G'head, guess.

Guess who wondered if pre-term labor was starting yesterday. Had a number of signs.

Guess who discovered last night it was just a case of stomach flu.

Guess who's been walking around with a bucket all day.

At least the bucket hasn't been used. Phew!

Pregnancy Update! :)

I got good news at my midwife appointment this morning - baby is head down! Yay! I'm so thrilled. I had wondered last night as it felt like baby was in a different position but I couldn't be sure that was head down or head up considering that for days before that the baby was transverse. I felt like I was wearing a "baby belt" with the head under my right elbow and his/her behind just to the left of my belly button.

My midwife says that the baby shouldn't move back but this has been such a strange pregnancy I feel like I should be prepared for anything. I have my next visit with her in two weeks and my next ultrasound the first week of June. That doctor will check the placenta, cord and baby's growth again and we'll be able to see again what position Baby D is in. In the meantime, I will continue to see the chiropractor that has been doing the Webster Maneuver for me once a week.

I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous now when baby moves. Before I would cheer baby on "yeah, yeah, keep moving around, woohoo!" Now when I feel it shift I put my hands on the sides of my belly and utter something more like "Don't you dare!"

Public Service Announcement

Many of you are aware of adding a contact in your cell phone named "ICE". ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and should list your emergency contact in the event that you are in an accident or something and cannot answer questions yourself. I recently stumbled on a blog that takes ICE one step further. The entire post can be found here (second PSA - while I love this blog if you go wandering around there outside of this post consider yourself warned - LOTS of language!).

In short, the author who happens to be a paramedic states that the following information is much more handy:

The patient’s name (that would be the phone's owner)
The patient’s address
The patient’s date of birth
An emergency contact name and number
Any medical conditions the patient suffers from
Any medication the patient habitually takes
Any allergies the patient suffers from.

Since my phone is capable I entitled the entry "Julie R* ICE" (under "I" in my contacts, the actual entry contains my entire last name I just don't put it on my blog) with the notation "this is my phone, my info:" and added my own picture in case there's a doubt as to who's phone it is.

So there you go. Now you know, go put it in your phone.

A week or so ago Rob asked what I wanted for Mother's Day. I told him that I couldn't think of much since every day feels like Mother's Day. I am one lucky lady to have such a great husband. He goes above and beyond taking care of our family when I don't feel up to it which seems like most days lately. He cooks, he cleans, he helps with the kids, what more could I ask for?

Well, I was able to come up with two thoughts. A gift certificate to one of my favorite online stores for knitting supplies (Knitpicks) or a pedicure. I've never had one and have really been wanting one lately for my poor feet (which I can barely reach these days). To my surprise Rob got me the gift certificate for Military Spouse Appreciation Day on Friday then this morning the kids delivered me cards and presents in bed one of them was the gift certificate to the spa in town for a pedicure. Wow!

Even without them I felt so blessed today. My kids one at a time came into my room and gave me something they had chosen. Gideon brought me a lovely Mother's Day card. It had Elmo on it. Naturally. :) Zion brought me red carnations. They look beautiful on my mantle. Gabe brought me a little black and white stuffed cat. He still tries to comfort me about losing Spot. I'm just bursting with love at this point.

Then Rob takes the kids downstairs and I get to shower at my leisure. Meantime, Rob is downstairs making the most wonderful french toast using cinnamon bread. Oh, yum, it was SO good.

After breakfast we head off to church. This was lovely since I've been missing lately for a number of reasons. And the church service was lovely. I received yet another red carnation for being a mom. The pastor had the moms all sit and everyone else stand and any one who wanted to was invited to pray over the moms. Service was also a bit shorter than normal and I can't say as I'd complain about that given my comfort level when it comes to sitting in upright chairs these days.

After when we picked up the kids from children's church we found Zion hysterical. Apparently they had gone outside for story time (I failed to mention that it was also gorgeous today, the weather was darn near perfect - thanks God) and she saw a worm. She says it touched her but I can't be sure. She was shaking and sobbing and freaked out if anything at all touched her skin. I've seen her flip out over bugs but not like this. I couldn't even get her shoes on because the second the shoe touched her she panicked. Poor thing. I had hoped to go home and just grab sandwiches and let the kids play outside but given her current state we decided to go out to lunch instead. Perhaps the distraction would help.

Not so much. I barely managed to get her shoes on in the van at the restaurant and I believe it was only because of my veterinary technician training and my experience in animal restraint that I was. In the restaurant and once seated she immediately removed her shoes and remained skittish the entire lunch. She didn't eat. She jumped at each brush of cloth on her feet and legs and cried that there were snakes. It was still a pleasant lunch but I wavered from feeling bad for her and feeling annoyed by her. We went home for an immediate nap.

I let her borrow the little black cat that I'd received just that morning thinking it would distract her into sleep. Later I heard her crying though. I went up and she was bunched up against the head of her bed upset about bugs and snakes again. I laid her down and told her that is why I gave her the little cat, because cats eat bugs. A quick reminder to stay quiet so she doesn't wake Gideon and I leave her. It must have worked. I didn't hear from her again until it was time to get up from nap. She asked to sleep with the cat again tonight. I may never see it outside of her room again. :)

Shortly before Gideon and Zion woke up I laid down for a little shut eye myself. As Sandra Boynton and The Bacon Brothers would say, I was feeling snoozy. (If you have not heard the music CD Philadelphia Chickens it is a must have for moms of young kids!) Rob got the kids up while I was down and Gideon saw fit to come join me for a bit. He's my snuggle puppy (another Sandra Boynton reference).

Once we were all awake we played outside for a bit. Gideon went straight for the water table before we had a chance to roll up his sleeves of course and soaked himself up to his elbows. Gabe and Zion started out on the swings. Zion was doing a lot better but still having flip outs over bugs and snakes. I refilled the suet holder and bird feeder and then sat on the patio swing for a while. It was still gorgeous and warm. A wonderful end to a wonderful day. I couldn't have asked for anything more, it was pretty much perfect. I feel so blessed.

Flippin' Baby

This morning I had my third Webster Maneuver to try to get the baby to turn. I am now seeing a chiropractor who specializes in this technique and we are hopeful that we have started when baby is still small enough to turn head down. At the very least the pinched nerve that I've had in my hip for months now, despite my visits to my regular chiropractor, has found relief. Phew!

Baby D does seem more inclined to be active. I have told him/her to feel free to move about the cabin. :)

I'm starting to lean toward declining an external version if Baby D still hasn't turned come June. A version can be forceful and distress the baby and since the umbilical cord isn't the strongest I wonder if it's too much risk. So, I pray. I pray that the baby will turn on its own unless the risk is too great. God knows what is going to be the best birth for my baby. Feel free to pray with me.

And don't forget to vote if you haven't already. :) The poll is located in the right hand column underneath Baby D's photo and blurb.

This Day

This day I woke up at 7AM (despite my alarm not going off) in plenty of time to have a calm morning getting the kids and I off to MOPS. No rush, no stress.

This day we had plenty of time after MOPS to get Gabe to the bus stop on time and it was sunny while we waited.

This day Gideon screamed for more than an hour after putting him down for nap (I checked on him multiple times to calm him but each time he got upset all over again when I left). Still wondering about those teeth.

This day I had a great story time with Gideon and Zion on the couch. It turned into a physical play time with each wanting to be lifted repeatedly above my head.

This day we shared a yummy dinner of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, corn and bread. Yum.

This day I read something funny that I wanted to share with my mom. Only on this day, one year ago, my mom died.

This day I also turned 32 weeks with this baby. I wish I could share that with her too.

Randomness and Family Fun

I am hanging out in my favorite spot at home. That would be the recliner love seat. My spot is the seat on the left. Just about everything I need is within arms reach here. Remotes - check. Phone - check. Knitting - check. Laptop - double check. Snacks - check. Drinks - check.

I'm munching on guacamole flavored tortilla chips that we got at Costco tonight.

I've got a poor man's heating pad on my back which is killing me. I would like to put my belly down for a while. I love feeling the baby move but I don't love the muscle strain. Ouch.

I should probably not go to Costco again until this baby is out. And likely until this baby is weaned ('cause I'm a starvin' Marvin when I'm a nursing mama).

Lemonade season has officially started in our household. I make my own. Somehow that makes me proud which is silly since it has all of three ingredients and takes about two minutes. But still.

I love lemonade!

Lemonade does not love me. It's the darn pregnancy heart burn. Ugh!

I can't help myself. I drink it anyway.

Zion is hysterical when she talks about shopping. I have to get it on video soon.

Gideon has been running a low grade fever the last few days and his diapers are atrocious. I'm hoping it's teething. Really hoping. Because GI issues with him scare me a titch. I just always wonder if it's another allergy coming up and the great allergy chase is starting again. So let's hope it's teeth.

But that did offer us a chance to stay home on Sunday and have church at home and have a little fun. Gabe dipped into the "fun sticks" and pulled out the one labeled "electric train". The fun sticks are craft sticks (like Popsicle sticks only bigger) with activities written on them (don't tell mama you're bored or you just might have to pick a stick). Interestingly enough he ALWAYS ends up picking the electric train stick. It's my least favorite and I nearly always end up telling him it's not a good time. But yesterday it was a good time. Yay!

Gideon hadn't actually seen the train yet. I guess it has been a while since we had this train out (mind you, we have numerous other train sets that are always out).

Today wasn't so bad either. I'm trying to ease us into the habit of not having the TV on until after Gabe gets home from school. It's my bad habit to click the TV on PBS when we come down stairs in the morning and I start getting breakfast ready. That doesn't mean that it won't ever get turned on in the morning but I'd just like to be more mindful of the decision. Today having the TV off after breakfast prompted a sibling coloring session.

Zion lovers her markers. Washable of course.

Gabe drew a treasure map. After they finished coloring they went on a treasure hunt around the house. I don't know what the treasure was ... or if they even found it, but they had fun. :)

Gideon seems to have found a color he'd never seen before.

Speaking of Gideon. He was a bit grumpy today. To top it all off he woke up from nap before he was ready. Typically when that happens he just needs to cuddle. Sometimes he needs to cuddle and have his milk cup. Today I got up to get his milk cup and he followed me to the kitchen where he saw Zion shut the pantry. He freaked out. I kept asking if he wanted his milk because typically all he needs to know is that his milk is coming and he's fine. Nope. Not this time. Then Zion moved the stool. The little stool on which the kids often stand when they are helping me in the kitchen. He wasn't going to use it or even near it but it upset him even more. He followed Zion around the house screaming in devastation. He could not be distracted. So I brought him back to the pantry where it all started hoping that a snack in addition to his milk would do the trick.

It did. Sort of. All he wanted was Spaghetti Os. *sigh* He cannot be swayed. No other snack offering will do. Luckily I had some Spaghetti Os in the fridge from the other day so it was just a matter of a few seconds in the microwave and he was happy as a clam. As a pregnant woman I know all about weird cravings. I must be rubbing off on him.

Last bit of randomness, I have an appointment on Thursday for something called a Webster Maneuver. This is done by a chiropractor and is intended to help flip this baby head down like it's supposed to be (though it often requires more than one visit). Hoping and praying for a good result!