"Peanut" - The Self Fulfilling Nickname

We started to call the baby "Peanut" pretty much immediately when we found out I was pregnant in February. Our original plan was to not find out the sex and I couldn't stand to think of us ever calling the baby "it." Well it seems that our little nickname is quite appropriate for our little guy!

When I went to the OB on Wednesday, the doctor measured my belly as she does every visit. I was still measuring the same I had for the last 3 weeks so she wanted us to have an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok. Fortunately everything was fine. He is just a little tike! He is measuring about 5 lb 6 oz now. We were able to see that he has a lot of hair on his head too. It also confirmed again that the kid has abnormally large feet. Below is a picture of his chubby little toes : )

When Dr. Blake checked me, she found I still wasn't dilated at all. We have really been surprised by this. After all the restrictions, we never dreamed that I would be doing so well. I have started to wonder if all the restrictions were even that necessary. But it really doesn't matter. Peanut is healthy and that is all that matters!

Well I NEVER thought I would be here!

September 19th, 2008. I am 36 weeks pregnant. Still at home. Going on week #2 of running around after 2 nearly 2 year olds pretty much on my own for the first time in 10 weeks. And not dilated ONE BIT!!

We joked that this would happen. After all the precautions we took, we would then make it all the way to a scheduled C-Section at 39 Long Weeks. Now without doubt, this is by far the best situation for Peanut. We are actually going to see what a nice, plump Non-NICU-livin baby is like! But I am not gonna lie. I am over being pregnant. I have felt every minute, hour, day of the last 36 weeks for sure! A little dilation.....just a fingertip....would be so satisfying : )

I took some things for granted with my last pregnancy. Who would think that there were positives to just being on bed rest for 12 weeks in the hospital?? Here are a few I can think of:

Rest: One of the comments I hated the most when I was in the hospital was "Enjoy your rest while you can! You won't get to when you have your twins!" I only heard that 10 times a day. Anyone who has been on bed rest in the hospital knows that is is anything but restful. You have people coming in and out of your room at all hours of the day and night. You have absolutely no privacy, so good luck getting any rest! That being said. I wouldn't mind a day in bed even if it meant having a person come in every hour to stick me, take my blood pressure, or stick a thermometer in my mouth!

Lack of Mirrors: The only mirror that I had in my hospital bathroom was a little one above the sink. Since I am so short I could only see from the neck up. In fact, the first time I saw my full body was in a dressing room a week after I had Ethan and Ella. The mirror in our bathroom seems like a funhouse mirror!

Lack of Movement: Since I was on bed rest, I didn't have to move around much. I pretty much laid down and got up occasionally to go to the bathroom and that was the extent of my activity. I never knew how hard it would be to drop something and have to bend over with a bowling ball sized belly to pick it up again. Or how it would be to try to sqeeze between the dining room chair and china cabinet and not be able fit. Hell I was in a handicapped room with nice wide doors. I could have gained 200 pounds and still fit everywhere!

Temperature Control: I never knew how true it was about it being absolutely awful to be pregnant in the heat of the summer. Granted I was last time too, but it was in the "comfort" of the hospital. I cranked the air down as low as it would go. Once I was put on mag, Eric brought his dorm fan to my room. I had that baby on high aimed right at my head until the babies were born. My poor visitors had to dress in layers to keep warm! Now I actually have to pay for my air conditioning bill, so sadly I can't set the thermostat on 60 degrees. And although I am happy I get more than a 15 minute wheelchair ride outside each week, it wasn't fun when it was 90 + degrees outside!

So here we go on another week. I have told Eric is is not allowed to tell me I can't do anything if I have made it this far without dilating. I am still another week away from starting to sprint around the block.....

One Last Honey-Do*

This weekend Eric started to tackle my last big thing on his pre-Peanut Honey-Do List. Not really anything that big...... just to build the kids' birthday surprise.....a swing set! We thought that would be the perfect gift for them since they love to swing and slide. And with a newborn, going to the park may be something pretty tough for us to do. Going to the backyard, on the other hand, it right up our alley!

Yesterday Mimi and PaPa came over to have a work day and watch the VOLS play on TV. The kids really had fun trying to help Daddy and PaPa with the swing set. They got a lot done yesterday in spite of the heat and football breaks. Unfortunately it won't be done this week since Ike decided to come visit us today. Looks like we'll have another weekend of swing set building in our future!

*I reserve the right to reneg on this at any time I see fit.

Super Nester!

After 67 weeks of pregnancy between Ethan, Ella, and Peanut one fact has become apparent. I stink at being pregnant. My doctor even says so! It may actually be written in my 5" thick file in her office. I mean come on....I spend half of the time on some type of bed rest. I have killed a small forest of trees with all my EOB's I get from the insurance company. It literally has taken the whole family to help with child care, house work, and to keep me in good supply of comfort food.


Well I have officially found one part of pregnancy that is meant for me. There is one phase of being pregnant that I absolutely ROCK at. It is made for an often described "anal-retentive" person. Yes - I am SUPER Nester!!!!


Saturday night I woke up at 4 am and couldn't go back to sleep. Suddenly it hit me. I don't have to stay in bed anymore!!!! So I got up and off to work I went. I worked on an art project for Peanut's room, surfed the net for Ethan and Ella's birthday presents, went through all of Ethan and Ella's fall clothes to see what they still need. When I went back to bed at 7, Eric asked what I did. I didn't get much of a reaction when I told him. When he got up and saw all the paint supplies, etc, he knew I wasn't joking and immediately came to tell me I was crazy. I told him that this was a clinical condition and he couldn't give me any grief! In the last few days I have finished Ella's baby book, planned Ethan and Ella's birthday party, shopped for their presents, reorganized cabinets & closets, and got stuff ready for our church consignment sale.




Ella decided to help Mommy when I was cleaning out her closet. At one point she had on her swimsuit, her new tennis shoes, and her favorite Monkey robe from her cousin Melissa! She was so proud of her style! Ethan didn't want to put anything on. In fact, he went through a "britches strike" most of yesterday. Good thing he has such a cute bootie : ) Of course when I pulled out the camera, he had to come over and saw "Cheese!"

I am so excited to be able to do all these little things that will help make our house ready for when Peanut comes home. Sure we would have been fine if the house was a wreck, but I am thankful that we don't have to. Now maybe I will feel like I can relax a little when we are all finally at home together......right ; )

Speaking of all of us being together. We had a good check up yesterday. I am 50% effaced, but I haven't dilated yet. Unfortunately we had a little scare with his heart again that landed me in the hospital for a couple of hours. Everything is ok. They were concerned because his heartrate was dropping and speeding up. They wanted to make sure he was getting enough oxygen and that there wasn't any cord compression. After monitoring me, they decided he was fine and sent me on my way. I have another appoitnment next Wednesday and feel confident that we can make it until then. I am officially done worrying about when Peanut is born. Of course every day we can keep him in my belly is better, but we are in a good place now. Now we are just ready to meet the little guy!

34 weeks YEE HAW!!!

Today is the day I have been waiting for for a long, long TEN weeks!!!! I am 34 weeks today and off ALL RESTRICTIONS!!!!! Woo hoo!!! If it weren't raining here, I would go running around the block (Just kidding Mom don't worry. I don't have the energy for that....yet ; )

It has been a very long Summer. Every week going to the doctor and wondering if this was the week that I would go to the hospital. Thankfully God spared us from that!

Nana and Papa have taken Ethan and Ella for a couple of days to spend in Paris. I miss them desperately, but am taking advantage of the free time. I am almost done with Ella's baby book. Hopefully I can get it done before Peanut comes then I will be caught up.... on baby books at least!

Daddy School

We just enjoyed a wonderful 4 day weekend with Daddy. Eric took Friday off too so he could help me a little with the kids. The kids are always excited to have more Daddy Time.

Daddy decided to make the most of his time with the kids and spread some of his infinite wisdom. Eric has a wealth of....how shall I say.....interesting knowledge. He can spout off football players, positions, stats, scores from 30 years ago. He can tell you the every single minute detail about every Tennessee VOL game he has attended or watched. We focused a good deal of our opening weekend teaching the kids some key phrases. They mastered "Go Vols," "Touchdown," and "Go Big Orange." Yellow has officially been replaced as Ethan's favorite color by big Orange. Unfortunately, all our cheers couldn't bring us a victory, but we are sure we will be ready to do it again next game.

Another thing Eric worked with Ella on one night was the bones in the body. This knowledge most likely stems from Eric having broken, sprained or bruised most of his. They had a very good time when he quizzed her about where her metacarpals, femur, and and phalanges were. She laughed and thought it was one of his most fun games yet. Maybe she will do something useful with this knowledge and become a doctor instead of an accountant......

ps...I added more pics from last month to the slideshow below : )