster’s poking out Mommy!  You see it??

Me: Yes Ryder, I see it.

Ryder: It’s poking out like Mommy’s belly button!

Me: Thank you for that comparison buddy.

Ryder: Ryder’s Monster has a hole in it, you see it Mommy??

Me: Yes, it sure does.

Daddy hears our conversation in the kitchen over the monitor and busts out laughing.  In the meantime Ryder picks up his measuring tape.

Me: Ryder, WHAT are you doing??

Ryder: Measuring da Monster.  IT’S TEN INCHES!!!!

Oh.My.Goodness…Did he really just say that?!

Meet Jaxon

Our friends Nicki & Matteson had their baby early this morning.  Nicki & I have barely gone a day throughout these pregnancies without talking and sharing the experience…whether it be something exciting, scary, gross, or just us complaining and venting, we’ve heard it all from each other!  So I couldn’t wait to meet the little guy who has been the topic of 9 months worth of conversation! 

He was definitely worth the wait, so adorable and sweet, and just as quiet and content as he could be.  Here he is, Jaxon Anthony:

Momma looked beautiful (not like someone who just pushed a baby out this morning!) and I know they were so excited to meet their newest addition who just made them a happy family of four!

Congrats guys, we’re all so happy for you!

33 Weeks!

Has another week seriously gone by already??  Here is what Alpha Mom says about this week:

Your Baby:

• Weighs over four pounds and is 17 inches long.
• The skeleton is hardening, except for the skull, which will remain soft and flexible to allow it to fit through the birth canal, and also to grow and allow adequate space for your baby’s enormously brilliant brain.
• Kicks and movements are practically visible from space now, and you may look down and realize that your belly is no longer round, but pointed, as a knee or elbow stretches out for a few seconds before disappearing beneath the surface again.

You:

• Are big. Yes. And the whole world may suddenly seem like it’s got an opinion about when you’ll go into labor, and it TOTALLY DOESN’T CARE that you aren’t even full-term yet, it thinks you’ve dropped and popped and are going to give birth in like, two weeks. Tell it to shut the hell up with my blessings.
• May be waddling more than walking, and misjudging your circumference as you bump into counters and knock things over on tables.

I can’t stop laughing about the last two things because they could not be more true!  I’m definitely in that stage of pregnancy where everyone who sees me makes a comment about how I’m about to have the baby RIGHT THEN.  Even after I tell them no, that in fact I still have until the end of June, they insist that I will never make it.  As if I’m not getting a sonogram every single week that confirms week after week that (God willing) I really do have 6 weeks left.  I can’t blame them though, I know that I carry way out in the front, it’s nothing new, and even I don’t realize how far this thing is really sticking out.  Until I get it too close to the stove, or bump into every corner I turn, or even worse, when I bump my belly into other people on accident!  Sometimes even I wonder how it will continue to grow for another 6 weeks, but God knew what he was doing when he decided that it took that long for a baby to be ready to come out into the world, and that a woman’s body is that amazing that even when she thinks she can’t get one inch bigger, she does! 

So here’s to the next 6 weeks!

Slight Change of Plans

Well it looks like Maisy is going to have a new birthday!  The Doctors office called me yesterday and said that my Doctor is going to be out of town for my original c-section date of June 24th.  Of course I panicked because I have made so many plans based around this date (which I realize is ridiculous because most people don’t get that luxury!), and also because my Doctor didn’t get to deliver Ryder since they had to send me to Richmond where his Doctor’s were.  I really didn’t want to have another delivery with a Doctor who I had never met.  Luckily at my appointment today I was able to talk to him and we decided to move the c-section up a few days so that he can do it before he leaves.  Her Birthday will now be June 22nd!  Unless of course anything changes before then!

Speaking of Doctors appointments, nothing too exciting today.  This weeks sonogram was so fast, they just checked her organs and her blood flow and sent me on my way.  No pictures, no sneak peeks at the baby girl, just the boring stuff.  But atleast she’s still doing good, I can’t ask for anything better than that.  Over at my doctor I got on the scale and didn’t gain any weight since my last appointment 2 weeks ago.  That leaves me at a total gain so far of 19 pounds.  But my stomach has definitely grown and is now measuring at 36 weeks which is just over 3 weeks ahead of schedule.

Atleast I get to have her 2 days sooner now, every little bit helps :)  I’m just a little nervous about having a Wednesday child, Friday sounded like a way better deal!  Does this poem seem to ring true for anyone? 

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath Day,
Is fair and wise and good in every way.

I’m not superstitious at all, but when you’re pregnant sometimes you wonder about those old wives tales when everything is such a mystery.  Now all I can think is, I don’t want her to be sad and “full of woe”!

A Dinner for Maisy

Tonight was so special because my girls got together and had a dinner for Me & Maisy!  I had such a great time and really appreciate this group of friends.  They went out of their way to do something special for Maisy and it turned out so nice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got some really cute stuff and can’t wait to go through it all and get some good pictures of everything.  It feels so good to have some new things for Maisy (I don’t feel like I’m neglecting her as much now!).

And Mommy got something really special too…a Mom Power ring!!  My Mom and Sister-in-law both have one and I guess I’ve earned mine now too :)  Mom had this ring with a star sapphire specially made and gave it to me tonight:

I love everything so much and feel so blessed and thankful for all the gifts and love that was sent mine & Maisy’s way tonight.  I’m really anticipating her arrival now…but I’m not ready yet!  Still need to finish getting her room together, get all the new stuff washed and put away, buy a couple big things I still need, and some little things, get into nesting mode and start cleaning, okay I’m not ready at all.  Good thing I still have a few weeks!