36 weeks

Today (9/29/09) I had my 36 week check-up. We saw Dr. Sadowski who said everything looks great! She said the baby feels pretty big, and is pretty sure the head is down. My blood pressure was good at 124/80 and I gained 2 pounds to put me at 160 (I've gained a total of 30 pounds so far). The heart rate was at 140. I'm still measuring big at 38 cm, so they will do an ultrasound next week to see how big the baby is and also to check fluid levels and such.

I finally started packing the "hospital bag" today. Just a few things in there right now, a change of clothes for me and Joe, a blanket for the baby, and our toiletries. Might as well start to get somewhat prepared!! Car seat is up in the nursery, but the cover isn't on it yet. Crib isn't ready yet either. Hopefully this weekend we'll start to get things more ready for the impending arrival!!


As for me, I'm feeling pretty good. Obviously sore and tired, but overall not too bad. The baby is VERY active in the evenings, Joe got to feel some really good kicks last night! A limb (possibly leg?) was sticking way out, so much so that you could actually squeeze it! Crazy!!!



Here is the picture that Loren took today of the "big ol' belly":

Apple Picking 2009

On Sunday 9/27/09 we went to All Season Orchard for our annual apple picking! This year Booma, Jeremy and his girlfriend, Rebecca came with! It was a lot of fun! We all enjoyed eating the various types of apples and finding our favorites! The girls liked to pick the apples, Loren especially liked to get the ones way up high!! It was the first time Booma had ever been apple picking, so she really enjoyed the experience! After we were done picking, we took a hayride back to the farm and went to the petting zoo! Then we went to Booma and Boompa's house to have some chili and watch the Bears game! Another fun day!

Daddy and Kaylynn (they are making the exact same face)!!

Kaylynn with her bag of apples she proudly picked!

Loren getting her apples from way up high!

Rebecca wanted a high one too!!

Kaylynn said she needed to "rest her eyes" for a few seconds!

Loren helping Booma get some apples.

Daddy and Kaylynn eating their apples

Family picture...all 4 1/2 of us!

Booma with Loren and Kaylynn on the hayride

The girls back at the farm by some pumpkins

A goat at the petting zoo

Getting food from Jeremy for the animals to eat

35 weeks

Today (9/22/09) I had my 35 week OB appointment with Dr. McCool. It went very well, didn't gain any weight, so still at 158! Baby's heart rate was 155 and my blood pressure was back to normal at 120/80! Yay!!! He also did the group B strep test, and we'll find out the results of that in a few days. So a rather simple appointment. I go every week now, so this will be a routine to get used to!

Here is a picture Loren took of the "big old belly" today:

Front door project

Since our old front door was rotting and falling apart, not to mention you could see daylight through it...we decided it was time for a new front door! Our options are rather limited with the style of the door, so we got something similar to what we already had. We hoped that we could get someone to install it, but because of the detailed trim work outside the front door, most places would charge a ridiculous amount to install. So we decided to do it ourselves (well, Joe decided to do it himself)!

Sunday 9/13 Joe and his dad took out the old door, sealed it and made it all nice and insulated, then installed the new door. It went surprisingly smooth! The door was in, and we got a new knob and deadbolt, and it locked and all was well!!

Then began the rebuilding of the outside trim work. Joe got the wood and started cutting and installing parts on Friday 9/18. He got it all up and finished by Sunday 9/20. Then Monday 9/21 he got the first coat of paint on it!! I'm so impressed with how nice it looks!! He's doing a great job!! Just a few more coats of paint and some caulk and he'll be all done!!

Here are pictures of before, during and after:

Old front door



Here is a picture of some of the rot in the wood around the door.
There are other pictures with more rot, but this is a sample.

Front door gone!!!

Dry-fitting the new door!



New door in and new trim up!



New trim with wood-filler (Joe said it looks like the
wood has chicken-pox)!

Inside of the new door with new casing up.

It still needs to be painted, but looks nice!

New door with the first coat of paint!!

LITH Airport Open House and Arlington Park

Saturday 9/19/09, after taking Loren to get her flu-mist at the pediatrician office, I saw a sign saying that LITH airport was having an open house! I called Joe and we decided to take the girls over there since they LOVE watching the planes! I'm SO glad we did, they had a BLAST! They got to stand right next to the landing strip and watch the planes land and take off!! They also got to sit inside a few planes and learn how they go up and down and got to move the flaps on the wings that makes the planes move! It was a lot of fun!!

Afterwards we went to Arlington Park with Booma and Boompa for some horse races and lunch! Booma made her famous sandwiches and we had a ton of delicious food! The girls enjoyed watching the horses run! Loren also liked to see the horses (as well as other things) with binoculars that Booma brought!

All-in-all, a very fun day!!!

Daddy and the girls by a plane, waiting to sit inside!

The girls in the plane listening to the pilot tell them all about it!

Loren just watched a biplane land!

Kaylynn, at the track waiting for the horses to run!

Boompa and Daddy

Booma and Loren coloring between races.



Loren and Tigger relaxing together!

He was purring like crazy!

34 weeks

Today (9/15) I had my 34 week appointment with Dr. Geittmann. He delivered both girls, so they always like to see him!! I only gained 1 pound, putting me at 158. Baby's heart rate was 164 (and she kept kicking the nurse who was trying to get the heart rate, which Loren found hilarious)! My blood pressure was high, 146/96. So they had me lay on my left side for a while and then it went back down to a more reasonable 120/80 range. Baby still seems to be measuring big. As the doctor said "Looks like you're cooking a big baby in there!" Other than the blood pressure being high, everything looks good. I got the flu shot today, which made the girls very nervous! They stared at the nurse with horror on their faces as she gave me the shot! Kind of funny!! Now I have to go to the doctor weekly to keep an eye on the blood pressure, and the doctor said to me "Try to lay down as much as possible" then looked at the girls and continues "which I know may be difficult!" We'll see what happens with all this! I can't believe how close it's getting! Yikes!!!

First days of preschool 2009

This year BOTH girls are in preschool! We switched to a new school, Bethany Preschool (a Lutheran school) and so far are very happy with it! The girls also seem to enjoy going to their new school! On Thursday 9/3 Kaylynn had her orientation where she met her teachers and got to explore her classroom. Friday 9/4 was Loren's turn.

The first days of school began after Labor day!! Kaylynn started first on Tuesday 9/8. She goes for 1 1/2 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I wasn't sure how she would do, she can be a little clingy to mommy sometimes, but she was VERY excited to go to school!! She knew where to put her backpack and walked right into her classroom like she own the place!! After her school day was over, Loren and I were there to get her and she came out with the biggest smile and was SO excited to tell us what she had for snack (it was goldfish)!! She drew pictures for me and really liked being a big girl at school!!

The next day, Loren had her first day. She also was very excited, and really liked that she could bring a show-and-tell item! She chose to bring Tinkerbell to share. Loren likes going outside to the playground and when they have the dress-up stuff out! She is really enjoying her new teachers and is very comfortable at the school!! She also is making new friends and actually is asking to have play dates with them!


Below are a few pictures of the girls on their first days of school:

This is Kaylynn at orientation singing a "name" song with her teacher

Here is Kaylynn at orientation making a hot air balloon

which she worked VERY hard on and proudly displayed in the hallway

(and shows me EVERY time we go into the school)!

Both girls on Kaylynn's first day of school

Kaylynn on her first day of 2-year-old preschool!!

She looks sooo little with the big backpack!

In the hallway outside her school!

She just joined in the fun and didn't look back!!

Loren on her first day of 4-year-old preschool

In the hallway outside her school