You guys, being overdue makes you delirious. But don't worry, Jette will be here on Monday (possibly Tuesday) because we are getting induced Sunday night.
We have continued to do the walking (8 miles yesterday), spicy food, acupuncture, pineapple, etc. Turns out Erin has created a cozy little habitat that baby doesn't want to leave. So, we're forcing her out. We want to play!
A few pics of the weeks long walks
Erin and I are doing well now but I'm telling you, this hasn't been an easy week. Like mentioned in the previous post, we never considered the possibility of going passed our due date. So that was hard. Then, with my grandma dying, our emotions were heightened even more. I tried to figure out a way to attend the funeral (which is on Monday), be at my baby's birth and be fully present at both. Erin was feeling pressure to go into labor to be able to make that happen for me. She's so selfless - even when she's 41 weeks pregnant! So part of this week has sucked. Long story short, we decided to take going to the funeral off the table (which I feel really good about and we will find other ways to honor gram), got an our induction date and feel so excited to FINALLY meet our little bundle!
Next post will feature a photo of Jette Alice - our little Poppy!
Oh, and check out my gram's obituary. This shines the tiniest spotlight on the amazing woman she was!
Well, we have crossed the finish line BUT we're still going.
People don't talk much about the mental and emotional aspects of going passed your due date. It might be comparable to running a marathon - and then crossing the finish line and being told you have to keep running. You aren't prepared to keep running - physically, mentally OR emotionally. You are done. We feel done but we have to keep going. It's 2 days passed our due date and Erin is still pregnant.
We both felt a little sick on our due date. And I was super emotional - I felt so excited to meet baby and frustrated it hadn't happened yet. I was homesick. Easter is a special day at home - and more of my family is in town because of grandma (she ended up passing away Thursday morning). Erin has been pumping herself up for 3 weeks now. She's been mentally preparing for labor. She has stayed positive and upbeat. It's been hard to keep that up for 3 straight weeks. We both crashed a little on Sunday. But feeling better now.
We've tried all the little tricks imaginable. A LOT of walking, certain teas and oils, spicy food, acupuncture, acupressure, pineapple - you name it. We even made Jette a birthday cake (check it out). It's looking like we just have to wait it out.
Oh, I forgot to mention the squats! Check this out. I swear, I'm married to wonder woman! This is 39.5 weeks pregnant.
A couple 5 mile hikes the week before our due date
Friends tried to sing her out
We were sure hitting a bucket of balls would help
Pedicures help everything
About to have spicy thai food!
Getting a non stress test. Baby looks great.
Apparently the Belly Booster tea is supposed to help start labor. And carrot cake, obviously.
We were able to spend our due date with friends and family which helped. Oliver had his 1st birthday party and Cameron and Jackie prepared Easter dinner. Erin and I got home early to relax and ended up having a special evening together. We talked all about our pregnancy. We talked about the day we learned we were pregnant. We were away for the weekend for our friends wedding. Erin peed on the stick at like 5am. She called my name and I jumped out of bed. She showed me the stick and I think I blacked out for a couple of minutes. I freaked out. I cried and laughed and pumped my fist. We had a little dance party on the pullout sofa and then tried to get a little more sleep or at least stay in bed until Lisa and Karen woke up - who we were sharing a condo with. I knocked on their door once I heard them. Karen answered, I showed her the positive pregnancy test, she cried and told Lisa to come to the door. Lisa had just gotten out of the shower and was in her towel - she gave me the biggest hug almost losing her towel. haha, such a fun memory.
Hanging out at Oliver's birthday party on our due date
We didn't have a baby the day after our due date so we decided to do yard work
Yesterday was much better. It started with an appointment to get Erin's membranes swept. Horrible name for a procedure. During the procedure the doc or midwife separates the amnionic sac from the cervix. It's supposed to jumpstart labor. Erin couldn't get the procedure completed because her body isn't far enough along. We know Erin will be induced this weekend if Jette doesn't make her appearance before then. We were able to reset our expectations, appreciate that Erin and baby are healthy and commit to having a happy and positive week.
Up until the last few days the pregnancy has gone fast. The fact that Erin has felt great has helped make it go fast. Our lives have carried on as usual. We have gotten closer, have had conversations we never had before, have gone on a handful of vacations, had a health scare, gained a(n ADORABLE) nephew, and a lot of things I'm not remembering.
One last thing that feels so important to highlight. We have gotten spoiled from family and friends. People we haven't talked to in years have sent packages. A stranger at the gym saw Erin's pregnant belly and learned we were having a girl. After the workout the stranger walked us to her car and gave us bags of BEAUTIFUL baby girl clothes. It's incredible. Perhaps the most special is a package we received yesterday. We received a handmade quilt from Julie, Kolby's mom, with the most beautiful card. We'll keep the quilt and the card forever - they are symbols of the love that made it possible to create Jette. The love and support that Julie has for Kolby will be reflected in the life of our baby girl. Kolby is amazing - that's why we asked him to help us start our family - and after hearing more and more about his life it is clear that his parents, particularly his mother, shaped him. Erin and I haven't talked much about how she might be doing with the anticipation of our baby being born - a baby that is apart of her but her not knowing how/where she fits in baby's life. The card she wrote gave us insight. One thing is for certain, we want Jette to know Kolby's family. It might take time to figure out how it'll all work out but I am confident it will. I want to wrap my arms around Julie and thank her again and again for her love, support, kindness and graciousness through this unusual and unexpected process.
Look how beautiful! Julie named the quilt "Who Love You."
I am heart broken to write this post. I hoped this time would come in a few months or years but life had a different plan.
It seems my grandma Carol is in her last hours. I just received a text from my sister Jami that said the hospice nurse thinks she has 2 hours left. Her oxygen has plummeted.
She also sent this - which I find beautiful and incredibly special.
It's interesting to lose someone as close and special as my grandma as we anticipate the arrival of our daughter. I have had all sorts of thoughts and feelings. It certainly makes me question what I believe. I'm thinking about heaven and I am wondering if Jette will come right after grandma dies. Maybe gram will give Jette a quick life lesson and then give her a hug as she sends Jette to make her appearance or something.
My grandma Carol is one of my heroes. I grew up hearing stories about her childhood. She didn't have indoor plumbing or a furnace for the longest time. She had to share a bed with her siblings because it was so cold inside. Ice formed inside of the windows. When one of them had to rearrange to get comfortable they would start counting 1.....2......3 and then all roll over at the same time. She shared bath water with her entire family. When it was finally her turn to get in the water was usually cold. Gram was a tomboy. She played sports with the boys and loved getting dirty and working on the farm. She talked about her most memorable Christmas - when her brother who was at war surprised her family and came home for the day. She put herself through college and became a teacher. She was so generous with her time, her love and their money. I always looked forward to those checks - written on a typewriter for my birthday and Christmas. A few years back she told me she was grateful for the wrinkles on her hands because they reminded her of all the hard work she had accomplished throughout her life. She adored me. I adored her, too. She may have had a hard time when I came out of the closet - but if she did, I wouldn't have known it. She sent me a card immediately after and told me how much she loved me and reminded me that Heavenly Father loved me, too. She was always so kind and gracious towards Erin. She never forgot to tell me to tell Erin hi and that she loved her. And during this last Christmas she told me how excited she was for us to become parents.
For all of those reasons, and 1 million others, my gram is the best! I am going to miss her. I will spend time thinking about her and writing down every memory. I will teach Jette all about her.
For now, I just hope I can make it to her funeral. I have a new reason to hope for Jette's quick arrival!
Just a couple pictures I found
On the porch of my home in Logan weeks after I purchased. She was one of my first visitors.
Gram and gramp on their wedding day. Never has there been a classier woman!
On Christmas of 2013. This is one of my favorite pictures. It accurately depicts our relationship
The last 4 pictures were taken on December 26, 2016. It was the last time I saw my gram. These pictures are so incredibly special to me and showcase our special relationship <3
Okay, okay - we've done everything we can do to prepare. We have purchased way too many baby things and have been spoiled by our family and friends with even more baby things. We've taken 15 hours of labor and delivery classes and a couple breastfeeding classes, too. We have read several articles, blog posts and have started more books about parenting than we've finished. We have gone to all our doctor appointments and last night we learned infant cpr and about infant safety precautions. We have taken loads of stuff to the Goodwill to make space for baby, we have cleaned the entire house, we have installed the carseat, we have washed all the baby clothes - some of them twice and gotten the diaper bag ready.
Our hiking carrier. One of the amazing gifts we've received
We have dance parties with Jette every morning - sometimes morning and night - and we tell her how eager we are to meet her and how much we love her already. It's weird - we do!
Getting practice with our friends babies!
CPR/Infant Safety
Our 5 mile walk. Trying to walk Jette out!
We had an appointment with our midwife yesterday. She checked in - asking how we are. I told her that I am struggling with the weather - all the rain and gray days are totally bumming me out AND that I cry tears of gratitude everyday. The combination of the two contradicting feelings exhaust me. Like, I am sleeping more than Erin some days - and she is growing a freaking human! On the other hand it seems tears come whenever I look at Erin and/or her belly. I can't help it. They just come. It's like a confirmation that all my childhood and young adult dreams are about to come true at each glance. So I am in the process of dreaming up new dreams - and I'm pretty excited about what I'm coming up with AND I feel tired all the time - and baby isn't even here yet. Shit.
Point is, we are ready. And I'm an emotional tired mess. #lordhelpme
