Final Days of Pregnacy

Me on My Due-Date, Three Days Before Labor

Challenges

• Dewey flipping back and forth from breech to head down. I was kind of paranoid after having to have a c-section with Olive because she turn breech in the final weeks of pregnancy. I really did not want a c-section.
• Having strong contractions close together often but not going into labor for weeks.

A bit blury, but shows how big I got.

Blessings

• Having my parents here made the final two weeks fly by. It was nice to have the companionship. I felt like I was able gain strength and prepare for labor better because of them. It was nice having my mom here to help keep the house clean especially when my nesting urges kicked in.
• My mom really wanted to be here for Dewey's birth. The sweetest and most loving thing was witnessing my dad fast so I could go into labor just all for my mom. So my mom could be here before they had to return back home. That is selfless love he has for her.

Just Another Day at the Park

Super Capes

Every couple of months the kids remember how cool their capes from Aunt Amanda are. For a couple of days in a row they wear them a lot and talk about how strong they are. The funniest thing is seeing them wear them at the pool with nothing but a bathing suit and a cape. I guess that is kind of like what superman does.

What's in a name?

Dewey's Pregnancy

We decided to name our little guy Dewey Emerson. I know Donna, my bestie from Virginia, is going to kill me! She wanted me to have the babies name set in stone months ago. And we kept changing our minds. We were settle on Dewey Dane for the longest time but changed our minds one last time. Dewey Emerson  feels even more right.

Heber & Hannah's Pregnancy

Olive's Pregnancy

 Dewey is Talmage's great grandfather's middle name. I know what your thinking, "Dewey? ...Dewey Decimal System ...Huey, Dewey and Louie". Well that is what I was thinking when I first heard it. I wasn't crazy about it at first but let's just say I warmed up to it quickly. One night when I was tucking Heber in, he told me he loved me, I leaned down to hug him and he proclaimed, "We should name our baby Dewey!" The next day he was naming all his toys "Dewey". The next day I heard him say over and over "I should name this toy... what was that name again... oh, yeah, Dewey!"  (I found out later that Talmage had prepped Heber to do all of this and apparently it worked). I love the name Dewey now!
Emerson is Talmage's grandpa's middle name. I have always liked the name Emerson and it has been our "name list" since the twins. But shied away from it at first because it is too long and EmerSON HanSEN sounded like too many SON and SENS. But it just feels right.
Talmage feels a little guilty with so much of the name being influenced by his side, even though I was the one who proposed Emerson. He promised me that the next _____  kid(s) will have a name from my side.

Baby to Be

I am so excited for this little one to come! Talmage and his (the baby's) siblings are too. The twins keep asking if he is coming now. We all wonder what he'll look like. Talmage and I have a hard time imaging him as a blonde, like Heber was.

Baby Heber, One Week

I keep thinking of him with darker hair, like Hannah and Olive.

Baby Hannah, One Week

I wonder if he is going to be a chunky baby like Olive was. She was over nine pounds. I love chubby babies!  

Baby Olive, A Couple of Days Old

I am so excited to see how this little guy is going to look! And what his little personality will be like. He seems to wiggle a lot. I wonder if that means he is going to be an active or high strung little guy.

Pregnancy Update

 

I made it to 37 weeks! 37 weeks is considered term. 40 is considered full term. The midwives would have had me go to the hospital if the baby was preterm, anything before 36 weeks. So now I can have this  baby at home when ever he is good and ready to come.

I was having Braxton Hicks last week. They were 10-15 minutes apart for a couple of days. Then I woke up in the middle of the night with them three minutes apart. They weren't strong enough to bring on labor.. I saw the midwives the next day around noon, I was having them two minutes apart by then. They gave me some herbs to calm things down a bit so that I could go a little farther in this pregnancy. They also told me to rest a little more until I reached 37 weeks. I took the herbs that day and the next. I still have Braxton Hick but they aren't as close together.

I am so excited for this little one to come and just keep reminding myself to be patient.  I know he'll come when he is good and ready. I still could go three to five more weeks. I'll take other herbs to help my body prepare for labor probably in the next week.
I feel prepared and ready. I have read and reread Ina May's "Guide to Childbirth" and I feel mentally prepared. I feel like I have prepared well physically by exercising regularly and eating healthy. This pregnancy has some how been the easiest of all my pregnancies. I consider myself very blessed that my midwives were willing to take on a V-BAC even when they don't normally do so. They have been so helpful and nurturing. It has made all the difference to me.

Heber's Trophy

Heber and his trophy

Heber finished baseball a couple of weeks ago and was especially looking forward to gettingg a trophy. He had seen some other kids get one early because they weren't able to come to the last game.

Heber ready to go to sleep with his trophy

He brought it to church with him to show to his friends and class. He begged me to let him take it to the pool. And yes, he even sleeps with it.