Strangely ill

So I woke up three different times last night feeling really faint and nauseated. I would get blazing hot and have to throw all the covers off and lay there and breath deeply trying not to barf, pass out or do any other nasty things. Then, as soon as the nausea would pass I would get freezing cold and start shaking. The third time Myron woke up and got me a comforter, wrapped me up and then wrapped himself around me to help me stop shaking. It was very weird. On top of that my chest felt all scratchy like I was getting a chest cold. Myron had the same weird chest feeling so I guess we both had a bit of a bug or something. Thankfully my nausea and chills were gone after that third time and I was just left with a bit of a cough. We both napped and took it easy and tonight I'm feeling pretty okay again.

My theory is that we're both fighting a little respiratory bug and that my sick tummy was from too much rich food and candy yesterday. My hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) has been acting up some in the last few weeks so I better lay off the sweets!

Whatever it was I'm glad it didn't last long...feeling sick is not fun anyway and it feels twice as nasty when you're pregnant and you have a 4 pound child pressing against your stomach! :p (it's okay Little One, I know you don't do it on purpose!)

Okay...I know...we'll chalk this up to the too much information post of the century! Yuck! :)

Picnic Pops Pictures

Had a lovely time last night with the Miles family at Picnic Pops. It was a comfortably cool night with good music, good conversation and good snacks! The only downside was having to climb the big hill (that is getting to be REALLY hard these days!) and having to use the port a potty. But they weren't nearly has bad as some I've been in, thankfully!

Here are a few pictures of the fun!

Look at that face! Big boy Turner is good at smiling for the camera! 

Lori and cutie gal Hannah having a picnic! 

Kevin and Myron enjoying the night air, good music, and snacks!  

Fun Night

We're going to the Picnic Pops tonight with our pals Kevin and Lori! (I ALMOST typed Picnic Poops....that doesn't sound like near as much fun!) :O

For those who don't know, Picnic Pops is the Grand Rapids Symphony playing at an outdoor theater at Cannonsburg Ski Area so everyone comes and sits on the big grassy hill and eats and listens to music. The swing band that became famous with "Jump Jive and Wail," Big Bad Vodoo Daddy, is playing with them so it should be super fun! :)

In other news, our childbirth class is over. We toured the hospital last night and saw where the big event is going to go down. And we were taught all about what to expect from our bodies after birth. It was not pretty. Oh well...I guess you can't expect the arrival of an entire new human being to be without some side effects! :)

So my pregnancy of 40 weeks is now down to 40 days, give or take a day or so! Wow...is that amazing or what? It's still so hard to believe sometimes that I'm actually going to be someone's mother...but very, very exciting at the same time!! :)

I've been a lazy blogger

Haven't posted for awhile...bet you're all getting tired of seeing that nasty picture of Gideon chewing a pig ear! :)

Let's see...here's the latest...

Went to the doctor last Friday and was reassured that my blood pressure was only borderline high and not even consistently high enough to be diagnosed as hypertension. And with no other symptoms like headaches or swelling, the doctor said I was doing fine. Whew! What a relief. Thanks God!

This week I've been working on a couple projects. Got a quick editing project done yesterday that will bring us a little unexpected cash. :)

We had our college-age Bible study last night. We did a talk about finding your identity in Christ and when we left we both felt like it had kind of fallen flat. Then today I read one of the students' blogs and he talked about how he had needed to hear that and how afterward he was able to have a long talk with another student there about his struggles in his walk. It's so awesome how God can use our weakness and turn it around for his glory anyway!

On the baby front, I am 34 weeks today. The doctor said once you hit 34 weeks if you go into labor they just let it happen cause the baby will be fine. Whoa! That's kind of freaky, but also good, knowing that even if I would go early, the baby is developed and pretty ready for the world already anyway! One thing is for sure, this child is quite the mover and kicker. For the past couple days it has been in constant vigorous motion...to the point of hurting my insides! :p (At this very moment the poor little thing has the hiccups! I wonder if the Starbucks decaf that I'm drinking is too much for it?!)

We have our last childbirth class tomorrow night with a tour of the birthplace at the hospital where we'll be delivering. Then I have one more baby shower on the 6th and all the baby events are done--then it's just a matter of waiting for the main baby event!!! I can hardly wait to meet this little kicking person! :)

Lastly...the heat has finally broken and it is a lovely 68 degrees right now! I can actually go outside for more than 5 mintues at a time! Yeah!

There...I have done my blogging duty for now. Aren't you happy? :)

Gideon reinacting his rabbit kill with a pigear. Gross, huh? 

Two down, one billion or so to go...

Gideon got rabbit number 2 this morning! Granted, he was finishing off the job that a neighborhood cat had started, but we'll still count it. He carried it all the way home like a trophy, got it into the backyard and gnawed out a few guts before Myron got it away from him. He had to be rinsed off due to his bloody muzzle and paws. Crazy rabbit-killing dog!

BP Woes

So at my last dr.'s appt. about a week and a half ago, but blood pressure was 140/90--which is the threshold for pregnancy induced hypertension. The doc told me to monitor it during the next two weeks and let her know if I didn't feel well or if it went up. So I bought a little digital bp monitor and have been taking my readings morning, lunchtime and in the evening. It was nice and normal all last week so I was reassured that my high reading was just white coat syndrome. But then the readings started inching up and yesterday my morning reading was 141/88 and I did not feel well at all. I called the doctor this morning and she wants me to take it really easy until my Friday appt. I've been laying around most of the day today and my readings have been going down so that's a good thing. I'm having some major Braxton-Hicks contractions though whenever I get up--I feel so tight--like I'd pop like a balloon if you stick a pin in me! I'm definitely feeling better tonight than I have since Sunday night, though. Last night I kept breaking down in tears which I'm sure didn't help things much--I was just feeling so freaked out and uncomfortable. I'm just praying that a few days of rest will get things stabilized so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

In news of a more fun sort, we are getting our crib and changing table tomorrow! I washed a couple loads of baby clothes so I can put them away in the changing table drawers...it will be fun to get things set up and all ready! Plus, Myron steam cleaned the recliner that we found at a rummage sale this week and besides one missing button it looks like new! I fell asleep in it this afternoon too so I know it is comfy!

Well, that's it from hugely pregnant lady for now. I'm going to go lay down again like a good girl! :)

Miscellaneous Stuff

I have no cohesive theme for today's post--just a list of various things that have happened since Monday:

Had a fun evening with my book club pals on Tuesday, even though I had to have fruit juice and sparkling water while everyone else had champagne punch. :) Those sweet gals brought baby gifts this month too! So many sweet, cute things!

Wednesday night I had my breastfeeding class. It made me feel very excited about having this baby and getting to bond with him/her in such a special way. It also made me realize how little I really know about the whole thing so I'm getting a book to read up on it in the next 7 weeks!

Thursday night was childbirth class and we got to practice baby care on these less than attractive dolls. We randomly selected one and when we practiced changing its diaper we discovered it was a boy...hmmm...wonder if that's a sign? :) It was pretty darn cute watching Myron practice bathing, changing and burping that doll. I kind of forget that he really doesn't have any experience with little babies since he was the youngest and he didn't babysit like I did. He's very willing to learn though...I know he'll catch on and be an expert papa really quickly! :)

Today on our way back from a very HOT walk with Gideon we stopped at our neighbor's rummage sale and bought a Lazy Boy recliner for $65 to go in the nursery! As cute as those glider rockers are, for comfort's sake I really wanted a rocker/recliner instead. This one is in a nice beige and just needs a cleaning which we can do with the upholstery attachment on our steam cleaner. Sixty-five dollars is a lot more in our budget than $500 or so for a new one! Yeah!

Tonight Myron is going over to Lansing to play in a Texas Hold 'Em tournament with my brother and I think I'll hit the mall and pick up a few birthday gifts for Myron (he'll be the big 34 next Saturday). I really need to be working on my last work project that is due Aug. 22, but it's a writing project and I'm struggling with some major writer's block...ugh!

We plan to get the crib and changing table next week so we can get the nursery all put together and ready...with only 7 weeks to go I'm starting to realize that we better get on the ball with that!! We also have to pick a pediatrician. So many things to do for such a little person! :)

So there you go...Molly's miscellaneous stuff. I know you wanted to know all that. hee-hee :p

One less rabbit...

After spending most of his short life in fruitless bunny chases, Gideon finally caught one this morning! And so much for our theory that he wouldn't know what to do with one when he caught it. Poor bunny got shaken, punctured and torn to death in quick order (so glad Myron was walking him when this happened!). We feel bad for the little thing, but must say we were happy for Gideon who was absolutely full of joy over his accomplishment. All I ask, buddy, is that you don't do that in front of the baby until he/she is old enough to understand the whole "circle of life" thing. THAT could be traumatic! :P

Does this look like the face of a killer? 

Two Days, Two Beaches, Lots of Fun!

We took full advantage of the warm summer sun these past two days and hit the beach! Friday we headed down to Michigan City, Indiana to visit with our sister-in-law Donna and her kids David and Katie who are here from Seattle. We only get to see them about twice a year so it was a real treat! Donna is staying with her sweet mom and stepdad who live in Michigan City and they graciously invited us to come spend the day. We spent a couple lovely hours at the beach with them and Donna's sister Nancy and her kids Amy, Ryan and Kelsey. We had a great time playing in the sand, dashing in and out of the FREEZING water, and getting caught up while we sat on the beach and chatted. Then we were treated to a delicious spread of great summer foods for supper. We didn't get home until about 11:30, but it was well worth the trip!

Today we headed up north to the Muskegon Dog Beach with my brother Joel and his wife Wendy and their pup Stokely plus their friends (who have now become ours as well because they are just so great!) JR and Tricia Miller and their cutie kids Hailey and Ethan. The water was once again FREEZING, but the sun was hot so it balanced out for the most part. Gideon surprised us by playing catch with the football and frisbee over and over. He has never retrieved anything that many times in his whole life! He definitely likes to swim! His problem, though, is that he doesn't really like Myron or I, or any other person, for that matter, to be in the water. I think he figures since we only have two legs that we're bound to drown if he doesn't keep a constant watch over us. So while he's swimming with you in the water he's also whining constantly and never letting you out of his site. He's going to be good when we have kids...he'll help us watch them! :)

Stokely wasn't too sure about the water...this was his first time swimming so I'm sure that big expanse of moving water was a bit intimidating for him! He caught on pretty quick though and was soon retrieving a stick like a pro.

Once while everyone else was out swimming and I was sitting on the beach I decided to talk to the baby about what was going on. It rewarded me for my story my moving around happily. I can't wait to take this little one to the beach and actually show him/her the water and the sand and puppies! :)

After the beach we hit the Frosty Oasis for ice cream and then headed back to our place for a cookout. It was a fun-filled day! And thankfully I didn't feel uncomfortably pregnant today so I really enjoyed myself.

Everyone headed home about an hour or so ago. Gideon is out cold on the floor beside me and I'm feeling like I could fall asleep pretty early tonight myself. I have that nice, sunbaked, summer sleepy feeling...sigh. (And a very red chest...oops...forgot the sunblock in a couple places!)

Thank you, God, for summer and beaches and friends and dogs. What great stuff you made! :)

(Check out some pictures of our adventures below!)

Cute, sandy pups resting on the beach. 

Stokely and Gideon taking a break to chew the sand out from between their toes. 

The whole gang at the dog beach: Tricia, Ethan, and JR Miller, Wendy and Joel with Stokely and Gideon with Myron (oops...didn't get Hailey in there! She must be on the beach) 

Another bathing beauty...Hailey (friends from Lansing)...making a sand castle. 

My brother Joel, Myron, and friend JR at the dog beach in Muskegon with Gideon swimming by. 

Katie the Bathing Beauty 

Ryan, Katie and David buried and being showered by Uncle Myron! 

Donna's nephew Ryan with David and Katie in the small pool they dug! 

My cutie husband with his golfer's tan! Hee-hee! 

Our sister-in-law Donna, her niece Amy, her sister Nancy and her other niece Kelsey all enjoying the sunshine together! 

Katie continuing her building project with Amy's help. 

Our sister-in-law Donna's sister Nancy, our niece Katie, and Nancy's daugther Amy building a very artistic sand castle! 

More David antics! 

Our handsome nephew David playing in the surf. 

Baby Shower Number 2!

Wow...this baby is so spoiled already and it isn't even born! My wonderful aunts Ruth and Shana threw me a great baby shower about 3 weeks ago. I'm finally getting around to doing a recap!

All the tables were decorated with brightly colored silk daisies and little towers of baby toys with baby blankets as tablecloths. They made a yummy brunch of cinnamon coffee cake, the best quiche I've ever tasted, and fresh fruit. My huge pile o'gifts were nicely arranged in a crib taken from the church nursery. We played a couple of games that were very fun and not at all cheesy or embarrassing...thanks, Ruth and Shana! ;)

Everyone just outdid themselves with the gifts too. We got so many cute outfits, blankets (including three handmade ones!), toys, diapers, and toiletries. We also recieved our pack and play (thanks, Mom!), a portable booster chair, some adorable stuffed friends (Eeyore and Piglet and a lamb that plays Jesus Loves Me), plus a bear that plays the "whoosh whoosh" sound of the womb to help sooth newborns! SO MANY great things!!! Thanks to everyone (thank you notes will be coming soon...I promise!)

My good pal Heidi is throwing me shower number 3 in August. I feel very loved! :)

Enjoy these few pictures of all the people who came to share my fun day with me...thanks everyone!

A bit blurry, but...Aunt Ruth Loney (who helped hostess and did an incredible job!), WCHS pal Amy Hoggatt, cousin Miranda Loney who also helped a bunch!, family friend and former piano teacher of mine, Becky Nordyke, Aunt Shana Hoffman and little Jacob (she hostessed too while trying to juggle a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a 10 week old!!), Aunt Amy Hoffman, and family friend Kathy Simmons 

My great aunt Lois Felty, Aunt Debbie Hoffman, WCHS pal Dawn O'Connor with baby Lucas, and Jill Ellis, longtime family friend. 

Brigitta Powers (our good pal, married to our friend Chris), her baby boy Gregory, and Karen Irwin (who was a little girl when I was taking piano lessons from her mom!) 

My friend Kerry looking quite natural holding little Lucas O'Connor! (And looking quite stylish with her new "do" and glasses!) 

Michelle Butler (family friend), Kerry Hinkle (pal from WCHS), Wendy Smith (my sissy in law), Mom, and Gloria May (Mom's cousin) 

Kerry, Kirstin, Amy, Dawn and little Lucas--my pals from WCHS!