Belly Pics

Here are some more belly pics. I am huge, and now I have a large "overhang" that hide my feet and makes my pants want to fall down! I think these pics will make me laugh...someday :)

I found someone to join me in this pic!

Life is happening so much faster than I am moving! I cannot seem to keep up anymore... This will be a long post, but maybe it will explain why I am falling behind!

I had two great showers a couple of weekends ago! Friday night I had a friends shower that was held at Sarah's house. The girls did a great job - it was so much fun. I was able to see everyone again and I was shocked at the amount of fun stuff that we received! I got a travel bed, bath stuff, books, diaper bag, tummy time play mat, sleep positioner, pacifiers, bottle drying rack and many more items. We also had lots of laughs - I had to guess Mike's answers about new baby questions. For example, "how many diapers does a newborn go through in a day?" "How old are kids before they stop taking naps?" "how long before Beth loses her baby weight?" Some of the answers he did well on, others had us laughing and discussing whether we needed to go to the child birth classes! It was great time - thanks girls!

Then the next day, Saturday for brunch, I had a Van Hill baby shower. Rhonda had us over at her house (the nursery for her daughter is beautiful!!) and it was another great time. I got lots of baby advice from all the new moms - I can use every bit of advice! We also played a game with baby bottles - some people are very talented at drinking out of bottles! :) Once again I was overwhelmed with gifts. Mike and I have so much stuff now, I think we can actually bring this baby home! We got a car seat, swaddler, humidifier, baskets for our nursery, diaper champ for dirty diapers, a bouncy seat, a gift card to Carters, exersaucer and a stroller frame to hold the car seat!

I got home from the shower just prior to Van Hill Furniture bringing our new living room furniture! Then we carried in all of the gifts - Mike and Beef tried out the new furniture while I showed them all of the great baby stuff that we have now. I didn't realize how spoiled I was until I sat down that day and looked around my house - I am so blessed! I have a wonderful husband, a nice warm house - with new flooring, paint and furniture, a room overflowing with baby belongings, a baby that will soon be here, family close enough to enjoy, and both Mike and I are fortunate enough to have good stable jobs.

A lot has also been going on with my Grandpa and Grandma Van Hill. They had planned to go to Florida this winter until they found out they both needed back surgery. Grandpa had neck surgery, and then 2 weeks later (just after the shower) my Grandma had lower back surgery. Instead of going straight home, my grandma decided to get rehab at Tendercare in Holland for a week of two. They have a great physical therapy program there, her surgery was quite large, and her leg has had a pinched nerve for so long, that even after surgery it still wasn't working just like it should. So while my Grandma is at Tendercare, my Grandpa was recovering at home. He started not feeling well late this past week and Thursday night he was admitted back to Holland Hospital. They found he had an obstruction in his bowel. Friday evening things changed and he wasn't stable anymore, they moved him to the ICU and emergent surgery was done, removing part of his small intestine. He had about 18 inches of necrotic/dead tissue removed and he had an infection in his blood from that. He spent 1 night on a ventilator, resting his lungs while the rest of his body was recovering. He has done very well and is no longer in ICU, however he is in the Telemetry unit at Holland. Most of you know, that these 2 units are where I work, so it is weird being a visitor and not the nurse caring for the patient! I am impressed with how well my family is taking care of this. Prior to this month, my grandparents were running around and taking care of everyone else, now it is their time to have people help them out. My grandma is picked up everyday from Tendercare and brought to the hospital, and there are "assigned shifts" for who will be at the hospital, helping with my grandpa... It will take time and patience now for healing, but it is good to see how well things are turning out. Pray that there is strength and patience for all!

Saturday was Valentines Day! I got home from the hospital to find roses & a card and Mike was cleaning the house! Rather than wait in line at a restaurant, we had family over for dinner. Sarah & Ross, Beef, Brett, and Leann & Daris were all over for an impromptu dinner. Valentines Day is also Leann's birthday - Happy Birthday Leann! We had gone out with the family on Friday night to Crazy Horse to celebrate.

So that just about says what I have been up to for the last little bit. I also have been working full time, going to my doctor, decorating the nursery, and getting ready for our new baby. I had an ultrasound on Thursday, and we received good and shocking news. I have been planning to have a C-section since I have had "marginal placenta previa" and a vaginal delivery is not safe. Thursday I had my final C-section to determine if the previa was still present, and the official report said "there are no signs of placenta previa"!! So this means we can have a normal birth - now I just need to figure out how to give birth! (I thought I was having a planned C-section and have skipped all classes) So when I am not busy working or fussing around the house, I now have books that I am reading - I have a lot to learn! :)