Swim

The gals were in swimming lessons for a couple of weeks.  I was hoping that they would be more independent that they are, but it is a start...

Parents aren't invited to watch until the last day, so I relied on their daily reports to hear what they did and learned each day.

I was hoping that they would be more independent swimmers after that length of time, but they are jumping in.

To Do Before Due

The weeks keep ticking by...about 7 weeks now.

I have a little list I'm working on putting together so I can check off items before this little gal arrives.  I fully intend to school up until she decides to come out and play, but I'd like not to have a lot else on my plate the last few weeks, so the time is growing short even faster.

I need to pack hospital bags for me (and Justin--since I need to be sure he has food and a meter with him this time) and one for the kids with things to keep them busy and fed for awhile.

I want to clean out our upstairs freezer.  It tends to be where leftovers go, so if they get forgotten, they may languish there.

I want to sew a pair of baby shoes from a pattern I picked up.

I want to fill our freezer with several more meals to have after baby comes home.  One can only eat spaghetti (even with homemade sauce) so many times.

I want to do all the prep work on her birth announcements so I can put them together quickly.

I want to stock up on some of the things a household needs to run, so I don't actually have to remember to buy toothpaste for a month or so.

And Justin has to put the carseat in.

I think the bags and carseat are our only needs at the moment, so we're in good shape!

Visiting

Justin picked some really great friends when he was in high school.  One of the fellows and his wife are especially dear to us.  They are homeschooling their little brood too.  The have three little girls about the same age as our munchkins.  Actually for a very brief while in late August and early September they are stair steps, so this year they will be 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3...then all of our guys have birthdays and catch up.

five of the six munchkins

The mom and I talk and message back and forth.  Our oldest girls have even been pen pals the past couple of months.  Now that we are in Tennessee and not out in the plains, we try to see each other a few times a year.

We had the joy of visiting with them this past weekend.  The kids played in their pool, got out the dress up clothes, and pulled toys out of the far reaches of the play room.  We chatted about parenting, schooling, churches, and played a game of Risk.

We are grateful for the friends we have been given!

More than a Trim

I gave Kate a hair cut.  She didn't want it done, but after trying to get her to take care of it, or at least letting me take care of it, I had to do something.

I cut about half of her length and removed all the old layers from her previous hair cut.

She didn't appreciate it, but it is so much easier to care for and hopefully she'll find that as she takes care of it short she will gain the skills over time to care for it as it grows.

And my child who can't let anything go made this from the trimmings:

She calls it her twin.

30 Weeks

I haven't written much about this pregnancy, not because we aren't very excited, but because I haven't written much about anything and because it has been...obstetrically boring.  Which is a very good thing.

I saw one of the midwives this past week (for a 30 week check-up).  I've been making my rounds because it is a really big practice.  I think there are some part time gals I haven't met, but I've found some favorites and I will likely try to see them the rest of the pregnancy.  The midwife I saw this time is older, and for the first time one of them looked at my history and actually took it seriously that we may not make it to the hospital in time.  She told me to buy a shower curtain to contain the mess!  She said I will been seen weekly starting at 36 weeks because of the rapidity of my past two labors (Gabby's was 90 minutes from the time my water was broken and Nate's was 60 minutes total), but that for now I, "couldn't be more healthy,"  so I won't be seen for another 4 weeks unless something comes up.  Midwife care is awesome--typically I would be seen every two weeks at this point, but it is pointless given my health and history.

Justin and I also took the hospital tour.  It is an overwhelming place, so I'm glad we went to get some sort of idea where we're going.  If it weren't for the midwives, we definitely would choose a different place, but we'll hope to do a 24 hour discharge and spend as little time as possible there!  We had a family from our church volunteer to watch the munchins for us.  They even took them out to dinner, so they ate better than we did that evening.

We are grateful for a strong, healthy baby girl (heart rate 145 BPM), and we look forward to meeting her soon-ish!

Friday Funny

Kate (to Nate & Gabby in the van): If we all talk really fast, we can fill this thing up with hot air and fly!

The Fifth

We had delayed our Independence Day plans to the 5th, since we ran up to visit my parents at their cabin on the 4th.

Both days were really rainy.

We were able to eat some veggies from our garden

with dinner (the cucumbers and squash).

 Justin also made funnel cake.

The kiddos got to hold morning glories in the drizzle--they were tickled.

 

Friday Funny

Nate: I want the couch down stairs.

Me: We're not moving the couch downstairs, buddy.

Nate: I'll move it.

[Nate heads upstairs.  Much grunting ensues as he tries to move the hide-a-bed sofa on his own.  Then he heads back down to get his toy hack saw.]

Nate: I'll cut it apart!

Me: How will we put it back together?

Nate: [thinking] I'll use band-aids.

Me: I don't think they will hold the couch.

Nate: Tape!

Me: That won't work either.

Nate: Can I have some glue, please?

Getting Ready

I tend not to be a procrastinator.  So we're 11 weeks from our due date and I have very little left to do as far as baby goes--I guess it helps that there was never a lot to do in the first place!

We bought a carseat, since I had a coupon that was going to expire.  After reading a lot of reviews on the quality of the fabric used to line the less expensive choices, we went with a higher weight allotment, so baby girl doesn't sit in something that makes her uncomfortable.  That may also buy us enough time in Nate's current car seat that we will move him to a booster--we'll see.  I'm not in a huge rush to put him a booster.

I bought her a coming home outfit.  Since she'll be living in hand-me-downs almost exclusively for the first year, I thought she should have something all her own.  We have a special blanket for her, as all the other littles have had their own.  My mother got her a lovey--the others all have different styles/colors of the same toy, but they aren't made anymore, so hers is different.

I think the only big thing I have left to do is pack hospital bags.  We have to move rooms, so I'll have a bag for L&D and a bag with our going home clothes and  all packed separately so it can be brought up later.  I also need to pack a bag of distractions for the munchkins, so that they have something to keep them busy and fed.  Justin will wait to install the carseat until 'term' at 36 weeks or so, even though we don't expect an early arrival.

I keep wondering if I'm forgetting something, but I don't think so.  She has carseat, diapers, wipes, and clothes.  There is a Moses basket (and eventually a crib) for sleeping in.  We have all sorts of baby toys, an infant tub, a pack & play, a bouncer, a swing, a jumper, a high chair, two booster seats for the table, and a boppy--all things we don't need but have from before or were passed on by a friend.

Now we just need the baby!