busy!

Oh my goodness we are busy around here!  I promise one day I will return and tell you all about Gage's beautiful birth.  My hubbs has been home this entire week which has been fantastic.. he has been taking care of Gavin and Gabby and I am on baby patrol.  He has been on Gav and Gabby patrol because I am not allowed to lift or carry either of them for 1 to 2 weeks.  Gage has been a great baby so far - he's very laid back and he does not cry too loud or very often.  He sleeps a lot but sadly seems to have his days and nights a little mixed up.  I am certain he got use to the noise of our house while in my tummy because the crazy loud noises around the house while he sleeps don't seem to bother him one bit.

As I said, I promise to share about his birth - it was wonderful - I pushed for 2 minutes - and was able to share the experience with very special people =)  And most importantly, Momma and baby were healthy!  What a blessing!

 

{more photos to come.. of course.. when children permit!}

Welcome Gum Drop!

 

Gage David Anderson

10-9-10 - 1:18 p.m. - 8 lbs 2 oz - 19 3/4 inches

DR visit update

I guess I will start with my visit last week since I forgot to post about it.  Nothing real exciting happened at that visit.. except one thing.. it finally happened.. after 3 pregnancies.. peeing in a cup at every single DR visit..  I dropped the cup in the toilet!!  Oh my goodness I was cracking up.  It may not seem all that funny to any of you but every time I pee in the cup I'm afraid I'm going to drop it.. and go figure, I knew I couldn't make it through 3 babies without it happening.  {so I held on a little extra tight today!}

My visit today was a little more exciting!   I was nervous because it was with the midwife I saw a couple of weeks ago in triage.. and I didn't really care for her much that day.  I tried to have an open mind.. maybe she was having a bad day that day, maybe I was being 'overly-hormonal' that day, maybe it was both.. but I was going to go into the appointment this morning with no judgments and just let it be.  Turned out.. I was completely wrong about her.  She must have been having a bad day when I saw her in triage because she was not at all the same person!  She was very cheery with me, was laughing with me, seemed genuinely interested in my questions and really made the appointment very pleasant!  [it may also have been b/c I was her first patient of the day and it's Friday!]  She asked if delivered early with my other pregnancies and I shared that I was 1 day early with Gavin and 11 days early with Gabby, but Salley had stripped my membranes with Gabby.  Immediately she asks, well would you like me to strip your membranes today?!  I did not hesitate for one mili-second.. yes, yes please, if you're open to doing it and think it's okay then yes please!  Then, I panicked a little.. I thought about my memories of having the membranes stripped with Gabby..  I was scared it would hurt just as bad, if not worse this time around.. but I went ahead and undressed, got up on the table and prayed.. and prayed and prayed and prayed =)  She did her business.. and it was super uncomfortable.. but not nearly as painful as it was with Gabby.. thank goodness!!  Angie, the midwife, said that she was able to clear a good bit of the membranes and she definitely thinks that should help me along.  Yipppeeee!!  I hope that means our little sweet surprise of a son will be coming this weekend =)  I've been walking my little heart out today and plan to do the same tonight.. maybe I will take the kiddos to the mall since Steven has to work and we will walk walk walk until our legs fall off =)

DR visit stats:

Weight: +21 lbs.

Blood pressure: 123/75 - this is the highest it's been but still within normal range, so no biggie!

Urine: didn't ask.. I'm sure it was fine or they would have said something

Heartbeat: 143 bpm!!

38 weeks - 10 months - 4 years!

Note to self – MUST buy Beauty & the Beast on DVD!!!!!!

• Maybe I should do 3 separate posts.. this may be pretty long.. hopefully you’ll stick around until the end!  Let's start with my adorable 4 year old son, Gavin Arthur!  We celebrated his 4th birthday on Saturday and we had a great time =)  Somehow we managed to squeeze 35 family members into our home and no one got hurt!  Gavin received so many wonderful gifts.. I know he was a happy fella.. and it was great to spend a few hours with almost all of our family together in our home.  I was completely exhausted and a little hormonal during the party but I think I held it together fairly well.. Here are some photos of our fun day =) 
  
  My little sweet potato is 10 months old today.. no more single digits!!  I cannot believe how fast the time has gone; it seems almost impossible that in just 2 short months she will be one year old. {YIKES!}  I feel terrible because I never did complete her 9 month post - I did the photos but never posted any fun 9 month facts.  Hopefully she doesn't hate me for that when she's older =)
  
• You weigh about 22 lbs and are likely 30 inches long (I will weigh and measure you tomorrow to be sure!)
• You are still wearing size 3 diapers
• Most of your new fall/winter clothes are size 12 months except for some pjs that are 18 months!
• You still only have 2 teeth on the bottom, although I don't think it will be long before some appear on top
• Crawling.. well, you've mastered that.. and at this point can crawl faster than your preggo momma can walk!
• You pull yourself up on everything and are a pro at walking along the furniture!
• You still absolutely love music!
• And you love any of big brother's toys that you know you are not supposed to play with
• You definitely know your name and respond to it - I also think you understand 'no'
• Puffs are one of the greatest things in the world to you - you would eat a whole container of them in one sitting if we let you!
• You are great with your sippy cup and seem to really like juice
• Clapping, waving and high-fiving are constant activities for you now!!  (now we need to work on learning to blow kisses!)
• You still are a fantastic eater - 3 meals a day with 3 to 4 bottles a day [and tons of puffs!]
• Your hair is growing and is curly and oh-so-adorable!!
• You still have not said 'mama' but we're working on it!
• that nose.. oh Gabby, momma loves your adorable nose =)

Here is my 38 week belly post!  (maybe it will be my last one..)

How far along: 38 weeks 3 days

Weight gain: + 19 lbs

Stretch marks: I keep seeing that mederma stretch mark cream comercial.. think it works?

Any new baby items: I did get him a couple new outfits; Our friends Natalie and Travis, “Aunt Natalie and Uncle Travis” got us a Babies.R.Us gift card along with an adorable rattle for Mr. Gum Drop - THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I am excited to use the gift card =)  My Aunt MaryLou and Uncle John also bought Gum Drop a couple adorable outfits and gave me some other baby related items - I can't wait to see him in the one octopus outfit they bought for him!!  THANK YOU Aunt MaryLou and Uncle John - and thank you for making the long drive to come for Gav's birthday party!!

Any new maternity items: nope.. I'm actually thinking about trying to sell a few items that I don't fit into anymore..

Best moment of the week: hearing his heartbeat at the DR on Friday;

(please just enjoy the lovely heartbeat.. don’t pay any attention to the ‘need to throw away fake birkenstocks’ on my feet!) celebrating Gavin's 4th birthday on Saturday with our wonderful family; knowing that we are less than 2 weeks away from meeting our sweet surprise little man!

Sleep: negative.

Movement: not as much the past few days.. maybe he's resting up for his arrival!

Gender: blue team =)

Labor signs: I am ready for them now! (well, let's be honest, I am terrified of labor but 100% ready for it.. if that makes sense!)

Belly button in or out: out.

Food cravings: ice, apple pie, sweets, WINE!!!

What I miss: oh you already know all this stuff - nothing has changed - but I am so close to being able to enjoy many of the things I have missed =)

What I'm looking forward to: meeting my son.

Weekly wisdom: If you were put on trial for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Milestones: As you know, you've arrived at the final leg of your pregnancy journey, and if you're still carrying your little love around, they've just about reached their birth weight (somewhere between 6 to 8 pounds is average depending on whether they're a boy or girl). There really isn't a lot to report on baby this week, so lets do a quick recount of where we're at: all internal organ systems are pretty much ready for the outside world, they've got their meconium stockpile building up (their first black baby poo), lots of healthy baby fat, a rapidly developing brain (that'll keep growing with them for years to come), and they've more or less reached official baby status-- all they need to do is "head out" and say hello to the rest of the world and especially their ready-to-pop momma.

[please don’t mind all the un-edited photos, I’m too lazy..]

Here are some other random fun photos!

    

{my kiddos are so darn cute}

we were taking down a wall at work so my coworker Amy decided to trace my tummy.. and add some other creative touches of her own =)

4 years old!

My baby boy turns 4 tomorrow.. how in the world is that even possible?!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY GAVIN ARTHUR!!!

lots of photos to come after the party tomorrow =)