thirty-five weeks + five days

Monday was another sonogram and it was basically as uneventful as the last several have been. The weight estimate was 5 lb. 14 oz. so as far as I'm concerned, Hazel can come on out anytime. You are supposed to be 36 weeks along to be okay for delivering here in Quinter, but if she was born today, for example, we could just round up. :)

It's actually kinda fun to be surprised as far as when she comes -- knowing that it could be as early as Nyla, which was 36 weeks + 4 days (that would be July 5th), or that it could be as late as 40+ weeks (July 29th or later). Never have I thought surprises were all that great, but I think this pregnancy has desensitized me. Whatever happens, whenever she comes, it doesn't seem like something to get overly dramatic about. I don't even care anymore about things like having a bag packed for the hospital or what we'll do with Nyla when I go into labor or whether the crib is ready or whether I'm mentally prepared or not. Regardless, all of that will get worked out and none of it is a big deal in the overall scheme of things.

Lately, a lot of people have been asking me if I'm ready for her to get here. I'm not sure I'm ready for childbirth and a new baby and all that having 2 children will entail, but regardless I am definitely ready for the next stage in this process. I am thoroughly over being pregnant and all the drama that has come with it. ;) I am 100% ready for a change and to get the next phase of our lives going.

So... Any guesses for when Hazel will make her debut? Or her birth weight? Nyla's birth weight at 36 weeks + 4 days was 6 lbs. 2 oz.

cool dads

  I am pretty pleased with our Father's Day cards this year. 

This is the one that Nyla gave to her daddy.

Cards can be cheesy or boring sometimes, but these personalized cards are kinda fun and you can more adequately express what you want to say. 

I made them on tinyprints.com and there were soooo many to choose from.

The cards for my dad and Tyler's dad were actually from Nyla too.

  This is the front of the one she gave to Grandpa Paul.

This is the front of Grandpa Kenny's.

I wanted to share these long before Father's Day in case someone else liked the idea and wanted to order some too, but I didn't want any of the dads to see their cards ahead of time! However, there are many occasions throughout the year where cards are given so you can always try it out in the future. I might get addicted to it myself.

thirty-four weeks {give or take}

 In this photo, I was thirty-three weeks + one day.

If I was still in the hospital in Wichita, I would have been induced tomorrow. Can you imagine?!  I’m so thrilled that, against the odds, I’m here in Quinter right now and that Hazel has a chance to incubate a little longer. It’s hard to imagine that I should be going on 9 weeks in the hospital. I have heard from a friend I made while I was there that doctors there have referred to me as "the one that escaped." What a blessing that I get to be that person. :) 

Since I’ve been home we’ve gotten to do so many things that we wouldn’t have done if I were still in the hospital. Like going to church, multiple friends’ barbecues, the local Waldo McBurney 5K Walk/Run (no I didn’t actually do the race) and we’ll finally be visiting my family this weekend. We got Nyla smoothly transitioned to her "big girl bed," and Tyler has had the opportunity to play his guitar and sing in church, as well as to work out at the fitness center in the early mornings. Probably none of that would have happened if I was still in Wichita this whole time.

So the medical update is pretty uneventful. I’ve been having weekly doctor appointments and weekly sonograms since I’ve been home. The fluid level has been 10+ centimeters every time, cervical length is always what it needs to be and I’ve hardly had any contractions at all lately. And definitely no leakage.  Also Hazel has grown plenty from week to week and always measures within a day of her due date.

I assume that probably one of the least important things that the sonogram shows is her estimated weight. And I know it can be way off, but it’s still one of the more interesting things to me that I always want to know. One week ago she was 4 lbs. 4 oz. and today she is 4 lbs. 12 oz. So she gained the textbook amount of 8 oz. in one week, and that’s about what she’s been gaining since I’ve been home.

I am feeling a little rough over the last week or so. I’m struggling with allergies a lot this year and every week I find out at my appointment that I’m still a little dehydrated. Plus I am getting so uncomfortable this time! I do not remember one single time being uncomfortable or having a hard time getting around when I was pregnant with Nyla, all the way up until the day she was born. But this time I have been moaning and groaning with every move for a few weeks now. I’ve gained less weight than when I was pregnant with Nyla, so I guess Hazel’s just in a different place and putting pressure on organs and bones in a different way than Nyla did. Or maybe it’s just the fact that I’m 3 years older than when I was pregnant with Nyla. ;) Who knows…  

Since Nyla was born 3 ½ weeks before her due date, we are hoping that Hazel will come at least a little before her due date. Otherwise, all things considered, this will be the longest pregnancy I could ever imagine. I really want her to be born before my doctor goes on vacation when I’m 38 weeks. If I haven’t gone by then, I will be nervous because I bet it will happen while she’s gone. But who knows, maybe it won’t. 

From what I understand, childbirth with Nyla was about as easy as it gets. I wouldn’t be worried about labor and delivery at all if I knew it would go like last time (I think the kidney stone I had 6 months later seemed worse). The only thing I worry about is the fact that if it doesn’t go like last time, that probably means it will be more difficult (which even though it was "easy," it was as hard as I'd ever imagine it to be). But being different could also mean that I get an epidural this time (or at least some sort of drugs), which would definitely be an improvement. ;) When I went into labor with Nyla, I woke up about 4:00 in the morning wondering what’s wrong with me, but not suspecting labor (I was having some pain and bleeding and throwing up), so I called the hospital and talked to the doctor and basically laid in bed and thought about it for an hour (if it really was labor I thought that was like an all-day process and that the first kid never came much before the due date). The doctor told me to come to the hospital, and when I got there I was already dilated to an 8 and Nyla was born less than 30 minutes later (the pushing part lasted about 10 minutes out of that). As long as I don’t sleep through the majority of my labor this time, which I’m assuming is what I must have done last time (unless it really did happen as fast as it seems), then I will try to be much more conscientious and aware so that if I notice any possible sign of labor at all, I will drop everything and get to the hospital immediately. Good thing it’s only 2 blocks away. :)

stepping stones

Nyla is officially in a "big girl bed." We just set it up Saturday morning, and even though I wasn't going to suggest to her to sleep in it yet, Saturday afternoon she took a good long nap in it - about 3 1/2 hours! I wouldn't normally let her nap that long but she had an early morning and I knew she'd be up late last night.

The onesie above Nyla's bed was my favorite one that she wore as a newborn. Guess I'm gonna have to take it down soon so Hazel can wear it!

The last two nights she also slept in her new bed and didn't fall out. 

Last August we had converted Nyla's crib to a toddler bed and now we have been wanting to get her transitioned into a twin bed before Hazel is born. We'll need to convert the toddler bed back to a crib and we wanted Nyla to have time to get used to a different bed before Hazel shows up.

On another subject… Here are a few things Nyla has said to us lately that we either thought were funny, or that we just want to remember so I’m writing them here...

I said this on Facebook awhile back, but don't think I ever said it here… One day Nyla was examining how my belly is getting bigger and then a few minutes later I was in the bathroom and she came in and started laughing, then said, "Mommy! Your bottom is getting bigger too!" Thanks a lot, Nyla.

I guess when she tattles on me, it’s going to be by first name. Last week she said, “Daddy, Jamie won’t give me anymore oranges…” Then a couple minutes later she said, “Your name is Jamie Breeden (she laughs). That’s funny.”

Nyla usually doesn't say anything when we pray before a meal, but recently she folded her hands and whispered, "Thank you Jesus for the Bible. Amen."

Nyla’s speech has gotten a lot clearer over the last month or so, plus you can have a more complete conversation with her when she responds with little things you normally wouldn't think about. Or maybe they're just more grown up things to say. For example:
Me: “Oops, I spilled your blocks.”
Nyla: “Oh it’s fine, Mommy. It's okay."

I know I have some better examples and at least one other funny thing she said, but I just didn't write them down fast enough before I forgot! In any case, let me assure you her mouth never stops. She will find a way to fill in every nook and cranny of quietness. And if you don’t respond immediately to every little statement, she just gets louder and louder. She also says things like, “Sorry, Mommy,” “Okay, Mommy,” “Thank you” and “Thanks, Mom” so much more than necessary. I don’t know if she thinks she’s funny or what, but sometimes I just can’t even think with all the talking!

Something else I could write about is potty training, but we’ll save that for its very own dedicated posting. Right now it just involves peeing on the floor of every room, peeing inside the refrigerator (no, I'm not kidding) and a couple people observing that she seems about impossible to train. ;)

here comes summer

Grandma Cathy and Nyla at the farm

I'm sure she'll learn soon that it's not a good idea to put your face up that close to the end of a hose.

Yes, I know it's just a baby bull snake. But I still don't want it in my garage and on its way into my house! Tyler was working in Oberlin that day so his boss here in Quinter was the lucky one that got to come over and retrieve it. Everyone seemed to be worried about me going into labor from the excitement. :)

Grandpa Paul and Nyla taking a break while installing Daddy's new shop door

Getting ready to plant some flowers

The farmer's tan has appeared.

 She wanted me to take a picture of her backside. Sure... why not...

Lovin' this beautiful weather

thank god for country girls

In the spring, at the end of the day you should smell like dirt. ~Margaret Atwood

Helping Daddy set fence posts

A girl and her dogs

3 booties

Do you think Nyla minded she was tromping around with a big load in her pants?

Unfortunately, no... Not one bit.

See Cash in the back of the truck? His only job was to keep the rattle snakes away, but you can see how much help he was.

I was actually doing something besides taking pictures the whole time (helping line up the posts, among other things, like dealing with poopy pants), but really wasn't in the mood to have myself captured on camera. Can you believe just a couple weeks ago I was confined to bed rest in a hospital?! 

Nyla was oh-so "helpful" with hammering...

and shoveling...

and tamping.

At one point Nyla rubbed dirt on herself and said, "See Mommy, I'm wearing my work clothes." In some ways it's great that she doesn't mind getting dirty (I don't really like to be dirty) and in some ways it's not (her performance at the dinner table can be ridiculous sometimes, and poopy diapers are getting really old). So far, she's really not afraid of bugs either. She just wants me to "smash it." Me on the other hand? I'm not afraid of most bugs, but ticks give me the heebie jeebies (and smashing them is not so simple). Don't even think about suggesting I keep one attached to my head an extra 15 minutes till we get back to town.
Yuck.