Early labor

So the last few days have been interesting. After my last appointment in IA City on Friday afternoon, the doctor checked my cervix, and owie! She did something...pressed a little too hard or something...which I think caused my labor to begin. As soon as my appointment was over I started feeling light contractions. We stopped at Jay and Molly's house in Cedar Rapids on the way home and the whole time, I felt contractions. They were very mild but strong enough to notice. They just haven't stopped over the course of the last 48 hours. Late Friday evening before I went to bed I started having bloody show. We went to bed that night and I slept mostly through the night, waking up a lot from the strength of a contraction here and there. Not a very restful night. The next morning more bloody show appeared and that is when the contractions started to speed up. We started timing them, and they were consistently coming every 6-8 minutes, lasting 45-60 seconds, and their strength was enough to make me stop and concentrate. They stayed consistently at that rate the entire day. I went out for lots of walks, but they stayed the same. I took a short nap, they slowed down to about every 10 minutes. Every time I would stand up, they would pick up again to the same 6-8 minute rate and if I laid down to rest, they would slow down to every 10-12 minutes apart. Everything I've read still indicates that I'm still in "early labor" which means I'm not in the "active phase" yet. In the active phase of labor, contractions should not slow down when I lay down. This could last days. Its been a long two days of not sleeping very well at night, and even while typing this blog, I've had to stop and concentrate through a couple contractions. I just don't know if at this point, I want them to speed up and get through active labor, or slow down enough so I can get a good night's sleep. My mom came to our house last night around the kids' bed time and has been entertaining them all day today (Sunday), it has been wonderful. I'm trying to resume normal activity and go about my daily activities, I just have to pause and wait for a contraction every 10 minutes or so.

Violet's last day of preschool

A whole year of preschool has flown by for Violet! It has gone very fast, I can't believe it. Her class celebrated by having all the kids' parents there today. The teachers put together a slide show of a ton of pictures of their year, and then everybody celebrated in the fellowship area with cupcakes, juice, and water. The kids all played outside and we left a little early. My friend Julie had Calvin at her house while Dave and I went to Violet's last day with her. I think she thought it was pretty cool that we went. They demonstrated what they do every morning by talking about the day of the week, the month, the weather, said their weekly Bible verse to motions, did the ABCs in sign language, a few other things I can't remember, and a time reserved just for sharing. The things kids say are so cute. One little boy said he was all done getting owies for the summer. All the kids had their hands up to share, only a few got called on because the sharing could take all day! This is Violet on her first day of preschool back in September 2009: And this morning in May 2010. :) Some pics of the whole class: Getting her "diploma" and hugging her teachers after the picture slide show: Violet and her favorite preschool friend Mattie: "Mrs. A", Violet and Miss Stephens (I can't remember Mrs. A's real last name! Apparently it is too complicated so she has the kids call her that):

Calvin's vanity :P

I caught Calvin playing in the bathroom upstairs earlier today, but I paused to watch when I noticed what he was doing. He was standing on the stool and had a little bit of water running, and he took his hand, got it wet, and put his wet hand on his hair, and started pulling on it and patting it down. This is exactly what Dave does when he makes a point to "style" Calvin's hair. Dave sits him up on the sink, gets his fingers wet, and pulls it through Calvin's hair to wet it down and then moves it around a little to get really curly. Calvin was making sure his hair was done, and he had the technique pretty much down. :) His hair is getting really wild. Its kind of long and goofy looking in some places, but I can't bring myself to cut off his curls just yet. He has also figured out how to put his own flip flops on now. Both kids are sporting flip flop tan lines just like me. Any time they are outside, I am outside. We take LOTS of walks lately. I push Calvin in his stroller, and Violet can (literally!) go for miles on her trike. She's a super trike rider and absolutely loves it! Calvin is big enough now to reach the pedals on the blue trike that we got for him last winter. Actually, it was the winter he turned one, so its been awhile. We got a deal on purchasing two at once so we thought ahead and got him one. We thought for sure he wouldn't be able to maneuver the big steel trike until next summer when he was three, but he figured it out. He can't go as far as Violet and has less control over the inclines but he still loves it. Next summer he'll be even faster!

40 week ultrasound

Dave and I made a trip to Iowa City for my ultrasound - and praise God baby looks extremely healthy. Their concerns going into the ultrasound were the fluid levels surrounding the baby, and after the sonogram, the midwife made a note that there was more in there than she expected to see. A non-stress test indicated baby's heart rate is excellent, healthy, and the placenta is operating wonderfully. The ultrasound "estimated" the baby's weight at 8 lbs 12 oz. My smallest baby estimation yet at this stage of ultrasound! I realize this is a far cry from accuracy and the error rate is plus or minus a pound, but I'll take a baby's weight in the 8 pound range. The more discouraging news I got from them was that my body is not making a single bit of progress in getting this baby out. It feels like a repeat "cervix check" and when I hear the words "unfavorable" and "closed and high" it makes me cringe. We will wait another week, and then have another repeat day in Iowa City to do all three things again (non-stress test, ultrasound, and regular appointment). I would love for labor to start tonight, or tomorrow, or any day before Friday, but apparently my body just isn't ready. Dave and I have always thought my due date should be been closer to May 23 or 24 based on my long ovulation cycles prior to conception...but there is no convincing them to change it because they didn't get a more accurate ultrasound around the 9 or 10 week mark to determine how "off" they were on dates. I am however, getting really weary of people calling me and sending me messages asking how I am doing or if we have news yet. I realize they all mean well, but I dislike repeating the news over and over. I'd rather hear from somebody "you look fantastic!" than "you're still hangin' in there?" or "no baby yet?" I will not be at church on Sunday ~ last week was a little too difficult to handle with everybody's comments. I realize they aren't trying to make me feel bad but they just don't understand. Especially a unique situation like mine...going for a normal delivery after 2 c-sections.

Biscuits

Tonight Dave and I grilled steaks, asparagus, and roasted potatoes and onions in a foil pack. The word "asparagus" must have been misunderstood while we were eating. Violet managed to eat one spear with much encouragement. She finished up the meal (the kids both skipped steak and both ate leftover noodles and chicken from the night before) and proudly told me she ate one biscuit! So when we put the kids to bed tonight, Violet prayed and thanked God for supper again and for the biscuit. Does asparagus really sound like biscuit!? Apparently to her it does! :D

Crabby Calvin

Good grief, this kid seems impossible some moments. Almost every day when he wakes up from his nap he is a complete mess. Its like he didn't sleep long enough. He gets so crabby and fusses if something isn't done the way he expects it. I picked him up to get him out of his crib after his nap and he threw a fit because apparently he wanted to get out himself. If I spank him the temper tantrum gets worse, so I have opted to ignore him. I just left him crying in his room for the last 15 minutes screaming. I won't give him any kind of attention for it right now, I told him he can come downstairs when he's done crying.

Whoa, big!

Calvin used this phrase this morning when he saw me put my shirt on while I was getting dressed. He caught a glimpse of my large belly, pointed towards me, and said "Whoa, big!" Uh, thanks buddy. :)

Working on river house today

Dave got up early with the kids and let me sleep in til 8:45 am. What a treat! We got breakfast going and as soon as that was over, we loaded the van full of supplies necessary to continue sealing/painting the new cinder block foundation on the river house. We brought along the kids trikes and a stroller too. We packed lunches knowing we would get hungry later and wanted to avoid going out to eat. Dave even packed the folding table and chairs in the van so we would have a place to eat instead of sitting on the floor, which hurts after awhile. Dave got to work painting and I took the kids on a loooong walk on the trails. Violet was soo excited to get out on her trike and Calvin happily sat in the stroller, playing with rocks, sticks and flowers on his stroller tray. Violet was talking nonstop the whole time, fascinated by the trail. She was convinced we were going into a jungle! The birds were chirping, the frogs were croaking, and we could peer through some trees and see two horses grazing in a field near the trail. The weather was beautiful. Being on that old trail reminded me of the summers of 2006 and 2007 when I would go running a few times a week. Violet was captivated by the trails ups and downs, she would turn in circles as she waited for me to catch up on foot, and we made a point to stop at almost every bench along the way for a water break. We went about a mile and a half down the trail when I made the call to turn around, knowing that we had a long way to go back and she was starting to show signs of being tired and hungry. We went all the way back and an hour had passed since the beginning of the walk, so she definitely got some exercise. Dave made a goal of finishing up painting sealer on one wall so we waited for him to finish up before eating lunch. Violet and Calvin got busy in the sand, and they got SOOO dirty. Violet sat right in the sand and buried her entire legs and feet. Calvin of course, tried to copy her, but wasn't as successful. Either way, both of them were so filthy. We used the neighbor's hose to rinse off and then we ate lunch. Calvin was so crabby, he fussed about everything that was put in front of him, but with some persistence, Dave got him to finish his pears before he got to eat his PBJ. Violet snarfed down her pears (she ate three pear halves!) and her entire PBJ. The littlest things keep kids busy, it never ceases to amaze me. While Dave and I finished up our lunch, they became occupied with a pile of leaves, and ran back and forth from the edge of the deck to the pile of leaves with handfuls of leaves dumping them over the edge. They wanted to run around inside the house but we didn't let them. We got them home and in the bathtub in record time, and made a point to tell them no books since it was so late in the afternoon. Both of them crashed in bed for their naps at 2:30 and are actually still sleeping hard. It is 5:05 pm!! Dave went over to the house right after they went to bed and continued to paint. When they wake up we'll go back over there again but just for a walk this time - no playing in the sand.

Relaxing day yesterday

Yesterday was a breath of fresh air. I had an appointment in Iowa City so my friend Selena came over to my house and watched the kids for me, with extra time afterwards to get in a hair cut before this baby makes an appearance. She even ordered everyone a pizza to share for lunch. I drove to IA City by myself at 1:30 pm to get there in time for my 2:45 appointment. As I drove home, I got the chance to catch up with Rachel and get a report on my grandpa's funeral that morning. It was hard not to be there, since being at funerals is a huge part of the closure process, to hug family and friends, see his body, etc. My brain is only processing the fact that he died but I can't really comprehend it, it doesn't seem real. I keep running through scenes in my head of when I was with him last and memories through my life time of being with him, and its so nice to have such wonderful memories and especially to know that he is in paradise with the Lord. Violet had a really exciting day yesterday. She got to have "pajama day" at preschool in the morning, and the whole class brought along camping gear and they pretended to have a camping day. Violet happily brought along her pink tent, baby, little pillow and two special blankets. When I picked her up, I told her the news that all her friends were over at our house to visit and she started jumping up and down in the van...it was a struggle to get her buckled in so I could drive home! She asked "Is my best friend Ivy going to be there?!?!? How long are they staying? Are they staying for a long time, or a short time?" and when I told her they would probably be at our house all day, I don't think she could contain her excitement. She did get a nap in, but the rest of the day was pretty exciting having her friends over. She played really well with all of Selena's kids and crashed hard at night - and she even slept in til 8:45 am. She had an enormous appetite for breakfast, eating four pancakes (all covered in peanut butter!) and two sausage links. Right now she and Calvin are totally lounging on the couch watching Sesame Street barely moving a muscle. I brought their special cozy blankets inside from the car (Violet has a dora blanket, Calvin has a sponge-bob one, they are really big, cushy and soft, like bed comforters) and let them snuggle up and relax. It is finally a sunny day so later we are definitely going out for a walk! I also wanted to post how much I have appreciated Dave lately. He has been very supportive of me in little ways. He is very helpful around the house, unloading/loading the dishwasher, helping me haul laundry baskets up and down the steps, and this morning after his work out, he surprised me with a cinnamon dulce latte from Starbucks and even made me a three-egg omelet with cheese and two pieces of toast for breakfast. Whatta guy! I thank the Lord for such a great husband and what a gift he is to me. I have also experienced a lot of support from my friends/family lately and love seeing tangibly how the Body of Christ is working effectively to lift those up around them. Not only myself but others who are going through trials.

Not going

I made the decision to stay home this morning and not go to the funeral. The effort to travel with the family is just too much considering my situation. I will miss being there for the family!

Mother's Day 2010

As a family we went out to lunch at Panera (my pick!) after church. The kids split a big portion of mac and cheese, Dave and I had soup and sandwiches, and everybody enjoyed chocolate chip cookies (Dave got a muffin) after the meal, and Dave and I both sipped on hot steamy lattes. Both kids were very happy, it made me happy. During their nap time, Dave went over to the river house to work more on the flood vents. He finished mounting them, and painted them dark brown to match the rest of the paint. I took the kids to a park when they woke up to keep them busy until Dave was done. He met us at the park when he finished up and we went home for supper. Violet and Dave have established a little tradition of making me cupcakes for Mother's Day. It started when she was 2, they did it again when she was 3, and this year they made me some again. She mixed up the batter herself and scooped it all into the muffin tins, and when they were cooled, she frosted them all herself. Dave helped her along the way but for the most part, she did it herself. She picked pink cupcakes (strawberry flavor) and chocolate frosting. They turned out pretty good! I am so blessed to have two such wonderful children and one more baby coming very soon!!! Dave helped to make the day special for me by taking care of meals, diapers, nap/bed time, and all routine cleaning their daily care requires. I'm going to talk to my doctors in Iowa City tomorrow regarding the possibility of traveling to North Dakota for my grandpa's funeral. The visitation is Wed night and the funeral is Thursday morning. Dave is very supportive of driving up there as a family ~ and if he's on board, I might be even more so. I would really, really like to go. I suppose to the rest of the world my decision to take off this late in the pregnancy seems silly, but knowing my history of carrying babies overdue, this still seems like the "safe zone" to me. If the medical team is supportive and leave the decision up to me, I might go for it.

A couple pics of Grandpa Joe

My Grandpa Joe Pavicic died today

So weird to type those words in the title. I got a call tonight from my dad with the news. I am so sad, I will miss him so much. I was in the middle of bathing the kids (they were in my big tub with the jets on giggling their heads off from all the bubbles) when I got the call...I was so shocked. He had a heart attack earlier this afternoon outside in his front yard, the neighbors found him, and my poor Grandma Dee had to find out from a phone call from the police while she was at work. I have had my Grandma Dee and my mom in my prayers almost constantly since I heard the news. My grandma must be so sad and lonely. I talked to Rachel a little bit ~ she called shortly after dad called ~ I was just so distracted when I found out since I was in the middle of bathing two screaming kids and getting them to bed. They were running around the house like crazy screaming and playing in their rooms. Dave was over at the river house installing flood vent windows so he came home after dark. He is in glory now though. He loved Jesus Christ and trusted Him as his Savior, so that is one thing that makes this a little easier to digest.

What every dad likes to hear

The other day I was waiting in the car with the kids...I was in the driver's seat, both kids were buckled, and Dave was grabbing something from the house. As soon as Dave got in the passenger seat, Violet said "Daddy, you're big and mighty and heavy like a giant! You could lift a house!" I think he was pretty tickled pink she flattered him like that. :)

Beautiful Saturday

Its been an "outside day" around here. Daddy woke up with the kids and let me sleep in a little which was wonderful, and he got them breakfast. He went outside to mow the lawn so we went outside too. The kids rode their trikes around the driveway and sidewalks for a couple hours while I slowly pulled up weeds around the house to the best of my ability. Violet and Calvin were full of laughter and joy all morning in the sunshine. We ate lunch which was pears and spaghetti, then we could tell they were tired from the wind and sun. We just got the kids down for their naps - and Dave is off to the river house to pick up the lawn and mow it for the first time in two years. So much junk needs to be picked up though. He is going to create the start a large burn pile of useless wooden steps and gates. When they wake up, we'll go over there to "help" and let the kids play on the big rope swing and in the sand, which I hope is dry.