It’s hard to imagine that at this time tomorrow we will very likely be a family of 7! I mentioned before how I’ve struggled with induction and have been praying for peace. The Lord gave me that peace today when I finally got DH to say what his thoughts were – that induction would be his choice. Funny how that’s all I needed to hear!

(If you’re new here, let’s just say I have quick deliveries, and not only do we live farther away from the hospital this time, we are using a hospital that is farther away than the last one. This makes the 3 to 5 minutes we had before DS3 was born on the wrong side of the hospital should I go into labor at home – meaning, we’d be in the car.)

Braxton Hicks have been more often today, as well as stronger, so it’s clear that she’s getting ready to be born. Overall I’m more hormonal (crying – LOL), tired, and hurting today. While I was hand sanding the walls in one of the rooms we bought paint for last night and couldn’t wait to start painting, today I just didn’t have the energy to hardly think about it. Of course, the rain didn’t make it any easier – that just calls you to take a nap.

So, we will be going in tomorrow mid-day to be induced, unless the Lord decides to start our labor before then. I guess if I had to be specific in my prayers, I’d like to go into labor on the way to the hospital. The bumpy interstate wouldn’t be so bad, the children would be taken care of w/o a rush, and I could avoid any induction meds. That’s what I dislike about the induction – having to have those shot into me and affecting not only me, but the baby.

I’ll also be specifically praying that the doctor would respect my wishes on delayed cord clamping, and that the Lord would provide the most wonderful labor and baby nurses for us!

My devotion this morning was also something I needed right now. I was reading in 2 Corinthians 5, and the first verses jumped out at me in a way I’ve never seen before. They gave me a renewed vision of who and what God really wants me to be, and somehow it’s making the labor easier – knowing God’s will in bringing a new life into this world is what is happening – it’s not about me or DH. This baby was His plan, He created her, and He will cause her to take her first breath at just the right moment.

I’m still in awe, while humbled, that He sees fit to place another child in our care. What a responsibility, a calling, He has given us – to raise one of His precious ones in His ways. I will fail many times in her life, but I have already given her to Him, and know HE will keep her.

My little baby girl, you are much loved and anticipated, and I can’t wait to meet you tomorrow!

Love always,

Mommy

Wow, it’s hard to believe the end is so near! To be honest, it seems like things have flown by now, although looking back, the worries of miscarriage at the very beginning seem so far away.

It’s getting hard to contain my excitement - I want to hold her close for as long as I can, looking over every detail of this life and soul God has entrusted to our family. But the end still seems so far away… it just doesn’t seem right that she’s supposed to be here next week.

We have the induction set up in just a few more days, and part of me doesn’t feel right about it. I’m very tempted to call and cancel it. I understand the logic of having the other children taken care of, and being sure we arrive at the hospital in time for help if it’s needed. But is this not human thinking, is it not the understanding of men? (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I want her to come on the birthday God chooses for her, not me – and the verse about waiting on the Lord keeps coming to mind. It seems part of the experience will be lost thanks to modern medicine, whereas if I waited, there’d be a little bit more of a story to tell over the years. This might not make sense, and I won’t love her any less, I just have a feeling I’m making God’s decision for Him and don’t feel at peace with it.

We’ll be praying about it for sure and trust that HE gives us direction – or better yet, that He allows me to go in labor before the induction starts!

About the 39 week mark – I forgot to weigh yesterday, but today weighed in at 148.5 lbs., for a total weight gain of 26.5 lbs. I spent the day cutting DS1′s hair, as well as chopping off a couple inches of my own hair. Hubby seemed to be in favor of cutting vs. trimming, which I do like, I just didn’t realize how much harder it would be to cut it shorter and keep it even.

(i.e. – If you see me, don’t look to closely at the ends of my hair… they just might not be even. ;P)

I’ll try to come back later and post pics DH took of me at 39 weeks. We had a sweet little guy decide he wanted in the pictures with Mommy and baby, so there might be one or two of those as well.

Little Mommy

I went in yesterday for my weekly check-up, and DD was so excited to go with me! She went a few weeks ago with DS1 and loved it, but DS decided it was NO fun doing errands *after* the visit – so it was just us girls. She has really gotten into the whole pregnant thing, and had slept with her baby doll in her shirt the night before, and brought her along with us to the doc as well (under her shirt part of the time).

She loved getting to see where Mommy has been going, ride the escalator, and getting treated to lunch and a Frosty. ;P To top of the excitement of the day, we were able to sit next to a grandmother and newborn while waiting. The funny thing though, was that DD was almost too shy to look at the baby for more than a few seconds at a time.

The visit went well. I have been apprehensive about it, since the false labor/ kidney stone incident last week, and the fact she didn’t check me. It was apparently a kidney stone, because not much had changed from the exam 2 weeks ago.

I’m now around 4 cm, 50%, and -3 to floating when pushed (you moms will know what all this means). Given I was more than this at 32 weeks with DS1, and have had to be induced when I was around 6 cm once or twice and still walking around fine – I just didn’t see an urgency to induce her the day I hit 39 weeks.

DH still feels more comfortable with an induction – given my last labor was so fast, and that none of them have been more than 4 hours really. Plus, he works quite a ways away, and the hospital is quite a drive itself. So, although it’s not something I’m still wild about, I set up the induction for next week.

It’s not my first choice, but neither is going into labor while he’s at work, having to call someone over to watch the kids and/ or take me to the hospital, or having the EMT’s take me. I would be heartbroken if some strange EMT guy was next to me when she was born instead of my husband!

But the good news is, once hubby gets off work Thursday night – he’s off til he goes back after the baby – which will be 2 or 3 weeks! So, I’m praying the Lord will start the labor BEFORE they have to give me pictocin. I’m still keeping the date itself quiet for the most part, so stay tuned.

Little Mommy

Dysautonomia, or better explained by saying the autonomic nervous system working backwards, is bad enough – but add it to pregnancy and it’s not fun.

Earlier in the week, at 37.5 weeks, I had two nights of “episodes” where my heart was doing things that just felt weird. That second night, I had hubby get the stethoscope out and we could hear that my heart was completely out of rhythm, and restarting itself every 2 or 3 beats in an attempt to get back in sync.

I’ve been to my cardiologist for this, along with my mitral valve prolapse, for years and years, and it’s never been a big concern for her. BUT, this time I was worried because I have a little babe inside, and if I felt short of breath, was she getting enough oxygen?

I also gained 3.5 lbs. over 48 hours, which was strange because my weight has been the same for weeks now – and I wasn’t eating any differently. My foot turned blue at one point, you couldn’t see the bones in my feet from the swelling, and besides going to bed earlier/ sleeping later/ AND taking daily naps – I was still exhausted.

My blood pressure would go as low as 70′s over 40′s and as high as 110 over 70 (which is above my norm of 100/60). Overall, I’ve just felt yucky, and while everything could be explained by late pregnancy, the quirky heart episodes couldn’t.

My cardiologist felt a trip to either her or the OB was in order, and soon, so in I went today. Of course, I’ve had no problems during the day, the skips and restarts are only at night. This means today’s EKG was fine, though my pulse was a little high.

She is pretty confident it’s my “thing”  with dysautonomia to have what is called ????PVCs, or ?premature ventricular contractions. Basically, there’s a premature beat trying to initiate the normal heart beats. I’ve had these show up on stress tests before, so she knows I have them – but whether or not that’s definitely what was going on the other night? That’s impossible to say.

I do know that it was more than a simple extra beat, because there was no rhythm whatsoever to my heart, and my EKG from last year w/ the PVCs showed the consistent rhythm with the extra beat thrown in.

All we can do is wait for it to happen again, and either go to the hospital for monitoring, or we’ll try to capture it on our baby heart monitor and email it to her. I can just see it stopping the minute we would get to the hospital.

I did read that besides mitral valve issues, these episodes can be caused by magnesium/ potassium deficeincy and/or calcium excess (which *could* be related to the kidney stones I have?). Given the amount of frozen fruit (which has bananas) and banana bread that I’ve eaten over the past few weeks, I’d think my potassium should be fine.

She just said to increase my water even more, as well as my salt intake (for the low blood pressure moments).

Where are we? I’m 38 weeks today and will go in on Monday to be checked. If I’m much past 3 cm, like 5, I’ll be more likely to listen to the docs recommendations for induction sometime before 40 weeks. It’s just too risky for me to be 45/ 50 minutes from the hospital with my quick births (the last was only 2.5 hours total), with 4 kids at home by myself, and hubby being that same 45/50 minutes away at work.

I want to let her perk as long as she can in there, but prefer NOT to deliver at home in front of my children or on the side of the road – LOL!  It’s strange to think that we’ll more than likely be holding a new baby two weeks from today – I’m so excited!!!!

Little Mommy

I’m not sure if I’m just getting older, but the past few weeks of this pregnancy have hit me hard! I’m going to bed earlier, sleeping later, AND taking a nap most every day. I think I’m sleeping more now than I did that first trimester.

I’ll start with the stats: I’m 37.5 weeks, had gained up to 25 lbs/ but lost back down to 24 the past couple of days – holding steady at 146, I was 3 cm last week, 50%, and -3 station. Besides sleeping, the only other big change I’ve noticed is my appetite, or should I say my lack of appetite.

I’m perfectly content eating frozen fruit, granola, or banana bread. This probably isn’t helping me gain any extra…

I can’t tell if she’s dropped or not – but sometimes she looks lower than others. I know my legs/ sciatic nerve are bothering me more, as well as my low back.

Just a couple of nights ago, I was about 70% sure I was in labor. I woke around 2:45 to go potty, and then became very uncomfortable and began having an upset stomach. After I realized I couldn’t get comfy any place but the toilet seat, I started to panic. I did that w/ the last baby – up until we thought we was going to have to be birthed at home.

My teeth started chattering uncontrollably, as well as my whole body shaking and being covered in chill bumps. I know I’ve had uncontrollable shaking with my induced births, but couldn’t remember my natural ones, so I called labor and delivery. The nurse there said it could be a sign of labor, but she put me through to page the doctor to see what she thought.

My doctor was on call, and I sure did hate waking her up by what was probably around 3:30 AM now. She didn’t seem to think the shaking sounded like labor, and much to my surprise, she didn’t call me in. I was partly okay with this, because 1) I didn’t want to wake up anyone to watch the kids for us should it be false labor, 2) I didn’t want to wake the kids and take them with us should it be false labor, and 3) hubby wouldn’t let me drive the 50 or so minutes to the hospital by myself.

After nearly two hours, I started to get sleepy, and felt that although I might sleep too long and miss the time window to go to the hospital should things continue, I needed to sleep! I woke to a few hard contractions here and there, but overall, things stopped.

It was very strange, and I’m almost wondering if it wasn’t another one of my kidney stones passing (I still have 4, I think?). I was having some symptoms of that before going to bed – feeling like I had to potty, but not being able to go. Tricky thing here though is, pregnancy can do the same thing. In fact, labor is very similiar to kidney stones.

Who knows what really happened, and while I thought I’d find out today at the doctor, as it turns out, she didn’t want to check me today! I had kinda wanted to know if anything  had changed, especially if I’m walking around at 6 cm or something.

On the other hand, they don’t do inductions before 39 weeks, so it wouldn’t have mattered if I was 8 cm – I’d still have to wait a week and a half. She’ll check me next week, and she seemed eager to schedule me for induction next Friday, which will be 39 weeks/ 0 days.

I’m not comfortable setting it that early, and part of me really doesn’t want to be the one to call the shots as to her birthday – I like the Lord’s timing. That said, we’ll have to see where I’m at next week, and if it’d be safe for me to go into labor on my own. Again, remember, it’s a 50 minute drive and with my last, from the time I was certain I was in labor, he was born 40 minutes later. I really don’t want to have a baby on the side of the interstate!

I am surprisingly very nervous. I realized how much so the other night. My body tensed up so, where as last baby I was able to let my body do what it needed to. While I waited to see the doc this morning ( a LONG wait, which I later realized was due to my not paying attention to the appt. card and getting there 45 minutes early), I began praying that God would either give me a song or verse to focus on during labor – to know HE is with me and guiding me through each step.

Part of me was calm thinking that at least the full moon was the other night when I had my false labor. Turns out, I was wrong. TONIGHT is the full moon! Yikes! Sorry, I know I shouldn’t be scared, but after two “possible” labors already with this baby (kidney stone at 28 weeks and something the other night), I’m just not sure I’m strong enough to go through it all again – even just mentally.

We’ll see – and in the meantime, we’ll get more and more excited to meet this little one God created and placed in our family! We have the first name narrowed down to two favorites, both Bible names. Both have meanings that could fit her well, we’ll just have to pray about what the Lord would have us name her!

Time to get some sleep, it’s been a long day and for some reason, my mitral valve is acting up a lot tonight – a very jumpy, irregular beat. Strange…

See you soon, little one ~ Little Mommy

I had a nice surprise today – I felt like I got to meet my daughter! Based on the OB’s timeline, I am 35 weeks/ 4 days today. I gathered from the doctor today that she had ordered today’s ultrasound since baby girl had gone breech on us earlier.

My first thoughts upon seeing the head were kinda those of panic – it looked HUGE! Well, maybe not to anyone else, but it was HUGE to the person that has to get this baby out of her.

The tech pointed out arm bones, the heart, abdomen, spine, etc… But then she did something I wasn’t expecting – she switched it over to 4-D!!!! I don’t remember ever having a 4-D done before, and it was amazing. Within seconds, I could see this little face on the screen in front of me – my little baby girl!

"I can't wait to kiss those cheeks!"

I’ll be honest, she didn’t look a thing like I had pictured in my mind – but the more I look at the pictures she gave me, the more I’m falling in love with this little one I have yet to meet face to face. I can’t stop looking at her! She *might* actually look a little like me?

"Awww.... She looks like she's crying"

Her nose is the same as my mom’s side of the family, mostly like DS2. Her cheeks are so cute and CHUBBY!! I was a little worried to see that from every angle, the cord was right there at her neck. The tech didn’t seem to think it was wrapped around it, but instead just floating in front of it. I still don’t feel very comfortable with the whole thing.

She is already something special, too! For one, the tech pointed out in one of the shots the three vessels in her cord. She said you couldn’t line up a shot w/ all three if you tried – but there it was, just as clear as could be.

"Look closely and you can see the three vessels of her cord, on the left side, just below her cheek."

Our last two had the cord around their necks, the last baby had it wrapped twice. And both of these two had true knots in their cords. All this to say, cords make me nervous – esp. the angle of the first pic above. So over the next few weeks I’ll be praying the cord stays a healthy distance away from around the baby’s neck.

For specialness #2, you hear of babies opening their eyes in the womb. The tech said she’s NEVER seen this though – eyes wide open!

"Looking into darkness, but eyes wide open! Now to just get that cord away from her neck/ face!!"

Maybe now we can come closer to determine names, since we have a face? Have I mentioned it was a cute, chubby face???

She’s jumped from 30% to 55% on the charts, weighs approx. 5 lbs., 12 oz (with 4.5 weeks to go/ .5 lb a week – she might beat the record size of 7 lbs., 12 oz. at birth), and at 35 weeks/ 4 days measures 35 weeks/ 3 days – pretty close.

I’m a good 2 cm now, she said between 2 and 3, and I’m 50% effaced. The baby is head down and at -3 station. All seems to be progressing nicely!

I put out a request for cell and home numbers from those near us, and have been touched by the emails of those willing to help us out when baby time comes.

DH has now started the final month of work – which changes from 4 – 10 hr. days to 3 – 10 hr. days. I am VERY glad for built up vacation time! I actually did feel much better today though at the visit. Last time, I wasn’t even 90/ 60 blood pressure, and today I was just over 100/60 – HUGE improvement in energy levels.

My afternoon weigh in there was 149.5 lbs, so they should have to bump it up to the next level next time. My total weight gain to date is around 24 lbs, with my usual being 32 to 34 lbs. total by birth.

I’m getting so excited now – more than being nervous. There was a couple w/ a new baby at the office today, and when it started crying in her daddy’s arms, it was all I could do not to take her and calm her down. They must’ve been first time parents, funny how they stand out (LOL) – but I couldn’t understand why the mom never tried to calm the baby or take her. This just made me want to hold her even more.

Soon enough we’ll have her to hold – that is, if the children will ever give us a chance. At least since I’ll breastfeed her I’ll have that time. Held, cuddled, snuggled, kissed – yep, she’ll be all that more than she can imagine!

DD came and laid up on our bed tonight, propped up on her elbows, looking at all of the pictures from today’s visit. She left the room, returning with a baby doll in her arms, swinging it gently side to side with the biggest smile on her face. She’s so in love with her little sister, and what a blessing it is to see.

We’re anxiously awaiting your arrival, baby girl – Love you! Mommy

*Now I just need to start thinking about packing the suitcase…

I can’t believe I’ll only be pregnant for 4 more weeks! After a good friend had her baby this week, part of me got even more excited about our little one coming (because I’m next in line from all the preggie people I know), and part of me got nervous – because each time I have contractions, I’m reminded of just how bad this could hurt.

I thought I’d nearly start crying (again) the other day when I realized that the constant time I have w/ this little one is nearly over. I love the close bond during pregnancy – the hiccups, the jabs, the rolling over, the just knowing we are together all the time. There’s just an empty feeling once the baby is born – you know, for those rare occassions you can go to the bathroom or take a shower by yourself.

I’m not saying I won’t love the cuddles and sleeping close once she’s here, I’ll just miss us always being “one”, so to speak.

This morning, I migrated to the good ole’ pink recliner (the BEST yard sale find EVER!!!) to finish my bowl of oatmeal, and sat the bowl on my belly as I ate. I got tickled, as did DD when she came in the room with me, watching the bowl jump up and down every few seconds as little baby hiccupped. We had our own bonding time laughing together about how much fun the baby already is!

Baby boy (2) gets so excited about it all, and talks about the baby daily. He keeps saying, “baby, home? baby, home?” – to which I reply with “she’ll be coming to our home soon”. I’m not sure how much he understands, but I do think he knows a good bit. I just can’t decide if it will be him or big sister that will be most excited about baby sister.

After turning breech on me a 2nd time this past week, she’s back head down. Hiccups are a good clue as to her location – as are the kicks and punches. It’s strange, she’s the first baby in 5 that I have noticed turning breech on me. It’s not a comfortable feeling for sure!

Alright, Little Mommy is getting tired – bedtime is getting earlier and earlier (if you can think 11 is early). I’ve had my fill of watermelon tonight, so I’m happy. I have decided that God must’ve created watermelon just for women that are pregnant in the summer months. I’m gaining little (just now at 23.5 lbs.), but just eating fruit won’t really pack on the weight. It’s just so… good and cold!

Til next time,

Little Mommy

Mommy – one of my absolute favorite words, and I am getting so excited about having a new little one call me that very soon! There is nothing sweeter than holding and nursing a little one, cuddling up close in bed, and seeing all of these motions I’m feeling come to life.

I have to wonder, after seeing the OB again today, how she is able to bear being apart from such a wonderful gift each day. (She had a baby in July). There’s just a bond that can’t be explained that comes along with being together – mother and child. A blessing, something that I just couldn’t live without, and feel sad for all the moms that miss out on so much. Okay, I’ll be crying here if I don’t stop… just another something that seems to be a more frequent event, crying at the drop of a hat.

But really, stay at home moms, don’t let the world deceive you and feel bad about all they say you are “missing out on” or losing. Nothing compares to this – I’ve been so grateful my husband has wanted me to be home raising our children – all 4 so far! I wouldn’t trade a million dollars a day for the time we’ve had. It’s something you will never regret and wish you had chosen a job, money, or insurance for. But many a working mom looks back over the years and is saddened to see what she missed, and she can’t ever get it back. Yes, be encouraged – God designed motherhood to be this way - love and embrace every moment of it!!!!

Baby news – We’re following right along as normal for me with this pregnancy. This past week I’ve had the pleasure (LOL) of strong contractions for 2 to 3 hours each morning. Something about eating breakfast starts them, and I can hardly make it to my cozy position in the recliner quick enough – where I stay until they ease up.

Was it last week?, I really can’t remember now, but this little gal got ALL mixed up direction wise from my “oh so comfy” position in the recliner. What had been head down for weeks upon weeks turned into side to side – YIKES! I didn’t realize that it could pose a problem if she grew too big to turn back head down, I was mainly concerned with the very intense pain from being kicked in places I wasn’t used to being kicked in. Ribs are bad enough, but I never knew my sides could be so tender.

Thankfully she turned to what I believe is head down again – given the little hiccups are down low.

Everything baby wise seemed to settle down just in time for little ones here to start running fevers and throwing up. Hubby was at work, and for a pregnant momma of 33 weeks, it was mentally exhausting. At one point, I was crying along with 2 of the sick ones!

So, where are we now? I just passed the 34 week mark, have gained 22.5 lbs., and I learned at my visit I’m now dilated between 1 and 2 cm. She didn’t mention the rest of the stats, she only seemed a little concerned about all the contractions and dilating (which are normal for me) and now wants me to come in weekly starting next week instead of at 37 weeks.

For the upcoming visit next week, she’s ordering an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and position of the baby. I’ve never had this before, so I’m wondering if it’s standard now? The heartbeat was in a little different place, just a tad though… I know I’ve questioned the lack of weight gained – I usually gain between 32 and 34 lbs. I’m at the point now where I’m filling up sooner, and happy to eat light things such as fruit for a meal.

I’m not sure if she thinks “I” think the baby will be here at 37 weeks, cause it’s the 2nd visit in a row she’s said something about it. She didn’t say if there was any reason “she” thinks the baby will be early. I personally am leaning more towards her coming after 40 weeks – just because she seems to be small. It’d better be soon, cause I am losing my mind all the time now!

Today, getting on the elevator from the parking deck, I got on going one direction, only to wonder once on if I was going up or down. The numbers were all confusing as I looked at them, but I decided I must be going the wrong way. But which floor was I supposed to go to??? Seriously, my mind was as blank as could be – and it’s happening more and more.

Part of it is from stress and lack of sleep. Besides the kids being sick, we pretty much missed our 3 day weekend this week – having to be at several different places over it. This in and of itself is taxing on me – I just like being home! I did need the church service yesterday, which hubby thankfully let me go while he stayed home w/ sick kiddos. There’s nothing like being fed by the Lord!

After this and next week, hubby will start using some of his vacation time and take off an extra day each week – making him have 3 day work weeks. I can’t wait!!! One of my favorite parts of his off days is that he is so sweet and lets me sleep in and/ or nap as much as I need to.

I guess that’s about it, just resting as much as possible and trying to keep contractions at ease. Thankfully, I just won an auction on eBay of Bible videos, so I’m able to let the kids watch 1 or 2 a day without worrying what’s on, so I can get some rest time.

Til next time,

Little Mommy

The title of this post brings to mind large tractor trailer trucks, and the caution sign you often see as you are driving beside on of them on the interstate. They just want you to be safe as you drive next to them, and realize there’s a blind spot where they can’t see you.

Welp, (yes, that’s a word in the South), I’ve reached the point at 33 weeks that it is very important for me to wear one of these signs. I’ve had near misses, as well as collisions, with my own children, and have warned them often that I’m just not able to see them when they walk directly in front/ under me.

Poor DS2 got his foot run over with the shopping cart last week thanks to my “blind spot”.

Yesterday, while taking said DS2 to the doctor for a high fever and moans, I realized the situation is getting more dangerous. I *knew* other people had entered the office, and I *thought* I had remembered seeing a little girl walking near us.

A quick glance reassured me that I must’ve looked wrong, and I started to turn and walk away from the sign in desk. Then there she was, zipping quickly past where I was about to step. Just a second or two delay on her part, or quicker waddling on mine, and I would’ve smooshed a poor little girl flat on the floor at the doctor.

Yep (another Southern word), I need a sign – and maybe they should add WIDE LOAD to it as well, since hubby and I can’t walk side by side between the kitchen counter and island anymore.

Little Mommy

Today I went in for my 32 week visit, although I’m really 32.5 weeks. This pregnancy has flown by, and yet it still seems like forever in some ways before we get to see this precious baby girl.

Yes, it’s a girl! After having a second ultrasound confirm her gender, we decided to go ahead and tell the other children. DD was thrilled, to say the least.

She’s been helping me wash and put away clothes, pack the diaper bag, and her eyes light up when she feels her moving (as do DS1 and DS2). DS3 doesn’t seem to notice much when she moves, but I’m not sure he’s been patient enough to feel her either.

As DD helped me wash off the changing table and then fill it up with baskets and such, she’d put something in one place just so, then decide to move it over just a tad to the right or left til it was perfect!

I’m measuring right at 32 weeks, and being discreet – I’m just a fingertip dilated and am long (which is good news since I was 4.5 cm at this point w/ DS1). I’ve gained about 22 lbs. now, which will likely have me the same as the other 4 children, gaining between 32 and 34 lbs.

I was concerned 2 weeks ago when I passed some blood and what I thought might’ve been amniotic fluid, but things eased up just as quickly as they came on. I think I had just been doing too much that week before. Shortly before that, at 27 or 28 weeks, I had my usual “pregnancy scare” a few weeks earlier than the 32 mark.

Pains started out as just a sharp, stabbing pain early in the morning, like her head was about to crown. By early afternoon, I couldn’t help but lie down. Within 30 minutes, I had decided I was either having another kidney stone, preterm labor, or my appendix had ruptured and I was being poisoned to death slowly. Whichever way, I was mentally preparing myself to have the baby on the bed, or die one!

After that 30 min., I decided I had better call DH just to let someone know that something was wrong. When I told him I didn’t feel good, his reply was kinda a smart, “Okay….”. LOL! I had to clarify that it was more than just not feeling good, but that something was wrong.

He works an hour away, and would leave ASAP, but in the meantime he wanted me to call the ambulance. Just as they got here, the pain stopped. “Last I remember, labor doesn’t start and stop like this”, I joked with them.

Since it was obviously a kidney stone now, I sent them away since my family was on the way – they could take me just as easily and it wouldn’t cost $100 for the ride.

My uncle and aunt came to stay with the other children, which were crying now because it was DS1′s 7th birthday – we hadn’t decorated the cake and it was possible his trip to Chuck E. Cheese might be called off. “I” wanted to cry!

My uncle has had a lot of stones, and he insisted on putting ice on the pain in my back – saying it would relax the muscles and allow the stone to pass. Within 5 minutes I was pain free, and kept ice on my back for the 50 minutes to the hospital.

Hubby met me there since he works so close by, we got to labor and delivery, and as they had me change into a gown and go to the bathroom – the stone came out! Wouldn’t you know it! It was okay I guess, cause DH wanted them to be sure it didn’t cause preterm issues like they thought it did with DS3 two years ago. Everything was fine.

My mom brought the rest of the crew to B’ham and we still had our party. I still feel bad about the day not being perfect for my boy, but hopefully it ended on a good note for him.

Closing up, I’m excited! I’m on 2 week visits now for a couple of weeks, then weekly ones. Contractions are a norm now, and her kicks are getting more like intense scraping – OUCH! LOL… Lying on my right side is almost impossible now for some reason, but the nights are nice in that I usually only wake up once to use the restroom, if that.

In the past, my bathroom schedule at night was also the baby’s waking to nurse schedule, so I’m hopeful she’ll sleep through the night – at least more than just 2 or 3 hours at a time.

I did have the hardest time leaving this morning for my OB appt. There’s just something about the “what if’s” that hits a momma hard when she leaves her children. What if I have a wreck and die? What would happen to my children? They would miss me, and who would comfort them; dry their tears?

I know it’s all in God’s Hands, but it’s just not normal for a momma to leave her babies – except penquins, LOL. It just makes me realize how blessed I am that God has opened my eyes to see that He wants momma’s to be home with their children, taking the responsibility of raising them themselves.

In a day when the world pressures women to leave their homes and children, I realize just how much of a blessing it is that He has revealed this to me – from a young age actually, when youth groups were already pushing the question – “What do you want to do/ be when you grow up?” The strange thing is, why were church leaders asking this? It’s not a matter of what we want, but what He wants.

To take advantage of the precious, short time we have to mold and guide them in His ways. I can’t imagine having to leave them daily! I say all this not to boast in self-righteousness, but in gratefulness to my Lord for this blessing He has allowed me. I would be another working mom had HE not placed Godly women in my life to show me the Scriptures at a very young age.

I’m happy to say that the Lord brought me home safely, and I get to spend tomorrow celebrating DS2′s 4th birthday! Wow, about 1/4 of the time God has placed him in my care is gone. Have I used this time wisely, have I taught him to love the Lord and be filled with His wisdom?

Being a parent is an awesome responsibility! We don’t just love and provide for this child, but we are responsible to the Lord for their souls. Wow, amazing and humbling, to know the Lord trusts us with these precious lives…

I love being a Mommy today more than ever, and can’t wait to welcome this precious baby girl to our family!

Little Mommy