Massive update on all of us!

Warning: This is going to be quite long!!!


Wow, I can't believe it has been 2 1/2 months since my last blog post! We have internet at home again, so I want to catch up (and backdate) on all my pictures, but I am just out of the habit, I guess.

Since today is October 1st, I will just post all my September pictures! But before I do that, here is a loooooong update on my current pregnancy.......

Wow, I cannot believe I am 33 weeks already! The time seems to have flown by!!! I guess it is because I have 4 other children already to keep me distracted, plus it really has been a super-easy pregnancy. I am so thankful for that!

I am having weekly appointments now. My blood pressure has been creeping up and I am on BP meds for it, but it is holding in the normal range. I have had quite a bit of swelling the last month or so. I know if I could get it off, my BP would go down even more. I don't think I will need to continue the meds once baby is born. It always goes down to normal fairly quickly, although my "normal" has been creeping up over the years. :(

Up until a month ago, I had only gained around 10 pounds. When I went in last week, I had doubled that!!! Yeah, lots of swelling! Yesterday I was back down 3 pounds, so that was nice.

My last two pregnancies I had bursitis in my hips. The only relief I could get, which also helped during the day, was to sleep in a recliner. It was actually quite comfortable! Well, I found out a week ago that sleeping in a reclined position is probably the worst position you can be in when pregnant. It can cause the baby to be breech, and guess what.....they both were! This pregnancy, for some reason, my hips have not bothered me. I have been able to sleep on my side, which is the best position, and this baby is in the PERFECT birth position!!! :) The ultrasound yesterday confirmed it. (It also showed normal response, fluid, etc......absolutely NO concerns!)

Other than being overweight and out of shape, I am feeling really, really good. The doctor seemed surprised when I told him that this pregnancy is going really well and I feel great. I had to tell him again about my last pregnancy when I had the HELLP syndrome and that this one was just so much better! I think he may have been worried it would come back, but at this point in my last pregnancy, I was already so sick. Jack was born at 34 weeks, and I am 33 right now! Praise God for a great pregnancy!!! :)

I am totally preparing for a VBAC. This doctor will deliver VBACs and breech babies, no problem, but he has to abide by hospital regulations. In my case, I am not "allowed" by this hospital to have a VBAC since I have had TWO c-sections in the past. They don't even consider that I previously had two vaginal births. Well, I found out that I can still legally have a VBAC. The laws are in my favor! I don't have to go in at the very last minute or have the baby at home, I can still have a hospital birth. Basically, they cannot force me to have a c-section, so all I have to do is refuse it. The hospital cannot turn me away, and my doctor cannot refuse to see me if it is within 30 days of delivery when I let him know my plans, so there ya go! :)

Oh, I just had a thought! So many women, myself included until a week ago, do not know their rights. I wonder, IF I have a very successful VBAC, if maybe I could help to change hospital policy?! How cool would that be? :)

My hope and prayer is that this labor and delivery, and the remaining few weeks, will go so incredibly well that I will be able to have my home birth someday! I am still striving for that, BUT, after my last experience and my own personal spiritual growth through all of that, it is not quite as important to me as it used to be. I saw my pride, and even though in the end I did do what was best for me and baby, just as I promised I would, I did not like that pride! So I gave it all to God and He has changed my heart on the whole "natural birth" issue. I can still strive for it, and I certainly will, but it is not the end of the world if it doesn't happen. Boy, it sure felt like it last time! :'(

A side note, my youngest actually has a genetic disorder. I'm not sure if that is the best description, but he has a duplication in a small segment of the short arm of his 6th chromosome (6p21.1). It doesn't have a name and little is known about it, but I really, truly believe that is what made my pregnancy with him so different and difficult. No one else in the family appears to have the same thing, so I don't expect any other babies to have it in the future. My hubby and I are going to be tested for it though just to be sure it is not inherited. If one of us is positive, then the geneticist thinks his symptoms may actually be caused from something else that we have not yet discovered, but if we are both negative, then it is highly likely what is causing his symptoms and physical characteristics.

I guess that's all I've got for now! If the rest of the pregnancy continues to go well, my next update might just be a birth story. :)

And now, enjoy the pics of my beautiful children.....or pictures they have taken.

Rocket is getting just a little too comfy in OUR house!

 Jonathan took several pictures of the storm earlier in the month. We don't see a lot of rainbows. Jack LOVED it!

They found this really cool caterpillar. I just realized we never identified it. Hmmmm.....I would post more pictures, but they all turned out fuzzy. Haha! Fuzzy. :)

Our Rooster, Prince.

Three of our five hens. They're laying now!!!! Good job, girls!

 At the museum, probably their favorite. We hadn't been here in a while, but this position (under the wooly mammoth's foot) is a tradition!

 Boys! *sigh*

 She's getting meaner as she gets older! Look at that face!

Jack had to join in too! This was his first, that I can remember.

I love the Discovery Room, and we haven't been in there since Jacob was a baby! It is usually closed when we go.

So I had to take lots of pictures in here! Jack loved digging for dinosaur bones, though I'm not really sure he knew what the point was.

Jacob actually spent most of his time here!

They had these really cool little chair things called Bilibos. Jayla pretty much hogged them both the whole time! I wish they made them for adults.

The museum had a chocolate exhibit. I was hoping for free samples, but it was still really cool. This is actually a giant wall. See the TVs?


On to Septemberfest!!!!

We go every year. There is always so much to do, and it is always FREE!

The kids love these things.

Jack didn't understand that he had to wait in line for another turn, so he was about to go a THIRD time before we were able to drag him off so that other kids could go.

His sister helped get him off. :)

I didn't know if he could do this obstacle course or not, but he did great!

With Sissy's help again, of course. :)

We got a ride on the wagon! Not all that exciting, but fun!

The female llama.....Nice hair!

The male

This is what Jonathan's hair was starting to look like before I shaved it off!

It took a few tries, but she got it!

Jack had a great toss but couldn't get it far enough.

Jacob got it on his first try! Click on the image and look at his mouth. :)

On your mark, get set, go!

I think Jayla was a little bored with this, but it helped pass the time while we were waiting in that long line.

Jack didn't quite get it. He thought it was fun, but he didn't understand that it was supposed to be a race.

And he just thought the cow was cute. Milk her? What?

This ride is always a favorite.

 We REALLY needed to sit down, so I was thankful for the librarians!!!

And we got to see the dance group that Jayla's ballet teacher is in!

All that fun just wiped him out!

I don't normally take pictures of our dinner, but this was some awesome Mexican food!!

This is what Myles had. Of course he had to get the Coke with real sugar in the picture. He ordered two drinks so he could get Dr. Pepper refills. Silly man!

Jacob and Jayla being silly. :)

And the highlight of our meal.......Jonathan taught Jack how to say "G'day, mate!", so I just HAD to get that on video! :) Of course, Daddy had to butt in, and he's loud! lol

Then we took several pictures of some cute littles from the church nursery. I won't post those here though since I do not have permission.

Then there was Sukkot, or Feast of Booths, or Feast of Tabernacles. This was our first year to actually celebrate this feast, and it was fun! In the last part of Lev. chapter 23 God gives directions on how to "do" this feast, and it really is not too demanding. We did not stay overnight in the booth though, we just ate dinner in it, but I am hoping that next year we can begin a tradition of camping out for a week! :)

 The booth still in progress, from behind.

Jacob exploring the inside. 

 He felt quite at home and just "dug" right in!

The booth and food were pretty much ready, so we walked around the property, gathering branches for our lulavs! 

I can't remember the names of all of them, but we all loved the flowery one. 

Jacob rarely poses for me, so I will take him up on it anytime he offers a smile! It is usually cheesy like this though! 

Jack was desperately thirsty and was about to serve himself some wine! No worries, we got him some water. :) 

This is the wonderful family who invited us. It was held at her dad's house. I really, truly appreciate their family. They are not about denominationalism or doing what feels comfortable, but they are not "legalistic" at all either. They just obey the bible out of their love for God!

The kids loved the candles, of course, and Jacob wouldn't let me get a picture of one without him! 

The finished lulav.

And that's about it for the month of September! I will try to keep this caught up now while also going back to catch up on the previous months this year.....and before the baby is born!!!!!