arthur mark theule
2.4.2010 at 2:36 p.m.
7 lbs, 4oz
21 inches long
thankful to sit in a warm car while a kind gentleman scrapes our windows…
because outside it’s only 19 degrees…
the snowy village manor..
penelope has been in the silliest of moods… well, for a couple of weeks now. it is really, really funny.
1) no, there is nothing above her..
2) yes, i asked her to smile…
3) no, i did not tell her to impersonate that one girl on 24 who always looks like this…
…and i feel like a ticking time bomb as the due date draws near. i’m getting the trepidatious “is your water about to break?” look everywhere i go. and strangely, as we get closer, any inkling as to baby’s gender has dissipated. i’m less sure now than ever. so much for mother’s intuition :). baby’s birthday will be SO exciting. i can’t wait to know!
penelope girl is big into counting these days. here she is looking at the numbers on a clock with daddy:
another favorite passtime is somersaults. i use this term with the loosest definition possible… you’ll see what i mean when you watch:
general silliness:
her pretty dance. this is the tame version, but she is still pretty shy about dancing for the camera:
…and in baby news:
well, the good news is that baby is doing great! unfortunately, though, i’m measuring the same as i did at 40 weeks with penelope. normally this wouldn’t matter, but because of the extra stress this is putting on the scar from my previous c-section, it means a vbac is becoming less likely. under typical circumstances a vbac has very minimal risk, but certain factors can make it less safe.. including induction, which would be the other logical alternative. while a repeat c-section isn’t our first choice, we’re both really thankful that the safest option is becoming more obvious. if nothing changes in the next week or so, we’re looking at a 2/5 birthday!
yeah. that’s two weeks from friday. (insert freak out here)
the hospital has been working on their wireless internet for patients, so we’re hoping to live-blog again this time, and keep everyone up to speed on that day. there are gender bets that need to be settled, after all :).
…and in casey news:
classes start next week! he’s taking hebrew syntax and exegesis, hermeneutics, and worship leadership. this schedule keeps him on track for a summer ‘11 graduation date. can you believe it?! of course, it looks like there is more school up next.. but at least we’re already in that mode.
okay. i planned to write more, but i am officially out of steam. baby is already wearing me out :)
35 weeks!
Baby is doing great! I’m seeing the doctor weekly now, and still measuring 3-4 weeks ahead. My uterus isn’t thrilled at the prospect of being so stretched, so it is protesting with regular bouts of painful contractions. Doc was able to monitor baby through a few of these contractions today and said that he/she is handling them just fine. Doc assured me that this is pretty typical for a uterus with scar tissue and rapid growth. We’re holding off on the VBAC/repeat cesarian decision till February 1st.. if I’m still measuring ahead at that point, we’ll do an ultrasound and attempt to measure the femur (random, but the most accurate way to estimate size this late in the game), and take it from there. Even if baby isn’t particularly large, excess fluid could be putting extra stress on my uterus.. and we’re trying to minimize the risk of uterine rupture, so that’ll factor into our decision.
It’s a relief to remind myself that even in the midst of complicated yet important decisions, I’m not ultimately in control. Casey and I want to be discerning and not act rashly, but we rest in the truth that our God is sovereign. I couldn’t help but smile when I read through part of Job tonight. Such a healthy, almost comical, reminder of how ridiculous I can be, to leave an all-powerful creator out of my thought process. I’ll worry, grasp at random statistics, and allow myself to feel wayyyy too much of the burden in such a situation.. missing a perfect opportunity to trust, hope, and find comfort in a perfect, unchanging, good and loving God. You’d think I’d have this down by now. Nope. Not even close.
In other baby news..
My sweet sister-in-law, Beth, threw a baby shower for me in California! It was low-key and very beautifully planned. I had a blast hanging out with family and friends, and baby honeydew is officially spoiled.. already.
from 75° to five inches of snow.
PST to EST.
obviously, the transition took a few days… but we are officially BACK.
:o)
