Just Before Number 3

Well, the baby could be here any minute and what are we doing? Painting presents for father's day. We just got back from a walk to the park where Jack and Grace made new friends and played a while. Then we all played soccer (the boys won - big surprise, but the girl team will soon out number them) and then we walked home. Jack walked some of the way and otherwise they shared the stroller. This will all change pretty soon, so it's good to remember what we're doing right now.

In the mornings, if they wake up before me, they come in and lay in bed with me. They (especially Grace) love to cuddle in the morning. If they both get in the bed, then it's pretty terrible and there is nothing relaxing about their fighting and "touching." One such morning, Jack said "Grace do you want to play Star Wars with me? (in a tone of unimaginable excitement). And Grace said  "Yes!" (tone like she just won the lottery)... So it's not all bad. They really do love each other. I can't wait to see what will happen when the baby is in there too.

The best mornings are the ones where I'm up before them. Then they stumble out of their room and beg for breakfast, it's always the first thing that they want. Then they play together and ask about where we're going that day. They mostly play together, even with their friends.  Today, both of them introduced the other to the kids at the park - "that's my sister, Grace," "that's my brother, Jack." Several times...they're proud of each other.

Some of Grace's favorite phrases are "Here cha go," "I'm drinky," and "I can't, my leg hurts." She says her leg hurts any time you ask her to do something that she doesn't want to do, like clean up.

We've been watching lots of videos and looking at pictures of when they were born. I want to make sure they know that the baby isn't getting any extra special attention, that this is just what happens when babies are born. It's been fun to remember and look at how much they have grown.

I think Jack is totally ready for his sister to be born. They were great in the 'sibling' class that we took at the hospital. They got to diaper their doll, watch videos about being a big sibling and learned all about babies. They got backpacks and all kinds of cards to color, and scrap book type pages to fill in about her. It was really cute. I'm a bit more concerned with Grace's transition. She loves to sing to her, rub her and play doctor with her now. And yesterday at the non-stress test Grace actually got to do the ultrasound. She sat on the nurse's lap and moved the ultrasound thingy all over my belly. It was a dream come true for her! But, I think the baby in my belly is going to be very different then having a baby out of my belly. She's really used to being the baby, loves to have the attention on her and still wants (though doesn't need) a lot of help with things. She can do tons of things independently, but still begs for help. It will be very interesting.

Speaking of the non-stress test... When I first found out I was pregnant, all of the numbers that I knew pointed to the baby being due on June 18th (today). However, when I had my first ultrasound at my first doctor's appointment, they determined that my due date is June 10th. I guess they won't change your due date unless it varies by more than seven days - well lucky me... And now, no matter how positive I am that my due date is the 18th, they won't change it. They are sticking with the 10th and they do not want me to hit 42 weeks. So they've scheduled the c-section for Thursday the 23rd and if she doesn't come before then, then we will get to meet her shortly after 7:30 that morning. It doesn't help that both Jack and Grace were late. Jack was a week and a half late and Grace was six days late. So, I've been praying a lot that she will choose to come out on her own before then. And hopefully she'll be even earlier than Grace was.