The Baby Shower

It's official.

The shower has happened, so I can now have the baby.

Today was my baby shower - which - I have to explain I originally said "No, really it's okay, I don't need a shower because I'm having another boy."

Etiquette has it that you normally aren't blessed twice with a shower if your expecting another baby of the same sex.

However, I have a group of very VERY generous friends from my church who absolutely insisted. And when they started asking me to name some items that we could use for baby #2, it occured to me that yes, there actually are some things that we need that are totally worn out from Preston's use.

So bring on the baby shower, however, please just refer to it as a "sprinkle" so people aren't carried away.

And yet, carried away they did get because I came away feeling very very blessed and very special. We will have a very stylishly dressed newborn in everything from adorable onesies to cute sweaters, to overalls, little dress shoes and more. And he'll have soft blankets, burp clothes, receiving blankies, a moby wrap, and a brand new infant carseat to boot! Oh, and diapers! Yes lots of diapers. And gift cards.

Hello? I really was not expecting this sort of kindness and generosity and so I was really blown away.

Here are some photos from the shower...

(Will's youngest sister, Alisha, me, Will's sister Elizabeth with daughter Gwenevere)

(My mom and I)

(Me talking with Teri while admiring the spread)

(Kristen (in the green shirt) is my prodigy piano student and she was one of the conspirators of the shower. She made the cake all by her 12-year-old self. And she is talking to Shannon)

(This is my really good friend Erika on the left (she is due around Thanksgiving), and I. We're munching away on the yummy egg cassorole, fruit, and muffins)

(My adorable niece, Gwenevere)

(Gwenevere's mommy, Elizabeth (my sister-in-law))

(About 33 women showed up - such an amazing supportive group of friends)

(Me opening a gift and completely impressed that these blankets were hand-made by Alisha! Thanks girl!)

It was a great shower. I particularly loved the "Final Weeks of Pregnancy Survival Kit" that I received from my friend Rachelle. It contained chocolate, foot spa soak, earplugs, toys for Preston, and some other creative things. I will definitely be using that!

Thanks everyone. We appreciate your kindness so much.

P.S. I seem to get a lot of compliments when I wear this dress (from my shower), and people are always asking me where I got it. So in case you were wondering, I got it at Target :) It's not a maternity dress, but just a regular maxi dress. I bought it a few sizes bigger so that it would fit my belly. They have a whole array of skirts, shirts, and dresses with this same print with sweaters and tops to match.

How Can He Look Different?

From The Belly Diaries, Sat, July 31, 2010
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With the impending birth of our 2nd son just around the corner, I've been wondering lately what he will look like.

It's so hard for me to imagine a baby of ours, made by my husband and I, looking any different than Preston.

Whenever I think of this new baby, I just automatically picture a little Preston. Red hair, blue eyes, great complexion, dimple chin, and a great mix of both of us...

But who knows! This one could be bald, brown hair, no dimple chin, and could look completely like one of us and not the other.

Guess we'll find out huh....and in less than 3 weeks.

Today marks T-20. 20 days until my Csection.

Bring on the labor so I can have my VBAC!

Preston's Prayers

Preston has been getting better at saying nightly prayers with us. It is so dang cute that we've been meaning to get it on video for a couple of weeks, but always forget.

I finally remembered to video it the other night, so here it is.

P.S. In defense of the bottle, yes I know he should be weaned. He drinks out of sippy cups and regular cups all day long, but his bottle is his special "nighttime" treat and he LOVES it. I almost had him off of it a month ago, but I think it is I who likes him to have it more than he does. It is so much easier to put him to bed with it. I think after baby #2 arrives, we will try harder to get him off of it. But for now...it is his bedtime treat.

37 Week Dr Appt - 36w 5d

From The Belly Diaries, Wed, July 28, 2010
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I had my 37 week Prenatal Dr Appointment this morning.

This time, Will and Preston came with me. This was the first time Will had met my new doctor.

I had a pelvic exam today to see if anything was happening down there yet. These kind of exams are always both uncomfortable and invasive, but they are great because they help me to mentally know where I'm at.

Well she did mention that the baby's head was way down there, which is good.

He's at a -2 station and engaged in the pelvis - which would totally explain all my pelvic pressure, numb nerves, hard time walking, and waddling.

In fact, her exact reaction was "Whoa, his head is REALLY down there!". LOL

Okay I didn't know what -2 meant either so I had to ask. She said at this point they want me to be at a -2. Usually when you come into the hospital in labor you're at a 0, and when you're in labor you are at a +2 or +3.

She said because his head is down there so far, that he's been doing a good job of "thinning me out". I am 80% effaced, which is a good thing (you have to be 100% effaced for labor).

However, my cervix is still very high. It was pretty painful for her to check it. The cervix needs to be low in order to go into labor.I know it is still early so I'm not worried yet, but my cervix was part of the problem with Preston's birth. It stayed up and behind his head (which is where it's at right now). He was never able to drop, and he was also crooked, stuck, and shoulder first. At least this time, the baby is dropped really low and engaged in my pelvis. So that is a step in the right direction at least.

I'll go back again once a week until my due date to get checked - with the hope that each week more progress will have been made.

Again, I have until Aug 19th to go into labor on my own. Otherwise they have me scheduled for a Csection on Aug 19th at 12:15pm. It's kind of weird that they are already having me sign all the paperwork for the csection and giving me instructions for it. Mentally I am just keeping the faith (and assuming) that this baby is going to come early so that I can do a VBAC, so it's weird to plan for the csection already. But I understand why they have to get ready for it just in case.

I do hope that my cervix starts to get lower. My last doctor told me that I had an "uncooperative cervix" and she was pretty sure I would have the same problems this time that I had with Preston - which is why she didn't think I was a good candidate for a VBAC.

I think if it comes down to week 39 and my cervix still hasn't done diddly-squat, even if I did by some miracle go into labor, I would be very watchful and apprehensive about the VBAC. If after 8 hours nothing was still progressing, I would opt for the csection instead of putting myself through a long hard labor with nothing to show for it.

Anyway - baby is looking great. The little guy is such a fighter and a kicker. Just like the ultrasound last week, as soon as my doctor started putting the heartbeat monitor on my belly he started kicking like crazy. Babies' heartrates go WAY up when they are active in the womb so his heartbeat was racing like crazy! I was like "Whoa little dude, settle down, don't get so excited." She had to wait for him to settle down a bit to finally get a good heartbeat.

My blood pressure was higher than normal - 133/75. I'm not swollen though, so maybe it is due to stress LOL. I also haven't gained any weight in 4 weeks or so. So as of right now, I've gained a total of 37 pounds. (At this point with Preston I had already gained 56 lbs, so I am doing good even though i am at the same weight I was with him. I had started out higher).

Speaking of stress (and my last post), my Dad is actually stopping by today to pick up Preston. My parents are taking him a day earlier than scheduled so they will have him from today until Saturday morning. Three nights. This will be the longest Preston has been away from us. He's done 2 nights before, but not 3. I have to admit that it took me several hours to finally give them the green light to do this because I was feeling guilty about it, and also worrying that after 3.5 days at G&G's house he would forget me. Silly I know...but I really did think about that. But then realized, wow, yes I could really use the break so please take him :)

Also, my wonderful sister-in-law, Tessha (Will's older sister) is trying to find a flight out here to Seattle next week and if so, she'll be here all week long (possibly a little longer) to help out. I'm sooooo looking forward to that and appreciative of the help. :)

"...After the baby comes" - 36w 4d

From The Belly Diaires, Tues, July 27, 2010

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So, I'm not exactly sure how to write this...It's not a vent. I'm not upset.

Yes I suppose I am hormonal ;) But there is just something I wanted to say and I am any pregnant woman would completey empathize.

I won't lie. I will readily admit that this last week has been really hard on me. And also, that with each new day it seems to get harder and harder.

I have been really exhausted. I mean like really tired. I could seriously sleep 14 hours a day, except that I have a 2 year old to take care of, and I also haven't been able to get myself to sleep. Either my brain is too busy thinking about a bajillion different things or I am just too uncomfortable. So I'm a bit sleep deprived on top of being exhausted.I hurt.

I try to downplay it, but my entire lower pelvic region just aches. I am really loose, and so I just pop whenever I move. I was climbing some stairs yesterday and with each step I could feel my hip pop and move.

The baby is also really low. With each step I take, it almost kind of maneuvers his little head down more and more until I have to stop walking, let him move back up, and then start again. I am totally waddling because of it.

With him being so low, he pushes on some nerve or something and it make my left leg in the upper thigh region go numb. But then it also sends out this crazy painful nerve pain as well. So I end up having to stop whatever I'm doing and grab my crotch/thigh area and cry out in pain.

My back hurts too. Carrying a watermelon out in front of you 24/7 is just hard. When I was taking a shower this morning, I kept having to take breaks and leaning against the shower wall just because it was really tiresome to stand there.

Then there is the fact that I have my adorable little guy Preston to take care of. I cannot even begin to express how bad I feel lately about not being a better mom for him. He has been a real trooper and been good about playing by himself with his toys most of the time. But even just doing things like lifting him to his high chair, lifting him in and out of his crib, lifting him up to his changing table, lifting him in and out of his carseat, etc....not to mention he needs help with a lot of things and will ask for that help almost the instant I sit down to get a rest. It's not easy.

I have been so lucky to have had my mom help me out on several occassions these past couple of weeks. She is helping me again this week and taking Preston starting Thursday afternoon and then bringing him back Saturday morning. Most of the time when she takes him, it's been so that I can get some work done though.

What I wanted to express today is that sometimes I do feel though, as if people think that the hardest part is after the baby comes, and sometimes I don't think that people genuinely understand how hard the last month prior to delivery is. In my mind, what I've been feeling and going through lately is much harder than anything I experienced after I gave birth to Preston.

I have had a lot of responsibilities and requests to get things done before the baby arrives.

For the past 3 months, I worked very hard on composing an original film score that I was hired for. Through my dedicated hard work and a set of deadlines that I laid down for myself (not having anything to do with the director's deadlines), I was able to finish the score right at the 36 week mark. I did this on purpose so that I would have at least the last month of my pregnancy to concentrate on the baby, and also because I knew I would be getting very large and uncomfortable.

Even though I finished the score on time, it was not without difficulty. I spent many many countless hours at the piano and also at my computer recording, editing, mixing, and orchestrating parts. I would be so sore after each of these sessions after the time sitting.

I am also the coordinator for a committee in my church where I am in charge of planning, deligating responsibilities to a committee, and carrying out events. We have an event coming up on August 11th, and while I have been busy planning it with the others in charge, I am not planning to be there because it is so close to my due date and I know I won't be physically able to help setup, take down, coordinate, etc.

But even though I am not going to be there, I have been asked to do several things in preparation for the event. Numerous phonecalls, emails, meetings, and planning has been involved.

I am also supposed to finish an original arrangement of a song for a collegue and friend of mine. She sang the vocals for the film score that I just finished, and in return I readily agreed to do the song arrangement for her album. However, I didn't realize at the time when I said I would do it that she wanted it before the baby arrives. But, being grateful for her contribution to the film score I could not say no.

I also was reminded recently that I still have not finished editing and making copies of all of my music students work that they recorded over the last year and distributed it.

I have had a few different invitations as of late to attend different events, parties, etc. And when I politely explain that I am 9 months pregnant, uncomfortable, and would rather spend my evening in bed instead of on my feet at a party trying to pretend that I am enjoying myself, I seem to be met with the reaction that I am not at my due date yet, so come!

I have had so many dear people tell me "You poor thing, you look so big and miserable. Pregnant in the hottest part of the summer. You let me know if you need ANY help at all after the baby comes okay?"I just want to cry when I hear that.

And every time my phone rings with someone asking for something, wanting me to come pick something up, come to this or that, can you please create this or that...I get, well, depressed.

I just don't think that people remember, or fail to comprehend that while yes carrying for a newborn is hard work, but so is walking around with a watermelon all day long and a 36 pound toddler while your body is overweight and so relaxed that you feel like you're going to fall apart. Not to mention tired, uncomfortable, miserable, anxious, etc...

Honestly I just want to change my voicemail to say "If I don't answer, it's not because I'm ignoring you but it's because I'm probably napping, too big to get to my phone quickly enough, or I'm busy taking care of Preston. If you would like to HELP then please leave a message. Thanks."

So just a note to the general unpregnant population out there - JUST because a woman has not reached her due date, is not as big as she could ultimately get, or even if she might be just barely pregnant - do NOT just assume that she feels great, is able and willing, and especially don't assume that she doesn't need help until after the miserable event of pregnancy is over.

Okay that's all I wanted to say.

I'm going to try to go finish my nap now that was interrupted by 3 phone calls.

2008 & 2010 9 Month Belly Comparisons

From The Belly Diaries, Mon, July 26, 2010

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A friend of mine reminded me that I needed to remember to take a full body comparison shot with my 1st pregnancy (at 36 weeks).

I'm a few days behind, being that I am now 36 and 1/2 weeks, but here you go...

Obviously, with my first pregnancy I must of had more time to apply self tanner (Duh hello I had no kids yet), because look how beaming white I am in July now. Ha! Also, I clearly did not even do my hair today. It looks pretty bad.

But other than those obvious things, let's get to the belly here...

I am a lot lower! I suppose this is a good thing...right?

One other interesting thing, is I am the exact same weight.

So there ya go. Two different pregnancies, two different pictures and bellies!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

What's wrong with this picture?

Not sure?

Here's what:

This is a kid who has never sucked on a pacifier in his entire life, and has recently discovered a certain drawer in his dresser that contains toys and other random stuff for the new baby.

He doesn't even know what to do with a binky. He chews on it.

Please, someone tell this kid that he is not the baby.

On the other hand, he's having too much fun.

All right Preston, only a few more weeks and THEN you aren't the baby anymore.

Just Call Me Loosy-Goosy - 36w 2d

From The Belly Diaries, Sat, July 24, 2010
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Hi, my name is Loosy Goosy. I'm super loose, unstable, but so much fun!

I pop when I walk, sometimes my left leg goes numb in mid-walk, if I shift positions while I'm standing I can feel my hips go pop-pop-pop. And even sometimes I feel like I'm just going to fall out of place.

Being loosy goosy is SO much fun let me tell ya.

Haha - no, in all seriousness, I can tell my body is just revving up for the big event. The numbness thing has only started happening in the last 2 days and its insane! I think the baby pushes against a nerve or something and WHAM numbness. Last night I was walking across the kitchen floor and my leg nerve got pinched and went numb and I totally lunged forward almost falling. It's kinda painful too.

I've started taking an herb blend called Dr. Christopher's "Birth Prep". It's an herbal blend that is supposed to help things relax and loosen up down there, thus making birth easier. I've only been taking it for one day and so I'm pretty sure that is not the reason why I'm so loose (I've been loose for several weeks), but I can only imagine that things will get more relaxed from here on out.

I imagine myself running, and my legs falling off. LOL that is how I feel.

Stupid Dumb 36 Week Exam

From The Belly Diaires, Thurs, July 22, 2010

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No I still didn't scan in those ultrasound photos yet, which I was going to include in this post. But maybe once I explain my day so far you'll forgive me.

I had my 36 exam today, which followed my 36 week ultrasound yesterday.

First of all, I want to say that since changing doctors it's taken me several appointments to guage exactly how long it takes me to get there. I've been late a few times because I always forget to factor in two things:

1) That it always always ALWAYS takes longer to go anywhere with Preston.

and 2) I can never find parking close to the door and end up walking quite a ways (and walking while 9 mo pregnant means slow, as well as walking with a 2 year old).

Today I was proud of myself. I was there 5 minutes early.

Okay granted I did not have Preston with me today for the appointment, but I DID have to get him ready, into the car, and dropped off with Will so they could do errands during my appointment.

This doctor office is usually (from my experience so far) pretty on time. I've had about 4 appointments there so far and I've never had to wait. And they get pretty annoyed when I'm late.

But today of course, the one day that I am super on time, my doctor isn't.

After the nurse weighed me and took my blood pressure (122/68), she had me get undressed from the waist down and put a sheet over me while I waited for the doctor to come in.I looked at the clock when she left the room and it said 11:15.

Then 11:20...

11:30...

11:35...

11:45...

11:48....I'm getting so annoyed, I want to fall asleep, the room is stiffling hot and I'm having to fan myself with paper. My naked skin is seriously stuck to the exam table paper because I'm sweating so profusely.

11:50...

11:55...Ok, now not only am I HOT, but I can't lean back. There's nothing to lean back against. It's a flat table. I've been sitting here propped up by my arms for almost 45 minutes and my wrists are killing me and my back is getting twisted and sore. I sooooo just want to hop down off this exam table and go sit on the chair on the other side of the room....but I'm so hot that all the tissue is stuck to my bum and what if right as I'm hopping off the table someone comes into the room and I have my bare naked bum just flashing them as the first thing they see when they walk in as I'm trying to dash across the room.

FINALLY...12pm

She comes into the room. FORTY FIVE MINUTES of me sitting there.

The dumbest lamest part was I had gotten excited thinking I was getting a pelvic exam today. NOPE. My lame-o appointment was seriously about 3 min long. All she did was a quick qtip swabbee to check for Strep-B and that was it. Didn't measure me, didn't check baby's heart beat, no pelvic exam. NOTHING.

I asked her if she was doing a pelvic exam today, and she said "Oh no I won't do that until next week at your 37 week appointment. As long as you aren't having any labor symptoms, I don't need to check down there until then."

She looked over my ultrasound results from yesterday and said the baby was measuring fantastic for a VBAC and would probably be around 8 pounds.

And then with a "Do you have any questions for me?" she was done.

I was so hot, tired, irritated that I pretty much forgot any questions I was planning to ask. Of course after she left and I got dressed and walked out to the reception area, it hit me that she didn't do any sort of measurements today. So I walked back and asked her nurse about it. The nurse found the dr to ask, and came back and said since I had all the measurements and heartrate taken at the ultrasound yesterday it was not necessary to do it today.

Yeah but what if my baby needed to have his heartrate checked today? Okay really I knew he didn't because he's been squirming around all morning so I knew the little guy was alive and active. But she didn't know that.

Hmph!

What a waste of an appointment.THEN I had to stop at the store on the way home (with Preston in the car with me). I had to lift him in/out of carseat 4 times due to all the stuff in the backseat from Costco (that my loving husband was so kind to go and pick up for me during my dr appointment because he knows I'm like totally physically (and probably emotionally) incapable of shopping at Costco right now).

Then had to carry 2 loads of groceries up the stairs, lift Preston into his crib for his nap as well as change him.

I hurt.

My back is screaming at me.

Baby is so low he is pinching any and all possible nerves in my pelvic region.

I have to pee every 5 minutes.

I'm hungry.

I'm hot and irritated.

So yeah, that is how my stupid dumb doctor appointment went.

Would it be too much to ask to have a personal assistant who follows me around all day and lifts things, gets things for me, makes me food, lifts Preston when needed, and then gives me massages when I need them? Really is that too much to ask? :)

36 Week Ultrasound

I usually only post my pregnancy stuff on my pregnancy blog, but since I think my mom is the only person from either of our families that actually reads my pregnancy blog (thanks for the support mom!), I'll be double posting my posts here on our family blog for the rest of my pregnancy just so those who read our family blog can stay up to date on Baby #2.

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From The Belly Diaires, July 21, 2010

I had my 36 week ultrasound this morning. The whole family came, and Preston was a very well behaved little boy in the ultrasound room.

I do have u/s photos, but I'm not going to be able to scan them in until later, so I'll post those with my doctor exam blog tomorrow. This was my first ultrasound at my new doctor's clinic. I have to say she was very very thorough. The ultrasound lasted about 40 min, and she measured everything tiny little detail.

I warned her that the baby had been active all the way to the hospital, so he'll probably be super wiggly during the ultrasound. I was right, and she was surprised by how active he was. She said usually babies at 36 weeks aren't this active and squirmy. Well HELLO of course mine is. So everything looked really really great.

His head was average size (phew!...Preston had a big head). She really complimented his strong healthy heart. She kept saying she wanted to know how he turned out in 20 years - if he was an Olympic athlete or anything. And given how wiggly he was, she said he was just already warming those legs up to run. I told her that Will is an ultra-marathoner and she said "Well this little guy is going to take right after Dad!".

After she did all of the tiny minute little measurements everywhere from his head circumfrumce, leg bones, arm bones, spine, heart, belly, etc...the computer said that he is projected to be about 6 lbs and 6oz right now. That is in the 68%. And since they gain about 1/2 pound per week from here on out, if he makes it to my due date, he would put on another 2 pounds putting him at 8 lbs 6 oz. (Preston was 1 week over due, born at 41 weeks and he was 8 lbs 4 oz). So to me, this sounds about right. It's good to know that he's a healthy size right now, even if it's slightly on the bigger than average side.

I'm anxious to meet with my doctor tomorrow so that she can go through the ultrasound results and decipher everything for me. I wonder if she will suggest a csection or still encourage me to go for the VBAC. I'm still crossing my fingers that this baby will come early so that I can do the VBAC.

She will also do the Strep-B test tomorrow, as well as a pelvic exam to see if I am effaced or dialated at all yet. Oh, and the ultrasound showed that the baby is head down and his back is on the left side, legs coming out the right. His little bum was sticking up out of my belly during the ultrasound which made us laugh.

That's all for now!

He Knows...

This little guy is going to be a big brother pretty soon.

And I think he knows.

I'm not sure if really really knows what it's all about, but here are some cute things that he does...

When we say nightly prayers with him, and help him with what to say, we'll say "Please bless baby brother" and he says it as if he is just another member of our family (after we've blessed everyone else already).

- We'll ask him where the baby is, and he will point to my tummy and say "Baby?". A few days ago he pointed to Daddy's tummy and said "Baby!" and Will was pretty fast on the rebound with that one to correct him. "No no no no, papa does NOT have a baby in his tummy. Just mommy."

- He has been into giving kisses lately, and the other day he said he wanted to "give baby kiss?". I said "okay come give the baby a kiss" and he came over and gave me a kiss on the belly. It melted my heart. Especially because he did that all on his own. It was his own idea.

- We have all of Preston's old baby clothes and shoes out and ready for the new little guy. All of the baby shoes are in a bin in Preston's room, and he gets very excited to go through them and wear them, even though they are way too small for his feet. We will tell him "Those are for your baby brother, so you need to go put those away okay?". He will go and put them back. The fact that he respects that shows that he knows that those shoes are for someone else other than himself. He is aware of another person who will be coming soon.

- One thing that he doesn't quite understand, is the fact that he used to be a baby himself. Will's computer has a screensaver program that goes through old photos, and a lot of them are pictures of Preston when he was a baby. He will see them and say "Baby!". I will tell him "That was you when you were a baby." And he just looks at me confused. I think he thinks that any baby is either his baby brother, or another baby but definitely not him!

- I've been trying to tell him lately, that pretty soon he'll get to meet his baby brother and this baby gets to be in our house all of the time. He won't leave (like his friends do and other visitors). He will tell me "share cars". He says that one a lot. Apparently, he is going to be sure to be a good boy and share his Lightening McQueen cars with his baby brother.

Awwwe. :)

Oh, and just one funny thing he does lately. On days that I'm feeling good enough to go for a walk, I'll take Preston outside and play. Our driveway is about 1/4 mile long, so we'll walk up the driveway, and walk over to the ponds, throw rocks in the pond, then go see the horses, and then walk back home. 1/4 mile is not very much, but for me right now it's like climbing Everest LOL. I will have to stop as we're walking quite often to bend over and stretch my back from all the belly weight that I'm carrying. Preston will stop, wait for me, and say "Momma tired. Momma tired." haha. It makes me laugh. He knows me too well.

P.S. Here is a snapshot of my belly today. I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday (9 months)

Thomas the Train

(Shhhhh don't tell that we came after hours and the gate was accidentally left open and that is how we snuck in and got pictures next to Thomas. Remember, Shhhhhhh!)

And now for a video...

What We've Been Up To

Wow, well haven't we been the blog slackers lately? Last post was June 27th, and it's now July 12th.

The truth is we haven't been very good at recharging our camera batteries lately, and so every time we do something fun (like the 4th of July, for example), we go to snap photos and the camera says "Recharge the batteries". Grr.

And blog posts just aren't as fun without pictures.

Here are a few precious photo representations of what we've been up to lately. The sad part is we didn't take most of these photos (the ones of Will). Someone else did. LOL

Jenni Update: So above, you see my mom and I. This was last Friday. She came up for the day and helped me go through all of Preston's old baby items and put them away for the new baby. She was a huge help! And even did it in the 95 degree heat.

So afterwards, we went and got massages at a Foot Spa. Don't I look lovely in all of my pregnancy glory? You have NO idea how excited I am to have this baby and look normal again. I feel like a puffer fish right now.

My mom and dad then took Preston home for the weekend so that I could have some time to work on music. I'm right in the middle of composing a filmscore. And given that I am very pregnant, I'm trying to have this project done by mid-July (which is this coming weekend!). I've got 2 more cues to write, record, orchestrate and then I'm basically done with all the major stuff.

I am almost 35 weeks pregnant (34 and 1/2). My official due date is August 20th. However, if you've been reading my pregnancy blog, you know what I've been going through with doctor changes and stuff so that I can try for a VBAC. I did finally find a doctor, but her rules for allowing me to VBAC are that a) I have to go into labor on my own unassisted (no inducement), b) I have to go into labor before my duedate. So basically, in another 2 or 3 weeks, this baby is welcome (and highly encouraged) to make his appearance into the world (I will be 37 weeks by then, and need to have the baby between weeks 37 - 40, otherwise they will do an automatic csection at week 40, a.k.a. my due date). So pray for me that this baby will come early! (Which if you know Preston's birth story...I was one week overdue and had to be induced....so I hope this one is different).

I am feeling pretty huge. Pretty uncomfortable. Pretty irritable (maybe that is why I haven't blogged much?). I'm just grateful for my mom who has been a lifesaver and helped out with Preston here and there.

Preston Update: Preston turned 2 in June. He also just recently had his 2 year wellness appointment and proved what we all thought was true: He is a big kid.

He measured 95% and above (off the charts) in both height and weight. He is 36 and 1/2 inches tall, and weighs 35 pounds. He is little to us, but then when he gets around other 2 year olds we see how much taller and bigger he is.

He is still a sweet boy and does some really funny things lately. Although, he does have his moments and disobeys and throws tantrums. He is still really into the whole car phase, especially Lightening McQueen and Mator (from the movie "Cars"). He LOVES to be outside, no matter what it is. He is like his dad in that respect.

Some funny things he has been saying lately are:

- "Thank you!!" (then we'll say "you're welcome") and then he'll say "Very much!"

- "Mark, ready, set, go!" (while playing with his cars)

- "Oh goodness!!!" (thanks to Aunt Tessha)

He also knows all of his colors (though sometimes gets them mixed up). He can basically repeat back everything we say. He knows how to help put his toys away and is getting better at helping us clean when we ask him. He always wants to help with anything and everything and it's very cute.

He LOVES to play with other kids, and has really been excited to go to the park lately. He loves the swing and the slide the best. He also loves "swimming" in the kiddie pool.

We are constantly amazed at how much he understands. Even when we say new words, he just gets them. I think he listens to us a lot more than we give him credit for. The other day I told him that we needed to go get his blanket out of the dryer. He ran straight into the laundry room and waited for me next to the dryer.

Will is especially proud that Preston has gotten his first freckles (see below).

Will Update: Will has been really enjoying himself lately.

Two weeks ago he got himself a road bike and started bike commuting to work. His office is 14 miles away, so it's a 28 mile round trip. He has crashed about 2 times, gotten 3 flat tires, been muddied up by passing trucks, and much much more. He says that he is just glad that he hasn't crashed while just standing there. He saw a cyclist do that the other day. How embarrassing :p

Aside from his fun adventures in bike commuting, he has also been putting up with a major toothache this past week.

If you know anything about Will, you know that he doesn't complain unless it's REALLY bad. And he is also not one to take painkillers.

Well apparently it's been bad enough that he's had to ice his mouth, take painkillers every 4 hours (both Tylenol and Advil). He even went through our medicine cabinet and found an expired bottle of Vikodin and tried that, but being that it was expired it didn't work.

I have felt so bad for him. Last night I found him out on the oversized chair in the living room sleeping because apparently the pain was bad enough that he couldn't lay down because all of the blood rushed to his mouth and throbbed.

He is supposed to go in for a root canal either today or tomorrow to get it fixed. In the meantime, he's been on some antibiotics since Friday to get the infection to go down (this is a tooth problem that he had a year ago, had a root canal to fix it, but apparently it's back and in the next tooth over).

Despite having a sore mouth, he did go and do an adventure race this past Saturday. It was an all-day event where he had to mountain bike, kayak, trail-run, and do some orienteering. He was able to get a blessing the night before and I can say he wouldn't of done that race without it.

That was Will's last race until after the baby is here. He has gotten several invitations to do various adventures, but he has been very nice and respected his super pregnant wife's pleas to hold off on any more adventures for a while.

So anyway that is what we've been up to!