3 Years today!

I can hardly believe that Josh and I have already been married for 3 years. We've now been married longer than we dated (which before seemed like forever!)

With all the change that is about ready to happen in our family I wanted to take a minute to reflect.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband. I feel like lately all I'm doing is asking him to do stuff or get stuff for me because it hurts to stand up. Instead of complaining he gets up and does it for me, no questions asked.

He is a wonderful man of God and continues to try and grow in that relationship. In fact, whenever we have a typical married couple fight and I try and say something hurtful about his character that I wish he would change, instead of reacting he'll usually say something along the lines of, "You know, you're right. I do want to work on that." Then I just feel bad. He genuinely wants to become a better man and better example of Jesus Christ. I love that about him. It's probably the number one thing about him that drew me to him in the first place. (besides his ruggedly handsome looks. :))

Another thing I love about Josh---he puts up with me. I can be such a pain sometimes. He deals with my obsessive cleaning. Our routine on Saturday is cleaning our whole apartment and he usually does the kitchen and the living room while I do the bathrooms and the bedrooms. We meet in the middle and then are done. I usually sleep in longer than he does and when I get up he's already working on the kitchen. I know this doesn't come naturally to him so every time I see him doing this I am just floored that he knows that I appreciate the help and it's all for me. Last Saturday after Christmas I was too tired and just didn't want to clean. He still cleaned the kitchen.

Josh makes me laugh so often and I truly enjoy his company. I'd rather hang out with him than anyone else. He also keeps me on my toes...I never know what he's going to shout out in the middle of his sleep and it always makes me laugh. Last night he shook me awake and said, "Babe, you've gotta see this!!!" I had no idea what he was talking about. I responded, "see what..?" Then he just sat there for a few minutes and said, "it.......it...........it must have been in my dream" I still don't know what he was so excited about. When I see him later today and ask him about it, I'm pretty sure he'll have no clue what I'm talking about.

I'm so excited for this next chapter in our lives having another person in our family. I have no doubt in my mind that Josh will be an amazing father. I can't wait to see them together. I already enjoy seeing him with our neices and some of the kids I've babysat in the past. He is great with kids and I can't wait to see him with his own child.

I love you, Josh! Happy Anniversary!

37 Week Appointment

So today the biggest news to report is she felt my tummy and was feeling the baby and she said, "I'd say it's about at an 8" I had no clue what she meant and she said, "8 pounds." So I immediately was a little freaked out and just thought outloud, "WOW, already 8 pounds?" She told me not to worry that they don't grow that much more at this point on. Thank goodness.
I am glad everything looks healthy still. The heartbeat was at 130 again, that is tending to be around the norm unless Viper is super active when they're taking the heartbeat. (getting up to about 160, even! I think he or she takes after Daddy and is going to love the gym.)
She said most people in their first pregnancys go the week after so to plan something really fun for the 18th so I'm not mad that I don't have a baby yet. Sometime around the 19th to the 24th. I'm hoping it's the 23rd, then the birthday will be 1/23 which is a fun number.
I've been getting TONS of Braxton Hicks contractions. Some of them aren't bad, some hurt quite a bit, but still not worse than my Ciatica. Today I was at the mall and had one and I was just kinda holding my belly up, walking along. Some lady came up to me and was like, "ARE YOU OK!?" I guess it looks worse than it is.
All my hopes and dreams about having my baby before today are pretty much over...I was really banking on an early baby so we could have a tax deduction for the rest of the year. I guess we'll just have to wait until next year.

36 Week Appointment!

YAY! I made it to the 36 week mark! Basically I can only have a baby at the birth center from 36 weeks to 42 weeks. Anything besides that and I would have to go to the hospital. I'm actually a little nervous because now that I'm at 36 weeks I'm totally expecting to go ANY time. I told Josh he needs to help me back to reality that I'm not really due for another 4 weeks and it could easily be 5 or 6. I'm in a bit of denial.

So today I had an appointment at the Birth Center. Today it was a bit more eventful. When the midwife was feeling my belly she said, "Oh, there's a Braxton Hicks Contraction!" I said, "THAT was one?" So I've been having those for months, now. Saturday I started to get them in a lower place and they hurt a lot more, I'm thinking real contractions? I thought I was just finally getting Braxton Hicks contractions. She explained that when my belly tightens up and she can't feel the baby is a Braxton Hicks. I just thought that whole time Viper was stretching out and being naughty. (Which he still does, but it's a little different.) She also couldn't quite tell if the baby was head down or not, because the back/bottom was so hard and she could move it around she thought that might be the head. So she did a surprise ultrasound just to make sure! That was a fun surprise. I got to see the head and the heartbeat and some tiny fingers. The duck was still in there; I'm starting to be a little paranoid that our baby is part duck. Turns out the baby actually is head down and everything looks good. I have a theory that the baby already dropped and that made it hard to find the head. I have tons of room at the top. I keep trying to tell Viper to take up some space up there to give the rest a break, but she just doesn't listen.
They also did the swab test for B Strep or something? Which totally hurt and it was just like a Q-tip. I have no idea how I'm going to handle pushing a huge baby out. I guess we'll get to that when it happens.

I had many, many more contractions today, too. I'm thinking I should actually time them, but I don't feel like it yet. Too much work. I was actually joking with Josh about waking up and finding a baby in our bed. Wouldn't that be weird? I don't think I'll actually sleep through it, but wouldn't that be nice?

I'm actually not quite ready for the baby to come yet. I still have a lot of cleaning to do. So she'll just have to wait.

34 Week Appointment

Today was my 34-week appointment. I was glad to see somebody because my body has been in a lot of pain since Wednesday. I tried to tell myself it was Viper acting up because we were travelling home for Thanksgiving, and once we got home and back into our regular routine she would do a lot better.
At first it was mostly just tons of kicking. I think my Starbucks coffee
was a little too strong for little Viper. Then I think he somehow moved into a sideways position and it was very uncomfortable. By Sunday night I could barely walk. My tailbone has been really painful, and now right where my hip-flexer is has been sore. I thought I actually pulled a muscle somehow, but apparently it's Ciatica.

A couple of days ago I developed "dead leg" and can't really move it at all. So I look like I'm in a lot of pain. I can't go out in public because random strangers come up to me and ask me if I'm ok, if I'm going into labor. Then other times it's completely fine. (Ok, usually the fine parts don't last too long, but I am trying to be optimistic.)
I've also started getting swollen ankles. It's actually been a little bit better lately because I can't really walk. Standing or walking is what makes them swollen. So since I'm sitting all day, it's not too bad lately.













My last appointment I was all excited because I only gained 1/2 a pound. Then two days later I weighed myself again and in those two days I had already gained 4 pounds. So two weeks after my last appointment I have put on a whole 9 pounds. They commented on it, but didn't make me feel as bad as last time. She just said not to do that every time.


She also said that the baby sounded really good. She showed me where all the body parts were. Of course Viper is already completely turned around, but that is ok. The good news is that she is still head down! I was nervous she flipped and that is why I felt all cramped. The midwife said he could have turned sideways causing a lot of these problems, but the baby is in a really good position. I also have a prescribed massage and chiropractor visit. I'm excited about having to do this, 1: it will be awesome, 2: it might help me feel normal again, but on the downside we can't really afford either of these right now. She gave me a few other tips on how to help it just at home, but she said, ultimately I need to see a chiropractor.
Well, that's all for now. I have to force myself to go make dinner and then lay on the couch all night.

Things I'm Thankful For This Thanksgiving...

This Thanksgiving was extra special this year, since we won't get to go home for Christmas, it was kind of a "joint holiday." Nonetheless, I decided I would make a list of just some of the things I am thankful for in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

#1: Finding out that we have another neice or nephew on the way! As soon as the Reinhards got home the girls couldn't wait to put on their pajamas. Marisa jumped out with the biggest smile on her face, hands way up in the air and yelled, "SURPRISE!!!" At first I just thought she finally fit into a hand-me-down from Mia and was excited, but when I saw Mia wearing her shirt I put two and two together.



#2 Watching Mia turn into such a big girl. When it was bedtime she cutely and calmly came over and asked so nicely if she could stay up a little later to help Grandpa finish making the Cranberry Ice. Andi said yes and it was just precious.

#3 Having the next generation help to tear the bread for stuffing. They were such big helpers and were so excited!
#4 Not having to tear the bread for the stuffing.

#5 Watching the girls look at the cooked turkey. This picture doesn't do it justice but their faces were completely lit up!

#6 Early morning bonding time with my neices and my Mom.

#7 Cranberry Cheese Bread for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. Mmmmmmm.

#8 Hearing Marisa call her braids "Braidins" So cute! "Do you like my Braidins?" I think it's from asking her "Do you want us to put your braids in?"


#9 Mia saying, "Aunt Bethany, thanks for making me an office. I LOVE it." When I was home in October I put all my stationery, stickers, markers, etc. all in my desk instead of storing them randomly and having other stuff stored in the drawers. Now it's actually functional and she was down there "Working in her office" almost the whole weekend.

#10 Getting to see my family one last time before the baby comes!

#11 Being pregnant so I could not only finish my dinner but also finish my seconds. Thanks for helping, Viper!

#12 Having Grandma home for Thanksgiving!

#13 Quality time with family.

#14 Building a fort for the girls. They were so excited!

#15 Watching Adeline play in the snow. She was a trooper!
#16 Getting 6 inches of snow! It was so pretty and it looked like Christmas so it kinda felt like we did get to be home!

#17 FINALLY finding a tree this year after turning completely numb about 45 minutes before we found it.

#18 Having a much less stressful tree-erecting ceremony. It was a lot more easy-going this year.

#19 Watching Adeline help decorate. She was so excited to help.

#20 Getting to see the Beans! It almost didn't work out. Thanks for all the extra effort, everybody!