Day 1 of Overtime

     The baby's due date came and went yesterday.  Today I attended all 3 hours of church and women everywhere were offering suggestions of how to induce labor naturally.  I of course have already done ample research on the matter in the weeks leading up to this point but it was fun to hear individual success stories.  Here's the plan if the baby doesn't come:  I check into the hospital Tuesday night.  Since I am not in a "favorable condition" for inducement (meaning I'm not sufficiently dilated and effaced ) they will give me a pill to start contractions.  By morning the contractions should have done their job and I should be sufficiently dilated to start the pitocin and induce labor.  The baby will come one way or another on Wednesday.  I am not exactly thrilled with the idea of being induced but I also don't want to wait and have him come that close to our anniversary on the 14th.  Call me selfish but I need my child's birthday to be sufficiently separated from my anniversary so as to be able to celebrate both separately.  So, inducement it is.  He'll be 4 days overdue anyway and my doctor fully supports the idea.  Anyway, regardless, bringing on labor naturally is still the preferred method.
     So, I made a new friend in the ward who just moved in and is due with her 2nd at the end of September.  She said with her first, she went for a jog with her husband when she was one day overdue and her water broke an hour later.  I spent the day getting pumped up about the idea and figured it was worth a try.  So, tonight I pulled out the biggest shoes I own and Jackson stuffed my feet into them for me.

     I was extremely giggly as we prepared for our jog.  Fully inspired and full of energy because of this video:  

  Unfortunately I am not blessed with such awesome dance moves so I'll start with jogging.  

     We proceeded to go jogging around our apartment complex with walking in between.  It went amazingly well even though my legs felt like they were full of lead and my feet had no support and were overflowing my shoes.  It was a fun experience even if it doesn't bring on labor.  Although now I can't complain about the resulting pelvic pressure and soreness! 

     Tomorrow a woman in my ward who is a massage therapist is going to try some pressure points.  After that, my relief society president has offered the trampoline in her backyard.  She said it worked for her once!  I'm just having fun with it at this point.  I have nothing better to do and I get some good laughs out of it.  And hey, if something works, then great! 

Breaking, Ripping, and Fixing

     As part of this nesting phase I'm in, besides cleaning more than I have in a very long time with a much better attitude about it, I have also been getting some sewing done that has been needed for a while.  Once upon a time I washed our amazingly soft 500 thread count sheets and made the mistake of putting the fitted sheet in wrapped around the base of the washer.  It apparently didn't go over too well with the agitator and our beautiful sheet came out like this:

     Complete with the mummy and all.  I was very sad about it and I finally sat down to fix it this week.  A hole that size with so many frayed threads was a bit harder to fix than I expected but better than paying for new sheets at this point.  I sewed the softest cotton I could find on each side of the sheet and ironed on wonder under in between the layers in the hopes that the adhesive secures all of the separated threads and helps it to stop from fraying and separating even more.  Here's the obnoxiously LARGE patch! 

We'll see how it holds up after I wash it! 

     Also, a couple of days ago through a series of unfortunate events I managed to drop one of our plates.  It shattered in pieces on the floor and I burst into tears.  It was our first broken dish and I'm in love with our dish set and was heart broken.  Jackson once again reminded me that it's no use crying over spilled milk and I dried my tears and tried to mend my heart.  P.S.  the plate was covered in bacon grease so I ended up with baking soda all over the kitchen floor AGAIN.  :) Anyway, today I stopped by Bed Bath and Beyond to see what kind of warranty we might have on the dishes.  They kindly informed me that they have a very open return policy and I can just bring the plate in and they would replace it for free.  I looked at the worker incredulously and re-emphasized the fact that I had dropped the plate on the floor, that it was my fault.  He said it was no problem.  It's a lifetime open return policy.  (Isn't that AMAZING?!  Any dish we break in the future will be replaced at no extra cost!)  So, I went out to my car and brought in the biggest shard of the plate identifying the make and model and within minutes had a brand new plate in my hands.  No paperwork, no purchase verification, no cashier transaction.  Just take the plate and walk out.  Thank-you Bed Bath and Beyond, as if we didn't love you before.  

Jackson with our newly replaced plate!

     My other big accomplishment this week was sewing a pillow case.  I know, a pillow case is probably the easiest thing in the world to sew but I'm still excited about it.  You see, my younger sister gifted me a memory foam body pillow a while back in the hopes that it would help me sleep better with my growing belly.  It's abnormally sized, long and skinny so even normal body pillow cases would be too large.  I measured it, cut, and sewed.  Then I seam ripped because there wasn't quite enough room to get the pillow in and re-sewed with a smaller seam allowance.  And here's our wonderful pillow nicely covered and protected: 

 I am especially pleased with how the hem turned out, it looks so professional! 

     It feels nice to clean and sew again and to not have to pay for it in the form of excruciating back pain. This ease of pregnancy symptoms (except for the swelling which never gives me a break!) has made this last week of pregnancy so much easier.  Before, I was so anxious to get this baby out of me but this week I have been much more content to wait.  Although, now that he is due tomorrow I am anxious again!  I'm pumped up for labor and currently have a "Bring it on!" attitude so it would be nice if he came, I dunno, like tonight?  Please, please, please don't make me wait until Wednesday to be induced! 

July

     I do believe it is time to update our blog!  No, the baby still hasn't come.  You can stop reading now if you want, I know that's really why you continued reading after the first sentence...
     Even though we still are lacking the 3rd member of our family, I figured I would give a brief update on this past month.  First of all, we have been house hunting.  We have learned a ton in the process of applying for a mortgage and working with a mortgage broker.  We found a house that we love but are not so sure about moving away from the area of town we live in.  We are still putting off the decision and remaining content in our apartment complex that we are convinced is the best complex you could ever ask for.
      We have also survived an abnormally HOT month!  During the entire month of July there were only 3 days when the high was below 100 degrees - and on those 3 days it was 99 degrees.  We're going on the 18th day straight of over 100.  And we're talking 105 and 106 degrees, consistently.  Try being 9 months pregnant in that!  I'm sure it has contributed to this:

     No I have not gained 100 pounds.  I know it looks like I have.  And yes, I used to have legs like the girl behind me in this picture.  I tell you what, swelling is no fun!  We measured my calf the other day at 16.5 inches!  I was amazed.  It took one of Jackson's hands and one of mine to reach all the way around it.  I describe it as feeling like my calves are about to split open combined with shin splints.  I also had to break down and pry my wedding ring off of my finger and stow it away as my fingers have taken to swelling as well.  I do miss that ring! 

     We also survived our first real illness as a married couple.  Jackson came down with a bad case of strep throat.  After 3 days of a 103 degree fever that I just couldn't break with over the counter medicine, cold cloths, and cool baths, we finally took him in.  Here's Jackson in a cold bath waiting for a couple of friends of ours to come over and give him a blessing: 

     Poor guy.  He was miserable!  I was amazed at how quickly I jumped into a motherly role and forgot about my own pregnancy symptoms and was able to get up multiple times a night to take care of him and  monitor his fever.  Once he was diagnosed with strep and we got some penicillin in him he recovered quite quickly.  

     On July 18 we celebrated my birthday.  It happened to be 24 hours after Jackson had started on antibiotics and despite still feeling quite under the weather he surprised me and took me to see Harry Potter 7.2.  He felt so bad that he was sick on my Birthday.  I still had a great day though, complete with a manicure and pedicure (compliments of my mother-in-law) and a night of scrabble during which I finally beat Jackson!  

     Other than that, Jackson is still the entrepreneur and has started a new venture that I will let him explain but that we are pretty excited about.  I am officially on maternity leave as of one week ago and have been nesting like crazy.  I feel better than I have in months!  Such energy, it's amazing!  

     The crib is made, the hospital bag packed, and the car seat ready.  Our baby boy is due tomorrow.  I sure hope he starts making his way into the world because we are very ready to meet him! 

Lake Travis

     Our old single's ward Bishop has a lake house on Lake Travis.  Each year, he hosts a ward activity and takes the singles boating all day long.  It's a day filled with swimming, boating, tubing, wake boarding, good food, and sunburns.  Last year Jackson and I drove the 2 to 2 1/2 hours to the activity and had a blast.  Here are some pictures from that trip, which was 2 weeks after we got engaged:

     This next one is slightly blurry but it makes me laugh out loud.  My sister is there on the left, doing a graceful Titanic pose as she is thrown off of the tube.  I'm the one on the right with my butt and legs in the air, doing a back flip off of the tube.  Awesome. 

Jackson was a stud and couldn't get thrown from the tube and was also the only one to successfully wakeboard, even though he hadn't done it in like 8 years. 

     Now, after you take a second to admire my pre-pregnancy figure in that first picture (come on, I deserve it, I feel like such a swollen large pregnant woman these days! ) fast forward one year later, to the present.  Singles ward activity at Lake Travis again.  We happen to live 20 miles from the Bishop's lake house, you have to pass our apartment on the way to the lake and I had 3 siblings going to the activity.  This was enough reason for us to crash the singles ward bash at Lake Travis.  We showed up and had a lot of fun hanging out with a few old friends, my siblings, and of course LOVED LOVED LOVED the boating.  We are definitely boat people.  It is one of my favorite things in life to do and completely relaxes me.  It was a pretty smooth ride and for the first time in a very long time I was able to just relax and enjoy myself.  We recently made the discovery that a huge reason pregnancy has been so hard for me is that all of my stress relief activities are physical and active, I can't do my favorite activities anymore and so it's hard for me to find ways to relax, enjoy myself, and relieve stress.  Needless to say, I REALLY needed this boating trip.  Anyway, I relaxed on the boat and enjoyed watching everyone tube and get thrown off.  I did a pretty good job of not being jealous of them being able to tube too.  :)  Here are some pictures from this year's trip: 

Jackson has gained a reputation for his entertaining ability while tubing.  He does all sorts of tricks, standing up, switching spots with people, flips, etc.  He can't be thrown and has a blast doing anything and everything to spice up the ride.  Everyone on the boat always gets a kick out of it and the whole time people were telling me, "Your husband is so funny!" or "Your husband is so awesome!" It's true.  :) 

Me and all of my siblings:

Even with sunscreen warpaint we were no match for the strength of the sun and it's army of UV rays.  We both got burned pretty badly! 

So, Lake Travis was great fun and the singles ward didn't seem to mind at all that we crashed the party.  And we didn't mind the good company, free food, and free boating! 

Crib!

     I am so excited about my craigslist purchase from today that I just have to blog about it right this instant.  Once upon a time I registered for a gorgeous and timeless bedding set at Babies R Us.   Last week I found out it was discontinued and couldn't find it ANYWHERE online.  I tried everything.  I freaked out, might have cried a little bit, and felt like the world could never be right again because my beloved crib bedding was nowhere to be found.  I stopped by Babies R Us and my emotions stabilized as I saw 3 bedding sets left on the shelf (the website made it seem like they were gone since you couldn't buy them online anymore).  I impulsively bought the set, knowing I could return it later after I regained my rationality.  And return it I did, because $200 is ridiculous for a 4 piece bedding set!
     After getting my money back I began an intense Craigslist search for the perfect bedding for our little boy's nursery.  The search ended with today's gem of a purchase:

     I LOVE IT!  So colorful and lots of different texture.  Check out the edge of the quilt with it's home quilted look: 

     Here's the whole effect: 

     Yes our crib is currently in the living room.  Our lease is up next month and we will be moving into a 2 bedroom at which time I will let my creative crafting energy loose and decorate a cute little nursery!  So, here's what I got:  2 sheets, 1 quilt, crib bumper (not pictured), crib skirt, and diaper holder all for $30.  Awesome.  AND, the beautiful blue Pottery Barn Crib was free off of Craigslist and the mattress was only $15.  So, the whole outfitted crib only cost $45 total.  This is not the first time I have pledged my allegiance to craigslist.  I love it.  Such a great way to be frugal and yet not compromise quality and good looks.  

     I'm on a "I have to get every little thing ready for the baby" kick right now.  Feeling that intense need to organize and make sure we're ready for his arrival.  He will be full term in a week and a half and will come whenever he decides to make his debut sometime in the next 4 weeks.  We're so excited.  Hooray for becoming a family of 3! 

My Husband is a Stud

     My phone is 2 1/2 years old.  It's a basic old school flip phone that calls and texts, nothing else.  Recently it began messing up and I knew it was on it's way out.  About 2 weeks ago it finally bit the dust.  The display screen went out and sometimes I could get it to turn on, other times I couldn't.  I went without a phone for about 2 weeks and during this time I got a new battery to see if it was a simple fix (it wasn't) and then tried to figure out how to proceed.  I was on my parents' family plan ($5 a month!) but my contract had been up for 6 months.  If I got a new phone through T-Mobile it would renew my contract and I would be sharing minutes with my family for the next 2 years.  Not exactly practical being the head of household with no land line.  However, we weren't sure we were prepared to budget in adding me to Jackson's plan either, it would be quite a bit more each month, plus we'd have to buy a phone.  Not to mention Jackson had told me that they wouldn't let him add a line anyway because of his credit/late payments or something.  That didn't make any sense to me because our credit is perfectly fine and a few late payments shouldn't make that big of a difference.   So, renew on a family plan or get my own line through Sprint unless we could strike some sort of deal to get on Jackson's plan.
     Enough background story.  So, Friday my phone randomly started working again for a solid 2 hours.  Long enough for a T-Mobile customer service guy to call just to check in on our satisfaction which gave me the opportunity to start discussing my problem and potential solutions.  On my way out from work my phone suddenly told me I had no service.  No matter how much I turned it off and back on again, I still didn't have service.  Ridiculous!  First the broken phone, and now that it was finally working temporarily I didn't have service!
     I went to the mall, called Jackson from a kiosk and asked if he would meet me there and we could just talk to Sprint and T-Mobile, figure out our options, and decide on what we were going to do.  I had reached my wits end with not having a phone (it was more than just a "need to be connected"  it was inconvenient and impractical not to have a way to call anyone, not to mention unsafe being this far along in my pregnancy with no way to call for help if I needed it).  However, Jackson was in the middle of something and didn't feel like coming over (2 miles away).  Besides, our house was a mess and he'd rather us just get everything in order at home and worry about phones tomorrow.  "You can survive one more day".  I protested and eventually settled on just talking to T-Mobile to find out my options and waiting to talk to Sprint until Jackson was with me.
     While talking to T-Mobile I'm informed my only option is to renew my contract and actually it showed that my line had been cancelled.  I told them that was impossible, I've had my line for 2 1/2 years.  The kiosk guy gave some line about "well, sometimes we have things wrong on our end".  At this point I'm thinking "You incompetent people!  My phone breaks and now you don't even show my line as active!"  I returned home frustrated and annoyed but humbly willing to wait one more day to sort it all out.
     I walked in the door, looked around, asked Jackson if he had vacuumed.  He said "I did lots of stuff, I put a bunch of papers for you to go through in that Target bag over there, can you go through it please?" I was slightly incredulous that the moment I walk in the door from a long day at work and a frustrating phone situation that he wanted me to immediately go through collected clutter he put in a bag for me.  But, it wasn't worth debating and I went over to the bag.  I opened it and instead of a stack of papers and mail, I found a box with a Sprint logo on it and a picture of a rather beautiful smart phone.  I looked at him completely confused and asked what it was.  I opened the box and sure enough inside was a fully charged and activated Nexus S phone, the first phone Google has ever made.
     My sneaky husband had spent significant time the day before and on Friday setting me up on his phone plan.  He'd even made up the story about Sprint saying he couldn't add a line.  And he was trying not to freak out when I was so insistent at the mall at talking to customer service people because I was about to ruin the surprise!  So, T-Mobile is not incompetent, my line had in fact been cancelled just an hour before I headed over to the mall.  Jackson had collaborated with my mom, cancelled my line, and switched my number over to Sprint.  What a great surprise!  And me being the emotional pregnant woman started crying because I was so relieved to have it all worked out and so grateful for his fantastic surprise.
     Here's my old phone (notice the white screen of death) next to my intensely upgraded new phone:

Jackson enjoyed showing me the ropes and teaching me all the cool tricks I can do.  I love my phone already!  Here we are together with our sweet phones, connected on our very own family plan: 

Moral of the story:  Jackson is a stud.  

Jackson + Scrapbooking = Kodak Moment

     Jackson's mom is one heck of a scrap booker.  She has all the supplies, photos, and dedication.  Once upon a time she started a mission scrapbook for Jackson.  As part of his Spring Cleaning a couple of weeks ago, he pulled out the items that needed to be added and went to work.  He forbade me to post a picture but hey, he's not home right now so I'll carry on!

     I believe he added some talks he gave on his mission and stuck some stickers on pages.  Don't worry - no cutesy stuff, not from my husband, but he was scrap booking nonetheless!  I love that you can see the tool box in this picture, who knew you needed a toolbox for scrapbooking?!  Apparently getting the scrapbook apart to remove the pages is quite the ordeal.  

     Don't worry honey, you're still a guy and I thought it was the cutest thing in the world to watch you scrapbook on the floor.  Totally worth whatever sort of consequence comes from posting this picture on our blog.