on with my lists...

what's in HER bag?  (in no particular order)

i packed her bag as i would pack a diaper bag minus a ton of diapers and plus a ton of clothes.  here's what i keep in our diaper bag: 

here's my new diaper bag that i picked up for free at a clothing swap! 
it's cuddled nicely in our new car seat that i also got for swapping some clothes... 
i love people who think like me!!!!

1. clothes.  i packed the bag shortly after the kidney stone / delivery scare, and i was at 36 weeks... so i was optimistic enough to think that she MIGHT fit into some newborn clothes.  and i haven't taken them out, but i did add a 0-3mo. outfit or two...  usually i carry around one extra outfit.
2. a pacifier.
3. wipes.  we don't use them at home, but we sure do in the diaper bag!!!
4. meds.  (gas drops, tylenol, ibuprofen.  we obviously won't be using them on such a little tot... but they're always in my bag!)
5. burp rag.
6. diapers (about 5) and 1-2 covers.
7. a plastic bag to wrap the wet or soiled diaper in.
8. a changing pad.
9. nursing cover.
10. an extra nursing bra. 
11. nursing pads.
12. an extra shirt for me in case i leak on my shirt.
13. some safety pins.
14. an extra diaper clip.
15. fingernail snippers.
16. baby/toddler entertainment.
17. a little pad of paper.
18. the nose-sucker-outer-thingy.
19. diaper cream.
20. nipple ointment... which also works on diaper rash, and dry skin, and lots of other things!
21. baby blanket (i actually still have to dig these out and pack some!)

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

the beginning of my lists

list numero uno:
what's in my hospital bag?  (in NO particular order)

1. dum dum suckers.  my doula -last time- said that some mom's find a pressure point at the roof of their mouth that when they suck on dum dum suckers in a certain way, that pressure point is pressed and relief is felt.  we bought a bunch of dum dums for jones' valentine cards, so i thought it wouldn't hurt to try.  ---i won't think of them as "desserts" though!  ;)
2. hard candy = lemon drops.  in case my mouth gets dry.  lemon will surely pucker it back up and i LOVE lemon drops.  ---again, not as a dessert though!
3. lavendar oil.  it's supposed to be a calming and relaxing scent.
4. laptop.  to update friends and family with news and pictures sooner than after i leave the hospital.  ...since we don't have a phone that's any smarter than a phone.
5. birth plan.  i didn't mention march 29th in it, but that's also in my plan. 
6. some soft cozy socks and some not-skid slippers.
7. warm robe or sweater (still haven't packed)
8. lip balm.  i've always packed this because everyone recommends it.  i've never used it... yet.
9. pen and paper (still not packed.  unsure that i will.  but i do have a pad of paper and pen in my purse... and i'll most likely have that with me.)
10. camera, batteries, and cord.  (i'm going to try my darnedest to get that out the door with me, but i CAN'T put it out there already!)
11. shampoo and conditioner.  thank goodness my honey just took a trip so i have some convenient travel sized containers to pack!
12. a book.  heaven is for real.  just in case...  when i was in the hospital with starboy there was the swine flu (H1N1 virus) going around.  the hospitals had completely changed their rules for NO KIDS to visit and only IMMEDIATE adult family members.  it was a lonely stay.  i could've used a book!
13. rolling pin or tennis balls or rice pack.  i went with the rice pack.  and i MADE myself a cute new one out of some old dinosaur jammies of jones.  it says "bad attitude" on it.  :)  ---the hand rails at the hospital all are a PERFECT height for my lower back, so no rolling pin needed!  and the only tennis balls we have have dog drool all over them and i won't touch them with anything other than my shoe. 
14. an orange. 

conveniently my hospital bag was tipped over in the back of "the thingamajigger" (our van),
so you can see its contents fairly well this way! 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

prep prep prep

so i guess i need to start making preparations for this little one's arrival.  you know, now that she's due to come any minute...
last week i packed my hospital bag and her new little diaper bag i got. 
i have her car seat ready.
i'm making a phone list... if you want to be on it, email me your name and number and i'll call you sometime after she's born.

also, i need to write down a good agenda or "what we do" planner, so that my kids can stay in their routine as much as possible and hopefully nothing gets overlooked (like picking up jones from school each day!)

i never got around to getting to the grocery store peeled my butt off the couch and went grocery shopping this week.  but i was thinking, "man, if i have this baby and someone comes over to take care of the kiddos... they're not going to have any idea what to feed the poor starving children." 
so... on to my next "prep" step.  tonight i'm going to take my menu for the week, go shopping to double most items, hope that i'm able to make them all, and get some food in the freezer.  in case i don't (make it 'till next week), i'm going to post my menu WITH the recipes printed out right next to them for my kid-watch-helper-person.  how's that sound???
now... if that sounds a little too controlling, i need another plan for the next week's menu / grocery run.  what do you suggest?!  i'd love to be able to just completely stock my refrigerator and freezer and pantry... but we live on a budget.  our pantry is stock-able (and usually is stocked fairly well), but what about perishable food?!  whenever i buy just "stuff"... things go to waste and i HATE to waste food!  i need ideas people...

and then, what else?  what else am i forgetting to plan???

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

40 weeks

How far along? 40 Weeks

Total weight gain: i'm now up 5 pounds from last visit and that just doesn't make sense because i'm eating less and less...  but whatever.  my appointment was an hour later than usual and i had a big sweatshirt on.  those are the only variables that i can think of.  so, that brings me up to 23-33 lbs gained and up to about 53-57lbs over what i should be as a normal healthy 30-y-o woman (that isn't pregnant). 

Maternity clothes:  still yes and it seems like i'm hanging out of them, but they don't fit right.  they are kinda big up top... and then not quite long enough (somehow).  i guess she's hangin' low...  and as for the pants, they just won't stay up for the life of me!!! 
Stretch marks:  i think i spotted a new one on the side, but now i can't find it again.   Sleep:  fine.  i sleep.  we got some new bedding and i like the comforter.  it's all comfortable.    
Best moment this week:  getting the sneak peak at my maternity photos.  well... the photo session was really awesome too.  i guess maybe it was a tie.  it was RAD that i got to see the pictures just hours after taking them...  i mean, do you know ANYONE ELSE that has had that speed?!   
Miss anything:  gumption.  i had some on tuesday and it was SO NICE to not have my butt glued to the couch all day.  i need to find some more.
Movement:  she moves when she wants to.  she rests when she wants to.  i just love this little bun in my oven and can't wait to meet her!   
Food craving:  just desserts and i'm pretty sure that's 'cause i'm fasting from them.
Anything making you queasy or sick:  not a thing. 
Gender: girl
Labor Signs:  several contractions each day, but sporadic and completely irregular.    Symptoms: no more heartburn, some contractions every day, a large and heavy pregnant belly, sore back from the large and heavy belly, cervix pain with the contractions if i'm up on my feet, energy loss, butt-hook, shortness of breath, and complete lack of motivation... but nothin' worth complaining about.
Belly Button in or out?  did you see any of my maternity photos???  it's out!
Wedding rings on or off? on. 
Happy or Moody most of the time:  moody this week.  the girls ask me each night to sleep well so i'm not so grouchy tomorrow.  :( 
Looking forward to:  make it through another week to prepare my body and mind for this delivery that's coming up.  i'm SOOOOOOOO looking forward to meeting my little growing buttercup!!!!

and here are the dr's stats:

i'm dilated to about 3cm, still 75% effaced and soft/ready.  the little one is stationed at a -3.  her heart rate was at 145 today.  she guessed i'll naturally go into labor within the next week... we'll just wait and see though. 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

gratituesday : teachers

teaching is a gift.  not only is it a gift to those who learn from the teacher, but it is a gift that the teacher possesses.  teaching is a spiritual gift.  if you don't know about spiritual gifts, here are some passages in the Bible you can read:  we find gifts addressed specifically in four major portions of Scripture: 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14; Romans chapter 12; Ephesians chapter 4; and 1 Peter chapter 4. 
today, i am grateful for those who use their spiritual gift of teaching.  i am thankful for teachers! 
recently, i met with some teachers to discuss my boy: jones. 
we had some issues with jones when he started kindergarten, but i could back up and say that we've always had issues with jones.  he is a wonderful and unique little boy.  he has been a handful to say the least.  he's also been so much FUN! 
here's a brief overview on jones:

• he's so loving.  he loves.  he's very compassionate.
• he's very sensitive.  i mean this emotionally, but also sensory.  he's sweet to think of others and their feelings.  he CARES with he sees others hurting or crying.  but also, he's very sensitive to sensory things like light, sound, feelings (different fabrics and such)...
• he likes attention, whether it be positive or negative.
• he respects his daddy a lot.  he has a pretty good level of respect for men in general.  he knows he's a boy and he looks up to men because he knows that's who he's supposed to be some day.
• he likes things to go one of two ways:  either as planned, or as HE'S expecting.  those might coincide, but not always.
• he has an issue with anger.  he gets angry. 
• he gets obsessed with things.  he always has.  when he was really little (around starboys age) he LOVED sticks and balls.  for his 2nd birthday we gave him a giant gift bag full of an assortment of balls.  he was SO HAPPY!  he also LOVED and still really prefers the color orange.  when he was littler it wouldn't matter what it was, but if it was orange he would be drawn to it.  he would take it, hold it, observe it, and then carry it around for however long.  he would always dress in orange.  he just LOVED orange.  after balls, he became completely enthralled with dinosaurs.  he LOVED anything and everything to do with dinosaurs.  then it was tools.  now, he's expanded his love for things to more broad spectrum and i don't know if i could label his current "love"... but the connection of all these obsessions is that when he's obsessed with something he's very easily distracted by them or anything that is associated with them.  when he's in his little trance it's very difficult to "bring him back" to reality. 
• he's aggressive.  he's so much "all boy".  he's rough and tough.  he loves sports.
• he doesn't really like to try new things. 
• jones' personality is kinda an oxymoron.  [he's totally this... but on the other hand, he's really that...]

anyway, all this to say...  what we've found out by meeting with the teachers and such is that he's a good kid.  he's "normal".  he's very smart.  very friendly.  he interacts well with others but also plays independently very well.  he's got a lot of aggression, but in the past few months he's been able to channel that aggression in the right way by himself.  his anger is simmering down and he's becoming a very adapted young man.  i'm so proud of my boy for the growth he's had in the past 6 months.  he's such a fun kid to parent.  i love him so much!  he's the boy any dad would love to call his, and such a loving sweet cuddling mama's boy as well.  all that, AND he's so darn CUTE!!!!!

but anyway, what i wanted to make this post about was my gratitude for teachers and specifically those teachers that took the time to meet with us and talk with us and spend time with him and get to know him.  mostly though, i'm so thankful for his kindergarten teacher who cares and loves on jones every monday through friday all morning long.  she really does care for him and she really does love him.  i love that and can't appreciate her more!
thank you jones' teacher!!!!!!

jones gets wrapped up in things and has very "good" selective listening.  he'll focus in on something so "well"

in december our issues became flaring and we (otter pop and myself) got worried.  we continued to trust in God, but we scheduled an appointment with his teacher, the school counselor, the school psychologist, and the principal to talk with them about what THEY thought about our boy. 
it was a great meeting. 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

monday menu #8 for 2012

this week we will plan as well as possible.  i should make doubles of whatever i do make, to re-fill my freezer because last month we ran out of grocery money and had to start digging into those delicious meals i had made for post-baby time.  i've been reassured by friends though that we won't go without food (post-baby)... so i'm not worrying.  however, whether or not i'll actually double the meals... we'll have to just wait and see.

here's my menu for the week:

• meatloaf with sliced bakers and granny green beans
• chicken tortilla soup
• egg salad sandwiches with chips --i've actually never had egg salad sandwhiches before, much less made them, so if you have a great recipe... one that can't be beat... leave it in the comments.  my hubby said he LOVES egg salad sandwiches. 
• sloppy joes (made with my bbq sauce) with green salad or ceasar salad
• yogart chicken bake (tweaked with yogurt instead of mayo) with mashed potaters and ... hm... how about carrots!?!
• cheesy chicken and rice casserole
• 4-ingredient pizza bake

i'm thinking several of those should be VERY easy to double... but the last three items are new ones...  hmph.  maybe i'll just chance it!  like i said, we'll see....  we'll see....


Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

sneak peek

i had my maternity photo shoot yesterday and i am beyond excited to get to see the pix, the babe, and share them all with you.  i had an awesome time.  it was so fun.  we went to this perfect outdoor idaho location.  and she got some amazing shots.  it really really was so fun.  i love taking pictures!  i am so excited and really can't wait, but i'll have to and until then... here's a mini peek-a-boo into what the photographer got when she dropped me back home:

wolfie was at a babysitting job, but that's alright because i can't picture her posing for any of these shots with me...  i'll have to ask her tonight and see if we can add another just for memory's sake. 
memory... hm... that's a pretty name!

if you're local and pregnant, i really recommend you looking into birth photography and hiring this photographer.  she's a strong christian who has recently discovered her calling in photography = birth photography.  it might be an awkward thought at first... but if you think about it (and go to some sights -click on the first "birth photography" link in this paragraph- to see how amazing it is), i'm sure it won't take you long to realize that it's an awesome investment in order to capture a miracle of a memory that can't be honestly captured by anyone other than an outsider.  when you're birthing your babe, it's completely inconvenient to be taking pictures!!!  and if you request your husband, or personal family take them... they're not only missing out on the memory (because they're behind the camera), but they're missing in the photos too!  i'm so excited to have this opportunity to have buttercup's birth be preserved by photography by a great gal who's amazing at what she loves to do!!!!! 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."