Okay, as I type this, I am 37 weeks pregnant with baby #4...I am so over this pregnancy.  I go to the doctor once a week now and I was already measuring 1cm dilated last week.  I hope there is some progress this week when I go.  I need to start getting out and walking...

Here are my stats from last week - 36 weeks:

Weight: +22 lbs

BP: 101/72 (which is a little high for me)

Baby's HR: 138

Everything is on track for me to have another induction the week of January 17th...at least that is what I am planning.

The holidays were CRAZY!!! We didn't leave the state of Maryland, but managed to travel all over or so it felt.  I felt terrible the whole time and eventually went to the doctor on Monday, the 26th.  Upper respiratory infection - awesome!  Elli then came down with something the week after Christmas - just a virus...

I am now in organizing and simplifying mode - getting rid of all my tupperware (especially the ones with mismatched lids - there is nothing more annoying to me).  I got new pots and pans for Christmas so I am recycling my old ones...I hope you can recycle them - they are in the yellow bins...we'll see if they take it later this week...

Christmas decorations, tree, etc came down after our last Christmas celebration on the 27th, then I got a bug up my butt to sort and organize the kids toys.  We have too much crap.  I need to donate 50% of what we have...it is so hard though...maybe this will be a spring cleaning effort.  

My goals for this new year start with financial stuff - get my financial house in order and get rid of my one credit card...it is annoying that I carry a balance and I really need to get serious about getting rid of it.  I have been following a lot of money saving mom blogs, and hopefully they will give me a jump start and motivation to follow through.  It will be tough for the 6 weeks where I am not working...and our maternity leave plan SUCKS...it isn't a maternity leave plan, it is short term disability and it is just crap.  I love my company (well, I love the people that I work with) but the benefits are not that awesome when it comes to maternity leave...I will keep harping on the President until he fires me or until he retires...

Packing my bag for the hospital - this has been quite a challenge for me.  I think because I am just lazy right now and I keep putting it off because I know that I will probably have to be induced and it will be a night before I am scheduled to have the baby.  The problem is that with my last pregnancies it was always hot out, so I didn't need to really bring anything EXTRA.  This time it will be freezing out and I just feel a little unprepared.  Oh well, my strategy is LESS is MORE.  As long as I can take the laptop and get a connection at the hospital, all will be fine.  I will only be there for a day or two...

I installed the car seat this morning, after washing everything so it smells wonderful!  It will be weird to have 4 car seats in our suburban.  We will no longer be able to take the camry anywhere - for emergency cases, we were able to fit 3 car seats in the camry by slamming the doors shut, but not anymore...no room for 4!

Jake started his new "structured" playgroup this morning.  It is a one-on-one intense learning environment.  He cried the almost the whole time he was there.  The poor guy, in the past month, he has been to a neurologist, he has seen a sensory specialist, Thursday he is having his hearing checked, and we are still waiting on confirmation back from Kennedy Krieger to see if they will schedule us an appointment at their Center for Autism Related Disorders.  The structured playgroup is a free program offered by our county infants and toddlers program.  I love the county program and have been very satisfied with them so far.  Jake is 27 months old and not talking.  He babbles, but he doesn't say "Mama" or "Dada" or "Baby" - none of the words he is "supposed" to be able to say around the 12-15 month range.  So, he will go 3 days a week for 90 minutes each day to be seen by an Occupational Therapist, a Speech Pathologist and a Sensory Specialist.  We have been doing a lot with the sensory "diet" and he seems to be comprehending things more now, but not vocalizing anything...so, I hope this playgroup helps him.  They thought he might be on the Autism Spectrum, and they might still think this.  But, I had him evaluated by Dr. Marc Disabella from Children's Hospital and he said he thinks he just has a developmental speech delay.  More to follow on his progress later.  He is such a sweet boy.

Hank is just as lovey as ever.  He does this "thing" where he kisses my whole face.  He kisses my eyes, both of my cheeks, my chin, my forehead, my nose, and my lips and he is just so freaking adorable.  It just melts my heart.  I hope he always does this to me.  He also tells everyone all the time that he loves them...could there be anything more sweet???

Elli is also doing extremely well.  She was very interested in where Santa lives and why we celebrate Christmas and how old is Jesus?  She is so cute and in this questioning sort of phase right now.  She is also goofy as ever.  

Anyway, this is a long overdue update...

Did I say that I am DONE with this pregnancy???  Who knows maybe I will go into labor naturally???  Ha!!!

32 weeks

It has been a very busy December already!
I had my 32 week appointment last week, here are my stats!
+21 pounds
86/55
baby HR: 155 - she had the hiccups when the doctor did the heartbeat.

We had our first annual Gillespie Girls cookie making party on Sunday.  It was such a great idea and so much fun to get together with the relatives before Christmas (even if it was only the girls). 

Then my week got off to a pretty rough start.  Jake started throwing up everywhere Monday afternoon.  I was helping sort the Mickman's fundraiser products and as we were about to leave, he started throwing up all over himself.  Poor baby...
Well it is Wednesday and I still had to take him back to the doctor this morning.  Ugh, I guess it is that time of year.  Luckily, his fever finally went down today and he is acting a little more like himself and not just a walking zombie.  I was worried last night when he wouldn't do anything but lie on the floor with his eyes open - very scary.

Army-Navy is this weekend and I really don't know if I feel like going.  I have organized a limo bus and have a TON of food to prepare, but I might just send Daniel with the food...I don't know...

Anyway, that is it for right now...I know, short posts as of late.

I have a lot of stuff going on with Jake right now and the first is his neurologist appointment on Friday.  Luckily, someone canceled so we don't have to wait until February to see the doctor from Children's hospital.

October - where did it go???

So, it is October 21st and seriously, where does time go?  We have had a very very busy October so far.  Starting off we had the boys' combined birthday party which was AWESOME!!!  We knew we were having live animals come out to the house, but Little Barnyard Buddies brought ALL their animals for the kids (and adults) to play with, pet, and even decorate.  It was so much fun and I just want to give a big shout out to the owner, Cindy Jimenez (which turns out she is a mother of 5 and her hubby went to USNA).

Then I was SUPPOSED to host a baby shower for my friend, Emma, but she had the baby the day before the shower - no, I'm not kidding!  She had a beautiful healthy baby girl and she named her Isabelle Edith Martin.  We were so thrilled for her and Doug.

So, since we didn't have the baby shower, we decided to go to the Hank Williams Jr. concert at the Patriot Center that night and we went with my brother, Michael and his wife, Katie, my sister-in-law Teresa and her husband Stuart.  A good time was had by all...a little too good of a time:)  Both of my brothers' and Daniel's birthday are all within one week, so we did that for Michael's birthday.  The following Monday, October 11th we went to the Caps game.  It was my first professional hockey game and it was awesome!  Butch, Stuart's dad, gave us the tickets and we had a blast!

The next weekend on the 16th we went to Old Stein Inn for Daniel's birthday.  A few friends and family joined us and we ate SO much, but it was SO good. 

Lately, I have been going on this website called www.laaloosh.com - a friend at work, Abigail, recommended it.  The owner of the website is also a weight watcher and she experiments with different recipes.  Everything that we have tried so far has been AWESOME!!!  So, let's hope that it helps as the weather gets colder and all I want is pasta, carbs and fattening (Cream-based) soups!

Speaking of weight....ugh, I have been hovering around the 147-148 mark...which is fine, I would be happy at this weight....BUT, I am obsessed with the number 140.  And, I have no idea why??? 

After all the showers, I opened up my own Etsy shop to sell the cake pops, cupcake pops, oreo truffles, and I am also going to try brownie pops this weekend.  I haven't gotten any hits yet, but maybe when the holidays start approaching.

Holidays - I have already started shopping for the kids - I PRE-ordered Toy Story 3 from Walmart's website.  It was only $16, so I am sure it will probably be a HOT item this year.  It will be hard for me to hold off until Christmas, but I have the will power (I think...:)

I am going to Virginia Beach this weekend for my girlfriend Andrea's baby shower.   She is also having a girl in December.  Her husband, Josh (one of my best friends from NAPS) is a SEAL deployed to Afghanistan.  I think of Josh almost daily and hope that he is okay.  I have heard that they (SEALS) have been very busy...

Well, I am excited to get a night's sleep without a toddler on top of me, or kicking me or asking me for juice, water, etc.  And, the shower is at a wine bar, so I am sure that I will have a glass or 10!  ha! 

Hope this finds everyone well! 

Quick update on the kids:
Elli had her post-op with Dr. Som (who I secretly have a crush on:) and everything went great!  She did so well throughout the process.
Hank is saying more words everyday and he will be switching school from one full day to 2 half days a week starting next week.  He is still in the Infants and Toddlers program and he is improving everyday.
Jake is ALMOST walking...he has taken a few steps, but it hasn't been more than 3 or 4.  I'm not in a rush for him to start walking...

Alright, talk to you soon!

Jake

I feel bad sometimes that I don't talk more about Jake.  He is just such a great baby, I am so blessed.  He is always so happy, goes to bed and takes naps with no problems.  He is my least high maintenance child right now.  He is almost walking...he has been cruising the furniture a bit more, but still doesn't want to walk.  Elli and Hank love him...probably too much when they squeeze him for hugs!  He has a total of 3 teeth, but 2 more are coming in.

We turned his car seat around this past weekend and he LOVES looking forward and playing with Elli and Hank and watching the movies in the car.  It's amazing how one little thing can make a difference on a baby!

Anyway, I just wanted to give Jake a little shout out!  Thanks for being such a wonderful baby....he makes me want to have another one:)