38 1/2 weeks

Yup!  I am still preggo!  Going on 38 1/2 weeks.  I am 10 days away from my due date.  Believe it or not, I am not that anxious!  Except when Olivia is pressing on a nerve.  Overall, I've been pretty patient.  I can't say the same for everyone else though!

Somethings I've been thinking about lately...

• Sometimes I can't help, but think back to the baby we lost when I miscarried back in August last year.  It's a mix of emotions, really.  I firmly believe Olivia has been given to us when we needed her most.  Sometimes though I find myself wondering about the baby we may have already be holding.  But then I feel guilty.  In a few weeks, it will be one year since the miscarriage.  BUT, in a few weeks, we will also be seeing, holding, and loving on Olivia.  I would never wish for anyone to go through a miscarriage, but knowing Olivia is coming, and anticipating how much love she is adding to our lives seems to cover up the sadness that always kinda lingers.
• Work?  YIKES!  I remember returning to work after Natty.  THAT was emotionally hard.  I was a basket-case inside.  Getting to work in tears...in tears over the weekend...in tears in the middle of the night.  But I adjusted, and while not easier, I think I just got used to it.  I remember returning to work after Nathan.  Emotionally AND physcially draining.  Natty will be 4 in November, and Nathan 2 in 3 days, and I still feel guilty going to work.  I cannot even begin to imagine returning to work after Olivia.  I am a little bit more at peace right now, but we shall see how I feel again the end of August.  I am scheduled to return around the second week of September.
• Three kids?  The thought of carting around three kids really does not terrify me anymore!  I typically do take Natty and Nathan pretty much anywhere, and on any errands we have to make.  I still start leaving one home when I had further along, and it is very hard to buckle, unbuckle, lift in, lift out an energetic 2-year old.  To their credit though, Natty and Nathan are AWESOME in the store.  The thought terrifying me is squeezing the three in the back of our sedans, while we save up for a larger vehicle.  YIKES!

Some updates...

• Dr. appointments are pretty much uneventful.  I am only 50% effaced, and not dilated to much of anything.  At this point, I had already had Natty after being dilated to 2 cm. for 2 weeks.  With Nathan, I pretty stayed at 2 -3 cm. until I was induced 2 weeks after his due date.  My next appt. is on Wednesday morning. 
• Tim has ventured into teaching his first online course.  There have been challenging, and it is a great deal of work.  I am always worried the kid and I are too much of a distraction.  I do enjoy having Tim home than out though.
• To pick up the slack, Tim has been at Office Max again for a month or so now.  It has been such a trial, and we appreciate your prayers.
• Natty has been BEGGING me to go to school.  We will be registering her with CNUSD in March, as long as I continue to work.  She knows her alphabet and most of the sounds, numbers (1-10 in Spanish), shapes, can answer cause-effect, can identify what's out of place, follow patterns....I could go on and on.  She can draw a smiley face, and write out some letters.  She can also draw a few shapes.  We are just so proud of her.
• Nathan's language has just blossomed!!!  He can speak in sentences now about 75% of the time.  He has picked up a few Spanish words (thanks of Natty and Dora & Diego).  He is very good at communicating what he needs/wants.  He has also been working hard on potty training - with no pressure from me!  I really wasn't going to start until Olivia arrived, however, he has been getting very good about telling me when he has to go.  I love watch Natty interact with him.  They are at a good stage right now, where they can play together, and talk to each other (and actually have a conversation)!
• Hobbies....well, I pretty spend most of my free time, if any, outside.  I love, love, love being out there.  I love seeing things blossom and grow.  I have tomatoes, basil, lime tree, Muskogee tree (lavender blossoms), Calla lilies, Impatiens, Irises, and Petunias.  Natty and I planted some Clementine and Lemon seeds the other day.  The kids were enjoying some fruit, and Natty found a seed in one of her slices of orange.  The bigger surprise was that is had already begun to sprout in the fruit!  Discovered the same thing when we were squeezing lemons from Tim's grandmother one morning.  So, we'll see if they continue to grow!

That's pretty much it for right now.  I am home until I return to work off of my maternity leave.  A lot of people ask me if I'm bored.  No, I'm not.  I just feel bad I am not as mobile taking both kids out.  I do once a week, or to get groceries if Tim has to work early.  For the most part though, we stay inside in the cool A/C, or play in the backyard. 

Hopefully next time I update, I'll have Olivia to showcase!  Happy Friday!