40 weeks/rag quilt/I think I'm gonna be pregnant forever

I am 40 weeks pregnant today, and still have no baby. Somehow the thrill of belly shots have completely left me, so all you get are rag quilt pics today. I have my last appt today (which I TOTALLY) didn't think I'd have). I thought the baby would be born by now. Anyhoo, A couple months ago, Michael bought me a sewing machine for my bday/mother's day. Well I very courageously opened it almost the next day and...ready for this?? THREADED IT BY MYSELF! This is a big deal. Sewing machines scare me--bobbines, thread, all of it, but I did it. I won't mention how many times I had to watch the "how-to" video, but I did it. Unoforunately, that's where my ambitions left me until last Sunday night when I googled easy sewing projects for beginners and found a rag quilt pattern. I printed it off and headed to Mayes first this Monday morning, and by Tuesday night, I was done! Brenda came and supervised while I started the actual sewing, and even sewed 2 of the colulmns together (oh and held the reverse switch 'til I got the hang of it) and then I did the rest. It was fun, satisfying and I'm so glad to know how to do something domestic. I'm hoping to learn more and more and be able to teach Kandace how to sew one day. My neice's bday is in August so her mom sent me a pic of her room so I could make her a rag quilt that matched her bdrm decor/favorite colors. I really wanted to use the machine before the baby came and keep myself occupied. Looks like I'll need another project...here's some pics of it step by step

The finished product!! (With my very beautiful model)

mormon missionaries

I was just outside watering my flowers in some very hot weather when I heard a voice ask me how I was. I turned around and saw 2 mormon missionaries passing my house on foot. I said "fine, just watering my flowers." After they asked if there was anything they could do for me. I immediately thought how bad my lawn needed mowed, but thought it was way too hot to make them do that, so I said "No, but thanks." They then told me to have a nice day and went on their way. I'm recording this because I want to remember how wonderful it felt to be in their presence and have a short conversation with them. Its been the best part of my day. I'm SO very grateful for missionaries around the world trying to share the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They are great examples to me, and I could feel their spirit just by talking to them and loved being uplifted.

Mustang days 2011 and 39 weeks

Yesterday was our big day of festivities for Mustang Days. We actually kicked things off Fri. night at the western sugar park where Michael and his class had their 10 year (WHAT??) reunion bbq. Then Sat. morning was the parade.

I was so proud when Michael's float went by and I saw my big handsome husband up there with his friends. So glad he's mine. After that we had yet another bbq at the park for the reunion, this time with kiddos in tow. It was fun to get together and see old friends. Amazing how time flies. Mine is next month. I'm 39 weeks now and so excited for the most part. I have a little anxiety about things, mostly my 1st attempt at a natural delivery and having 3 kids to take care of and not just 2. Michael is taking 2 weeks off work which will be so helpful. Michael and I went and met with my doula last Thursday right before my 39 week dr. appt. I told her I was worried because I don't have a set method for pain managemnt (hypno-birthing, non-fucused awareness, etc.) and she said she thinks I'll do great and that we'll try different things and do whatever feels best. She's confident in me because I've been reading a ton and asking lots of questions via email and when we meet. I was also at her beautiful house last Tue for a picnic involving a bunch of moms, midwives, doctors and doulas. Melanie is trying to start a ripple effect in ideas about birth. She wishes that our generation and all the ones to come would view birth as a beautiful, wonderful thing and not some excruciting horrible event (like it is for some). There was a doc there from Jackson who is going to start a birthing center in conjunction with the Powell hospital, so I thought that was really exciting.

Anyway, I am so very happy that Melanie is going to be a part of this and am hoping for a great experience. Here's pics of Saturday.

Stetson conquers toddler level

Stetson passed! We're proud of our boy and mom is VERY glad to not have to sit in the sauna anymore. Thankfully Michael took Stetson a couple times when he was home so I didn't have to go every time, but it was fun to watch him.

Later that day we had a mini reunion at the park in Lovell. My friend Kendra is back in the area so her, Heidi, Shayla and Nancy and I got together to visit. It was fun and great to see good friends. After that I had my weekly dr appt. Nothing to report, which I should be grateful for. :) Everyone's asking me how long my1st 2 pregnancies were so I can guage if I'll go early/late with this one. Well Stetson was born 2 days before my due date, and Kandace was induced because Michael had medical school interviews the week of my due date, so I don't think I have that great of an idea when I can expect to go into labor, BUT I think I've been having some contractions or braxton's hicks, especially at night which gets my excited.

Fathers

I have always loved father's day. I love it because I have a great dad. My dad played a pivital role in my life. I have SUCH fond memories of my childhood with me and him. Its amazing how he made time for me and for all my brothers. I always felt like a princess. I always knew I was loved. Our ward had a daddy/daughter dinner once and they took pictures of it and I am absolutely BEAMING in that picture. I need to find a copy and scan it, because I love it. My dad is so charismatic and most people seem to like him and enjoy his personality.

Right after we moved here, my dad's aunt, Emma Lou Meeks was in the nursing home, and we'd go visit her almost every Sunday evening. This is one of many ways I learned service, was through his great example. He tenderly and very patiently talk to her and asked her questions about her past and about his mom (her sister) who I never met. I've learned so many other life lessons through him. Henry B. Eyring said love is spelled T-I-M-E. SO true. This is how I knew I was loved. Thanks dad for being the kind of dad you were to me.

Now I do have another reason to celebrate father's day, and that is because of my great husband. The kids and I made a list of reasons they love him today. Kandace's 1st answer was "Because he loves me." Stetson said things like "because he plays tic-tac-toe with me." Kandace also said she loves her daddy because he takes her to primary. I love their daddy because he is such a great dad. So hands on. He does all the same things I do for them. Michael's brother spoke in our sacrament today and said some touching things about Michael's great dad, Stan. This is a WONDERFUL man. I could not ask for a better father in-law or grandpa for my kids. He is patient, soft spoken, hard working, non-judgmental and so much more. One of my favorite things Christian said was how their dad taught them to be honest. Cows were always getting out and the brothers would joke about keeping them because the cows spent more time in their field than in the actual owner's field, but they knew their dad was honest and expected the same from them. I am grateful for Michael's dad because I know Michael will be the same kind of dad his dad was, and that means the world to me.

So sweet

And I'm not talking about the strawberries, which are very delicious. But here's what I want to remember about this day. I came home from Stetson's swimming lessons about 10:45 and Michael said "Look in the fridge, there's a surprise for you." And I found these little beauties. I've mentioned before how Michael is an avid gardener and is much more dilligent/knowledgeable about it than me. He's been fertilizing and weeding our strawberry patch for months and we're getting a great harvest so far this year, but eating them is much more fun than picking them, (unless you're Kandace, she picks/eats anything that slightly resembles fruit) so Michael went out today and picked all these strawberries just for me. He even told me not to let the kids have any of them. Ha. I am grateful for a thoughtful husband. Sort of reminds me of another incident with berries close to my heart.

In other news, Stetson has just 3 more days of swimming and he is doing awesome. Maybe he'll even pass out of toddler level!! Our pretty girl Kandace is as delighful as ever. She loves to go swimming, eat fruit, read "storybooks" and give hugs and kisses.

We're only a couple weeks from our new baby and I haven't done a THING to prepare. (Michael did buy some newborn diapers the other day). I'm so excited to have my body back and to have a sweet baby in my arms. How lucky I am.

Last night we went to Carson's tball game and then to Jill & Christian's for a killer bbq. It was awesome! We love having family close by so we can go party with them. Jill will post cute pics of it I'm sure. I'm getting lazy in picture taking.

37 weeks

Well here I am. I've been putting this off until I thought I looked cute, but lets just face it, I'm not looking so cute these days, but I want my babies to see these pics later down the road and its fun to look back and see.

At 37 weeks I am VERY uncomfortable! :) I'm having to get up to potty multiple times each night, and turning from side to side is getting to be quite a chore, but I'm still sleeping pretty good. I'm feeling lots of pressure below my belly when I try to walk around (which creates the constant urge to go) and my hips feel like they might just bust any moment, BUT I am undescribably excited that we are at this point. I feel like the luckiest woman alive to be so close to meeting this sweet baby. Seeing/holding Matthew & Charlene's little bundle makes me really excited. I still have 3ish weeks left and we're counting down the days (literally). Post to come with that later.

carnival!

Today we went to the carnival! We hadn't been planning on it 'til we barely caught wind of it last night at a party for Michael's work. I figure that once the baby comes in just a few weeks we won't be out and about a ton, so I want to pack in all the fun now! Stetson and Kandace had a ball. There is nothing more fun for me than watching my kids have fun. The tickets were expenssive and almost all the rides were 3 tickets/ride but luckily we ran into a co-worker of Micahel's who had some extra tickets that she gave us! AWESOME! This picture of Stetson might be my new favorite picture of him. This was the dragon roller coaster. It was like the 3rd ride we went on and Stetson had NO reservations riding any of the rides, including this one. Little did he know how fast it went! The above picture is right before it took off, and the next one is right AFTER it took off and I think mom might have been as scared as Stetson. This ride might have been a little too fast for our boy, it really whipped around on the corners and it scared me to see his little body whip around, but it was priceless all at the same time. Each time the coaster went by the guy running it, Stetson would say, "Ok I'm ready for it to stop."

Afterwards we had snow cones and mom's VERY favorite carnival treat, or treat in general, a caramel apple. Yum.

Splish splash

On Thurs. night Michael and I finally aired up our little pool thats been sitting in storage for a year. We bought it last summer and never even used it! Well the kids got great use out of it this time. It wasn't as warm as I'd hoped, but water+kids always= a good time! Especially when Uncle Jacob showed up!

Things got really exciting when this guy showed up! :)

doula

Almost everyone I told I was haing a doula didn't know what a doula was, so I'm going to share some of what I've learned on my blog.

What's a doula? The greek word doula means woman caregiver. We now use the word to descrive a trained and experienced labor companion who provides the expectant mother and her partner continuous emotional support and physical comfort. A doula also assists the parents in obtaining information before, during and just after labor.

I had an epidural with Stetson and Kandace, and while Stetson's epidural was fine, Kandace's was not. It only worked on one side and the laboring process was completely miserable. It was traumatizing and very unpleasant. Ever since then I've thought about other alternatives for managing the pain and eventually called the woman who will be my doula and have since hired her and I am so glad she's going to be there! She's given me lots of books that I've been reading and it all makes more and more sense the more I read. Natural birth isn't for everyone, and there's lots of instances where medical intervention is necessary, and I'm grateful for it. I have an MD who will be at the birth and I will be haivng the baby at the hospital.

It seems like medical interventions have led to lots of c-sections where it wasn't even necessary. The woman's body is an amazing thing and I think if we listen to our bodies during labor and trust ourselves, we can give birth naturally in a much more fulfilling way. I didn't really experience labor with Stetson or Kandace. They delivered me, instead of me delivering my baby. I am scared of the pain, but I think since I have realistic expectation of what its like (since I've experienced it) and I've been reading a lot about this, I'll hopefully have the confidence to do it. ALSO, I had postpartum depression with both of my kids, and my doula said that a natural delivery has reversed this for a lot of her moms. I was thrilled when I heard that. Anyway, if there's any of you out there who have some experience in this, please share.