My Sunday Best + The Pre-Birth Story

Good morning!  I know half the world might think I was crazy going to Mass with the fam today, but God gifted me with a wonderful delivery and recovery thus far, and there wasn't any reason for me not to head to Mass and thank Him for his many blessings.  

My Sunday Best: 

I've worn it before (it's technically maternity and beyond), but this dress from Pink Blush Maternity was the PERFECT choice for our first week at Mass post baby's arrival.  It is soft and comfy and it was SO easy to nurse in. Nothing fancy or exciting other than the dress and my sweet baby accessory.

  And since there is a lot that happened leading up to labor, I will begin with a sort of Part 1 of the Birth Story, more appropriately titled

The Pre-Birth Story

Background info: You may remember that I was worried that my doctor asked us to switch to a hospital that is about 15 minutes further from us because his backup doctor at the closer hospital was no longer available.  I was trying to let my anxiety go and just accept this turn of events, but when Chris and I visited the further hospital last Monday, we both left more worried than before.  Besides being further away, the parking/entrance situation was also harder to navigate which would add even more time.  I started to panic inside.  If we got there and I was close, Chris would have to drop me off at the front of the ER and then go park and I just couldn't get it out of my head that it might end in my WORST case scenario of all: Chris not being there when I delivered.  Needless to say, it was a week of going back and forth.  We tried to talk ourselves into the further hospital and give it to God, but we still had no peace.  So we discussed asking my doctor under which scenarios he could still deliver at the original, closer hospital.  I had an appointment Friday August 26 at 4pm (my 38 week appointment) where I planned to ask many questions and pour out my many concerns....

I had previously tried to pre-register for the closer hospital and it hadn't worked online, and then we put registering anywhere on hold because (see above paragraph), so I'm still not pre-registered anywhere (but no worries, I'm not even quite 38 weeks)...

On Wednesday, after dropping the twins off to take the nearby bus to the airport (bye guys, and thanks for visiting!), I finally had the thought that I should begin a hospital bag.  I threw a couple clothing items in...

On Thursday (Aug 25), I finally grabbed our bag of newborn/0-3 months clothes and washed all the gender neutral stuff plus a couple of our girl outfits (we don't have any boy outfits obviously) and threw a couple of those in the hospital bag....

Friday (Aug 26) early in the morning around 4 am (so like really the middle of the night for all intents and purposes), Sophie threw up.  I knew she'd be clingy and it's really hard for me to change crib sheets when my belly is so preggo, so I woke Chris up to help me with that part.  I changed Sophie from her night shirt and pants and put a new nightshirt on.  Chris changed the sheets, and we put a tired Sophie back down.  I rinsed the sheets out and left them in the bathroom sink...

I had a hard time falling back asleep, so I turned on the Rosary on YouTube.  I said my Rosary, still hadn't drifted off, and it was about 5:30am and I suddenly just started feeling achy.  I started feeling achy just before I went into labor with Sophie, so I got a tiny bit worried.  But I was only 38 weeks, so I brushed it off and tried to sleep.  I drifted off....

Elise woke up around 7 and wanted to eat breakfast.  I got up, still a little achy, and headed downstairs to get her food.  Shortly after I had a really light contraction.  Mostly my back just felt achy, but it sorta seemed like it moved around the front.  I brushed it off and went back to lay down for a bit while Elise was eating and Chris was getting ready for work (he had a work project due at the end of the day)...

Around 7:30am, Ava got up and wanted a bowl of cereal too.  I got that for her and had another of those "not-really-contractions".  Then as I was suddenly having thoughts about "What IF I WAS about to go into labor?" I remember that we really have NO babysitting coverage for this particular time of day (school drop off time).  Everyone on our list of babysitters who doesn't have kids to drop off at school was unavailable on a Friday.  In fact, the person that was our most sure bet of being around pretty much all the time (our next door neighbor) was supposed to be out of town until August 28.  But that hadn't previously worried me because that was nearly two weeks before our due date....

Then I heard Elise throwing up, and I had another of those strange achy back- almost like a contraction things....

And that's when I decided JUST in case all the aches development into something, I should probably try to contact SOMEBODY and see when people are done dropping their kids off at school.  I texted my friend, Megan, who I met online through Blessed Is She awhile back and who has been so amazing since we moved to Colorado just 4 months (ish) ago.  My text was basically something to the effect of "I'm feeling achy.  Nothing is really happening, but what time are you done dropping kids off at school just in case?"....

A side note, Megan is very careful about germs.  When she's sick she stays away.  And she stays away from people who are sick.  So you can guess how I was feeling even texting her in the first place, but I was in that pre-panic stage, where I felt like all hell was about to break loose, and I HAD NO PLAN!  

All my plans and everything that I HAD figured out were worthless on the Friday of August 26, TWO WEEKS before my due date at school drop-off time in the morning.  What were the chances? 

To be continued....

In case, you want to brush up on how the other kids' births went down, they are filed here.

And now, it's up, so you can check Kolbe's birth story out here.

Meanwhile, link-up with your Sunday best over at Rosie's blog A Blog for my Mom. 

My Sunday Best: LARGE polka dots and baby bump

Hi friends!  Well here we are at 37 weeks + a few days.   I'm currently wearing whatever fits and doesn't put a ton of strain on the lower belly because baby's head is sittin' low down there and not much feels great to wear at this point.  Dresses are, of course great, though we are getting to the stage where I don't have that many that fit, so I'll be doing a lot of wearing the same thing over and over until baby arrives I am sure.  

              

Sophie was a total bear at Mass this morning.  In her defense, I forgot her blanket.   She always gets tired at Mass and snuggling with her blanket is one way to at least keep her more quiet and calm (at least for intervals).  Well, no blankie and no rest for Mama.  She bounced on my belly in the back of the church "shouting" (because that is pretty much what 20 month olds do at Mass) intermittently.  I survived.  She is napping now.  We are all good and relaxed finally.  ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  

           

My Sunday Best:

Navy dress with polka dots: Hand me down (and non-maternity)

Chunky mint necklace: Premier Designs

Gray sweater: Old Navy

I wore the sweater for Mass (it was a little chilly when I woke up), but should have just left it, because with all the wrangling I did in the back, I was sweating up a storm even with the AC in the church set at 30 degrees.  

I'd love prayers because my OB just informed me that I can't deliver at the nearest hospital because his back-up OB there is no longer there and it's a hospital requirement, so now we have to go to a hospital that is another 10-15 minutes away.  For most people that probably sounds not scary or stressful at all.  But had we been 10-15 minutes further from the hospital with Elise, I would have had her in the car.  And even Sophie's delivery would have been much closer had we had another 15 minutes in the car.... It's not something most people have to actually worry about--making it to the hospital.  But for those of us who have had harrowing, short deliveries, it's a big mental strain.  And apparently it's tough for hubby.  If you know him, you know that almost nothing gets to him.  But when I came home and gave him this news, he was upset.  UPSET.  He's seen me in a LOT of pain, barely holding a kid in while driving me to the hospital, so let's just say an extra 10-15 minutes could be fine, but it could also be INSANE.  So please just keep us in your prayers that all goes according to God's plan and that he and I are able to completely surrender to whatever that plan might be this time around.  

Link-up with Rosie from A Blog for my Mom with your Sunday best.  

7 QT Friday- All the Random

Joining up for another 7 Quicktakes Friday with Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum.  

1. The Olympics

Who hasn't been watching them or at least watching clips or reading articles to see how the good ol' U.S. of A has been doing?   The first week was of far more interest to me than the second, but there have still been some great moments as well as some to make me laugh and of course a few to make me cry.  And there has been much talk around here of Bob Costas and the fact that he is fine after his battle with pink eye at the last Olympic games.  I'm sure you've all had your own favorite moments and conversations surrounding the Olympic games.  We are all currently discussing what we might aspire to qualify in for the winter Olympics in 2 years....I'm thinking I'd be a great candidate for ice hockey.  ha. 

2. Nesting

I almost got the cleaning bug today (otherwise known as nesting at this point in pregnancy), but then the vacuum died.  So now I have a dirty living room carpet because Sophie spilled popcorn and my vacuum decided it wasn't into nesting.  Oh well. 

3. Bro Visit

Three of Chris' brothers are visiting for a week or so.  Nicholas arrived first and the girls immediately cuddled right up and wanted him to read to them.  

The twins (Ethan and Evan) arrived shortly after and we've been having a blast.  The girls LOVE having their uncles here.  It was too rainy this evening to head to a park, but we've done that a few times this week already.  There was lots of frisbee, football, and soccer happening.  

4. Evan's haircut

Nothing too exciting, but Evan wanted his haircut, so Chris gave him one.  

The end. 

5. Cheesecake

And I made this Kahlua cheesecake (with a gluten free crust) tonight because...do I need to have a reason to make cheesecake and eat it?  Nope?  I didn't think so either.  

Sophie's enjoying it!

6. Pregnancy updates

37 weeks today.  

At my doctor appointment I got to hear baby's heartbeat (that sound never gets old) and learn that I have gained roughly 30 lbs. so far. 

Are we ready? 

Not really.

We don't have a hospital bag packed, not even a little.  

I don't have instructions of any kind for babysitter for the kids yet. 

I haven't gotten the "gift from baby" together fully yet. 

We have a kind-of babysitting plan in place for the other kids for when I go into labor. 

I tried to pre-register at the hospital and the website wasn't working. 

But we did drive by the hospital this week to check out the parking and labor/delivery entrance situation.  

7. Hospital Switch

Unfortunately, my doctor informed me today that his backup OB at that hospital is no longer there, so we have to switch hospitals to one that is about 15 minutes farther away.  

With my past history of fast labors, the news shook me though I'm sure all my doctor saw was an accommodating smile with my response, "I'm sure we can figure that out..."

As I pulled out of the parking lot, this song came on K-LOVE

       

It wasn't this acoustic version, but I just drove home praying the words and trying my best to give this last minute change to God.  

My Sunday Best: 36 weeks 5.0

We are getting closer and closer to meeting our newest little one and my belly and the bags under my eyes are also getting bigger.  hehe--no joke though.  This little one likes to sit in places that make me feel like I have to pee ALL the time.  So I'm up twice as many times as I usually am during other pregnancies going to the restroom and it may possibly be messing with my sleep cycles.  Possibly (read: of course it is!).  And the aggravating part is that half the time I don't even have to go.  I just think I do.  I'm getting up for nothing.  ACK!!

On a positive and more uplifting note, August is a truly wonderful month filled with saint feasts galore.  This past week included the feasts of St. Dominic, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, and today- St. Maximilian Kolbe.  Such wisdom to be gained from the saints.  

"Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to Him.  That is all the doing you have to worry about."

-St. Jane Frances de Chantal

St. Jane was a mom and later became a nun after her beloved husband died.  She is one of my favs (hence why Ava's middle name is Chantal).  

Anyway, here is #mysundaybest at 36 weeks +

My Sunday Best:

Navy faux-wrap dress: Ross (non-maternity)

Brown cardi: Ross

Brown belt: Ross

Gold Flats: from my SIL

St. Max said: 

"Let us pray, bear little crosses, and greatly love the souls of all our neighbors without exception, friends or enemies."

and lastly let's dwell on these beautiful words of St. Clare: 

"Gaze upon Christ.  Consider Him. Contemplate Him and desire to imitate Him."

A blessed and joyous Sunday to you, friends, and a beautiful Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary tomorrow.  

Join the link-up over at Rosie's blog: A Blog for my Mom with your Sunday best.  

7QT- It's nearly the MIDDLE of AUGUST??

Joining up for 7 Quicktakes Friday with Kelly of This Ain't the Lyceum .  Definitely check out the link-up--always so many interesting blogs and tidbits!

1. Pregnancy updates

I'm still pregnant (duh).  I'm at 36 weeks.  

I am for the first time ever NOT positive for Group Strep B, which means I do NOT have to get antibiotics at the hospital before delivery (which by the way, I never get, because--fast deliveries (or haven't you read some of my birth stories?).  Normally we have to stay at the hospital longer and baby has to get checked out a bunch because I've always been group strep b + and I almost never get the antibiotics dosage before baby comes barreling out.  This is GREAT news for me.  I don't know what made a difference.  The changes in my life this pregnancy were that I went gluten free for my thyroid, lowered processed sugar significantly, and I take probiotics regularly.  Or it could be totally random that I am negative this time, but whatever the reason, I'll take it!!!

2. Hatchprints SALE!

One of my favorite shops in the world (I LOVE her prints) is having an awesome SALE!  From her FB page:  "SALE - Buy one, get one! Buy any single print and get any other print of the same size FREE. Sale excludes The Seasonal package and cards. No coupon code needed; please write what print you would like in the notes section at checkout. For example, if you buy five 8x10 prints, write the names of the five extra 8x10 prints you want. Sale ends Saturday, August 13th at 11:59PM Pacific or until supplies run out. Great time to stock up on gifts!" 

So definitely go and check out Hatchprints and snag up some lovely prints! 

This print in the frame is one of hers that I have by the kitchen sink "God walks amid the pots and pans" - St. Teresa of Avila

3. Hormones

I have been a hot mess this week.  The flowers in the picture above are from Chris because I was just on an emotional roller coaster this week.  Up and down and up and down.  

A dear friend and mentor from my old mom's group also sent me a beautiful card with lovely words of encouragement because she knew that I was having a bit of a rough time recently.  

And another wonderful friend here, Megan, brought lovely sunflowers another day when her family came for dinner.  It was such a breath of fresh air in my emotional week to hang out with another amazing family and to get a beautiful bunch of sunshine-y flowers.  She's having surgery today, by the way, so keep her in your prayers.  

4. Baby's arrival guesses

This week we put our official arrival day guesses up on the calendar.  

Chris: Sept. 7

Me: Sept. 5

Kayla: Sept. 9 (the due date--she wants baby to be a due date baby like she was)

Elise: Sept. 16

Ava: Sept. 3

Sophie: Sept. 13

And then we just randomly put everyone's names on other surrounding dates to fill the calendar up for the week and a half before and after the due date.  Whoever's name is one the actual arrival day gets a prize.  Chocolate for Chris and I and if it's one of the kids, they get the first turn holding baby at the hospital.  

5. Last Summer Concert in the Park

A park near us has summer concerts and last week was the final one.  It was a Frank Sinatra-style cover band and it was really fun to listen to.  

concert selfie--minus Chris

6. Fly Me to the Moon

It really was such a nice, relaxing, enjoyable concert.  Take a listen. 

                             

7.  Tumbling Camp

Kayla, Elise, and Ava all attended a little 2-hour tumbling camp together and loved it.  There's Elise on the rings.  

They all wanted to go again next summer.  Or tomorrow.  Whichever comes first.  ;)

My Sunday Best: Pretty Darn Pregnant Edition

           

Happy Sunday, friends!  

I am feeling quite pregnant (read: tired, uncomfortable, large, etc) these days, but I decided that perhaps making a tiny extra effort for Mass this week would help me feel just a little less all those things.  And it worked pretty well.  Dressing up a little can certainly go a long way with your attitude when you are feeling blah.  

So I decided I'd go ahead and link up with Rosie over at A Blog for my Mom.  Share your Sunday best and click over to check out some fun styles from other ladies. 

My Sunday Best:

Blue dress: Pink Blush (see the picture below because I covered it with a maxi skirt)

Navy maxi skirt: nomorerack.com

Brown belt: Ross

Flip Flops: Sanuks

Baby bump: 35 weeks +

This is the actual dress, but with a baby bump, it's a bit too short for my liking currently since I am pretty much always wrangling a kid or two or four.  I AM really excited about wearing it post partum when my tummy isn't so enormous because it's super comfy and stretchy and it has pockets!!  I love dresses with pockets.  And it will be very easy to nurse in.  

Baby has been cooperating pretty well thus far.  He/she is head down and has been for weeks.  At my appointment 2 days ago, the doc's assistant said baby's head is not only down, but is already engaged quite low in my pelvis.  I wasn't surprised.  That is what it feels like: oopf.  

And I don't seem to follow the norm with "pre-labor" in the weeks leading up to birth.  I have few, if any, of what I would call contractions of any sort in the weeks before delivery.  I do usually have quite a bit of fairly intense pelvic pressure though.  I believe our babies warm my body up for their exit by pretty much bouncing like a pogo stick and head butting me repeatedly in that region for about 3-5 weeks.  And then really hard, intense contractions start abruptly, and the kid pretty much flies out.  If that was too graphic for you, be sure NOT to read the actual birth story in a few more weeks.  

We haven't stopped walking as we do in general and definitely as much as we can when I'm preggo.  We saw some really lovely sights on our evening strolls this week....

Chris took all these gorgeous sunset stroll pictures.   

Elise asks me when I get home from every appointment if the baby came out.  Ava is my cheerleader.  She loves to tell me that I look beautiful in my dresses.  Kayla understands the concept of time and months and weeks, so she's got the best handle on things and doesn't say much about baby other than to be excited that it will be arriving in roughly a month!  Sophie responds to the question, "Where's the baby?" by slapping my stomach a bit too hard.  So I think we are getting there.  Eventually.  

7QT- Starring my 33-34 Wk Pregnancy Nesting

It has certainly been a fun and crazy week! As is the case with most families, we've had fighting and laughing and everything in between.  

But did your family have this this week?

1. Dress-up and tea parties

So posh.  

2. Book of the Week

This was such a sweet little find at the library this week.  ALL the girls loved the love and sweetness in this lovely picture book. 

3. Baby Names

In case you missed it from an earlier post, we did a baby name consultation with Kate at Sanctanomina.com for fun this time around.  Definitely check it out and tell us your thoughts!  So far, I believe the top suggestions from people center around Zoe, Zelie, and Tessa for girls and Blaise and Jude for boys, but there are seriously a TON of great suggestions both on her list and in the comments section too.  

4.  Family walks

We took one every night this week (and planning on a nice one tonight).  One evenings walk was to a concert at a nearby park.  2-4 miles every night and the kids slept great. 

 

And we all enjoy the beauty of God's creation all around us.  So beautiful. 

5. Craving?

I don't know if I'd call it a craving yet, though it probably will be as soon as this bag runs out...

These Boulder Canyon sea salt and cracked pepper chips are my new favorite thing.  I ate 3/4 of a bag of them yesterday...

6. Freezer meals

In this post last Sunday, I mentioned a few freezer meals I'd made.  Well, I had a whole list and had found some great deals at the store, so this week I made a bunch more....

Savory Chicken and Sausage & Peppers from this website (I just did one bag of each for now)

Beef Roast with Carrots from here and a slightly different version of Cilantro-Lime Chicken found here (minus the corn).  I actually made two recipes of that and threw one in the crock pot for dinner that day.  It was really good.  I made rice to put it over, but you could obviously make it into burritos/tacos too, and I had a bunch of salad greens, so I made my meal into a big salad (just add tomatoes and avocados and it gets even better). 

Sweet Balsamic Pork roast

2 bags of meatballs (I used a similar recipe, but I'm gluten-free, so used almond flour instead of bread crumbs and there was no ketchup in the version I used)

I made like 4 lbs worth of meatballs, and used some of them to make this Meatball Soup as well.  Additionally I froze 4 cups of homemade chicken stock to add to it when it's time to cook and eat. 

Teriyaki Chicken  (though Kayla isn't a huge fan of pineapple, so I omitted that and added a cup of water and a little ground ginger and a heaping tablespoon of honey)

&

this Cranberry Pork Roast

So far, I've got 16 meals all ready and I think I'll make a few more as well since we have the freezer space (a nice benefit to having a fridge of our own and renting a place that came with one). 

7. Smoothies

I'm also freezing up bags of fruit mixtures to make into smoothies for an easy and healthy breakfast/snack after baby comes.  Thanks to some awesome fresh and frozen fruit sales at Sprouts this week, I have well over a dozen baggies already and tons more fresh fruit cut up in the fridge for some healthy goodness now.  

Join the link-up for 7 quicktakes 

with This Ain't the Lyceum and share yours.