Getting Ready for Baby Ben

We have been spending some time getting ready for Baby Ben.  His room is getting there… really close actually!  Just a few more finishing touches and a little decorating and we will be ready!

John and Rudy made one of our chairs into a rocker… thanks to a tip from friends of our… and it is awesome!  Wish we would have done it years ago!!

Gran helped me put together a shelf for Ben's closet one evening she was over… or should I say Rudy helped me.  He insisted on screwing in every screw.  We had to hold the drill steady and straight, which he objected to several times, but he basically did all the work.  

Avery just couldn't wait to get climbing… her favorite thing to do these days.  

John, with great help from the kids, put the crib up one early morning.

We were able to borrow a crib from the Wagy's and use the furniture we already had for the room, so it was nice not having to buy anything major.  Finally feel like we are cashing in on those "well we will use this with the next one, too…" purchases.  His closet is stocked.  I hung up all of Rudy's past clothes for what will likely fit the first 6 months and I cannot even fit it all in there.  Fingers-crossed the seasons work out and Ben can wear a lot of the same stuff!  John got mad all over again at the amount of baby boy clothes we have… as if I can help it now?!  He did agree that Avery had no where near that!

I had another sonogram a few weeks ago to check on the placenta issue.  It was fun to get to see Ben again, although it wasn't the easiest.  He is head down and way far down… already.  He was resting right on top of the placenta, which was right on top of the cervix… all so close and shmushed together that the sonogram tech couldn't get a good view of the placenta with the external sonogram equipment so she had to do an internal sonogram.  Which makes sense why I feel a lot of kicking and jabbing around my ribs!  Sadly, nothing had changed with the placenta.  BUT Doctor Chapman is still not concerned in the slightest.  He is confident it will still move, and if not, he doesn't think it should be a problem with delivery.  I go back for another sonogram in a couple weeks to check it again and hopefully it's done some moving!  If not, we will keep checking until delivery time.  As far as everything else, things have been checking out a-ok!  Strong heart beat, my blood pressure and all that good stuff has been great.

As far as I can tell, he is a pretty calm guy.  He is most active at night, but that may also be the only time I am slowed down enough to really pay attention.  I have had several people comment that I don't look "big" - especially for how far along I am.  Most people seem surprised when I say, "8 more weeks!" or "7 more weeks!"  Our pediatrician at Avery's appointment last week said, "You're kidding?  I would have guessed maybe 20 weeks!"  It all takes me by surprise because I feel huge and I am gaining the same amount of weight as with the others (yes, I have kept a spreadsheet with each pregnancy and regularly compare!)… I think I'm just gaining all over with this one!  I mentioned this to Doctor Chapman last week and he didn't seem concerned because I am measuring right on track.  But just to ease any concern, he added a growth/size check to the next sonogram.  He really is such a great doctor; always looking out for me and any odd worry I have!  (I have to add to give John some credit, too… when I was complaining to John about getting huge everywhere, he said, "You're pregnant."  And I responded, "Yea but my thighs and butt aren't giving birth to a baby!"  And guess what John pulled out of his nice-guy pocket??  "Yea, but they are supporting it."  What a guy.)

Just in the last week or two I have started to notice some swelling, which I never was bothered with with my other pregnancies… mostly in my hands and feet (and face).  Several days I have had to take my rings off and my feet almost feel tingly-numb at the end of the day from being sore.  Not a lot of time in the day to kick back and put my feet up this time around!  I am having a harder time doing simple things - like bending down to pick up thing and kids!  I get out of breath pretty easily.  I have a hard time finding clothes that feel comfortable.  Sleeping is difficult.  I can't get comfortable and when I do manage a few hours of sleep in a row, I wake up sore and stiff all over.  In general, I still feel ok though and consider all those ailments par for the course.  I'm anxious to not be pregnant, though!  Not that it has been horrible, I'm just ready to feel like myself again (although, I'm not quite sure what that is exactly).  But the weeks go by so fast...  Before we know it, we will be a family of 5!

Our little mimic, Rudy.  Taking a break from playing catch to pose just like Mom.  And Avery was in tears from me setting her down and had to stay as close as possible… she has quite the separation anxiety lately but I'll talk about that another day!

 
The main thing we have left to get ready for Ben's arrival, besides packing our bags and figuring out the logistics of the other two kids, is getting the car seat situation figured out.  We are determined to get three car seats to fit across the back row of our car.  With all the varieties we have between us and our parents, we are hoping three of them will fit just right!  Fingers-crossed...