Countdown!

Here are just a few things that are natural signs that it will be time to have your baby soon:

• When you can't reach the bottom of the kitchen sink anymore because your belly pushes you so far away from it.
• When you get out of breath just walking to get the phone in the other room.
• When everyone you encounter reminds you of your size by saying, "WOW, you are looking sooo big!!" DUH! I already knew that!!! But thanks for the reminder!
• When people ask you, "Are you sure you aren't having twins??" Again, thanks for that!
• When the color of your belly is no longer mostly flesh toned, rather the distinctive reddish purple hue of stretch marks is now predominant.
• When you deeply consider how worthwhile any activity is that requires getting out of the chair or bed.
• When you sneeze and think maybe your water broke, but it turns out that wasn't your water breaking....

March 16 is right around the corner!!!

Baby Update...

With only 4 weeks from Monday to go until delivery...things are counting down quickly at the Dyer home. I have been in full swing nesting mode. I have found myself awake at 5am working on getting things in order for baby to arrive. Here are a few of the things we have been doing and still need to do:

Done:

• Yellow & white clothing items cleaned and in drawers
• Size ONE (no, not newborn...this is a Dyer baby!) diapers in drawers
• Stroller assembled
• Childcare arranged for Jack while we are at the hospital

To Do:

• Iron, so the baby cradle is empty!
• Stock freezer meals
• Deep clean the weekend before
• Pack for the hospital
• Pedicure!!!

Baby's development is well underway as well. We had an ultrasound to check on the baby's size on Friday morning. We found out that our baby, who is currently at the end of week 34, is roughly 6 and a half pounds already. Just so you have a reference point...babies in week 34 are typically about 4 and a half pounds. So - we are two pounds ahead. With four full weeks of growing at a usual rate of a half to a full pound each week...we are estimating that this baby will again be rather large. (My uneducated guess is between 9-10 pounds).

Jack came with to the ultrasound. He had a very special chair to sit on so he could watch the baby on the tv screen. We walked him through all of the steps of what was happening, from the goo on mommy's belly to the baby he could peek at. He really liked it when he got to hear the baby sounds. Then he discovered the privacy curtain next to him and decided that it was more entertaining to play with!

We are looking very much forward to meeting this little one in just four weeks.

Proud Mama

Jack is so sweet.

Yesterday we were cuddling on our big chair. Jack loves to feel the baby. He was next to me and was rubbing my belly. The baby had hiccups. He giggled every time my belly bounced. It was adorable.

Then out of no where Jack declared, " I love baby. I love him."

Two thoughts crossed my mind:
1. Does Jack know something about this baby's gender that we don't or is it that he only understands masculine pronouns? (probably the second)
2. How remarkable. Jack has heard Jeremy and I tell him that we love him. We have told him that God loves him. We talk about love all the time. However, he has never ever declared his love for anything or anyone uncoached until today.

A tear welled up in my eye. How precious that moment was to me.

Happy Birthday Jack!

This past weekend we celebrated Jack's second birthday. I can't believe how fast time goes. I know it has only been two years...but still - two YEARS!

We have been so blessed by this little man. He is growing and learning so much. We are often amazed at what he knows and impressed by his skills.

So, two years ago - what was going on?

We started on Feb. 7th with an ultrasound. My midwife suggested that I was measuring large so she sent us to have an ultrasound. Off we went. This was our third ultrasound, so nothing new. We were excited to get a glance at "McGuire Dyer" again. When the ultrasound tech doesn't say much to you and is struggling to get a measurement on the size of the baby's head - well, that is a sign that things aren't business as usual! The doctor who could read the results of the ultrasound came into the room. She informed us that we would very likely meet our baby either on that day or very early the next day. She told us that the ultrasound could only measure a baby's growth up to 42 weeks (we were in week 39) and our baby's head and stomach was not able to be measured, as they were both developed beyond week 42. So - with the estimates they could make, they informed us that our baby would be roughly 11 pounds. She also informed us that our baby would probably have to be delivered via c-section.

Tears. Lots of tears flowed from my eyes at this point. After all, what mom prepares in her mind for a c-section? We had so diligently attended all six of those birthing classes. We even practiced the breathing exercises at home. How could we have a c-section. We prayed in the car (well, Jeremy did) and off we went to my midwife appointment.

After reviewing the results of the ultrasound, they concurred with the estimation of weight and also suggested a c-section. At this point I was still a little scared about having to have a c-section, but obviously wanted to hear more about it. They sent in Dr. Malik, who would be the one to deliver our baby. He assured me that it was the safest route for our baby and for me. He also said that if we tried to labor with this baby, it could end up with an emergency C to get baby out anyhow. Now feeling very assured, much more relaxed and at ease, it was the obvious decision. We looked at the schedule. We considered delivering that day, but I had been chewing gum - so that meant no anesthesia. 7am the next morning it was.

Waiting until the next morning was the best thing for us. We were able to process all of the information a bit more. We could go home, be sure everything we needed was packed, call our family and share the news, and most importantly - get a good nights sleep. Surprisingly, we did sleep well.

We were off to the hospital at 4:40am in order to arrive at 5 to get prepped for surgery. We were greeted in our hospital room by flowers and a gift left by our dear friends. What an encouragement. I think that is when it hit me. I was officially going to have a baby to hold in my arms in just a few hours. Life change.

After a "costume change," several attempts to get an IV in, and a few other surgery preps we were off to the operating table for a spinal. I couldn't feel anything from my ribs down. A little while later, our sweet Jack was born. Dr. Malik lifted him up and announced, "It's a boy!" Off he went to be weighed, cleaned up and warmed up.

As we recovered in our room, Jeremy and I got to hold and love this sweet miracle in our arms. What a joy. What a difference one day makes in your life. As a matter of fact, Jeremy and I were trying to remember what we did with our free time before we had Jack in our lives...it was hard to remember.

Thank you so much dear Lord for our Jack. We are so grateful for this gift.

Quarter Quest

Since 1999 when the first of the "Statehood Quarters" rolled off the line, I have been collecting them. It was easier to do when I first started because I was employed by a bank...so I could just check through the change and pull aside quarters I was missing. It was great when brand new, uncirculated quarters would come in from our coin order.

As I have been collecting them - it hasn't been enough for me to just find one of each quarter. If I did that, my collection would be complete. Instead I collect two. The Federal Reserve has minted these coins in two locations - Denver and Philadelphia. As such, there is a little "P" or a little "D" on the back of each one of these quarters. It just so happens that here in Minnesota we usually only get the coins minted in Denver. As such, my coin collection in the past few years has been lacking some "P's."

As of right now, my quarter collection is short 13 quarters. Here are the quarters I am currently missing:

2003 - P - Illinois
2004 - P - Florida
2004 - P - Iowa
2006 - P - Colorado
2006 - P - South Dakota
2007 - P - Montana
2007 - P - Washington
2007 - P - Wyoming
2008 - P - Oklahoma
2008 - P - New Mexico
2008 - P - Arizona
2008 - P - Alaska
2008 - P - Hawaii

If you ever run across one, circulated or uncirculated, I am willing to exchange with you!

:)