Almost Done, I hope~

I have my 39 week appointment in the morning. I only have one week left, "technically." I had some great contractions going on Saturday and Sunday, but they didn't keep going. My body isn't one to go into what some call early labor, but I can only pray that my body will naturally go into labor on it's own. With the last two pregnancies I have had the amniotic fluid is very low. With Caleb, I had little fluid left, so they scheduled an induction right after his due date. With Madelyn, I had an ultrasound on my due date, and they found that there wasn't any fluid left, which they admitted me into the hospital that night for an induction. So, I am not really sure what the Dr. will recommend for me tomorrow. It does make me a little leery about waiting until next week to check the amniotic fluid, since Maddie's was gone on her due date. Plus, with my history, it seems that the fluid is gone quicker with each pregnancy. I wonder if the Dr. will order an ultrasound tomorrow? I know that my body is preparing for labor, and I know the baby is "technically" full term, so if we did induce, I think that the baby will come fine. However, there is a strong side to me saying that I should just leave the baby alone, and let he/she come when they are going to make their debut. Then I struggle with the thoughts of what if something is wrong, or what if the baby doesn't have adequate fluid. Of coarse, I totally WANT to be done being pregnant, because I have been in terrible pain. I cried everyday for the last 3 days from just pain from walking. I seriously need to just be done. I praise God for this baby, and for the miracle of birth, but I want to have the baby in my arms now and let my body heal. So, what do I do? It really keeps me in the middle. I am just going to pray over it all, pray that God will put me into labor in the next few days (or hours)...and see what the Dr. says tomorrow. I just need to keep calm, and relish in this last week of pregnancy, right? Because, I will miss being pregnant and feeling my baby move and groove inside me, right? Hmmm...I wonder about that some days. :)
I will post an update after tomorrow. I am sorry that I haven't been up to doing much blogging lately, but I really am not in the mood lately. PLUS, I have been so tired!
I will try to keep posted on here when the baby comes, and what we have (boy or girl). This baby has really baffled us on who he or she really is going to be. I have done the drano test with this baby, and the test revealed a boy. Then, just over the last week/week and a half, I have done the ring test, and that revealed I am carrying a girl. (you hold your wedding ring over your belly on a string, and if it moves like a pendulum ~back and forth, you will have a boy, if it moves in a circular motion, you will have a girl). I did this test with Madelyn, and it was accurate~ results and her sex. I know those tests are just for fun, and I really don't hold a lot of stake in them, but they are fun to do nonetheless. Plus, it is just pure fun to guess. Only our Lord knows since He created such a miracle! I will let you know when I have the chance to let you know!

Caleb is so funny!

We had a fun day today, and everyday Caleb has some fun things on his mind! Here are a couple things Caleb shared with me today...

We were on the subject of belly buttons. I told Caleb that everyone has a cute belly button. Then he told me not everyone has a cute belly button. I asked him what he meant, and he told me that fish do not have belly buttons. (Is that true?)

Tonight at supper, Caleb said, "When Lena (our dog) gets married someday, she can have cute puppy babies."

Children sure make life more interesting, and you never know what you will hear, learn, or think about.

The best bottle to use if you're breastfeeding!

Are you looking for a bottle that will be most comfortable and familiar for your baby while nursing? I know being an avid breast feeder that I wonder if my baby will be alright taking a bottle, or if they will do alright with the changes between nursing and bottle feeding.
TheAdiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Baby Bottle features the only nipple truly shaped like a mother's breast. Winning the Medical Design Excellence award, the Adiri Natural Nurser bottle"is winning over doctors, nurses and lactation consultants as advocates with its breast-like shape and feel that is said to encourage an easy transition between breast and bottle, and thus prevent infants from refusing the mother's breast after bottle-feeding." Built inside this super bottle is a Petal vent, which is to help reduce colic. I like how easy this bottle is to use! All I do is fill the bottle with my breast milk, and twist the lid on. It is all set. There isn't any small parts to lose or to remember to assemble. Plus, the Adiri Natural Nurser is dish washer safe! That makes my life easier, too! Adiri Natural Nursers can also be boiled or sterilized using a basic sterilizer. Adiri Natural nurser bottles are made of soft polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-A free materials, so they are safe for your baby. The bottles come in one size: 8-ounce capacity, and there are 3 stages of bottles. Each stage bottle has a certain flow rate. You can find these bottles at many retailers and they are priced at $12.49 each.
Adiri is committed to offer the very best for your baby, "a bottle that is made of the highest quality materials and a superior design, but that is still easy to use."
I am excited to use these new bottles with our baby coming! I can feel confident that they are safe for my baby to use, and that they will be the most natural bottle compared to breastfeeding!

Cozy Cocoon: best for baby~

Swaddling a newborn can be a challenge, especially for new parents. Sometimes, when not swaddled "snug" enough, babies may not feel secure~ as they are in the womb. I was excited to learn more about the Cozy Cocoon's buntings! The cocoon buntings bring the term swaddling to a whole new level. All you have to do with the bunting is simply slide your baby inside and baby is completely tucked and held. What an easy way to bring comfort and swaddling to your newborn! Nothing to wrap or snap, no velcro and no fuss. I think this makes swaddling so much easier on the parents, plus baby feels secure in the soft and stretchy material. The bunting slips on easily, and the baby can move freely and still stretch within the cocoon bunting. You don't need to worry about the baby becoming unswaddled in the Cozy Cocoon bunting! The buntings don't have any skin-irritating synthetic fabrics either. The Cozy Cocoon carries cotton buntings and organic buntings. All of the Cocoon Buntings (Cotton, Velour, Sherpa, Organics) vary in price range between $20.00-$60.00
Cozy Cocoon also carries hats, blankets, toddler pants, finger puppets, books, cotton wraps and organic wraps.
The new Organic Pocket blanket (thermal) is so warm and snuggly for babies! A lot like the bunting, this thermal pocket blanket is made to just slip your baby in. Your baby can't get unraveled in this blanket! I love that the material is organic thermal cotton, so the baby is wrapped in safe material. The organic thermal cotton is very soft, too. Plus, there are no "choking hazards with this blanket wrap, either...no buttons, straps, strings or snaps.
The Organic Pocket blanket is one size: newborn to 4 months. Retail Price is $34.00.
**All products from Cozy Cocoon are all sewn and grown in the United States, which means it is a product you can feel confident in!

Born Free Feeding system

I am really looking forward to our baby due in a little under 2 months! I am really looking forward to nursing again! I love breastfeeding my babies! I also like the option of bottle-feeding (with my breast milk) when we need to be away, or if my husband will be home with the kids. I am so glad I have heard of Born Free Natural Baby Products! Born Free bottles are Bisphenol-A Free, Phthalates Free and PVC Free, which means they are safe for my baby! Born Free offers BPA-Free Bottles, Glass Bottles, Trainer cups (6-12 months) and Drinking Cups (over a year old). They also carry extra nipples, accessories, pacifiers, and now New Stainless Steel!

The Born Free Bottles are made with a unique venting system that allows air to flow into the bottle. This reduces the hard sucking that often leads to painful colic, gas and middle ear infections. The nipples for the bottles are soft and are available in 5 different flow rates. These nipples are good for babies 0-18 months old. The Born Free feeding system is suitable for breast fed babies who are being introduced to bottle feeding. The unique air valve begins the steady flow of milk~ just as it does when the baby is nursing! How cool is that? I think that these bottles will be a great fit for our family, and especially our new baby! I will say that these bottles are a bit more on the spendy side, but really~ look what you are getting for the price.

The Born Free site offers several options for picking which bottles and how many to purchase. You can also see their product line and pricing just looking around. I highly recommend getting these bottles and/or accessories. Keep your baby safe.

Jeep makes great products!!

I am very impressed with the Jeep Overland Limited Jogging Stroller I got! It is such a smooth roller while I am walking! It is made with 16 inch inflatable tires and the frame is aluminum making it lightweight! I was thrilled to find that my stroller came with it's own air pump! This makes my stroller "mama-friendly," because I can fill the tires easily without hooking up the air compressor! I really love that the front wheel swivels, too, which makes turning around a breeze.

I am not with the technology of MP3 players and ipods, but this classy stroller allows you to listen to those while you are strolling around. It does hold cassettes and CD players, as well. I don't have those anymore, so I will have to invest in the MP3 player at some point because I like the idea of listening to music while out on a walk. I want to hear the music in the speakers included on this stroller along with the amplifier & jack. The handle adjusts to multiple heights, and the seat has multi-reclining positions. One of my favorite features on the Jeep Overland Limited Jogging stroller is that it has a speed & distance odometer, then I can keep track of what I am gaining in exercise. :)

Some of the other great features are an adjustable five point harness, safety tether & reflectors for safety, a snack tray with cup holder, a removable weather shield to block wind & rain, two cup holders for parents and a large basket, water bottle holder & two cargo pockets for storage. I love that this stroller holds up to 45 pounds! My kids can enjoy it for a long time to come! Jeep Juvenile products are developed by Kolcraft. The Jeep Overland Limited Jogging Stroller retails for $189.99 and can be purchased online at BabyEarth, BabyAge, or Amazon. These come in a few different colors.
Jeep also carries other juvenile products like the 2-in-1 carrier! I love that this carrier has a cool climate roll-up (like a shade) on the front of the carrier, so I can let the breeze in on the baby. I also like that I can face my baby forward facing, or face me for snuggling. There is a patent-pending Secure-Fit indicator that turns red to confirm that the lock is latched so I know that it is all safe and secure. The buckles and self adjustable straps are easy to use to take my baby out of the carrier. Plus, the straps over my shoulders are very well padded to add comfort while carrying. Also, that extra padding helps my baby's weight get evenly distributed. I like that the seat of the carrier and the leg openings are adjustable, so this carrier can grow with my child. One really great safety feature of this carrier is it has a reflective trim on it, so I can be seen at night wearing it. The Jeep 2-in-1 Baby Carrier retails for $39.99 and can be purchased at Amazon, or Walmart online. There are different color selections available.

Some of the other great Jeep Juvenile Products of 2008 are: Jeep Trek Easy-Travel Playards, Jeep Cherokee Sport Stroller, All-Weather Umbrella Stroller, and the fun looking Power Wheels in Monster Traction Hurricane and the Barbie Jammin'.

Pregnancy hormones at it's best!

OK, I know pregnancy brings on a whole new ray of hormones (the good, the bad, and *sometimes* the ugly)...but, with my last three pregnancies, I have experienced laughter at a brand new level. I know this is a good, no GREAT thing...but, it is a bit silly.

Tonight, we were driving out on some back country roads on our way home. We drove into a neighborhood to look at some homes. This one house had the most rocks for their landscaping that I have ever seen. I was dazzled! I couldn't believe how many rocks there were! Big, huge rocks to medium outlining their yard, trees, flowers, making paths on both sides of the two driveways~ seriously, I wish I had my camera. Anyway, Terry and I were talking about the rock landscaping, and I was commenting over and over how many there were. Then he said it. The sentence that threw this pregnant, hormone flaring mom overboard! He said, "That yard rocks." Oh I lost it. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed. I had tears streaming down my checks. I could barely talk. Yes, he thought I cracked (or was on it), and Nathaniel said, "I don't understand what is so funny!" Know what? Neither did I!! The only logical explanation is that I am pregnant, and it struck those pregnancy hormones into laughing hysterically. I had to think really hard to NOT think of his funny comment. Just writing this still creates a bit of a chuckle.

OK, now you think I have gone nutz-o, too. It's alright. I just say, "It's because I am pregnant." It's what pregnant people do. Every good and bad thing that happens during pregnancy..."The baby made me do it!" It's my story and I am sticking to it.

happiness and sorrow

Today, I went to visit my dear friend, Jody, who delivered her third child~ and first little girl! She is such a beautiful baby, and she was blessed with loads of hair! She is a little peanut, at 5 pounds 12 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long. It was amazing holding her, and loving on her. I remember back to when Maddie was born almost 17 months ago...she was 6 pounds 9 ounces and 18 inches long. So, she wasn't much bigger than this little princess. Hard to remember how tiny they were. Jody was doing great with recovery from a C-section. She had a super Dr. that came in (on his day off) to deliver her baby. He checked in with Jody several times too, he was worried about her. Jody had blood pressure issues with it going really high. Then, the Dr. sent her a rose after the birth. Talk about small town services and care! That is such great care from a super Dr.! Welcome little Princess! Congrats to mom, dad, and boys~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This afternoon, my dear friend, Jeannie was at the funeral of her step-daughter's baby funeral. Born at 21 weeks due to placenta previa, the baby didn't make it. I was unable to attend, but my heart aches for her with her loss. I will be praying for her comfort and healing. I have gone through a miscarriage, and I just think back to my emotions at the time of loss. It is still a present heartache, and an empty spot in our family. So very sad. She found out the baby was a boy, and he was 10 inches long. She was able to hold him, and take pictures. How sad for her. The only peace and comfort from a loss of a child, is knowing your little one is in the arms of Jesus.

Not GAS!

WOW~ I thought it was my imagination, but it is SO very much real! Tonight, as I sit here and blog, I am feeling my little baby making moves in my belly! Oh, what a joyous feeling! So amazing that I feel that little miracle baby move at just 11 weeks! Thank you God for these wonderful, exciting, and miraculous milestones! Thank you for my baby that you have entrusted me with!

Last Night at MOPS

I absolutely love being a member of our MOPS group! I have been in this group for 3 years now. I was in MOPS when Nathaniel was younger at my home church, too. I think MOPS is a great place to connect with other moms, learn from them, talk about struggles, share experiences, pray for each other, and learn new ideas. It is also a great night out to fellowship, mingle, hear a great speaker, EAT, and make crafts. MOPS is for Mothers with kids from pregnancy-age 5! Since I am newly pregnant, I will be in it for quite awhile yet! Yahoo~

Last night, we had a leader from the local Moms In Touch group to speak. She was very encouraging and full of great ideas. I know that praying for our children is so crucial! We live in a tough world.
The main idea behind MIT is to gather (as moms) together to pray scripture over our kids, teachers, schools, bus rides, etc. They have a set plan with scripture, and blanks in the spots where you insert your child's name. For example, "May You fill________with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that_______may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please You in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of You." (Colossians 1:9b-10).
Our speaker talked about the Basics of Prayer, which is communication. Communication involves talking, listening, getting to know God (through His scriptures), and sharing my heart with Him.
She also touched on Why we should pray...and Why don't we pray. Why should we pray? To see God's will done on earth. We are following Jesus' example~ He always went to his Father (God) to pray!
PLUS~ we don't have to carry the "load of worry around on our back," because HE WILL CARRY IT FOR US! There are 3 other good reasons to pray:
1. Because God knows more than we do! 2. God desires our companionship! 3. God's Power is released when we PRAY not when we think/talk about praying. When we pray, we are inviting God's presence.

I was very encouraged to pray daily for my kids, my husband, and so much more. My daily time with God is lacking right now, and I really need to just make the time for HIM! He craves our attention, and He is begging me. Prayer is His GIFT to us! A beautiful, daily gift...and he will bless us for praying! When I need peace...he will supply! When I need Joy, He will supply! When I need comfort...He will supply!
We have an enemy (Satan) who doesn't want us to pray...and he (tries) to keep us from Prayer~
(John 10:10).

I need to make a plan...what can I do? How much time can I start with?
I need to set apart a time (morning/evening).
I need to pick a special place of refuge.
I need to have a plan to read the scriptures, get a prayer journal to write down my requests and praises!

I was very encouraged and excited about this topic covered in MOPS last night. MITI is a great ministry, and very effective!
Do you have a daily devotional time with God? When do you do it? What helps you stay focused and committed?

And the winner is....

Well, I know there is anticipation as to who the winner is of the Groovy – Interlocking Plate and Bowl Set from Boon! Thank you to everyone who signed up! I had 86 comments! WOW~ I went to Random.org to find out who won, so here are the results:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:26
Timestamp: 2008-01-18 22:01:15 UTC

I would like to congratulate: Lace! I have contacted her with the great news! She got a second entry to this contest by blogging it, and that comment gave her the win! She is Lucky #26! Head over to congratulate her! Thank you, Lace!

Thank You to Boon for sponsoring this giveaway!

Come back next week, I will be doing another review and giveaway!