Today or Tomorrow???

So here's the deal.  I am heading to the hospital at 4:30 this afternoon!  I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and my cervix was not quite "ripe enough" for my doctor to feel completely comfortable starting the induction as planned this Thursday morning.  If there was not much cervical change by the time i were to arrive Thurs, then I would be at risk for a really long labor and maybe even a C Section.  So, to prevent that from happening, this afternoon I will check into the hospital and an easy cervical ripening procedure (nothing surgical) will be done to prepare my cervix for induction as planned early the next morning.  However, there is a chance that this procedure could put me into labor before tomorrow, and Noah could be here even sooner...this is why we have to stay over night.  John and I are both so excited/anxious/nervous/overjoyed about Noah's arrival.  We can't wait and we are ready to get this show on the road.  We are nearly 100% prepared and we have Joe all taken care of.  I am so blessed to have my parents and good friend Cindy looking out for him.  It's so nice to not have to worry about big brother :)  while we are in the hospital.  He will be in the greatest of great hands!  My parents are coming over this afternoon to help make sure my house is good and clean for when we come home (as a family of 4....crazy!!).  I can't believe that this time has come.  Wow did it fly by!  Now the Schluchter family begins a new chapter in life, and we would love to have your prayers for this labor/delivery/new baby/and new beginning.  Here we go!!!!

Doctor X 2

Joe and I both had doctor appointments this week. I had my check up on Monday and Joe had his 18 month check up yesterday. (I can't believe my little boy is 18 months old!) Everything went well.

Misty's appointment:

Baby's heart beat is strong! There was not much cervical change since last week's visit, but Noah's head has dropped down, so hopefully that will speed things up a bit.  My blood pressure was a little higher than it normally runs, so i tried to convince my doctor that that must mean i should be induced right away.  She said that my numbers were still in the normal range. No such luck :) I go again next Tuesday and she said we will most likely make plans for an end of the week induction!!! So, Noah will probably be here in just over a week.  YAAAAYYY!  I couldn't be more excited!

Joe's appointment:

He is doing great!  He ways 26 pounds (50th percentile) and I forgot how tall he is, but he is in the 90th percentile for his height (33 1/4 in. stands out in my head but i could be totally wrong).  He is a lean mean muscle machine!  He got two shots and a finger prick and he did pretty well.  There were some tears, but i think he was mostly just MAD!  The worst part was having the band aid on his finger.  You would have thought it was the end of the world.  He cried and would not use his hand for anything until that band aid was off.  Unfortunately we had to wait a few minutes for his finger to stop bleeding before we could take it off.  I am so glad my mom went with me...it is tough keeping him busy and entertained while waiting, and even tougher when i'm pregnant.  I also started feel faintish from being weak and hot, so it was a blessing that my mom was able to come and help me entertain/comfort joe joe.  My mom says she doesn't think she wants to go ever again when shots are involved (she has been 3 or 4 times with me now).  She said it keeps getting harder and harder for her to watch and she is heart broken by the time we leave.  I did ask the doctor about Joe's vocabulary, being that he doesnt have that much of one yet.  He said that since Joe responds well to commands, questions, etc. and that he easily gets his point across without words, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.  He said he will start talking when he is ready and feels he needs to.  Basically he has me wrapped around his finger and I know him all too well.  When there are no other developmental concerns, kids develop language at a very varied pace.  Good to know!  I feel so blessed to have a healthy, beautiful, growing little boy.  

Joe is finally loving his sunglasses, and thinks he is so funny running around the house in them.  I have tried to get pictures, and it hasn't worked so far.  He is really in to stacking blocks and leggos these days.   John and I bought him a little boy baby doll this weekend.  Joe has no concept of what baby is/means so we thought this might help.  He kisses it, takes it's paci in and out of its mouth, and tries very hard to put its baby hat on after taking it off.  When he isn't doing those things, he is poking it in the eye, trying to eat its hands, throwing it on the ground, and hiding it behind pillows.  I think he is doing well.... ha   what do you think??  John and I switched phone services so we now have new cell phones.  Joe is now in hog heaven having two cell phones (our old ones) to play with.  I need to remember to keep them charged so he doesn't figure out that they aren't the real deal.  It would ruin everything!  Joe is still the sweetest cuddly little boy with an extremely energetic and adventurous spirit.  We have the best of both worlds with him.  We can't wait for him to have a little brother!

Yaaaay for Fridays!

I am sooo glad it is Friday.  I am so excited to have my little family together for 2 whole days.  There is nothing like the weekend.  This weekend is especially exciting, because tomorrow, I get to have my hair done, my eye brows waxed, and my feet treated to a deluxe pedicure.  This could be the last weekend we have before Noah arrives, so I am taking a little time to pamper myself.  What a blessing my mom and  'N Vogue are to me :)  And, I must not forget that my parents offered to come over to our house tomorrow night to watch Joe Joe so that John and I could have a date.  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! What a great weekend this will be!  

Today has been a busy busy day.  (ok, so it wasn't really that busy, but it is definitely a far cry from staying at home all day long- like we have done most days lately.) Joe and I went to target this morning to get a few things for Noah, and to purchase some bedding for a crib at my mom's house.  We have been getting Joe's room ready over there for his stay when Noah comes.  Then, we headed to 'N Vogue to visit everyone and to go to lunch with mom.  We went to Dale's Southern Grill and had a delicious meal! Honey (my mom) even got Joe some home made banana pudding for dessert.  He LOVED it! After that, Joe and I took John some lunch at work and we headed home.  I'm worn out!  Joe went down for his nap around 1:30 and will probably sleep until 4 or 4:30.  This means time to rest for me!  It's so funny the reactions I get in public.  People look at me like they feel so sorry for me that I am still pregnant.  I get lots of "hang in there's".  And of course, no one believes that I technically have over 2.5 weeks left to go.  For the last 2 months every person I have talked to has said I look like I'm about to pop and that there is no way I have however long left.  They were wrong! Noah is still inside and we are still growing.  I go to the doctor again on Monday... I am hoping to talk to her about the possiblity of induction.   Sleeping has been very difficult the last few nights, mostly because I can't breathe.  I'm really not that uncomfortable, but being able to breathe would help a lot!  And, when i do doze off, I have the most insane dreams you could ever imagine.  Think LOST but 100 x crazier.  That seems to affect my ability to sleep as well.  

Anyways, I hope you have a great weekend.  Hopefully you get to spend time with the ones you love!  And, if you think of me over the next few days, pray that Noah comes soon and that the delivery is safe and that he is strong and healthy! 

I'll post a doctor's update Monday afternoon. 

Bday Post Part 2

More pics to celebrate Joe's year and a half birthday! 

Joe's new favorite snack= pretzel sticks and peanut butter. MESSY!!

Bath time after messy snack time!

Easter Sunday- playing in my parent's yard.

Exploring Kanagrooville at the zoo!

Joe, you are such a blessing to your Daddy and me, as well as lots of other family and friends! You bring so much joy to our lives.  We can't wait to watch you grow and do life with you along the way.  We love you so so sooooo much! What a special, funny, smart, adventurous, energetic, loving little boy you have become. You are the best and we are so proud of you!!

We hope you enjoy your 18 month bday gift! It will be here in a few days.... a baby brother! woohoo!!! 

Happy 1.5 Bday to my big boy Joe!!! (prt 1)

My baby is no longer a baby.  He is getting so big and learning so much. He is the greatest, sweetest little boy on this earth!  Noah has some big shoes to fill!  Here are some recent pictures of our precious Joe.  (They are coming in separate posts because blogspot is being difficult with the picture posting.) Enjoy!

Playing outside...one of his favorites!

Being silly with Daddy in his swimming pool

Playing at the park.  (forgive the crazy hair down the center of his forehead!)

the doctor and the dentist

So, John and I both had doctor appointments today.  Mine was better than John's!  I'll start with John.  For almost a week, one of his wisdom teeth had been bothering him.  It grew in sideways.  By this past Thursday, his face was swollen, he could barely open his mouth, and he was in a lot of pain.  He got in to see the doctor this afternoon, and after lots of happy gas and Novocain, the tooth was pulled.  So, he is now on pain killers and antibiotics (there was infection), and he is on his way to recovery.  Thank goodness! We were worried there would have to be surgery involved. 

While John was having a tooth pulled, I had my weekly check up at the OB.  I am 1/2 a cent. dilated...not much, but it's a start.  I have just barely thinned some.  Noah is once again measuring further along.  I am almost 37 weeks, and he is measuring closer to 38 1/2.  I'm not looking forward to pushing out another 9 pounder!!  I asked the doctor if she thought this one would be bigger than Joe, and she said, "well, he's not going to be a peewee. that's for sure!"  We will talk next Monday about a possible induction if he is still measuring bigger.  I'm still having some pretty strong braxton hicks contractions, so I was going to be shocked if there was no progress at all.  His head is still down and he is in the right position for birth.  

We didn't get to put the finishing touches on his room this weekend.  We spent our spare time cleaning/organizing other rooms and cleaning out the car, so i didn't take pictures yet.  I will as soon as his room is close to complete!

Mother's Day

I had an awesome mother's day!!  Joe slept in until 8..that was a great gift!!  John and I stayed in bed until he woke up, and then John brought Joe in our room and we had a cuddle fest for a little while until Joe decided it was time to play in the living room.  We wanted some eggs for breakfast, and since John isn't the greatest cook :)  he cracked the eggs for me (because I hate it!) and I did the cooking.  Then, I got my gift! I opened the sweetest card from John and Joe, and then I got a hot pink iPod!! Woohoo! (with accessories and an itunes gift card!) I have been wanting one to work out with after Noah arrives, and i thought it would be great to start downloading music for Joe on too.  He loves music....at home and in the car!  It was an awesome surprise!  We went to church and headed straight to my aunt's house for mother's day lunch.  We had some good southern cookin' :)  When we got home, John and I got to relax together while Joe napped.  Then we got our favorite fast food for dinner.  It was a great Mother's Day!!!  

I'm getting excited for my family baby shower tomorrow night! Nothing like getting together with my mom, sister, grandmother, aunts and cousins.  I can't wait! 

I hope your week is starting off great!  Besides teeth pulling, ours is!

the last couple of days...

First of all, let me ask you to pray.  Tuesday evening I got a call from my sister saying that her best friend and roommate got a call that her dad had been in a car accident and she needed to get to the hospital immediately.  My sister called to ask us to pray.  She called later to inform me that Allison's (ashley's BF and roommate) daddy had a massive heart attack while driving and they weren't able to revive him.  My heart hurts so deeply for Allison and her family (The Fulton's). This loss was so unexpected and tragic for them.  When i called John to keep him updated, since he had been praying as well, he said.."I think I saw that when I was coming home." He turned out to be right.  He saw what looked like a car had just driven off the side of the road.  He saw another car parked behind it, and the driver of that car was banging on the window and trying to get the car door open.  They got Mr. Fulton to the hospital but they were not able to resuscitate him.  He went to be with Jesus.  Please pray that the Lord would cover them in a blanket of peace and comfort, strength and hope.  They need lots of people lifting them up in prayer and calling on Jesus' name in their behalf during this very difficult time.  Also, please pray for my sister to be able to comfort her friend in this time.  Pray that Jesus would use Ashley and allow her to be His hands and feet to Allison in this extremely hard time.

Back to our world.  Tuesday after Joe's nap we went to Target to get a new curtain for his room.  His previous curtain let in more light, and now that it is so bright earlier in the mornings, I decided to try a new curtain to see if that would let him sleep longer.  I'm crossing my fingers! John is going to hang it tonight.  I spent last night adding some animal print ribbon to match his jungle room.  Since Tuesday was Cinco de Mayo I decided I would surprise John and pick up some authentic Mexican food for dinner and some Coronas.  He was surprised and we had an awesome Cinco de Mayo dinner!  After dinner I got to go hang out with my mom and watch American Idol.  John had a friend over after Joe went down, so I escaped to mom and dad's so they could have guy time.  Mom and I had a good time watching American Idol and eating cake. YUMMMY!  Wednesday the weather was yucky, so Joe and I stayed in and pretty much did nothing.  Last night... awfulness.  Before we could see who was voted off Idol, our power went out.  Apparently, a vehicle hit one of the poles and they had to send a crew out to fix things.  Our power came on at 4:30 this morning.  We spent most of the evening in the dark sitting.  It was not happy about it.  I didn't really sleep until the power came back on.  I was hot and could not get comfortable, and i was just waiting for Joe to wake up.  I just knew that without his sound machine he would be scared by the thunder or the trains that go by, so I was constantly trying to listen for him since we didn't have a monitor.  He never made a peep.  It was so loud and startling when the power came back on, but he slept right through it.  I guess he sleeps hard at night!  So I slept well from 4:45 or so to 7 this morning.  Needless to say, I am exhausted!!!  

I have still been having quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions and some cramping.  I haven't been the most comfortable the last few days, but I am hanging in there!  Noah is still moving like crazy.  He must be practicing Karate or something in there.  :)  

Joe is just the sweetest greatest little boy.  He has been so affectionate lately, and he just loves to love on me.  He hugs my belly all day long and gives me "nosey kisses" (aka eskimo kisses). He has started blowing on his food, I guess because he sees me doing it! It's cute.  He is now really great at putting his leggos together.  He has been building towers without any help!  He still isnt talking much, or i should say, he isn't talking in words that i understand much.  (He talks in his language loudly and alllll day long.)   Hopefully he will have his language explosion soon.  He is so great at communicating what he wants/needs without talking that i wonder if he feels no need to use words??  Who knows.  He has 18 months appointment in the middle of this month, so I am interested to see what the doc says about his growth and development.  We'll let ya know!  

Well, I am going to clean little man up from his lunch and get him ready for nap time.  Have a great Thursday!!

News from the Doc

Yesterday I had a check up with the doctor.  Everything went well.  I am 36 weeks pregnant...so not much longer to go!!  She measured my uterus and I am actually measuring about 1/2 a week smaller....which is crazy that around 30 weeks I was measuring 3 1/2 weeks ahead.  Noah's size has evened out nicely.  I would like to think that I am not going to have a huge baby (as I was thinking a couple weeks ago) however, Joe measured right on schedule the entire time and still weighed 9 lbs!  I asked my doctor why people's jaws drop when I tell them I have 4 weeks left (apparently my tummy is HUGE) and she said its because I am carrying sooo low and all out front.  She said most women's uterus will grow up under their rib cage, but she can fit her hand between my ribs and my uterus.  I guess that explains why i don't get kicked in the ribs or suffer from indigestion.  I can't complain!  But, I am tired of people saying, "well you must be having twins!".  Anyways, Noah is head down and in position to enter this world!  I have been having cramping in the night the last couple of nights (causing some sleeplessness) and lots of braxton hicks contractions (some are quite uncomfortable).  She said Noah could come at this point, and that she wouldnt try to stop labor if that were the case.  I go again next Monday (starting the weekly visits) and she will check me then to see if I am dilated or thinned.  I have a feeling we won't make it to the due date.  This weekend, John and I are going to try to get the house ready as best we can in case things happen sooner.  Noah's nursery is ready to go, except for some paintings that john and I want to do together.  So we need to clean and organize the house and get the car clean and equipped.  My mom has soooo nicely offered to arrange for her house cleaner to deep clean our house while we are in the hospital.  It will be so awesome to come home to a really clean house! I am thinking/ hoping this could be a fast labor.  After my delivery with Joe, my doctor said, I bet your next baby will be a breeze to deliver.  You better get to the hospital as soon as you can!  Which.... has me reallllllly nervous lately.  With Joe i was induced, and for an induction, things happened rather quickly. (This is why the doc assumes this delivery will be a quick one) When I was pregnant with him, I thought it would be great to go into labor on my own... exciting and exhilarating but I was not opposed to induction.  This time around, I would much rather be induced.  It would make things a lot less stressful.  I just want to know when to be ready and have plans in place for Joe man.  I also have a fear that things will happen so quickly that by the time we get to the hospital there will be no time for an epidural.  YIKES!!  My epidural wore off for the pushing part of Joe's delivery which was very very painful, but it was so nice to relax, rest, and enjoy the labor experience. We will just have to see what the Lord has in store for us!  

We had a great weekend!  Friday night John and I had our usual chinese take out date after Joe went to bed.  Saturday, we spent most of the day trying to get some things done around here.  John did some yard work, and I did a little in the nursery.  We made a trip to Home Depot and Old Time Pottery and then John went to lunch with a college buddy who was in town.  After that, John and I worked in the nursery some more.  Saturday night, John and I had supper club to go to, so my dad came over to watch Joe for the evening.  They had some great guy time...and we had a great time hanging out with friends!  Sunday, we were at church from 8:45 to 12:30.  Joe did much better this time while John and I were preparing for the service.  I had worship practice and John was running all of the tech stuff.  After church we ate some yummy junk food for lunch.  We had a restful afternoon, and then that evening my sister Ashley and her boyfriend Doug came over to watch Joe for us while we went to out small group.  Joe had lots of family time this weekend!  ....My mom watched him for me to go to my doctor's appointment yesterday!  

Well, Joe is summoning me to come dance with him.  Time to break out my very pregnant moves :)

P.S. If I remember, I will post Noah's nursery pictures this weekend!