A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

20 hours to go!

We are just 20 hours away from being at the hospital for our induction! I’ve been pacing the floors waiting for it to be time and even hoping that perhaps the little one will decide to come a few hour earlier than when the Dr’s have planned. So far, no such luck.

I’ve got a checklist of things to finish up today around the house, like cleaning out the fridge. DH will be doing some grocery shopping after we get home so I’m working up a list of what we will need . . . I’m putting together a list of people to email the first pictures to once we are home . . . and rechecking my bags to be sure I have everything I need packed.

The baby has been restless as well. He/she doesn’t really have enough room to kick anymore but certainly has been doing a lot of pushing, trying to stretch I think. Certainly feels to me like this one is ready to come out and have some room to move around, not that I can blame him/her for wanting a little space by this point. We have certainly hit the point where there is no such thing as a comfortable position, for either of us from what I can tell.

We are still planning for one last dinner out together tonight. Nothing too fancy, just going to a nearby Italian restaurant that we like for a quiet dinner together since it is very likely to be our last dinner alone together for a while to come. We also recently went to a movie, since I probably won’t see any more movies in the theatre for a while . . . I

did, however, sign up for Netflicks again. I’ve got 30+ movies in my list so that I’ll have movies to watch over the next month or two. Called the video store we usually rent from and for the price of 4.5 movies there I can have a month of Netflicks with 3 movies out at a time. I expect to be able to get through a few more than that, even watching them 20 or 30 minutes at a time. And since there is nothing on TV over the summer I might as well have some movies. . . . right?

M is going to post an update here for us once the baby arrives, so sometime over the weekend there will likely be new info here . . . I’m off to finish getting ready.

This week’s update

We saw the Dr. for our final prenatal apt the other day. We had another ultrasound, everything looks just fine in there. Baby is still very active and I swear is trying to push his/her way out!

The Dr. has decided that due to my little bit of a heart condition, they feel it would be best to have a planned delivery. As things stand, the plan is to induce labor on Thursday, June 30th. We will be going in at 6:00 am Thursday morning! They said, depending on how things go, it could be late on the 30th or sometime on the first of July by the time the little one is actually here.

That means I’m only going to be pregnant for another 6 days! After so many months of being pregnant, it seems weird to think that I only will be for another 6 days! On the one hand, I’m thrilled with the idea of not being so big and uncomfortable now that the weather is really starting to heat up here, on the other hand, it will be really strange not to feel the kid moving around in there anymore.

Tomorrow, they are predicting it will be about 97 degrees here. I’m planning to spend a lot of time in our bedroom and the nursery since they are the rooms with the A/C. We are planning to go out to dinner with friends tomorrow night, though if the weather is still far too hot I’m not sure we will end up going. Mostly because our current car doesn’t have any A/C!

We did finally get the cloth diapers I’d been waiting for, they arrived in the mail today. I’ve got them “prewashing” in the machines now and will probably spend tomorrow folding them while in the A/C. I’m actually pretty exciting about these diapers (yeah, I know, that is both strange and sad) I got a bunch of what are called Flatfolds and they are pretty much what they sound like; a big square piece of cloth that you fold up into the shape that fits your baby. The neat thing is that there are a bunch of different ways you can fold them so that they fit a wide range of sizes and with a bit of luck they will last right through to potty training. From what I’ve read, they are generally sturdy enough to last through several babies!

Knitting wise, I’m still working on the baby blanket I started, its a bit more than 1/2 done so its unlikely that I will have it finished by the time the baby arrives. However, since it is July and since the blanket is wool, I seriously doubt the baby will really need that particular blanet too soon. I’ve also got on more of the coming home outfit booties to knit . . . perhaps something I’ll work on tomorrow while keeping cool.

Speaking of baby blankets, I’d like to Thank the Monday night Saugus knitting group for the lovely baby blanket they made for us! It really is lovely and soft and I’m looking forward to using it. Thank you ladies!

So, unless the kid has other ideas, we’ll be going in on Thursday . . . which means something like Sunday morning we will be coming home with our new baby! I don’t plan on turning on the computer again after Wednesday for a while but I have someone that I will ask to log in for me and let you all know how things turn out!

Wish us luck!

Post Dr. visit update

Yesterday we had this week’s DR apt. We started with a Non-stress Test, which the Peanut passed with flying colors this time. Moving around just fine in there and the heartbeats were normal for the amount of movement.

My weight has leveled off so it looks like a total gain of 28 lbs overall. I’m actually pretty happy with that, not too little (I didn’t gain and even lost some at the beginning) and not so much that it will take me forever to fit into “my” clothes again. Everything else looks fine. My ankles had been swelling a little, but we think that was more from the heat than anything as they seem to be normal enough now that the temp has dropped by 30 degrees here!

We’re waiting to hear back from the Dr’s office about what day(s) our Dr. might be available for the delivery, since they want to schedule it we figure might as well try for a day when the Dr we already know and like will be available. I’m hoping to hear from them this week, but we might not get a definate until next Wednesday at our next visit. Next week is another ultrasound and we anticipate getting another weight estimate. I’m guessing the Peanut will be around 7 lbs by then, but that is just a guess.

What we do know is that since they want to schedule the induction for approx. 39 weeks that means we have approximately 2 weeks left before we will be having the baby! That is a little freaky, just 2 weeks to go!

We spent part of today working more on the baby’s room. DH hung the organizer thing we bought. I think it was designed for kitchens, it has 6 little cubby holes and the fronts slant up to keep everything in (and yes, it would be great for yarn and then it has 3 wooden pegs, like for coats underneath. I’ve got all the diapering stuff, lotions & oils, prefold diapers, cloth wipes and lots of other odds and ends in it. I also hung the diaper stacker from one of the pegs and put the picture frames we were given for baby pictures up on the top of it. Very organized and it did make me feel a little more prepared having that ready. We also put the bureau with it’s changing pad next to where the organizer is and set so I can reach into each cubby without having to take a hand off the baby. DH even screwed the little safty straps from the back of the pad to the back of the bureau, nice and safe.

The crib is ready and I have a rocker. DH is working on the table we bought for next to the rocker and it looks like it will be sometime next month before he has a chance to do the bookcase so I have a few things to find temporary homes for in the mean time. . . like the lamp. I know I’m probably boring you to tears with all this, its just it helps me to organize in my mind what still needs doing if I “talk” it through plus the closer to totally ready we are the calmer I feel.

Knitting wise: I still have to finish the pink socks for the hospital bag (just in case) and I haven’t had a chance to work on the blanket, though now that it is so much cooler I should be able to get it finished.

I also have to post something on the shop website and finish updating my mailing list so I can send everyone a note so they will know what is going on. We plan to still take orders, but it could be a few weeks before they get filled so they will be filled in the order they come in . . . I didn’t want to shut things down, but I know it will be a little bit before I have it together enough to do much. At least this is all happening during summer when things are a lot quieter anyway, right?

Okay, got to go finish my phone list for the hospital bag, one of the last few things I still need to pack . . .

Baby on the brain!

Well, we survived the baby shower, barely! Things didn’t turn out exactly as planned . . . instead of being “princess for the day” as I had been promised, sipping cold drinks with my feet up while showing off my enormous belly . . . I wound up feeling like the skullery maid! Several of the people who were going to do all the running around so I wouldn’t have to totally flaked out on me and I spent the entire party running around, getting things set up, and basically didn’t get to really visit with anyone!

M and Pixiedust were both a tremendous help, the entire party would have fallen into total ruin if it weren’t for the two of them! I can’t even begin to tell you how much they both did to save my butt!

Fortunately, I don’t think most of the guests were aware of what a disaster was happening behind the scenes. For the most part, I think we managed to hide it well enough that they were able to enjoy the party.

I finally got to sit for more than 5 minutes when it came time to open presents! Everyone was very, very generous and we have a ton of baby things! One of the great things about having the party at the house was that as we opened things the kids brought the packages inside and placed them in the baby’s room. So once the party was over at least that stuff was already inside.

Sunday night I couldn’t sleep, too hot, too uncomfortable etc. I woke at 3 am, by 4 when I couldn’t go back to sleep (this never, and I mean never happens to me!) I finally went into the baby’s room and started really unwrapping things, getting it all sorted and organized. I worked in there until all that was left was the really big stuff like the stoller and car seat, which I didn’t want to wake DH while opening, then I was able to go back to sleep for another whole hour before we had to be up for breakfast with his Aunt & Uncle from out of town.

So between running errands and cleanning all day Saturday, running around all day Sunday and then getting no sleep, I’ve managed to get a cold! I’m totally stuffy and miserable! Plus now the weather here has finally warmed up so the temp isn’t helping me any . . .

We did go to the Dr on Wednesday, the baby is doing just fine. Found out that due to my heart condition they feel that it would be best to induce labor, giving them a totally controled environment to work in. Dr. would like to schedule it for around the end of the month, a week before our due date. We’ll have a more definate plan after our visit at week 38 when she can decide if I’ll be ready the next week. So we have just over 2 weeks left before the baby will be here by that plan! Frightening!

We are almost ready, stuff wise. DH still needs to finish the table and bookcase for the nursery so I can finish setting things up. Pretty much all the clothes and blankets and stuff have been washed in the special baby soap and I have gathered up most of the stuff to pack in my bag, though it isn’t actually packed yet. I’ve read the car seat manual twice and will likely read it one more time . . . and from what I hear, I should be getting the cloth diapers I ordered early this next week. I hope to give them their breaking in washings before the kid actually arrives . . .

Knitting wise I haven’t done much, I am still only about 1/2 done with the blanket I’m making for the baby and the past few days have been so hot that I haven’t worked on it. Wool blankets in 80+ weather are not fun!

We did receive 2 crochet and 1 knit blanket as gifts, all of which will be treasured. M also has made the most beautiful christening gown you have ever seen, and no, I’m not exagerating either. Once I get a chance I’ll take a picture of it to post. . . . She has agreed to be the baby’s godmother, lucky kid!

Hot here again today so I’m working on Thank you notes in between loads of laundry. and putting my feet in a dishpan of cool water while I sit to write . . . time to go move laundry again. More when I can.

And Bess, I will certainly post lots of baby pictures!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately . . .

things have been a little nuts around here as we try to get ready for our new arrival!

My mother and MIL are throwing us a baby shower this weekend (nope, not a surprise) and its actually here at our house (MIL lives upstairs and is doing most of the cooking) so we have been scrambling to get the house ready for the crowd that is coming along with attempting to finish the baby’s room.

DH has made great progress with the room. He finished the wallpapering last night and it looks great! Esp. for his first time ever doing wall paper! Today we are working on the rest of the cleanup in the room and will bring in the finished bureau and bring the crib down from his mother’s apt. I want to have the room at least partly set up before the shower so everyone can have an idea of what it will look like. We still need to go buy a rug, bookcase and a few other things but that can wait a few weeks if necessary.

Yesterday I sorted through the baby clothes we have been given so far, from a couple of cousins and a good friend and washed up all the gender neutral newborn stuff so it will be ready to go in the bureau when it comes in later today. I’ve been waiting for months to get to play with baby clothes! I took that as my down day since the day before M and PixieDust came over and we did some of the bigger projects that needed doing . . . Thanks you Ladies!

I’m also working on the baby blanket I had started, its nearly 1/2 done and I’d love have it finished and hanging over the side of the crib on Sunday, though I doubt that is going to happen. . . . we’ll see. The blanket is a Fiber Trends pattern being done in my own “Over the Rainbow” in Decaf (superwash) yarn. I really like how it is coming out and will eventually post a picture when I have it done.

My knitting lately has been limited to the blanket and a few wool diaper covers for the baby. I still need to finish the pink cashmere socks for the coming home outfit. We decided to buy the actual outfits since he hadn’t had time to translate the pattern from Italian . . . We have an adorable little pink dress with smocking and rosebuds and a navy blue and white sailor suit so either way we’ll have the right outfit to bring the baby home in. Both got washed in the special baby soap yesterday and will be ironed later today before packing in the start of my hospital bag.

Yes, we technically have 5 weeks to go, but since it isn’t impossible that the baby will decide to come early (our neice, pictured below) arrived a full 5 weeks early! I thought perhaps it was time to at least start thinking about a bag, just in case! I even picked up a book of 50 crossword puzzles for DH since they are one of his favorite things to do while waiting and since I don’t think the one from that days paper is likely to keep him busy for long (unless we go in on Saturday

I’m considering bringing something for mindless knitting, perhaps a winter hat, knit in the round, all knit . . . maybe I’ll start a couple that I can work on in case we are there a while, if they are all started and all I have to do is knit around and around that would probably be best, wouldn’t it? I must have some yarn around here somewhere that I can use for that . . . . right?

Okay, I should really go work on decluttering the living room so it will be ready for dusting etc. We’ve only got a couple days left until the party and so much left to do. DH is off buying more flowers to plant in the front yard and around the patio, I’ll be double gloving (hospital gloves with garden gloves over) so I can help plant. Not taking any chances!

I’ll write again when I can though I expect it will be sometime after this weekend before I have another chance!