End of Pregnancy Musings

What I'll miss...

• Nora's love taps throughout the day
• The relative ease (though getting harder each day) of you coming along everywhere while in utero

What I know is to come...

• Feedings every 2-3 hours (which I'm getting prepared for now with very broken up sleep in these final weeks of pregnancy)
• Lots of diaper changes
• Lots of adjustments to life with an infant
• Physical recovery from either labor or c-section (which ever ends up being the means to the end)
• A flabby belly that I'll have to work on
• Watching what I eat again (yeah, I didn't care at all while prego:)) and probably joining Weight Watchers again in a few months

What I'm looking forward to...

• Two weeks of special family time while Brent is off work and we all embrace our new family and life together
• Maternity leave and flexibility of schedule as we all adjust to life with an infant again
• Getting to see what Nora looks like
• Gazing at a sweet baby face
• Seeing Luke as a big brother
• Seeing Brent as daddy to a baby girl
• Dressing Nora in all the fun outfits we've gotten
• Fewer (possibly no) trips to the bathroom in the night
• Being able to do the physical things I haven't been able to while pregnant...it's a long list...

Progress on Nora's Room

My wonderful husband has had a lot of fun picking out details for Nora's room. 

The wall color is Hawthorne Yellow by Benjamin Moore from Hirshfields, which we love.  And, he also picked out some adorable wall decals to add even more color and some fun to the walls.

Whimsical tree on changing table wall

The glider rocker we scored at a garage sale works well with the colors and other furniture.



A few of the animals that were supposed to go under the tree didn't fit due to the changing table,
so we put them under the window.

 

Another cute decal for over her crib: Sweet Dreams Baby

These were a little different than the tree since they are transparent other than the colored portions (hence some glare in the pic).

We are SO grateful to still have the beautiful crib and changing table (from R&J Wood Goods) that my parents bought us when we were expecting Luke.  They have been invaluable through our parenting journey and have held up beautifully!  We also still had the bedding that we used for Luke, which is gender neutral.  The only real changes we made to the room were painting and switching out the chair.  Brent's parents bought us a recliner when we were expecting Luke, but we've had it in our family room downstairs for a few years now and decided it would be nice to have a comfortable chair for rocking/feeding both upstairs and downstairs:) 

The only thing we're still considering adding are some curtain panels, but we do already have a roman shade so the window is covered from the sun in case she decides to arrive before they are purchased and hung:) 

Decals from RoomMates Peel and Stick Decor.

36 Weeks

At 36 Weeks, you are...

• Head down
• Weighing approximately 7 lbs 6 oz (per doctor's estimation -- he has 30 years experience so I believe him;))
• Keeping a healthy heartbeat
• Still very active
• Still due July 17 (there has been no fluctuation in due date from the beginning)

At 36 Week, I am...

• Keeping a healthy blood pressure
• Keeping my weight where doctor wants it for the final stretch
• 80% effaced, but not yet dilated
• Still hoping for a TOLAC (Trial of Labor After Caesarean) and successful VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) so long as you arrive before July 20 when we have a scheduled c-section if you do not come on your own
• Very excited to meet you even though I am still in denial that you will be joining our family very soon
• Getting excited about the final touches on your room (will post pictures soon)
• Having fun hearing all of the birth stories of friends who I've shared pregnancy with that have had their babies in June
• Having fun looking back on pictures from this pregnancy already...so fun to watch Nora grow!

Maternity Pictures

A few weeks ago (31 weeks pregnant) a friend of ours took some fun maternity pictures of our family at Essex Park in Rochester.  It was a beautiful night and the pictures will be cherished for years to come:)  We had only a few snapshots from my pregnancy with Luke, so it was fun to capture this pregnancy with Nora.  I've included a few of our favorites below.  Check out The Picker Family on Kodak Gallery link on the right side of our blog to view the entire album. 

Photos by Alima Images.

Cheap

Through the years, I've become more and more driven to find good deals.  Some of my favorite places include:

• Consignment Shops in Rochester - I'm telling you people, there are so many great deals to be had, some stuff is even brand new!  Plus, it's just fun perusing what they have and, the shops I love, are very well organized
• Kismet is my absolute fav - well organized clothes and fun home stuff
• All in Vogue has a huge selection and they regularly have coupons in the Olmsted County Journal for additional savings.  They even have a maternity clothes rack, which I've hit up a few times while pregnant with Nora.
• Children's Exchange - I only get there a couple times a year, but I especially love them for Halloween costumes, winter gear, and if I'm looking for something I know Luke won't wear much, but needs for something specific.
• TJMaxx - LOVE TJs!  I have especially loved it since they added the Home Goods area several years ago, but clothes/shoe/undergarment shopping is great too:)
• Outlet Stores - Medford Outlet Mall is only about 30 minutes away and it's got a great selection for adults and kids.  The past couple years we've gotten some great deals on clothes for Luke and there are some great options for men's work clothes too.  I've been shopping at Medford since I was a kid.  We typically made two trips per year as a family.  Great memories:)
• Savers - I don't get there often, but if I'm looking for something specific (i.e. a bed skirt, which I found for $2) it's a great place!  I get a little overwhelmed by the size of the store, but I've also found some nice baby clothes at good prices.

The newest addition to my list of favorites is garage-saling.  I'm certainly no die hard, but I've been enjoying it more this spring as I've been searching for baby items.  Let's be serious, infant items aren't used for long and the babies aren't hard on them so you can get some very nice stuff at great prices!  I also try to watch Craigslist and the Mayo Classifieds for some of the bigger items, but it's hard to be on the ball fast enough to get some of the great deals (I just missed out on a chair for Nora's room yesterday:().  Anyway, my greatest scores for Nora at garage sales include:

Exersaucer

Average retail $60

Got Nora's for $5

Bumbo Seat

Average retail $40

Got Nora's for $3

Infant Seat

Average retail $50

Got Nora's for $3.50

A few clorox wipes and a load of laundry and they are all ready for Nora!

I'm SO grateful we still have a baby swing, pack-n-play, jumperoo, 2 high chair options, crib and nursery furniture/bedding, Boppy pillow, and other miscellaneous baby gear from when Luke was a baby.  I didn't have a clue when I was pregnant with Luke how much all of this cost since so much of it was gifted to us.  We have been beyond blessed!!!

Getting Started

A few preview pics of transforming Luke's old room into Nora's new room:

I live with such helpful men:)

More pics to come as everything comes together!

Waiting...

From my last post, you know we're approaching 33 weeks of pregnancy with Nora.  This week I've started feeling a lot of antsiness (I'm sure that's a word;)) about getting things done before she arrives.  I cannot tell you how many lists I have started:  to do before Nora, do buy before Nora, to do after Nora arrives, etc.  Well, after talking with my lovely husband, who puts up with my lists and antsiness about the future regularly, I'm realizing the root cause of all of these feelings and attempts to prepare:  lack of control.  I know our life is going to be turned upside down once Nora arrives and my lack of control over that reality and lack of ability to plan for that reality have been leading me to make lists/plans for the things I can control.  Ridiculous I know, but it's my coping mechanism.  I know there is a level of being prepared that exists, like we need a car seat before she's born so we can bring her home from the hospital.  But I also know that if we forget something we are less than five miles from WalMart.  I may not feel up to a shopping trip after Nora arrives, but Brent could easily run to the store to get whatever we need. 

I'm also having a harder time with the unknowns of labor and delivery.  I don't remember having this anxiety while pregnant with Luke, but I didn't have any frame of reference the first time around either.  We are planning for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with Nora and have gotten no news from the doctor that we would be unable to try.  But still, every time we go to the doctor, I wonder if we'll learn something that would change our VBAC plans.

I'm also feeling strange as I wait for Nora.  I'm ready to meet our little girl and begin our "new normal."  In the midst of those thoughts, I'm also sad to see the 6+ years we've had with just Luke coming to an end.  Brent mentioned the other day that after Nora comes we will have a hard time remembering life before her.  I know that is true because I cannot remember life before Luke.  I don't want to wish our final days away as a family of three. 

All in all, I'm just not good at waiting.  I feel like I could/should be doing something to prepare for the changes ahead, but I'm trying to be content where we are in these final weeks before Nora arrives.  I am trying to embrace where we are: I can rest when I need, read a book when I want...pretty much take life at our desired pace.  Life with an infant will revolve around baby's feeding and sleeping and the rest of life fits in between somehow:) 

I think that about covers my rambles for the day.  It feels good to admit where I'm at, even if I don't have it all figured out:)

32 Weeks

At 32 Weeks you are:

• Head down!  The doctor confirmed it today at our appointment. One more positive on the path to a VBAC:)
• Causing your momma some indigestion.  I've had four bouts of unexplained upset stomach in the past two weeks.  I don't get any warning and I just start feeling sick to my stomach.  The doctor said it was probably due to my stomach and digestive system being pressed for space and Nora's movements that could be kicking my stomach and essentially pushing the contents back near my esophagus (which can lead to nausea).  It usually passes after a couple hours, but it hits me fast and pretty hard when it happens. 
• Busy, busy, busy!  Momma got a video of your thumpin around yesterday while my stomach was upset.  At least I can make the most of my resting time!

At 32 Weeks we are:

• Getting more anxious about all of the things we'd like to get done before you arrive.  In all truthfulness, it's momma who's getting anxious.  As usual, Daddy is not flustered at all.  That's why we make a good pair:)
• Feeling well educated after finishing the classes with took through pre-natal education:  car seat safety, pre-natal review, breastfeeding, sibling class, and VBAC class. 
• Looking forward to a busy June, which will most likely go very fast, then it will be about time to meet you sweet girl!

In the Middle

Tonight we were blessed with the opportunity to attend a service at Oakwood Cemetery to remember the babies we have lost to miscarriage.  Mayo's OB department, in conjunction with the chaplain and social work departments, holds a service twice a year for parents who have lost babies during pregnancy.  This was the second of their services we've attended and it means so much to have a time to remember our babies in a concrete way and to feel the community of so many others who have suffered a similar loss.  The service is held in the Aisle of Innocence, which is right inside the Oakwood Cemetery entrance to the right.  The small area is dedicated to the loss of babies pre- and post-birth.  It's really a special place if you ever get a chance to visit. 

The last time we attended was almost 9 months after our first miscarriage, which we lost due to a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in October 2009.  Tonight, I realized what a completely different place we are in today compared to two years ago.

Tonight, I was surrounded by my amazing husband and my precious son, while feeling the movements of our Nora in utero.  All of which were comforting, but it also got me thinking about our journey. 

We started trying for a family the fall of 2004.  After a few months of trying, I was already quite concerned for our prospects of getting pregnant due to my diagnosis of poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in 2001.  After a small intervention by my doctor, we were pleasantly surprised by a positive pregnancy test in June 2005.  We were expecting Luke!  June 12, 2005, our first positive pregnancy test, marked the beginning of our journey as parents.  We were beyond blessed when Luke joined us on February 16, 2006!

A few years after Luke arrived, we decided we were ready to try to expand our family.  So, in October 2008, we began trying again with reserved optimism.  We had no idea if it would take us close to a year to conceive again like it did with Luke or what the future would hold.

A year passed without any positive pregnancy tests, so we finally met with our family medicine doctor to see if there was anything we could be doing to help our efforts.  He started me on a medication that is thought to help women with PCOS in August 2009.  By October 2009, we were pregnant with our second baby!  The pregnancy had warning signs from the beginning, but we were still SO excited to be expecting another child after trying for a year.  On October 23, 2009, we learned that our baby had implanted in my left fallopian tube (instead of my uterus) and that my fallopian tube had ruptured due to the baby's growth.  I had surgery the same day to remove my fallopian tube and our very young baby.  Our second baby was due to join our family on June 13, 2010.

After recovering physically from surgery and beginning of the process of recovering mentally, emotionally, and spiritually from our loss, we were told that I should continue on the medication I started in August 2009 and that we could try again.  Trying this time was not filled with as much optimism as before, but even after our loss, we knew we wanted to expand our family.  So, we tried again, for about a year and a half.  We finally decided in the spring of 2011 to meet with an infertility specialist to see if she had any options for us.  After testing both Brent and I, she did not find any reason that we should not be conceiving.  This was good, yet confusing news.  Why had we had no success after another year and a half of trying???  The infertility doctor decided to increase my medication (by 4 times) and she was optimistic that we would conceive again.  After just one month of increasing my medication, we were ecstatic to learn in May 2011 that we were pregnant with our third child! 

We had been told after our ectopic pregnancy experience that we should be seen early in the pregnancy to be sure that this baby implanted in the uterus where it belonged.  So, even though we had no warning signs like with our second pregnancy, we visited the doctor about 6 weeks into our pregnancy.  He told us that our baby was indeed implanted in my uterus and that it was measuring 5 weeks in size and that he could not confidently see a heartbeat yet since the baby was so small.  He advised that we return when we were 8 weeks pregnant.  We returned at 8 weeks to learn that our baby had not grown past 5 weeks gestation and that it did not have a heartbeat.  Our third baby was due to join our family on January 6, 2012.

The loss of our third baby was completely different than the loss of our second baby in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Once again, after a couple months of physical healing, we began trying again to expand our family.  We were very surprised to have another positive pregnancy test in October 2011.  We were very cautiously optimistic with our fourth pregnancy.  We were afraid to tell anyone, but really most afraid to let the reality sink into our hearts for fear of losing another baby.  Unfortunately our fears were realized when we miscarried only a few days later.  Our fourth baby was due to join our family on June 14, 2012. 

The loss of our fourth baby was again very different from the loss of our second and third babies.  This time my heart was hardened and very little hope was present for the possibility of expanding our family.  But, we decided to visit our infertility doctor once again.  We felt like our situation had changed considerably in the past six months.  We had gone from years of trying with infrequent success in conceiving to two pregnancies and miscarriages in five months.  Our discussion with the infertility doctor in early November 2011 was focused on how keep a pregnancy rather than how to get pregnant.  Our doctor recommended that I start taking a baby aspirin a day and to use hormone supplements in hopes that the combination would sustain an early pregnancy. 

Low and behold, we had a positive pregnancy test just weeks after visiting the doctor.  By Thanksgiving, we learned we were pregnant with our fifth baby!  Did the medication changes recommended by our doctor make a difference in that short of a time???  All I know is that I was a nervous wreck.  We were scheduled for our first ultrasound at seven weeks.  I was so nervous the day of the ultrasound that our doctor thought I was suffering from morning sickness just by looking at my pale face.  We were SO relieved to hear the ultrasound tech say that she saw the heart beat!  In our thoughts, we were not out of the woods yet, but it was a step in the right direction.  We had another ultrasound at eleven weeks and once again got to see our baby's heart beat.  Our OB doctor was kind enough to schedule us appointments every two weeks until our anatomy scan at 18 weeks as he knew it eased our minds considerably.  On February 16, 2012, the day our first born turned six years old, we learned that we had a healthy baby girl on the way.  We couldn't have been more relieved.  Our fifth baby is due to join our family July 17, 2012.

Our journey has been filled with peaks and valleys and has taken far longer than we ever expected, but it has also brought us to the exact place we are today.  I do not understand why we do not have a nearly two year old (if our second pregnancy had not been lost).  I do not understand why we do not have a four month old (if our third pregnancy had not been lost).  And, it gets even more complex from there...if our third pregnancy had not been lost, we never would have experienced the loss of our fourth pregnancy and I would not be feeling Nora moving around inside me as I type today.  There are still so many pieces that don't make sense and many questions we cannot answer.  But our reality is that we are blessed with a six year old boy who has brightened our days even in the midst of the valleys, that three of our babies are awaiting us in heaven, and that, God-willing, we will meet our baby girl this summer. 

Someone asked me today if we would be done having kids after Nora is born...if I have learned nothing else from the past seven years, it is that we do not know what the future holds and that our best laid plans can take turns we never expected.

In memory of the babies we have yet to meet:

Baby #2 ~ Lost October 2009

Baby #3 ~ Lost May 2011

Baby #4 ~ Lost October 2011

31 Weeks

Mother's Day 2012

At 31 Weeks, you are...

• Still a busy lady!  This evening my stomach was feeling upset and your break dancing was not helping;)
• Are probably still lying transverse (horizontal).  I'm assuming this because the location of movements have been similar for the past few weeks and the doctor said you were transverse at our 28 week appointment (we have an appointment next week to verify)
• Well set for 0-6 month baby clothes.  I took an inventory last week of what we had for 0-6 month baby girl clothes, then filled in a couple gaps while garage-saling last weekend
• Able to claim a few of Mommy's stretch marks as yours as of last week:)
• Highly anticipated by your brother!  He talks about you everyday and cannot wait to meet you:)

At 31 Weeks, I am...

• Kickin' butt!  I exercised 5 of 7 days last week: several walks, water aerobics, and pregnancy workout class.  This is way different from my pregnancy with Luke when I didn't exercise at all.  I'm so grateful to feel well so I can continue to be active, especially with the beautiful spring weather we've been having!  I'm also looking forward to many walks with you in the stroller this summer!
• Have had my share of pelvic pressure, especially after I've been sitting for a while and then stand up.  But the good news is that it's intermittent and not every day.
• Have still been able to wear heels!  That probably sounds stupid, but in my mind it means I'm doing well physically.  When I was expecting Luke, I only had two pairs of shoes that fit and that I could stand wearing from much earlier in pregnancy.  I won't lie, I've been feeling the after effects of wearing heels more at 31 weeks than I did earlier in the pregnancy, but I can still wear them:) 
• Have had some swelling in my feet some days, but nothing bad at all
• Finding that standing still too much or bending over a lot wears on my low back.  I've been realizing it mostly when I help in Luke's class since I'm bending over the kids' tables a lot 
• Closer to making a car seat and stroller purchase...I just want to stop at the stores in town that carry them to be sure I like them in person since I've been doing most of my research online
• Enjoying having your company everywhere I go.  I love feeling your movements when I least expect it as if you're saying "Hey, don't forget about me".  It is also so fun when Daddy can feel your movements.  His eyes light up and he's always amazed at your strength and speed:)
• So grateful to have shared this Mother's Day pregnant with you and getting so close to meeting you!  After the ups and downs of the past four years of pregnancy hopes, losses, and waiting, we are overjoyed to be so close to meeting you!

May Day

May Day 2012 turned out to be a busy one!

We started the day with Luke's follow up eye doctor appointment.  You may remember from one of my March blog posts, that was patching his strong eye full time (pretty much from when he woke until about bed time) for the month of April with the goal of strengthening his weaker eye.  He did a great job patching, as usual, and was very patient with the longer days of wearing the patch.  Today we learned that it paid off!  His vision improved considerably and for the first time (that I can remember) he was able to see some of the 3D images during their testing!  This exciting news after about 9 months of patching prior (for 6 hours a day) that wasn't making any improvements.  Our eye doctor wants Luke to patch for another month, this time for 8 hours a day, to see if his vision will improve even more.  So, the patching will continue through mid-June. 

Playing with the hypercolor board in the waiting room at the eye doctor

Fun, random tidbit from our drive to the eye doctor today:  The topic of conversation ranged from who was the strongest super hero to why do people smoke.  Luke thought the strongest super hero was either Hulk or Thing.  We had a tricky time explaining how your body gets used to having cigarettes, but that it's also bad for your body to smoke them.  Deep thoughts for a six year old:)

At school today, the kindergarten classes had Construction Day (or in Luke's terminology: Destruction Day...he has a hard time saying construction and instruction, they both usually come out destruction:)).  They built buildings out of boxes, cups, and paper plates, made building plans for their construction projects, got to try out different building toys, and played with some levers that catapulted cotton balls.  Exciting, hands on fun for everyone! 

One view of Luke's construction project

Opposite view of construction project

Building plans for construction project

After school, Luke had his first of four Community Ed math class.  In his words, "The class was boring because the kids kept interrupting while the teacher read a book 'Once Upon a Dime'."  We're thinking bored was probably not the word he was looking for, maybe distracted or bothered??? Not sure, but we'll see what he says about the class next week:)

This evening we had another class (see, it was a busy May Day!) as a family with Mayo's prenatal education.  It was a sibling class that explains some of the realities of having a baby at your house, and what it will be like when Mom and Dad go to the hospital to have the baby.  They got a tour of the postpartum unit and got to see a brand new baby in the nursery.  They also practiced changing a diaper on a doll and swaddling a doll.  Luke said his favorite was the tour:)  We're very excited to see Luke in action as a big brother in just a couple months!

Diapering practice

Swaddling practice

T'was a busy May Day for the Pickers!  We're all vegging in our own way at home recovering: Luke watching a show, Brent with his Kindle, me blogging:)

28 Weeks

At 28 Weeks, you are:

• Busy as always, which I especially enjoy at night when I read in bed.  It's a fun time together when I get to relax and really feel each of your movements.
• Filling in the space in mommy's womb.  I can feel your elbows, knees, or whatever little part pushing against my belly and can give you a little push back:) 
• Measuring right on target and your heart rate is strong.
• Gentle to mommy.  I rarely feel any "zingers" as I like to call them (aka kicks/punches to the bladder, etc)
• Get lots of kisses from your brother.  Luke loves talking to you and kissing my belly.  He talks all the time about things we can do with you once you're born and as you grow.  He will be a wonderful big brother:)
• Lying transverse (aka horizontal) according to the doctor today.  Nothing to be concerned about for now, but we hope you move head down in the next month to get positioned for your arrival.

 

At 28 Weeks, Mommy is:

• Feeling good!  I feel the best on days when I'm active and the nice weather has helped with that:)  I also continue to attend my pregnancy workout once a week at the gym. 
• Getting big!  Most reactions to people learning my due date is of surprise that I'm not due until July.  I got that even more when I was pregnant with Luke, but thankfully I have felt great carrying each of you!
• Enjoying a few new favorite foods (especially on days I work):
• Breakfast from the cafeteria - 2 slices of toast, 3 slices of bacon, and whatever form of breakfast potato they are serving (a great, filling breakfast for only $2 and change!)
• Almost daily snack of an apple and cheese stick.  The interesting thing is that I've never been much of an apple eater, but they sure taste yummy now; and I never ate cheese sticks before (not a fan of cheese by itself). 
• Sleeping well, other than bathroom breaks of course.
• Gearing up for labor and delivery.  We finished our childbirth review classes this week and it was a very good reminder of the stages and how they went with Luke.  Even though Luke was delivered by c-section, we went through all of the laboring and even pushing, so I'm grateful to have that experience coming into round two this summer.  I'm also feeling very educated and empowered after our class and ready to meet you as soon as you're ready:)
• Putting way too much thought into the stroller purchase.  I really just want to get one stroller that will last us through your infant/toddler/early preschool years and that will be versatile to use where ever we need it.  I'm hoping Daddy will help narrow the selections down soon because I'm overwhelmed.
• Avoids bending over as much as possible.  The lowest shelves in the kitchen are no longer my friends and picking things up off the floor is left to the boys in the house if I can help it.
• Hoping for a mild summer.  Being that I was pregnant with Luke in the winter, I have no experience being largely pregnant in the summer and am really hoping it's mild so I can stay active and not swell too much.

From the Mouths of Babes

I've had a few good comments/questions from the kindergartners in my life recently about my being pregnant and wanted to document them:

Last week while I was at the gas station with Luke, a woman asked when I was due and chatted a bit about pregnancy.  After we got back in the car, Luke asked "How did that lady know you were pregnant?"  If you've seen me lately, you would have no trouble knowing I was pregnant just by looking at me.  I thought it was so great that he thought it was our little secret or something;)  Since this incident, Luke has mentioned a couple times after I get dressed for the day, "I still see Nora."  Love it!

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While volunteering in Luke's class recently, I had the typical "pregnancy conversation" with a table full of kindergartners:
One girl asks "Are you having a baby?"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Another girl asks "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
Me: "We know she is a girl."
Another kiddo asks "Do you know her name?"
Me: "Yes, her name is Nora."
A sweet boy, who had heard this entire conversation asked with a confused look on his face, "How do you know her name already?"

Keep in mind, I volunteer weekly in Luke class and this was the first time any child had asked if I was pregnant...funny in itself since they are eye level with my growing belly:)  The remark from the little boy got me good though.  I'm not sure if he thinks babies are born with name tags on or if the baby should tell us her name when she comes out, but I loved the innocence of his question:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All I can say is I'm glad none of the kiddos in Luke's class have asked where babies come from or how she comes out.  I'll leave that education to each of their parents;)

For Consideration

Thankfully we don't have to purchase much to get ready for Miss Nora since we kept as much baby gear as possible from Luke.  But, this does not mean that the few purchases we need to make have been easy (we can be pretty indecisive as a couple:(). We've hemmed and hawed about the car seat and jogger for a while, now I'm looking for your input.

We are looking for a reasonably priced, sturdy, jogger stroller, recommendations?  We were not very impressed with the selection at Babies R Us in Rochester.

We would really like to get a Chicco KeyFit Infant Car Seat due to the reviews and ratings we've seen for safety and ease of use.  Have you used one?  Your personal review?

We're contemplating paint colors for her room as well.  This is not stressing me as much, but I have a hard time shorting through the color swatches that look virtually the same.  A "creamy yellow" is the color I have in mind, now we just have to commit to one:)

Considering some colors with the wood and window treatment

Bedding

Close Up of Bedding

I appreciate your input!

Spring Break Highlights

Luke had his first spring break from school this past week.  He was certainly a stay-cation for our little man full of lots of fun!

Monday - Day at daycare with friends, the first day in quite a while that he was able to spend an entire day at daycare with his buddies.

Tuesday - Went to the Blue Gma's house in the morning for a two day stay.  They colored eggs, made sun catchers, played games, went on bike rides, went to the park, and kept VERY busy!

Wednesday - With Gma the all morning doing much of the above until I got off work and met Luke and Gma for lunch and a trip to TJ Maxx. 

Thursday - Morning at home with Mommy, then Color Me Mine in the afternoon with Gma & Aunt Bridgy (first time for everyone but me)

It was Luau Day at Color Me Mine, so Luke got a tattoo, lei, and sunglasses when he got here.

After painting our pottery - Luke's penguin pencil holder, my piggy bank for Nora, Gma's blue pot, Bridget's watering can

Thursday Night in our front yard

Playing a combination of La Crosse and Hockey with Daddy

Friday - Ethan spent the day with us and the boys kept busy, busy playing inside all day!  They even got to play that evening at Ethan's house so Brent and I could see Hunger Games.

Intently playing Legos on the kitchen table

Saturday - Got up early to help out at the Chop Drop (mega egg hunt that our church co-sponsored where eggs were dropped from a helicopter for the kiddos).  Luke went early with me and we got to ride a trolley from church to the high school where the Chop Drop was done.  After the morning at the Chop Drop, we had lunch with Greg, Cally, kiddos, Gma & Gpa at North Mr Pizza then they all hung at our house for the afternoon.  Saturday evening we went to the other Papa & Gma's house for dinner and an egg hunt. 

In the trolley on the way to the Chop Drop!

Checking out the goodies in his basket from Papa & Gma, including a tooth fairy pillow.

Checking out his loot from Papa & Gma's egg hunt

Flying his new helicopter from Bridget & Ross

Sunday - Went to church, then headed to Faribault for the day to celebrate with Kesters/Howells (Brent's mom's side of the family).

Looking for eggs on another hunt at Mary & Mark's house

Playing with empty eggs with his little buddy, Basil

It was a fun filled week for our little man, with lots of family time, lots of egg hunts, and lots of later nights than he's used to.  We've got him to bed early tonight to get back on the school schedule.  Only two months left of kindergarten for Luke...SO hard to believe! 

Pre-Nora Goals

I'm highly driven by productivity, logic, and time.  I've been thinking lately about some of the things I'd like to get accomplished before Nora is born, and figured a blog post would be a good place to document.  A few of these are obvious getting-ready-for-baby tasks, but others are things that I know would get pushed to the bottom of the priority list once Nora is born...I have a feeling we'll be kind of busy come late July;)

• Agree on a paint color with Brent and paint Nora's room
• Purchase a car seat and stroller
• Get a video of my belly rockin and rollin from Nora's movements:)
• Make a dent in organizing pictures, blog posts, and memorabilia from Luke's life so far.  I've got it mostly in chronological order now, but would like to get it all documented in one place.  This is a HUGE task for me.  My type A personality wants it to be perfect, though I don't actually believe there is a "right" way to do it either.  Thankfully I have some wonderful friends who are coaching me through the process of simply getting started!
• Strip then re-stain the dresser in our bedroom.  We got the dresser unfinished as a wedding gift and only put a clear varnish on it then.  I'd really like to freshen it up with a colored stain and new hardware.  What's stopping me?  Ability.  I don't know what I'm doing and would either need someone to walk me through the process, or find someone to do it for me.  If you know anyone, I'm open to suggestions!
• STAY ACTIVE!  The pregnancy program I was in at the gym is finished so I'm feeling less motivated to get to the gym as much.  Plus, it depends on the day if I have the energy to exercise too (recently, I seem to have a few highly productive days a week and intermittent lazy days).  Thankfully, I can still work out with a group of prego ladies at the gym one evening a week, which is at least something.  I've also been getting a couple walks in a day at work.
• Reread On Becoming Baby Wise.  We read this book while we were pregnant with Luke, and it was a big help in keeping Brent and I on the same page with baby's schedule, etc. 

I think that about wraps it up.  I have no doubt that all the other little details will fall into place.  Feel free to ask me about any of these at any time to keep me accountable:)

Six Month Appointment

We had our six month appt today to check on Nora.  She is doing great, all measurements are showing that we're right on track for her growth, and she is a very busy little girl.  Her heart rate was 146 (consistent with other appts), my blood pressure was good (also consistent for this pregnancy), and my weight...well, we'll that to your imagination;) 

We'll head back in a month for the blood sugar screening for gestational diabetes (standard test) and another visit with the doctor. 

So far we (the doctor, Brent, and I) are hoping there will be no need for induction and that nothing will impact our plans for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) come July!