"You're like a one"

So I just had my doctor's appointment.  He checked my cervix today to determine how close I was to going into labor so we could then decided when it would be best to schedule my induction.  Since I'm "like a 1" (1 centimeter in dilation of my cervix -10 is full dilation) and therefore far from labor, he said that it won't be a good idea to induce on the 4th, which is what I was hoping for.  But he said that he'll check me again on Monday (the 2nd) and if I've progressed to a 3 or 4 then he will strip my membranes and "sneak" me in on the 4th.  He has a problem with the 4th since I'm not close to labor because it's just a little too early (my due date is the 13th).  The next day that he can induce me is the 11th, which I have reserved now.  So if it comes to being induced, Patxi will have 5 days with his daughter before he leaves.  Sad story.  But at least he'll be there for the birth and to bless her in the 15th. But please, please, please pray for me to go into labor before then!

Two more weeks...well two/ three -ish

(Let me explain the post tittle: Since my doctor agreed to a week early inducement, I have two weeks left.  But I have three if we're counting to my actually due date.  From here on out, I'm going to be counting down to my inducement date.  Sorry for the possible confusion.  Anyway...)
Sorry that I didn't post last Friday like I promised, but here is goes:

So, for an update, everything is going great.  She's moving around like normal and her heart beat sounds good.  On the 30th, my doctor will check my cervix and schedule my induction (or is it inducement?).  But since I'm 37 weeks now, I'm trying to get into labor on my own.  I went walking this morning, 2 miles in 33 minutes with wrist and ankle weights on.  I've been having contractions off and on all day today, so hopefully something will happen.  But every contraction, I know, will help ripen my cervix, so it's not a waste if I don't go immediately.  Patxi and I have been having a lot of "honeymoon" time, which has been giving me contractions as well.  But if there is anything else we could do that might finally kick my body into labor, please share! We want Patxi to have as much time with his daughter as possible.  I've heard of raspberry tea and Castro oil, but I think the oil will be a last resort.    

My baby shower, that my mom threw for me last Friday, went very well.  I had a great time and got everything I wanted/needed and a few needed laughs.  Thanks to all who went.  I felt so special and loved.  Thanks!

Valin's communication skills have greatly improved.  He will actually say, "yes" and "no" and actually mean it.  His "yes" is cute because he lifts his eyesbrows, nods his head, and says, "ah, ha."  Then he can say, "och," "hot," and "ah, oh" meaning the actual things.  He can identifies cars, dogs, chickens, cats, peaches, juice, fishes, applesauce, pretzels, crackers and much more all by name.  He says, "mor" when he wants more.  And though he doesn't pronounce the "ll" of "balloon" (he calls them "boons") he knows and points to them in his books.  He is still the smiling boy we've been blessed with, but parenting has been becoming more of a challenge since he is getting older.  Along with this communication skills, his will and determination to use his agency is increasing as well.  The age of blind obedience is gone.  He also has a problem with hitting, not knowing that it hurts and the difference between hitting things verses people.  I know that it'll just take time and consistency, but this is the frustrating part of parenting.  But everything else is going great, so I have no complaints.

Hope everyone is staying cool and having a great summer!

Valin's fun on the swing

Grandma Waite has a great swing in their yard.   He loves it! So I thought I'll get some pictures of him.

Isn't he such a cutie!

4 more weeks to go...or maybe less! Yeah!!!!!

I'm 36 weeks today and started my weekly appointments.  So I talked to my doctor about how close my due date was to the date of Patxi leaving and he was totally up for an inducement!  I am so excited! I can hardly believe it!  So we talked and he said that I can be induced anywhere from August 4th to the 11th because those are the days he is "on call."  We technically can't schedule it until I'm 38 weeks (July 30), but the 4-11 is the window we have to choose from.  I am so happy to have the weight of the possibility of Patxi not being there for the birth and blessing of our daughter off my shoulders.  One worry down and taken care of! Oh, it feels soooo great.

That also means that the baby blessing is on the 15th of August at 9:00 am for sure.  So make your plans!

I'm been feeling...well pregnant.  My feet start to swell if I sit from more than ten minutes without putting them up.  But that's how it was with Valin during the last month, so I totally expected it.  She's getting bigger which means her movement is getting quite uncomfortable.  I have the usual aches and pains that comes from housing a 6 pound baby between my hips.  But other than that I'm doing great.  I'm going to start exercising again on the 26th, so I'm excited about that.  I've been so lazy -with good reason of course, but still. 

Which reminds me, Patxi and I are in the market for a treadmill.  It'll be my birthday/Christmas/Anniversary present for this year (a good idea because Patxi won't be here for any of them)  I've wanted one for a while, but I had a gym at the school and mild weather in Salem.  Now that I'll have two kids, I need to do my exercising at home.  I love to run, and it's a great workout, plus I don't mind running on a treadmill at all.  Anyway, I have a goal on getting fit while Patxi's gone and a treadmill in our house would be the best and most likely way to meet this goal.  It's going to be an investment because I want to use it forever.  I want to run until I physically can't anymore.  So If anyone would like to share information they may have on buying a treadmill (what are the good brands ,etc.), I would love to hear! Or if you know anyone who is getting rid of theirs, please tell me!

Since no post is complete without pictures, here are some of Valin at the water park in Pendleton.  We had so much fun that I think I'll buy a pass next year.

They have this cute kid slid that Valin went down literally a thousand times

He loved it!

It looks like so much fun, doesn't it!

I'm getting a little antsy, so...

...there goes my hair!

(it's not the best picture, but what I could get with no one else around)

This is how long it was before.  (I'm in the pink and at Shanel's wedding)

It's nothing drastic like Britney's beautiful hair cut, but it's short for me.  We were talking about hair cuts on Sunday and it got me thinking that I might need a trim.  But once I sat in that chair, decided that I wanted a bigger change. The best thing about it is that I got it cut in the Waite's Kitchen Salon and it cost me nothing.  Peni trimmed everything so it was all one length, and then I stood in front of the mirror downstairs and added the layers.  It was the second time I've done it, and I must confess, I'm pretty impressed with myself.

(this is even a worst picture, but it shows the layers a little bit more)

So what do you think?

My wish/need list for baby girl

In case anyone was wondering what I still need, with all the wonderful hand-offs I've gotten from amazing people it's was hard to know for sure.  Plus it's good for me to make a list so I can get things in order. 

1. Bassinet

or something like this.  I had planned on placing her in our portable crib in our room until she gets on the same night sleep schedule as Valin, but I just don't think there will be enough room.  It could be with a mobile or not.  Valin's never had one so I don't really know of a need for it, but it might be good.

2. Clothes, but mostly accessories like hair bows, socks, and shoes
3. Receiving Blankets -they worked so well for burp clothes and swadling blankets in the summer.  We've just have boy ones and I haven't decided if it matters or not.
4. Oneies -you always need those
5. Hooded bath towel

This is a picture of Valin's.  It's a frog and he's pretty darn cute, so something like that, but girly.

6. Moving/rocking baby swing

or something like this.  I know that Valin will need most of my attention, so I was thinking of something to put her in that will entertain her while I'm dealing with her brother.

7. Diapers and Wipes -of course!
8. Changing table -It's really not that needed since we've changed Valin on the floor for all of his life, but it would still be nice to have one.
I think that's it.  I'll add more if I find that I've forgot something.

5 weeks to go!

Well, actually since were "planning" on having her two weeks early (keep your fingers crossed and prayers said!), I really only have three weeks.  Huh, wow...that's really not that much time.  Good! I'm ready.  All I need is my nursing covers I ordered yesterday and I'm pretty much prepared.  I already laundered her clothes (the cute and copious amount from Brittney) and placed them into her drawers.  We have the car seat, crib, other clothes, nursing pads, some diapers...we might need blankets (girly ones for her)-but really with this hot 97 degree weather, i don't know if we'll be swaddling her.  Then again, it might be good to be prepared and have that option.  I really don't remember what else I needed with Valin, we were so blessed my others who bought most of our stuff that I don't think we had to do mad rushes to the store.  Oh, I will need to get some "Lansinoh Lanolin," the nursing cream.  I think I'll make a list of things to get.  I don't know if anyone is throwing a baby shower.  I haven't heard of anything yet, but I do still have some time or it could happen after she comes too.

Anyway, please excuse the above chatter of my ramblings.  This week went a lot smoother, mostly because Patxi was here, so I had my sunshine with me.  Plus, Valin's ear infection is getting better -almost totally cleared up (besides that sinkin liquid that doesn't seemed to ever leave), which meant that he was much more patient and playful.  The only downside to this week was the hot weather, 90s and above!  This is the first time I've really had to battle with my hands and feet swelling to an almost painful degree.  The last month with Valin was terrible, and this is close to it.  At night, I put a fan on just my feet.  But I am totally blessed in the fact that this is the first hot spell we've had all summer -we're already halfway through July.  It's been rainy and cold until the last two weeks, so I've been really lucky.  Plus, we have a basement here.  I hind out during Valin's nap, which is in the hottest part of the day, so I beat the heat pretty well.  So, all in all, I'm really blessed.  So I'm really just waiting, and trying to prep for a new baby as much as possible while keeping cool.  I hope everyone is doing great and beating the heat as well. 

Oh, and case anyone is wondering, we haven't decided on a name yet.  With Valin it took forever for us to even decided on possible canidates.  And then we didn't even choose until he arrived.  So we'll probably pick out a few that we like and then decided when we meet her.  Oh, and I think we'll plan on having her baby blessing in Pilot Rock, the Sunday before Patxi leaves for his three week training, so that's the 15th of August (sacrament meeting starts at 9:00 am).  Unless she hasn't arrived by then, of course. We hope she will, so plan on that for now. 

6 more weeks!!

Wow, the time is flying by. Just six weeks. And, yet it feels like it's dragging on forever.  Well, at least with pregnancy, you'll know it has to end some time.  I've just been feeling so tired lately.  It's be more of a task to keep up with Valin and actively play with him.  I can't wait to get this baby out of me so I can move around like I used to.  I mean, who's idea was it to carry 20-30 extra pounds between the hips and on the waist?  The back or shoulders would have been ten times easier! Who knew that bending down, tieing your shoes, and getting up from any sitting position could be such hard tasks.  Plus, her feet have been in my ribs for the last month and a half, so I get soccer punched in the lungs if I slough or relax my posture.  I just can't get comfortable anymore!  Sitting, laying, standing! Ah, I'm done!! Stinkin six more weeks!

Deep breath

Please excuse the rant.  Patxi hasn't been here, so I have no one to vent to.  Yup, Patxi's been gone this last week (and the three weeks before that), which really doesn't help any of this.  Out of the six weeks I have left with him, he's going to try and be gone for three of them. (The two last weeks, I hope to have and be with our new baby.)  He teaches medic classes the 12th -16th (that can't be helped), he plans to work at his sister's in Colorado the 26th -31st (I'm thinking about putting my foot down because it's cutting pretty close to the due date), and he will probably work for his brother next week as well  camping and taking out fences (the 5th -10th).  And to tell you the truth, I'm about to have a nervous brake down!  I don't know if I can take him being gone like this before he absolutely has to be.  This last week has been pretty stressful because Valin hasn't been feeling well, again, which means unchanging and unexplainable winniness which rubs the nerves raw.  Combind this with the end-of-pregnancy slumminess, plus my emotional anxiety of Patxi's deployment right when I have our second child, mixed with the fact that I just plain miss him and the emotional support he can give me -and you get me bawling randomly this morning.  I don't know if I can take this.  Can I just call a time out or something?  Freeze time where Valin is napping and I'm laying in Patxi's arms. Ah! I feel like pulling my hair out, or just crying again!   

Deep breath

There I go again. Sorry. But it does feel better to let some steam out.  Thanks for giving me the outlet.  I'll try to be less doom and gloom next post.  But thanks for the therapy, because it looks like I need it!        

Something that I needed to hear

I was preparing to teach July's new song in primary and I was browsing the helpful website, http://www.sugardoddle.net/ and there was a post that linked me to this video by Jeffery R. Holland. (if the screen isn't wide enough, like half it cut off, you can click on the video and it will bring you to the orginal youtude page)



I couldn't make it through without crying.  The women seemed to be portraying my life, and I recognized how hard it is being a mother.  But I really didn't start bawling until Elder Holland said that we are doing the Lord's work, especially when it's hard.  The spirit bore testimony to me, that what he said was right.  I felt so comforted, especially since Patxi's deployment has been weighing heavier on my mind, especially since we're getting a daugther in less than 7 weeks.  Every now and then you need to hear that what you are stressing, worrying, and working yourself out for is worth it.  And not only that, but that Heavenly Father wants to help.  That had been on my mind as well, and I know that his help is there, if I'm just humble enough to take it.

So thank you to whoever made this video and to Elder Holland! This was something that I really needed to hear.  I hope that it will help you too.