39 week update...

I am 39 weeks pregnant!!! Wow, that seems unreal! I finally feel logistically ready...the house is clean, I have a freezer full of meals, bags for the hospital are mostly packed, the house is decorated for Christmas, and my mom is here! So I am now just enjoying the remainder of my pregnancy, for however long that may be. I am not at all like I was with Emma...where I was quite anxious to have her...I am at peace with God's timing on when this baby is to make his/her arrival!

We had an OB appointment today. It was at 11:30am, but I received a phone call at 11:22am, that my doctor was in emergency surgery and wouldn't be available for my appointment and if I could reschedule. So Shane and I went in at 4:15pm. We ended up waiting for awhile, while my doctor delivered 2 more babies...one right after the other (and there was a third baby that another doctor delivered at the same time)...so there must be some truth to that saying about when the weather changes, all the pregnant women go into labor!
As for me though, I think its gonna be a little while yet. My doctor checked me, and I am still dilated at a 2.
Baby's Heartbeat - 142bpm
Weight - 140lbs!

I had the option of having my doctor strip my membranes today (which is what she did when I was pregnant with Emma at 39 weeks and it did put me into labor and I had Emma less than 24 hours later). But I decided not to have her do it...it was extremely painful when she did it when I was pregnant with Emma and I was in pain from that moment on and I really didn't want to go through that right now, especially since I don't feel like 'I have to get this baby out'.
My doctor said to schedule another appointment with her next Monday and she would see me then, if not before! So that is where everything stands for now!
Below are 39 week belly pics:

39 weeks pregnant!

39 weeks pregnant with Emma

Next update with either be a 40 week update or news of the baby's arrival!

Thanksgiving Weekend...

We had a good Thanksgiving weekend. It was a good mixture of relaxing and getting things crossed off our list. Here is a run down of what we did over the weekend.

Wednesday morning I made a double batch of breakfast burritos to freeze. And then in the afternoon, we had the carpets cleaned, and while that was being done, Emma and I made a macaroni salad and cut up relishes and made dip to munch on during the weekend. In the evening we had to put the house back together!

Thursday we slept in. Then Shane and I tackled a double batch of runzas to freeze. You use a hot roll mix to make the dough...so its like making bread from scratch and a lot of work and standing, so Shane thankfully was up for helping me. We then enjoyed some runzas, macaroni salad and relishes for lunch. After lunch, Emma and I worked on putting up our new Christmas tree! (pictures below) Emma was quite ecstatic to have a Christmas tree, she even has her 'own' little tree in her room! We also put my nativity scene. For supper we had a rotisserie chicken from hyvee, stuffing, gravy, baked potato and yam, and apple pie (I wasn't gonna make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for just us!)

Friday, we had plans to take Emma to the festival of trees in the QC and eat Red Lobster, but after the night that we had with Emma waking up from at 1:30 am and staying awake til 5:30am, and I wasn't feeling well, we weren't up for it...plus Emma then slept til noon! Instead, we picked up around the house, and I mopped the bathroom and kitchen floors...which completed my list of cleaning and the house looks fantastic! I also put chili in the crock pot. We watched the Nebraska game and relaxed and waited for my parents to arrive. My mom and dad arrived around 6:30pm and Emma was sooo happy to see them! We spent the evening having supper and playing with Emma. After I put Emma to bed, my mom and I made a late night run to hyvee to pick up stuff to freeze meals the next day.

Saturday, Nana and Papa played with Emma. My dad headed back home around noon. My mom is now here to stay until shortly after my b-day, which is 12/14. I made 3 batches of unstuffed pepper soup and a casserole to freeze. I really don't remember much else from the day...ha!

Sunday, we went to church, then headed to the QC and ate Red Lobster for lunch. We then went to the festival of trees so Emma could see all the lights...it was a really good day!

Below are some pictures from the weekend:

Emma putting decorations on the tree

I had to spread them out a bit after she went down for a nap ;)

Emma standing with her tree

Daddy and Emma putting hooks on the ornaments to hang

Emma dancing to our musical snowman...we have heard it sing countless times already!

Our new Christmas tree decorated and ready for our very first Christmas we are spending in Muscatine. It has one gift under it already...the first gift is always my niece, Maya's. It will be 5 years ago this year that she went to spend her first Christmas with Jesus, so I never got to give her her Christmas present, so I always put in out in her loving memory!
(Shane said my tree decorating even topped much of those at the festival of trees!)

Emma watching for Nana and Papa to arrive!
(you can see the big preggo belly in the reflection in the door)

Emma giving her Nana a welcoming hug!

Papa and Emma playing

Emma telling Papa 'bye bye'

Emma and Nana were playing that Emma was gonna have a baby too...this is her belly shot!

Emma is such a 'mini-me'!

Emma's 'captain jack sparrow' look!

Emma lounging in the laundry basket, watching a little Mickey Mouse, drinking some juice!

Hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving!

38 week update...

We had our 38 week OB appointment yesterday. Things look good. Blood pressure is good. New stats are:
Baby's Heartbeat - 150's
Weight - 138.5lb (much to my dismay, I have gained some weight!)

I am not surprised I have, I am hungry all the time, for the first time in this pregnancy! I am also swollen...its the worst when I wake up in the morning, and a few days ago I couldn't get my wedding ring off, so by the afternoon I was finally able to slide it off and decided I better not chance putting it back on :( So I am wearing the first ring Shane gave me (its a half size bigger and I use to wear it on my right hand) so it fits for now!

I am also now dilated 2cm, which most of you know is nothing to get excited over. Not that I want to...I still have a week to go to make having a December baby!
I am definitely feeling quite huge these days (as you will see in the pictures below)! I am feeling like a normal 38+ week pregnant woman...back pain, braxton hicks contractions, not sleeping well, spurts of energy and nesting. This time around tho, I do feel more confident bringing home a newborn, since I know somewhat to expect. Well, that is pretty much it for now. Our next appointment is on 11/29.

38 weeks pregnant

38 weeks pregnant with Emma
Yes, I am definitely now bigger with this baby, than I was with Emma (which my hubby pointed out the other night).

Now in Nesting Mode...

So, I have been in nesting mode all week and am getting lots done! Here is some of the stuff I have accomplished:

-Finished all diaper bags and all accessories for the girl and boy diaper bags!
(yes, I made one for each and put the names on the front, I wanted them to be personalized and figured I am only out a diaper bag if I never end of using one of them) I really like how they turned out and can't wait to find out which one I get to carry! a few pics below...but not of the front with the name, of course ;)!
Each set includes a diaper bag, receiving blanket, minky blanket, quilt, nursing clip, burp cloths and a doll for the girl and monkey for the boy.

-Finished Emma's doll cradle bedding (a little blanket and pillow)! I will post pictures of it once Shane has the cradle done.

-I got all my sewing stuff gone thru, sorted and packed up and moved upstairs to our large storage closet. It was kinda sad putting my sewing machine away.

-I spent all day Friday overhauling the office! Every cabinet and drawer was gone thru! I ended up with 1 large bag of trash, and shredded 3 buckets of paper! It looks awesome!

-Saturday, Shane hung my collage of frames on my dining room wall! I love how it turned out (pic below)! He does an awesome job and to perfection! I get confused with all the measurements and fractions...just another reason I am thankful to be married to an engineer! I also hung my vinyl sign I had made to go above it. And I worked on some Christmas gifts I am finishing up. We got pizza for supper and watched the Nebraska game.

My collage of frames...I only have 4 pictures so far. I needed to see what all frames I was going to end up with before I ordered more pictures, plus I will be leaving some blank to use for the new baby! I am also planning on putting 2 more 5X7 frames on each side, but Michaels only had 1 more, so once I get the other 3 bought, we will add them to the collage.

-Today, I cleaned EVERYTHING in the kitchen. Shane took down my dishes off the top of the cabinets, I washed all of them and wiped down the top of the cabinets. I also did the same with my shelves and pot rack. I cleaned out the frig and wiped it down, I even ran my self-cleaning oven for the first time ever and it looks awesome! I got my black cabinet dusted and drawers sorted thru. The only thing left to do is mop the floors and I will get to that when I clean the bathroom and will mop everything at once. I also got the carseat cushion and cradle swing cushion washed, and the carseat put back together and ready to go!

-Shane worked on putting together Emma's kitchen this weekend. He wanted to get it done, in case a part was missing or something broke while putting it together...very smart on his part, because he was in the final steps, putting on the oven door and the shelf inside the oven split. So he called Little Tikes and they are sending us a new one, free of charge! Next weekend he will start on Emma's cradle.

We have a very busy week ahead of us, thank goodness I put everything in my ipod, cuz I can hardly remember anything these days! Tomorrow, is our 38 week OB appointment. Tuesday, I have Bible study in the morning, and Emma and I have lunch with my friend Mora-Leigh. Wednesday, we possibly have a playdate in the morning and my carpets are getting cleaned at 1pm. For Thanksgiving day, I plan to freeze some meals and relax and enjoy playing with Emma and put up our Christmas tree! Friday, we hope to take Emma to the Festival of Trees in the QC and eat Red Lobster (I have been craving it all during my pregnancy...the commercials that are always on don't help!), and we will come home and watch the Nebraska game. My mom should be arriving Saturday or Sunday! I need to get my bags packed for the hospital and we will get out the baby gear! Then I guess, we wait for baby to make his/her arrival!

I will leave you with pictures of the diaper bags and accessories...you can let me know which one you see me carrying!

Girl:
minky blanket

receiving blanket & nursing clip

I didn't make this (tho, I want to learn to crochet some day!) I ordered it off etsy.com...isn't it adorable and ending up matching everything perfectly! I ordered one for the boy (a football looking hat) but it hasn't arrived yet.

quilt...I love how it turned out!

Doll (still need a name for her...any suggestions?)
These really are a nightmare to make and very time consuming...you could never pay me enough to make them to sell...but they are cute nonetheless. I really suck at embroidering on the faces tho. Emma loves her 'Sophie' doll I made her and I also made her a matching doll, but with a brown dress, so it will go with either the boy or girl diaper bag (the dolls and/or monkey will be Christmas gifts for Emma and the baby). I actually washed Sophie for the first time this week and was afraid it wouldn't wash well...but she looks brand new!

the whole bundle! doesn't it make you want to have a girl?!?!

Boy:

burp cloths...sure makes you hope your baby spits up so you can wipe his cute face with these!

minky blanket

receiving blanket & nursing clip

meet L.J. the monkey!

quilt...I had such a hard time coming up with a design that I liked for this quilt.

the whole bundle...now doesn't it make you want to have a boy?!?!?

37 week update...

We had our 37 week OB appointment today...my doctor just measured me and checked the baby's heartbeat. Everything looks good, I am measuring on track and blood pressure is good. New stats are:
Baby's Heartbeat: 158
Weight: 135.5 lbs (same as last week)
We go back in 1 week. In terms in how I have been feeling...some days I am miserable and then I will have days that I feel pretty good (I am feeling really good after just getting a massage this afternoon). Sleep however is becoming increasing uncomfortable and its hard to fall back asleep every time I get up to go to the bathroom. Hard to believe in 3 short weeks our lives will change again! I am very humbled that God has blessed us with the opportunity to bring life into this world for the second time, its such an incredible miracle to experience! But I am also not wishing away or rushing the next 3 weeks I have left...life is relativity calm compared to what it is going to be soon and I am just soaking up all my time I have left to focus only on Emma! I am starting to get excited about finally finding out what gender this baby is and being able to share his/her name!
Here are my current belly pics:

37 weeks

this is me at 37 weeks pregnant with Emma

Good weekend...

We enjoyed our weekend at the Struckman household. It was a good mix of relaxing, fun and productiveness! Saturday, Shane and I both did lots of stuff around the house. I was able to get some sewing down...worked on the boy quilt for the diaper bag, and completed the blanket for Emma's doll cradle (that Shane is making her for Christmas) and I got the pillow form done, but still need to make the pillow cover for it. Shane did lots of little things that needed done, like tighten table and chair legs, covered Emma's chair with clear vinyl, WD-40 the front door lock and handle (it was really hard to lock and unlock), disposed of our pumpkins, got his plans and list of materials made for Emma's cradle, among other things. And Emma played and played around us while we worked. Shane also got some football watching in and I took a nice nap in the afternoon! Saturday evening we had Bible study (which was at the same time that the Nebraska game started, so Shane recorded it while we were gone and listened to it when we got home). After we put Emma to bed, we laid out all of my picture frames to figure out how to put together my collage of frames I want to do on my dining room wall. I then made my list of places we needed to go on Sunday.

I didn't sleep well at all Saturday night, so we didn't make it up soon enough to go to church. We got around and headed the QC to hit several places. We stopped at Michaels and exchanged some picture frames and picked up a few more to finish out my collage of frames. We then headed to Home Depot to check their Christmas trees and lumber. They had a tree I liked and seen on their website, but were out of stock...which was fine, I really just wanted to see what it looked like in person before I bought it, and so I ordered it last night off their website and got free shipping, so didn't cost me any extra (actually less, cuz i had a coupon code, plus i don't have to figure out where to put it in the house for the next 2 weeks til we put it up). We then stopped at Carlos O'Kellys and ate lunch, then went to Lowes where Shane picked up the lumber he needed for Emma's doll cradle. We then parked between Kohl's and Target...Emma and Shane stayed in the van while i returned a few things in Kohl's, then we all went into Target to look for Christmas decorations....unfortunately, they didn't have all the ones i saw at the Target i had went to earlier in the week, so we headed up to the other Target (but first I got a starbucks coffee!) Emma and I went in a picked out Christmas decorations, while I let Shane stay in the car and listen to football (aren't I nice? ha) By the time we were done it was 4pm and we headed home. Emma was thrilled to come home with a new wood bird house from Michaels that has doors that open (was $3.00) and a new pair of pink boots!
Our evening was pretty low key...I heated up leftover green pepper steak for supper and we relaxed. After Emma went to bed, i put the boy quilt together and pinned it and even got it quilted before i finally went to bed!
Emma was up before 5:30am this morning, so while she played, I vacuumed and picked up stuff around the house and finished the boy quilt! Now, I am off to get ready for my OB appointment at 11:30am, will update again when we get home!
I will leave you with these pics:

Emma and I in our vests...she wants to wear hers every time I do!

Emma also wanted a 'belly shot' after Shane took mine! cute!

Emma wanted to take a picture of her hair...don't know why! Silly kid!