In a week...

It's almost that time for Mason to arrive. A week from today, Thursday, October 6th, we are going into the hospital to be induced at 7:30 in the morning. I'm not looking forward to the whole waiting game all day though. The doctors are choosing to induce at 39 weeks because there is no benefit for Mason to be inside until 40 weeks. Plus, by going to 40 weeks, the risk of stillborn is higher, especially in Down Syndrome babies. Fortunately, everything looks good on my end and looks like inducing should be fine, although the average induction lasts 12 hours. No fun!! It's crazy to think that in a week or less we will be introducing our newest addition, Mason, into this world. Of course, I'm going crazy trying to get everything ready at school and making sure my lesson plans are in order and the sub has everything she needs. I think teaching is one of the only jobs that you just don't leave when you go on maternity leave. There is tons of work that goes into it and me being me, especially right now, wants it to be perfect. Knowing this, you would think I've packed and been ready for the hospital for a while. It's the complete opposite. No bags are packed, but the fridge is packed with food for when we get back home. I still need to clean my house this weekend, so hopefully Mason doesn't want to make his entrance too early. On the otherhand, Jay can't wait for Mason to get here because that's when we told him he could get his batman costume for Halloween. Telling him that Halloween was a month a way wasn't working and didn't make sense to him. To be three again and have no sense of time. Look for pictures this coming week after Mason is here.

hanging in there

okay, so we are still here, just haven't given a lot of time to writing on here lately.  our weekends and days have been pretty busy and full.  between getting all my lesson plans done for geometry, doctors appointments, and preparing for a new little one to come in the next few weeks, time just slips away from us.  plus, we all could use a nap here or there and we would rather do that then be on a computer all the time.

mason update:

(35 1/2 weeks)

as for mason, we went to the maternal/fetal doctor this past friday and everything seems to be looking good on his end.  he is about 4 lbs 12 oz (23rd percentile) which is fine for down syndrome babies.  the doctor felt that this was in normal range.  he glanced over everything and thinks it all looks fine to his eyes.  we will know more once he is here about his heart and everything.  his profile pictures on the 3d and 4d ultrasounds really look like jay.  it is so cool to see.  i decided to ask the doctor what would he recommend to my ob about delivery.  he said as long as my cervix is favorable, that he would probably induce at 39 weeks.  if not, let me go an extra week and then see.  so great news to us for now.  we graduated and won't be seeing that doctor anymore.  i'm glad because i'm tired of so many different appointments.

jay update:

(3 years old)

yeah, jay keeps us on our toes.  being three just means he talks your ears off, climbs everywhere, and has a personality like no one else.  we love that he is a happy kid and enjoys playing with his friends at school and sunday school.  over the past month, we've really had fun with jay and watching him grow up.  today when we got home from church, i quickly ran to the store to grab a few things and when i came home, garrett and jay had their panthers' jerseys on.  i walked in the door and jay kept saying "mommy your panthers jersey is upstairs" as if i didn't know i had one.  he is so particular about his clothes and what we wear and where we go.  it is really funny.  as for his eating these days, it has improved tremendously.  he will eat about anything we eat and we don't take extra food with us out to resturants.  he just eats off of our plates.  we still refuse to buy him his own meal since he won't eat the whole thing.  he can deal with what we have for now.  jay also has been moved to a full bed instead of the toddler bed.  we needed to transform it back into a crib for mason's room.  he was so excited this week to get it.  he no longer wants to sleep with his blanket or monkey, but the baseball and football pillows we bought for his bed.  he thinks he's a big boy now.

as for the last month, here are a few pictures starting with some of the most recent to jay's birthday party in the middle of august.

jay can climb on the barstools to the counter and wash his own dishes, even after i said just put it in the sink and i'll get it.

we went to the stump town parade in matthews last weekend.  jay wanted candy!!  sorry, no good pictures were taken of jay during the parade.  i just wanted to throw in one.

jay has gotten really good on his bike that uncle chip gave him for his birthday.  we just make him wear the helmet, but he insisted the other day to wear the knee pads and wrist pads we bought to go with his scooter.  i think he is pretty well covered.

here's jay's new bed.  he took to it really well.  he hasn't fallen out yet, but i'm guessing he might some time soon.

mason's crib made it into his room this week.  we are ready for him.

garrett painted his room the other week and put his name on his wall.  it looks great.

on friday, we went to qudoba to eat dinner with the williams'.  afterward we went out to the fountain where jay was still hungry and i gave him the only rice krispie treat.  livvie wanted one too, so they decided to share.  livvie got the last bite though.  that a girl!!

i was lazy and didn't post anything from jay's 3rd birthday party.  you can see more pictures on my Facebook page, but here are a few pictures you can look at.  thank goodness it didn't rain!

piñata time!!  the kids loved hitting the piñata and getting all the candy afterward.

the kids eating cupcakes.

i think our child needs some body fat.  he is so cold in this picture.  we've been feeding him cookies lately to fatten him up.  i don't think it's helping.