Update...almost 38 weeks

I'll be 38 weeks tomorrow. Saw my midwife yesterday. I'm 90% effaced and a little more dilated-- 2 plus cm. Having periodic bouts of cramping and/or some painful contractions, but nothing very regular. Then I sometimes go for hours or even days of things being pretty calm. I do feel like it will be "soon." But it's anyone's guess really.

Update...Almost 37 Weeks

Just a quick update. Tomorrow I'll be 37 weeks. Saw my midwife yesterday and I'm dilated to 2cm. (I shouldn't have been surprised as I've been dilated at least that much or more by this point with all of my pregnancies.) Thank you all for praying this past week. After today I'll be in the clear for a water birth, as well as any possible concerns that the baby would arrive a little too early. On a side note, my midwife mentioned that I sure have a lot of amniotic fluid (which is great apparently--means the kidneys are working well)--but with a chuckle, she said to look out when my water breaks! Let's hope I'm not in the mall when that happens. Nah, actually I don't really care. I'm just excited for the whole thing.

Ha! This reminds me...when my water broke with Emily, we were at home and I had a nice gusher splattering all over the wood floor. I said to Wade "OK, grab your stuff--here we go!" He paused, and with a puzzled look on his face asked me if I was sure I didn't just pee my pants! "Yes, I'm sure" I told him. Somehow we just know these things.

Pregnancy Update: 35 & 1/2 Weeks

I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow. (Or Friday, depending on when you calculate from.) This past week I had a few days where I had a marked increase in the number of contractions I was having. (Not alarmingly so, but a definite increase from before--enough to make me lie down and take it easy.) Looking back at my notes from Nathan & Emily's pregnancies, I noticed a similar pattern with them. And by this point in the pregnancy with Nathan, I was dilated to 1 cm, and by my 36 week checkup, with both Emily & Nathan, was dilated to 2-3 cm (& 80% & 50% effaced, respectively.) [I can't compare things with Abby as she was another story altogether--I actually did have pre-term labor with hospitalization starting at around 28-30 weeks.] I've not had anything considered pre-term labor with any of the others.

I had a prenatal visit with my midwife yesterday. I'm 50% effaced (that means the cervix is thinning)--which my midwife said is beautiful and actually just perfect at this point with a 4th baby. And I was relieved to hear that I'm not dilated at all yet. I'm planning a water birth and learned that I need to make it to 37 weeks or they won't let me birth in the water. So, I just need to lay low for another 8-9 days and then I'm in the clear. And if I last longer than that--great! I'm in no rush.

I'd appreciate your prayers that my body will stay "quiet" until at least the end of next week when I'm 37 weeks. (Or beyond!)

Wrapped in Love

Did some packing today--a little suitcase of what we'll bring to the hospital. (It may sit for a month, but I'd rather be ready than rushed.) One of the things I packed is this sweet rag blanket that my mom made for baby. :)

Also, can I just say that I love my new burner?...and not the kind on the stove! As I type, I'm listening to the Birth CD I just made from itunes. Woo-hoo!!! As I listen, it simultaneously makes me want to dance around and raise my hands in the air in praise to God...and fall on my face in worship.

I always like seeing what songs others list as their favorites--gives me a window into who they are. So, here are the songs I included:

1) Grace Like Rain (Todd Agnew)
2) You Are Everything (Matthew West)
3) One Pure and Holy Passion (Passion Worship Band)
4) Mighty to Save (Laura Story)
5) I will Lift My Eyes (Bebo Norman)
6) Brave (Nichole Nordeman)
7) All I Need (Bethany Dillon)
8) Glorified (Jared Anderson)
9) Here is Our King (David Crowder Band)
10) Give Me Your Eyes (Brandon Heath)
11) Legacy (Nichole Nordeman)
12) He's Always Been Faithful (Sara Groves)

Any here that you like too?

During labor, I tend to like more powerful and energetic music compared to others. (Most people seem to choose all mellow or soothing, but for the most part--that's not me.) I was going to include Love the Lord and Everyday by Lincoln Brewster...but decided maybe they were a little too energetic. So I'll put them on my running CD come Spring!

Belly Shots

Nothing to noteworthy to say...just an update. I feel like I'm nearing the finish line. This coming week will mark 34 weeks. Time has flown by this time around. And, except for the first trimester, I have really enjoyed this pregnancy. I have gratitude in my heart as I think back to a few years ago when we were going through infertility (perhaps one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced)...and now look what God has done. We plan for this to be our last baby, and I've been trying to just take it all in.

As I've said before, I always like to have things done by around 36 weeks, to be ready if this baby follows suit like the others and comes a couple weeks early. Made my To-Do list the other day, and when I checked it today I realized I don't have too much left. Just lots of little things to finish up...

1) Birth CD--should be done soon. (We found a good deal on a burner, and someone taught me how to download songs off of i-tunes.)
2) Dressers--we've got several good options--may even get one for baby AND a bigger one for Nathan. Woot! (Thanks to those who've helped out here.)
3) Hospital pre-registration: almost done. Will hand it in at my check-up this week.
4) Birth Plan--done and typed.
5) Childcare during hospital stay--working on. Almost figured out.
6) Baby layette--out and folded. All the greens & yellows, and then some each of pink and blue since we don't know which. Need to stain-treat items that oxidized and now have yellow spots. May be a lost cause. :( Any good suggestions? (I've heard Oxy-clean's supposed to work, but I don't think it did for this kind of thing last time I tried. LadyD--you got any tricks?)
7) Took some belly shot pictures, as you can see. Abby's been asking to do those, as well as a few others who live far away and wanted a visual update. :) Wade took the one of the kids and me, and Abby took the one of just me.

What's left...
1) pack for me, baby, and kids. (Will let Wade do his own...nah, on second thought--he waits until the last minute. I'll do his, too.)
2) And I'd like to experiment with our camera a bit more. Still getting the hang of the different functions and settings.

Oh, there are a few other little things I suppose, but nothing else worth mentioning. I will say--the nesting's still going strong. Most recently got the junk drawer and the "tupperware" drawer cleaned out and organized. And can I just say how much I am enjoying my decluttered house? Others might not notice a huge difference, but I can tell. Wade has commented on it, too. It feels good to have gotten rid of excess. And the kids seem to be enjoying their toys more, too.

Now if I could just get rid of this nightly insomnia...oh well. This too shall pass.

That's all for now folks.

A Labor of Love...in search of music and a dresser

I've entered week 32 of my pregnancy. The nesting and preparations are in full swing now. Just wrote my birth plan this morning. Soon I'll take out the newborn clothes and wash them up so they are ready and waiting. (I should probably mention that the previous three kiddos all arrived between 36-38 weeks, so I always feel an urgency to have things completed by week 36, not week 40.)

And next on the agenda is making a birth music CD. I've been making a list of songs I've heard on KTIS that I'd like to download and put onto a CD. I don't think our computer has this capability (we don't even have a burner), plus I don't know where to begin or which sites offer the best deals/programs for downloading music legitimately.

I was wondering if any of the local folks might be willing to help me put together my CD?

Also, one last request--I'd like to find some sort of dresser to use for Baby. (Or one to use for one of the other kids, and then I'd pass theirs on to Baby.) I had checked Craig's List a while back, and will start doing so again. And if I don't find something I like, I can always use the open shelves of the changing table for a while. (Just not ideal.) I may even break down and buy a new one from IKEA. (Love that store!) I was just wondering if anyone by chance had a dresser they were wanting to sell or get rid of? Just thought I'd mention it.

Thanks for considering!

It's a What?!

Yesterday the Crim girls were over for lunch. A discussion ensued about the gender of our baby who's due in February. Everyone cast their vote: Karin--girl, Kara Jo--boy, and Nathan--"I think it's a goldfish!"

This reminds me of when Jen was pregnant with Karin. They weren't finding out the gender, but Jay was praying hard for a sister. After she was born and he discovered it was a girl, he wondered out loud "What if I prayed for a baby kangaroo?!"

P.S. Yesterday marked 30 weeks for me!

It Aint Easy...

What is it? A blue marshmallow? A sack of flour? A pile of melted something-or-other? Nope. Just a pregnant mommy...

It's tough work growin' a human. Sometimes one just needs a rest from it all.

Toddler Brain

Nathan looked at the ultrasound picture below in the previous post and asked if that was baby. (He had been @ the ultrasound with us, and so we'd already been through all this a few times.) Yes, it was, I told him. I explained again that this is the baby in mommy's tummy. Surprised, he asked "Did it pop out?!"

Introducing...

Introducing Baby Prestrud#4! We had our 20 week ultrasound today. (I'm 21 weeks.) Baby looks great and I'm measuring right on target. That's all the information you're going to get, though, as we avoided any gender-identifying angles. (We've been surprised with all of our babies so far.) We don't have a scanner, so the photo is one Wade took of the ultrasound screen with our camera. We never got any good views of the face, but this was a good shot of the whole body profile.

Also, can I just say that I love my midwife. Even though she's typically off on Sundays (but still does all her other patients' deliveries the other 6 days of the week) she said if I wanted, to feel free to have her paged even on a Sunday, too. (That she'd come as soon as soon as she was done with church.) I could have hugged her.

She's Baaack!

After 6 days of the stomach flu without feeling any better...can I just say PRAISE THE LORD FOR IV FLUIDS!!! Never have I been so grateful in all my life to be poked with a needle.

This morning Wade called me from the farm (he's working there today) to inform me that his dad has the same thing there--for cows--should I need more. Wade also informed the nurse yesterday that he's given those IV fluids to cows lots of times. And while nauseas Kara is sitting there, we all got the hear the details of how they have to put cow IV's in through the neck--and really stab 'em in good since they have tough skin...and how one time a cow's heart rate was through the roof and the cow's heart started pumping blood back up into the IV. Yuck yuck yuck. The more I informed my dear husband that his commentary wasn't helping, the more he talked.

After a while, I suggested Wade and Nathan go play at the park across the street from the clinic while I had my second bag of fluids. I had a nice half hour of peace and quiet. Upon their return, Wade got more dirty looks from the nurse when he asked me if I was going to go for my evening jog that night.
"Absolutely NOT!" the nurse told him.
Gotta love hubbies, don'tcha?

Actually, to Wade's credit, he's had to pick up a lot of the slack while I've been sick. Honey, I really did appreciate you feeding the kids, doing the dishes, and picking up each day--even if it was begrudgingly. :) Love you.

Anyone wanna go out for pizza? Mmmm...turkey and mashed potatoes sound good, too. I've missed out on a week's worth of cravings here.

What Gives?

I've had it with losing my hair. For me, pregnancy has always been the one time I have nice shiny, thick hair. None of it falls out until I'm 4 months post partum. (Then look out.) Not with this baby. I've got a forest growing on my bathroom floor. And I'm secretly afraid I'll then get a double whammy when it comes to post partum. Alopecia here I come. Yes, I'm pouting big time.

And my face? I've struggled with acne since I was 14, (that's 20 years in case anyone's counting) but again, pregnancy is the one time my face is usually clearer. This time around I seemed to have invited the round-the-clock pimple brigade. Even had one on the end of my nose last week. I introduced myself to my neighbors with "hi, my name is Rudolph." I've also got a big 2 inch discolored patch (bleached--not dark!) that I can't even seem to cover with foundation.

Yes, I know. It's all worth it. Just allow me my moment here.

OK Then...

We've got a quirky neighbor. Everyone has one, don't they? I don't see this one much. In fact, I'm not sure of her name...Jan maybe. She's got a little maimed poodle that she pulls around in a little red wagon. Anyway, she's quite the talker, but very friendly.

Jan heard recently that we're pregnant with #4. With enthusiasm she replied "Oh I had four!" (Cool, somebody who understands.) Then she went on with something on the order of this:

"Yeah...don't know what I was thinking. He was my toughest, that #4. Biggest baby. Big and fat and rolly polly. Never had any hair, either. Toughest to handle, too. And then he even went and became a Republican. Black sheep of the family." (Shakes head.)

OK then...thanks for the uplifting words, Jan. :)

First OB Appointment

Had my first OB appointment on Tuesday. I'm seeing a Midwife this time around--Fern Aspen, a wonderful Christian woman whom I've known for a couple of years now. (I first got to know her by being with Jen during her labor with Karin, and then started seeing her myself for various female issues.) Though I really liked the male OB's I've had in the past, I've noticed a difference already with having a midwife. She took the time to ask me what kind of labor and delivery I would hope to have. She asked what was helpful or unhelpful in my past deliveries, etc. Midwives also tend to take more time to treat the whole person and I really appreciate this.

Did have a little scare during the appointment. No matter what they tried, they couldn't find the heartbeat. At almost 11 weeks, they knew they should be able to hear it. Fern told me not to worry--she could see the heartbeat on the doppler, but just to be on the safe side she wanted me to have another ultrasound. (She also said this happens frequently with mothers in subsequent deliveries--more room in the uterus, etc.) After reiterating to the doctor in the ultrasound room that I knew my dates weren't off, sure enough he did indeed find the heartbeat right away. A beautiful sight to this anxious mommy! Baby was doing a little jig in there, wiggling and moving its arms and legs up and down. I fell in love all over again. Incidentally, when I looked back at my pregnancy journal for Nathan, I read that they had trouble finding his heartbeat at about this time also. I'd forgotten that.

Lastly, I mentioned to my midwife that I'm training to become a doula. She was so excited, telling me I'd be great at that. (Quite a confirmation coming from her, a professional I respect.) She said as soon as I receive my certification, she wants to add me to Stillwater's list of doulas that they hand out to all the pregnant mommies. Also, again without my asking, she mentioned that she'd like to help me gain the hours and experience I'll need before certification by attending births at Stillwater--by recommending me to patients. I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic response from her, and I felt so grateful. Things are starting to come together.

I had just been praying about finances to attend the $300 workshop here in August, and the Lord provided. (One third of it came from cashing in a bucket of change we've been saving up--it pays to save coins!) I also asked Fern if it's still reasonable to attend births while I am pregnant. She said absolutely, as long as I know and express my limits. That was another question I'd specifically been praying about--had wondered if I'd need to put the training on hold yet again. But it seems the doors are opening up. I'm excited!

Hugs Across the Miles!

I received a very sweet care package today from a company called "Cotton Babies" via my dear friend Danielle from Indiana. Preggie Pop Drops and Organic Morning Wellness Tea w/ ginger. I feel loved. Abby & Emily couldn't get over the technically naked pregnant lady on the front of the tea container. LOL.

Thank you, Danielle!!!

Also today, Naomi recommended Gin-Gins (a sweet candy with ginger.) And I've found peppermint to help. What's your favorite morning sickness/all day sickness cure?

Addendum: today (Tues.) Naomi brought me some Gin-Gins. I'm really feelin' the love. Thank you Naomi!

Dear Erin...

You are a gem. I feel so honored and blessed that you & Shirley Jean would drive all this way to bring us a meal and fold my ratty underwear. I am truly humbled and grateful.

It was a breath of fresh air to have you here. (All except for the spit-up waftage. LOL.) I loved the company and the conversation. Thank you, Erin!


Love,
Kara Jo & Baby

Getting Into the Spirit of Things

(This post is from the other day)


They all gave birth to their beach balls today.

Emily pointed out that everyone was pregnant in this house, except for God.

Abby wants to know what it's called when you have seven babies at once.

Responses

Alright, Erin & Carla, you asked for more :)

A few of the comments & responses from the fam...

Emily (age 6): "Mama, I was hoping you would have a baby, and my dream came true!"

Nathan (age 2): "Where is it, Mama?" (Inspecting my tummy.) "Is she (we don't know the gender) just a widdow-tiny-bit, wike de Itsy Bitsy Spider?" (Does hand motions to demonstrate.)

Abby (age 7): "Oh mom, I can already see the baby making your tummy stick out a little!" Um, no, that would just be my tummy leftover from the previous 3 of you.
Abby also asked me randomly a few weeks ago, before she even knew about the pregnancy, "Hey Mom, how big does your v_____ have to get to pop out a baby? 'Bout like this?" (Used hands to make a baseball sized circle.) Yeah, about like that I told her.

Wade (age 35): "I can't wait until you start showing." I then asked if he was excited about baby. "VERY!" He confirmed. He'd also told me "I can't wait until this bugger joins the other little buggers."
Me, too, Honey.

More Labor and Delivery :)

I've mentioned before that Abby and Emily have always loved playing labor and delivery. Usually they themselves are the ones with dollies stuffed under their shirts as they coach one another through their 5 minute immaculate labors.

The other night they were playing labor and delivery again--but this time, Barbie style. I wish I had taken a picture...Barbie lying in bed with little cribs next to her, a makeshift bassinette warmer, items for examining a newborn baby, and even a waiting room with chairs & coffee table.

They say children model what they live--this goes for playing, too. I guess that would be accurate, as they just found out this past week that there will be a new addition to our family in 7 months!
That's right...we're going to increase the population of Hudson by one more.

Baby Prestrud #4 is scheduled to arrive at the end of February! We had an ultrasound last week, and little Peanut looked very much like the 7 week ultrasound picture above. Just a little bean with a blinking heartbeat. We brought the girls along for the occasion, and announced the good news to them at the Doctor's/Midwife's office.

Yay! :)