Lila update+amnio procedure

Brian and I drove up to Omaha on Sunday morning after church and spent some quality time together! I thought it was going to be my "last" meal before the c-section so I picked Cheesecake Factory! It was sooo delicious. We then went back to the hotel room to relax and watch some football. I couldn't sleep so I watched TV, painted my toes, emailed, etc. I was so nervous about 1)amniocentesis 2)Having a c-section. Both of those are new to me.

My amniocentesis was at 9am and our Dr. told us we needed the results to be 55 or higher for her lungs to be mature so we could deliver. Brian and I prayed together and then they began the procedure. Let me tell you this procedure was NOT worth losing sleep over. It was all over within 45 seconds! Brian was taking pictures and the Dr. was wanting to give detail by detail instructions and I just kept my head focused on Lila and watching her on the sonogram machine. The needle went in my stomach (which was painless) then through my uterus (OUCH) this part was painful but seconds later he was done! It was just a sharp pinch then it was over!

We left the Dr.'s office and went to Barnes and Nobles to pick up some books for the boys. We bought Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Corduroy by Don Freeman! These books are classic and should be on the shelves of your home! They were also featuring a book called Lyla the Lovesick Ladybug by Joe Troiano and Susan Banta. I had to pick it up b/c of the ladybug's name! :) Just spelled differently.

Brian by then was STARVING and I had the pleasure to sit with him as he ate Panera Bread. Talk about torture! The phone rang and the nurse said it wasn't good news. My heart immediately sunk and I was sad to know that we weren't going to deliver that day. The amniocentesis levels needed to be 55 or higher and Lila's were 36. We went over to the Dr.'s office and asked some questions and he told us that we would have to deliver on Feb. 16Th at NOON. We have to look at the big picture and now he has to worry about me having complications if we don't deliver soon. We are praying that I don't start bleeding, have more contractions, or start labor.

I am not upset with the Dr.'s decision as I know that I will do whatever it takes to get her here healthy and alive!!! Besides what is another week on bed rest when you have been on it as long as I have! :) Please continue to pray for Lila and I.

WHAT WILL LILA WEIGH?

As of January 25Th the ultrasound showed Lila weighing 4 lbs. 15 oz. What do you think she will weigh at birth? *If you want to change your answer then post again under this post otherwise I will carry over your guess from the previous post! :)*

Graycee weighed 5lbs. 8 oz.
Owen weighed 6lbs. 14 oz.
Miles weighed 6lbs. 15 oz.

What is your guess? Good luck! I will send 1 bottle of homemade vanilla extract to the person who has the closest guess for her weight. (US residents only)

Nursery and Vanilla giveaway

We have the nursery 90% completed. We are waiting on the lamp, curtains, and a birth canvas but those won't be here until March. It has been so much fun seeing pink everywhere!

We are leaving Sunday morning and will post pics as soon as we get home! Thank you all for your continued prayers, we are blessed by some amazing family and friends. We also want to give a BIG THANK YOU to Grandma JJ and Grand Dad E for watching the boys 4 days a week for the last 2 months! They are champs and my boys are going to miss spending time with them!


WHAT WILL LILA WEIGH?

As of January 25th the ultrasound showed Lila weighing 4 lbs. 15 oz. What do you think she will weigh at birth?

Graycee weighed 5lbs. 8 oz.
Owen weighed 6lbs. 14 oz.
Miles weighed 6lbs. 15 oz.

What is your guess? Good luck! I will send 1 bottle of homemade vanilla extract to the person who has the closest guess for her weight. (US residents only)


I hope to post again sometime around the 15Th. Until then...

35 weeks and 3 days!!

Okay so here is my LAST prego pic! Oh and Melissa the bare one is for you girlfriend! :) I am 35 weeks and 3 days. I am headed to Omaha for a c-section at 2pm on Feb. 8Th! I am excited, nervous, and relieved! I am praying for an easy delivery with few NO complications. Please pray for Lila as she is coming a little over a month early. We are praying she gets to come home with us and not have to stay in the NICU!

We want to thank each one of you for your prayers, phone calls, and food! Your thoughtfulness has been appreciated and we love you all!

I am super excited about getting off bedrest and am ready to go grocery shopping, run errands, and take my boys children to the Library!

Are you surprised?

Oh this gal who nominated me (Thanks Tiffany) as a princess is scoring some HUGE brownie points. She knows how to get on my good side! I miss her terribly and can't wait to visit soon!

This princess award is for readers and I have only started getting serious about reading within the last couple of years. My reading schedule is usually around 11pm-? I know, I know it's a bad habit and I am sure this new lil gal will force me to read a lot earlier since our night schedule will be in turmoil for a few months!

1. Name an author you love.
James Patterson is an author that I have a "collection" of books by. It is his fault
that I stay up so late, you can't put his books down.

2. Name an author who highlights your personality.
This is a tough one b/c I am an original! But I guess I would say books that
relate to moms and their quest for raising children. I am still trying to figure that one out. Just when one thing starts to work another doesn't. It is never ending.

3. Name some books you love.
a) Same Kind of different as me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (currently reading)
b) The One Year Book of HOPE by Nancy Guthrie (currently reading)
c) My new NLT Bible
D) Gary Chapman books
D) The book I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, is Mom... and Loving It! by Sharon Autry and Lauri Hilliard. This book is a MUST for moms! I could read it over and over!

4. Something that always excites you.
My boys! They are always entertaining and every morning Owen has a "great idea" or a new "recipe".
If you were to ask my husband he would say, "Food" He says I get all giddy when I know we are going out somewhere. hahah :)

5.Something you hate.
Bills, medical problems, negativity! Oh and people who wear pajamas and slippers in public. It really gets under my skin!

NOW I am passing this award along. All they have to do is grab the princess award above and post the questions and answers.

Here are 4 gals that I nominate as a Princess
1. Angie @ http://nurseangiesnews.blogspot.com/
2. Jill @ http://quirkykirky.blogspot.com/
3. Kanani @ http://khepworth.blogspot.com/
4. Melissa @ http://harrishatchlings.blogspot.com/

My last OB appt before Lila arrives!

Monday was my LAST OB appt. in Omaha!! Lila was 4 lbs. and 15oz. The ultrasound tech said she has more hair so I went to Target and purchased some headbands. We were able to see her diaphragm working. She would breathe for 20 seconds then we would have to do it again. The Dr. wanted to see her do 30 seconds which she finally did! We are hoping that she will be ready on Feb. 8Th. That is still the plan. For now I am still on bed rest and will be having non-stress tests done every 4 days until Monday the 8Th. We will arrive on Monday morning at 9am for an amniocentesis and then have a stress test done following that. We will be dismissed to wait for a phone call regarding the results of the amnio. If her lungs are mature we will deliver at 2pm that afternoon!! Please pray for a safe and healthy little girl! We are getting more and more anxious as the days go. I know that seems backwards to you but when you lose a baby at 38 weeks it almost doesn't seem like it is going to happen. We are praying for her to be healthy and for the c-section to go as smooth as possible.

Brian/boys has been working really hard on the nursery and we will post pics as soon as we have it completed, hopefully this weekend! I gave my boys each a canvas to paint a picture for their sister! They had soo much fun with this! Here is a sneak peek of the walls/paintings.

Homemade Vanilla extract-yummy!

This year for my friends I made my own vanilla extract! It was super easy and fun! My hands smelled the entire day of vanilla. Yummy! I think next year I will get a bunch of gals together for lunch and make them together! Are you in? I purchased the vanilla beans from a website called Beanilla. I highly recommend purchasing high quality beans.

I attached a star cookie cutter with a sugar cookie recipe. If you look close you can see my name embossed on the recipe card. This was a gift from my mother in law Janis and I LOVE it!

We are getting ready for Lila

So we have FINALLY ordered the essentials for Lila and her sweet nursery. Brian and I have always waited until the last second (so it seems) to purchase stuff b/c of our previous experiences with losing 2 children. Returning items and them asking you why/ what was wrong with the product is too hard on both of us. So here is to hoping sweet Lila comes on Feb. 8Th healthy!

We have our last appt. next Monday and look forward to seeing Lila again. The last time we went she was 4lbs. and had hair on her head which was SUPER exciting!! Jill my blog friend sent me a project on how to make hair barrettes so you can bet on seeing LOTS of bows in her hair. Brian is eye rolling me now :) We will be going on Feb. 8Th at 9am for an amniocentesis and if her lungs are mature then we will have a c-section at 2pm. I am praying she is ready but if not then we will repeat the amnio on the 15Th.

Here are some essentials for Lila and myself that we have purchased so far.
1. Nursing cover
2. Nursery bedding with matching paint :)
3. Lila hanger (etsy find) I couldn't resist!
4. Mother-ease cloth diapers (I used these diapers for both boys and thought they were the best. I imagine they have only improved in the last 5 years but these are still in great shape.