Got Leftover Ham?

REVISED - 12/31/09 - I wanted to share this recipe with Sandra's blog because my family requested I make it AGAIN today. It was easy & YUMMY!!

For Christmas we had a wonderful (huge) spiral ham that was given to us. And we've had HAM ever since ... ham sandwiches and ham re-heated and ham ham ham ... we've shared a few little pieces of it with our pets, and we still have HAM.

Today I decided to look up some kind of ham casserole to make - and found this recipe on allrecipes.com:

Hearty Ham Casserole

2 cups potatoes, cubed
2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup butter
1 tbsp chopped onions
1/3 cup all-purp flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp pepper
4 ounces processed cheese food (I didn't have this - does this mean VELVEETA?? I put shredded cheddar on 1/2 of my casserole and 1/2 American cheese slices - BOTH sides were yummy!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Bring large pot of water to a boil (add salt to water). Add potatoes & cook for about 15 minutes, til tender but firm. Drain & cool.
3. Combine potatoes, ham, corn, and parsley; set aside (use a HUGE bowl!!). In a saucepan, saute onion in butter for 2 minutes, stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook & stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over ham mixture. Stir.
4. Pour into greased 11x7 baking dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese melts.

But guess what? We STILL have leftover ham.

One Week

We've had our little girl for one whole week now. Somehow the events of her birth seem like a hundred years ago or a dream ... but it was just a few brief days ago. I am still just in awe of how well everything went - and how well we are doing now. Today we had to run a few errands so we bundled up the family and went to town. Thankfully the only big place to shop at around here is Super Walmart so that's where I took care of pretty much everything to include getting stamps and exchanging a Christmas gift the kids got twice (I love that you don't have to have a receipt at Walmart ... because this gift came from Tennessee!).

It's been a great week - and Dan and I have concluded that Miriam is already changing right before our eyes! Last night was the first time she was really awake for a longer period of time ... unfortunately that was between 2:00 - 4:30 a.m.! She had her little eyes wide open and was so alert. As I held vigil with my little night owl, I was reading baby magazine articles - and particularly one about baby's eye development:

Did you know that babies are born with only 4 of their 5 senses completely developed? Sight is the only sense that develops more after birth. Newborns see mostly in gray, black, and white. They can see images that are 8-12 inches from their face - but it is almost as if they were looking through wax paper. God's plan for our bodies and development is so amazing and complex. I am in awe as I observe His handiwork in our little baby girl!

Good News, Good News

At 6 days old today, Miriam had her first pediatrician appointment. Mainly it was just a weight check - but the doctor did check her out overall as well. She said her color was EXCELLENT, heart & lungs sound good, everything else checks out well...and best of all: this sweet girl has regained her birth weight + 2 ounces! :) That's my girl!! If she takes after me, she will have NO PROBLEMS gaining weight.

Seventeen Years

As of today, I've been happily married for 17 years to this man ... Last year I re-capped what all we have experienced and where we lived on my anniversary post - It's been an amazing journey and this past year was among the most amazing.



From the West Coast to the East Coast - Europe and the Midwest - from active duty military to ministry - from infertility and a miscarriage to celebrating 3 births of full term babies - from being a carefree couple for 6 years to now 11 years of being parents.



Through each phase God has been so good to us - and Dan's love has been unconditional. He kept his promise of being with me through the good times and the bad - through sickness and in health - for richer and poorer. And I know he will continue to be true to that vow.

Happy Anniversary to us - December 27, 1992 - 2009


I was looking for a wedding picture of us on this computer - without having to scan one - but couldn't find one ... here's a picture of us in June of 1992 - a few months before we got married:

Home Sweet Home

After 6 exciting days away, we are HOME!! It truly was nice to be in our little vacation get-away place for Christmas - just our family - but it was time to bring the baby HOME.

Miriam is 4 days old today:
My whole hospital experience almost seems like a dream - but obviously, it happened - and we have a baby! Miriam has been such a blessing - and I have 3 willing volunteers to hold her whenever she needs some attention. For the most part, she is still a sleepy and hungry newborn - but she is already opening her eyes a little more often now.

I have unpacked and settled in here at home again - ready for new routines and new joy. Some friends have already asked to come meet Miriam tomorrow after church (Miriam and I are staying home for a few more services as the doctor advised it due to flu season) - but we are anxious to show our little girl off! What a blessing the internet is to be able to post pictures.

Thank you, everyone, who posted comments and gave their congratulations! Have a blessed Sunday.

Merry Christmas!

We had a very quiet Christmas Day - aside from the occasional cry of a newborn. I think we all agree that Miriam is our most precious gift this year!

Some volunteers at the hospital where Miriam was born crocheted these sweet little hats & matching booties for all the newborns in December. Volunteers also made the stocking for the maternity ward to give out to new parents this week: We woke up to a dusting of SNOW!! It completed our day:

Merry Christmas - and God bless you - from our family - to yours.

Christmas Eve

At 8:04 a.m. this morning (I missed the time by 1 minute in this picture!), Miriam was 2 days old! She's been such a great baby - of course, newborns are generally sleepy and alternatively hungry ... so she is just very normal. She has a very sweet, gentle newborn cry and so far, has only whimpered when she is hungry. We'll see if that trend continues. We have been cleared by the pediatrician to go home ... and now we are just waiting for the nurses to come release us and finish up the paperwork. It's been a busy 2 days here on the maternity ward!! I was the first of 4 c-sections on Tuesday (many people scheduling due to the holidays), and many ladies were being induced on Tuesday and Wednesday. I guess this is the trend of modern medicine. Being a part of it, I guess I am can somewhat see the point - but I am also glad that in the past, I have been able to have my other 2 babies when THEY chose, not when the doctor chose.

In any case, we are looking forward to getting back to our little apartment here - and beginning to celebrate Christmas as a family of 5. This will be a Christmas we will never forget!

New Baby!!

Miriam is here! And we are so thankful - and feel so blessed that her delivery went very smoothly over all! She flipped herself into a breech position again, so it is a good thing we went ahead with a scheduled c-section. I even had a few contractions on Monday night and Tuesday morning!

We arrived at the hospital at 5 a.m. - and were on our way to the OR by 7:30 a.m.! Miriam was born at 8:04 a.m. - and at first, she didn't utter a cry. It was a little disconcerting - but Dan went with the baby and her nurses - and she just needed her nose and throat cleaned out & some oxygen to get her going...after which, she cried VERY WELL :) I listed to her the whole time I was being stitched up and worked on.
Miriam was 7 lbs (and .1 oz!) and is 21 inches long. I finally got to see her for the first time as I was wheeled out of the OR. What an incredible feeling - what a great blessing!! A friend had kept our kids overnight - and she brought them to us in the early afternoon. At that point, I'd already been able to nurse Miriam a few times - and so far, she is a natural at latching on. I'm thankful for that.

Right now we are just praying that we will all get to go back to our little vacation place tomorrow morning. I'm officially released as of midnight tonight - but I get to stay in my room as the pediatrician doesn't want to release Miriam until the morning. She has lost 6% of her body weight, and with the holidays coming up, she doesn't want to send us home with any doubts about Miriam's health - though it appears she is doing GREAT! It is very normal for newborns to lose a few ounces or more before picking up weight.

Otherwise, we just feel so overwhelmingly blessed and thankful for the way the events of the last 2 days have transpired. I have felt pretty much ok most of the time - I have gotten by on just Tylenol for pain control, for which I'm thankful as narcotic pain meds make me sick to my stomach ... and anesthesia already makes me a little woozy as it is. I am sore at the incision sight right now - but otherwise, ready to get on to being a family of 5!

Rejoicing in the Lord - and thanking Him for this wonderful gift, Conny

38 Weeks - and Back to the 80s

First of all, here is me at 38 weeks!! In a way, I will miss being pregnant - in a way, I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER. This has been my best, easiest pregnancy so far. Let's see if I can say that about the delivery!! The plan is still a scheduled c-section on Tuesday - even though the baby is no longer transverse. Unless I go into labor tonight or tomorrow ... but I'm not really thinking anything is happening. I'm still feeling pretty good - I have occasional light contractions, but they are few and far between.

Today after church, we packed up and drove the 55 miles to the town/area where our hospital is. We own a time share so we were able to book a unit (2 bedroom, 2 bath, full kitchen, furnished) for the week. We are now 10 miles from the hospital instead of 60! That makes me feel a little better - especially since I have to get up and be at the hospital by 5 a.m. on Tuesday!

Our little apartment is adorable! It is a total throw-back to the 1980's - all aqua, peach, and wicker!! However, it is spacious - and there is a jacuzzi in the master bedroom that is big enough to swim in. The kids can't wait to try it out - sadly, I've left my daughter's suitcase (with her swim suit in it) at home!! Thankfully, we are running home tomorrow afternoon to check on our pets and to drop our kids off with friends for the night - so we can go get the missing suitcase as well as a few other things we are missing.

Because of the winter season here, we are one of two families in the units here - the other unit occupied is on the total opposite side of the building from us! I'm sure they'll be glad once we bring home a NEWBORN! We do have a lovely view of the Lakes in this area - and access to an indoor pool and outlet malls nearby.

My kids have a cute little room - with peachy walls and aqua accents - but the beds are comfy, and this will probably be the only time in their childhood that they will have a TV in their own room!

The master suite has a lovely wicker king-size bed - and a tray ceiling that is painted out in mint green! I feel like I'm back in 1988! My bangs are entirely too flat tonight for this setting - I need some Aqua-net! :)



We have our baby stuff ready - car seat, bassinet, diaper bag packed - lots of adorable outfits! :)

It's cold here - and snow is forecasted for the week (not much accumulation) which is another reason we wanted to kind of "move in" up here so we wouldn't have to drive 55 miles in inclement weather. We gave lots of fuzzy and soft and plushy blankies ready to wrap the new baby in!

And now we wait ... tomorrow I want to just relax and enjoy my family of 4 ... as much as I'd like to just go into labor on my own & try a VBAC ... but that is all in God's Hands. We'll have our baby in our own hands soon enough - which I still can't believe. Thank you for your prayers for us during this time!!

Otherwise, I wish you all a wonderful Christmas week - anticipating celebrating the Savior's birth and spending time with your own precious families. Merry Christmas from the HutchHaus!

Jam Tart Cookies

This morning my daughter woke up with a 101 degree fever :( We call this "mystery fever" at our house - as both my kids get this phenomenon occasionally. Just a fever for a few days - sometimes with headache, body ache, feeling hot & miserable, alternating with chills ... sometimes it turns into strep throat - but usually, it is just a few days of fever that can be controlled with motrin/tylenol and Sprite and toast - and lying on the couch and watching too many hours of cartoons.


It was a sad morning as this is our last day of school before Christmas break - and the classes had all planned Christmas parties. But we just rested all morning - after which time I had to go in to work for a few hours to take care of some business and allow the other secretary to get on the road to see her family in South Dakota.


After we came home, Anna felt better - the medicine had fully kicked in! She had gotten a WONDERFUL book (can't get a copy of the cover) from a friend for Christmas - Samantha's Cooking Studio from the American Girl books series. I had promised we'd try a recipe out of it today - and since Anna was better, after much hand washing, we picked a recipe to make. It turned out so lovely that I want to share it ... I hope I am not breaking some copy right law by doing that - but no doubt this is a traditional recipe that can be found in other cookbooks as well!
We picked Jam Tart Cookies to try.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup jam (we used strawberry)

1 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon jam into a small bowl and stir until it is smooth. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend until a dough is formed (I ended up using my hands!).

Pinch off bits of dough and roll them into 1 inch balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart (we did this - but also used part of the dough - rolled it & cut small cookies out w/ the butterfly cookie cutter that was included with the book).

Press your finger into the center of each cookie to make a "well." Fill each well with approx. 1/4 tsp of jam.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Just what the doctor ordered!!

Band Concert

This is my son's 3rd year of playing the trumpet - so imagine my surprise that he was playing a drum at tonight's Christmas concert - for one song! He was just kind of trying out something new with the beginner band. He did play his trumpet for the intermediate band. His class also sang a Christmas song for us - hard to see Andrew here - and sadly I really didn't get ANY good pictures tonight. I guess we'll just have to keep this one in the memory bank!

My son takes after me - we aren't especially musically talented (my husband is the singer in our family!) - but he has fun and tries his best. We could hear him singing out and are thankful for his good attitude towards participating in the music program at school.

Good Day!

Right now the last of the laundry is in the dryer ... I have a few shirts to iron yet ...

The kitchen smells like Pine-sol... the sink is temporarily empty ... and the sticky spots on the floor are GONE.

2 more Christmas presents came in the mail just now ... I'll wrap them here in a minute.

I am coming to grips with the fact that I will NOT be writing Christmas cards this year - even though I am getting so many nice cards in the mail & at church. I will NOT feel guilty. I will send out birth announcements with my New Year's wishes at the end of the month, maybe.

Someone needs to come clean my bathrooms - I wish. I will get to that later.

I made a few phone calls about insurance and such - I need to set up my pediatrician appointments for the well-baby appointments/immunizations coming up.
My child care is all arranged for next week while I am in the hospital ... if all goes according to the schedule/plan. :)

Progress - items checked off my lists - feeling calm. Tonight I get to "relax" at my son's Christmas concert at school. It's been a good day.

Doctor Appointment Update

As of today's appointment, I am scheduled for a repeat c-section on Tuesday, December 22. If I happen to go into labor before that on my own, I may try a VBAC, depending on the doctor on-call at the time's willingness and ability to make that happen. My whole OB experience with my own doctor hasn't been the most confident one ever - not that he isn't adequate - but that's about all he is ... adequate. He has left a lot of the decisions up to me (I am not used to that after having 2 babies at military facilities where everything was pretty much controlled!) and reassures me he'll do whatever I want, but I just don't have the confidence in myself that I know what is best. HE is the supposed expert, after all.

I am overall ok with a repeat c-section as I am told by my nurses that my doctor prefers this method based on his 10 years of experience - and statistically, it is a surer way to go instead of gambling on a VBAC ... however, as a Christian, I know God has more to do with the whole birth thing than any person or doctor! But then there is also the development of modern medicine that God has allowed us to enjoy these days.

I do wonder if my doctor has done enough to make sure my baby and I are truly ok. I did find out today from my nurse that I tested positive for Group B strep from last week's swab ... (which I had to do myself?!) ... but she blew it off as nothing to worry about. I just hope someone remembers to give me the antibiotics one needs during the birth to combat this. My cervix hasn't been checked at all - and I have no certainty that my baby's lungs are developed enough to be delivered next week at 38 weeks - though my history of having early babies is in my favor, I guess.

Yet somehow my faith is strong that I am doing the right thing. I just trust that if a scheduled c-section IS NOT the right thing to do that God will intervene for me. That's what I am praying for anyway ... please pray with me! I am not "scared" by any means - and even though I feel a little neglected in my OB care, I also have a strong trust that God put me where I am. I never felt the need to change doctors - and I also know I am giving birth at a top notch hospital where my baby and I will receive excellent care - which is why I drive 55+ miles to go there instead of going to a closer facility to deliver.

I guess every women just about goes through a time of reflection, wondering, and doubting before facing birth. I have given birth twice, and though I had 2 very different experiences, I can look back and remember that God's presence and peace were always with me - and my husband's faith helped a lot too. That is one other thing I am thankful for - I couldn't ask for a better birth coach than my own husband! I am thankful he will be by my side through this birth too. Mostly I know no matter what, God is ultimately in control. All my doubts and my fears and my second guessing and my over-analyzing are unnecessary really. It would be nice to know exactly how everything will transpire - but in the end, it will be God's will.

I am currently reading the Mitford series by Jan Karon - and the priest in the book often relies on the "prayer that never fails" ... and that prayer is revealed to just be "Thy will be done." I know God will not fail me! He is with me no matter how and when I end up having this baby. He has given her to me - and I just trust Him to safely deliver her as well.

Potluck Survival Guide Review

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Five Star Publications

The book is available for $18.96 (regularly $24.95) at the above link.

I was tickled that the author, Cherie Kimmons, signed my copy - and that she is from my "home town" of Knoxville, Tennessee! Some of her contributors are from Knoxville too - not that this makes them credible - but it made it more special to me personally :)

Anyway, back to the book: the recipes in it are fast, easy, inexpensive, and most of all healthy and fun for everyone from the picky eater to the athlete in training.

The recipes are appropriate for beginners as well as experienced cooks. There are lots of recipes with classic ingredients that are easy to find and use. There are little tips all along the way and nutritional information too. I am looking forward to trying out some of these recipes on my family as well as for our weekly church potlucks.

Some recipes that can be found in this book that sound tempting to me are:

Apple Pockets
Basic Noodle Casserole
Basic Deviled Eggs
Basic Fritatta
Best Cake Mix
Brisket Sandwiches
Broccoli Casserole
Casserole Spaghetti
Cheese Biscuits
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Spaghetti for a Crowd
Comfort Lasagna
Cream Cheese Braid
Easy Cesaer Salad
Favorite Green Beans
Fresh Apple Spice Cake
Fried Bread
Ham Delights
Hash Brown Casserole
Hot Dogs Deluxe
King Ranch Casserole
Layered Mexican Dip
Mashed Potatoes
Mom's Chicken Salad
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese
Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Peanut Butter Pie
Ramen Noodle Salad
Sloppy Joes
Sour Cream Cucumber Salad
Stomboli
Sugar Cookies
Tamale Pie

and I probably could have listed every one of the recipes ... they ALL sound good!!

I very much appreciate the opportunity to receive this book - to peruse it - and to review it. Now I can't wait to get cookin'! This is my kind of recipe book - simple ingredients, nutritious foods, and fun facts about the dishes.

Checking In

At the risk of becoming obsolete and forgotten, I am checking in on my blog to say that I am not away having a baby or anything like that ... My life has just been pretty dull this week!

Monday I was going to take care of a ton of errands and make appointments and phone calls, which I did - some. I also ended up NAPPING a lot. Of course, I couldn't sleep that night, so I stayed up way too late.

Today I got up at 6 a.m., hopeful to continue my nesting and cleaning and organizing, which I managed to do until 9 a.m. at which time I fell ASLEEP again! After an hour, I got up and stopped by my old office to do some accounting stuff like payroll. It must have been exhausting because after running a few errands, I went home & promptly feel ASLEEP again for another hour. I guess I being old and very pregnant is affecting me more than I thought!

So, how exciting is that?
I am DONE with Christmas shopping - just have to mail a few more things. My housework is pretty much caught up - and perhaps soon I will consider what all I need to pack for the hospital & new baby. Since our hospital is about 55 miles from our house, we have reserved a time share at a resort by the hospital (it's at a vacation-ish area by a Lake) for the week so my family won't be far away from the hospital, and when I get out, I will just sit & enjoy my new baby & family instead of going home and worrying about what all I *should* be doing instead of just resting. I don't sit still very long at home - there is always something I see that needs to be done or fixed or adjusted or put away or organized. My children can enjoy the indoor pool at the resort, and my husband is a decent cook - and I look forward to just getting spoiled over Christmas and focusing on those I love the very most on this planet. I just don't know if there is wireless internet at the resort ... not sure if I can live without my blogs and Facebook - but there is a Panera Bread Co. nearby where I can go if I feel up to taking my laptop there! :)

Otherwise, tomorrow I have a doctor appointment - hopefully my LAST! I am not sure what to expect, but I plan to just go with whatever comes my way, knowing God is in control! I can't believe that this time next week, I could have a baby girl!!!

Beginning to Look Like Christmas

With a baby coming SOON, I had to get my Christmas shopping done quickly! Thankfully a friend took me with her on Friday - and chauffeured me around to lots of stores in a nearby town. And then on Saturday, I finished up the last of my shopping on-line! YEAH!! It's going to be a simple Christmas for us this year, but I still wanted to make sure I remembered my children's teachers, of course my family, and a few close friends.

I have lots of errands and phone calls and appointments and arrangements to make this coming week - so I'm thankful to have some time to focus on that now.

We had a nice day at church today. We stayed for the potluck between the services - and then our choir presented their Christmas program at our 2 p.m. service. It is beginning to feel like Christmas! My children looked like Christmas today too - and I wanted to get some pictures of them (but by the afternoon - I couldn't get one good one of them TOGETHER, so here they are individually). I am sad that I may not get Christmas cards out this year ... I actually ENJOY writing Christmas cards ... but this year, there just doesn't seem to be time to get it done. I do plan to send out birth announcements at the end of the month instead!! :) I still can't quite believe it!

Apfelkuchen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup butter/margarine, at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)
2 Granny Smith (or Golden Delicious) apples, peeled, cored, and cut in wedges
1/2 cup apple jelly
1/2 cup sliced almonds
FOR GARNISH: powdered/confectioner's sugar

Place oven rack at lowest position; heat oven to 325-350 degree. Grease a 9 inch spring-form pan. Mix flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another (large) bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add lemon juice and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and chopped almonds (optional) until blended. Measure out 2/3 cup batter; set aside. Spread remaining batter in bottom of prepared pan.

Starting 1/4 inch from edge of pan, arrange about 1 1/2 cups of the apples in a circle, slightly overlapping. Form another circle on top with remaining apples, starting 1/2 inch from center of pan.

Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup jelly and brush over apples. Drop teaspoonfuls of the reserved batter around outside edge and spread with back of spoon to make a 1/2 inch border. Fill center of cake with remaining batter. Arrange some sliced almonds in center; sprinkle remainder over border.

Bake 1 hour or until golden. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan - melt remaining 1/4 cup of jelly and brush apples again. Cool completely on rack. Sprinkle border and center with confectioners sugar.

Counting Down to Baby

13 more days ... Tuesday, December 22, 2009 ... does that sound like a good day for a birth day? It may just be our new little girl's day of appearing! I still can't quite wrap my head around it - but it looks like it is coming - soon. Which somewhat puts me into a panic mode. I've never known my baby's birth date before - so it is a whole new concept actually to be prepared - as if one is ever truly prepared!!? :)

The best news is this: the baby has flipped (I thought I was feeling some violent shuffling, pushing, and turning over the weekend!), and she is in position - head down. SO, if I should go into labor on my own in the next 2 weeks, I may actually attempt a VBAC instead. It is all in the Lord's Hands.

I am needing to sit down and write out a plan - make lists - and think over all that I have to get done the next few days! That's just how my brain works - I'm not a fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants kind of girl. And then there is a that wonderful holiday of CHRISTMAS too - not to neglect the other precious Baby that we are celebrating this time of year! It will be a simpler holiday for us - but we still want to make sure much of our focus remains on Christ and on our family celebration of Christmas. What wonderful gifts we get to celebrate this year - a baby and The Baby.

Flashback!

Tonight was our annual Ladies' Christmas Fellowship for our church. I made a German-ish apple cake (Apfelkuchen) that my mother introduced me to a long, long time ago. I've made this cake A LOT - and it is SO easy - and completed with WHIPPED CREAM. (I should post the recipe but I'm too lazy at this very moment). I have so enjoyed the days I've already been home since leaving behind the routine of my job. Somehow the days have FLOWN by - mostly because I always have something or other to do. Today I had to go back to Walmart after thinking I had gotten everything I needed from there yesterday ... but does one really EVER have EVERYTHING one needs from Walmart?? Our Super Walmart is really the only big store we have where I live anyway ... and I am just thankful that during the day I can usually find a close parking spot, and it isn't too crowded and crazy inside!

Tomorrow I have another weekly doctor appointment (week 36!). I was just thinking back on my last term pregnancy ... and my 36 week appointment. The midwife or NP or whoever it was I saw said that she would check me the next week to see if I was dilated or if anything was going on. BUT I never made it to my 37 week appointment! My water ended up breaking right at 37 weeks - and that was the end of that pregnancy - a little sooner than I anticipated.

I felt almost exactly like I feel today. I have so enjoyed being pregnant this time around - I have enjoyed wearing the maternity clothes that have been lent to me or that I have found at Goodwill. I have cherished the flutters - and now almost violent kicks & movements - inside of my belly. It has been a blessing to share this experience with my children who are older now.

I can't imagine that it could be over by next week - or the week after!

Not that I want to be pregnant forever ... no way!! I'm ready to meet this baby - to see this little one's face - and to get to know her. BUT a small part of me is still cherishing these last few days of being pregnant - perhaps for the last time ever in my life. I am so incredibly thankful for the experience - one that I couldn't really fathom ever having again - and yet, it was given to me.

I am curious to know what tomorrow's ultrasound will reveal. Even though the baby has been shifting and moving around a lot - I still think she is transverse. I am anxious to hear if the doctor will have any hints or insights as to when I might deliver - and how. But I guess mainly, I just have keep taking it a day at a time ... trusting the Lord to deliver her when it is HIS perfect time.

Traditions - Tea & Christmas

For the last 6 years, my daughter and 2 of her friends have been going to Christmas Tea with Mrs. Claus with me and the other girls' mothers. The little tea house about an hour north of where we live is so worth the drive: Shady Gables
Our girls have also participated in "Tea and Etiquette" and "Teddy Bear Tea" and a Tea Birthday Party there. While are girls are being hosted for their special time, we mothers have often enjoyed our own Queen's Tea or other yummy treats in another room. Our girls are now 9 and 10 years old, but they are still good sports about playing along with Mrs. Claus who reads them a story and shares tea (or hot cocoa) and treats with them. I am thankful they are willing to hold on to a small piece of naive childhood and enjoy the simple joy of make-believe and just being a "little girl".

This may be our last year of Tea with Mrs. Claus as the girls are getting older, but also the owner of our beloved tea house is considering making changes - selling or getting a new manager. As each chapter of life, this one too will close - however, I am sure we will replace it something equally as special!

Still Thankful in December

Is it really December? I have seen the Christmas lights - I have even gotten out Christmas music CDs today ... but I still can't quite believe it is DECEMBER! It's even supposed to SNOW tonight or tomorrow (lightly) ... I am trying to gather the courage - and find the time - to get my Christmas decorations down from the attic. Maybe tomorrow?


Today was a special day for me - and I was able to share it with my children. I was supposed to get an ultrasound today at my doctor appointment. I would have liked best for my husband to come with me - but he wouldn't/couldn't ask for time off work & didn't want to obligate anyone to take his classes this morning. SO, I asked him if I could share this experience with my children - and they did play hookie from school to come with me!

Unfortunately, 35 week ultrasounds are harder to interpret than the earlier ones since the baby is SO big, and it is harder to pick out individual body parts. Plus I have one very stubborn baby girl! She is in a transverse position (sideways) with her feet planted firmly in my bladder. We could also not see her face at all, though the u/s tech was trying to check for any signs of cleft palate - I think she glimpsed part of her lips at one point & all appeared to be ok.
Otherwise, the baby measures about 6 lbs now (!), and she is still a girl!

The doctor came in for just a minute - and his comment was "those are horrible ultrasound pictures" - ha! And they are ... you can't tell much at all because of the baby's bent and upside down position. I am not even sure what these pictures are of - the top of her head?? Maybe.

However, the tech was able to measure my amniotic fluid which is plentiful -and other parts are measuring in exact accordance to my due date. Because of the transverse position (which would make a VBAC impossible anyway), I am getting another ultrasound next week to see how we will deliver this baby - and possibly even when!

After my appointment, the kids and I did some browsing at outlet stores and Target. I did find a few things - tennis shoes on clearance for my son - and a cute shirt for Anna. We had lunch at Panera Bread Co. It was fun to spend time with my children - and to contribute to a special day off school for them! They took turns sitting up front by me during the 50+ mile drive to and from the appointment - and talking my ears off :) I loved it!
We also stopped by the hospital where I plan to have this baby and peeked in at the maternity ward. :)

So, I am thankful for this day and its memories. It won't be long until much of my time will be taken up with a new baby ... and I am glad that I had this chance to do something fun with my 2 older children that they will remember.