We're getting closer....

Man, does it seem like this last week has dragged on! We're at 15 days left today.... It seems like we're so close, and yet SOOOOO far! He could come early, he could come late! Yikes... 2 weeks late would mean I still have a whole month more to go. BLAH! (Please Paul and body of mine... let's not wait that long!) We're still doing great... he's still moving around quite a bit, including all the stretching and pushing on my ribs and stomach... giving me unbelievable heartburn. When it feels like a ball of fire sitting in my throat... I'd say I'm ready for that to end.
So some updates....

• We went to see the doc on Friday. Everything checks out, we're in great shape! Then we met with the doc that would be our family doc after Paulie is born and she's super great! Very nice, easy to talk to and seemed like she really cared about us, making sure we knew everything she could tell us, and that we had everything ready before Paulie comes. So we agreed that we'd keep her!  ;) hehe... I think that she also does OB and delivers babies, so I also think that with the rest of our children we'll have her be our primary care giver.
• Jerry's parents are going to be able to stay with us in our home before and after Paulie is due, hurray!
• Jerry's sister and aunts are putting together a shower for us on April 3rd. The time is from 2-5PM and it will be in New Lisbon. Woot! I can't wait to see everyone again! (for more info, please contact me via email)
• I got Paulie's bassinett all cozied up and the cat decided she liked it so much that she curled up in it to sleep(will post pictures soon).
• I brought up the rest of the stuff we'll be needing once Paulie comes. Lots of socks and burp rags! A lovely boppy pillow from a dear sister of mine and some blankets for Paulie to keep warm in. :)
• Our roommate Jessy has recently become engaged and so I will be having fun helping out with things when and where I can and Jerry is going to be one of the groomsmen!
• My parents are still going to be able to come in April, and stay maybe a week! Not with us, but at least we'll be able to spend some time with them! And they'll be able to meet Paulie while he's still a wee little bud.

Well I think that's it for now!

BIG BELLY! Almost done.. :)

I'm so ready!!! I love being pregnant... but... I just want to hold him and see what he looks like! He's been so proactive in making sure I know that he's there that it hurts... haha.

Three and a half weeks left

Not much longer to go... I hope he doesn't decide to stay in any longer than his due date. Blah. I love having him, feeling him move, and being able to sort of play by poking each other, BUT... he's getting big fast, stretching often and onto my bladder. My ribs and stomach have had about enough. I've never experienced the heartburn that I have before him. Like a fireball in my throat that won't chill.
So just that I have an idea of how many of you this is reaching, would you please rate my posts or leave a comment? I think that any comments can be made private so that I only see them if that's what you prefer. It's been a such a priveledge to be able to share with you all, the things that have been going on in our lives, how God is moving in our lives, and of course Paul's progress from teeny tiny, to not so tiny, to now. I hope that all of this is encouraging to each of you and that you know how much we all miss you and want you included and involved in our lives even though we're miles away. Or just schedules apart. 
Tonight Jerry played at the Acoustic in Eau Claire with Roger and his brother Randall. It was fun to see all the other canidates that signed up and the mixed bag they brought in. They were a little unprepared as far as total equipment, but I thought they sounded great. We stayed for all the preformances and were able to meet with and talk to a couple of the others. Since the Acoustic only has open mic nite about 4 times a year, if they wanted to play again there on a scheduled time, they'd have to have about 2 hours worth of material! It's in the works! So pray for them with that. The next open mic nite in is May... so, until then at least, we'll be seeing about some other places. 
In conclusion... Paul and I are doing well. We have our next appointment next week on Friday, and then one more a week the next couple weeks after and then... hopefully the next time we go in... he'll be coming out! Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a note if you like. :)

Healthy babies are the best!

Red Cedar Medical Center has these Family Birth Suites that Jerry and I were able to see in person and they really are very spacious and we're very excited to go there. Some info for family and friends if you come see us there... The green side is labor and delivery and the red side is recovery. The kitchenette area I talked about has food there, but for me and Jerry only. You are allowed to use the microwave, toaster, and coffee machine. There is a waiting room with a computer that I believe has the internet too. We have opted that if you call the hospital, they are allowed to give out the room number we are in when we're there. Although, close family and friends will be getting a call from either Jerry's parents, my parents, or our roommate Jessy anyway, letting you know that I'm in labor and so calls will be directed to them until after Paul is born.
Later we go in for another check up. We had one scheduled for Thursday, but that had to get rescheduled for today. I'll be able to talk to my doc about the glucose test, and I know I still won't be taking the second test for it. Although, something good I already know of is that, even though the first test was abnormal... the level mine was at was on the very low end of the abnormal bracket(I found the letter sent to me from my doctor about it which told me that). So I don't think I have much to worry about if I watch my sugar intake and exercise a bit more.

Jerry and I are very excited about bringing Paul into this world, but we are also learning that we're a bit scared, and that it's going to be very difficult for Jerry to see me in the amount of pain I'll be in during labor. Please pray for us over this. I know it will seem like it all happened so fast when it's all over, but ... in the meantime, it will seem like forever. I would also like to add that I foresee it being rather overwhelming for Jerry and I once home with Paul and would like to encourage you all to pray about if and how you can help us in the transition of having a new life in our home to take care of. Whether it just be by prayer support or some other kind, anything and everything will be very much appreciated and not in vain.

On a side note, this is still in the works, but a stranger came to our house today and asked if he could buy our taurus for parts! For the last several months it has just been sitting in our parking lot because the starter went out, and then the battery died. Since it has some other things that need fixing, and the transmission was just more recently rebuilt, we decided we would just try and sell it for parts... but we haven't even posted that anywhere online, newspaper or just on the car itself... so this person is really a God-send and it would be really great if he decides to take it. He'll be by at around 9:30 to take a better look at it. So the money we'll be getting from this car will be going towards a truck!  I'm not sure about all the details, I just know that it's a good buy and it's a stick shift, which I am most looking forward to since I find them so fun to drive!

Another exciting thing for us, Jerry's parents will be coming to WI in about 3 weeks! If you could be praying for them and their travels, that would be awesome! As well as a place for them to stay here near Menomonie so that they won't have to drive far once Paulie decides it's showtime.

Thanks everyone for ALL your support!

(A quick update, the stranger that wanted the car, took it!)

Blood Tests and Suites

So we had a blood test done last week sometime, and today they called and said that it was abnormal... Which to me doesn't really mean anything. It's that test they offer women like me to rule out gestational diabetes. The only thing is... I remember I hadn't eaten much that day, and when I took the sugar drink, I had just had a banana before that. SO... Anyway, they want me to come in for the second test, which for that one... I'll have to fast from midnight the day I decide to go in, and then I'll have to wait around for 3 hours, getting blood drawn every hour. I'm thinking... NO THANKS... which is precisely what I plan on doing. Not taking the test. Why? I did some research and the only real treatment for gestational diabetes is "being put on a special diet" and adding a bit more exercise. Since that is the case, I'll just avoid being pricked 3 times in a day just for them to be able to officially tell me I need to eat less sugar, more protein and vegetables and walk at least a half hour every day. Ya know... seeing blood doesn't make me faint, but when I can't eat, and then my blood sugar goes down and then they take blood from me... I'm gonna faint. Well... at least I know I will be borderline with that. I also hate needles in my skin. It's the worst feeling in the world. So, if all of you could be praying for us to stick to a better diet and that it's not severe gestational diabetes to begin with, as well as getting out for a walk every day with the cold weather, we all would appreciate that very much.
On a lighter note... The birthing suites that the hospital here in Menomonie has... pretty much look amazing! The room/suite is huge for me, paul and jerry and they have a nice lounge area for everyone else and a sort of kitchenette area as well. Tomorrow we get to go in and get the official tour and information for us and all the pre-registration info for them. Exciting!

Camera!

Well, we finally picked out a camera that Jerry and I both like! So far so good! It also takes video! So we will for sure be getting video uploaded to this blog HOPEFULLY once a week after Paul arrives. Thanks for reading!