Eli Brice Helms

I know all y'all really care about it the pictures...but you have to hear the story too! He made his entrance into the world around 5:45 yesterday afternoon! He weighs in at 7 lbs and 12 oz. and is 21 inches long. He is a GOOD baby, so far, hasn't cried a bit....except the poking of the needle right after his birth! He is starting to nurse better, but at this point would rather sleep!

Emma and Ian came about an hour after he got here...both where very unsure of the whole thing...of course, he looked a little "weird" w/ all the goop and eye drops and stuff...SO they were pretty stand-offish. Ian just wanted me to "get up mommy...don't like bed" They left w/ Gary after about 45 minutes to watch a movie and wait for daddy to come and put them to bed. They came back w/ Alex this morning and were very excited to see their brother and Emma was VERY ready to hold him, now that he looked clean and cute! Ian still stood back, but was glad I was up and moving around...he too eventually held Eli..and did great and was so cute w/ him...you'll see the pics I promise!lol.

This was totally my hardest delivery yet, but we made it through, yes there were some tears...but no tearing...lol! Some complications, but nothing major, and he was fine the whole time! The dr and the nurses were great, no complaints there at all! We are all great, and VERY glad to have Eli on this side!...now, let the fun begin! :)










We will be going home tomorrow midmorning...I can't wait to get in my bed and sleep on my stomach! Last night I was up ALOT, they had to give me extra fluids b/c of a blood pressure problem...SO I peed all night long! LOVELY right!lol, so he slept and I was up!lol...go figure! Keep up in your prayers and come by and see the baby! :)


OH and happy birthday MOM!...I love you, thanks for spending your "big day" w/ me helping me w/ the kids and Eli...and ME!

short update!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am still waiting.....tomorrow is my "due date!" I am hanging tough...haven't slept in a while, but I know that is not ending anytime soon, even after the birth! HEEHEE! I will be glad to have all the pain in my hips end!...it's seem to be endless right now! I am off to bed, yes, it's early for me, but I have been up since 4:45 AM, b/c I couldn't sleep w/ the pain!

I'll keep you posted, I can even take to computer to the hospital! lol, no promises, but I will let everyone know somehow as soon as I can!

I am probably off until after his birth!....look for pictures...soon I hope!

my new plan!

Ok so I am still waiting, now remember my due date isn't until this coming Saturday...the 27th, so, if it weren't for the checking of my fluids, I would never of expected to give birth before now...in fact I told all the family that if they didn't induce me early we all knew I wouldn't have this one before my due date either! I will now tell you, I didn't play along w/ the "guess the date" b/c my date all along has been the 29th or 30th...I still think it will be next week and hopefully not longer! I have a much better perspective on everything now...and know I should be enjoying this last week or so. God showed me today through a tap on my shoulder that HE is in control and I need to trust him, even w/ the timing to the birth of Eli...it was a sweet reminder that HE has my BEST at heart and for now, that means me waiting and being patient!

So my new plan....to be as busy as possible this week! I have Brandy coming over in the morning, the Tuesday I have bible study fellowship, then mom and I might shop some, the Wednesday I am hoping to meet Chelsea...who I need to call back in a minute...at the mall and let the girls have a "play date" as Anagrace has requested!...Chelsea, my question is when do mommies get "play dates" that's what we need to schedule!lol! That will take me to Thursday....I am sure I can find something at home that will need attention by then!lol...like cleaning, then I have my drs appointment on Friday! Whew, I have a busy week...so, at least I have something to do to make the days go by! YEA! At my last appointment, the dr told me to "play on his sympathy at the next appointment...that is when I was begging him not to make me go to 41 weeks!lol....so I am assuming that I will leave at least w/ a scheduled induction...but who knows!

Now you know, I still don't have a little guy to hold, but I am doing well, and looking forward to my week!
love to all!

MIA, Not much and Same Old Stuff

I stole the titles of some of my blogger friends, because that is exactly how I feel too! I know I have been "MIA" for a while, and that is because it seems everything around here is the "same old stuff," which is "not much" going on. Ever since I hit around 36 weeks I stopped planning things and started keep the calendar clear...which as I look back probably wasn't a smart thing to do! We have slipped into a nice routine around here since fall has started up. We have bible study on Tuesday mornings and Emma goes to AWANA on Wednesday night w/ my mom and Gary. Other than that, I have eliminated all of our other activities....it's driving me crazy not having more to do, but I know once Eli gets here I will be thankful I made those steps. Emma is going to be in swimming lessons in October and we do have plans to start some other activities through out the fall and winter...and I have pushed off preschool for her until January although, she is constantly pushing me to "learn" something, everything now. Her newest fascination is a map of the US...we went and brought her one after she took an interest in IKE and wanted to know where those people lived and if the storm was going to be near us. She now knows where our state is, where the storm was and of course where disney world is! LOL. She has also started learning her phonics, so now she walks around walmart naming letters she recognizes and singing "the A says ah, the a says ah, every letter makes a sound the A says ah!"....cute for a while!lol, no I love it, I love watching her learn and I love that she craves learning...she thrives off of learning!..I pray it never changes. I on the other hand am still struggling w/ not being overwhelmed w/ what I know God has called me to do w/ their schooling. I am working to focus on the now, and not the distant future, one step at a time, and for now, it's preschool!...and even that isn't going to start until January! Whew, I do have time to have this baby first! :)

The only other thing going on around here is that we decided a while back to get new living room furniture....heehee...we wanted to sale what we had first and then go and buy...we had looked around at what we wanted and knew where we would be going to buy, then put our couch and chair on good old craigslist! The couch has now sold and so we are sitting on the floor and our one chair...the kids have those kid sofas, so they have been loving not having a couch...me, yea, hard to lay down for a minute w/ no couch to lay on! lol! So the sofa has been gone for 2 days now, and Alex started doubting what we had picked out the buy...so we started the searching process all over last night! LOL...now, remember, I am a planner, and this pushed me to the end of my robe! BUT we found what we wanted last night....we are very excited...AND we can have them here TOMORROW! So even if I have a baby today...lol, not likely....but if I do then I will still have furniture when I get home from the hospital! YEAH~ We brought new pillows last night too, but when we got them home, they don't match like we had hoped they would...so I'm off to look again in a little while, Gary is going to keep the kids and mom is going to go w/ me so I can look w/o the distraction of little voices, voicing their opinions (especially Ian who's opinion would be to leave!) He was such a trooper last night, Emma was at AWANA, and he went w/ us to shop for furniture! We pushed him WAY past his limit, but he hung in there very well...and all he asked for all night was to "play" at "chic away" chick-fil-a which he did, and had a lot of fun, we even met a couple w/ 3 kido from Elevation, and had a chance to talk for a few minutes!...fun for us and the kids!

Anyway, I have rambled on for a while now, and you are all caught up on our lives....I have a drs appointment this afternoon, but I am learning to expect it to be the same as before...so I don't foresee having a baby today in the future, so I'll let you know, I am hoping to get them to go ahead and schedule an induction for next week sometime, if I walk away w/ that I will be thrilled! My due date is 8 days away, so if they would schedule the induction for mid to late next week I be one happy girl...even if not, I am now doing well, w/ the end being in sight! Now 12 days from now...past the due date, will be another story, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there!

happy day to all!

trying not to complain!....lol...

SO as you can guess, since I am posting I am back at home. All in all, the doctors appointment has left me right where I was before...waiting! The ultrasound was great, the fluid level was 13, which, yes was slightly less than last week, but still right where it is suppose be all in all. Dr. Sweeney did everything he could think of to try and send me to L and D...but every test was fine!...go figure! They did a stress test today and in the process saw I was contracting every 5 minutes...lol....so he thought about sending me over, but since all the other test were "so perfect" he thinks I'll go on my own in a day or so....LOL! Why am I laughing so much....well, as I said in a email to the girls in my small group, if I had a recording for every time I heard those words I could make a cd by now! With E, they told me 2 times that I would "be back really soon" and w/ I they told me on my due date that I would be back in 24hrs and yet a week later I was still pregnant!...so HE might think it will be a day or 2, but I don't think I'll get my hopes up! :) He is concerned that I am not sleeping...it's been 3 days since I slept at all, and told me to take something and get some sleep and that would help push me into labor...something about it's harder for a tired body to handle labor...so if your not sleeping then your body will actually prevent you from going into labor...SO I'm up for some good sleep, and the kids and I are going to spend the night at mom's so she can take them in the morning!...yeah for me!...I'm going to take some sleeping pills and SLEEP, hopefully!

Alex will be working late tomorrow night and has his last shut-down at work on Saturday night....here's the deal w/ that....he can't cancel it last minute, so he was asking me today if he should postpone it or not....I can' answer that! If he postpones it I might still be prego next weekend and still be in the same boat we're in now...and he'll be asking me again!....what to do, what to do! All I said, is that I would hate for him to miss the birth of his son!...what else do I say, I can't tell him when he's coming!...if I had my way, it would be NOW! But I feel like my luck would have the baby come on Saturday night...I can see it now, I go into labor around midnight, here by myself, and then I meet him at the hospital early on Sunday morning and he is going to be more tired than me having been up all night working!....not a good start to a long process of adjusting to a new baby and not much sleep! GREAT!...but then again, there isn't much I can do about it!

OK so my title was "trying not to complain" can't say I'm doing a great job of that...but I am thankful that everything is fine, and we can't even find a reason to take him out early!...I am glad that my fluids are holding nicely and I might actually have water to break this time, and shouldn't have to worry about him not having what he needs as far as that is concerned! Hopefully I will get some sleep which if nothing else should help me feel better emotionally(I had my record crying day for this pregnancy today....the count is 5 times...which started at about 6am this morning, but the days not over!lol) so I can survive the next few weeks...or at least til he decides to show us what he looks like! :)

the guessing has begun!

So Alex told me today when he came home from work, that his boss (Don) has predicted that the baby will come tomorrow...so I guess the guessing has begun!...now I am not playing, but I want ya'll to play along. lol heehee, yes that sounded bossy, but I'm a VERY pregnant girl, you don't want to cross me! :)

So...so far,

Don has said tomorrow which is Wednesday Sept 10th
Alex has said next week on Tuesday Sept. 23rd

I am liking Don's thinking more than Alex right now! LOL....what do you think!? and don't worry, I won't be mad if you pick sometime and October...if I were guessing that's what I would say....which is why I'm not playing!

Humor me, I'm bored waiting for this baby!...not to mention, if you saw my plans for the next few days....you would feel bad for me and wish me to be in labor right now so I could get out of "family obligations!"...heehhee!

So leave a comment and tell us the day and date...we'll see who's the closest!...no prize, other than to be right! :P

Now I am off to my milk and cookies!....yummy, only a little while left of not feeling guilty over what I eat!....and to watch WIPEOUT, maybe I'll laugh this baby out tonight!

restless!

Ok so today for some reason I seems to be VERY restless...I don't want to do anything, but I don't want to stay home! AWWW the frustration of waiting! I have NEVER been a patient person....when I decide it's time for something to happen, then it's time for something to happen...right then. I have about 5 things I want to happen....right NOW, and the #1 thing is for this baby to come OUT. I have nothing planned for this week, other than the start of BSF tomorrow...so to me this would be the perfect day to have a baby!....it would give me something to do and I could sleep on my stomach!lol...the last few nights, I have craved to sleep on my stomach again!...I just wish I could count the days until it would happen, but I can' even do that!....I am so pitiful! It is very unusual for me not to have plans on a Monday morning, and I really really want to go shopping...something which Alex would have a fit over right now...lol! I really want to finish up my Christmas shopping, but I didn't plan ahead for that right now and it would take 2 days to get my hands on that money...lol...by then I have a drs appointment and life will have moved on!....oh the pain of patience....you know, I swear that is why I have NEVER had a baby early, every time I am pregnant, I know God must think...maybe this time...just maybe she will learn to trust me and be patience (although He ultimately knows I won't!lol...He does know everything) yet every time He gives me this choice, to be patient...or not...and every time, I fail BIG, some people would say it's part of who I am, why fight it, but if that was the case I would be sitting here in tears mad that I am waiting....on everything...so it seems! I don't want to do that, I want something to do...while I am waiting, I want to be more patient! I want to enjoy my kids and these last few days before Eli is here and everything changes. BUT what do you do w/ kids that's cheap and fun...as always being frugal is first and for most in my world and I really don't want to be spending extra money right now!...what to do, what to do!lol...I'm so pitiful!
Ok so that is enough whining...I'm off to figure out what I am going to do...while trying to stay patient! :) Wish me luck, I might need a lot of it LOL

still waiting a little (or a lot) longer!

I had my drs appointment yesterday and the ultrasound and both went really well! For now my fluid levels were exactly where they are suppose to be, and they are planning to check them again next week. I am dilated 1cm and "thinned out" 50%...which is exactly where I was w/ both E and I at this point...so it seems to be same song 3rd verse...now I am back to feeling like it will be the middle of Oct. before this baby comes out....if history stays it's course! lol...oh well, I might drive all my friends and family crazy between now and then!

Well I gotta run, just didn't want everyone to think I was at the hospital w/ a baby! :( Emma and I have dentist appointments in a little while! FUN STUFF...lol

carmel brownies, grapes and orange juice

yep that's what I wanted, and am eating for dinner as I type! NOW I must start by saying, we had a "good for you lunch" so I'm allowed to have a wacky dinner!...right? LOL! Not that I care if you say no, I'm eating it and you can't stop me....spoken like a true pregnant...who has been nesting all afternoon! :) Now you also have to be told, don't get your hopes up, w/ Emma and Ian both I nested like 5 times b/f there actually arrived!...so I am sure this is phase one of multiple times of cleaning and moving of things in our house!....POOR ALEX! He does so well putting up w/ me through this time of craziness!

We had planned to clean yesterday...BUT a water pipe busted at the end of our neighborhood and ran so long it flooded a house on the main street!....I felt so sorry for them. So we were w/o water for the whole day....we last minute decided to go to Matthews Alive for the morning b/c they at least had porta potties!lol!....well it was HOT HOT HOT, so we didn't make it there very long, maybe about an hour or so. Then we packed up everything we were planning for dinner, for Cathy's (Alex's mom) birthday dinner (which was suppose to be at our house) and our clothes so we could shower and headed to Mimi and Granddaddy's for the rest of the day! We couldn't even rinse our breakfast dishes out!...my mom would of had a heart attack! :)

SO needless to say, we cleaned today...we went to church this morning...it was AWESOME as usual and the first time Alex and I have been "normal" attenders in about a year! I was nice to go in on time and be together the whole time...to drop off the kids together and pick them up together...BUT I already see us missing the people we got to "hang out" with while we were volunteering...so I'm not sure how long we'll be able to stay out....we'll see! Then we went and did our grocery shopping, came home and ate some lunch and still had everyone down for a nap by about 1:30 or so. After nap is when the cleaning began....lot's of stuff to the attic, lot's of boxes removed(those were from canning...that had been making there home in my kitchen...but not anymore!) Ian's room got rearranged...working on some idea's there, but nothing set in stone! some furniture moved around in the den/kitchen....I love the change, and it made room for the cradle to come out of our room and into the den! YEAH! ummm then of course the normal, dust,vac, bathrooms, changing sheets...ALL "STUFF" put in it's place, mopping, windexing, fan cleaning, washing clothes, folding and putting away...we did wash our quilt and put it out to dry....and the list goes on!..lol, I told you I nested! Now if only the baby would come before I felt to need to do it all over again! At one point today Alex told me to take it easy, I just laughed and reminded him the dr said this baby could come all it wanted to after 36 weeks...well I'm 36 weeks today....so braxton hicks come on! :)

Well at least my house is clean for the week...tomorrow we are headed to Emerald Pointe w/ Brandy and her family...and house work will not be on my mind! LOL Water Park here I come!...maybe one of those slides will put me in labor! heehee! JUST KIDDING..y'all know I WON'T have this baby early on my own!

ok so here's the room!

I finally took some pictures for Emma and Eli's room! I must admit, as I looked at the pictures, I am still frustrated at how crowded the room looks!...it is better in person, but it will always be tight! Here goes...

this is as you walk in, Emma's bed is in front of the door...her shelves facing you




Next this is the wall beside the door, the pictures I took in Hawaii and the top one was the theme of Emma's baby room....I already had the prints and frames, all I did was paint the frames purple and red....the flower hooks were a steal I found at hobby lobby and then I painted the one purple...Emma wanted to leave one pink:) The closet door has to be fixed AGAIN! It has been giving us trouble for a while, Alex has put it up about 4 times and now it's in the garage until he get a new track put up...I'm hoping next weekend! :) SO normally there is a sliding door there and it looks junky w/o it, I am still struggling w/ the closet and what to do, I don't want to spend anymore money in their room...SO it might just stay as it is...we'll see






Next are pictures of Emma's side...There is the top of her bed, and her bedset...she has a purple shelf which holds everything important!...lol...her trophy, her cinderella, lipgloss...which she uses every night before bed, her water cup..also every night! and a portable dvd player..our dvd player is acting up and won't play any princess movies..go figure! SO we put the portable dvd in her room and she watches them in there...it nice for quiet time! There is a picture of her at 6 weeks over her bed w/ her name (that is crooked b/c she plays w/ them!lol) Under her bed, is her desk, and her "living room"...she was originally calling it "club Emma" thanks to Madison!lol, but I have her convinced to call it her living room since it has her princess couch under there!lol!...she doesn't even know what a CLUB is!...she LOVES being under there in her space!







ok so there are 2 of the same picture, I'm not going to try and figure out how to delete one of them for fear of messing up the rest!...sorry! :)

Next is Eli's side...he too has a frame for his baby picture, which for now has a u/s pic in it....well, it looked funny w/ nothing in there! and his name...pain, hated those letters...getting them painted and hung was probably the most difficult thing I did in the whole room!lol! He crib was Emma's then Ian's..it's been a good crib! I did add the red pegs to the end, which I picked/u for fifty cents at Michaels...(Emma has one behind the door) Now about the changing table...well, I am planning ahead, Ian has toolboxes in his room for his drawers, so I wanted to go ahead and get Eli's matching and the toolbox was on clearance SO...hence the toolbox changing table and the reason I used red on his side! the basket on the floor will hold diapers...probably the cloth ones and the basket on the wall is for those odd and ends like lotion, and diaper cream and passies and passy holders and you know "stuff" the bouncy seat is driving me crazy there, but for now, that's it's home (note that the bouncy seat matches Emma's babydoll pack in play and swing...she is very proud of that!) I found the baskets under the crib and the one on the wall and the one for the diapers at Michael's at 50% off of course!...I really like them, and they work much better than the original plan of wooden crates and didn't cost me anymore! Last is the "crush" picture on his wall...yes I meant to put it that high so he won't grab at it as he get's bigger! :) Again, Michael's had the print at 40% off it was around $6.00 and I had the frame, which I painted! I am happy w/ his side of the room, now I just need him to come out and see it! :)








so you can't see the "crush" picture...but it's a cute print from Nemo w/ crush, squirt, marlin and dory...fit's the room perfect!

As far as how much I spent...well, lot's of spray paint!...naw not really. Let's see..we painted, so $20 there, I did buy spray paint so total $15 there, Emma's chair was given to us and I painted it, so free! all the frames I had, just painted..again free, her mirror, already had..again, just painted...free again! Her bed was her birthday present...we got it at slumber kids (which apparently isn't there anymore, sorry Brandy for sending you there to look for Graham!) Alex took cash and did his thing, so we got it for $800 (retail $1100) All the baskets cost me $40..the most expenisive thing I bought! the 3 flower hooks were $6.00 from hobby lobby. and I got another set of plastic drawers at walmart for $15. Emma shelf was around $5.75 (hobbly lobby w/ a 40% off coupon) and then I brought the 2 sets of pegs and in the closet 2 wooden flower begs at Michaels for $.50 each...the flower pegs I left wood for now, they are great for holding bigger bags back on a slanted wall at the end of there closet!...so that's is..let's see, what's the total? Right around $103.75 not including the bed for Emma...which we were getting her b/f we knew we were even having a baby!...SO I am happy, and Alex is happy, I didn't break the bank!

Soon I want to blog about Ian's room, it still needs a little help to make it as cute as the "E"'s room! I took pictures of his room so y'all can help me figure out what I should do...but that's for another night!

Let me know what you think of the "Hawaii pool" room as Emma calls it!

how many times can you clean the same kitchen in one day?...let's count together!lol

The first time was early this morning...after breakfast, I put our breakfast dishes and canning jars in the dishwasher first thing, I wiped everything down, especially the table as it was forgotten by Alex last night(not complaining, he did do the dishes and I am VERY grateful for that!)

The second time was after making applesauce part 1...which is the peeling and cooking part! It makes such a BIG mess. the apple peeler sprayer juice EVERYWHERE! and then the pots bubble on the stove really nicely making the stove a stickly mess!

The third time was after dinner...which first the dishwasher had to be unloaded and then reloaded, and everything wiped down...note I didn't forget the table!lol

Now for the forth time...cleaning up after canning, not to bad, just big pots...heavy pots...hot pots! and putting away the rest of the canning "stuff"

Of course I will still have lot's of jars on my counter tomorrow morning to put away, but there's not much I can do about that tonight.


SO I'm not sure if this is a new record for me or not, but I don't want to clean a kitchen again for a while, and it's a good thing mom took us out for lunch or I might of made it to 5 times today!lol! Oh and did I mention that I am 8 months pregnant and leaning over a sink all day isn't my idea of fun!...Shannon, I'm not doing so hot on that resting thing. I haven't set down all day except to eat and right now...all that's left is one more canner and then I'm done...well, except the whole other bushel of apples I still have to can...but that's for another day! :) LOL. It's a good thing homemade applesauce taste SO good!

a quick baby update

My doctors appointment went really well on Tuesday. I had gained a little weight, so they were happy about that. Everything w/ the baby looked great which I am so thankful for....so the plan is on my next appointment which is Sept 4th I'll be almost 37 weeks and I will have an ultrasound at 2 and see the dr at 2:30. At that point depending on what the u/s shows 1 of 3 things will happen. 1. everything will look great...I keep wait on Eli's appearance!...which is the option I am rooting for! :) 2. the fluids are decreasing(but not considered low) and they will put me to bed for about a week or so...won't be fun at all... this will be SO hard on the kids! 3. the fluids are low or near low and I'll have a baby that day. So as you see, I know what could happen, but won't know what will happen until then! The dr is confidant that everything will look fine for the 1st u/s, he seems to think it will be between 38 and 39 weeks that the change will take place....but he is quick to say, it's just a guess, an educated one, but still a guess. Medically there is no reason my fluid should be low...I have had the perfect pregnancy, but my history says otherwise....there was no reason my fluid should of been low w/ Emma or Ian either...so there is a chance it won't happen again! Some days I think it would be nice to have this baby here in 2 weeks, but I am a little worried about being induced at that point and my body not being ready to deliver. As the dr said, it's not likely that I'll go into labor before my due date on my own, I don't seem to have baby's early, so most likely I am looking at an induction at some point, the question is WHEN? Well, any way it works out, baby Eli should be making his appearance in the next 36 days!...I'll keep you posted!

thank you to everyone!

for all the comments on diapering...even those of you who hadn't a clue how to help me out!...lol! The comments were wonderful! Patti, I found your comment very interesting..I may ask more questions about that later, but we have now decided to cloth diaper. I must admit, every time I have been on the computer lately it has been to check out something new w/ cloth diapering or ask another question of Brandy...who has been my life line w/ this learning process...in fact she wrote 2 blogs just for me so I could learn all about CDing along w/ answering lot's of questions via phone and email both....THANK YOU BRANDY FOR ALL THE HELP...AND PATIENCE! I am now excited about this adventure...and hopefully my washer will forgive me too! The only hold up on my order of diapers is that the website I want to order from is out of the diapers I need!lol...it's that how it always seems to be!lol! We haven't told all the family what we are planning, so that should prove to be interesting...heehee, they are going to think I lost my mind I am sure! BUT, I am not going to make them do it unless they want to...we will still be keeping a small supply of disposables on hand for church and family! We will be cloth diapering here at home and possibly when I am out running around, but even that will be a time will tell!

As for everything else going on around here...the Eli and Emma's room is finished...if I would just hang that last picture I just bought!lol. I promise to post pictures soon, I am very pleased w/ the results, it is really cute and not to boy or girl, but just right for both of them! Emma loves it, her side is very "grown up" she calls the under part of her bed her "living room" complete w/ her princess couch. She has a desk complete w/ a purple chair. Needless to say, she is in heaven w/ her bed and her space and doesn't seem to mind at all that a baby is coming to take up half...let all pray it stays that way!

I have officially finish shopping for everything I need for the baby (other than the diapers....but I do have some disposables to start off w/ if necessary!) W/ not having a baby shower before the baby comes I had a few things to collect...you know new washcloths, a few burp clothes, nursing pads and some passies!...not much, but I already did it...Susan laughed at me say I must think this baby is coming early...which is actually a big possibility this time, but if I am thinking that, it's all sub-consciously. lol.

I have a dr.s appointment tomorrow(week 34 and 2 days!lol) the last one b/f they start the weekly ultrasounds. I am interested to see what he thinks tomorrow and to see if I have gained any weight. 2 weeks ago I had lost 2 lbs, most would think that's wonderful, but not me, loosing weight "could" mean my fluid levels are starting to drop...but it also could just be that I lost some weight...if I loose more they will be concerned, but they weren't at the last appointment. There is still such a part of me that wishes I could have a planned induction where I could pick the dr I want and know when it's going to happen, but they told me a month ago that it could be anytime from 36 to 40 weeks...but most likely before my due date....that translates into Eli "could" make his appearance in 2 weeks.....that thought scares me...I would like about 3 to 4 more weeks :)...but I am going w/ God knows best, and HE make dr's smart! If I had my way, I would think....37 weeks is a great time to give birth...end it early yet not to early!lol! but we all know how it goes for me...so if I give birth before my due date I will have accomplished something!lol!...I almost don't want to think about it b/c my mind always reminds me that I ALWAYS go to ATLEAST 41 weeks..lol...only times will tell I guess!

Ok so I am off...the bathroom call..or I guess it's more that the bladder is full AGAIN!
Pictures of the finished room to come SOON!

has anyone ever....

used cloth diapers? Alex and I are considering trying them out on Eli...but I know NOTHING about cloth diapers...so I have been looking and now I am SO confused! Can anyone help me out? I need all advice I can get...I am looking for a good kind, prefold or not, I am looking for how it goes....loved it, hated it, constant rashes....I am also looking for where to buy them...so far, I don't know anywhere local that has them. Also I need to know what I need to go w/ them...covers, inserts, what's necessary? HELP, can you tell I am stepping into water I know NOTHING about! If you have ever used cloth diapers I am desperate for your thoughts! PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME OUT!

Also, I am curious as to why you chose to use them...so tell me your story and your thoughts!...I am excited to see what you think!

...all the ballerinas....so much fun!

This past Friday afternoon we invited some of Emma's friends and had a "ballerina birthday party"...as you can see from the pictures, it was ALOT of fun...lot's of pink and purple...tutus and all the things ballerina's need! They made bracelets, and then we dressed up. Miss Tara came from Emma's ballet studio (and special friend) and danced w/ the girls! They had so much fun dancing w/ a "real ballerina!" Of course there was cake...well, cupcakes, and they were pink and purple too!...great job Susan on the icing...yummy! or as Ian says it yummy in my hummy! along w/ the cake was Emma's favorites...pretzels, watermelon, and skittles!..lol..what more could a girl want! We finished off our fun w/ our treat bags...which were ballet bags to hold all our dress up clothes for them to take home and a bag of cotton candy! There bag was full of tutus, tiaras, wands, bracelet, necklace and cotton candy....what more does a ballerina need?...lol...it was so fun! I love planning parties, I could do it all the time, I worked for a while w/ a party company and have picked up a bug from doing that...it's so fun to me...ok..so I will admit that the day before was a little stressful I was making cupcakes and canning (tomatoes, squash and green beans) but again, thanks to Susan to the rescue, I had it all done by 10:30 the night before!lol!

Emma was thrilled and loved every minute, and of course as a mommy that thrilled me to death....now for the thank you notes and printing the pictures!...whew!, I think I'm tired again :) Enjoy the picture!

better late than never..right?

Ok so a few weekends ago we headed to the beach for a couple of nights....just a quick get away so the kids could play in the sand. As you know, our "vacation" this year was to disney world, so this wasn't vacation...actually it started as a weekend trip for Alex and me, but we really wanted to kids to go to...so we took them w/ us. We left on Thursday afternoon...and came home on Saturday. We were able to stay in Alex's dad's condo, it was wonderful...the kids shared a bed for the first time, and they did great. ..we put Ian down first, then Emma, then when we went to bed we would move both of them to the pull-out couch...funny story

our first morning there, Alex had set the coffee pot to come on at 6:30(b/c our kids are always up early!)
this was a conversations we overheard b/t Emma and Ian

I: RayeRaye, what's that?
E: I don't know
I: it's scary
E: I think it's the coffee pot
I: I don't like coffee pot....it's scary
E: I'll go ask mommy
I: k...I come to
E: Ian, it's ok, don't be scared!

the noise of 2 pair of feet on the floor....here they come!
E: there's a noise out here....
Me: it's ok, it's the coffee pot
E: yeah, we discussed that, and thought that's what it was!...
that comment was said so matter a fact....cracked me up...she is such a mommy!

so we were on the beach at 8 the first morning...it was wonderful, the kids played and Alex and I just sat and watched...at one point he said, I feel like I should be playing w/ them, to which I reminded him to sit as long as he could, b/c as soon as he started playing, they wouldn't let him sit again!...lol...so we sat, it was great, it's the first time since we have had kids that we were able to sit and not have to have a kid in hand at all times!..it was a wonderful break for us....Saturday we woke up to a storm coming in, we played in the indoor pool for a while, but then decided to pack up and leave a few hours early, the kids were worn out and ready to nap, and what better place to nap than on the ride home! It was a great short trip...and I am SO glad we went, the dr.s have already "greatly discouraged" me from going anywhere else, even though I have a few more weeks that I should be able to travel....that's another post!

same song, 2nd verse

I find myself here again, really late at night...Alex is at work, again! He promises me these "shut downs" they are doing will end before the baby's born....I am praying so! So tonight I was doing bean and it was storming...I found myself wishing Alex was home...and that surprised me, I have never been scared of storms (that was my brother when we were growing up...well still to this day!lol) anyway, I found myself wishing Alex was home and that puzzled me a little...I wasn't scared, but I was thinking that it would be nice if he were here...go figure, then I realized it had more to do w/ knowing he was ok, not me being scared of anything happening to me, but to him...will I ever get over that fear? Fear is not from God, so I know it's not something He desires for me to continue to struggle w/...but it's also something that is not easy to face or deal w/ or remove from your life. Are there somethings in life you just can't stop "fearing"...? It's not unusual for me to tell Alex to "please be careful" which I don't think is an abnormal comment to make...but I follow mine w/ "and stay on the ground please!"...which is my way of saying...please don't get hurt again!...when he works late, I find myself worried that I'll get the "dreaded phone call"...the day we left for the beach, I worried about him all morning....(we were suppose to leave for the beach the night of his accident) but my question is, why do I still worry so much about it. I know logically that it was an accident that is one of those things that "just happened" and the chances of it happening again are so slim. But I also know how blessed he was for it not to have been any worse than it was, and I find I worry next time is will be MUCH worse and that scares me.....ok so my point, why do I continue to worry about it...worry is a sin. But I think reality is real....duh, no what I mean is, I worry b/c I know. I know what it was like to deal w/ a "freak accident" one of those things that's never suppose to happen, much less happen to you! I worry about loosing my mom to cancer. I know that alot of people have lost loved ones to cancer and they will probably understand this worry. Once you've been there, you know...and I can't help but worry....even though I KNOW I shouldn't! I can't help it...this reoccurring mass she has could turn into something else...I know, it's already happened in our family....that "most likely" bleeding ulcer wasn't a ulcer at all....I know. Ok so I guess at this point I need to ask for prayer! I am struggling w/ worry...obviously! Mom should have a consultation tomorrow afternoon to get some answers. Twice I have been faces w/ the "C" word, once w/ dad and once w/ mom already...I just don't think I can do it again! How selfish does that sound? I know....really well, that my God always gives me grace for the moment, but is it bad that I don't want to need it?.....please pray :)

well, a crying sleepy little girl just came in my room, tonight I think I'll let her stay a while! :)

ramblings of a wife who's husbands at work and she can't sleep!....enjoy! :)

Ok so Alex is working again tonight and I can't sleep! I don't really have much to say tonight...it's been a busy week, but a great week. I seem to be full of words, but nothing that makes much sense!lol....oh, I am proud of the awesome deals I found today...I LOVE deals! If you are someone who likes to shop ahead for your kids, then you need to make a trip to Concord Mills to Children's Place...they are having a great sale that just started today! I brought $135 (retail price...not that I would EVER actually pay retail!) for $19.78! So I saved $115.22 or something close to that! I did have coupons and one was for $20.00 off...so that is part of the reason I did so well! But if you are interested, they had their swimsuits for $4 (lot's of boys) boy's shirts for 3, shorts for 4 or 5....sundresses for 4, tights for girls for 1 and socks. I got Emma a pair of jeans for 2...well I paid .83 but they were on the rack for 2. Anyway, it was a great sale...I didn't even feel bad when I went back for some shirts for Emma that I really wanted to get her and they were in the new line that just came out...now I still used a 15% off coupon, but they were more than I would normally pay, but I brought them anyway!...one says "big sisters rock" and the other says "my heart belongs to my daddy"...I couldn't pass them up!lol...I am and always will be a sucker for clothes...and I am worse w/ my kids clothes then I ever was w/ my own! I LOVE shopping, but now I just do it differently then I did when I was a teenager!lol!

I also scored some Christmas presents at the disney store!...yep, I said Christmas!lol. I am bargain hunting this Christmas like I never have before!lol...but here's the deal w/ my bargain hunting...it can't look in anyway like a bargain...it must be something the person would really want, and not a knock off in any way!lol...so I guess you would call me a picky bargain hunter! Example...I'll give you 2....1. I wanted one of those stuff pillow chairs (we called them husbands growing up, but I have no idea why) anyway I wanted one for Emma's room..I wanted it to be purple, I looked at them at bed, bath and beyond....but didn't want to pay 20 even w/ 20% off...so I waited! Ross (which I don't go to often enough) had one, it was purple w/ white pokeadots...in Matt. it was 20 in Monroe it was 10...it has a dirt mark on the bottom (so not a big deal) but it got me an extra 10% off...I had a store credit from Christmas(yes I do return unwanted presents!lol...a whole other story!)...so end the end I paid $2.10 for a really cute purple husband!lol! If you were to look at it, you would think I paid atleast 20 for it!...the other example, would you believe I forgot what it was...I was just thinking about it...hmmm oh I remember, I needed a birthday present for my friend Susan's oldest girl...she got an American girl doll for her birthday...one night when I was out shopping w/ Susan, we found A.G. doll books on how to fix their hair or make them clothes...they were 20, I was able to get a coupon and go back and get it for half that....so it looks like a nice 20 gift...but I only paid 10...everything I buy is like that....I'm not cheap...I'm smart! oh, and Susan knows I did that...so don't think I'm spilling any beans there and am going to have a friend who's thinking I cheated her daughter!...lol...Susan knows I'm "smart" lol!

Anyway, back to Christmas...I shop from around now, until Christmas, and normally I'm done by the first of November!...this year, I am taking a little different approach, I am shopping for everyone else on my list but my own kids now...I want to finished by the time the baby comes...but then I'll wait til closer to Christmas to do my kids and Alex...why, well, I find that I want to spend more money on my kids if I shop for them to early..(of course there is the present in my attic for Ian that has been there since Jan. I found a workbench after Christmas for like 15 it was 75 and I knew it was something I wanted for him to finish up his car's themed room...but it was over his age for his birthday...so in the attic it's been and he will love it this Christmas!lol)...I know, a little weird, but if I spend the money now, then as I go out near Christmas, I find more, and spend to much!...so, I'm going to wait til closer...that way I don't over spend!...I have alot of my list figured out...but my own kids are hard for me...what do you get when you have NO MORE ROOM in the house for anything? I think I'm crazy...who thinks about this stuff in July?...I have got to be the only one!LOL! I blame it on Alex's accident...that year I hadn't shopped much before his accident and shopping was very hard to fit in...so ever since, I have shopped very early!...so that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it! :)...ok so enough about shopping and Christmas!...I'm actually tired, I'm going to try and sleep now...this sounds bad, but I'm so tempted to go and get Emma and let her sleep w/ me until Alex gets home...bad, bad...and I sound like my mother saying that...she used to do the same thing to me when I was little!lol...oh well, I know no other mother that I would rather be like!

talk to y'all when I get back from the beach!...btw which is it officially? Y'all or ya'll? I know I'm from the country, but I'm just not sure which one is "country correct!" LOL! tell me what you think!

tears for a reason...so the test says!

So lately I have be EXTREMELY emotional....I have told multiple people that I don't think I have cried this much in forever! I got teary eyed over y'all's (now there is a country word!lol) comments tonight. I know I told Susan just today, that I have been so much more moody and emotional w/ this baby than I remember w/ either of the other two! Well....I got a reason today, I found out that my iron is low...so all the tiredness and tears...it's not that I am going nutty, or crazy(although Alex might disagree sometimes) it's that my body is tired which has always made me emotional....and I don't think my body can handle much more. Mom has been struggling w/ low iron and she has also talked about being so emotional...maybe it runs in the family! I had low iron w/ Emma in the beginning and was VERY emotional then also, but until now I always thought it was b/c that is when Mom and Gary where getting married and there truly was a lot going on w/ my family and that I would of been emotional anyway..but being pregnant made it worse! But now I see that for me....low iron and tears come together!...last week I cried over every tv show I watched....I promise Alex thought I was losing it...I having been feeling like I'm losing it! I was actually relieved to get the prescription in the mail!....and I can't wait to get it filled and start taking it!...I know I'm crazy, most people I know don't like the iron pill, but I loved it w/ Emma, I felt so much better...I have high hopes again this time, HOPEFULLY in a week or so I'll feel like a new person...well, I'll be thrilled w/ a little more energy and a few less tears!lol! As far as the braxton hicks, I had them w/ both of my other 2, so they aren't new to me at all...w/ both Emma and Ian I had heavy bouts of them especially toward the end...the last 4 weeks or so...w/ Emma I had them over 2 months considering she was 3 weeks late!...lol...the difference this time I was concerned w/ is that I didn't remember them starting up so early...I have been having them since 26 weeks and they have most of the time been accompanied w/ a very sharp pain around the area where I would normally have cramps w/ my period and a lower back ache that would hang around a good while....so that made them VERY different than anything I have ever had before....hence the concern, but the dr is confidant that it's normal, especially for a 3rd baby and explained what to watch for. I have also heard the whole thing about drinking more water...I swear though I'm going have to sit on the pot all the time if I drink anymore!lol...but I know I have be outside alot lately and I'm sure dehydration is probably playing more into it than I realize!....thanks for the comments and helpful hints...I do appreciate it, it's nice to know we have all be told the same thing at some time or another! :) It's hard to believe that I will be 29 weeks on Sunday, time is still flying by. When I was pregnant w/ Ian and 29 weeks life was a VERY DIFFERENT story! I was in SO much pain, it was near Christmas, we were about 4 weeks into Alex's recovery and my body was shutting down on me...Christmas night I took Alex and Emma out to his dad's house...stupid, stupid of me...I knew better, I was in NO condition to do that...but we went, I got sick there, had to leave before desert, and couldn't even get them out of the car when we got back to mom and Gary's. I started throwing up from pain that night...poor Alex couldn't even help me, all he could do was get in his wheelchair and knock on mom's door to come and help me, I couldn't even get out of bed...the dr's was clueless as to what was causing the pain and I felt like they didn't believe me...they basicly overdosed me on muscle relaxers to make me stop throwing up....as a last ditch effort before heading to the ER...which worked, until they wore off! The next day they sent me to physical therapy to which I had NO understanding of what they were going to do to help me...by the grace of God they had a cancelation otherwise they told me it would be a week until I could get in!lol....no way I was waiting a week! The therapist, God bless her, I'll never forget her, she will always be a hero in my book, took one look at me and said, how are you even walking or fucntioning? "Honey, you have tilted your pelvic bone and every muscule in your back is torn...I can't believe you are even walking...I just sat there and cried, FINALLY someone believed I was in pain!ALOT OF PAIN! After she adjusted me, it was immediate relieve...I promise that pain is the worse pain I have ever felt in my life...way worse than labor ever was. Don't ask me where that story came from, other than I truly feel like this pregnancy tears and all has be a breeze and I hate sounding like I'm complaining about the braxton hicks...they are strong, but they are NOTHING compared to what I dealt with with Ian! I do feel like I am "done" and ready to have this baby...but atleast the days are still flying by, w/ Ian, I felt like everyday lasted forever and time seemed to move SO slowly! Yet even as I rehash a story...it all seems like a blur to me...like I lost those 4 months while Alex was recovering. It's funny, his Mom said just the other day that she never realized I dealt w/ so much w/ that pregnancy...I guess I even felt that way, we were all so focused on Alex and everything going on w/ him that until that Christmas night when I couldn't do anything but throw up, I didn't realize how bad a shape I was in...anyway, I am SO THANKFUL that this pregnancy has been so easy...only 11 weeks to go...I hope, BUT I'm not known for having my babies on time!lol...but it won't stop me from hoping! :)

Ultrasound pictures at 28 weeks

the best picture of the bunch! But I do have to tell you that his nose is being squished by the u/s wand!lol!

he was really really wiggly, so some of them look grainy....but then I did just drink 50mg of sugar in that nasty drink!lol....whatcha expect!

here's one w/o a squished nose!...lol!


baby hands....always seeming to be punching me right now! :)

baby feet!...big feet, they reminded me of Ian's feet....he didn't fit into his baby booties, I doubt I'll even take them w/ me this time to the hospital!

So that is a glimpse of baby Eli, I must say, it has made me SO excited to get him here and see what he really looks like! I think he will look a little like the other 2, but yet I defiantly think he will have his own look too! He seems to have Ian's nose and Emma's mouth, but then it's really hard to tell, and they said he would change in his looks before he's born!...just like they change so fast when they are first born!....so well see!...hope you enjoy, and don't tell me I have an ugly baby!lol! It's a little freaky...these pictures, like the foot one, it don't look like the leg is attached to anything...but it is I promise, that was him again not being still!lol...the dr I saw this time said I might want to start talking to him now about being calm....I was telling him about my concern for this "frantic movements" that Eli seems to do often....he assured me that any movement is considered a good thing...it's the lack of that's not good! lol...duh! But he laughed and said...just like the 2 you already have...this baby will have his own personality....start telling him now to be calm!lol....GREAT! He also wasn't concerned about the "brackston hicks"...is that how you spell that?....as long as I don't have more than 6 an hr...even the pain/cramps I am having w/ them is ok as long as it doesn't last to long and not more often than 6 in an hr....so now I have guidelines!...I love guidelines, they give me so much comfort!lol...so all is well in Eli's world...only 12 more weeks...well....actually 11 weeks and 2 days!lol!...but who's counting! :)