So Much To Do...

So Little Time...















Finished painting the "baby room" and then ripped up the carpet/padding. Now the two little ones are sleeping in their toddler beds in our room. Scott started laying down the laminate flooring in one of the two remaining bedrooms. We're going to move all three boys in when it's done, move Kelly in the freshly painted room, then I get to start all over in the baby's room. Maybe I can talk Scott into painting it for me. I'm worn out.

I don't know how we are going to get everything done in the next 5 weeks. Seems near impossible. But there's no turning back now...

Third Trimester Woes

It hit, it's here.

I'm uncomfortable and extremely tired. Everything I wanted to get done before this stage hit, is pretty much still waiting to be done.

"Baby room" is painted. Finally. Finished it Sunday. It should have only taken about 2 1/2 hours, but it took closer to 6. I needed more breaks. I was so tired of painting that stupid room. But we can celebrate because Nickalodeon green slime, and the bright orange and white logo is no longer dominating the walls.

If it weren't for my husband's brilliant ideas, we'd still be calling this finished room, "The baby room", but nooooooooooooooooooooo, he had to go thinking about our current living arrangement and suggested moving all the kids around, giving Dwight his own room, putting Joshua and Patrick in a room, and baby and Kelly in another.

Now, this wasn't all that brilliant, Kelly with the baby? No way. I wouldn't do that for a million dollars. The two would make each other miserable waking each other up, then I'd have two cranky butts to deal with, which would make me the third cranky butt. No, I think not. But...it got me to thinking, Joshua would love to room in with his big brothers, if we moved the boys into the room he and Kelly share...well, the baby could have the older boy's room, which is the smallest room and the one closest to the master bedroom. Kelly could have the newly painted room and we could keep the full-sized bed in there for guests. Now that might just work!

So we went out and got a bunk bed at BJ's warehouse type store Saturday. For $200 it's made of solid wood and has rails on all sides, with a small opening to climb up and down. Doesn't match the other bunk bed really, but it is made of wood too, so I think it will work.

Scott has been hard at work trying to finish up the laminate flooring project we started last fall. Yeah, it's been almost a year and still haven't finished. Last night Dwight and I ripped up the majority of the carpet/padding in the "used-to-be-baby-room." This should be the easiest room by far to install the flooring, but it's the biggest room after the master room. Then we'll just have bathrooms.

Wow, am I mumbling about rooms or what? It's because I'm a zombie. I actually took a nap today after taking Dwight to his Neurology appointment. I managed to keep myself up until a little after noon, long enough to eat lunch. Then I went in my room and cried my emotional eyeballs out...hormones are strong and I'm dealing with some issues right now I'm struggling internally on trying to resolve. What to do, what to do? Have a good cry. Yeah, that helps...a little. Now...I can sleep...for about two hours.

I got up at three and made some preparations for our trip to Myrtle Beach. Kennel arrangments for the dogs, another appointment to get my van fixed now that the parts are in, yada yada yada. Then I sat there for about an hour...

Scott suggested we go out for dinner. Works for me. So we went to a local pizza place and ate, went home, and two hours later I'm trying to figure out how I can possibly convince my 3 and 5 year old into going to bed early. Yeah, not going to happen. 30 more minutes and I'm waking my husband, who's been napping for over an hour now, to let him know it's definitely bed time.

Then I'll go upstairs, try to find a comfortable position to sleep in, get up to go pee about 5 times, but when I do sleep, I'll sleep hard. 6 more weeks...and counting down.

Pictures of Progress

I got caught without my ear protection! I forgot to put the earmuff thingies back on, but still had the cotton balls in my ears.












My arms were burnin' good!























Scott got busy on this section after he got off work. I had to wait for him to get home to finish this section because I couldn't move the furniture out of the way.






















I found the masks to wear while painting...























White Walls! Hooray!

Pregnancy and the Baby Room

Hemroids are a real pain in the ass...what is it with all the "extras" you get with pregnancy...is the aching back not enough? Is the rest supposed to feel like a bonus? Okay, it's not that bad right now, but it's getting harder to find a comfortable position to sleep in at night...but I just can't bring myself to buy one of those maternity sleeping pillows...not for 10 more weeks. I mean...what the heck am I going to do with it when I've had the baby? We already have too much junk in this house!

Scott and I finally went out to Lowe's today to get a Belt Sander. Getting this bedroom done is such an ordeal...I mean, every time we think we are about to get somewhere, something happens...like when I tried to order a dresser for the baby room the other day. JC Penney had a clearance section online and I found a cute dresser that would have matched the crib and that I could have used the top for a changing table for $99...originially sold for $500.

Would you believe I got all the way to the checkout, including providing my credit card info, and when I clicked submit order, I got a "The following items will not be delivered" message with my order? Scott suggested I call and order, so I called and the young man on the other end of the telephone told me that they had about 200 of these dressers in stock. I placed the same order, gave him my credit card number, elated that this was going to happen, when he said, "Oh, it says that this item is not available."

What the hell? Can't I get ANYTHING together for this baby room?

I broke down in tears today when we decided we were going to take the kids swimming and then head out to get some baby stuff...including the belt sander. I get to the pool, get the kids out of the van, and THUNDER.

The lifeguards blew their whistles and sent everyone home. We hadn't even made it through the entrance yet. Joshua did so good. He was about to cry, but he didn't (and only by his own will). I was proud of him because I could see how disappointed he was but he chose to have a good attitude about the situation. So Scott agreed to meet me at the house (we drove separate cars) and after I stopped for gas, we'd meet, load up in the van, and go run our errands.

I get to the gas station and it starts to POUR. Fortunately, the gas pumps were covered and I didn't get wet. Unfortunately, the first gas station I went to kept giving me a "Please see Cashier" message when it tried to process my card. Screw that. I'm not getting out in this rain.

So I went to another gas station on the way home and pumped my gas. The coverage wasn't AS good, but at least I didn't get soaked.

By the time I got home though, the roads were flooded. It wasn't pretty. We were under a Flash Flood Warning. Scott and I both knew it wouldn't be wise to drive out in this...if not for the flooding, for the morons who think their cars transform into boats when it rains.

So we went inside and did dinner...and I cried. This just SUCKS. I thought the night was over...as far as getting anything accomplished in that room.

I had a crazy moment and decided to go grab the KILZ and some paint supplies and painted a few green spots on the wall to see if it REALLY needed to be sanded down. Yup...wishful thinking. It definitely needs to be sanded down. GRRRRRRRR.

By the time I got done with that, Dwight reminded us he had his LAST karate class tonight. It stopped raining and it didn't look like we had any storm clouds nearby. The weather channel online didn't predict anything dangerous over the next few hours, so Scott took him to class and when he came home, we made a run for Lowe's. He went in, bought the Belt Sander, and dropped us off at home (had I known he was just going to run in, we would have stayed home, but we hadn't planned it out that far because we were originally going to rent and I was kind of taking over that task, making calls to The Home Depot as he was driving).

Finally, got the damn thing. Now tomorrow I can get to work. (Please God, make it rain like it did today). See...if it rains today, then maybe I can convince my kids that we CAN'T go anywhere and I can actually get some work done. I'm feeling pretty ambitious. If this sander works the way we think it will, I will be done by the end of the day. That's right...I'm working my butt off until I get it done...so I can get it painted and decorated by the end of the week. That's my goal, because I want to stop freaking out about this baby room and enjoy being pregnant!

This is why...

I did a little bit more research online after posting my thoughts on VBAC delivery and prayed that it would be clear what I should do.

The first site I came across was THIS. This couple shared their personal experience of a VBAC delivery gone tragic, and shared advice on how to handle the situation differently should a woman decide to pursue a VBAC delivery. After skimming through it, I was quickly reminded of the reasons why I opted NOT to take that chance. I couldn't even read all the details, their personal experience was just heart-breaking. This is why I'm not doing VBAC.

The 2nd site I found confirmed why I decided to do a repeat C-Section in the first place. The odds are low, but are they worth the risk? Is my life, or my baby's life worth the gamble?

I'd love to experience the kind of childbirth that women were intended to have. In fact, I'm still very sad about never getting to do this naturally, but the experience is not worth the risk of losing my baby.

VBAC vs C-Section

I am probably going to have my C-Section scheduled in August. Maybe even by my next appointment. But I hate the thought of going through that again.

I want so badly to do a VBAC birth. I don't know if it would be wise. My Dr. told me I am in the bottom percentile for having a successful VBAC delivery according to my last labor/delivery...
but my argument is they induced me a week early and my little Pacey was not ready to come out yet.

I've done research, and basically there are risks to both deliveries. C-Section, risks of infection...VBAC, risks of uterus collapsing. I don't know if I'm willing to risk (even though the percentage is small), the death of my baby or myself. At the same time, I don't know if I'm just taking these numbers and living in fear of what the "medical experts" have to say about it all.

I don't know, I don't know. I was fine until Scott came home last night and said his boss had a VBAC delivery. Then it got me to thinking about it all over again.

There is just something about going through the labor and natural delivery that really appeals to me...and I'm not sure what to do.

I feel like I'm settling with the C-Section, and I dread the recovery. C-Sections are painful and much harder to recover from...at least from what I've been told. It would be so nice to be able to have this kiddo and not have to be on pain meds for a couple weeks, going back in to have my incision checked, being limited on movement, feeling that awful pulling sensation from having my muscles cut through... I will admit though, that the baby would more than likely be born sooner and then my mom will be able to help me out more since she is flying in a few days before the C-Section is scheduled.

The thought of undergoing a hysterectomy sucks too though...or even worse...

Okay, I'm going to stop thinking about it all now...