Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Ok, Shirley, we understand that you LOVE ALL babies!

We have recieved TWO more boxes from The Drewes' this week! Doug and Shirley sent both of the Baby Einstein DVDs that I wanted and they came separately from everything else. They weren't here yet when we thanked you in blog last week, so THANK YOU for those also! :D

I started PT today. WOW! You use a lot of muscles in the water that you are not aware of! I'm a little sore and A LOT tired. But, that's good. We're strengthening my core to help my back, so the soreness means it's working.

Check back soon because I see the midwife tomorrow....36 WEEKS!!!!!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Physical Therapy and Protest

HEY! Thanks for keeping up with me! I've been blogging an awful lot, but I've had a lot to say the past few weeks! I hope everyone is enjoying the gift pictures! I'm trying to keep up with them as more stuff arrives. WHAT GREAT FUN! Thank you everyone who has participated!

The back pain that plagued me around the middle of my pregnancy, then seemed to disappear, well, it's back....and it's worse. So, my midwife sent me to physical therapy. I had my evaluation this morning. It went pretty well. Good news is that my abs are not spreading in the center very much! This is good because: one-it keeps my belly looking round and cute. Two-my muscle are more intact for pushing the baby out. Three-It will be faster and easier to get back in shape after delivery! So, it's good news that that's not causing my problems. However, my spine is curving in MUCH more than normal and the weight of my belly is making it worse. This is causing other muscles to compensate and become sore, which makes other parts sore too. PHEW....that was a bunch of info! Anyway, I begin pool therapy sessions on Tuesday. I will go twice a week until delivery and have other excercises to work on at home in between. I'm not looking forward to the drive to Portsmouth twice a week right at peak "tunnel traffic" time, but I'm sure it will help and, hey, I'll get a lot more use out of my maternity bathing suit! ;)

So, in all the mess of boxes showing up on a daily basis for the past 2 weeks, Frank and Ralphy have realized that some stores use too much packaging and it upsets them greatly. Wal-Mart will send 1 item in a box 5 times it's size and stuff it with paper or those airbag things. So, in the spirit of saving trees and other innocent wildlife, my dogs have taken it upon themselves to let Wal-Mart know just how much they disapprove. They sit in the boxes to keep us from taking them to the dumpster and Frank even gets physical with some Wal-Mart packaging. Here are their protests:
(the second one is a video. So, again, if you can't see it, click on it and you will be re-directed)




Also, I realized that I haven't posted new belly shots for a while, so here's one from Wednesday at 35 weeks!

P.S. Besides swaddling, Noah has also learned to change diapers! (Poor Frank)


More Boxes and Cards!

Thank you, Dysingers, for the towel set, sleepers and rattle! The wrapping was BEAUTIFUL, too!

Doug and Shirley Drewes, thank you soooo much for the toy set, bassinet sheet, "keep me dry" matress pads and a spare Boppy cover! We appreciate it and we miss you guys!

Thank you, Jason and Linda Drewes, for the Elmo's World DVD about PETS! That's an important one! We can't wait to bring Alistair to see you so we can meet Alex too!

Also, THANK YOU, Aunt Dorothy and Uncle John for washclothes, receiving blankets, Tigger outfit, carseat toy and sleepers! A lot of things we REALLY needed! We didn't have any receiving blankets yet and I was able to teach Noah how to swaddle! CONGRATULATIONS on your 3 BRAND NEW GRANDSONS!!!!!

I bought the sleep positioner (Gaby is pictured in) and a package of cloth diapers with giftcards from "Mumma" Centric and Aunt Irene!

OH! I got pictures from my mom that were taken when we were in Ohio in May! Thank you, Steve and Krista, for the adorable clothes and baby monitor!

LOTS of thanks to everyone who has sent cards, giftcards, and monetary gifts! Aunt Pat and Uncle Don, Aunt Bernette, The Bombergers, The Buchers, and The Kennedys (LOVED your note, Pam, Thanks)! Thank you all so much! This little one is going to have a WONDERFUL start in life!

ONE MORE THING: SPECIAL thanks to Gnu-Gnu (Noah's mom, Gail), who sent me the La Leache League book on breastfeeding and for being so supportive about my choice to breastfeed my boy! You're the greatest! And of course, I must thank my mom again and again for being on the other end of the phone about 7 nights a week when I have questions or need reassurance! Thanks to the two of you, the next 5 weeks will be bearable and the next 18 YEARS will be a FANTASTIC adventure!





Saturday, July 21, 2007

More baby shower and 34 WEEK UPDATE!

A food grinder and a set of clothes arrived yesterday from Gnu Gnu and Grand-dude! I'm so excited about making my own baby food! (no extra expenses, instant baby food right from the table!) THANK YOU!

Our stroller got here last night! Thanks, Dad Jim! WOO HOO! We're about set to go! :D

Last weekend, we went to Steve and Megan's house for dinner and they gave us baby gifts. I just got a hold of the pictures and I'm posting them too! Thank you, guys, for the bib, bottles and bathtime gift set!

We realized that it was probably not a good idea to be using all the baby stuff on the dogs, we were teaching them bad things. So, we've begun using Gaby, my Cabbage Patch Kid, as a stand-in for Alistair in order to teach Frank and Ralphy the things that don't belong to them. (so, when you see her, don't be alarmed that we still play with dolls, she is serving a VERY practical purpose) Oh, this is going to be a challenge, but it has been working so far with the carseat. (It helped that the carseat was not snapped into the base yesterday and Ralphy put a paw on it to sniff the doll and the whole seat toppled onto him. He doesn't bother it anymore.) They sniff the baby, then seem disinterested. I'm sure it will be a different story once there's a real squirmy baby in it, but I guess the trick is to start them early associating the baby's furniture as "off limits." They have always been VERY gentle with other babies (and toddlers) that have come to visit and I'm not worried. Alistair will just be another "puppy" to them, but they somehow always know to be gentle.

We went to see the midwife on Tuesday for our 34 week appointment. As always, everything looks pretty good. I had gained a little more weight between visits this time, but since it took so long for me to gain any weight in the first place, Ms. McGuirt did not seem alarmed. I have, however, been VERY thirsty for about a week, so she ordered another glucose test "just to be safe." She wasn't worried, but said that the weight gain combined with the excessive thirst could be a sugar problem OR they could just be separate symptoms. (No thanks to the recent heat wave). Either way, it's not too bad and I "shouldn't get my panties in a bunch." We visit again on the 1st (36 weeks!), then we'll see her every week until the lil punk is here! It is so surreal to think that we're already this far and Noah is already making arrangements for his August schedule at work for his "Daddy" leave! :D





Friday, July 20, 2007

UPS comes again!

UPS came AGAIN last night! God bless UPS, she came right in the middle of a fierce thunderstorm and had to make 2 trip from her truck with all the boxes!

New arrivals include:
-Bathtub from Uncle Dave and Aunt Trish, it came separately from the sleepers. THANK YOU!

-Leap Frog Toy and Temporal Artery Thermometer from Grandpap and Grandma Miller! I just LOVE those thermometers! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

-THE CAR SEAT from Dad Jim! HURRAY! Now, Alistair can come whenever he's ready, cuz we have a way to bring him home! :)





Thursday, July 19, 2007

A Gift from My Husband!

Yep! Even Noah got in on the gift giving fun this week! :)
He got me a digital camera! We've been talking about it for months and figured we'd get around to it sometime before the little punk is born so we would have nice pictures to share, but I kept putting it off. Noah wouldn't let me anymore, and came home today with a new Canon Powershot, which also takes video clips! All of the pictures from the previous blog (and every blog from here on) on were (are going to be) taken with my new camera!

P.S. Hey, Mommy, it takes AA batteries!!!!!!!

Here's a silly video clip I took when I was playing with my new toy! (If you can't view it here, just click on the place where it should be and you'll be redirected to photobucket viewer)

More Gifts!

The shower continues....
Here are some pictures of Noah opening gifts from The Brummer Family. The football, which Frank wants REALLY bad, and the bathtime froggy toys. Thank you, Ella, you did so good! (Give her a hug for me, Megs!)

Aunt Connie and Uncle Mike sent Scrapbooking supplies and a scrapbook, too! I think I have enough to get the whole first year done! And I've started the pages with his ultrasound pictures already! Thank you sooooooo much!!!!

The sleepers that Frank is posing with are from The Esh Family of the Eastern Shore! Thank you so so so much! (We needed those bigger sizes!)

We also recieved cards and monetary gifts from Grammie Esh, Uncle Tom and Aunt Peg (yes, you're gonna be GREAT Aunt and Uncle), and Uncle Dick and Aunt B! Thank you so VERY much!

You are all so thoughtful! Thank you for EVERYTHING! This has turned out to be a WONDERFUL WEEK!




Saturday, July 14, 2007

...And I still love technology....

I've added links to the left that will take you right to our gift registries! Just click on the one you want to see and you will be directed to it! Cool huh?! I'm geting the hang of this! ;)

I don't have any new pictures today, but I wanted to remind everyone to click on the expectnet banner at the top of this page and take a guess! There will be prizes for the closest answers to Alistair's birthdate, height and weight!

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Baby Shower!

We passed the 33 week mark yesterday and the shower has begun! Thank you so so so so so much to Aunt Connie for putting the whole AWESOME idea together for us! Most of you know how hard it is for Noah to get time off work and We REALLY appreciate your participation in the very NEW concept! Weren't the invitations BEAUTIFUL?! How many of you had a confetti mess on your floor when you opened it?! HEHEHEHEHE!! It was just like a "real" party!

And it is a REAL party in our house these days! Jennifer has become our "resident photographer." Thank Jennifer for all the new pics you're getting of us! ;) Shower gifts have started to arrive and we have been having SO MUCH FUN!!! We just can't wait until we have a human baby to use the things, not just fur-babies! ;)

Thank you's to the WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL Mildrew family for the ever-indispensible high chair! I love you and I've missed you!

Thanks, Mom, for, well, EVERYTHING, including the playpen/bassinet that Alistair will pretty much live in for the first few months!

And even more thanks to Aunt Connie and Uncle Mike for purchasing the Baby Bjorn Carrier! (Noah is esspecially psyched about this one!)

I forgot to take pictures, but Matt Vincent and Brittani Martindale (Who will be MR. & MRS. Vincent Aug. 4!) bought us 2 packs of boy onesies! Thank you for getting different sizes and I'm sorry about the problems at Wal-Mart.

Stay tuned, there will be MUCH more blogging as more stuff arrives and we visit the midwife on Tuesday!





Monday, July 09, 2007

A Child's Angel


Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. One day the little
child asked God:
"They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to
live there being so small and helpless?"
God answered him "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be
waiting for you and will take care of you."
"But tell me," asked the child, "here in Heaven, I don't do anything else
but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy."
"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And
you will feel your angel's love and be happy." God reassured him.
"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I
don't know the language that men talk?"
"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will
ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how
to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you, Lord?"
"Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."
"I've heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"
"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
"Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way
for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth
could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly
"Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
"You will call your angel, Mother"
~Author Unknown

Thursday, July 05, 2007

BEACHIN' BELLY!

IT'S SUMMERTIME!!!!!
Here are some shots at 32 weeks. 8 weeks to go! WOO HOO!