Off to the hospital...

Here is the last of my belly pics for this pregnancy! We are headed to the hospital here shortly. Mary came and picked the kids up last night so I could have a quiet, restful evening to myself. We have to be at the hospital at 6:00 am for 7:30 surgery. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers that everything goes well.


Hopefully there will be an update with pics tonight! I'll try and have either Kevin do it or have Mary do it tonight while she's here w/ A&P!

t minus 7 days...

It's hard to believe, a week from today, we'll have our newest little bundle of joy in our arms! I can hardly wait. I'm getting really anxious all of a sudden! I have two days of work left before maternity leave and I'm sure next Monday and Tuesday will be full of running around and making sure things are done around here, though I'm sure Mary will do a wonderful job holding down the fort with Amelia and Paul. The kids seem to be getting excited too. I think it's so hard for them to grasp just what is going on and when is this baby you've been talking about for months going to be here?! Friday we have an appointment w/ our OB, hopefully when we leave that appointment we'll have an idea of what time my surgery will be and what time we'll have to report to the hospital! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers this next week. Pray that the surgery goes well and that we have a safe and healthy delivery! Stay tuned...

36 weeks down, 3 more to go!

Wow! Thirty-six weeks have passed. Crazy. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has flown by. Now in less than 3 weeks we get to meet our newest addition to our family, I can hardly wait. Tonight while Kevin was at church teaching his religion class, the kids and I were putting things away in the nursery. It was so much fun, they were both so interested in everything. They were helping me fold the towels, wash cloths and burp cloths. And asking a million questions. Then they discovered the basketful of baby toys and proceeded to dump the entire basket out and play with them all. Kevin came home and asked what happened in the nursery! All I could say was "What do you think?!" Oh well, they had a good time after all!

While we were sitting there putting things away, I asked the kids again what they thought we were having. Amelia said "A baby brother" and Paul said "A baby sister." Can't wait to see who is right. For the longest time they were both saying baby sister.

Here is my 36 week picture....

According to my babycenter.com weekly pregnancy e-mail, the baby weighs approximately 6 pounds and is gaining an ounce a day and is more than 18-1/2 inches long. Also baby should be head down at this point, in my case, it really doesn't matter. But I'm almost positive he/she is head down, because when they get hiccups I feel it more towards the bottom of my stomach! Next week (37 weeks) baby will be considered full term. But as we all know, baby will be coming at week 39...we hope! I don't want baby to come any sooner. The closer I can go to my due date the better. They say the closer to your due date baby is born the better off the baby is health wise, etc. And 39 weeks is the soonest most OB's will perform a c-section, unless medically necessary.

I'm now on to weekly doctor visits. I have an appointment in the morning. Hoping all goes well!

Looking at this picture...Kevin and I are both thinking it's a boy!

5 weeks to go...

Caught on film....a rare moment for Paul! Sunday morning we were getting ready to run errands in the cities before heading to Kevin Sr and Mary's house for Kevin Sr's b-day. Kev was taking a shower, and I had just gotten the kids out of the bath, got Amelia ready to go, got myself ready to go and Paul didn't want to get dressed, he just wanted to lay on our bed in his dinosaur towel. I was getting a few things ready in the kitchen and I came back to find this....


Amelia of course, needed a picture taken of her when I took out the camera. She had to pose by her new futon. But she's looking a little distressed! Silly girl!

Comparison picture....

For the first time #1 & #3 look very similar. It's normally been #2 and #3. We still think it's a boy, but in five weeks we'll know for sure!!


Hard to imagine and believe that five weeks from today, we'll be holding our brand new tiny baby. I'm not real sure where this entire pregnancy went, but it sure went by awful quick. Kevin doesn't think so, but to me it feels like it's flown by! My last day of work before maternity leave will be Friday, February 20. That'll give me the weekend to relax before the big surgery day on the 25th. I will return to work end of May/beginning of June. Somewhere in there anyway!



The nursery is almost 100% complete. We need to tackle the closet yet, which Kevin needs to get in there and paint it, then I can organize it. We also need to find blinds still. Last Friday we picked up our futon for the den. Which is our multi-purpose room. Guest room, playroom, office all in one! It looks so much different in here with the new light fixture, paint and all of the furniture finally arranged. Still a work in progress, need to get my desk in order before any guests arrive when Baby T does!

Amelia still asks daily if it's time to go to the hospital. I keep telling her soon, in a couple weeks. And she has informed me that she wants a "Pink Princess Birthday Party", so I suppose I better get cracking on that as well!

Paul is Paul! Quite the little character around these parts! He's taken it upon himself to try using the big potty at night when he gets home from daycare or any time Amelia uses it, he needs to use it. Hopefully we can continue to progress on this whole potty training business. I'm not holding my breath, but we will see! He pooped on the potty twice last night and once tonight. And he refuses to use the swell little potty we just bought him. Go figure! Good thing we're having another baby!



On that note, I'm off to bed.

33 weeks + nursery pics!

So weird to think I've already been pregnant for 33 weeks. This whole pregnancy has just flown by! Now the time is closing in on us. We have an appointment on Monday (19) with the OB who did my c-section with Paul, to discuss and schedule the upcoming c-section. I'm anxious to know baby's birthday so I can get everything figured out on the home front, figure out when my last day of work will be and just to know when baby will be here! Amelia is very anxious for baby to get here. She keeps asking every night when we all get home if it's time to go to the hospital. I'm happy to know she's really excited for the baby. Now to establish the ground rules once baby gets here, like no picking the baby up, etc. Should be interesting!!

I think Paul can tell that something is going to rock his little world soon. He's always been our easy to bed kid. Which I believe I forgot to mention, Paul has hit a few milestones since we moved! About 2 weeks after we moved into our new house, he decided that he wanted to start sleeping in his big boy bed and not the crib. When we moved, we set up his twin bed (as it was already up there) and also our extra crib, because we didn't think he was ready for the "big move", well much to our surprise, one night when Kevin was putting him to bed he said "No daddy, my bed! My bed"
Kevin said "You what to sleep in your big boy bed?" '
Paul: "Yes"
Kevin: "Ange (I was putting Amelia to bed), he wants to sleep in his bed, what do we do?!"
Me: Just put him in it and we'll see what happens.

Well the first night he came downstairs and came into our room at about 2 am, but every night after that has been much better. And he hasn't slept in his crib since! Now we need to take it down and get it out of there before baby comes so he can't decide once baby is here that he wants to sleep in his crib again.

Anyway, this past week he's been a bit of a stinker at bedtime. He wants me to sleep with him, etc. But if Kevin puts him to bed and I don't go in there, he goes to bed just fine! Hopefully the sleeping will go better in the next couple weeks!! He also just got his last baby molar, so we're officially done teething until baby #3 gets some teeth!

Here are some new pictures.

33 weeks---01.14.09

The Nursery!

Baby's bed.
We're using the same bedding we got when I was pregnant w/ Amelia. We also used it for Paul. It's from Pottery Barn Kids and I love it. Their bedding is definitely worth the money, still looks brand new 4 years later!

Baby's bed! And his/her new Build-a-bear from Great Granny and Great Papa for Christmas!

Looking from the crib.

My dad built our changing table when I was pregnant w/ Amelia. He used the design I loved from Pottery Barn Kids, but made it taller and longer and it's solid oak, so much nicer that the PBK one! He made it just by looking at a picture from the catalog and using their measurements for an example! This will be a great piece to hang on to for a long time!

Looking in from the door. We still need to buy blinds for the windows...cordless of course!

It was fun getting to do a nursery again after 4 years...thank goodness we moved! Or no new nursery!

Well, it's time for bed!

Pregnancy Pics

I haven't updated with pregnancy pics for a while. Next week will be the 30 week update! :)

24 weeks down...

Hard to believe that 24 weeks of pregnancy have already passed by! Seems like just yesterday that we found out. Must be the fact that we're always busy with something and now with the move, time will go even quicker! I can't believe Thanksgiving is two weeks from tomorrow! Crazy, crazy! Baby is moving more and more everyday! About two weeks ago I was able to see baby moving around on the outside. I don't remember that happening this early with the other two, but I think it's just amazing watching your clothing move, knowing you're not the one moving it! And it never fails, the minute I lay down in bed for the night, baby thinks it's time to party! Monday night it was about midnight when we headed to bed and just as I'm trying to fall asleep, boom! Baby is a movin'! It's like someone cranked up the music and there was a little party going on in my belly!

Amelia and Paul are still thrilled about the baby...I think!! I know Amelia is for sure. But the other night we were sitting at Gene's eating dinner, and we're talking about where everyone was going to sleep when we move, and I asked Paul if he wanted a big boy bed, and he said "No!, I sleep in my camper (his crib with the crib tent over it!)" I said "Well, can't the baby have your crib?" (We do have a 2nd crib in our basement, which will go in Paul's room and the crib he's sleeping in right now will go in baby's room as it's our really nice crib! Of course, he said no and I said, "where is the baby going to sleep then?" He said (while pointing to my ever growing midsection) "In there! In you tummy!" I said "well baby can't stay in there forever" and then he said "Yes!" Silly boy! It'll be interesting when this baby gets here that's for sure! Luckily we have two cribs and we'll set up the extra crib in his room, along with his twin big boy bed, and when he's ready to sleep in his big boy bed, he can!

Both kids are still saying "Baby Sister" and I think it's a girl as well. But I've been known to be wrong in the past! I thought for sure Amelia was a boy until about a month before she was born and I started having baby girl dreams. I haven't had any dreams about the baby's sex this time around! When I was pregnant with Amelia, I saw her in my dreams a lot towards the end of my pregnancy. It's kind of weird, how accurate my dreams were with her. I've had a few dreams this time around about having the baby, but never actually seeing him/her in my dreams to find out what the sex is!

I have my next appointment next Thursday morning. I'll try and post an update if there is anything significant! I can't wait to meet with the OB who did my c-section with Paul, to find out when this baby will be born! I'm thinking we won't meet with him until January.

Nothing real exciting going on currently with baby, just all the craziness that is our life!

Good night!

22 weeks

18 of 40

Welcome week 18! Yikes! Where did the time go? I'm almost half-way there! According to my babycenter.com weekly e-mail, the baby is approximately 5-1/2 inches long and weighs about 7 ounces. I really like my weekly e-mails, it kind of puts everything into perspective as to what your body is doing each week and the progress the baby is making.

Monday night Kevin got to feel the baby move for the first time, which was very exciting! I can't remember at what week we were able to feel Paul move on the outside, but we were able to feel Amelia at 21 weeks, so this is definitely a lot sooner! It's weird to think that in about 21 weeks we'll have a brand new baby in our family.

We have our "big" ultrasound in two weeks. Which, in reality means they do a bunch of measurements to make sure everything is looking a-okay with baby! We could find out the sex of the baby if we wanted to, but so far we're not planning on finding out. We didn't find out with Amelia and Paul and the surprise of it all was amazing at their births! So we'll see!

Movin' right along!

16 weeks in...

Today I started week number sixteen! Woo Hoo! I can't believe how fast this is going. I suppose that could have something to do with the fact we've been busy pretty much every weekend since we found out we were expecting baby number three!

According to BabyCenter.com the baby is about the size of an avocado. So weird to think of the baby as a piece of fruit in relation to it's size! About 4-1/2 inches long crown to rump and weighs in at about 3-1/2 ounces. The baby's heart pumps about 25 quarts of blood a day. Wow! That seems like a lot for someone so small! His/her legs are much more developed, his/her head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position. The patterning of his/her scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails.

Amelia and Paul are still really excited about the baby! Saturday we went to Babies R Us to pick out Randi's baby shower gift and Amelia wanted to buy the whole store! She found an infant car seat and stroller she wanted to buy for "our baby." I think she would have taken one of everything for the baby had Mary or I allowed it! But they did talk Grandma into buying gifts for the baby. Pauly picked out a Lumpy (from My Friends Tigger and Pooh) linking toy and Amelia thought the baby needed "nookies", so she got some pacifiers for the baby! And Grandma Mary picked up a baby's first St. Patty's day stuffed rattle. So that was kind of fun to involve the kids! It's fun to see them excited about the baby. Everyday Amelia still asks to see the baby! And doesn't get that she can't see it yet! Paul lifts up my shirt and sings "twinkle, twinkle" to the baby. It's so sweet! :) I love my kids and I love my life!!

Off to bed!

Oh yea, one last thing...I've been meaning to mention the BABY BOOM amongst our friends! It's mighty crazy that's for sure! :) There are going to be lots of friends for baby #3 to play with!

Randi and Scott are due November 2, 2008 (baby #1)
Megan and Shawn are due March 9, 2009 (baby #1)
Kelly and Matt are due March 11, 2009 (baby #2)
Naomi and Dave are due March 25, 2009 (baby #1)
Jodi and Dustin are due April 16, 2009 (baby #2)

*I think I have every one's due dates correct, if they are wrong, I'm sure my lovely friends will correct me! :)

We're so excited that everyone else is having babies around the same time we are! :)

25 to go...

Baby number three will be here in approximately 25 weeks. Crazy huh? It's official...I can no longer wear my non-maternity clothes. I could probably squeeze into them, but it would in no way be comfortable. Oh the joys. The 'ol body sure doesn't forget what it's suppose to do! The above picture is from tonight. I looked back and I had no pictures from 14 weeks from either Amelia or Paul. So no comparison picture this time. I think either 16 or 18 weeks I'll have a new comparison picture! It's fun taking these and looking at how my body has changed. Now if only I had a "belly pic" from when I got married, five and a half years ago, pre-pregnancies. Now that would be fun to compare!

I'm still feeling great...thankfully! Sans the allergies! Blah! Thank goodness for Zyrtec, my lifesaver! Except now I have a stuffy nose, but unfortunately I can't take any sort of decongestant. So instead, I'm using a irrigating syringe to flush my nose with warm salt water. It seems to be helping!

My weekly babycenter.com e-mail states the following:
Our baby can now: squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his/her thumb. Brain impulses are causing the facial muscles to get a workout by making different facial expressions. Kidneys are now producing urine, which is released into the amniotic fluid and this will continue until birth. From head to bottom he/she stretches out to an amazing 3-1/2 inches, about the size of a lemon and weighs in at about 1-1/2 ounces. Needless to say, there are some amazing things going on inside me! Soon I'll be able to start feeling the baby move.

Amelia and Paul are still pretty excited about the baby! Amelia, on a daily basis wants to "see" the baby. She doesn't quite get that it's not that easy. But she lifts my shirt and pretends she sees the baby and it seems to satisfy her. Paul comes up to me and talks to the baby. He likes to give the baby kisses too. I don't know how much he actually gets, but so far he's really nice to the baby! :)

My current craving of the week: Dill Pickle Potato Chips. Normally I can't handle these, but now they hit the spot!

That's all for the week 14 update! I hope to get new pictures of the kids on here tomorrow night!

12 weeks in

I can't believe I already have 12 weeks behind me. That means I'm 12 weeks closer to meeting our new little one. I can hardly wait. I think the kids are pretty excited as well. Both constantly come up to me and talk to the baby in my stomach. Paul usually pulls up my shirt and says "Baby", kisses my belly and then proceeds to talk to the baby...not always real sure what he's saying. But it's super sweet anyway. Amelia is practicing to be a big sister again. She all of a sudden wants to help change Paul's diaper or do it herself. We always do it supervised! :) So hopefully she'll continue to be a good helper when the baby come!

According to my babycenter.com weekly e-mail, the baby is about the size of a lime. From crown to rump he/she is just over 2 inches long and weighs about an ounce. The most dramatic change this week is the baby is developing his/her reflexes. The baby will soon be able to open their fingers, curl their toes, muscles will clench and the mouth will start making sucking movements. How cool is all of that?! Even though this is my 3rd pregnancy, it never ceases to amaze me the things a woman's body can do. What an incredible gift from God.

I have my next Doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. He will be checking the heartbeat. I can't wait!! I love hearing the heartbeat for the first time. It's pretty stinkin' amazing! I'm finally starting to feel like my old self again, minus the constant state of tiredness that has become my life. I'm no longer nauseous and smells don't seem to bother me as much and food is starting to sound much better...however, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. However the things I craved and lived for throughout my other two pregnancies, don't always sound the greatest now.

Things I loved with Amelia: Pepperoni pizza with green olives and extra cheese (from Davanni's), Grape kool-aid, Grape pop-cicles, veggie burritos from Chipotle.

With Paul: anything spicy, jalapenos, Steak burritos from Chipotle (just couldn't do it with Amelia)

This time: nothing that I absolutely have to have. Although Chinese food doesn't sound half that bad considering I hated it with both Amelia and Paul. I am craving tacos a lot lately. That's about it!

This is a cool baby name website that Kelly told me about.

That's enough baby stuff!

It's been a crazy busy week for us already. Sunday we spent all day at the MN Zoo (see post below), Monday I worked for someone else in the morning, then picked the kids up from daycare, got home at three, got ready and then we (Kev, Amelia and I) headed back to work to catch the coach bus to go to the Saint Paul Saints Game. It was a blast. I think the kids had the best time of everyone. It was so much fun watching them all interact with each other. Amelia loved riding on the big bus and playing with her new found friends. Monday night was a late night, it was 11:30 when we rolled into the parking lot of the dental office. I'm still paying for it today! Last night we had our friends Shawn and Megan over for dinner. Tonight we just relaxed. Friday afternoon (as long as the weather holds out) we're planning on heading to the Great Minnesota Get-together. (The State Fair).

I think that's all for our update. I'll try and post an update tomorrow night after my Doctors appointment!

PS-I apologize for the rambling...I'm very tired! :)

10 down, 29 to go.

Wow. So far, I think this whole pregnancy business if goin' by quick!! We found out June 29, 2008 that we were expecting baby #3. Wowza!! I can hardly believe I have 10 weeks under my belt already. Must be the fact that the other two kiddos are keeping me hoppin'!

A pregnancy is 40 weeks, I have 10 down, and will most likely have my c-section at or around week 39, so technically I only have 29 more weeks to go!

According to my babycenter.com weekly pregnancy update the baby is now the size of a kumquat. A little over an inch and a half long. And weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. Any bets on how big this baby will be?! Amelia was 8 lbs 7 oz and 20-1/2 inches. Pauly was 9 lbs. 1 oz and 20-1/2 inches long. Funny how they were both the same length. My guess is that this baby will weigh more than 9 lbs 1 oz. Post your guesses here (in the comments section) and we'll see who's closest when the baby is born. Maybe there will be a little prize involved.... you just never know!!

Amelia and Paul are growing like weeks. Amelia is starting preschool in September. She will go Friday mornings from 8:30-11. We're sending her to the Catholic School to the Little Lambs program. She will be attending Catholic School when she starts Kindergarten, so we thought it was perfect that they have preschool too, that way she'll be familiar with the school when she heads to kindergarten. She's already telling people that she's FIVE, when asked her age. Also is telling everyone "I'm going to school. Not Pauly, he goes to Kimmy's." Yep, she's mighty proud she has one up on her brother. However, she doesn't realize he's still quite a bit younger than her as well! Should be interesting dropping her off the first day. Kevin thinks I'm going to be a standing in a puddle of my own tears. He said "Maybe I better drop her off at preschool her first day, you're going to be a wreck." Yes, maybe I will be a wreck...but at least I have an excuse. I can blame it on those crazy pregnancy hormones!! I'm sure Paul will be lost that first day Kevin drops him off at daycare without Amelia, but once he realizes she'll be there for the afternoon, he should be a-okay. They don't like to go places without one another. Which I guess, is a good thing!!

Paul if VERY active and I'm sure he's giving me grey hair!! He scares me when we go to the park. He has to go down the biggest, tallest, most windy slide there is...ALL. BY. HIMSELF! Nope, he doesn't want help! That and he thinks he is invincible. And climbs up the slides the wrong way. What am I going to do with this child?! He is going to age me very quick!!

As a whole, we're doing well. Our house is still on the market, nothing yet. (even with St. Joseph planted snugly in our front flower bed) We're starting to get pretty bummed about it, but hopefully soon. We're praying hard that something will happen soon. Otherwise we just might be living in a cardboard box on the corner because we will no longer be able to afford our house once this baby comes!! Or maybe we can just park our camper somewhere in live in that?! How's that sound for cozy?! HA!! Anyway, please pray for us that something will happen with our house soon!

So there you have it my friends. Finally an update of sorts from us! :)

Have a great weekend!!

Belly Picture #1.

10 weeks. 08.06.08

I did Belly pictures every two weeks with Amelia and Paul and will continue to do it for this pregnancy as well. The earliest I've taken them is 10-12 weeks. At the end of my pregnancy, I make a little photobook with all the "belly pictures" and then put it in the kids' memory boxes. I highly recommend doing this for every pregnancy and it's a great keepsake! I swear this picture, looks like I did when I was 16 weeks with Amelia! I'll try and find that picture later (see below)!

I made this for size comparison of all three pregnancies!