It's getting close!

Had my 36 week check up today and they usually don't do an internal exam, but did for me anyway and not much is happening yet....I figured that much. Head is low, though, and after next week I will be ready anytime....so think thoughts of labor! My guess is the second week of Nov sometime, but who knows!

In the mean time, we had Mandi's baby shower (my sister in law), and it was really fun. I have always wanted to make one of those decorative diaper cakes, so I tried it and it think it turned out pretty good. I may have some craftiness in me after all...not too much though! We took a fun belly pic...that will be a good one to look back on later!

34 weeks down, 6 (or hopefully less) to go!

In another week we will hit the 8 month mark, and have one month to go. These pictures make me feel VERY big! I don't notice it as much when I see myself in the mirror or just look down, but when I see the pictures it looks HUGE! I had to ask Ike if I really am that big....and he says YES you ARE, which is funny because my weight gain hasn't improved as much as you would think for the size of my belly! Maybe that means this big boy is slowing down a little to help his momma out! (Wishful thinking) So, here are the pictures of my progression over that last 4 weeks!

Here's the last one I posted at 30 weeks.

And here's 34 weeks. I really don't know if I can get much bigger. The tight shirts don't help, either, but what else to I have...they are all getting tight! I only have a few that fit at this point!

Another angle...this one makes me look a little smaller....it just jets out pretty far in front! I think I am almost past basketball size! Yikes!

This one is 4 years ago when I was 8 months with Dane....BIG DIFFERENCE, I know! It's a baggier shirt than the white one I'm wearing this time, but I just tried it on again and it is definitely tighter than it looks in this old pic. I took this about 4 weeks before I had Dane I think because it is the last one I have besides pics in the hospital!

A bitter-sweet weekend!

Last weekend we went back to Vegas for the first time since moving for a funeral for Ike's Uncle Paul. He died of a heart attack at work and it is very sad because he is only in his 50s. The funeral was beautiful and it was great to see family and friends and support Aunt Annie and her kids. Even thought there were sad parts to the weekend, we also had a lot of fun, which is what Paul would have wanted. Ike's family is a lot like my family and when they get all together it gets exciting! Some of the great grandkids even performed some dances to some kids bop music...we were all laughing because it was all girls and then Duke (Dane's cousin that lives in Vegas). Reminded me of my sisters and cousin, Amy, singing and dancing with Rusty when we were little! Anyway, it was the first time in a while that all Ike's siblings were together with their families, too! Don't know when that will happen again! Here are a few pics.

Baby looks good

We saw the perinatologist today and found out there's nothing wrong with the baby. I figured this was the case, but it's always nice to hear it. He will probably just be big. Oh, and I don't have to do anymore stress tests either. The overall weight estimate based on the ultrasound was about 3lbs 14oz, so this almost 4 pounder (at 30 weeks) may grow to be quite big over the next two months! Hopefully I can handle it. That's what the drugs are for, right??? Relief! I think they will do another ultrasound closer to my due date to estimate weight again and to be prepared for what may come during labor. It will all unfold here in a matter of weeks now. My due date is Nov. 24th, but my guess(or my hope) is that he will come closer to the middle of the month. I definitely don't want to be eating my Thanksgiving Feast in the hospital! Anyone else wanna take a guess?

Baby update....four weeks later....

Baby update.....

Had the 3rd ultrasound to check the baby's growth patterns over the last month, and nothing had really changed. Leg still measuring a little small, and head/abdomen both measuring pretty large around 98-99th percentile. So what does it mean?? Doc is sending us to a perinatologist (sp?) to do an in depth scan of the baby to make sure there is nothing wrong with the head specifically. We were reassured that the last two ultrasounds didn't present anything, but because of the baby's size the doc want's to check it out further. He said he didn't think it was anything except just a large baby, but they need to do the extra scan to rule out the very slight possibility of any rare disorders that might be present. He also is ordering a baby stress test every week unless the perinatologist says it is not necessary. I will have one on tues and then I will find out at my next scan on Wed whether or not I need to keep doing the stress tests. (They will just hook me up to the baby monitors for about 30 min or so just like they do when in labor to check for signs of stress in the baby).

I really think everything is okay, but I'm glad they are taking precautions. Near the end of my pregnancy with Dane, I remember being sent for a detailed scan for the opposite reason...because he wasn't growing anymore, but everything turned out to be fine and he was born like a week later in good health. I'm just hoping this larger baby means he might want to come a little earlier than expected.....hint hint little one!

So, I will post again next week after my scan on Wed.

Here are a few pics in the mean time...I wanted to do them now because next week will be pretty crazy with all the doc appts.

First, here's a reminder of me at 26 weeks (I wore the same shirt to try to get a good comparison)...


Now, here's 4 weeks later at almost 30 weeks! The front view looks good...just poppin' out forward.......


...But the side view looks SO big to me. Guess it doesn't help to be wearing a super tight shirt!! Check out the next pic for a comparison to my last pregnancy.

This was when I was 7 months pregnant with Dane! Not sure the exact # of weeks but it was probably pretty close to where I am now....but the size is definitely different!

Emma's Birthday

Dane's cousins from Vegas came into town this weekend and we celebrated Emma's 9th birthday at the American Girl Store/Cafe at the Grove in L.A. It was really fun. I have never been there before (I have all boys now), but we sat down to eat and they gave little Waimea a doll to borrow during the lunch (Emma brought hers). They even give the dolls a seat that attaches to the table and a tea cup. The food was pretty good and they gave Emma a cute pink/white birthday cake that they served with peppermint icecream in little garden cups with a fake flower coming out of it. Too cute. Then we let Emma pick out her birthday presents at the store (accessories for her and her doll) and we left after doing a little more shopping at some other stores.

I must say that even though we had a blast with our girls day (plus Dane) at the doll shop/cafe, I am still really glad that I am having another boy. People go all out on that American Girl stuff......and it doesn't come cheap! I can't say that in the future I might wish for a little of that, but for now I am happy with doing all the fun (and cheap) boy stuff that they enjoy. And I don't mind the extra laundry from dirty clothes everyday...I can deal with that!

The effects of the fires

I took this pic yesterday at sunset. You can really see some of the effects of the fire.....makes a beautiful sunset, but you can see how much junk it has been putting into our air. We hear the smoke has blown up to the Salt Lake area and even as far as Denver. Luckily the fire should be contained soon and it is now on the back side of the mountain. Since we live southeast of the area, it hasn't blown the smoke our way (thank heavens), so we just watch it from afar! Crazy, though!