A Gift from Above

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”   -  James 1:17

Introducing Levi Andrew Etner, born Friday, July 18th, 2014 at 5:24am after about 5 hours of labor.  He weighed 7 lbs 12 oz and measured 21 and 3/4 inches long.  We are all doing well aside from the lack of sleep.

We picked this verse for Levi after hearing our pastor preach on it a few weeks ago.  Then at my baby shower we got a number of cards with the verse in it.  Levi is such a blessing and a good and perfect (for us) gift from our never-changing, faithful God.  

Week 40 update

Having never made it to 39 weeks, I never thought I'd be drafting a 40-week update.  But here we are.  Last week I was 2 cm, 75% effaced, and -2 station.  Same this week.  I thought I was progressing more but I guess not.  I've had some contractions but they always go away if I rest.  Baby's heartbeat was in the 130s.  

I know I'm only at my due date but with the other kids coming early this wasn't the expectation so it's just hard to be patient.  BUT, huge praise that I got all my business and classwork done.  I took my final exam on Friday and have been free of schoolwork since then for the first time since quitting work.  I almost don't know what to do with myself especially since the kids are at VBS every morning this week.

I also got more baby prep things done - installed the car seat, washed the swing and bouncy seat covers, finished organizing the nursery - I have never been so ready for a baby.

After the appointment today, Martin and I got to go out for lunch - Indian buffet, of course.  So there are some perks about all this waiting.  We've also watched some movies and I started to get a jump on some of my required volunteer hours at the kids' school.

I guess the hardest part of waiting though is that the longer I wait the less real it seems that I'm actually going to get to take a baby home from the hospital.  After so many "not yet"s I'm having a hard time believing this is really going to happen.  I just seems like it will be like last time.  No reason to think that just my anxious heart I guess.  I do realize though that I keep adding on to prayer request about the timing of his birth.  First it was after I get my classwork done, now it's that I want the right doctor and nurses to be there and that Dylan and Lydia won't have to miss their activities.  So if God wants to answer all of those I guess it takes time...:)

Week 38 Update

UPDATED BELOW.

Here we are at week 38.  I've never made it to week 39 so this could be my last pregnancy update.  As you can see I got my haircut yesterday.  Short, easy to dry, won't get in the way of nursing - total Mommy do.  I got through all the dates I had to get through - baby wasn't born on my birthday or my nephew's, made it to July so I don't have to return the birthstone charm that my friends got me for my Pandora necklace, got my last meeting in with my client on Monday, and Lydia and I had our hair appointments yesterday.  Now there are just some things that I have do before baby.  Since last week, my schedule has really slowed down so I have been able to get a bunch done.  The rest could wait but I would love to have them done to be able to be more in the moment with our son.  Or maybe that's my thing that I need to just rely on God for.  I try to handle everything on my own and one thing I keep failing at is appreciating the time with my family instead of thinking of all the stuff I need to do, even now that I'm not working.  So whatever God's timing, whether he removes my "thorn" of not having things to worry about doing or if he just gives me the grace to not worry, I will be blessed.  Preaching to myself here....

I go to the doctors in about 2 hours.  We'll see what he says as far as how things are progressing but I think I am starting to feel something.  It's like a low level constant discomfort rather than distinct contractions.  Been feeling it since last night (went away while I was sleeping though) so I think I'm convinced it's something other than a gastrointestinal issue.

On Saturday we got the pack-n-play up in our room and rearranged the furniture and cleaned in there.  So nice to have that done and to have gotten rid of all the dust bunnies behind our bed.  Also got the snap and go stroller down from the attic.  My bag is mostly packed, still using some things that need to go in it.

I'll update this post after I get back from the doctors.

Back from the doctors.  Nothing happening.  He said the cramp-like discomfort is just normal at this point and since it goes away when I lie down it's nothing.  He only estimated I was 1cm dilated but that the cervix is softening and opening so things are progressing but not fast.  I made my 39 week appointment for next Wed morning but I've never made it that far.  So we're still hanging in there for a while.  More time to finish my work and class.  Baby's heartbeat going between 125 and 145 (145 when he moved which is a good thing).  I haven't gained any weight in about a month but the doctors aren't concerned.  My body just can't go to 200 and I'm fine with that.