It's All Good

What an interesting week it's been!  I've had moments when I thought everything had turned upside down (literally!) and wonderful moments of happiness.  In the Thanksgiving spirit I was always searching for the goodness in it all.  And truthfully, right now all I feel is good.  Actually, GREAT!

 

Oddly enough we have had 2 pleasant hospital visits within the last 2 weeks.  We recently took Isabelle to the "sibling tour" at CMC so that she could get familiar with the hospital where Mommy will soon be delivering her little sibling.  Each child brought a doll or stuffed animal, and was given a hat to wear upon arrival.

 

 The little ones all took a tour of the maternity ward, explored the labor and delivery room, and learned how to change baby diapers and to hold their babies properly.

 Look at the concentration!

 Kids got to take a fun ride on the bed.  Izzy might need some practice on holding baby.

 It was such a fun morning.  And I couldn't help but get emotional when we got to peek in on the babies in the nursery, just days or hours old.  It is starting to feel very real!

Here's the belly 1 week ago (at 37 weeks).

Last week I went in for my 37 week appointment and the doctor felt my belly, looking a little curious, and ordered an ultrasound since he wasn't convinced the baby was head down.  Sure enough those little feet were down low.  Just 2 weeks before, the doctor seemed positive it was head down, so I guess my little monkey has some acrobatic moves! 

 

We were then faced with a decision to try a "version" (when doctors manually try to turn the baby head down by pushing on the belly), or to schedule a c-section in 2 weeks. I was hoping for a vaginal delivery, just as I had with Isabelle, so at first the news was upsetting.  I couldn't help but "mourn" the loss of a possible experience like I'd had before, holding Izzy's little naked body just seconds out of the womb.  I was a good candidate for a version since I had lots of fluid and the baby is small, but the fact that it was "footling breech" (feet first rather than bottom first) was a strike against success.  I knew it could be uncomfortable, and since they only do them in the hospital I was aware of the small risk that it could distress baby and send me into an emergency c-section.  But, I was up for trying, especially after encouraging discussions with my wonderful doctor (who is also a friend). 

 

So, we scheduled the version for the next week and went on with life!  I started to settle into the thought of having a c-section...I have so many friends who had great c-section experiences, and the idea of having a plan and avoiding labor pains started sounding ok!  But deep inside I was hoping to do it the old-fashioned way...the unknown of when and how it was going to happen to go right along with all of the other unknowns in our lives right now.  I was keeping my expectations low, but my hopes high!

 

Thanksgiving was approaching and I was feeling thankful for many things, including my easy pregnancies thus far.  Husband lost his job?  It'll work out.  Baby breech?  No biggie.  We've got way more important things to be thinking about. 

 

And then another wrench got thrown into the system.  Brian's car breaks down.  For the past year we've been talking about finally getting the brand new minivan we'd always dreamed of (perfect for toting around kids and cakes!).  We each drive 12+ year old cars without much space so it's been obvious that a new car will soon be a necessity.  But another monthly expense is the last thing we need right now.  Take a big breath, I think to myself...it'll be ok.  This is what we've been wanting and now we are pretty much forced to get it.  There are worse things.  A new car and a new baby all in a matter of weeks?  We gotta be thankful. 

 

And Thanksgiving day was nothing but thankful.  We spent a relaxing day with both the Barksdale side and later that night with the Prudens.  Isabelle was spoiled rotten.  She missed her cousins Betsy Grace and Sutton, but older cousins, Patrick and Helena kept her entertained and very happy.

                            

 

 

A few days after a perfect Thanksgiving day spent with family, Brian and I were both notified of fraudulent activity on our separate credit cards....highly coincidental that we had both made itunes purchases and got hacked on the same day!  Sigh.  Oh well, we can live without a credit card for a few days while waiting for new ones.  We couldn't help but laugh at the string of incidents. 

 

And then, as if I needed one more reason to drill into my brain how LUCKY and GRATEFUL I am, I promptly dropped Brian's brand new iphone (birthday present) when he handed it to me to take a picture of Izzy doing something cute.  No case ($%#*!?!) so the screen shattered.  (Note to self, never hold anything fragile when 9 months pregnant.) This surely happened because I was dying to go to the mall to sit in the Apple Store for an hour just to learn that we have to buy a brand new phone.  (Brian thought for sure a sad puppy dog faced pregnant lady could get some kind of deal, but I am not that good).  

 

Feeling SOOO LUCKY!

 

We are researching cars and are getting very excited about having our very first NEW car. Credit cards are coming and Brian's iphone was replaced (that 2 week old phone was looking a little old anyway).  Today was the day for the version, and I actually went into it feeling great.  My two favorite doctors were going to team up and they were very optimistic that it would work!

 

After settling into the labor and delivery room and being monitored for about an hour, the docs turned on the ultrasound screen to see that the baby was head down!  The little boogar had flipped again (hopefully the last time!).  No wonder I sometimes feel like the belly is having convulsions - ha!  It was AWESOME news.  Now all we had to do was go home....and wait!

 

Brian and I both looked at each other with the same thought: things just might be turning around.  (No pun intended!)

 

It's crazy to think that December is only a few days away.  November has had lots of ups and downs, but all I can think about at the moment are the ups.  Isabelle has been as cute as ever and I have been soaking up these last weeks having her as my only child. 

We've had some fun playdates with friends....here she is with buddies Louise, William and Laine.  She showed them her new room and they all thought playing on her big bed was the best.

 We recently got together with Isabelle's "birthday buddy," John Daniel.  As we approach another birth day in our lives, I think a lot about Isabelle's entrance into the world and how fast she has grown up since that day. 

Here is John Daniel and Isabelle's first date, at just a few weeks old.

 About 7 months later...trying to hold hands?

 First dinner date at about 19 months.

 2nd birthday hugs.

And this was just a few weeks ago (2 1/2).  They are little children now!  And as cute as can be.  What fun it is to watch them grow up together.

 Isabelle is still in her book reading phase (maybe this isn't a phase?!).  Here I captured her reading books on the bench while Daddy was doing yard work. 

She has practically memorized half of her books, so it is the cutest thing to hear her "read" aloud.  She'll read the same ones over and over.

 When she's not reading, you can often find her changing diapers.  She will spend at least 30 minutes trying to do it herself before crumbling into tears as she gives up and asks for Mommy's help.  Great practice for being a big sis!

We go through lots of wipes.  Baby dolls poop all the time.

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 As November comes to a close, so does the bakement.  Below are the last of the For Goodness Cakes creations for the next few months.  Before I know it I'll be back down there baking Valentine cupcakes in February, but I am SOOOO happy for this short break!