Anyways, back to this week, I will try to remember as much as possible, but it's been awhile, so some of the details have escaped me. Our week ticked on with our normal activities of gymnastics, watching Sadie and going to the library, watching Sadie and going to BSF, and then on Wednesday night we had something exciting going on in the evening. We had registered for a Little Dipper Toddler Tour of the hospital so that Samantha could see the Labor and Delivery area, as well as what the room looks like where Mommy, Daddy, and Aedan will be sleeping after he's born. However, even though we don't tell Samantha anything ahead of time that we have planned because it makes her too excited and affects her sleep, it's almost like she senses things. Wednesday nap time was just terrible, she was carrying on, crying, kicking her bed, playing, really anything except for sleeping. We created this rule that if she's not napping, she doesn't get to keep her blankie, so we take it away once and give her a chance to calm down, then give it back to her. However, she continued playing and not napping, so I had to take away her blankie for good, which resulted in a lot of screaming and crying and no napping. I was just worried that she would not be in a good enough mood for the tour, and there were no more classes to go to before Aedan's due date. I didn't know what to do, if I should go back and sit in her room or try to make her sleep, if that's even possible. Nap time is so aggravating sometimes because I feel so clueless. She'll have a really good day, like yesterday, and then the next day will be terrible, and I'll feel like a terrible mom for flying off the handle and getting overly emotionally involved in how she's reacting. What do we do if we know our girl needs to take a nap because she acts so cranky in the evening without one, will stay in her bed (at least we've won that battle), but just won't let herself fall asleep? Does that mean that she really is growing out of her naps? Does she need a transitional week or two where she just has quiet time instead of a nap and goes to bed early, dealing with her being cranky, until her body adjusts to the new routine? Nap time sends my mind in a tizzy sometimes.
Then, despite all that drama, just when I was about to go up to her room to get her, sometime around 3:50, she actually fell asleep. Our hospital tour was at 5:30, and we didn't want her to sleep for very long anyways since it was so late in the day, but I figured I'd let her sleep for as long as I could before we had to head out for the hospital. She's so crazy sometimes, spending two hours in her room playing and carrying on, and then finally falling asleep so late in the afternoon.
I was glad that she at least got a little nap in because in my mind it justified us being able to go on the hospital tour. Samantha was pretty excited to see the fish tank in the waiting area, to hold the pretend baby in the labor and delivery room, and to find out that the rooms have a DVD player so that she can come visit us at the hospital and watch a movie with us. She behaved herself really well, and even walked around holding the nurses hand for part of the time. They got a special little folder with a coloring book inside, among other things, as well as a special present with a baby diaper, a baby hat, and a special book. She got Peter Pan, which made her very happy indeed. Going around the hospital with Samantha was such a good idea because it won't be so foreign to her on the day Aedan is actually born and she comes to visit us. Although, we joked around that she won't even care about seeing Aedan, she will just be excited to watch a movie in our room with us. Going to the hospital for our childbirth class on Saturday and then having this tour made it all the more real to me. I am 36 weeks now, go to the doctor every week, and am in the final countdown.
On Thursday we had Mom's REST Stop in the morning, which is always a good and relaxing time for me, and then it was time for a nap. I was feeling very tired that day and needed a nap myself before my piano students came over that afternoon. Luckily, Samantha fell asleep around 2:20, giving me enough time to take a nap before 3:15 when my first student arrived, but I just could not turn my mind off. I rested for awhile, but I don't think I was able to fall asleep at all. I have never been a good napper, but I have a feeling that will change in a few weeks when Aedan is born, and I'm adjusting to life with a newborn waking throughout the night, plus a rambunctious little girl to care for during the day.
That evening, we had our first meeting with the lady we hope to be our doula, Kate. I was a bit nervous about it just because we have never done anything like this before. I am a pretty private person when it comes to expressing my true emotions or feelings, so that part of having a doula makes me a bit nervous. However, I am really hoping to have a natural birth this time around and am trying to avoid being hooked up to machines and monitors and restricting my positions for labor and delivery, hoping that a doula will help me achieve that through some additional support and guidance in comfort measures during the various phases of labor. Kate is a very easygoing, personable lady, and I felt very comfortable with having her be present at Aedan's birth. We had a good conversation about what I experienced in my birth with Samantha, what I liked, what I didn't like, and what I am looking for this time around. I am really excited that a doula is working out for me because it took awhile to get someone lined up who had the right schedule to work with mine. I look forward to the next time we get to meet with her and to get to know her more.
Then, once Friday hit, I knew it would be a busy weekend, and boy did I feel it by the time Sunday came around. Friday morning I had my 36 week checkup with Dr. Crooke, and I went alone this time since I was scheduled to have my exam and a check for Group B Strep. With how observant Samantha is, I figured she didn't need to witness that. She loves pretending to be a nurse at home, and she will actually wrap the blood pressure cuff around our arm, put the stethoscope in her ears and hold it on our arm, listening and squeezing the bulb at the same time, just like the nurse at my doctor does. Pretty accurate, right? Who knows what role play she would do if she was present for my exam!
My exam went really well and was over quickly. He said I was pretty much thinned out and was already 1 cm dilated, which is farther along than average at this point in my pregnancy. Who knows what that means though! It could mean Aedan will arrive early, or it could mean absolutely nothing at all. We'll see. The doctor also informed me that he will be out of town the weekend of April 25, right after Aedan's due date, so if I wanted to be sure to have him present for the birth, he said my body would probably be ready to be induced before he left, if that is something I would be interested in. However, I would like to avoid that because I am wanting a natural birth and want my labor to start on its own.
Since Ben stayed home with Samantha in the morning while I went to my appointment, he also graciously spent the rest of the morning/afternoon with her so I could go around town and run some errands, as well as have some time to myself. In my errand running, I bought some nursing tank tops, a Doc McStuffins present for Aedan to give to Samantha after he's born, and paper items for my piano recital on Saturday. I then got lunch and some coffee by myself, allowing me some time to work on Samantha's memory book. It was nice to have some alone time, to listen to my own music in the car, and to not have to drag Samantha in and out of the car at every stop I made.
I arrived back home sometime in the afternoon so that Ben could go to campus for a little while, and then that evening all my piano students came over for a Pizza Practice Party from 5:00-6:30. We discussed things about recital etiquette and what to do at the piano, and then we ran through the program two times before having pizza for dinner. I think it was well worth my time and effort to do this. The kids enjoyed themselves and got some jitters out before the actual day of the recital. Samantha enjoyed joining in on the pizza with all the big kids. In fact, I don't think she wanted them to leave. :)
Then, because the day wasn't busy enough, I met Michelle and Andrea at a local restaurant for dessert, coffee, and time to talk. It was great to get together and share stories about babies and pregnancies. I think we stayed there for almost three hours talking to each other. Girl time is definitely necessary, and I am so grateful for their friendship.
Saturday was another busy, busy day with Ben being gone in the morning for a conference at IU. Samantha and I went to a consignment sale at a local church to look for 3T spring/summer clothes for her and a few more various sizes of clothes for Aedan. The sale was laid out very nice, and they even had a special area where kids could color and watch a movie while the parents shopped, so that was nice. However, I don't think I planned my time very well, spending too much time there, and then racing to get everything ready for the piano recital at 1:00. I had to make some punch to bring for the recital, which turned out to be more complicated than I expected, and I also had to pick the cake up from Kroger, all while dragging Samantha around with me in the rain. We made it to ECC around 12:15, Ben met me there, and we began to set everything up in the room, moving tables and setting up chairs. Here are some pictures I took before the recital:
The recital went really well. No one messed up playing their songs or had to stop and start over. They played confidently, and I got many positive comments from parents about how much they enjoyed it, and how much they enjoyed hearing the students play old hymns. I was nervous about how it would turn out, since it was my first time putting on anything like this, but it definitely went well and was a great celebration of everything they've learned in playing the piano this year.
After cleaning up and heading home, we got Samantha down for a late nap, and then it was time to relax for the rest of the weekend. I felt so exhausted after several busy days in a row and my body was definitely feeling it on Sunday. I have reached the point in my pregnancy where I need to start taking it easy more, not pushing myself as hard, and resting whenever possible, which sometimes is easier said than done.
Here are some cute pictures of Samantha all ready for church on Sunday:
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