Ready or Not

  Last Wednesday, our prenatal appointment went great. I was a little worried, because the doctor told me that I had gained several pounds too quickly & he was concerned about it. The thyroid medication that he had prescribed to me about 2 months ago was supposed to help me gain weight. Now that it's doing its job, I'm gaining too much. Interesting how some things work too well. Other than that, he said everything looked great & our little man was healthy. I love getting that report. It really makes me feel a lot better.

  Yesterday morning, I woke up & wandered into the living room with one thing on my mind. I walked into the living room & went straight to the pack & play to check on our baby boy. Then I realized he's not here yet! I'm still carrying him & we have about 2 weeks left before we'll get to hold him. I didn't tell Ronny about it right away. Instead, I started his bath water, woke him up, & pulled out his clothes. After I dressed, we ran through McDonald's for breakfast, then went for our prenatal appointment. We learned that I've dilated 2 centimeters!!! Then, yesterday at Ryan's, contractions started in the middle of lunch. I thought it was hilarious, but at the same time, I'm wondering if our little man will stay in there until the date we have set for c-section, November 11th. We have a day & 2 weeks to wait!

  I have had headaches for the past 3 days; today makes 4. My appetite has decreased, but I have to take "potty breaks" a lot more often. My breasts are tender & I have sharp pains in them. Other than that, things are pretty much the same. Nausea comes & goes, but that's not too bad. Michael pushes down really hard & stretches very often. There's more pain from his movements, but when he's moving a lot I know that he's doing okay. I got this, yo. Ha ha

  After waking Little Miss this morning & getting her off to school, I went back to bed for a little while. I dreamed I expelled my mucus plug & my water broke. I woke up slightly panicked, thinking I was having contractions. It was just Michael Grady kicking & moving his legs around, pushing against my sides & belly. Little Monkey. My dreams are exceedingly more vivid & more often about seeing him in person. Oh, I can't wait to hold him!

Sweetness In Starlight

  We finally did it. We now have everything turned in, insurance taken care of, & a few other things done. Now, all I have to do it get a driver's license again! Yay! It's way past time I do that, but there's just been so much going on that I haven't had the time to do it. I shouldn't have any problem getting it done in the next 2 weeks, though. I want to have it by the time the baby is born, in case of emergencies after he gets here.

  I've got a sick little girl at home today. She's really missing being in school, because she's confined to the over-sized chair in the living room & can't get up to play. I've had her wrapped in blankets, eating healthy foods, & watching only educational TV all day. The poor kid is so ready to go back to school! I hate that she isn't feeling well. She caught a super-contagious bug from one of her friends & I'm really not sure how long this is going to last. Her doctor informed me this morning that this mess is lasting, on average, about 4 days. Yippee.

  This baby boy has been moving all day. Ronny had to work today, but his son is apparently looking for him a lot. I miss him, too. I hate the long hours he works, but I know it's what has to be done. I'm so very grateful that his schedule works out so that he gets a few days at home, though. I love spending time with him, no matter what we're doing. We can sit at home & watch TV all day, spend hours in town just walking around, or head out to the woods for a few minutes. No matter what we're doing, when I'm with him, I'm having a good time.

  The Orionids should be visible tonight. (The Orionid meteors, that is.) I'm hoping to have supper cooked when Ronny gets home. The plan is to climb into the bed of his truck & keep each other warm while we spend some time chatting & dreaming together. And, of course... make a wish on a shooting star

All in a Golden Afternoon...as Alice would say.

  It's been a busy afternoon. I've had kids in & out of the house, worked on cleaning the house, spent a few hours looking through hairstyles for a Junior High Homecoming dance, & texting Ronny. It doesn't seem all that busy, but my mind is racing 100 mph. The baby is wiggling & making me jump every several minutes from discomfort, but at the same time, I'm having fun. I just wish Ronny could be home with me.

  It's been a while since I really worked on a dress & this zipper is proving to be very difficult.

Preparing to Be Unprepared

  We have less than 4 weeks to go until delivery. The countdown is currently at 3 weeks, 5 days, but Ronny & I are both convinced that we aren't going to make it quite that far. With everything that I'm feeling, I'm giving it 2 1/2 weeks at most.

  Friday night, we went to the fair for a little while. I wait all year long for a burger from the Alexandria Exchange Club...& Bo's Famous Cotton Candy! After checking out the 4-H entries (arts & crafts) & the barnyard, Ronny & I went for a burger, chili cheese fries, a Coke & a Dr Pepper. We sat in front of the stage & started people-watching while we ate. Just as we were finishing up, the guy on stage finally started playing. Michael went crazy! He kicked & wiggled, the same way he does when Ronny & I are listening to music in the truck. This baby loves music! I can't wait to have him here & play some of the songs that he responds to now.

  We walked the fair grounds for just a little while, then loaded up in the truck & went to WalMart. From that shopping excursion, Ronny & I now have 2 personal care packages (shampoo, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.) & I'm getting a better idea of what we need.

Cooking from the Cabinet

  So recently, I've been challenged to come up with totally new recipes from just what I have left in the kitchen cabinets. There wasn't much, but I've been learning to watch what I buy when I go into the store, too.

  I've decided to start a separate blog with some of those recipes to help out other families. I'm currently feeding 3-4 people, which will soon be 4-5 people. With some recipes, I'll post the cost of the meal, but most of these will be made with ingredients that have been left over from other inexpensive meals.

Baby Boy

  Not much time left now! Our baby boy will be here in 4 weeks & 4 days. I'm getting a little more nervous about the c-section, but I'm really looking forward to holding this little boy. Mostly, I'm excited to see him interacting with his daddy. Right now, our little man responds to Ronny's voice & touch. He loves my bath time & his kicks are playful when there's running water anywhere nearby.

  Not much longer to wait. :-)