Ella Grace Bricker is here!!!!

Ella and I are doing amazingly well and I am overwhelmed by what a beautiful, docile baby she is!!!!

She was born at 11:56 weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. She had a little trouble breathing at first but after a little bit of oxygen was screaming with all her might.

She is eating like a total champ and I cannot tell you what a relief that is for me. When we told Josh it was a girl Josh said, "Oh come on, Mom!" But after a few minutes even he admitted she was beautiful. Her hair has a little reddish tint to it and has little curls.

Dustin and I are just glowing and I am filled with a sense of peace that she is here safe and sound. Enjoy all the photos and thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes!!!

I'll post more later but wanted to get these photos out as soon as possible!!!

Love you all!!!!

On the eve of a blessed event...

I'm just sitting here, and to be honest, it's a little surreal.

I went into work yesterday for the last time and wrapped up 99.9% of the tasks I had set out to complete before I left on maternity leave. When I left I got pretty emotional. Sort of like 9 months of anticipation/reality/fear released itself at that one moment. I've been so preoccupied with work, being a mother to my other two children and other life events that this pregnancy has sort of been put on the back burner more often than not. But when I left that office I realized the only thing I had left to do was prepare for the baby to arrive.

Last night was the office March 15th party and, given the timing of everything, we thought it would be best if Dustin stayed with the kids and I would attend alone. Everyone was having a great time but I was ready to leave shortly after the meal - between being tired, missing my kids and my inability to join in the festivities. By the time I got up and everyone gave their well wishes I was all emotional again. Another dose of reality, I guess.

I have had some pretty strong contractions throughout the day so it is obvious my body is ready for what's going to happen tomorrow...but I'm not quite sure I can get my head wrapped around it.

This morning we got up and went to church, went out for breakfast and ran over to the hospital for my pre-surgery lab work. You'd think it would be old hat by number three but it seems just the opposite. As I sat at the hospital today I just kind of looked around and got very nervous. Maybe it's because I've done this twice before and I know what's all going to happen tomorrow, maybe it's because I'm about to receive the honor of becoming another little child's mother tomorrow and from experience I understand all the responsibilities that come along with that, maybe it's because even though I've done this twice before every birth is different, maybe it's because I'm forgetting something...or maybe it's just because I'm having surgery tomorrow. No matter what the reason...it made me emotional.

So here I sit with the constant nagging realization that in less than 24 hours we will be a family of five. Five! This is totally uncharted waters for us!! No matter how nervous/scared I am, I'm beyond ecstatic to meet this little person. I can't believe that only a few short months ago we had no idea what God had planned for us and now here we are...on the eve of a blessed event.

Prayers are welcomed and genuinely appreciated. I will try and post as soon as possible with pictures and information. Because, honestly, the hospital will be the easiest place for me to blog. I have a feeling that once there are three kids screaming for my attention, time to myself will pretty much be non-existent.

My last OB appointment

I'm huge. Baby's huge. Still on for Monday.

New Beginnings

This weekend Dustin and I had the honor of being two of Reagan's sponsors for her baptism. Reagan has her nights and days mixed up; good for baptism, bad for mom and dad. So, of course, she slept through the whole thing.




It was also the first time Lauren got to see her new cousin. She kept her distance with all the extra company around at the house. But by the time everyone left she was ready to see the baby. I have to say...if she has this reaction with her own brother or sister I will be ecstatic!!!

At first she started off by touching her feet. And once Reagan started moving her feet Lauren giggled with excitement!




There was no jealousy there whatsoever when I was holding her. Let's all just hope and pray that holds true in a week or so!

I had worked 14.5 hours on Saturday and had gone into work at 2:00 am the morning of the baptism so by the time we actually got home on Sunday afternoon...I was wiped out!

Yes...I am ready for tax season to be over. I have worked every day for the last three weeks (going on four). And I'm ready for a break...even if that means I have to have surgery in order to get it!

I had my doctor's appointment on Tuesday. Dr. Hocking was happy to see that I had not lost any weight but looked at my legs and realized it was all water weight. I guess that's what 14 hours in heels will do at this stage in a pregnancy. My blood pressure was awesome and baby's heart beat was at 135.

I'm measuring huge and am not progressing at all. By the time we walked out of there I felt like Dr. Hocking had just whacked me up aside the head with my medical file. I mean honestly, at my emotional state the last thing I wanted to hear was how huge I am and that nothing's happening "down there". Grrreeeaaaat. Thanks for the encouraging information.

I sulked back to the car and immediately started crying. I know it's the hormones. I know it's the exhaustion. I know it's the stress. But at that moment, the thought of almost another two weeks was too much to handle.

On a happier note...Dustin and I have some other exciting news! We are officially transferred to Bethany Lutheran Church!! We have been contemplating the transfer for some time and have taken almost a year to find a church we wanted to join. It was an extremely difficult decision to leave as we have such a history at Zion. However, it became a necessity when we realized how much we had pulled away from the church.

So...our newest addition will be baptized at our new church and are tentatively on the schedule for April 26th!!! We are very excited and hope that this will be an excellent way to introduce our family to the congregation!!!

Other than that, not much is new. Dustin had his one year appointment for his burn on Wednesday. They were pleased to see that he has 100% strength and mobility back. However, they are still aware of the pigmentation problem and the future risk of cancer.

Lauren's allergy appointment is coming up next week and we are hoping to get to the bottom of her frequent rashes. She's also really starting to talk up a storm...but still no "Daddy".

Josh has started getting daily nose bleeds and is scheduled to go the doctor tomorrow to see if his adenoids are the cause. As someone who got frequent nose bleeds as a child (and even still today) it is upsetting to watch him be burdened with this. Tonight he got his fifth one today at dinner. He started to cry and said, "Mom, I hate this. It's painful." I knew exactly what he meant. It doesn't hurt physically...but the frustration and embarrassment hurts. Poor guy.

Dad and Thomas are coming this weekend and I'm hoping we get the final things ready for baby's arrival. My urge to nest has been overpowered by my urge to sleep/work/attend to other children. So since I have neither the time or energy at this point...I'll let my father do my nesting for me!

Baby Update: 38 weeks

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old.

Two weeks left!!!

Or less!!!

Well, two weeks from tonight I'll be holding a baby. Not sure if he/she will be days or hours old by then...but nonetheless.

I have another appointment tomorrow and am going to see if I can find some time to blog tomorrow. I worked a ton this weekend and am physically exhausted. So...it's off to bed for me.

Appointment Update

I guess Dustin got sick and tired of hearing me complain about all the work I had at the office. Because he volunteered to go home early from UPS tonight so that I could come down and get some work done! Yeah!!!

But...I had to take a quick break and give everyone the update from today's appointment!!!

I lost 3.5 pounds. Yikes, huh? Dr. Hocking kind of gave me the "shameful" eye and asked if I was feeling okay. I told her yes, but that I had a lot going on right now. So she didn't give me too much grief.

My blood pressure is creeping up. Big shock, right?

I have a little swelling but when she found out I was still wearing heels every day to work...she brushed that off as well.

And as far as my "check" went...there's no news there either. So...this one may hang on until March 16th yet!!!

On to next week's appointment....

In good times and bad.

Happy tears. Sad tears. Scared tears. Stress tears. Hormonal tears.

Take your pick...I've cried all types this week. I'm sure between the stresses of tax season and being eight and a half months pregnant I'm a little more sensitive than usual. Mmmmmm....yeah...a little.

But last week was killer.

It pretty much exploded Wednesday morning. That's when Dad called. Usually a call early in the morning signifies something happened. Typically it's not good. This call was no exception.

My Grandmother had a massive stroke. Her left side was completely paralyzed and was left unable to speak.

I lost it. Every possible thought ran through my mind - from random to stupid. Dad reminded me of how glad I am that we went out there in November, I thought about how scared she must be, I was mad at myself because I didn't get the Valentine's Day cards out to the great-grandparents like I had wanted to, I was scared that if, God forbid, something worse happened I wouldn't be able to travel, I thought about how my Grandfather's Alzheimer's may be affected by it all as well as a million other things.

All while my sister-in-law was in labor with her first child.

I was pretty much worthless and unable to concentrate at work. Constantly checking emails, voicemails, text messages looking for the latest update on Grandma and Gretchen.

I left work around 3:50 and rode up to Cedar Falls with Larry and Toni so that I could be one of the first to see the new addition to the family. And while I was physically and emotionally exhausted...as soon as I saw baby Reagan I forgot about everything else.




Then Thursday.

Almost exactly one year after Dustin's burn accident he was down in the Emergency Room with another hand injury.

I kid you not.

He cut his hand open and needed stitches.

Thankfully, he had arranged to have the night off from UPS so that we could all drive up to Cedar Falls and the he and the kids could meet Reagan. Unfortunately, Lauren came down with ANOTHER rash!!

So after exchanging several phone calls with her pediatrician and getting referred to an allergist we decided that maybe it wouldn't be the best to bring Lauren close to a newborn.

However, after breaking that news to Josh he took after his mother and broke down in tears. SO...we decided to head up and take turns watching Lauren in the waiting room.

And I'm so glad we did!






Josh was in awe of Reagan and loved how she held on to his finger. She completely won him over once she farted on him twice. And then she started to cry...and he hid.

On a side note...holding a baby when you are as pregnant as I am...is not very easy. Not to mention that my child is already preparing himself/herself to fend off his/her older siblings and spent most of the time kicking his/her cousin in the butt.

Then I spent most of the weekend in the office and found myself back at Monday and wondering when this chaos will all end.

Our daycare provider did send me some cute photos of Lauren this week. She was playing dress up and insisted on wearing the leather motorcycle jacket all morning.



This was also the first day that Baby Megan was at daycare. And after much studying...Lauren was not sure what to think of her.



Yeah...I think we may be in for it.

Baby Update: 37 weeks

Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

I have another appointment tomorrow and I'll be sure to post an update tomorrow!!

Perfection

We hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day! I was at work by 3 am and as you can tell from my previous post...did not have a great start to the day.

However, it got better once I got home. All I knew about our date was that we had reservations somewhere in Iowa City.

So after I took a quick shower and got ready we took the kids over to Larry & Toni's. I had suggested that maybe we should bring their pajamas so that if we got home late and they fell asleep in the car on the way home, it would be easier to transport them. Little did I know...they would end up sleeping there!!!

We headed off to Iowa City for dinner. Honestly, I don't think anyone can truly understand the beautiful sound of silence unless you have children. Dustin drove and I read the paper...in silence. I don't think we even spoke until around the Swisher exit. Some may say that sounds weird...to me it sounds like heaven!

We ended up eating at this great Vietnamese restaurant. Dustin knew the owner/chef from work and wanted me to see the place. The food was delicious!!! And again...to be able to dine at our own pace was nothing short of beautiful.

As we chatted during dinner I asked if we were going to stop at the mall as long as we were down in Iowa City. He said we didn't have time. I looked at him confused.

He said, "Well, I got us a room at the Holiday Inn in Cedar Rapids. All I wanted to give you for Valentine's Day was a good night's sleep. So, I packed your bag as well as the kids' swimming suits. And mom's going to bring them out so they can go swimming."

I bawled. Right there...in the middle of the restaurant. I'm sure the other patrons thought he was giving me awful news but honestly...it was the most thoughtful, perfect gift he's ever given me.

He knew that the last time we went to a hotel by ourselves I was miserable by about 7:00 because I missed the kids. So he thought it would be perfect for me to get a visit from them for awhile and then get to send them off for the night. Well, he was dead on. Because as much as I appreciate the silence in the car and the ability to eat a meal without being interrupted...after awhile it just feels like something's missing.

So we got to the hotel and checked in. I walked into the room and found roses and the sweetest card ever. And guess what happened...I bawled.

Then the kids showed up ready to swim...and swim did they!!






Josh really got to show off all of his new swimming skills and I was so proud to see him comfortable in the water. What a difference a year makes! This was the same pool he almost drowned in a year ago!!!!




By the time they left I was exhausted. So they went back to Grandma's and mom and dad slept...until 8:30!!!! It was glorious!

And then it was back to reality.

Things are crazy at work (big surprise) and in less than four weeks we'll have a new baby in our house...so things are kind of crazy at home, too.

But...we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new niece/nephew/cousin!!! Any day now!!!

Baby Update: 36 weeks

Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Therapy Fund

I'm sitting here at work and having a bad day. So I figured I'd take a break and blog.

You'd think that if you put in seven and half hours by 10:30 am you would feel like you've accomplished something or at least been productive. However, that is not the case today. Every client file I've touched this morning has turned to crap and I can't get anything finished. For someone who thrives off the feeling of completion this is very frustrating.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few funny kid stories from the past few weeks that I haven't told you about.

Josh #1

Josh was coming down with a cold on Thursday and was pretty worn out from the week. I came down to the family room and he was laying on the floor watching TV. The dog ran over to him, assuming that he wanted to play, and he batted her away and told her to leave him alone.

Since Mattie is either deaf or dumb, she did not listen to him. Finally, he grabbed her collar and said, "Mattie!! Stop it!!! I have issues today!!!"

OMG. I about died. I say that all the time!!

Josh #2

Last night I helped the kids make Valentine's Day cards for Dustin. We got out the arts and crafts kit and they worked diligently on their cards. Then Josh offered up some of his Valentine's Day candy from school and taped a few pieces of candy on each of their cards.

So this morning I called the house and asked Josh if they had given Dustin their cards yet.

Josh: No, Dad forgot to get you a card so we're going right now.
Me: Uh...no, sweety. Did YOU give Daddy his cards?
Josh: Oh...yeah.
Me: Did he like them?
Josh: Yes, mom. But I KNEW he would.
Me: Well, I'm glad.
Josh: Oh...mom?
Me: Yes.
Josh: I wasn't supposed to tell you that Daddy forgot a card for you.
Me: It's okay, sweety. I figured he did.

Lauren #1

Since last weekend's Dora fiasco I figured I should really start working with Lauren on how to say, "Daddy".

So yesterday on the way to Jaime's I kept asking her to say it.

Me: Lauren, say, "Daddy".
Lauren: No.
Me: Lauren, say, "Daaa-dddyyy".
Lauren: **smile** No.
Me: Lauren, come on, honey. Can't you say, "Daddy?"
Lauren: No, mommy. Papa.
Me: OH!!! Papa!!! Do you want to call Daddy, "Papa" instead?
Lauren: Papa.
Me: Yay, Lauren!!!
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.

Yeah...I should have known better. I brought that one on myself.

Josh #3

Josh has been taking swimming lessons and Wednesday was the last lesson for this session.

I anxiously called him right after they were over to see if he passed this level.

Me: Josh? So?
Josh: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
Josh: I PASSED!!!

OMG...I could "hear" the smile on his face. It was the sweetest thing ever. He was so proud!!! He got a ribbon and everything and he's officially an "Eel" now!!! I swear...it's moments like that I wish I could just bottle up for safe keeping.

Appointment Update

These appointments get so boring towards the end.

I was up 1/2 pound (thanks to a large piece of pepperoni pizza for lunch - grrrr!), my blood pressure is great and baby's heartbeat was 150.

I passed on getting checked for dilation and effacement because honestly...it doesn't really matter to me. I mean, they're just going to cut me open anyway and why go through the "joy" when I don't really need to.

She said she would check me next time...whether I liked it or not. **snarl**

She did tell me that she doesn't really expect me to make it to March 16th since I went so early with Lauren. **double snarl** And that even though my water broke with Lauren, I don't have any more than the average 10% chance of my water breaking again. Most likely I'll just go into labor.

My primary OB isn't the one scheduled to do the c-section that Monday because she's on-call all weekend. SO...it would be kind of nice to end up going a few days early so that she can end up delivering at least one of my children.

But...I guess that's not really going to be up to me. :-)

A stranger in my house

I have no idea who this man is that comes into my house and calls himself, "Dustin". He looks like my husband, he sounds like my husband, he works the same hours as my husband...but something is different.

Either that...or it really IS my husband and he's just preparing to tell me some awful news. Like...he really hasn't been working nights at UPS...he's been spending time with his new family - his other wife's name is Marcia and he has two kids with her, Chris and Hayden. OR maybe I'm dying of some rare disease and no one's told me yet. Wait...maybe they have told me but the disease affects my memory and I just don't REMEMBER that I'm dying. I have no idea what the reason for the change is...but if I really am dying please don't tell me and let me enjoy these last few moments with my new husband.

I'm sure you are all dying to know exactly WHAT he has been up to...so let me tell you. First, he emptied the dishwasher on his own on Friday. Then again twice on Saturday...and again twice on Sunday. Now that might not sound like much...but trust me...that's like two years of dishes for him.

Then, Saturday he didn't call me at the office to ask me what he should make for breakfast. He took care of it all on his own!!! By the time I looked at the clock around 9:00 I had convinced myself that they had all died of carbon monoxide poisoning and was ready to call 911. In five years of working Saturdays while having children he has NEVER not called me. Totally threw me off.

THEN the biggest shocker of all. In fourteen years of being together he has NEVER done the following: planned a date for us. Saturday afternoon he says, "I am taking you out for Valentine's Day." I was like, "Uh...okay? I think the last time we went out on Valentine's day you were 16 and I was 75 pounds lighter." He says, "I'll take care of everything. I'll find someone to watch the kids and I'm taking you to Iowa City." I will admit...I got lightheaded. The room started spinning and I felt my blood pressure drop. I have no idea what has gotten into him...but I'm lovin' it! I guess this is where the phrase "sweep her off her feet" comes from.

As if that wasn't enough on Sunday, he cleaned, sorted laundry, FOLDED laundry, finished painting the nursery and cleaned up from supper.

By Sunday night I thought I was drunk with delusion. This morning I woke up rested, the children were in a good mood and my house was clean. It was totally surreal.

Now tonight he surprised us and got home from UPS at 5:30!!!! We spent the entire night playing Go Fish with the kids and sitting around laughing. By the time we came up to bed it took me a few minutes to realize he made our bed and changed the sheets.

Honestly, any one of these incidents alone would have made me smile. But having them one after another...well, I am overwhelmed with appreciation and those fuzzy feelings you get when you are genuinely happy.

It was a good weekend. Period.

With three Valentine's Day parties coming up this week I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and put all our Valentine's together on the off chance Aunt Gretchen goes into labor this week.

So Sunday morning we sat down and Josh wrote his name on all 40+ Valentines.



While we were working on Lauren's cards Dustin realized she was saying, "Dora". I have no idea how she knows Dora. She doesn't even watch TV and even when she does watch it, Josh has it on Spongebob Squarepants. Either way it was adorable and Dustin was devastated because she is now saying, "Dora" before "Daddy".



I don't know what kills me more about that video...Lauren saying, "Dora" or Josh yelling, "Dude!" like me. Too funny.

In the afternoon Josh went to a movie with Grandma Cathy and when he returned he finished addressing all of his cards and Lauren snagged as many suckers as she could find.



Well, I'm off to bed...in my nice, new, clean sheets.

Baby Update: 35 weeks

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow and I will try and post an update again tomorrow night.

Death Becomes Her

Last Thursday night Dustin called at his usual "break time" and asked the normal evening questions (i.e. How's the night going? Are the kids being good? What did you do for supper?). It wasn't until I realized I heard his car radio in the background that I figured out he was heading home. He'd already thrown up three times at work and was sent home sick.

So I banished him to the family room and set him up on the futon and put the kids to bed. I woke up Friday at my usual time and felt a little "off". I got ready and as the morning went on each task exhausted me and I felt worse. I went down to wake Josh up and check on Dustin and Joshie said, "Mommy, I puked twice last night. Right here....and right here."

I threw his bedspread in the washing machine and drug myself up the stairs to get Lauren bundled up. By the time I got to Jaime's I knew I was done for.

I was really early for work so I went down to the office and quick finished up some 1099's before the entire staff arrived and headed back home. I walked in the house and Josh was lying on the couch half asleep. He asked for some Ginger Ale. I got a glass, found a straw...and ran upstairs because it was officially my turn to be sick.

The next 24 hours were pretty much a blur. I remember waking up to change my sheets because Josh threw up on Dustin's side of the bed and giving Josh a bath. I remember waking up to call mom and ask her to pick up and keep Lauren for the night. And I remember waking up enough to see if I was really dead...or if it just felt that way.

We were each still moving slower than normal on Sunday but at least the vomiting had stopped. This was ONE NASTY VIRUS!!!

Poor Joshie had to miss a birthday party on Saturday that he had been looking forward to for weeks. He was so upset...and at 5...there really isn't anything to comfort you from the disappointment of missing a birthday party. So Dustin did his best to be "sick buddies" and they pretty much hung out all weekend in the basement.

Thankfully, Lauren did not catch it. And, thanks to my mother...I could recover without having to take care of an energetic toddler.

However, I did come to a few realization from the whole ordeal:

1) The flu is the worst.
2) The flu, while you are 34 weeks pregnant, makes everything more messy.
3) Watching a five year-old get sick makes a mom's heart ache.
4) Listening to a grown man whine after three days makes you want to vomit again.
5) It is no wonder God chose women to bear children.
6) Dogs will eat puke.
7) Lysol cannot entirely get the smell of vomit out of the air.
8) When a child has the flu...they don't care if you have it, too.
9) Eating Jell-o, oyster crackers and steamed rice for three days is a great way to lose weight.
10) It is possible to feel like someone has run over your body with a Mack Truck without ACTUALLY being run over.

You'd think after a weekend like that I would be thankful to be among the living today, but alas...I was not.

It was a really bad day at work and I swear the kids can sense when I've had a bad day because it's like they conspire to see how long it takes before I break down. Tonight...we didn't even get into the garage before their conspiracy worked.

You'd think after making their mother cry they would have some sense of remorse and give it a rest. But, no. It continued all night and right now I'm typing this blog with my head on a pillow because I am exhausted in every sense of the word.

My one cute story from tonight:

While I was working in the kitchen tonight, Josh was telling me about the "dangerous" paint he was using in art today and told me that his art teacher kept talking about dead things, too.

Confused, I kept asking him what he was talking about. By the time we got down to specifics we were both frustrated with each other and sort of yelling.

Me: What was your art teacher talking about dead things for?
Josh: Well, ya know...dead things. She kept talking about all the dangerous colors we were using.
Me: Josh...I don't get what you are talking about at all.
Josh: MOM! I was using yellow!!
Me: Josh...yellow is not dangerous. Seriously!
Josh: MOOOMMMM!!! You know that stuff you squeeze and it drips out.
Me: You mean, dye?
Josh: Well, no it's dead stuff.
Me: **laughing** No, Josh it's called dye.
Josh: **looking at me like I'm crazy**
Me: There are words that sound the same but mean something entirely different. Like you know what a bear is, right? GRRRRRRR!!!!
Josh: Yeah? **giggles**
Me: Well, that's not the same thing as your sister running around bare naked.
Josh: Ewwww, Lauren's naked!!!!
Me: No, Josh...FOCUS!
Me: Do you see what I'm saying? Your teacher was not talking about dead stuff...she was talking about dye.
Josh: It was yellow, mom.
Me: I got that much, Josh.

Baby Update: 34 weeks

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

March 16, 2009 : 11:30 am

Unless this little one is like his/her older sister and decides to come early...that's the date and time of my c-section!!!!

How exciting, huh?

Now let's just pray I can hold out that long because I would really, really, really like to be able to see my co-workers through our first big deadline of March 15th! I know it sounds ridiculous but my work ethic forbids me to feel otherwise.

**talking to the baby** "Do you hear me little one? Mommy really can't wait to meet you...but please stay in there until March 16th!"

Yesterday I had another doctor's appointment. Nothing major to report, thankfully.

I have gained three pounds - which I'm sure is, in part, due to Dustin bringing home Wild Berry Skittles every night for me. Yummy.

Baby's heartbeat was 155 and everything else looked great!!! We're almost there people!!!

Baby Update: 33 weeks

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

A report from the trenches....

We frantically tried to finish the bathroom in the basement this weekend and thanks to several obstacles we didn't COMPLETELY finish.

We still need to put up the baseboard, hang the door and put up the hardware (i.e. toilet paper holder, towel bars, mirror, etc.).

However, it is a usable bathroom as of today...so I guess it still counts as a victory for "Team Bricker".

A little piece of heaven

We had our 3d/4d ultrasound in Des Moines this weekend. I had seriously thought about canceling it for a number of reasons: time, bathroom remodel, tax season, etc. But Dustin refused to let me do so and I am so glad I didn't. Mom took the kids for us and not only did we get to have some much needed time alone, we also got to see a beautiful baby and the first signs of personality from our newest addition.

The slideshow goes kind of fast and you can pause it down by the bottom right-hand corner (yes, I'm talking to you Pop-pop!).

Baby looks PERFECT!!! Baby weighs 4 pounds, 4 ounces!!! He/she has tons of hair (it measured 1.85 centimeters long at the back of the head), chubby cheeks, 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 inch long feet, makes the same "mad face" as Josh and Lauren and is perfect in every possible way. What a pleasure it was to watch our little baby practice breathing, yawning and smiling! I mean honestly, talk about a once in a lifetime experience.

The whole day was perfect and I am even more excited to meet this little person...if that's possible! :-)

What I've been doing....

Sorry, I've been behind but I can barely feel my fingers enough to type these few words out.

This weekend was busy and each night I've been up past 11:30 working in the basement bathroom and in the nursery.

Monday night was drywall in the bathroom, paint and assemble the crib in the nursery. Last night was clean the nursery and lay the floor in the bathroom.

Here's proof!





I promise I will try and update more later...but I'm swamped at work and my nights are pretty full right now.

Baby Update: 32 weeks

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

-32

Minus 32...that's what Dustin's truck temperature read this morning.

This week had record breaking temperatures, a late start, an early out, three days of no school, two snowstorms dumping a total of 13", a mysterious rash, late night contractions, late night puking which lead to late night bath and bed sheet change, one trip to the OB, one trip to the pediatrician, full snow gear every day, engines seizing, the beginnings of tax season at my work, numbness and frustration at Dustin's work and a whole lot of missed sleep.

I think it's safe to say....THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!

Miss Lauren

I think I should just set up a standing weekly appointment at the pediatrician. Because lately, it feels like we live there.

Today it was Miss Lauren.

This morning when I dressed her I thought that her poor little legs had become chapped from the frigid, dry weather. I mentioned something to Jaime, our daycare provider, that she should keep putting lotion on her legs throughout the day because when I went to put her pants on her this morning I rubbed against her thigh and she said, "Owie".

Well, Jaime called my office around noon and told me that she didn't think it was just chapped skin: she thought it was Fifth Disease and it was spreading.

Fifth Disease is normally harmless but can be dangerous to unborn children. So I sent Dustin off to the doctor with her to find out if I should be calling my doctor but thankfully, Dr. Anderson did not feel it was Fifth Disease.

Nonetheless, it is not pretty to look at. So I'll share. :-)







Dr. Anderson said there wasn't really anything we could give her as it is a virus. So...he said to keep it moisturized with Vaseline and give her Tylenol to relieve any discomfort.

Poor thing. Tonight she was sliding down the stairs saying, "Owie" with each step. I ran over and picked her up but even the pressure of my hands on her thighs hurt.

I can't get over how fast it spread so I'm hoping it passes quickly!

Nesting

Upon the realization that this past weekend was the last free weekend before baby's here, I got a serious case of nesting. With so many tasks at hand I knew it was not going to be a nice, relaxing couple of days but on the other hand...I was hoping it would help me feel more "together".

Saturday the snow came. As soon as Josh woke up and saw what was outside he began jumping around with excitement. "Can I go out, mom?" "Can I go out in the snow, mom?" "Mom, how much longer till we can go outside?"

But of course as everyone and their neighbor was out clearing their driveways, I bundled the family up and forced them to run errands with me. I knew I wanted to get the nursery painted this weekend so our first stop was Home Depot, then lunch, and then Target.

As soon as we got home Lauren took a nap and Josh, Dustin and I went out and played in the snow!







I'm not sure who had more fun: Josh or Mattie. Mattie just ran and ran and ran. I was sitting in a patio chair remembering the warmer days of summer and Mattie had her face buried in the snow. As you can see by the video she is also not the smartest dog, but you can't help but smile when she runs around with Josh like she's just another kid in the family.

We took a break and warmed up for a bit and then Lauren woke up. So out we went again...this time with the Pink Monster!






It didn't take long and she was ready for a snack. Shocker. So her and I came inside and made the boys some hot cocoa while they played a little longer.



Then we met Larry and Toni for a dinner. We hadn't really sat down with them for awhile and it was nice to sort of "catch up". We went for Chinese and at the end of the meal we all got a customary fortune cookie.

Lauren's said, "You have an iron will."

Uh...ya think?

Sunday was work day. And by work day I mean, "Work Until I'm Laid Up With Contractions." More details on that to come.

Sunday we were busy. Christmas decorations and trees came down, laundry was done, all of Lauren's old clothes were sorted and organized by size and placed into tubs, Lauren's bedroom closet was cleaned out, her carpeting was steam cleaned, the entire house was vacuumed and picked up, the nursery was painted and somewhere in there the kids had baths and we ate two meals. I'm sure I'm forgetting something else but honestly, I don't want my doctor to read this and yell at me more.

Anyway, Lauren's room is cleaned, organized and adorable! She has so much room to play in and I smile every time I look in there because it's sooooo "little girlish". Hehehehehe.






Uh...don't mind the pile of nursery stuff on her little table. I forgot it was there until I just looked at the picture.

Other than that...isn't it adorable?!?!?!?

Obviously, by Sunday night I was wiped out. I know you won't believe this...but I ACTUALLY quit painting in the nursery and walked away because I didn't feel good. ME! Say I can't do something! Crazy, huh?

I got ready for bed and around 11:00 felt uneasy. By the time Dustin's alarm went off at 12:15 I still had not fallen asleep and the braxton hicks contractions were getting stronger. I got up and walked around for awhile, drank some water and laid back down. By 1:30 I started to panic. I knew they weren't regular but they were coming every 4-7 minutes and they were definitely painful. By 2:00 I called Dustin. He told me to call labor & delivery.

Me, being stubborn, didn't want to. I guess I feel more self-conscious about looking stupid than anything. I mean, this is my third. You'd think I'd know by now. But I didn't want to wake everyone up, trek down to the hospital for a few hours only to be told that I needed to have a glass of water.

Well, by 2:30 I was looking for a phone book to call the hospital. I walked around a little bit wondering if I should really do this and thought I'd give one last chance to a drink of water and a new resting position. By 3:00 they had gotten better and by 3:30/4:00 I must have fallen asleep.

A short night later it was time to get up. I got the kids ready and we all went on with our day but I noticed baby wasn't moving as much. I'm sure he/she was just exhausted. But by 11:30 I called my OB and they told me to come on in.

Everything was fine. We had a non-stress test and got to listen to the heartbeat for about 45 minutes. That was SO comforting. Dr. Hocking checked me and said my cervix was nice and tight - so for as uncomfortable as the contractions were...they were not "productive".

Basically, I over did it. I know that now. I'm naughty and you can each scold me like my father, my doctor and my husband already have. But you all know I'm not one to sit still - pregnant or not.

I did learn my lesson, though. I will try much harder to take it easy and remind myself that my body can only take so much.

On the upside, though...I feel much more comfortable with the shape my house is in. And given that tax season has already started and work is swamped, I enjoy coming home to a clean and organized house that much more!

Baby Update: 31 weeks

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt.He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Exhaustion

ex⋅haus⋅tion

Pronunciation [ig-zaws-chuhn]- noun
1. the act or process of exhausting.
2. the state of being exhausted.
3. extreme weakness or fatigue.
4. the total consumption of something: the exhaustion of your vacation benefits for the year.

Really...need I say more?

Since we found out Josh had strep throat on Thursday, Dustin stayed home with the kids on Friday so I could go into work.

By Friday night I was so sick to my stomach and suffering from such severe heart burn that I didn't get more than 3 hours of sleep.

Pop-pop and Joyce came into town (Round #5) on Saturday and because I still haven't found a camera that smacks me up aside the head when the battery is low...I have no pictures.

By Saturday night I was ready to crash but instead...we decided to begin assembling Lauren's "Big Girl Bed" around 8:00 at night. You'd think after the entire remodeling project in the basement we would have learned. After a million problems we finally finished around 10:15, which in "Bricker Project Time" is actually not that bad, I guess.

We moved Lauren into her new bed and she immediately fell back asleep. I went down to check on Josh and he was having issues with his tv. I asked what the heck he was still doing up and he just gave me a blank stare. So I spent the next 20 minutes fixing the satellite problem.

By 11:00 I headed back up to our bedroom and found Dustin snoozing away. I literally fell into bed.

At 11:30 Lauren started screaming. I jumped up, assuming by her scream, that either she had fallen off her new bed and broken her arm or she had fallen off her bed and cracked her head open.

What I found was a little girl pulling on her ears. Yeah, that's a familiar sign to any mother. I gave her some Tylenol and brought her into our room. She'd find a comfy position on my shoulder or cuddle in my arm and fall asleep for about 20 minutes at a time but then wake up crying again.

So by about 4:00 am I'd had about two hours of very uncomfortable and awkward sleep. The next time she woke up I pleaded with Dustin to hold her for awhile. I mean...I HAD taken care of her on my own for almost five hours and let him sleep. So...I thought it was the least he could do. But, no. He had to huff and puff and turn on all the lights in our bedroom because, I guess, if HE can't sleep...then NO ONE'S gonna sleep.

I'm just gonna let you think about that moment in time and imagine what was said. I'll give you a hint...it involved tears and was probably not the image of wedded bliss.

She finally fell back asleep and was up running around like nothing had happened by 6:15. I, however, was barely able to function.

As soon as 8:15 rolled around I asked Dustin to make an appointment for her at the pediatrician's office. I made breakfast for everyone (except myself), gathered the laundry and started a load. I came up to the kitchen and thought I'd make myself a bagel and as Dustin was eating his breakfast he said, "If you're going to make it down to Dr. Anderson's office by 9:40, you'd better get going."

I honestly don't know what saved him from impending death: my belief that murder is wrong or my lack of energy to actually do it.

Needless to say...he ended up taking her. And yes, she had a double ear infection.

By Sunday night I thought everyone would be tired enough to just fall right asleep.

That was very stupid of me.

Lauren had liked sleeping with mom and dad the night before and didn't want a thing to do with her "Big Girl Bed". By about 11:30 she had worn me down and I gave up and let her sleep with us. By 12:30, Dustin got up for work, moved her back to her room and was off to work.

Finally, I had the whole bed to myself and no screaming children. It was glorious.

Yeah...that lasted a whole 10 minutes because right at 1:00 Josh started screaming. I frantically ran downstairs to check on him. Yeah, he was hungry and wondered if he could just get up. Confused, I said, "Uh...have you not slept yet?"

Josh: **blank stare**
Me: God, you look like your father.
Josh: What?
Me: Nevermind. **Looking at his tv and realizing it's still on.**
Me: Have you not fallen asleep yet?
Josh: Um...no?
Me: JOSHUA!
Josh: What? I'm hungry and I was just wondering if I could get up and have some breakfast!
Me: GET UP TO MY ROOM AND GO TO BED!!!
Josh: Okay, mom.

So when my alarm went off at 5:55 this morning my body screamed, "NOOOOOO!!!!!"

I am beyond beat tonight. And since I've started writing this blog Josh has already fallen asleep on the couch next to me. Of course Lauren's wide awake...but I swear she runs off of batteries.

I am really hoping this isn't a sign of what more is to come and that 2009 is not the Chinese Year of the Sleep Deprived.

Happy New Year!!!!

It is oficially 2009 and my "fresh start" has been a little rocky!

First things first...my OB appointment:

I had my glucose test and basically you have to drink this sugary drink, wait an hour and have some blood drawn. So while I waited they had me see a nurse practioner for my appointment.

I went back to get weighed in and was happy to see I've gained a pound and a half! Then it pretty much feel to crap from there on out.

I had sugar and white blood cells in my urine and my blood pressure was up. Then they couldn't find the heart. One nurse practioner, two doppler machines, one doctor and one portable ultrasound machine later I was being rushed to the "fancy" ultrasound machines. I honestly wasn't paniced because I could feel him/her moving around (thanks to the sugar drink) but it appeared his/her heart was right underneath my belly button.

So we sat and waited to have one of the technicians come and get us for the big ultrasound. Then Dustin's phone rang...Lauren puked at daycare.

So as Dustin tried to find arrangements for Lauren I went off to ultrasound.

As soon as we got in the room the tech got started right away and found the heart beating away...right under my belly button! I guess I had some excessive scar tissue around my belly button from when I had gall bladder surgery after Josh was born and it was making it difficult to pick up with the doppler. It also didn't help that this little one is laying sideways (transverse). I guess he/she is on their way into the birthing position.

I told the tech that we haven't gotten any decent pictures of this little one and she said, "Well...let's see if we can rectify that!" She tried and tried and tried. And this little one is as stubborn as his/her big sister!

So...this is what we got.



Baby weighs 3 pounds, 2 ounces, the heart beat was 140 and he/she is measuring at 29 weeks, 5 days.

The lab had to come in during the middle of my ultrasound and draw blood because my hour was up. Even in the dark she only poked me once!! And just like with Lauren, my iron is low. I figured it was, because I've been feeling the same way I did the last time.

In summary, it was a chaotic visit but it is always fun to get a chance to see our baby moving around in there!

Other than that we had a pretty boring New Year's Eve. Dustin and I had all these plans of fun things to do with the kids and they were squashed because of two sick kids. So none of us saw midnight. In fact, I don't think any of us saw 8:30.

However, it was only the 1st of January and I already had first medical deduction for 2009: Josh has strep. I swear that kid gets strep EVERY time he gets sick! So while the rest of the world slept in from staying out too late the night before I sat in the pediatrician's office with Josh.

Ahh...the joys of motherhood.

Dad also requested I post the rest of our pictures from the famous "Christmas picture session". So here they are...





So, here's to a great 2009!! I can pretty much guarantee it will be as crazy as last year...you know, with the completion of our three ring circus and all. :-)

Many blessings to all in 2009!