The lone ranger

I have officially survived my first week by myself with two kiddos! I must say, for the most part we not only survived, but thrived. Grace has continued going on the potty with no direction from me, and is a huge help with Matthew (added to her vocabulary list is now "burp cloth" and "Boppy"). Although I can't take all the credit for the stellar week! We have had dear friends bring us meals (and a playmate came for Grace one morning), and I still had a few surprises left for Grace, thanks to family.

Yesterday I had my first outing with both kids (and really my first time driving as well). What deserved such a special occasion? Well, Target of course! :) As a baby, Grace hated Target. Something to do with the lights? (No girl wants to be caught in bad lighting!) Matthew didn't seem to mind, even when things were piled in around him in the cart. That part was so baffling that I ended up going to the grocery store that night by myself. Where exactly are you supposed to put stuff when shopping with two kids? Did I just join the ranks of the Night Shoppers?

Our big girl in her "pajama dress", perfect for twirling. She stayed in it the whole next day. I'm seeing a lot of pajama days in my near future, for both of us.

Thanks, Grandma, for the fun craft! (Note the "thinking tongue" which connotes how much brain power this is taking.)

Random pictures!

Ok, blog stalkers... here you go. :)

"Oooo...the ceiling fan is funny..." Where's Matthew? (Oh, and get that girl a hairbrush!)

Changing of the guard

My mom left this morning, after being here for 4 1/2 weeks and Erik's mom arrived last night. You might have thought someone would have been killed after all that time together with a pregnant lady, then a new baby, and always a toddler around. But my mom was a servant the whole time she was here, from cleaning, cooking, running errands (and running after Grace) and then basically taking care of three kids after Matthew was born because I was dead weight and could not do anything for myself. What a trouper! So it's a little early to be saluting my mom for Mother's Day, but I think I have got the best one around.

Coming home a family of four

Whew, what a relief to be out of the hospital! Last time I wanted to stay in the safety of the hospital for as long as possible because we had this new baby and had no idea how to care for it, and besides, people were bringing me food I didn't have to cook! :) This time we had a Gracie-girl waiting for us at home, plus the comforts of our own house to look forward to. My hospital bed was awful (but the food was good!). Erik had a more comfortable bed this time around, as they had us in a double room converted into a single, so he had a real bed to sleep in instead of the pull out chair. My dad and sister also came into town the day Matthew was born, so I knew we had a great team of helpers waiting for us. (My mom has been a helper here for weeks, so she goes without saying :))

Hospital Pictures

Checking out Matthew for the first time

Sara decides babies are pretty neat (and Grace does the poke test to make sure he's real).

This is exactly how he was sitting inside, only upside down. He would not undo his legs! We called him Froggy.

Loving that baby warmer!

Grace holding Matthew

Matthew Paul Johansson

Matthew Paul Johansson was born today via c-section! He weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Babies update

Well, for what seems to be the more important news, three of the baby birds hatched yesterday. We are still waiting for number 4, but I sadly don't think it will hatch. Erik is trying to get pictures of the babies without disturbing them. I'll keep you posted!

In other news, still no baby. I guess that's obvious. :) The hospital was booked for the 21st for a scheduled c-section, if it were to come to that, and the doctor (and my husband) were nervous to go past the weekend (which would be two weeks beyond my due date). So we have a scheduled c-section for Friday, the 18th at 8am. Unless the baby decides to make his entrance tomorrow, I guess we will be updating everyone then with baby news- FINALLY!

The watched pot that never boils

I'm feeling redundant, but here goes for you faithful watchers: still no baby. At this point with Grace, today was the day I was induced. I must admit the excitement has worn off. I feel like I will be pregnant for the rest of my life! We have the non-stress test and doctor appointment tomorrow. Will post another update then (unless, of course, I'm too busy! :)).

I can sympathize with her!

I discovered this beautiful Robbin's nest is in the pine tree just outside our front window last week. She was a very considerate bird and built it at the perfect height and location so that Grace can see it. Now we have moment by moment progress reports from Grace as to whether the mommy bird is there, if she is finding breakfast, if she can see baby birds yet, and if the daddy has made an appearance.
I have to admit, I feel for the poor mommy Robbin. First, she had to build that perfect little nest. Then she had to lay four huge eggs (huge for her!). And now she sits and waits. And waits. And waits.

P.S. We are still waiting for our baby to make an appearance too! I found out my friend who was due 10 days after me had her baby this morning. While I praise God for a healthy delivery and am glad she can do things like sleep on her back again, I must admit I am a little jealous! I am 8 days overdue and counting...

Another day

Phew! In a way, I am relieved that I made it past today; it meant I didn't have to deliver at a different hospital. In another way, it sure would be nice to meetthis little guy in person instead of having him get better aquainted with my ribs and organs!

Here is Grace and her belly. :) Erik pulled out the camera and she went running over to the "picture place" and wanted a picture taken of her holding her belly. She struck this pose all by herself. Do you think we've taken a lot of belly pics by the fireplace? They really are a sponge at this age.

Still no baby

What more can I say? :)

No progress :(

I had my 40 1/2 week doctor appointment today. Of course I caved and got checked. I haven't progressed any more (still!) but he did say the baby was lower than last week. I guess that's good?

They scheduled me for a non-stress test and ultrasound for next week. Hopefully I won't need the appointment! :)

A few prayer points, if you would indulge me:

1. My doctor works one Saturday a month at another hospital (Bethesda North) with another doctor group. For April, the date happens to be this coming Saturday, the 12th. I really want to deliver at Mercy Fairfield, the hospital we have toured and that is more focused on natural childbirth and has birthing tubs in each room. I know God can still work out all the details no matter which hospital, but I would feel more comfortable going into it "knowing" the hospital. (We don't even know where Bethesda North is exactly!)

2. Thankfully, my doctor will let me go all the way to 42 weeks before he would induce (or in my case, being a VBAC, schedule a c-section). I asked today and he said that date would probably be the 21st. Pray for wisdom on how far to safely go past my due date.

Thank you all for the sweet thoughts you have been sending my way! Obviously, I have a very comfy belly because my babies like to hang out in there past when they should!

Still sitting here doing nothing!

Hi everybody- quick update. Nothing new here. My due date was April 6th. I obviously have not had the baby, as my ticker so kindly points out. (Honestly, I thought this little guy really wanted out. He sure acts like it the way he abuses my insides!) My mom got in Saturday night to help out since I am so uncomfortable and to take some of the stress off of waiting and needing to find a "home" for Grace when we go into labor.

I have another doctor appointment tomorrow. Will let everyone know if something happens!

Sitting here doing nothing

Sadly, no progress to report. We all trouped up to the doctor today for my 39 week appointment because I was sure I had progressed since my 36 week internal check. Nope. Haven't done anything new. Nada. Zilch. The doctor assures me (as does Erik's "I've been telling you the same things!" look) that this means nothing. Labor could still start today or it could start much later. It just doesn't mean anything. But to me, it would have meant something. That I was getting closer, progressing, going into labor with a head start. All in God's timing!

In other news, we may be getting closer to a name. Well, lets just say I have finished going through the name books (and have a rather "short" list of 40 names!!) and every night now is "How about _______?"

I also have, with Erik's help, deep cleaned our family room, from the ceiling fan to steam cleaning the carpets (that is so satisfying!).

I think my nesting is complete. Our bags are packed. I am ready. Now aren't these the circumstances in which they say you go into labor?

Due date musings

First, I have to laugh that the ticker says there is no room for squirming. To borrow a phrase from the 90's, "As if!". I am still constantly pummeled, kicked, punched and generally abused. I'm afraid that the main reason is now that the doctor suspects that the baby is posterior, or "sunny side up". I am praying that he turns before delivery. All I've heard is how those labors are harder and longer, and frankly that's just not good news for a woman who was already nervous.

We woke up this morning kinda dazed that it somehow had gotten to be April already. I remember when that all seemed so far off. And here we are days (could it be 1 or could it be 19?) away from having a baby. Sure would be nice to get a vague idea of when.

Yesterday was the day they had me scheduled for my c-section with my old doctor group. Wow. I guess that would have given me a vague idea of "when". :)

And as much as I would love to have this little acrobat out, lets all just hope it is not today. Having an April Fool's day baby would be so sad for the little guy! Think of all the elementary school teasing.

I had to laugh

38 1/2 weeksJust compare this to the previous belly picture in this shirt. I don't think I will be able to wear this again! (My clothing choices are dwindling, needless to say.)

P.S. Anyone else freaking out that my blog ticker says 8 days until my due date? Don't worry, I think I'm nervous enough for all of us!

This also made me laugh

"I wish your hair would hurry up and grow out"...."Thirty-five bucks for a haircut??"

It's going to be all too true in our world

Snowy weekend flashback

My apologies again- I meant to post these and then forgot (imagine that!). These are from our snowy weekend two weeks ago. It literally shut everything down. Friday brought a few inches and then overnight Saturday we got dumped on. I heard it was the most snow in 24 hours that we had ever received. It may not look like much to you Northerners, but even Erik was impressed, so it must have been a fair amount.

This was her first attempt at braving the snow. At first, she wouldn't even touch what Dixie brought in from outside. So I suggested we put some in a bowl and plate and let her play with it like play dough. This kept her occupied for over an hour, with constant refills by mom.

Day two brought more courage (and more snow!). Poor Grace didn't have a snowsuit, but her great-grandmother had given her some heavy gloves, so we did our part to contribute to global warming and let her play with the snow through the open back door as long as she and I could stand it.

On Saturday we were under a snow emergency, and we later found out you could get a ticket for being on the roads. No matter, Erik and his buddy decided to go skiing in Indiana, about a 40 minute drive away. It took Erik three tries to get up one of the hills on the way to pick his friend up (Erik was the one with the SUV) and I was pretty sure his next phone call was going to be from him walking home from an abandoned car. Erik's were the first car tracks on our un-plowed roads for hours and hours; no wonder our neighbor followed him down the driveway to see if he was really going out! But the guys made it and had ideal skiing conditions (well, except for high peaks, but come on, this is the Midwest after all!).

"Don't make fun of my awesome sun glasses!"

Erik had the bright idea to shovel off a section of our patio so Grace could play "in" the snow. Don't worry, I have already bought her a snow suit on clearance for next year so she can really go to town (now that she's not scared of snow). And no, my child did not throw that snowball at me. Miss Cautious came and placed it at my feet after I took the picture. :)

Me and my basketball

30 weeks: 33 weeks:

36 weeks:

And as a final note for the curious: at my 36 week appointment (eek! I'm on the weekly visits now!) I was between 1-2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. That's pretty much farther than I ever got with Grace, even with her being overdue! And all you have to do is look at those pictures and you can see the baby is low!

Also, we had our hospital tour after our appointment (what a trouper Grace was, and Erik for that matter since it was a work day!). It was good to actually find out where the hospital was located :) and what floor the Maternity Ward was on. We got to ask a lot of questions since it was a personal tour (there was a bright spot to that snow storm drama). Erik's reaction: "Wow, don't you feel so much better after seeing everything?". My reaction: (insert panicked eyes and furrowed brow) "Wow, I changed my mind. Can I 'poof' this baby out?". It made the pending birth all very real to see the hospital room, the triage, find out answers to all the things we were wondering about. Oh, I bet you want Grace's reaction to the hospital tour. "A step for me!" After seeing the step into the jacuzzi tub. Never mind any of the other odd or curious things she saw in a hospital room, that's what stands out to my 2 year old!

My Goofnut

Enjoy my silly child...

This was all Grace's doing. I seem to remember a children's book about a bear who pretends to be an astronut with a box as his helmet. Well, this was Grace's cape and box hat. Seriously, if you had told me a two year old had such an imagination, I would have said "yeah, right". If you had also told me that kids get more enjoyment out of the things that come in the mail (a box and a VETS donations bag) than any toy, I would have laughed. It was a tragedy when trash day came and we threw these out. It might be cold outside, but as a special treat we can still have an "ic-ic" or picnic. (P.S. Kids never forget anything, so beware of being asking constantly to have another carpet picnic for lunch.)