Present Time

Layla enjoyed her second Christmas very much and loved opening presents! Last year she didn't really get it, so it was nice to see her get so excited about opening them. She did however have a bit of a hard time understanding that not all of the gifts were hers:).

This was Christmas Eve day, I believe--story time with Daddy...

Christmas Eve we opened gifts with our family. Layla got so excited about her presents that she had a hard time falling asleep that night! We didn't feel like making anything at home and the only place we could find open that sounded good (not pizza--makes me sick during pregnancy) was McDonald's. So maybe McyD's will be our new family tradition:). Or we'll need to plan ahead and pick up food ahead of time!

Layla's new Cabbage Patch Kid...

Joe got me an Elmo video--I just love Elmo, haha:). He figured it is as much to my benefit as it is to Layla's:). And he got me a Best Buy gift card to put towards a new camera. We need one badly. Our camera broke a long time ago and we figure it's not worth paying to get it fixed, so in the mean time we've been using an old one of Em and Mike's that delays in taking pics which is annoying with taking pictures of kids!

I got Joe a couple of new books, one of which he just finished today (The Lost Symbol which he said was very good). We didn't want to do much for gifts for each other and Joe loves reading so he really did like my gift if you think it's a weird present:).

Layla got lots of stuff this Christmas for her baby dolls.

She also loves her $2 fridge letters:). We got her two sets so that she can spell her name (eventually), but 52 letters is a little much on our fridge!!

Tucking Minne in her new baby carrier and giving Minnie kisses.

She has a little hard time remembering that these items are all for only her babies/Minnies/Elmos--not her:). She wanted to na-nigh under this herself. All the baby stuff is the Fisher Price Rainforest which matches her nursery (soon to be RV's) and all of our nursery stuff (like the baby swing/high chair/activity mat), so it'll be cute when RV can use matching stuff to Layla's babies:). Hopefully Layla will learn that those items are for her babies, not for her baby brother:).

Layla with Daddy by most of her presents from us (except the red Minnie was an early gift from Gavin)...not real happy about being on the pic!

Taking her new baby (and Dolly) for a stroller ride...

Christmas Day my family came over at lunch for presents. Our Christmas tree was nearly out of presents under it until they arrived! They were nice enough to squish into our house so that I could obey my bedrest.

Trying to get a pic of the kids together was challenging as always. Gavin wasn't happy that Layla was sitting on a present:)...

At least they're both looking:)...

The beginning of unwrapping gifts...neither kid enjoyed having Elv's help:)...they both like to do it all by themselves!

The dogs got bones to appease them (and to calm Elv down) during present time...

Layla got a cute dressable Minnie from Grampy and Gigi and lots of cute outfits to go with her...

Layla also got a new baby doll from them that has its own pipe...she is trying to suck on the baby's pipe while it's still in the package! Of course then she wouldn't stop begging for her own pipe or trying to steal the baby's! Otherwise she recently is back to normally just having it for sleeping and car rides.

This stroller, like her other new one, has made many trips around the house already!

Opening her cute Minnie purse...

We gave Gavin this Mickey Duplo set--can you even think of a more fun combination? :) Gavin got lots of GeoTrax from Grampy and Gigi.

As soon as she opened this computer she wasn't interested in opening her next one she loved the computer so much!

Joyce opening one of our gifts, a Mickey and Minnie picture frame (yes, we really like Disney:D)...

Joe checking out Layla's computer...we joked that he was feeling deprived of his work...I don't think I even saw him on his Blackberry emailing on Christmas! Rare!

She was excited that this big present was for her...

Using her new art table box as an office...

I didn't get a pic of it, but Gavin got her a new Minnie sippy, a new tiny Minnie and the pack n' play to match the rest of her Rainforest baby doll stuff. Now to just find room for everything!

Enjoying a drink later that night with her stand up hair on her new pillow buddies from Grampy and Gigi, well, actually the one she is on is actually RV's. RV also got a cute outfit from G&G and Layla got a big stuffed dog that didn't make the pics either.

Grandpa and Grandma stopped by after her nap to drop off a gift for her (an Elmo bath toy). Our party with them is this week since Steve and Heidi just got back from their honeymoon this weekend. It's fun that the Christmas festivities aren't quite over yet!

Merry Christmas and an Update

Merry Christmas! I can't believe it's Christmas Eve Day already!! Joe's employer is closed today, but due to being so busy, Joe ended up going in:(. He's been there since 5, so hopefully he's home this afternoon sometime!! We will see!

I ended up going to the doctor on Monday with some pains, but baby is just fine! I'm dilated to "just under a 2" and 50% effaced, so I've progressed, but not too much (a couple of weeks ago I had gone down to a 1 and was 40% effaced). He did a very quick ultrasound again and he is still head down thank goodness. His head is lower than he'd like it to be at this point, but still not the lowest he could be. Oh, and to justify why I look so big, by uterus measured to be 36 weeks (36cm)! I was 33 weeks and 2 days on Monday! Last Wednesday he measured at 33cm (the student measure me though), normally you grow like a cm each week, not 3cm in 5 days! So he's either huge, I have lots of amniotic fluid, or he was just stretching weird or something. The doctor wasn't concerned though--other times in the past I had measured a couple of centimeters big. They gave me the fetal fibronectin test again and it was positive this time. A few weeks ago it was negative which meant I had a super slim chance of going into labor in the next two weeks. A positive result isn't as telling--it means I could go into labor anytime, but it also could be weeks, so we'll see!!

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas in Heaven

Dear Mom,

I can't believe it has been an entire year since I last said good-bye to you on this earth. The time has gone SO quickly for me and I often wonder how quickly it's gone for you. Does it feel like you just arrived? Are there just so many people to talk to that it feels like you've only just begun getting to know them (we know how much you liked to talk:D)? Or have you already experienced so much joy and sang so many songs and taught so many children that it feels like you've been there a lifetime? Like I said, the time has gone quick for me, yet when I think of all that has changed in the last year, it seems like a long time--Layla has grown so much and is now 18 months old, my dad has gotten remarried, we're expecting another child. I know that if you were here you'd be so excited for all the changes that have happened in my life and in the lives of everyone else in our family. You loved knowing what was going on in others' lives not to be nosey, but because you truly had an interest in knowing how other people were doing and wished the best for everyone.

I still dream about you often. For a long time I would dream that you were visiting from Heaven--back from the dead--a little creepy, I know, but it's like you were always just checking in to make sure things were okay here and to let me know that you were okay too. My dreams have now changed for some reason. You are still often in them, but you're in them as if nothing has changed. As if you never left. The other night you were even mad at Joe about something--I'm not a shrink, so I'm really not sure what that was about:). I know you loved Joe and were so happy for us to get married and to later start a family. I hope that I continue to talk to you in my dreams since I can no longer talk to you on this earth.

Although I miss you terribly and miss having you see my children grow, I know that you are happier now than I could ever fathom. When I think back to the Mondays last fall when Layla, Elv and I would come to take care of you, I remember just how sick you were. I can remember you saying to me, "Bet you didn't think ever think you'd have to help your mom like this--or at least not at this age--did you? I'm sorry." You had absolutely nothing to be sorry about. You couldn't help it that your body was so sick. And now you have a NEW PERFECT body. Amazing. I remember how strong you were through your entire fight through cancer and I think that's why I didn't really think you'd die--you had SO many ups and downs and always ended up pulling through. But as strong as you were, your sickness was ultimately stronger. With God's help you fought for 5 1/2 years, but in the end, God let you take a break from all that fighting and LET you JOIN Him in HEAVEN! We may still have tears of sorrow and pain here on earth, but thankfully the only tears that you now have are tears of JOY!! Someday we too will join you in only having tears of joy and what a joyous day that will be! One that I often wonder about and am curious about, but one that I won't understand until that day and I'm okay with that. I am just happy that you are already experiencing that.

I can still remember so clearly planning your funeral last year. It seemed so strange to be doing that when I had thought that like most others, the only planning I'd be doing was planning Christmas parties and what to get for last minute presents. Although we never talked to you about what kind of funeral service you would have, we agreed instantly on what it would be like--joyful with lots of singing and even a praise band. It may have not been typical, but we knew that you'd want us to celebrate your life while mourning your death. It felt like you were there while the whole church rang out in "These Are the Days (of Elijah)" and that song will forever have a new meaning to me. While planning the service at the funeral home, I can still remember when we found the red cardinal to put on the front of the program and knew instantly that was perfect for you (Beaverdam's mascot). And I remember clearly when Joe found the poem to put on it that fit so perfectly too. The Bible verse we chose also fit your life on this earth perfectly and was one of your favorites, so I will end with the verse and the poem.

"I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith."
~II Timothy 4:7 NIV

God Saw You Were Getting Tired

God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not to be,
so he put his arms around you and whispered "come to me".

With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away,
and though we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.


Love you, Mom, and see you again some day!

32.5 Weeks

I had another doctor appointment today and all looks good. Well, as good as we can tell:). I haven't been having many contractions so he didn't check me as he doesn't want to check me if it's not neccessary as to not make things worse. I have to remain on Procardia and bedrest, but there is now a light at the end of tunnel! 2 1/2 more weeks of strict bedrest!! I'll then be 35 weeks and at 35 weeks he'll ease my restrictions (whatever that means) and then at 36 weeks he'll take me off of bedrest completely! I'm not going to return the preemie clothes just yet (I'd hate to jinx it--j/k, I'm really not supersticious), but a little bit longer and he won't need preemie size! He does have a cute Christmas sleeper, but I really don't think he'll need that as quickly as Christmas is approaching! This bedrest has been hard on Joe since he now brings Layla away every morning and therefore gets into work late, so it's nice for him that it's only 2 more weeks of that and those 2 weeks are both holiday weeks so after this week it's really only 6 work days. I'm sure he'll be glad to be able to spend more time at work to try to get "caught up" (if there is such a thing!). I have learned through this pregnancy that I don't plan on ever being pregnant this time of year again. I've missed (will be missing) all the fun holidays and everything that goes with them (ie Christmas shopping)! I was on partial bedrest for Halloween, so I did get out, but I just sat there and we didn't take Layla around to people b/c of that and then I missed Thanksgiving, and now Christmas and New Years! Not to be a complainer--I realize things could be a LOT worse, we will just be more careful in planning the time next time:). And I don't like thinking about getting to the hospital in a snow storm and we seriously have had times that we were about not able to get out due to living in the country. Ok, enough complaining:). Oh, wait, I'm not quite done. I don't know if it's because I'm not used to sitting up or what, but just driving to the doctor today and sitting in the office I was so uncomfortable. It definitely brings on contractions! Hopefully once I'm off bedrest I'll get more used to that again b/c all I wanted to do was lay down and curl up on my side! RV's heartbeat was 145 and I measured 33cm which I guess is pretty normal for 32 weeks--he said I was 31cm 2 weeks ago.

Here's my 32 week pic...


We're also making progress on finishing our basement. We've hired some help with part of it, so that helps it move along much quicker!! The trim is up and the cabinets are in. The next step is painting the trim, putting the counter tops on and then painting and flooring and we're done (and a few other things in there)! So maybe in 6 months we'll be done--j/k! Hopefully not too much longer before Layla can move into her new room!! (Maybe before RV arrives??)

18 Month Stats

Joe brought Layla to her 18 month appointment today and all checked out well! Joe said she only screamed 95% of the time:). Like normal, she was fine in the lobby--it's when she enters the room that flashbacks of getting poked must come back to her and she starts crying. I thought it was a good experience for Joe to have to take her to an appointment--haha, only kidding, Joe:). It did make me think though how difficult it will be when I have to bring RV in and Layla will be screaming even if we're not there for her! She might need to go to a sitter:). Layla is still small (shocking!), here are her stats:

Height: 31 3/4" - 25th%
Weight: 20 lbs - 3rd%
Head: 47.8 cm - 75th%

Her percentages for everything are very similar to where she's been at for awhile now--except at a year she wasn't quite on the charts for weight--at least she made it on now:). Thankfully the nurse today let her keep her diaper on so that may have helped:). She's doing good though, she's growing at the same rate which is a good thing. She just doesn't gain weight that easily. The girl can eat--trust me! Guess she could change to forward facing in her carseat now, but since she doesn't mind (or know better) being rear facing and they now recommend kids stay rear facing until 2, we'll probably just leave her rear facing since it's safer. She was able to get her 2nd H1N1 vaccine today too--they got them in yesterday--so that worked well! Now she's super safe from the flu:). Well, that's all for now. Hope everyone is enjoying the snowy day! I'll be staying inside as always:).

Fetal Fibronectin Test

I had a fetal fibronectin test done last Wednesday at my appointment and called today for the results. It was negative! The test can tell if any fetal fibronectin as leaked down yet (it is kind of like the glue that attaches the fetal sack to the uterin lining--it starts leaking down prior to delivery)--since it was negative that means it's not leaking and I am therefore not going into labor for the next 7-10 days for sure after it was taken (or obviously possibly longer) and it gives a 95% likelihood of not delivering for the next 2 weeks. So the 2 weeks gives me until mid next week! I'll be 32.5 weeks by then! I then have another appointment next Wednesday so I'll get checked again then. I still have to remain on strict bedrest as a 32.5 week baby is still not ideal. I can't believe this baby will be later than Layla! We've been worried this pregnancy that RV would come much earlier than Layla and now he's later! I'm sick of bedrest, but am so happy that RV is staying in longer and that he will therefore most likely have a shorter hospital stay than Layla had! Praise God!!

Getting Ready for Christmas and Enjoying the Snow

Layla had her first sledding experience yesterday with Joe! She wasn't happy about walking in the snow, but did like the sled ride.

Elv had fun chasing/being chased by the sled...

Lindsey and Jonathan came over this week to help while I'm on bedrest. I really appreciate it so that Layla can stay home with me (and I can therefore seen her)--otherwise she goes to baby-sitters every day.

Jonathan and Layla enjoyed watching a video together...both kids LOVE their pipes (which surprisingly Layla's isn't in on the pic) and their blanket buddies. I'm not sure when we'll make Layla give up her pipe--probably not anytime too soon. She's been begging for it more lately and I give in more since being on bedrest! :(

This is where we put Layla when she can't decide what toy she wants out of her trunk:). She actually plays in it for awhile.

Jonathan enjoyed playing in it too...

Joe was very nice and put up our tree and Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving with help from Layla.

Layla loved pulling out the ornaments. And since they've been put up, has actually been good about not pulling on them (or the tree). She loves to point out those she recognizes--Minnie, a bus, Elmo, bears, etc., but is even becoming less interested in doing that. She surprisingly isn't as excited about the gifts wrapped in Minnie and Elmo paper as I thought she would be.

She listened nicely to me from the couch when I asked her to pose by the tree. She doesn't smile for pics when you ask her to though...she needs to work on that key part of being in a picture:).