Things to do in SEVEN days!

THINGS TO DO:

Wash Laundry
Fold Laundry
Put Away Laundry
Wash my bedding
Clean bathrooms ( & toilets...)
Vacuum the house (upstairs & down)
Mow the grass
Clean the bunny cages
Dishes ALL washed and put away by Sunday Evening
Give kids a bath
Get groceries in the house
Begonia to KC Pet Project

Pack the kids bags for Sunday night

• PJs, Outfit for Monday (couple for Jax)
• Socks, Underwear, bathing suits
• Diapers, Wipes, Sippy cups

BILLS TO PAY:

Cell phones
House phone
Electricity
Water

Making a break for it. . .

After 3 kids, you'd think that I'd be use to the belly movements - especially this late in the game.  But Tyler is by far the most active at this point.  Jaxen never stayed still and was constantly moving, BUT Tyler gets his legs going and you can SEE them.  I can grab them, I can instigate him, he interacts with me ALL the time.  He takes my breath away, he makes me remember that he is constantly with me. . . not that I can forget him!

Video #1

I live in constant fear that he is going to break my water!  Let's hope this isn't a sign of what's to come in his toddler years. . . he might try to give Jaxen a run for his money!  :-)

Video #2 - my favorite

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. . . Count them! 
7 MORE DAYS!!!  :-)

Another one bites the dust

My doctor's appointment went well this afternoon.  Blood pressure - good, weight gain - good, measuring - good, position - head down, heartbeat - amazing! 

I did find out that I am tipping the scales and this is officially my BIGGEST weight gain during a pregnancy.  But I'll take it because Mr. Tyler is measuring ahead of schedule!!  :-)  Which after Jaxen, is a HUGE relief.  I think I seen a sigh of relief on Jerry's face when we got the good news!!

So see, with all that I am doing throughout the day, I am really taking it easy and behaving myself!!  Now, the rest is up to Tyler.  Next Thursday is my LAST prenatal appointment.  :-)

Getting everything lined up, babysitters are confirmed for the older three, Jerry's got all his scheduling all figured out with coming home to feed animals and see the kids, and I am packed and ready to go. . . ready to run when the time comes!

10 MORE DAYS!!

Lists - Repeat Post

This list is a work in progress. . . updated daily - sometimes hourly - as I think of things!! With pregnancy brain, I'm needing to write everything down these days!

Things to Do

• Install infant car seat into the Freestyle and the Explorer
• Upload camera pictures and empty memory card
• Bring out the Baby Changing Table
• Organize the baby boy clothes by sizes

Things to Pack

• Mom's hospital bag
• Outfit for coming home
• Socks
• Gum/Chap Stick
• PJs
• Baby Book
• Notebook/Journal
• Dad's hospital bag
• Snack Goodies
• Diaper Bag
• Bottles
• Outfit
• Blanket
• Chloe's bag
• Outfit for G&G's
• Toys
• Jacob's bag
• Outfit for G&G's
• Toys
• Jaxen's bag
• Diapers/Wipes
• Outfit for G&G's
• Toys
• Sippy Cup
• Camera & batteries
• Tablet & charger
• Laptop
• Cell phone & charger
• Cord Blood Paperwork

Things to Buy

• Camera Batteries
• Newborn Diapers
• Size 1 Diapers
• Wipes
• Pacifiers
• Baby Mittens
• Baby Swing
• Dresser

Things I want {but don't seriously need right away}

• Highchair
• A new Diaper Bag
• Baby Monitor
• Bumbo

37 Weeks

** 37 weeks Pregnant ---  OR otherwise know as . . . Jaxen +8 days **

Wow, I am topping the scales and this is by far my biggest pregnancy weight gain. . .

But before everyone starts yelling and screaming at me, I am grateful for the weight gain.  Last time I struggled to gain weight, now it's piling on - hopefully, in 13 days - I am rewarded with a perfectly healthy baby boy!  After all, that is my main priority right now!!!!

With that being said, I can't wait to get my body back.  Once I get recovered and the okay from my doctor, I am going on a strict weight loss / body toning regiment.  I am dying to get back to my pre-kids figure and I know that it will take time, but I am determined!!

I am feeling horrible.  I suffer from heartburn, rib and pelvic pain 24/7.  I can't sleep.  I can't eat or drink what I want.  I am clumsy.  I am exhausted.  I am irritable.  I am short tempered.  I am emotional.  But of course, it's all worth it. . .

Arriving in 13 days!

Tyler is definitely running out of room.  This morning Chloe and I sat on the couch for about 90 minutes watching my tummy go crazy.  We think he got stuck.  Chloe and I definitely could see and feel an arm or leg protruding from my belly.  The arm/leg was about 5 inches long, hard and was stuck on my left side.  On the right side of my tummy, he was completely wigging out and going crazy.  It took about an hour and a half and I was finally able to move around without pain and the arm/leg was back in the normal parameters of my tummy!  It was weird and ackward feeling.   He definitely doesn't like being confined to a small space.

Stocking Up on sales!

What's a mom to do while sitting around bored on Maternity Leave?   Okay, maybe not exactly bored but I feel like I don't get anything accomplished during the day and that's frustrating.  I'm beginning to think I will have to work most of my life because I can't stand just sitting around.

Anyways, back to the point!  Our local grocery store has had some pretty awesome sales this week and of course, they are such good deals that they limit the quantity that you can get.  SO, I go into town everyday and hit the grocery store AND Walmart to double my amazing deals.  Here's what I've been able to get this week and I still have tomorrow to go for the sale!

Pepsi Products {12packs, 24oz 6-packs, or 12oz 8-packs} are currently 4/$10 with a limit of 4.  Which makes them $5.00 a case. . . currently, Walmart has the cases on sale for $5.98.  We buy Pepsi products basically every week, so it was a definite stock up!!  Just in this picture alone, I spent $47.50 and saved $45.41!  Not pictured is the 12pack in the frig, the two 24oz 6-packs, and the two 12oz 8-packs in the garage refrigerator.  {Which would bring  my total to spent $60 and saved $57.36!}

*And I know I will get 8 more 12packs tomorrow after Chloe's ballgame before the sales end!*

The 10.5 oz bags of Cheetos were on sale for $1.49 with a limit of 3.  So far we bought 6 bags of them at the grocery store, spent $8.94 and saved $12.

Not Pictured - Country Mart has Oscar Mayer Lunchables 10 for $10, which we comp-ed at Walmart {$1.58}, spending $20 and saving $11.60.

Not Pictured - Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Cookies are on sale for $1.49. {Now last week they were on sale for $1.99, so we had a couple packages of them already}  Chloe talked me into 6 more packages at the grocery store - spent $8.94 and saved $13.20.

Today, I walked into the grocery store with the kids and found the fruit snacks are also on sale today and tomorrow.  These packages of fruit snacks were $0.99 with a limit of 4.  And on top of it all - I had a couple of coupons for $1.00 off 2 packages.  So I spent $1.96 for all 4, saved $2 in coupons, and saved $7.84 in the store ad.

Grand Totals: SPENT $99.84 and SAVED $104! 

Now, I know that's not an "Extreme Coupon" episode - but I think I did pretty amazing this week.

I'm already looking forward to the new ads that start on Wednesday, hopefully they have some more deals that I can stock up on!

Hospital / Doctor's Appointment

During the past week, Jerry and I have gotten a lot of little things taken care of for the pending arrival of Tyler.  We've gotten another doctor's appointment over with -- leaving on two more!! -- and we've pre-registered with St. Luke's East Lee's Summit Hospital.  If you remember correctly, we pre-registered with St. Luke's the last time around but we were shipped off to St. Joseph Medical Center to deliver Jaxen.  So hopefully, things work out for us this time and we get to deliver at our hospital of choice!  :-)

Since the last time, St. Luke's has added more rooms to their maternity center.  The newly expanded NICU opened in December 2011 and is the only one of its kind in the KC area.  Designed with the needs of families in mind, it includes all-private rooms with room-in space for parents to stay overnight, at the bedside.  Parents also have access to luxurious bathrooms and a large nutrition area.  So this means that for some crazy chance that Tyler has to go to the NICU, he will have his own private room with a bed for Mom and Dad.  And since the NICU has private rooms, he will be allowed visitors!!  Not like Jaxen where you'll have to look through the glass to see -- so no matter what, family can come get up close and personal with our newest arrival.  AND Chloe and Jacob and Jaxen won't have to wait until Tyler gets discharged from the NICU to meet their brother.  {Not that we are planning to have to use the NICU this time around!}

The Maternity Center is a full lock down unit and all visitors are buzzed in before the elevator even moves. The babies are monitored with ankle bracelets that will put the unit into full lock down mode if the baby gets too close to an exit or if the ankle bracelet is removed. A full lock down means that no one enters or exits - this includes the doctor's and nurses. So even if someone steals there badge and has their access codes, it will not do any good because they cannot override the system until all babies are accounted for / away from an exits / ankle bracelets re-attached.

Visiting hours are from 9am until 9pm, only exception is going to be the morning of delivery.  However, my surgery is scheduled at 8am and I will have to go through recovery before anyone will be allowed back to see me. . . so it looks like I can't even see family until close to 11am.  Not sure if you all want to wait that long in the waiting room!  Visitors will be asked to provide the full name of the patient they are visiting (ME!!) and sign in and out of the log book at the front desk.  Visitors are allowed in to see Mom before the c-section or during active labor and are allowed in to visit Mom and Baby shortly after the first hour of life.  The waiting room is stocked with vending machines, coffee, TV, chairs, and couches. . .

And it looks like I am going to be admitted Monday morning at 6am and I will get discharged sometime Thursday.  Mandatory 3 nights stay - Monday night, Tuesday night, and Wednesday night.  Jerry and I are still working out the details of shuffling the older kids around.  :-\

If you want to read all about the last visit we had -- not much has changed except the new NICU.  The post for Jaxen's Hospital Tour is here: Tour of Labor & Delivery and if we actually deliver at St. Luke's we are going to try the Cord Blood Banking again.

Everything is set up at the hospital.  All my paperwork is filled out and ready for delivery.

Everything is set up and approved with Walmart and my Short Term Disability Claim.  Just waiting for the checks to arrive!!

Doctor's appointment had me measuring 37 weeks and still gaining weight.  Heart rate was good and unlike any of the other kids, he reacts to our voices.  And the biggest change/surprise is that Tyler is head down/butt up ready to go.  I actually got to push and feel where his head was sitting. . . super, super low.  Next Thursday I see my regular doctor and I'm pretty sure they will start checking for dilation and effacement.  {Yuck!} 

Only thing left is to finish packing and figure out a game plan with the kids.  I'm kind of hoping Tyler decides to come a week early. . . Chloe's missing out on her final baseball game {and they are only playing 4 games this year} where she receives her trophy because of my surgery.  I'm bummed about that, but she seems to be okay with it.

Lastly, I will leave you with this photo.  My very oddly shaped, uncomfortable belly - all because Tyler has his butt sticking up. . .