37 Weeks...

I am now 37 weeks and officially full term! I went to the doctor yesterday and nothing is happening. I am 50% effaced, but not dilated. It was a little disappointing, but the more I think about it the more I am ok with not rushing things along. I am definitely not miserable or uncomfortable. It makes me laugh to hear people having one baby complain about being miserable. I hate to say it, but this really is nothing compared to carrying twins. I was so unbelievably miserable with the boys and could not imagine feeling any worse than I did. I don't know how people carry twins full term. I can still honestly say that I have no complaints, other than having to pee every 15 minutes. My back has not hurt this time and so far no signs of that horrible PUPPPS rash (a rash that itched so bad they had to give me sleeping pills so that I could sleep without scratching my belly).

Since I am pretty sure that this is my last pregnancy (Andy would say it is definitely the last), I have decided to try and take in and enjoy the last little bit of it. I do hate that my belly once again makes me look like a freak of nature and I hate how people stare at us! Doesn't anyone know what it means to glance! I really noticed this Sunday in line at the K&W. People would look at me then look at the boys and then just watch us. I am kind of use to this since people have done this since the boys were newborns, but I guess it is getting old. Even Andy is tired of hearing perfect strangers ask me if I am having TWINS!!! Not to mention this is when we don't even have the boys with us! All I do is laugh and say, "No, I already have a set of those." I do get asked this on a weekly basis. I dread what my poor stomach is going to look like after I have the boys. I am sure it will once again look like I am still pregnant and then I will have people ask me when I am due, because it did happen last time and I even had my newborn twins with me. I am just thankful that I realize most people aren't the brightest and to just answer as nicely as I can and walk away.

Andy's Birthday

We celebrated Andy's birthday with a nice relaxing day of nothing! That is how Andy likes it. The boys made him a card and helped him open his presents. We got him a new Wii game, Grand Slam Tennis. We did nothing all afternoon. The boys watched a movie and we napped. For his birthday supper he wanted Chinese food. So he got take out from his favorite place. As for a cake I made his favorite, Chocolate Eclair. Lucky for us the boys hate dessert, so more for us!! Carter asked who was coming to Daddy's birthday and I told him it was just us. He was like, ok. I was really hoping that I would have the baby on his birthday because he did not want it to be born on his birthday. I don't know why, it's not like he cares that much about his birthday. It will actually probably be born on birthday since that is the day before my due date. I am starting to really hope that he comes sooner!!

Yesterday Cale and I had a very interesting conversation. He was commenting that his Chik-fil-a cows had different spots and that one cow was missing some. I explained to him that God makes everything special and unique and that their spots were different because God made them that way. Then he looks at Carter and said, "Yeah, his face is different than mine and I'm taller than him." It is really great that they see themselves as being different because the older they get it does get a little harder to hear them just lumped together because they look alike. They are really VERY different. It shouldn't, but it even kinda bothers me when people lump them together even more generically as "the twins." Andy and I rarely say that about them. We pretty much always say their names as if they are just siblings. I do love having twins and fill very blessed, but it is nice to see them develop into their own personality. The even stranger thing is though, that when they see pictures of themselves they always ask which one is Cale and which one is Carter. So I wonder what they are thinking sometimes?

The boys greeting Andy when he got home from work



Andy opening up his presents and he was actually totally surprised!!

Yummy cake!!

Gymnastics Camp

The boys have been in gymnastics camp for the last 3 weeks. They did this last summer too and loved it, so we signed them up again this summer. We unfortunately can't afford to send them to the once a week class throughout the year. Having to pay for two in preschool 5 days a week really adds up. I am really amazed at how people afford to have their kids in so many sports activities! Anyways, the boys once again had a great time and even had a couple friends from school in the camp this summer. That made it even more fun for them. I am really surprised that the boys let me take pictures of them. I thought for sure that they would refuse to do anything. When they want their picture made they can be great, but when they don't they don't!

Carter



Cale made it all the way across the bar!

Carter

Cale

Finished!

I think that everything is now ready and finished!! I finished putting the last few touches on the baby's room. Now whenever he is ready we are ready for him! I am a little nervous about how this whole thing is going to go down, but I am also a little excited. After I gave birth to the boys I really felt that it was an amazing experience and I really did enjoy it. It was painful and very long, but it was something that I just felt so blessed to able to do. This time I am really looking forward to experiencing it again and I hope that all goes smoothly. I think that only thing I am really nervous about is, when will I go into labor? I just hope it is at a convenient time because we will have to unload the boys onto someone. My friend from work lives down the street and has so graciously offered to take them whenever it is, but I feel so bad if it the middle of the night or something. Hopefully it will happen once they are back in school and they will be at school that will buy us 3 - 4 hours. I am feeling pretty good this week. My Group B Strep test was negative, yay!!! That means no antibiotics during labor. I really haven't had anything to really complain about this time. My back hasn't hurt, last time it was terrible. I have had more contractions, but that is normal and it isn't too bad. This pregnancy really has been a breeze compared to carrying twins!!

Here is the baby's car seat. It is ironically the same print that the boys had. I say this because I sold the boys' when they were one and then when I got pregnant this time a friend was selling her infant seat and it just so happen to be the same print, but a little different seat. That is also the blanket, strap pads and handle pad that I made. I love making stuff for the new baby!!



His closet. As you can tell this kid may never run out of clothes. I could probably go weeks without doing his laundry!!

Here is the bookshelf that Andy made before we got married. I think it has been in every room over the last 8 years! That is also the Pottery Barn lamp shade that I got for $10. We were able to work around the scheme of making the shade only fit their lamp stands. The guy at Lowe's recommended wrapping electrical tape around it until the shade fit and it worked!

I finished hanging the mobile over the changing table and the little sailboat peg for clothes or whatever.

36 Weeks...

Tomorrow I will be 36 weeks! I had my doctor appointment today. Everything seems to be good. The baby is head first, or at least for now and he better stay that way. I am measuring what I should be. I haven't gained any weight since last time!! I read that usually women lose a few pounds towards the end and I hope that I do. I really have a feeling that I will go over my due date. I don't really want to go over, but I think that since I was measuring 44 weeks when I delivered the boys then my body can take a lot. Hopefully though since I am not on bed rest and I am up walking a lot and busy maybe I will go just a little early, like a week, or right at my due date. I really do want to make it until the boys are in school. That way I will have a few days or weeks to myself and get more accomplished before I have this baby. I did put a few more finishing touches on the baby's room this morning. I hung a peg for clothes and a mobile about the changing table. I have been working on making this baby some burp cloths and bibs. I also still need to make myself a nursing cover. I feel like I have plenty of time, we'll see!

Andy's New Wheels

Just kidding! Andy wishes these were his new wheels. This is is co-worker, Bill, wife's scooter. Andy wants one of these so bad, but I will not let him get one. I think his boss would be so pleased to see him pull up at a meeting or job site riding one of these! Pink is his color, don't you think?!

Our Weekend

This weekend was actually a kind of fast one for us, probably because the big day is getting closer. On Friday the boys had gymnastics camp and while they were there I went to the farmer's market and got some yummy fruit and veggies, then stopped by their doctor and pick up their immunization records for school. Yay, it is almost time to go back to school! That night was the semi-annual TMOTT (Triangle Mothers of Twins and Triplets) consignment sale. They always have the best stuff!! My friend Danielle went with me as my helper since I am pregnant. I got a brand new looking Bjorn Active for $55, which retails for $180! I was really pumped about that. The only other things I got was a few things for the boys for the fall and a few sweaters and warm items and Halloween stuff for the baby since that is the only thing that didn't overlap in size. Which does go against my no shopping, but these were things we needed. I had gone through most of the boys' stuff and all of the baby's stuff before going to the sale. Andy fed the boys while I was gone and I got back just in time for their bedtime and then Andy and I had the ever so healthy Chinese date night at home.

Then Saturday I had lunch with a former teacher friend of mine. We ate at Carrabbas and were there talking for about 3 hours! It was so nice to catch up without kids and over a very yummy meal. We then went to Target for a few items we both needed before having to return to our spouses and children. That night Andy grilled out a yummy super and then we took the boys to the Durham Bulls Baseball game. Andy's work has season tickets and so we just went for the last 2 innings and then the fireworks afterwards. The boys had mixed reviews. Cale, who didn't cover his ears, said afterwards that they scared him (you would have never known). Carter, who covered his ears an laid on Andy, said he liked them a lot. Kids are so funny. They did seem more attentive to the game than they have in the past. Probably because I made Andy sit in our regular seats, behind the gust bullpen and it had "cooled" off some outside and wasn't so hot. The boys didn't get in bed until 10:30 and so the slept until 8 this morning, then they went and played quietly in the living room since Andy and I were still sleeping!! They have been doing that lately which is so nice!

Today has been pretty laid back. We had church this morning and Andy and I both served in the nursery, so we were there for a while. We then hit the Hibachi Express, kids eat for $1 on Sunday. After lunch Andy took the boys to the school to ride their bikes and then play in the yard while I rested since I have been having several contractions today. Tomorrow I go to the doctor again and hopefully after all these contractions something has started to happen in there!! This week the boys have their last week of gymnastics camp .