Waiting on Lily

Pictures from our last beach trip...




The next 14 days might as well be an ETERNITY. I don't remember feeling this anxious about my other two (*remember* being the key word- I'm sure I was every bit as anxious). I'm trying to stay really busy because I'm ready to hold Lily and ready to be able to do everything with a bit more ease (not the easiest chasing a 2 and 3 year old around with an enormous belly..)

This pregnancy HAS been a doosey though. First the kidney stone, then I found out I have elevated protein in my urine. Because of that, I have to drive to Riverside twice a week to be monitored and have a non-stress test for the baby. It is a drag but better safe than sorry.

At my checkup yesterday my midwife, who fully supports my VBAC, checked my cervix and stripped my membranes. I was dilated 2 cm, 50% effaced, and the baby's head was at -1 station (whatever that means). I know that those numbers are really indicative of NOTHING, but it makes me feel better that SOMETHING is going on. The major bummer about all of this is hospital policy does not allow women to have a VBAC past their due date. My doctor would go for it, Kaiser will not. So everyone is fully supportive of the VBAC and Kaiser does them ALL the time. They just will not let me go a day past my due date (statistics show that a womans chance for uterine rupture increase when VBACing after their due date.... I say BOO to statistics, but whatever). My doctor and midwife are frustrated because I am the perfect candidate for a VBAC (HELLO, I've proven myself pushing out a 10 + pounder) but their hands are tied. With a VBAC you are not allowed to be induced, so everything has to happen on its own, before the due date. Hence the reason my midwife stripped my membranes yesterday. We have got TWO weeks to make this happen, otherwise, I have a C-Section scheduled for 1:30 p.m on August 27th. This is probably why I feel so much anxiety- that surgery date is looming over me and I would rather not recover from a C-Section with a 2 and 3 yr old. But, what will be, will be. After she stripped my membranes yesterday, I have had contractions on and off, horrible cramping, and horrible lower back pain. Unfortunately, that is starting to fizzle out. I need all the prayers, finger and toe crossing, rain dances, WHATEVER to help this baby come in the next 2 weeks! Something tells me to get ready for a C-Section.....

Brent starts preschool in a few weeks and I am so excited for him. He will go twice a week (Tuesday/Thursday) and his cousin will be in his class. He will also start speech twice a week again (Wednesday/Friday). I start school (13 units) on Monday. Oh and did I mention we'll have a newborn??? My brother, with his Ph.D and all, who is just about as pro-education as they come, told me he thinks I'm making a mistake and should knock it off with school this semester. I'm stubborn and I like a challenge. The more people tell me I can't do it with a newborn makes me more determined to do it. And knowing it's my LAST semester at this dumb school makes it all the more worthwhile. Needless to say, it is gonna be a CRAZY CRAZY next few months....

I think Brent and Sophie are excited for "Baby Lily". They talk about her often, know which bedroom will be hers, and when they both say prayers at night, they thank Heavenly Father for her (how sweet....). Speaking of prayers, we have to say THREE every night. Brent will say it, then Sophie insists, then Scott or I will say another one. Brent's prayers usually consist of this:

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank thee for Daddy, Mommy, Bubba (what he calls himself), Sophie, and Baby Lily. Please help us go night night, wake up and go to park, and be safe. Say these things, name of Jesus Christ, amen." That boy LOVES the park... its kinda sad that he prays NIGHTLY that he can go the next day. So funny.

Scott and I still pinch ourselves daily that he is potty trained. He also has pretty much trained himself at night, as well. He wakes up dry almost every morning and if he has to go in the middle of the night, he starts crying until we go in and help him to the potty. I can count on one hand the number of times he has woken up with a wet pull up. There's nothing better than being DIAPER FREE! And our diaper bill has been cut dramatically (unfortunately that will all change in 2 weeks..)

Little Sophie is still her sweet, sassy little self. She acts so much older than she is- it is just insane for Scott and I to watch. When we took her for her 2 yr old check up, the pediatrician asked if she was saying 2 to 3 word sentences. I looked at him and laughed. I said, "Well, this morning she woke up and said "Hi Mommy. Wanna go downstairs and get milk and watch Mickey Mouse."" The Dr. just started laughing and said "Well ok, then! I guess she is just fine in that department." I've said it before, and I'll say it again, there is nothing better than having the reassurance with her speech that it is ok, after going through this issue with Brent. Every day she says stuff that cracks us up. Last night Scott gave Brent a hair cut on our patio outside. Sophie was SO mad that she wasn't getting a haircut. She was in tears saying "I want a haircut!" to which I replied "Girlfriend, you will be lucky to get a trim by the time you are 10 yrs old.." She wouldn't let it go so finally Scott picked up a comb and made a buzzing sound with his mouth while he combed her hair. It totally worked and pacified her. She has to do everything her big brother does.

WOW this is ENTIRELY too long. I need to be better at posting!