Just a boring ole' update

I know I haven't blogged in a while and not much to update but just wanted to let you all know we are alive and taking one day at a time.  I went to the doctor yesterday and not dialated (not surprised) but after I left the doctor's office I started having lots of contractions.  Long story short of the past...I have gone into labor before 37 weeks with both Karis and Brayden and they had to stop them and then I come back a few days later and have a baby at 37 weeks.  So this was very typical of my history...almost to the day of both other pregnancies.  This has been almost photocopy storybook with all 3 so far.  I have had contractions for 2 days pretty heavy but are inconsistent some of the time and they aren't progressing terribly so I am enduring them and waiting on a change.  When I was at the doctor yesterday he (knowing my history) said, "Well Friday is 37 weeks so then you are welcome to 'act up.'"  He knew I would start contracting (which I have) and once you are 37 weeks they won't stop them basically.  So here we are... playing the waiting game.  I am keeping moms kids today and tomorrow while she is at FaithWalk (6 kids plus my 2) and hoping that the baby will wait until at least early next week so she and my sister-in-law don't have to leave their FW weekend.  I go back on Monday  so we are crossing our fingers he gives us some good news.  BUT these babies have a mind of their own don't they?  All in all, by the 12th we will have a baby which is just a week and a half away!  Oh and still...we can't decide on a name.  UGH!  But we are excited!  Now...off to take my benadryl to try to sleep tonight...easier said than done!

A boy day for my baby....

....that is not my baby anymore.

Karis spent the weekend with Lolli to get special time with her while we had a special day for my baby boy before this new baby comes.   Today has been a "boy" day.  We have spent the day doing what Brayden wanted to do and giving him special attention.  

This morning he got to watch whatever cartoons he wanted to watch while we ate cinnamon rolls (one of his favorites).  Then we went to Springfest with some of his buddies (and ours too) Ethan, Eli and Ellie.  They got to play games together (fishing, horseshoe, ball) and had a great time!  Their daddy was in the barbeque contest there and has the best BBQ I have ever put in my mouth! 

Here Ellie was making a sand bottle...she is such the creative one!

Brayden played none other than a FISHING game and won this little game which he has not put down!

Playing at the BBQ trailer...

After we left Springfest, we headed over to Sonic to get some slushies and ice cream.  After naps, daddy took him fishing at our lake.  Recently Jay has put a bobber and a fishing lure on his fishing pole and he has been practicing how to cast and reel it back in.  So he spent his entire time just casting it into the water and reeling it back in...and he was a happy camper (even though there wasn't a hook on it and he had no chance of catching a fish).

Then daddy surprised him with his own tackle box "like daddys" to put all of his fishing lures in....

He was one happy fisherman!

Tonight has been filled with pillow fights, wrestling, magnet game, and he even got to take 2 baths (he loves them!). It was  a fun day and right now...he is my favorite little boy in the world (we just might have another one in a few weeks who knows?).

We love you B-boy!  

High School Musical 2

Tonight we went to High School Musical 2 at the Desoto Civic Center with Lolli and it was AWESOME!  The kids (Karis especially) loves all of the High School Musical movies and watch them often.  When we heard they were doing the musical we jumped on the opportunity knowing the kids would love it!  The play was done VERY well and even I found myself dancing and singing with them!  

Lolli brought the kids' seats in so they could see better and it worked (this is what we do in the movie theater too)!

My sweet kiddos

The kids got these glow in the dark sticks that you are supposed to fold up and wear as a bracelet.  YEA as you can tell, Brayden got pretty creative with his....he made a nosering!

It is running through the 26th if you are interested in going!  It was great!

36 Weeks

I had my weekly doctor's appointment this morning and no progress.  Despite all the contractions and pressure, I haven't dialated at all (but never did with the others either so we weren't too shocked).  I actually lost a lb. this week instead of gaining the dreaded 5 I did last week.  And no...I didn't do anything different.  He has scheduled my C-section for May 12th if the baby doesn't come before then.  I have always had a scheduled section but have never actually made it to then.  Who knows...there is a first time for everything but I am praying this isn't it!  Two and a half weeks and counting....

Package from Pap and Roxie

Yesterday we got a package from Pap and Roxie that the kids have been anticipating for several days now and were SOOO excited to open it.  They each had a box addressed to them with all kinds of goodies in it.  Can you see the excitement on her face???

She got a baby doll with lots of different clothes, hats and footies to dress it up in.  She was in hog heaven...

Brayden had just woken up so he wasn't sure what to think of it...

But he got excited really fast as he started pulling things out of the box...

Having fun with all the games...

Daddy showing Brayden how the magnets work...

Karis burping her baby....

Brayden entertained by all his goodies (he played with the magnet game for hours and still loves it)...

Thanks Pap and Roxie!  The kids love their things and it was so kind of you to send it to them!

Quick blog of updates

Sorry not much going on here these days...momma is trying to take it easy.

PREGNANCY UPDATE:  I am still hanging on tight and having contractions like crazy.  I have had several scares where I have had consistent contractions 3 minutes apart for hours but then they go away.  I am a week and a half away from where I was when I gave birth to Karis and Brayden and a doctor's appointment looming this Friday at 36 weeks.  We will update more then or as I know more...until then, I am trying to keep baby off of my ribs, TRYING to get some sleep (not working too well), resting as much as possible, and spending QT with my other two babies.

POTTY TRAINING UPDATE:  I think I can say Brayden is officially potty trained.  We have been several public places on multiple occassions (church, school, grocery shopping etc. and no accidents any of those places).  He hasn't had an accident in days and has even been dry at night and nap time.  He is doing great and I no longer have to ask him constantly if he has to go...he just does it!  Yah!

LOLLY UPDATE:  As I mentioned on the last update, mom had her balloon taken out today (as well as her two friends) and they are all doing great!  They weren't allowed to eat yesterday and today on a liquid diet (yea right) but all feel normal other than being tired.  The study continues for 6 months longer "without" the balloon and they are to stay on a diet/exercise just as they have been for the last 6 months.  At this point, mom has lost around 22 lbs. and the others close to that.  They all look great!  They are about to do another study so if you are interested, contact me or mom (she is on facebook) to get the information.  She said she would definitely recommend it to others!

That is all for now...I am off to take a benadryl so I can sleep tonight!

Mom Update

UPDATED 8:50 Just got word that mom is out of surgery and in recovery. Stephanie goes in next and Karen at 1:00. Please continue to pray for them.

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Most of you probably remember that my mom was going through a balloon study over the past 6 months. She has to be there this morning to get it removed so please pray for her and her 2 other friends that will have theirs taken out as well. Pray they will recover quickly and that the doctors will have wisdom and that everything will go as expected.

Potty training update

It has been a long 6 days since we started this potty training journey but overall Brayden is doing wonderful!  He has had a few TRUE accidents when he can't get the stool up to the potty in time and just doesn't make it, although was trying and a few NOT SO TRUE accidents where it was more or less intentional to NOT go to the potty and for those he is getting disciplined.  But he has had several days where he hasn't had ANY accidents at all and is going all on his own.  We are so proud of him and he is seeming like such the big boy!

Do you remember when we were rewarding him earlier in the week for "poo-poos" by giving him the best gifts ever...bobbers and fishing lures  ("luring fishes" as he calls them)?  Well he still loves them and has carried his fishing pole around with the bobber and lure on it....casting it and reeling it in ALL DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!  Well it seems that the two (pottying and the fishing pole) are NOT a good combination.  Today, it was raining and he couldn't go outside to play and he was being really quiet, which is ALMOST ALWAYS a bad combination.  SO we went to find him and he was in the bathroom (yes, he had gone in the potty) and he was FISHING IN THE TOILET!!!  Oh my word I about died!   Yea we had to take the fishing pole away for a while, which he was devastated about, and explain to him that he is to catch FISH in the lake not other things in the toilet!  

He is such a BOY!

Baby shower

Today my sweet friend Paige threw me a baby shower for our church folks despite the difficulty in NOT knowing the sex of the baby and it being my third baby.  So we suggested people bring diapers, wipes, bibs and burp diapers because that is what we truly need.  And we racked up!!!

Me and the hostess Paige and all the yummy "grub"

My fellow preggo friend Jennifer (she is due a week after me)

All my buddies (Top to bottom left to right...Paige, Jan, Monica, Mary Beth, Christine, Sue, Liz, Jennifer and myself)

Opening gifts

So cute!

My little helpers Mari-Morgan and Karis

Some of the gals

Me and my favorite girl

Thank you Paige and everyone for such a wonderful shower.  You all are so kind and thoughtful and we are now officially ready for baby.  You are all wonderful.

Family Picnic

We decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather today (and a few more weeks without a baby) and decided to grill/picnic at the nearby Arkabutla Lake.  The kids were so excited!  We found a picnic area near the water, the restroom, and a playground so it was perfect (except that Brayden decided to play instead of use that restroom...thank goodness for a change of clothes.  I guess that is what we get for trying this with a 3 day potty trainer!).

Brayden found something...don't really remember what it was...maybe a ladybug.

Karis on the swing

Daddy the griller...and a great job he did (and always does)!

Daddy and sissy

Me and Brayden

If you look closely..you see a stick flying over the water.  Brayden was a happy man with all those sticks he could throw into the water!

Too sweet not to capture....

At the dam looking for fish....

Thank you Lord for the beautiful weather and my sweet family!

35 Weeks

We have reached 35 weeks and not much to report.  I have tried to take it easy (easi-ER) this week (as much as I can with 2 young kids and potty training Brayden) and the contractions haven't gotten any worse.  I am still having lots of them but not consistently for long periods of time.  The sleep is still a problem but Benadryl is my best friend these days.  My doctor's appointment this week was uneventful except that I have gained 5 lbs. in the last week!  OUCH!

We are one week closer to meeting our little one and to finding out what it is!  We are excited and can't believe the time has passed so quickly.  We are still working on the names but can't decide on a boy name (and we both think it might be a boy)...yikes!  I guess it will come soon enough.  Next week is my last week of work and soon after I am sure we will meet the little one.  But not before I get some things ready for baby around here and hopefully prop my feet up a little.  We are getting close!!!

Any predictions on when baby #3 will arrive?  Jay thinks there is no way I will make it to 38 weeks...we'll see!  If it comes at 37 weeks like the others, we have 2 more weeks!!!!

Bye Clark family! (sniff, sniff)

Our very close friends, Chris and Ashley Clark, have taken a job opportunity in Paducah, KY and will be moving this weekend.  Ashley and I met while we were in high school through a mutual friend and ended up going to Union together and became sorority sisters.  After we both married, we ended up on staff at the same church for a while and have gotten together often for our kids to play together over the years (and for us to talk too of course).  Our kids have played together since they were just a few months old.  Karis and Brayden were so sad when we told them that Thomas, Maggie and Mary Taylor were moving and were so excited about seeing them one last time before their move at our playdate today.  Our other good friend Rachel Morris and kids joined us also (who also went to college with us and a sorority sister).

The girls (Karis, Maggie, Kendall, and Mary Taylor)

The 2 big boys Drew and Thomas

The moms (Rachel, Ashley and myself)

All the kids 

(This was the best pic we could get of everybody...surprised we got one this good!)

Karis and Maggie

Brayden and Drew

Karis and Kendall

We will miss you Clark family!  Hope to see yall soon!