35 weeks

Yesterday I hit my 35 week/35 days to go mark. I love the way that works out. So far so good. I'm going to weekly OB appointments. In addition to those I have bi-weekly non-stress tests & sonogram appointments at the hospital. It's a pain to find sitters, but it's a relief to be monitored so closely, especially since I've hit the really scary time.

I'm a lot less nervous this time around than I was with Alaina. Mostly I've dealt with the pregnancy by trying not to think of it. Plus, Laina is a nice distraction. Once I hit 30 weeks, though, my nerves began. See, I knew if there was some sort of complication when I was 20-something weeks along the baby probably couldn't survive outside the womb anyway. But, at 30-something the baby could survive so now I feel like it's all on me to notice any potential problems and I don't feel like I have a very good track record with that. I had no idea there was a problem with Jacob until he was gone and I didn't know I was having pre-term labor contractions with Alaina until the non-stress test detected it.

Anyway, 35 weeks is a big number for me. By 35 weeks Jake was dead and with Alaina I was already on bedrest. This time around things look great though. I'm being monitored more than ever and I'm guessing it will probably end up being a completely complication-free pregnancy. Still, the doctors are willing to induce me early. I just have to have an amnio at 37 weeks to check for lung development. I scheduled one for a week from this Monday. I'm nervous about it, but right now I'm more nervous to be pregnant for many more weeks.

Last night . . .

We picnicked on the Mall for dinner. It was nice. I wanted to practice using my new camera on the girls.Liz wasn't really into it.

When Alaina saw what I was doing she'd say "cheese" and make a cheesy, scrunched up face.After we ate Liz ran relays on her own.

Andrew raced her as well.

Somehow all the dirt didn't show up in the picture, but she was pretty grungy by the time we left the park.

Wrestling with Daddy

After a week (& weekend) of virtually no daddy the girls have really enjoyed having him available again.

Camping

I have gone car camping during every pregnancy, but never when I was this far along. We did an over-nighter in Prince William Forest Park with three other families last Friday night and I think it went pretty well. Andrew's ski patrol classes started Friday night so he didn't make it to the campsite until around 11 p.m. Luckily the other guys helped me set up my over-sized tent and unload my gear (thanks Corey, Dan, and Ben).

I tried to wait up for Drew's arrival, but quickly fell asleep when I laid down with the girls to help them fall asleep. In the end no one slept well. Andrew was uncomfortable on the ground and I now know that pregos need to have their own air mattress, not share one with two cuddly little girls.

As usual Sarah B. planned fun activities for the kids. She gave them each a bug collection kit and the kids spent tons of time searching for caterpillars (or callapillars as Liz says). They named the bugs and set up "playdates" for them.

The kids also enjoyed playing cowboy with Corey's lasso. They ran around the campsite and Corey lassoed them. They also tried to throw the rope themselves. Liz lassoed herself before lassoing a camp chair. Drew took a turn as well.

Saturday morning we took a short hike to a small river.

At the river the kids enjoyed running across the bridge, but mostly they spent their time in the water.

Andrew got in the water too, but he said the rocks were too painful for his bare feet. Liz didn't seem to mind it though.

Andrew and Alaina spent most of their river time skipping/throwing rocks.

Not surprisingly Alaina became soaked. Since her change of clothes was back at the car, she completed the hike in her diaper.

While Drew, Alaina, and I were happy on the riverbank Liz couldn't get enough of the water.

Andrew got a few unflattering candid shots of me. Thansk a lot Hon.

At least we got some cute shots of the girls.

Bedtime books

Watching the girls read/look at books together was a sweet moment. And then, about five minutes into Liz reading a book to me, Alaina leaned over (I thought to look at the pictures in Lizzie's book) and whacked her big sister on the head multiple times with a book.

Ice cream afternoons

Wednesday afternoon has become ice cream time for us (we have to kill some time before Lizzie's art class). Alaina got ice cream everywhere--even her ear.

Lizzie ate half her cone then noticed some blood in it (from her super lose tooth) and refused to eat any more.

The tooth finally fell out during dinner. It had been hanging by a thread for a couple days. So, that's four teeth in basically one month.