Looking back...

As we await Alexander's arrival, we've been watching video clips from Brie's birth and the first year of her life. It's been so fun to look back on that time with our Snuggle Bug :0) Here's a clip of Brie with her Dada on the day she was born...

Baby Bump: 37 weeks.

37 Weeks.

Full term! Yay :0)

I recently volunteered to help a friend with some wedding plans...so now I'm hoping that Alexander doesn't come until I have those finished, but then I DO want him to come before Emily has to leave. Don't you love how we have our perfect little windows? As if we really have a say! When it comes down to it I'm relieved to have made it to full-term and will be happy whenever this guy comes.

Today Dr. Smith mentioned that I hadn't gained a pound in the last four weeks...and that she didn't know how I was doing it. I was surprised myself and assured her that I was not trying to NOT gain weight...and that I was eating frequently and good size portions (I don't know about this "my stomach is squished by the baby" business. I feel like I can eat almost as much as normal.). I have been trying to eat more healthy and well-balanced meals, but the chocolate and sweets definitely weasel their way in there too! On one hand it's kind of nice to know that I'm not gaining too much with this pregnancy, but on the other I just hope that Alexander is growing the way that he needs to. Dr. Smith thinks that he'll be on the smaller side, unless I'm "hiding him really well"...but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm too not worried about it. It'll all work out the way it needs to.

Other than that, things are about the same as last week. I keep hoping that another "nesting phase" will come with energy and excitement to get things ready. Unfortunately, I see things that would be nice to get done, but then don't feel like taking the time or energy to do them. Oh well. Almost all the essentials are in place. Last week Bry and I typed up a birth plan and also drew up a document with all the possible scenarios of me going into labor (how we'd get to the hospital, who would take care of Brie, etc.). On Friday we practiced breathing techniques and such, (I'm so grateful that Bry will be by my side during Alexander's birth. He's such a great support to me!) and I'm feeling more and more ready to go into labor.

Anyway we're getting closer.

It's done!

So I really should shrink these pictures so you can't make out the details because...let's be honest folks, the imperfections abound. BUT, that's OK. It was my very first attempt at making a quilt and I'm just pleased to have made it for our little guy :0) Anyway, here's Alexander's blankie in all its finished glory...

I can't wait to wrap him up in it :0)

(Do any of you experienced rag quilt makers know how to get the back to fray really well? Will that just come with time as I wash and dry it?)

That's better.

For part of Bry's Spring Break (his first one since high school) we headed down to Springfield and spent a few days with our good friends, Ben & Ashley Petersen. I was a little reluctant to go because my first and last time there happened to be during first trimester...and the very thought of going back made me want to hurl. Oh first trimester. How oddly and unfortunately the negative associations stick with me. In any case, we went and had a LOVELY enjoyable time.. and now I get to hang on to those memories instead. Yay!

Saturday 12 March 2011---

We enjoyed the beautiful Spring weather
at Nathanael Greene Park.

Ben & Ashley watched Brie while Bry & I had a mini getaway for the evening. We ended up going to Bass Pro (it's like Disneyland for outdoorsey people. I honestly didn't think it was going to be that cool, but I was so impressed. It's an experience just to walk around the place.) and then having dinner there at Hemingway's. I like eating at restaurants that are unique to certain areas. Plus it was fun to eat at the restaurant that was more of the "special occasion" restaurant for Bry when he was growing up. Bry got the Pan Fried Ozark Trout and I got Hemingway's Shrimp (Coconut Shrimp).

Sunday 13 March 2011---

We attended church and then spent the evening at some long time family friends, the Canes. We had yummy stir fry for dinner, met their three pigs (they're raising them for meat), watched Mykelle and Brie play together, and chatted. They're getting more and more into "self-reliance" and growing/raising their own food and it was fun to glean a bit from their knowledge and experience.

** I can't forget to mention that Ben, owner of Resolve IT Computers, was SO wonderful to work on our computers for us. They're new and improved and working great. Thanks, Ben!! **

Monday 14 March 2011---

We visited "Mrs. Ellison" (Janet), Bryan's piano teacher from when he was growing up. It was so cute to hear her brag about Bryan and his musical abilities and fun to listen to Bry play a few of his old time songs. AND Gary, her husband, even played us a really lively and entertaining rag time piece. So fun! Anyway, we had a delightful morning with her and her husband!

For dinner the five of us went out to Lamberts, yet another experience in and of itself. It was good ol' Southern type cooking and I bet we each consumed 5,000 + calories (OK, maybe not THAT many :0))! I ordered a Chicken Fried Round Steak, Candied Yams and Peaches. Bry got the BBQ Pork Steak, Baked Beans and Applesauce. Our meals came out in full on skillets...they were HUGE! My favorite part about Lamberts' is how they around with fresh rolls and throw them to whoever is interested. We were often interested. Yum :0)

Afterward we dropped in at a birthday party for one of Ben's nieces (Danielle). It was fun to spend time with his family, especially since Bry knows them well from his Springfield days.

Tuesday 15 March 2011---

Bry, Brie and I went and visited Bing Steinmetz, one of Bry's good friends from high school. It was great meeting him and hearing as he and Bry caught up. And his parents were so laid back and sweet. Benno, Bing's Dad, was so cute with Brie, giving her rides in Bing's wheelchair, getting her snacks, familiarizing her with the dogs, etc. And Barb, Bing's Mom, made pizza and salad and had us stay for dinner. They were all so nice, welcoming and friendly!

Anyway, after meeting and visiting with all these people I feel like Springfield is a home away from home. I'm excited to come and visit them all again another time! (Pictures of Bing and his parents are above in the collage, "reconnecting with friends")

I decided that I wanted to make Alexander a quilt and Ashley was my partner in crime. She helped me pick out fabric, decide how much I needed, cut out the squares and sew half of it together. Did I mention that she stayed up with me til 2 in the morning to get all of that done? THANK YOU, Ashley! I can't wait til we get to wrap little Alexander in his blankie from Mom and Aunt Ashley :0)

We had a WONDERFUL, fun and relaxing time...
thank you Ben & Ashley!!

Baby Bump: 36 weeks.

36 Weeks.

I don't have much to report today since I was late in posting for 35 weeks, but...let's see...what can I mention? I had an appointment today and was almost dilated to a 1. (Which means that really I'm not dilated and I'm OK with that. A week from today I'll be considered full-term and at that point I hope that things start progressing and that this little guy will make his big début before/while Em visits. We'll see.) Dr. Smith said that Alexander's head down, which makes me really happy! His heart beat sounds good...she just had a harder time pinpointing it because he was squirming around so much. Anyway, things are looking good.

Crazy that we're almost there. Just a few more appointments to go. We'll see how many I make it to. As silly as it may sound, I'm kind of going to miss this phase. Especially going to my appointments with Bry and Brie...and seeing Dr. Smith and Crystal. They've been great to work with!

I have to add that I feel SO blessed for how well I've been sleeping. I usually have to get up to go to the bathroom at least once...and rolling over isn't the most pleasant experience, but other than that I sleep really well. My hips don't hurt nearly as often or as bad as they did with Brie's pregnancy. Anyway, I'm soaking up all the sleep I can get while I can and am grateful that generally I have really good nights of sleep! :0)

St. Patty's at the Kirks.

Last week (18 March 2011) Kate & Steve had "the neighbors" over for a St. Patrick's Dinner.

We had Irish Stew, Soda Bread, Irish Cheddar Cheese and Crackers, a Green Salad, Rainbow Cupcakes and Shortbread Toffee Bars. It was all delicious!

Afterward the husbands and kids went outside and did chalk drawings on the patio while the women chatted and cleaned up. Thanks, Kate & Steve, for a great evening!

Baby Bump: 35 weeks.

35 Weeks.

I'm a little late taking and posting my baby bump picture this week since we were out of town for Spring Break. In any case, here it is.

What's new this week? I feel like Alexander is sitting on my bladder. I'll be sitting down, he'll move a bit and all of a sudden I have to go to the bathroom. It's pretty funny. I'm hoping that the moving I'm feeling is his head and that he's already head down and there to stay.

Today Bry and I took a refresher prenatal course at St. John's Mercy Medical Center (the hospital where Alexander will be born). Diane, our instructor, was awesome. She had five natural births and advocated educating ourselves about different ways to manage the pain of labor. She even had us bring pillows and blankets so that we could try out different breathing/relaxation techniques. Bry is so awesome to jump in there to rub my back, coach me with breathing, etc. I'm glad we're a team :0) We watched a few movies (on child birth and epidurals) and I have to admit seeing the whole process made me a little nervous...thinking of going through the different stages of labor again. BUT taking the tour of the LDR (Labor Delivery Recovery) rooms I started getting excited and THEN walking by the nursery and seeing the little baby bundles (that's what we call the newborns when they're all swaddled up)... I couldn't help but smile and think of little Alexander being in there...our little cutie! He's going to make the whole experience worth it :0)

So yep, he's due a month from today! Tuesday we go in for a checkup and from then on we have weekly appointments, checking dilation and such. Then in just about a week I'll be considered full term. We're getting so close!

Our Little Leprechaun.

What LUCK we have to know each of you! It's true.

May the Hinges of Our Friendship Never Grow Rusty.

(Kate found that Irish Proverb...I like it!)

Happy St. Patty's Day to each of you :0)

Bring on Spring!

I know that the official first day of Spring isn't for a few weeks, BUT...I'm ready to be done with Winter so I decided to go ahead and update my blog for Spring and all the wonderful warm weather and new life that it brings! (I'm excited to be able to add Alexander's cute little face to our blog header in a few weeks. Yay :0))

*I decided to put the "Live in the Moment" for this next season because I really want to embrace having a new born and not just survive this chapter of my life (I feel like I went into a bit of survival mode with Brie). I want to learn to cherish all seasons of life, as taxing and tiring as they can be. I want to learn to see the good in all situations and be grateful for all that comes my way. Here's to living in the moment! *

Baby Bump: 34 weeks.

34 weeks.

Yesterday we had our checkup with Dr. Smith. I expressed a few of my concerns that I had been having (main one being that I had been experiencing some contractions the day/night before...not super intense or regular but it got me worrying a bit). She is so great to work with. She always validates my concerns and calmly and respectfully lets me know what she thinks. I really appreciate that. Anyway, she ended up doing a cervical exam just to make sure I wasn't dilated, and I wasn't. That was a relief. She thinks that my body is just gearing up for labor, but wants me to keep an eye on things and told me that if I have 6+ contractions in an hour to let her know. Anyway, I was grateful for that peace of mind. Crystal, our nurse, always asks me if I'm feeling frequent fetal movement and so far so good. I'm glad for that! It's so comforting (and cute :0)) to feel his little kicks and movements.

Aside from that I feel like third trimester is catching up with me. I have been feeling a little sick to my stomach lately (uh-oh, Meghan, is this what you were talking about?), have occasional heart burn, my feet and legs have taken to swelling more and my poor belly doesn't feel like it can stretch any more. But it's all good. Every pregnancy has its ups and downs. And let's be honest, Bry is SUCH a supportive husband! Last night he rubbed my legs before bed and then brought me bread to keep the acid at bay. He sure earns his stripes :0)

Lately I get really excited when I think of Brie meeting her little brother. She currently was collecting small toys "for baby bruh-der"...and loves to pat on my tummy and say hi to him. It makes my heart melt.

Saturday Bry, Brie and I went out and got some baby gear for Alexander. It sure makes it more real to be buying things for him!

I'll admit, Bry and I still get nervous with the thought of having a newborn again. So, on Monday I decided to do my FHE lesson on the joys of parenting. It was good to bring the spirit in to remind us of all the blessings that await our family. Here are a few quotes that I found:

"Many in the world miss the joy and see children only as an inconvenience. It is true that parenting is physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and mentally demanding. No one will give you good grades or blue ribbons for what you do as a mother. Sometimes you might wonder, “Did I do this right? Is it all worth it?”

It is worth it! All latter-day prophets have borne witness to the sacred role of motherhood. President Spencer W. Kimball said, “It is important for you Latter-day Saint women to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem” (“Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, Nov. 1978, 105). The Spirit testifies to my soul that this is true.

You will come to know, as I do, that parenting is not only challenging, but it provides life’s greatest joys... Did I tell you … that to the very depths of my being, I love being a mother?"

"Did I Tell You?" Susan W. Tanner, 173th Annual General Conference, April 2003

"President Hinckley reassures us: “Of all the joys of life, none other equals that of happy parenthood. Of all the responsibilities with which we struggle, none other is so serious. To rear children in an atmosphere of love, security, and faith is the most rewarding of all challenges.”

"The key to accomplishing effective gospel teaching in the home is to invite the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. Some of the best counsel my husband and I received during some turbulent times of raising our children was to do all that is possible to invite and keep the Spirit in our home. Children cannot learn spiritual things and have spiritual feelings without the guidance of the Spirit."

"Understanding who these children are and their potential in God’s kingdom can help us have a greater desire to meet the challenges more patiently—more lovingly. The Lord will help us teach our children if we will do all that is within our power. Families are forever, and the Savior wants us to succeed. As we seek the Spirit, we can receive the comfort, guidance, and reassurance we need to fulfill the responsibilities and receive the blessings of parenthood."

"A Voice of Gladness for our Children" Coleen K. Menlove, 172th Semi-annual General Conference, October 2002

Anyway, there are some of my thoughts from this week. Life is good. Now tummy you just need to make some more room for this little guy to grow :0)

Brie, RN.

For Christmas Aunt Rachie got Brie a Doctor's Kit. She and her friends love it! We have diagnosed and treated all of her (stuffed) animal friends...several times :0) Maybe Brie will grow up and be a nurse like Rach ;0)

Getting to be so Grown up.

My goodness, where does the time go? Some outfits make Brie look so grown up, like she's off to Kindergarten. She is definitely becoming a little girl these days...

(all ready for church.)

A is for Anna.

It is so funny to watch Brie "share" her toys when her friends come to play...inevitably what she is playing with becomes uninteresting once her friend picks up another toy. Gotta love it! But I guess that happens with adults too, eh?

Anna and Brie.

* We recently purchased the Animal Alphabet that is adorning Brie's closet door. She loves it, we love it...it's been great! Before each nap and bed time Brie says, "ABCD's?" and we quiz her on a few of the animals/letters ("where is the Q for Quail? Where's the J for Joey?"...) and then sing the ABC's as she getting tucked in. It's been a fun little routine that she loves! And I love that she's learning while she does it. Win-win. *

2.19.2011

For our Valentine's date we decided to take the tram up to the top of the St. Louis Arch and then to go out to eat afterward. (Thank you, Gublers, for watching Brie so we could have the afternoon/evening out!)

(Do you see the aerial shot of my lap? I just wanted to
document that Alex was there with us :0))

One of the views from the top. Have I mentioned that I love taking panoramic pictures?

Afterward we got a few snacks (kettle corn and candied almonds) from the Levee Mercantile and then headed over to Bailey's Chocolate Bar for dinner.






Surprisingly the dessert wasn't our favorite (it could have been that the server mixed up our ice cream flavors or that there were just too many nuts for our liking), but the pizza was really good and the spread of cheeses, breads & nuts was fun (I liked the caramely flavor in the Gjetost cheese but it had too much of a goat cheese flavor for me. I am a sucker for smoked cheeses though and loved the smoked white cheddar.).

I'd go again and would probably try out some more of their cheeses and their assortment of truffles next time.

In any case, Bry and I had a lovely time leisurely eating and chatting. What a fun date out and about in St. Louis with my Sweetie!

2.18.2011

My neighbors (Alaa, Kate and Azhar) and I decided to put on a Valentine's party. We all pitched in a bit in different ways and put together a fun evening. It got a bit chaotic with quite a few people (14 adults and 7 kids!) squeezed into our little town home, but it worked out and we all had a good time. Here's the setup before people arrived and things got a bit squishy :0)...

(the Gublers and Toledos had already left
before I got pictures of everyone)

My Sweetie helping to mop afterward. What a man!

Bryan and I said afterward that our favorite part of the evening was seeing people make new connections and friends. It's always fun to broaden our circles a bit.

2.14.2011

Valentine's Day 2011:
Bry making his sweeties puffed pancakes * exchanging valentines * my assistant cupid (Brie) walking around the complex delivering valentines * my sweet visiting teachers (and Co. = 5 kids) coming to share a message * Kate & Azhar coming over to make marshmallow valentine hot cocoa dunkers * a candle lit dinner with my sweeties--Poutine, Orangina and Chocolate-covered Strawberries--random but fun! *

2.12.2011

As mentioned previously, our stake (St. Louis South) put on a Couples' Conference & Sweethearts' Ball in honor of Valentine's Day. Kate watched Brie so we could go out for the evening. We enjoyed hearing from the three couples who spoke, eating yummy appetizers & desserts and especially dancing! (I have to admit that when we first got on the dance floor awkward memories from high school dances came flooding back...but being in my Sweetie's arms quickly made me forget. Oh how I love Bry and how he patiently dances with his somewhat clumsy 7 1/2 month pregnant wife :0)) Good times!

Baby Bump: 33 weeks.

33 Weeks.

Bry and I were just saying to each other how surreal it is that within 7 (or 8) weeks Alex will officially join our family. You would think that round 2 would feel more for real, but it doesn't. In any case, we're enjoying this phase and excited to meet him whenever his birthday happens to be.

The last few weeks my legs and feet have been swelling a little bit. A girl in my ward told me that if your legs look like trunks you're having a boy. Have you heard that? In any case, I've been trying to be better about putting my feet up and Bry is always so great to rub my legs for me. It really does take two to grow a baby, eh? :0) He has been SO supportive throughout both pregnancies...watching Brie so I can rest, rubbing my back & legs, carrying things so I don't have to, etc...what a guy!

My Mom booked her flight today. YAY! I'm so excited to have her come out and hope that she'll be here for Alexander's birth. If not, she'll at least get to enjoy her baby grand son :0)