It's a waiting game

That is what it has come down to. My due date on Monday the 5th of August. I have never gone this far in any pregnancy. This is kind of emotionally draining to me. Something puts me in tears everyday and I don't like it.  I have always been induced with all my babies since they come so big. This time, I want this guy to decide when he wants to come. I am wondering if this will be our largest Snyder baby yet. We will see. I really can't complain, I have felt incredible up to this point. The past two days have been uncomfortable but I just bite down and bare through it.
Last week I was dilated to almost a 4 and baby boy decided that he wanted to be head up instead of head down. So they sent me over to the hospital to see if they could manually turn him. Ever done that before? Let me tell you it is no fun. They had to hook me up to an IV and the worst part really this time was waiting for 3 hours for the doctor to come. Lance was a trooper and waited with me. Not much to do in a tiny triage room in the hospital except tell jokes and stare at each other. It's a good thing we like each other a lot.
My doctor was out of town last week and before he left he warned me not to go into labor because he wanted to deliver. He also kept his fingers crossed for me and for baby that he would stay head down but he told me that if he did decide to turn head up, breech, then he would could show off his mad skills at manually turning a baby. He said that it is easier to do it on woman who have had multiple babies, such as I. Unfortunately, this baby decided to do just that. So another one of the doctor's in their practice was there to monitor me and help us out.
So the process of manually turning a baby is interesting. He just cupped one hand over the babies head, under my rib cage and then other on his little behind and dug his wrists into my stomach and got him to turn sideways. Then they had to hold him there for a few seconds to watch his heart rate and see on the ultrasound if the cord would interfere with it. So we were all good and then baby flipped head down. He did it! It was pretty easy only having had to do it just the once. So they told me that I would have to stay for another hour so they could watch the baby to see if he tolerated it okay. So Lance decided to go and help take care of our kids who were in being entertained by Grandma. She was a real trooper to do that for us.
While they were monitoring me and my contractions, oh yes, I was having plenty of those as well, they were wondering if it was enough to put me into labor. My contractions were every 3 minutes apart and they were pretty large on the scale. They asked me if I could feel them because I was just sitting there calm and not complaining. I honestly couldn't feel anything but tightening and it wasn't painful. So they were concerned that this time around I would go into labor and not really know it.
That was a week ago. I go in tomorrow morning and we will see how things are going.
There is a huge part of me that wishes he would just come right now. The anticipation is killing me. But another part of me wants him to wait until after this weekend. Keaton gets baptized on Saturday. Can you believe that? My oldest is going to be baptized and we will have a home full of family and friends.  It would be a little hard to entertain people with a newborn. So there is a small part of me that hopes that he will wait until Sunday. I want Keaton to feel special on his special day. I wonder if this baby does decide to come early, can you watch a baptism via Skype? Wouldn't that be interesting?
Wish us luck! It is nothing but a waiting game from here on out.

Adding another boy

We are expecting baby boy #4. I went to my doctor's appointment this morning with a lot of questions in mind. Up to this point I haven't been really anxious for him to come. After the nurse checked my blood pressure and left, I sat there waiting on the table staring at a picture on the wall in front of me. It was a huge canvas that I have seen every week since I have been pregnant with this baby. It is a picture of a little baby boy sound asleep. I never really took the time to just look at it. I started to actually cry, thinking to myself that I haven't given this baby much thought or much love. Of course, I love him already! I am thrilled to have another child, but I never really took the time to really think about him. He has been with me every step of the way.  I am the only one who has felt him move and that I something I wish everyone could feel. It is such an amazing thing to know that life is forming inside of me.
Anyways, while I was sitting there and looking at this picture of this baby I was so overcome with this overwhelming love for this baby. I am not sure what his name is yet. We are still deciding on that. But I LOVE him! I feel love towards him.
The doctor came in and checked me and so far no dilation. I am almost 37 weeks. No dilation for me at this point is different. I am usually already at a 3 or 4 but so far nothing. We are in no hurry. I actually have a lot to do before he comes but if he does come I won't object to that either. He is finally head down where we want him to be. I have been using the essential oils and a few exercises that the doctor recommended and it paid off. He flipped and he has dropped. Time to get ready for this baby! Time to get things going.
I walked out of the doctor's office to extremely excited for him to come. I can't wait! I really can't wait! I am feeling really anxious now! We love you baby boy!!!!
I still have a house to slowly pack Our home is coming along nicely. They just finished all the electrical and now we wait for the insulation and sheet rocking. I am really excited to move in. I think it will be a great move! Lance has been working so hard and he has done so much to provide us with all of this. Can I just tell you I love that man!
Anyways, I was flipping through some old pictures from our photo albums. Thought I would share with you. Yes, they are older and we look younger and skinnier but we will get back there. Enjoy!

Lance and I at my parents home



Our family at our ward Halloween party 2010

My boys and I in 2010

The kids and I went to the zoo and this was the best part of the Boise zoo

Lance had more hair, I had fewer wrinkles

2009 at Thanksgiving Point for some fall fun. Owen was just a little guy

Lee and Jaclyn's wedding in Portland. I was pregnant with Andrew. Lance is holding Keaton who was only a few months old.

The boys and I, Christmas 2010

4th of July

This year was a great year! We had great company, amazing food and such fun entertainment. My kids really enjoyed the fireworks. I didn't have any really little ones to worry about besides Ellie. She was completely fine and just had a great time skipping around as well.
We opted to stay at home this year. My family all gathered at my sister's house but we were content to let the kids play with the other million children that live in our little neighborhood. But when it was time for bed she was ready and she slept like an angel the entire night, thanks to her noise maker. I love those things. Couldn't live without it.
The weather was great. It clouded over and it cooled down just a little bit making it tolerable for me to be outside.
Once 10 o'clock rolled around everyone walked down to the park for the first annual Star Firework show. It was a great show. I was really impressed. I stayed behind and sat out in front of our home and had a great view of them while Ellie slept.
My boys were exhausted. They were up until 11:30 and once their sweet little heads hit the bed they were out like a light.

I just wanted to post a few pictures of Ellie playing out in the sprinklers today.

This may not interest you but it is for me and for the record.

 

 



My dear Owen

My sweet boy!

Where do I start? Lately I have not been sleeping well. Being almost 9 months pregnant certainly don't expect a lot of that happening but the fact that this little guy still comes to sleep in our bed each and every night is wearing me out. Son, you have got to learn to sleep all night in your bed. Starting tonight no more! I need to try and sleep.  It has been so sweet waking up to your cute little face. I love you but it is time you slept in your own bed all night long! Once this baby comes it is not going to work having two of you in my room. I love, love, love you but goodnight son!

 

Love your tired mom

Summer has begun!

Well summer break has officially begun! My kids couldn't be happier. The weather has been surprisingly hot already so it calls for afternoons outside playing in the water. My kids are happy! They are sweet to each other. They are getting along and we are just loving being together. This year we find one fun thing to do each day to keep us going. So far so good.
I just had to share some of these pictures I took of my kids while playing outside. They just melt me heart. Enough said......
Andrew has lost another tooth and the one next to it is about to come out as well. Way to go buddy!!! He pulled it out all by himself. He was so proud!

Owen and Ellie have one of those love/hate relationships. Either they drive each other mad or just love each other like crazy. This happened to be one of those days and I am tickled that I got it on camera.

She is getting so big so fast. She is getting chunky. I just love her little thighs. She melts me heart. I just wish time would freeze so I could squeeze her just a little longer. I will only have one girl and I want to remember her like this forever. She is so sweet!

She has the cutest smile ever and she is starting to say "Cheese" when you point the camera in her direction. Oh just love that face!!!!

All my little darlings laying out to dry.

I thought this described Owen today. Just happy!

When did this boy of mine get so big? I can't believe he is going to get baptized this summer. I love this boy of mine. He was my first and there is always something about your first child that you just love.

Sweet Grandma Ray

This morning I woke up to my phone dinging. We received the news from mom that Grandma Ray passed away this morning. I couldn't go back to sleep. All I could do was lay in bed and just think about this amazing woman that touched so many lives.
Grandma Ray was 92 years old and last week she suffered a stroke. Since then her health had really declined. Lance's mom was in town visiting with us when she received the news. She flew back home that evening to be with her mom.
I am sure her reunion in heaven has been a very joyous one. She has been reunited with 3 of her daughters who have long passed on before her. I can only imagine her happiness and joy. She has been relieved from the condition that she was in.
We have been reading her life story. Sharon brought us a big notebook full of family history for us to enjoy. I am so thankful that she did. I have been reading it every night. Last night I went to bed late and didn't get to read but I felt like I was missing out. I woke up this morning and picked back up where I left off. I feel like I have really come to love and adore her even more, knowing the great life and legacy that she has lived and left behind. I have really enjoyed reading her stories and getting to know them all over again.
I don't think I have ever heard one negative spoken from Grandma. She was so positive and if she were in the worst pain ever, you would have never known it. She always had a smile and just the warmest feelings were felt from her. She made me feel so loved and accepted when Lance and I married. I always felt so loved when I was around them.
Their home was a very welcome place for anyone. I remember going there for Maxi family home evenings. Yes, I know it is a strange name but what a wonderful tradition it was. We would meet the first Monday of every month for a large family home evening. Everyone participated and everyone had a great time. Making Christmas cookies in their home, spending the holidays there.
I think of Grandpa. What will he do? I have never known two people to be so close. They were always together and always happy. So in love and so blessed. What an amazing example to me of how an eternal marriage really is and can be.
Lance and I will fly to Arizona next weekend for the funeral. We will miss you Grandma! Until we meet again. We love you!!!!!

Isn't this an amazing site? This was the Ray family reunion a few years back. Look at all these amazing people. This probably isn't half of the family. But large enough to know that they have a great heritage.

I just love this picture. Isn't it just the sweetest? Grandpa was so sweet to her and this just shows it.