Waiting for Addyson...

We headed over to Lennox on Wednesday night b/c I had an appt to see my midwife on Thursday morning. There was talk that I may be induced on Friday morning, so we packed the van tight with all the necessities and then some ;) I had talked to my sister on Wed and thought that there may be a slight chance that my water was leaking...I really thought there was no chance b/c my body just doesn't do those things on its own ;) But sure enough when I went into the midwife on Thursday morning my water did have a high leak and therefore I was not going anywhere except over to L&D to be induced. CRAZY! Things were just happening so fast that I really didn't know what to and it just wasn't even on my radar that I could possibly deliver that day.

So I headed over to L&D, Rob calling family etc on the way over trying to figure out what we were going to do with the girls etc. They checked me all in and I was in bed, hooked up to pitocin, eating lunch by 1-1:30 ;) At 2:15 my midwife came in to check me...I was still only dilated to 3cm but she wanted to break my water and see what would happen. However, Addyson's head was floating and there wasn't enough pressure on the bag for her to be able to break it. So from 2:30-6:30 I spent time in multiple different positions and walked the hallways endlessly trying to get her head to drop. My midwife couldn't come back until after 6 b/c she had a class she was teaching from 4-6...yeah, unfortunately we were on her time table ;)

At 6:21 she made it back to the room and was able to break my water this time! I felt the change in the next contraction it was so crazy! To save you all the details I think I will just over view the rest ;) I was 3cm when she brake my bag, 6cm @ 7:04pm when I got in the tub...decided to ask for an epidural at this point...yeah that wasn't happening ;) Got out of the tub @ 7:20...barely made it to bed, pushed 2x and Addyson Grace was born at 7:29pm!!! 7lbs 14 oz 20 1/4 inches long! She just seemed so tiny!
Eating my lunch all smiles...I was pretty much all smiles til they broke my water.Megan and the girls hiding from Papa JeffBOO! You found us!The man with the phone...he did all the calling, updating, etc. It was so nice not to have to worry about it in all honesty!YES, Lunch! I wanted to eat right away b/c I hadn't had much for breakfast and by 1 I was really hungry, however, I didn't want it to come back up either later on ;)The rooms were such nice size. Everyone was just hanging out watching movies and laughing. there were a couple times I just felt like an egg with an audience, waiting for me to hatch ;)One of our many laps around the L&D unit. I saw another lady and her husband later and she remembered me as the one lapping her around the track. I obviously was not feeling bad enoughOne last picture as a family of four before the girls headed off with Papa to the zoo. What a guy! He took all three granddaughters to the zoo on his own with no stroller. The girls love Papa though and I am sure were good ;) Oh sweet Addyson, do you really know what craziness you are in for with this bunch! =D Karys wanted to know what every tube and bracelet was for...she is my curious one and if you ask her her favorite TV show she will say "Doctor shows"
The stickers that the girls and any visitor got every time they came in and out, provided quite the entertainment when need be ;) Goodbye kisses from my Kar-BearRocking in the chair biding my time...it was almost too much time to think and wait. found myself getting anxious at some points and just had way too much time to think and question and create hypothetical situations in my head!I was so glad that Rob had the computer in the room and was able to spin me some tunes to try to help me relax and focus as things got more intense...earlier, during the uneventful part of the afternoon, he was able to try to finish up those last final things for school...we both kind of thought he would have one more night to work on things, but luckily got an extension on his big paper that was due Sat night until Wed. My BEAUTIFUL sister who got the day off work to come hang out...straight from the pool in her swimsuit ;) Not even truly summer yet and this girl has such a glow to her! Love her!All the nurses trying to get everything set up for the delivery while I was in the tub...I had GREAT nurses who were so easy to be around...one of which was my off-duty nurse, Sarah ;)

We have cabinet doors!!!

So my husband is pretty much amazing! The girls and I ended up over at my mom and dad's for a couple of extra days when Megan got home from Africa. During that time he finished 95% of the painting and resurrected our cupboard doors! I think it looks great! He did so much work and it ended up being one of those projects that drags itself out...Thanks so much babe!It is so weird to have to actually find things again...opening the cupboard doors, who would have ever thought that would be hard work ;)

Memorial Day (5/25)

Throughout the end of May I feel like we were often asked..."What do you guys have going on?" Well in all reality we kept our schedule pretty open and spent a lot of time going with the flow, hanging out together, and waiting to see if our little girl would decide it was time to meet us ;) So when Memorial weekend rolled around we were going with the flow. Lots of grad parties, trips to the park, and time with friends. The time with friends ended up being one of our favorite memories of the weekend. The Vaas' invited us over for Root Beer floats, Smores and just some hang time in the back yard. I love those friends that things always feel so natural with...no real agenda, just good conversation, kids playing well together. It was just a great thing to do when I was feeling really preggo!Rob making smores for the girlsGracie thoroughly enjoying her smore after eating ALL her supper!Nate, Tanya, and Jackson roasting marshmallows over a 'blazing' fire ;)Karys trying to keep her hair out of the marshmallow
They had a GREAT tree house in the backyard that the girls were so excited to go up it...Karys is the only one who actually ended up going up there and thought she would never come back down

Riding bike at 38 1/2 weeks

So this picture was only taken 4 days after the last, but I really thought my belly was dropping more than it appeared to be doing in the photo. In the past 4 days I had gone to the Dr. and found that I was now thinning and dilated. She told me that I would probably go on my own before my next appt. I was elated! yet did not get my hopes up too much...going into labor on my own, that was yet to even look like it was going to happen. I was contracting quite often now, yet it was never in any kind of pattern for an extended period of time and I was beginning to really feel more and more uncomfortable as the baby continued to grow and drop down lower. So, I thought I might as well do what I can to stay active and wear myself out to the point where I am nice and tired at night and able to sleep well.
This ended up including some good walking, trips to the park, and of course some bike riding. It was graduation weekend here in orange city so Rob, the girls and I rode bike around to all the grad parties we needed to go to. It really wasn't anything too strenuous, although OC is not exactly flat so time to time we would ride up a hill and some good actual effort was involved. But hey, that was the idea wasn't it...to put myself into labor;) I know ppl say that it is dangerous...and I see that in the fall risk etc...but at the same time when you know what it is like to be on bed rest/limited activity, I didn't dare if I went into labor at all! It was just so nice to be getting out and around and moving at this stage!Still out there quite a ways...we have to be getting close though nowKarys did have her dress lifted up too but decided she better not show off her undies Just getting back from our ride around town...had to have looked pretty funny to see this riding around town though!

Spaghetti Faces and 38 weeks

Just some fun pics from a night of having spaghetti for dinner...Karys LOVES spaghetti and was being silly once she was done eating.This is Gracie's messy...never anything too severe b/c most of the time she can't handle not cleaning herself as she goes ;)Rob had the camera during dinner...so I got a picture taken of my rather large baby bumpCuddling Karys...she did bonk her head on the counter, but in this last week she has been so cuddly. Wanting me to hold her, rock her, fall asleep with her every chance she can get. I think she senses the changes coming her way, I am reveling in this season of being able to cuddle her though!My little cuddle bug How much bigger can this belly get, really?!?! 38 weeks

Growing up...

Our little girl is definitely growing up...amidst watching all the parties and activities that have occurred around her 4th birthday, I think I blinked and she grew an inch, her vocabulary expanded, and her heart and who she is continues to shine through and make it self so visible more and more. These aren't the best pictures in the world, but as her mommy it made me think a little deeper into the mere gift of a scooter. She actually got a scooter for her birthday last year too, but that is a "baby" scooter...now belonging to Karys...and this is a "big girl" scooter. She can steer and pedal this one all on her own, but instead of having the two wheels in the front there are two wheels in the back. Ok, stick with me here...she is my baby and I know there are many more big steps to come, but this is how I saw this analogy right now.She is gaining more and more independence each day. Of the two girls I would hands down say she is the more dependent one, the one less likely to run off without me, the one who wants me to hold her hand as she heads off into a new place or goes over to someone to ask a question. But more and more in the past weeks have I slowly seen this go away. She is needing me less in these areas and venturing off on her own to do things for herself or handle certain obstacles/adventures in her own way. I feel like Rob and I are transitioning slightly, in a preschool stage way, from the wheels on the front of the scooter, the ones that guided the entire path....to the wheels on the back. She is leading, she is steering...but we are right there to still go all those places with her. does that make sense?Another thing I feel like we have really discovered in the past year is just the love languages of our girls and just how evident they are. Gracie is definitely a touch person...that is how she is validated and that is how she literally feels your love and approval. Karys is more words of affirmation. Being as close as they are too each other it is interesting to watch them take on each other's love languages every now and then...but to stick to their own and maintain their own personality throughout interaction and play with each other as well.
Hard to believe my little girl will go to preschool 4 days a week next year! I try to imagine just the different ways that she will change and grow and almost try to get ahead of them in order to keep time on my track and bottle up every little thing...but in looking back at this year, I am just so reminded of God's blessing, goodness, and faithfulness. She has grown and changed so much...she is such a little lover, a little girl who wears her heart out on her sleeve and wants to guide and nurture those around her...a little mommy if you will ;) And in the next year, especially with our family dynamics changing and shifting yet once again, I know that nothing I can do will prepare me for the changes she will see or go through...but I truly treasure my little Gracie girl, the questions she asks about Jesus and the ways in which she is already showing that light through her little blue eyes and the actions that naturally pour out of her heart! I love you, Gra!

Tulip Festival 2009 (5/16)

After Gracie's party it was time to get ready to go scrub streets. There was NO WAY I was going to be caught in a Dutch costume with my belly so I found a costume for Rob and had the one I wore in my closet from last year, so I kindly asked my sister Megan if she would dress up and walk with the girls. I really didn't think she would and I think she did it very reluctantly, but with a little coercing from the girls she was on board. I think they all had a great time and really had fun with it. The girls loved it!Getting Gracie all pinned into her Dutch costume...definitely fits better than last year, just a little big yet.Everyone comparing costumes...thanks to all who let us borrow! I don't think Rob thought I would find one that would even come close to fitting him.My cute little Dutch girl with her costume, bonnet, and sandal shoes ;)Megan needed someone to hold her hand and walk her down the hall..."I am a good aunt, I am a good aunt...." ;) Words can't express how much this meant to the girls and even to me that she would dress up and do this with them! Meg you are an AMAZING aunt and I LOVE YOU!Little Dutch family all dressed and ready for the parade! Too bad we were a little crunched for time with the party going on and just got our times a little mixed up...so when we got down to the place where the street scrubbers meet-they were already a couple blocks down the street. So, for the sake of the girls, Rob and Megan picked them up and booked it down a ways. They were able to catch them and walk in the parade for about 3 blocks. The girls still loved it and waved away; however, later that night when we were praying Gracie told us the entire story of how we were late and all the brooms were gone and how next year we need to be sure to be on time so that we can actually have a broom and walk in the whole parade...so much for hoping that they wouldn't know the difference if they missed it or not!Still smiling from ear to ear when it was done and so excited to just stand and watch the rest of the parade come by. Definitely big fans of the bands with the flag girls as well as the float with the replica of two big wooden shoes on it!Megan and the girls heading back down the parade route to find the rest of the fam...Megan fit right in and looked like a natural! Grandma Sally and Leah watching the end of the parade...the fire trucks closed it out-sirens and all!Such a cute little picture...Gracie had such a sweet smile and Jax was looking at the camera. She loved toting him around on the leash and everyone would stop and want to see him. Leah tip-toeing through the tulips and taking time to stop and smell oneMy little Dutch boy...resting by the tulips and waiting for the girls to take pictures-might do a lot of this throughout the rest of his life =) What a cute little Dutch family! The girls loved it....Thanks for dressing up guys!Even though they would both tell you that I made them dress up, or that they did it for the girls, they both had a good time and really made the best of it. Living it up and cracking jokes. We kept telling Megan how all of her friends were going to be jealous...come home from Africa and pick up a husband and two cute Blondie all within a week!The other joke was..."E-Harmony worked for me!" Just fun to watch them have fun with it!Daddy with his little ladies....and JaxHis favorite thing! He can never get enough kisses and he was lucky enough to get two at the same time!The girls couldn't stop talking about Auntie Megan in her costume! She was their new hero for playing dress up with them ;) Beautiful girl!Karys was done with pictures so we just made a bunch of faces together ;) she is hilarious!My little poser...she has such a sweet smile! I love the pics where she will cuddle and smile with me!Sarah and LeahAll of the girls together! Almost had everyone looking at the same time...should have moved Leah over in front of my belly a little more ;)

SISTERS!Love this pic...and they were just messing around b/c dad had Meg's sunglasses on ;) I think it is too cute though! Love my parents...they live out their marriage so well and have created such a legacy of love for all of us to follow!My Dutch boy practicing that love ;)Comparing our bellies...he doesn't have a chance but might catch up soon if we don't get rid of all of the cookies left over from night show somewhere else besides is tummy ;)I saw this coming but I hoped he really wouldn't...it was worth it though to see the reaction of the ppl walking by our house!
All in all it was a GREAT day! We had to much fun with family and our girls...it was actually nice to still be pregnant through it, I felt good and was able to enjoy it!