Lots of Stuff

Where to start?

Jim put together a new twin bed + trundle for Abbie's toy room/new room. She will be moving to her new room & new bed on her 4th birthday later this month. We're driving to Raleigh (Apex) this afternoon to pick up a new mattress for the bed. We will be visiting with Jim's brother, Doug & his family before heading back to Jacksonville.

Jim, Abbie & I travelled to Michigan for a visit with my family at the end of April. We celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary with a surprise party. (Their anniversary isn't until August, but I won't be able to travel at that time, hence the early celebration.) My sisters did a wonderful job pulling it all together, while I yelled instructions from the sidelines (via email.) We enjoyed visiting with family & friends that we haven't seen in years.

I'm so glad that my cousin, Pooka (sorry, but I'll always remember you as Cheryl) & her husband Gary came to visit from California. We had a great time just catching up after the party & the following morning, before they had to go home.

Also, Kathie Clish (from my post "Remember") came all the way from California to honor my parents' anniversary.

During bedtime prayers in MI, Abbie asked God to "hep us get to gwanma & gwanpa's house safe, but wea aweady hea & I have monkeys on my bed." Her blanket had a monkey on it & she had some stuffed monkeys at the foot of the bed. I like listening to her pray. I wish I could pray more like her (except for the whole pronunciation thing.)

Great family & friends.

Abbie had fun in MI playing with aunts, uncles, cousins & their pets. She got to go to Chuck E. Cheese, Cabella's, & the playground. She made cookies with Aunt Di. We celebrated Abbie's 4th birthday in MI. Her birthday is not for 3 more weeks, but my family wanted to give her gifts then. Thank you for all the gifts!

I got to shoot Jim's Sig Sauer--so did Gary. And so did Dad, Chad, Steven & Uncle Bob. Brad, did you ever get a chance to shoot? (Poor Brad works too much!)

Jim had a slip down the steps--but kept most all of the coffee in his cup. That's important!

We also celebrated my Uncle Bob & Aunt Joy's 40th wedding anniversary before coming back to NC. Their's was also a surprise party.

The trip to MI & back was relatively easy for me. Jim does all the driving. Abbie was well behaved & content. The travelling took a long time, but we made a lot of stops along the way. (Eat, pee, stretch out, gas up.)

While looking at animals on the drive home (cows, horses, sheep) Abbie asked if she could feed the lions & tigers at the zoo. I said that the zoo keepers did that. Then she said that "it wio probawy change, but when I gwow up, I want to be a zoo keepa." She told me before that, she wants to be an animal doctor. Animals.

When we got home, the rose bushes & the daisies in our back yard were all in bloom & huge!

Jim & I had talked about purchasing a Wii game system, but wanted to wait until they were more available at stores. While shopping for Abbie's birthday gifts at Toys R Us, Jim & I saw the Wii on the shelf. So . . . impulse purchase! We got the Wii, with some extra sports games & the Wii Fit. Jim loves it. I'm sure I'll have fun on it once I'm no longer pregnant. My center of gravity is a bit off. Although, when we got home, I created my own Wii Mii & added myself to the Wii Fit game. I played all the balancing games it would allow a beginner & did the test. My Wii Fit age is 36!!! WOW! I wonder if Wii Fit knows that I'm 39 & 5 mos. pregnant?!

The barn swallows keep trying to build another nest on our front porch. It's not gonna happen this year! I do not want to be dive bombed every time I walk out the door. Jim has already knocked down the start of a nest twice this week.

I had two prenatal appointments this past week. Thursday I saw the fetal medicine specialist. We are having a girl!!! Her name is Ella Joy. I'm thrilled. I already know how girls work. (kind of goes without saying) Plus, we have all the girl clothes & toys that can be reused.

The ultrasound showed that Ella is right on schedule for growth. She's doing great!

Jim will get a boy dog. (Fred) Hopefully not for awhile. I can't handle a baby & a puppy at the same time.

Last night, Abbie gave my tummy a hug & a kiss & said "I love you" to Ella. Who knows how long that will last. Coming from experience, siblings usually don't "love" each other when they're kids. I'm sure when they are older, they will be the best of friends. (J.J. & Buffy--I told you so!) I love my sisters now, but I'm sure they considered me a pest, when we were kids. (I'm the youngest of 4 girls & took my job as the baby of the family very seriously.)

The next section is rated NC-17.

The ultrasound also show that I have placenta previa. That means that the placenta is blocking my cervix. That means that I will have to have a C-section. The doctor said that it could change (as my parts stretch out with pregnancy, the placenta could move up the wall of the uterus, off the cervix) but he did not sound very optimistic. Instead, he was very concerned about the extent of my physical activity, my blood count & how far away we lived from the hospital. If I have any spotting or bleeding, I've got to get the the hospital right away (I could bleed to death.) As of right now, the doctor wants to schedule a C-section at 36 weeks. He doesn't want me anywhere near full term. My midwife has transferred my regular care to an OB doctor at the hospital, since I won't have a normal, vaginal birth. I'll find out more during my next 2 appointments (May 22 & June 11.) I'm concerned about Ella being born too soon, but that is something I've got to leave in God's hands. If you want more info on placenta previa, check out http://www.babycenter.com/0_placenta-previa_830.bc?page=1.

It's almost time to eat lunch & leave for Raleigh & I still want to add a few pictures, so until my next post . . .