We're on the homestretch!

Well, now...According to my calendar, we've got just 41 days until little girl #2 arrives! If all goes as planned she will be born March 24th, 2009 at approximately 7:45 AM. Certainly you're wondering how we could possibly know this. And let me tell you, becoming pregnant has definitely not given me any extra special talents stemming from the brain, like for instance, psychic powers--in fact, it's exactly the opposite. I took Avery to the Doctor just the other day and I had to really think hard about what her birth date was--luckily she knew and told the Doctor. I either looked like an awful mother who forgets when her children were born or a good mother with a smart kid! Let's hope it's the latter! Anyway, the reason we know when she'll be born is because I will be having a cesarean section, or C-section. It was recommended by my Doctor in Ames that we do so just to be extra safe. When we found out this was the case, I tried to be positive about it and am still trying. But I think I'm just feeling like it's so against nature. It's not what I would've preferred, I suppose. Okay, so all you women who've gone through natural child birth are probably thinking "Lady, you're crazy"! Now, if I really remembered what natural labor felt like and it was fresh in my mind, maybe I'd be thinking the same thing. I do remember, but then again, it has been five years already! I think most of all, I really thought the whole birthing process was amazing. Let me explain: I remember the excitement of heading to the hospital knowing what was about to happen and also knowing I had some hard, painful hours ahead of me. However, being there in the delivery room with my husband, both of us anticipating what was to come, working together through the pain, meeting true exhaustion together...and then hearing "she's coming, just one more big push..." and then hearing her precious little cry and seeing her tiny perfect fingers, nose, ears, toes...the whole experience is something I can not put into words. So many emotions crashing together at once...I suppose I can only say it's something you probably don't experience and can't relate to until you yourself go through it. And not just the women, it's the guys, too. After all of this, being told you're having the baby "on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:30 AM" seems totally strange to me. I actually watched a C-section on tape. Yeah, shouldn't have done that. It was so fast and awkward--the big curtain's up so you can't see what's happening and you can't feel it as they make the incision because you're completely numb, but you're awake and can feel some pressure as they grab the tiny little babe and pull her out. And then within 10 minutes, she's here. They take her away while you're stitched up for the next hour and then you have to go through a much more extensive recovery than what natural birth requires. And I had heard you at least get to pick the day if you have to have a scheduled labor, but I sure didn't. If I got to pick, I sure wouldn't have said I wanted to go in for pre-op at 6 AM on a Tuesday. I couldn't tell you what I would've decided. But I think I would have chosen to maybe come in a bit later in the day! Even, 8 or 9 is better than 6 AM. But, I guess I went in to the hospital at 2 AM last time, so what am I complaining about, right? In my heart, I know everything will be just fine and seeing our little girl for the first time will bring us just as much joy this time around as it did last time, even if it has to happen via a very different method.

As we're heading down the homestretch, I truly am feeling some major anticipation for her arrival. Even more so this time I think, because we were trying to become pregnant and really wanted a sibling for Avery so when the test finally came back positive, it was wonderful news for all of us. And I can feel that she's getting ready for her own arrival too as her kicking is becoming very strong! And she's getting hiccups fairly often now. Avery had the hiccups all the time those last couple of months, too. It seemingly always occurs when I head to bed. Same with the kicking. It's like she's struggling to find a comfortable position in there--I can't even imagine what it must be like trying to do that in such a confined space (even though it looks to me like she's got more than enough room in that belly of mine!). We've been really busy preparing for her arrival. We just got through painting the downstairs bedroom and upstairs dining and living room this last weekend with mom and dad (thank you, again!). This weekend we've got to take all of Avery's furniture downstairs, as the bedroom we painted will be her bedroom now. This has been sort of a difficult move for all of us--especially Ava. She loves her room upstairs right by mom and dad's room and giving it up to her little sister who's not even here yet, is not exactly what she expected. She loves climbing in our bed with us in the morning and snuggling and "sleepovers" (this just means Friday night she gets Tang and popcorn, gets to pick out the activity for the night--usually a Disney video which she watches for maybe a full 30 minutes with mom and dad--and then gets to sleep in mom and dad's bed until we come to bed and take her in her own room) are her absolute favorite. But, I told her using the best choice of words, why the baby needed to be upstairs next to mom. She still wasn't exactly persuaded until I told her she could pick out some cool nightlights and walkie talkies and new stuff for her new room. And I told her mom could sleep with her in the trundle bed for a couple of nights. Then it was just great! We'll see what happens next week when she actually sleeps down there for the first time. It could be a long night for all of us. I'm hoping we read books, she falls asleep and begins snoring like any other normal night. And I'm hoping I can do the same as I know my days of sleeping through the night are numbered...41 left if all goes as planned!

Happy Valentine's day everyone! Happy Birthday, Dad! Love you all and we will write again soon (history repeats itself, so count on a month or so! I'll really try to get one up sooner)!