Preparations

There's a lot of preparations in the Russell household this week! On Tuesday, we went and picked up two eager boys for a few days this week while I was off! We went to Target and did EPIC school supply shopping! WOWSERS does that stuff get expensive! I think the companies just lure you in with their pencils for a quarter and paper for less than that. What they don't tell you is amidst the cheapness, they've jacked up the prices of things that used to be a reasonable cost...like backpacks. Anyone bought a backpack lately? Seriously? $40 for a good quality one? Ridiculous!

After the marathon shopping spree, we were all pretty worn out! We came home and decided to red box it for the night. We watched Rango, ate yummy popcorn, and fell asleep almost as soon as the movie ended! One of the most precious things that happened before the movie time was the discovery of Olivia's bed and all the gear that has trickled into our house over the last 2 weeks. I found Andrew looking through it several times saying "It's So SMALL!" and "Is it time yet for her to come? I want to hold her!"

Wednesday, we stuffed ourselves with pancake and bacon yumminess and headed out to Olivia's weekly check up. The boys got to watch her dance around on sonogram. She, in true diva fashion, put her hand over her face as if to say "Please, no more pictures!" It was hilarious! After the appointment, we went bowling and then came back to the house to enjoy the air conditioning. I'm telling you, 28+days of 100 degrees or higher is not pleasant for anyone!

As far as Miss Olivia is concerned, she is growing wonderfully! This week, she weighs a whopping 5lb, 2oz and her length/head measure about 36 weeks. I am not dilated or effaced yet, so all the fun contracting that she's been doing hasn't led to any progress yet. Tis okay though, the girl has time to cook! :) The doctor is watching her closely because of my multitude of blood disorder fun, but she's taking it like a champ. I have no doubt that she'll come when she's good and ready. After nights like last night where she doesn't do anything but wrestle around and endure contractions all night, I'm hoping that's sooner rather than later, but we're really in no rush.

I am still in shock that Monday is the first day of August. Where does the time go? UGH! The reality of our growing family is upon me and I can't WAIT to meet Olivia, but I'm also hesitant...if that makes sense :)

Guess I should get on with my day...the next few are busy ones! Thanks for praying for my family!

Protection, both inside and out

As Olivia gets larger and decidedly more opinionated, I'm convinced she is my tiny little patience tester. I, of course, was the most angelic and perfect child, never once testing my parents patience. I'm certain they took one look at that head full of red curls and thought to themselves "This child is the supreme example of good behavior." Okay, now that I'm done crouching beneath the table for fear of lightening strikes, I'll continue.

Olivia LOVES to move. She's hardly ever still. I don't know where she's going to find the strength to sleep all day as a newborn, but I eagerly anticipate this time. She spends my waking hours rotating her rear end from the right side of my diaphram and ribs to the center and back again. She's quite the acrobat. There are times during the day when I have to lay down or sit up absolutely perfectly straight or I can't breathe. I have a beautiful lop-sided stomach, but then again, that's okay.

I think every parent worries about how to raise the gift that God has blessed them with. I know I do. I worry that I won't be a good example to Jacob, Andrew, and now Olivia. I worry that I won't be able to keep them safe and protected from the evils of the world until they are able to discern for themselves what is good vs evil. While Olivia grows inside me, I can protect her. She is formed enough now that all her parts are working well and could survive outside of my protective cave. There's a large part of me that wishes I could keep here inside, safe and sound. So what that I can't breathe? Or go for an hour without peeing? Or sleep without a pillow fortress? Or wear clothes without pregnancy panels (although I may never want to give those up anyway....SO comfy!)?

This is not what we have been charged to do as Christians. This is:

Psalm 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Deut 4:9: "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."

Whew! Scary, but if we want the next generation to fear the Lord, this is our charge. I pray every day (and multiple times during the day!) that I will do these things for these three little ones. They are only ours for a season, and Jason and I's desire is to train them to not just know of the Lord, but to KNOW HIM. It's an important task. Your continued prayers would be appreciated.

Beautiful girl

She is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I can't stop looking at her pictures. Her daddy is in awe of how much she looks like her brothers. I am in awe that this amazingly and perfectly put together human is living inside me.

She is a feisty one, to say the least. She LOVES to push her rear end under my rib cage on the right side. She won't put it back down until I give it a reassuring pat and then she calms. She spends her days kicking my ribs and generally making me out of breath. It's a torture I am willing to endure to bring this gift into the world.

She's 34 weeks on Tuesday, ready to make her appearance in 4-6 weeks. Wow. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that I spent hours feeling my stomach, willing her to move so I could feel her. Now, in just the time it has taken to type this blog, I've been kicked and prodded at least 5 times. She is about to change her daddy, brothers, and my life forever. Wow. I'm at a loss for words.

Busy Busy Busy!

Whew! It's been a crazy few days, but I'm not really certain that it's going to calm down any time soon. The weekend was a good one. We had lunch with my family on Sunday, including my sister and niece who were still in town. I picked the two of them up early Monday morning for some sister fun! We went shopping and just rambled around town. Kim had requested Jason make his divine biscuits and gravy for dinner, so we just hung out after the shopping, enjoying pool time and delicious food. I took her to the airport Tuesday morning for her flight back home. Unfortunately, that flight was diverted due to weather and it took her MUCH longer to get back to her husband and home, but she's safely there now.

Yesterday afternoon, Jason and I traipsed once again to the doctor's office for a visit and a sonogram check up of our sweet little girl. Since I am high risk due to my clotting disorders, the doctor wanted to check my placenta and umbilical cord to ensure there aren't any issues there. The sonographer was amazing and even switched over to the 4D view since we hadn't been able to catch little miss sneaky with our two other attempts. He called it the "Tuesday afternoon special"! We learned that our daughter is now head down and no longer breech! She decided to move on her own...what a huge blessing! :) She weighs 4 1/2 lbs and looked abolutely perfect. The images we saw of her beautiful face brought tears to both Jason and I's eyes as we saw her smoosh her sweet little face against the uterine wall. We got to see her breathing and opening and closing her mouth. The sonographer had a student with him so they were looking once again at all her important parts and finding that she truly is fearfuly and wonderfully made. In our meeting with the doctor, he is moving me now to once a week doctor visits with sonograms at each visit. He said he will NOT be letting me go past the 40 weeks, but would rather me deliver between 38-40. He doesn't want to have to induce labor because he'd rather let her come on her own, a plan that Jason and I both were very happy to hear. I continue to be thankful that we found this doctor when we needed to switch from my previous Dallas doctor. He really has a personal interest in his patients and their children.

I am working the rest of this week-Wed/Thurs/Friday and then off the weekend. I think the boys will be coming over in the next day or so, so we'll be able to have some fun times with them while I'm not working those few days! Yippee! I'm hoping to get some school supply shopping done in the next week or so, but we'll see. Andrew is going to a brand new school this year, and I'm not quite sure of his list yet. I LOVE to shop for school supplies, which is partly why we didn't just buy the school supply pack through the PTA! Jacob will be going to HIGH SCHOOL where they have no lockers and he gets to carry around his supplies in a back pack. I'm certain that will be an interesting situation. I'm guessing we're not going to know much of what he needs beyond the basics until after school starts. It's so amazing to see these sweet boys growing up and becoming young men.

I keep reading in my pregnancy emails that Miss Olivia's movement will be less as she continues to gain weight. I haven't noticed this yet. This little 4.5lb spitfire has become even more active if this is possible. I'm convinced she's just doing the opposite of what the "norm" is. I have no idea where she's received this trait. Mysterious.

Guess I should go think about something productive today. HA! Thanks for tuning in.

A week's adventures

It has been busy around here, but then again, when is it not? I worked Tuesday through Friday of last week, then Jason and I went to my grandma's in Wimberley, then back home for a few days of rest before more work!

We had a great time at Grandma's house for the 4th of July! We left here on Saturday afternoon and traversed down by way of the kolache bakery of course! On Sunday, we had the opportunity to go with Grandma to the church patriotic service (complete with community band!) and the VFW Rodeo. The 4th was a lazy day, complete with TV fireworks (stupid burn ban)and grilling. We came home on Tuesday afternoon. The boys were with their mom for the 4th, but I know both of us wished they could experience the fun at grandma's. We played Catchphrase, ate ourselves silly, and just relaxed! Hopefully, they will get to enjoy the Goodman mayhem soon! We were all together for Andrew's birthday this year, and both boys had a great time!

We've actually gotten a lot accomplished since we got home on Tuesday. I've been meaning to clean out the area where Olivia will be sleeping, but just haven't had the time or energy. I got a renewed burst when we got home and folded all the laundry, cleaned the window sills and baseboards, and put all the junk away! Jason moved furniture, vacuumed, and put together her bed so we now have a place for our sweet little girl to sleep! I think my next step is to start organizing all her clothes and getting them washed! I have at least started thinking about the hospital bag and maybe that will get done in the next week or so.

My hours at work got switched around again, and I'm back to working 12 hour shifts. I'm not really sure what I think about this yet, but I do know that I'll be happy to only be working 3 shifts a week most of the time. I will have to pick up 1 weekend a month, but since those days are short, it won't be too terribly bad. My director has been great to do the schedule so I will normally only do 2 long days in a row. I have no idea when this little girl will decide she wants to come be with us, but I do know I do not have any intention of working myself into a labor situation! I am thankful for a low stress job that I get to sit down as much as I need to!

Since the 4D machine was broken last week, we won't be able to get that view of our little girl, but we will still get to see her sweet self on Tuesday. My OB is considering me "high risk" because of the blood clotting fun, and just wants to check to make sure everything looks ok. I don't have any problem with that! :)

Kimberly is in town until Tuesday! I'll probably go fetch her from Grandma's on Monday morning for a sleep-over and then to the airport on Tuesday morning. We had the opportunity to play with sweet little Aubrey in Wimberley this weekend and see the wonderful momma that Kim is. She is such a good baby! Her favorite toys of the weekend were a plastic spoon and a sponge! She's a cheap one!

Whew! It seems overwhelming when I go back and read all that's happened over the last week! Please keep praying for our little family...the prayers are greatly appreciated!