Surprise Baby Shower

I was in an awful mood Monday.  Well, maybe not awful but it didn't feel very pleasant.  You would think with only 8 days to go until meeting Samuel or Hannah I'd be soaring on a cloud wouldn't you?  Not so much.
The day started off with a phone call from anesthesia at 08:03.  I was pretty excited at that point.  {Woo whoo!  We're almost there!}  Then I was a little less excited when the gal {who was very nice} started asking me questions about any problems with anesthesia in the past.  I explained to her how I threw up a lot after Izzy's.  She said she'd make a note of it but she couldn't think of any reason why I'd have no trouble with the first three but then be throwing up after the fourth.  Well, guess what?  I don't know either!  So, while I plan to continue to ask for something to help with the potential nausea {puking really isn't fun after an abdominal surgery} I am suddenly not so hopeful of a different outcome.
We also had another dr. apt. which went fine...but I went in thinking it would be my last trip there until our big day only to find out they wanted me to come back the following week to sign all of the consent forms and have my blood work done.  Not kidding, the day before our c-section.  I was a little less than amused!  I'm guessing they don't make people who live out of town drive back two days in a row just for paperwork...
Then, it was just the very typical {I'm sure} restless, frustrated attitude that comes with being 9 months pregnant and just waiting.  Oh, along with a headache I'd had since before church Sunday morning.
After that it was a very reluctant 7 year old and her homework.  I think it took over an hour and a half to do two pages of math and her spelling words - and trust me - you can't push her to go faster or she slows down - and it was one of those evenings when supper needed to be on time because of wrestling practice.
The thing that carried me through {besides whining a little to my mom} was knowing I had Catholic Moms Group later that evening.  This group has seriously saved my sanity in the past and I was ready for someone to make me laugh all the stress away.  They did that and so much more.  I was already feeling the stress draining away with conversations starting to swirl around me and sipping on a caramel mocha when the girls surprised me by throwing a surprised baby shower for Baby Cinco.  I would never in my wildest dreams have thought that was coming.  It's CINCO after all.  Number five.  The last baby shower I had of any kind was when we were expecting Sis.  When I said as much one of the ladies piped up and said, "every baby deserves to be celebrated".  Such sweet words that I'm still holding close.
Cinco made out like a little bandit.  Some diapers {yes, they'll get used.  It will actually take a little bit for Cinco to grow into the cloth diapers I have.  He/she has to be at least 8lbs.}, wipes, books, a lovey blanket and some gift cards.  A couple of the ladies even gave us a bag full of freezer food, waffles, sausage, breakfast burritos, etc.  Could I be more blessed?  I think not.

I'm a nerd {or just a hormonal pregnant lady}.  I almost cried on the way home after that.  I love these gals.  They are some of my closest friends here.  We laugh together, suffer each other's heartaches, and pray together through it all.  I am feeling so loved and I'm determined to wait out these last days more patiently than I was at the beginning of this one.  Thank you, Lord, for reminding me just how blessed I am!

Baby Cinco - 38 Weeks

We had another dr. apt. today and I thought it would be our final trip to the dr. office before our big day.  Not so much.  Instead of signing all the forms and getting our blood work done, I got the "we'll see you again on Monday and do all of your prep then".  Really?  It didn't make me feel any better when my dr. eyed me on his way out of the room and says "unless you go into labor before that".  {Ugh, Dr. F!  Don't say things like that!}
Then I have a headache that I've had since Sunday before church {which is probably all stress related}.
I'm just 9 months pregnant, restless and moody as all get out.  :)  At least I think that's what it all boils down to.
How far along:  We are 38 weeks.  This is probably the last bump update/belly photo you'll be seeing.  I always have good intentions of taking one "the day of" but when the day actually arrives I could care less about taking another photo until there's a baby to take a picture of!
Total Weight Gain:  Hm.  You're weight gain is actually suppose to slow down or stop altogether as your due date approaches, did you know that?  Ha!  Not this girl!  I've gained 3 pounds since last Monday!  I actually had a gal at church tell me on Sunday that I was "all baby".  My response, "I sure hope so"!!!  Baby Cinco had better be big!  {Two of ours - Eli and Iz - were over 8lbs.  I'd be happy with that.}  ;)
Maternity Clothes:  Just the nicer tops for church.  Otherwise, no.
Best Moments:  Packing our bag.  Getting a call from anesthesia this morning and having that "this is going to happen" feeling.
Movement: Some during the day but Cinco really gets with it from about 20:00-23:00 in the evening.  I also notice him/her moving quite a bit during the night when I'm up and moving around with G and Iz.  I think this little guy/gal already has it's days/nights confused.  We're going to have to fix that right quick!
Food Cravings:  None really.  Nothing sounds that good.  Except a beer.  A beer sounds wonderful!
Gender:  I have my suspicions but we shall see soon!
Labor Signs:  Nothing other than the Braxton hicks contractions.
Our Doctor's Apt Today:  I gained 3 more pounds {ahem}, my bp's good and Cinco's heart rate is in the 150's {that may have been the soda}.  I'll go back Monday to sign all of the consent forms and do blood work.  Then, hopefully, Tuesday morning as the sun is just coming up I'll be looking into the face of our newest addition!

Getting Restless

Only 12 more days to go.  It's probably a good thing. 
I've started getting uncomfortable - aka my back is hurting and I feel like a beached whale trying to get in an out of bed etc.  I think this is the only time I've ever actually looked forward to a spinal - knock that back pain out for 30 minutes please!
The distraction is a little ridiculous - and probably the most frustrating.  I think clearly for the first half of the day and spend the rest trying not to think only about d-day.  There are six of us {running around at least} for the next twelve days and we all have activities, save for Elizabeth who gets toted along to a lot of the activities.  There's 4H, wrestling practices, dance class, doctor apts., school activities, birthday parties, etc. going on and it helps to have a clear head {thank you planner for being there when my brain is not!}.  All of those things will continue of course once Baby Cinco arrives and even though I may not be expected to orchestrate them all, my brain is having a hard time functioning like it won't.  It's a good thing I have Jason!
Prayers that I find some inner serenity during the course of these last days - and that my family can put up with me - would be much appreciated! 

Getting Ready for Cinco

Last Saturday Grannie, Boppa, and Nana came to help us get some freezer meals ready for Baby Cinco's arrival.  Izzy was our crankiest baby to date and the idea of trying to prepare supper, help Sis and Eli with homework, and have a potentially hungry or cranky baby was a bit intimidating to me.  {J says this will probably be our most laid back baby yet but I want to be prepared just in case!}  We worked 4 or 5 hours but we put away around 9 meals, some/most of which should have leftovers.  I'm hoping those meals will buy us time to get a little adjusted to each other and hopefully find the beginnings of a new rhythm.  If nothing else it'll give this mama one less thing to be worried about!  You know, other than the girls trying to squish, squash, hold or do something else to their new sibling.  :)
Grannie and Boppa also brought down a couple of our Christmas gifts we were unable to pack into our car, including a new vacuum and a new crib bedding set for Cinco.  On the vacuum, let me just say the amount of hair it picks up is absolutely revolting.  I vacuumed with my old one before my parents came down and Jason vacuumed while they were here with the new one.  Wow and yuck.  I've vacuumed about every other day since and still picks up a crazy amount of stuff.

The crib bedding is, of course, darling.  It's browns, tans, greens and covered in African wildlife.  {How appropriate when the kids' Boppa works there half the time he's away!?}  Jason tried to surprise me by getting the crib set up while I was in the shower a few nights back.  He didn't count on a 4 year old coming in to tell me what he was up to!  :)  I made up the crib and Jason even put up the mobile {with little lions}.  It's all set, minus that I'll take the bumpers off before the baby actually sleeps in it.  They're just on for the cute factor right now.

The next thing I did this week was wash all of our cloth diapers.  They too are all set and ready for a new little one.

The last thing I did was start thinking about packing our hospital bag, complete with Baby Cinco's going home outfit.  My plan is for him/her to come home in the FHSU outfit.  If for some reason Cinco comes out too big for that {ours are usually borderline on whether they can fit in newborn stuff} I'll also throw in the bigger sized KC Chiefs outfit I bought back when I found out we were pregnant {even though our Chiefs are out of it...sigh}.  Packing the bag seemed a little to real though.  I stopped after three pairs of fuzzy socks and my hot pink frog pajama pants.  The bag is still sitting to the side in our bedroom and I keep looking at it like it's going to move or something.  Yeah, I'll finish packing later, probably after half a dozen different lists are made and revised.  You'd think I'd have this down wouldn't you?

The crib is kind of having the same effect, which is why I wanted it get it up {even though Cinco won't use it for a while}.  The feeling that we have a lot of time to prepare has been lingering on throughout this whole pregnancy for me {it's not like the first with Sis when it felt like it took forever} and I needed something that would remind me we have less than three weeks to go.  So now every time I walk into Eli's room I get that "crud, we're going to have a new baby home soon" feeling.  It also gives the kids {ahem, Iz} time to see it up and help a little with the idea that something is coming.  The big kids are thrilled about having a new brother or sister and Eli is dying to have a roommate, boy or girl.  I think he stares at the crib almost as much as I do and wastes no time in reminding his sisters the new baby is sleeping in his room.
Yea for new babies!  We are so excited to meet the newest member of our family!