35 Weeks, 35 days to go

Can I just wake up and it be say, May?
I always find February to be the longest month of the year, and this year it seemed to drag on FOREVER. It didn't help that I was sick almost the entire month with one cold after another, but the cold weather, being cooped up indoors, yuck. I would look at pictures from last spring and summer to give me hope of green grass and flowers coming again. I even planned out my garden last week, and ordered a ton of flowers online (Ed is not looking forward to the backbreaking work I have "planned" for him!)
But seriously, if I could just skip the next couple of months, especially the day I give birth, and wake up to a world of green grass, flowers, baby in my arms... it all sounds very appealing to me. Since that is not to be, I enter this last month of pregnancy, last month of winter with my eyes set on the prize.

35 more days!!

Ok, here is something weird--
(I get babycenter updates on N as well as the baby)
Since it is exactly one month until N's birthday, on this day he is 35 months old, I am 35 weeks pregnant, and have 35 days until my due date-- strange coincidence?!

Awake Again!

Yes, it is once again the middle of the night and I am up. But it is the first night in about 5, so I can't complain. Even though the last four nights were a drug-induced slumber. About a two weeks ago I caught a cold that started out as a sore throat, seemed to disappear after a couple of days, and came back full force by the end of that first week. It settled into my chest and I felt like I was living with a never ending cough. It kept me up half the night for several nights on end. My stomach muscles felt like they were being torn in two (as they are already stretched to the limit), when I would have uncontrollable coughing fits. Fortunately, my mom was able to step in a couple of days to help take care of N, make me chicken soup, and just let me rest. By Wednesday though, I was desperate, so at my OB visit I asked my doctor if there was anything stronger than Robitussin that I could take, because it was doing nothing for me. She gave me a prescription for codeine, and it was a blessed relief. I still coughed a bit at the start of the first couple of nights, but was able to settle down and sleep deeply the remainder, although I woke up feeling a little groggy for the first couple of hours the next morning (a small price I was more than willing to pay). So anyway, last night/tonight I didn't take it, since my cough has pretty much cleared up. And although I miss that deep sleep, I am thankful I am well enough not to need the medicine. It seems I got better just in time for E to get sick (I hear her coughing upstairs right now). Will this ever end?

Snow much fun!

Finally, we got enough snow that the kids could go outside and play! E has been waiting with great expectation to go sledding this winter. Although we have a tiny incline in our backyard, it was enough since the snow is basically a hard, frozen sheet.

On Wednesday, Ed taking the kids for a ride between meetings for work, and trying to catch his breath.






Today, Peter and Erika were here for the day, and E had off from school. The kids played together, sledding down the little hill, trying not to hit trees.

32 Weeks

I went to have my 6th ultrasound of this pregnancy yesterday. My placenta has moved enough (2cm) that I will not need a c-section, so that is a praise, I think?! I know, the recovery time is supposed to be so much better and quicker with a "natural" birth, but when I think of facing those long hours of labor, the idea of a quick cut and the baby is here sounds pretty nice.
The baby was lying in a "transverse" position-- head on my right side, back curled to the top of my belly, butt on the left, so we couldn't get a look at the face. It was also hard to see anything, really, since she is starting to get crammed in there. But we found out that she is about 4 lbs, 7 oz, which isn't really a solid number. But if it is true, I'm hoping she doesn't gain much more than a half a pound a week between now and delivery.

In other news, today I took the kids to the dentist, it was N's first visit. We talked about it all morning, and then he watched E getting her teeth cleaned. He was very good during the exam. He had a serious, watchful look the entire time, but obediently opened his mouth when asked, and even smiled a couple of times. As I suspected, his intense thumb-sucking is taking a toll on the roof of his mouth and front teeth. The dentist said not to worry about it yet, and maybe after his next visit, in 6 months, try to start weaning him from his thumb. Poor N, this will be a challenging 6 months ahead for him-- new big boy bed, new baby sister, potty training, starting preschool AND having to give up his beloved thumb. Any tips on the process are welcome!