Down to about 6 minutes

The long walk around the grocery store helped. I have not sat down since we got home and am semi-standing to type this. We are getting there! Ben is napping. My mom will arrive at 4pm. Come on Nate!

Still 10 Minutes Apart

We are about to go walk around the grocery store and pick up the two items we need - milk and batteries. I am hoping this gets us a little more progress. The contractions are the same intensity and still 10 minutes apart!

I am thankful that Ryan's work time can be flexible enough to accompany us!

10 Minutes Apart

Contractions have been 10 minutes apart since 4:30am. Could be a while yet, could be soon. Stay tuned.

38 Week Update

I was all prepared to tell you that I am patiently anxious for Nate to arrive! However, we just got home from the doctor and I am just anxious now! I am a solid 2, maybe more and 80% effaced. That is a lot of progress in one week. The doctor seems to think he will come in the next few days. She is not on call this weekend, so I told her I would aim for Friday. She didn't seem to think that was too crazy of a goal! So, now we wait...anxiously. I guess I better pack my bag and Ben's bag and warn all our friends that have been roped into watching Ben for us!

During this pregnancy, I have been much more comfortable than I was with Ben. My hips aren't hurting me at night so I am still able to sleep. My best friend is Pepcid Complete and without one every day I doubt I would sleep near as well! The weird difference, to me, is that my feet have grown with this pregnancy. I have a few pair of shoes that are uncomfortably small, but I don't want to buy anything since I am not sure what size my feet might be when it is all said and done. So, my shoe selection is quite limited these days, but who really looks at a 38 week pregnant woman's feet?

I am also so much more laid back (lazy) about preparations for this baby. I just got all Ben's stuff out and called it done! With Ben, I had my bags packed and a list on top of the bag of last minute things to grab. With Nate, I got the bag out of the closet, but there really isn't anything in it yet. With Ben, all his little baby items were just so in his room. With Nate, it's all in there, but not as neatly as I might like. And Ben's stroller is in Nate's room. I might should get that out of there.

I have a cookie exchange and baby shower with the ladies at church today. Then, a team meeting/dinner this evening. After that, my schedule for the week is pretty clear, so come on Baby Nate!

We will be sure and keep you posted as best we can! I don't have a fancy phone, so we will have to have a laptop with us to update you on fb or here.

Santa

We saw Santa last night. Ben was not thrilled (as we expected). He puts his elbow up when he is nervous about something.

My Little Chef

Using the mixer.

Tasting the melted chocolate.

Cleaning up.

Ready for the oven.

Finished product - chocolate pumpkin brownies.

Don't know why he feels the need to close his eyes for every pic, but whatever. And, he took his pants off during his nap and did not want them back on!

War and Peace

The idea of this blog post has been swirling around in my head for some time now. Enjoy. And then share some of your War and Peace stories with me!

Peace: Hearing that sweet voice say "I need my mommy"
War: for the millionth time even though he is in the arms of his perfectly capable father (who is not currently carrying ?? extra pounds of baby weight around) while he is saying it

Peace: He definitely understands what specific consequence is the result of bad behavior.
War: He tries to use it to his advantage.
For example, he was recently made to sit in my lap during a meeting for some bad behavior. So, he immediately began slapping my baby belly bc the consequence for that is being put down, away from me. The result - He was squeezed beside me in the chair, not down playing, not in reach of my belly.

Peace: He follows direction very well at home.
War: He tries to get away with everything in public like he has no idea what I am asking him to do.

Peace: He is a huge helper.
For example, a few days ago I told him to take his pjs from the living room and put them in the drawer in his room. Hours later, I saw the pjs in the correct drawer! Cool.
War: Everything I do takes 10 times longer because he helps so much. He wads my clean laundry in an attempt to fold like me. And sometimes insists on putting the laundry away in the wadded up state that he left it.

Peace: He is very independent.
War: He is preferring no lids on his cups (read lots of spills) and to pick out his own spoon from the drawer for each meal or snack.

Peace: When not sure if something is allowed or not, he looks up at us with the most endearing blue eyes to get permission.
War: Sometimes he still does it even when we say no.
For example, he will hold a stick and point to the tree. Yes, you can hit the tree with the stick. Then, he will point to a bird feeder. No, you may not hit the bird feeder with the stick. We do this a hundred times a day with probably a 90% success rate.

Peace: I found him in his crib a few days ago "reading" a book to himself out loud.
War: If he was reading that means he wasn't napping.

Life with a toddler is full of extreme happiness and pride and the most frustration and feelings of defeat I have ever felt. And sometimes I go back and forth between those emotions in the blink of an eye.