Molly Grace is due August 3rd... however... she apparantly does not have a calendar in her current dwelling! I spent a long weekend in labor (Saturday night contractions were less than 5 minutes apart for several hours) and finally got some sleep last night, when contractions slowed down. I'm still having them regularly, about every 15 minutes, but nothing is screaming the need to get to a delivery room... yet!
After 3 very long labors, we've decided we're not going to the hospital until I can see this baby's head! I just don't want to lay in a hospital bed for 12 hours while they continue pumping pitocin into my body to "speed things along." So I am taking it easy and trying to stay off of my feet as much as possible with a 20 month old crazy monkey! Joey and Rachel are huge helpers in the morning, and Jeff is going in to work extremely early so he's getting home around noon or 1:00. Noah takes his 3 hour afternoon nap and Jeff holds down the fort so I can rest. I've got it pretty good, I think!
We've been super blessed with gifts for this baby. When Noah turned a year old we sold or gave away everything except his crib, which he still sleeps in. This pregnancy took us by (among other types) financial surprise! Marri invited many of our friends to a baby shower, and though the shower didn't work out (oops... float trip weekend), our friends brought us many many gifts that we truly needed. We started out with no clothing and now have more clothes than a new baby could possibly wear! Marri, Mom, Kerri, and Sarah, gifted us some much needed items at our fun "baby dinner" at the Blue Koi.
We've been given a carseat, highchair, and baby swing, and a random stranger gave us a beautiful crib that happens to match Rachel's furniture exactly. (Molly and Rachel will share a room). I posted an ad on Craig's List to trade baby's first birthday cake for baby items, and in these trades we acquired an exersaucer, clothing, cash, toddler carseat, toys, snugli, blankets, a couple's massage, and other items. I couldn't believe the response to my post - it was very exciting and fun to make cakes for baby items!
Jeff sold some things on ebay and used the paypal money to buy matching bedding for Rachel and Molly. We think it's perfect - sweet enough for a baby and grown up enough for a 7 year old going on 13.
All we need for Molly now is a supply of diapers, baby wipes, little tiny socks, a double stroller, and a few other small things we probably won't realize we need until she arrives. I'm updating our baby registry today. We thank God every day for the generosity and love of our friends and family!
We'll keep you informed... she could be here any day now!!!
