We are home!

I am pretty tired, but I wanted to post a few pictures of Miss Emily Ruth. She weighed in at a hefty 9 lbs. 3 oz. at birth, but was down to 8 # 4 oz. upon departure from the hospital tonight. My time at the hospital was like a little retreat. I slept lots and lots and let the nurses wait on me. I will be glad to sleep in my own bed tonight, but will miss someone bringing me the baby every few hours to feed her. So, here are some highlights of our hospital stay. She is the sweetest baby ever!!!!!!

I think I am going to make it!

Only one more full day until the baby comes. Tomorrow night the kids are spending the night at my parents' house and then its go time. Today ended up being fun even though I didn't go to school (which was actually really hard for me this morning). I think I am such a creature of habit that even though it is like a vacation day, I would've rather gone to school this morning. Instead, I went to the grocery store, the library, out to lunch with my sister-in-law, and shopping at the mall for last minute baby things, and I got a new digital camera!!!! I am so excited! I was a little nervous that our other one that never got fixed would choose to finally stop working the day the baby is born. So we are all set now. I do keep forgetting to pack my hospital bag. That needs to happen tomorrow I suppose. Its hard to tell who is more excited about this, me or Elijah. He is beside himself. It'll be interesting to see if his reaction is different once I can't play with him because I have to take care of the baby or when she is crying all the time if he is still so excited :)

A clean home is a happy home

Today my wonderful in-laws came and spent the whole day helping us get our house deep cleaned and organized to help us prepare for the baby that will be here in (yikes) 4 days! We bought a new carpet cleaner and extracted much more dirt and cat hair than I would like to say. We also bought tons of new containers to put stuff in. We cleaned out closets and cabinets and brought the crib down from the attic. There is much more room to move down here and lots more junk in the attic, but I guess we don't use that space so we can deal with it being messy and disorganized up there. All the baby clothes and blankets are washed and put away. The Christmas tree is up, not much more decorations, but I think I'll probably be able to put a few more things up in the next month without too much difficulty.

While we worked, the kids were happy to have the boxes to play in. Elijah decided he wanted a Batman costume so Brian made him one and he kept us entertained.

We've got so much to be thankful for!

Well, I made it through my last day. A few students brought me gifts for the baby and I had many well-wishing parents throughout the day. I left at lunch time to go see Elijah's program which was soooo good. They really went all out, with many songs, fingerplays and a small narration with kids holding up pictures of historical events. We watched the video today at Thanksgiving and Elijah recited along with it. The kids made fruit salad, corn bread and "churned" butter (you put cream in a jar and shake it until your arm is about to fall off). It was really nice to have so much of our family there to watch.

It was also really great to have our combined families for Thanksgiving at Brian's grandma's house. My grandparents and parents came and spent the day. We ate a fabulous dinner and made gingerbread houses while Brian and Elijah watched The Empire Strikes Back. Last night they watched Star Wars. Tomorrow we are going to put up our Christmas tree and decorations and Saturday get the house in order for the baby.

My last day

Tomorrow is my last day of work. I am pretty excited. And sad. I love my class this year very much and its (a little) hard for me to hand them over to someone other than myself. But, I am also ready to start preparing for this baby. I have just been so busy trying to get everything ready at school and just keeping everyone healthy and the house in order has been enough that I can't do anything else.

Elijah's school program is tomorrow. I will post pictures. There is supposed to be fruit salad, corn bread (made by the kids), costumes, and songs. Here are the people attending: my mom and dad, my grandparents who are in town from Michigan, myself, Brian's dad and grandma. He is so excited!

I saw the doctor today and there are no changes to report. I could probably carry this baby until Christmas! Just 7 days until my c-section. And we have a lot to do between now and then. Thanksgiving dinner of course, putting up our Christmas tree and decorations, probably some shopping, and then Tuesday I will see the doctor again and go to the hospital for my pre-lab blood work. Wednesday morning I will leave for the hospital at 7 am. It feels like it will be here tomorrow.

New shoes

Today ended up being a fun shopping day! I had several errands to run and it was one of those fun mornings when Elijah was happily watching cartoons, Brian was sleeping and I actually got up and showered before 8:00 am--oh, and made a fresh pot of decaf with new pumpkin spice creamer...mmm. Mary and I started out at Target to return a couple of cute baby outfits for bigger sizes (who are these friends that think a Greene baby will fit in newborn clothes? Ha ha!) and ended up also finding Mary a cute pair of Dora tennies that were half off.

We then proceeded to Michael's to get candles for our Advent wreath. This Sunday will be the first day to light a candle and I don't want to miss it. Elijah loved it last year and I think Mary will be able to get it this year too. We have a little service book that has a song and Bible verses to read for each week of lighting the candle.

After that we were off to PetSmart to buy a new hood for our very dark fish tank. Finally we can see the fish again and it makes me happy. When we got home Elijah was miffed that he didn't get new shoes (which he did actually need) so I told him I'd take him after lunch. He and I went to Shoe Carnival where we got to spin the big wheel of savings AND got a frisbee--definitely worth my 70.00 purchase! He got tie shoes so he can start learning how to tie his shoes and since their shoes are bogo half off, I got a new pair of "N" shoes-- as they are called around here (New Balance).

So now I am off to wash baby clothes in sweet smelling Dreft and get things down from the attic. My poor mom is sick as I can remember, so Brian made her some homemade chicken noodle soup and took her some DVDs.

No news is good news?

My visit to the doctor today was pretty uneventful. Everything is about the same as last week and I will most likely go all the way until the 28th. I suppose that is the best thing, because he told me that even if I go into labor he would want to do a c-section because I have already had two. He doesn't feel particularly comfortable about me pushing--also probably based on my current whale-ish size. So, I am imagining that if I went into labor there could be a chance of having to get an incision going the other way down my abdomen which I don't want (you know I am still holding on to hope of wearing a bikini next summer : ) ) In the meantime I just keep plugging along. Even though I am exhausted, I am glad to be working because I am too busy to sit around and wish I wasn't pregnant or pine after this little one inside me. I will have a few days after Thanksgiving to buy diapers and a few other things I don't have yet and then it will be baby time!

Also, Brian and I went Christmas shopping last weekend for the first time before Thanksgiving ever. (For the record we didn't buy any gifts--only new sheets for our bed. Hee-hee.)He is morphing into someone I don't know. He actually suggested going shopping and then while we were out was talking about putting up our Christmas tree at Thanksgiving. This is the man who almost divorced me the weekend we got married because I brought the live tree from our reception into our apartment.

Baby Shower fun!

It was exactly what I wanted--a few friends and family in an intimate setting with light snacks and coffee. No games or formal activities, just people hanging out. We got some wonderful things to celebrate our new baby girl. My mom made this down comforter pad to lay on that is covered with fleece. So soft and wonderful. Brian wanted to sleep with it last night. I thought it might make it more real once we started getting baby things, but no. I think Brian is right that this baby won't be real until she is here. Our friend Heather made Elijah and Mary these beautiful big brother and big sister quilts. The kids haven't put them down yet. Only 7 days to go at work. I am looking forward to being able to focus my attention on the baby. Tomorrow is my appointment with the doctor so we'll see if anything has changed in the last week.

I wish someone would explain to me...

why people feel compelled to discuss how large I look. I will run the risk of sounding like a hormonal pregnant woman, but people...think for a minute. Do I not own a mirror? Yes, I know I am a giant. I swear people do not think before they speak. Here are some of the comments I have gotten this week:

"How do you feel? Like a whale?"
"Are you ever gonna pop?"
"You already look 10 months pregnant."
"You are huge!"

It's getting to the point where I am going to start lashing out. I seriously cannot continue to put on a happy face and assume people are just trying to make polite conversation.

Sick days are relaxing

Not so much when you have a little baby who just cries and you feel so helpless, but when your kids are older and it may be the only time they really like to sit and be loved on. Today was so nice to just hang out with Elijah. He watched a lot of movies on the couch, but we also worked together on a large 100 piece floor puzzle, drew pictures together, and snuggled together. By dinner time tonight he was feeling more back to himself, so I'm hoping to go back to school tomorrow.

37 week baby update

I went to see the doc today and at least confirmed what everyone at work has already told me, "You've dropped." Yes, baby Greene's head is indeed down very low. However, there are no other signs of impending labor. So, we continue the wait.

I have only 11 days of work left and still no substitute lined up. I go back and forth between worrying about my students being left high and dry and then feeling like this is not my problem. I have other things to worry about. I gave them notice in September.

Elijah is sick. Tomorrow will be day 2 of staying home with him. I am not sure what is wrong with him other than he has a fever and just lays on the couch. Quiet. Obviously something is terribly wrong. He went to bed tonight at 7:30 and I sure hope he wakes up feeling better.

Too much fun makes Michelle a tired girl

This weekend has been a blast! We had some friends over for dinner on Friday night and Brian grilled the most delicious steak I have ever had. He is becoming quite the chef. We stayed up late talking about their upcoming wedding.

Saturday morning we decided to take the kids to the Indianapolis Children's Museum with my mom. They were so good and we really enjoyed our time with them. We spent some more time on the lower level with some of the exhibits we don't usually see for very long. We absolutely love having a membership there. I think we will do it again next year. There is no pressure to see everything and it paid for itself after 2 visits for our family.

Last night we hung out with Megan, Everette, and baby Jonathan until almost 12:30 am!! That is the latest I have been up in a long time--well, not laying in bed tossing and turning anyway! It was fun to hang out with our family who we so rarely get to spend time with anymore. Jonathan is so fun to hold. I hold him on the top of my belly and tell him to feel his cousin kicking him.

Today we went to church and I taught Sunday School for the last time until probably next fall. it was fabulous to "fall back" and have an extra hour in the morning before we had to be out the door. We did get some things done, but today is going to have to be our catch up day. I'm way behind on school stuff, our house is wrecked again, we have no groceries, I need to go to the library. I am supposed to be taking a nap, but I just can't sleep. My back hurts and all I can think about is what I need to do today. I have just 2 1/2 weeks of school left before I am on maternity leave and there is still no substitute hired. I am trying to get everything ready and organized so I can leave in peace.