Grandma Tucker's Gifts

My mother-in-law continues to amaze me with her thoughtfulness and remembering the little things that are loved.  We got a bag of Christmas presents she had purchased before her passing and in it are these sunflower seeds and earrings.  Ariana is having allergic reactions to  regular earrings but wants more sensitive solution ones and Alexis loves sunflower seeds and constantly begs for them especially when we travel.  Sue had a way of taking note when someone mentioned things they really liked, loved, or needed. Seeing these in our bag of gifts touches my heart.  Such little things but so thoughtful and personal.  That was Sue, our Grandma Tucker.  I mentioned earlier in my pregnancy while I was still really sick that the only chocolate I still craved was skor bars.  Every time I showed up at her house she had a skor bar tucked away for me.  I asked Taylor if she wrote down these things because how could she ever remember them all?  He said, 'oh yes!'  I can't remember little details like these long enough to write them down. We love you Grandma.  Thank you for even these little things that showed how much you noticed and cared.

37 Weeks

Well I spoke too soon.  Throwing up is still completely here.  My routine the last couple mornings, eat breakfast, while washing off breakfast dish throw up a little in the kitchen sink, run to the bathroom and throw up the rest of my breakfast.  Today this even involved peeing on the floor while throwing up.  Awesome!  I will say that while throwing up stinks its easier to deal with than heart burn at night so I guess I'll take the trade back to throwing up.

Taylor and I went to a Christmas party Saturday night.  It was a lot of fun.  Baby girl was extremely wiggly during the party.  My belly was moving like crazy!  I had to try and not laugh out loud at some points with the acrobatics it felt like she was trying to do.

So I am now in the safe zone to deliver at home!!! Yeah!  I still would like her to wait until January but at least now I can have the birth I've wanted.  Now that I've made it to this point its funny because I feel much less stressed about being ready.  Shouldn't it work the opposite way? 

I'm trying to remember to soak up these last few days with James as my baby.  I've realized I do want a couple maternity pictures with at least him so we're going to try and have that happen this week before the kids go to NV for the second week of winter break.

36 Weeks

Ok trying not to completely freak out.  Only a few weeks left!  If baby girl wants to come closer to her ultrasound date I'm actually 37 weeks.  Either way I'd really like her to be born January 6.  Why?  Because that's her Grandma Tucker's birthday.

Since I posted last we have been through some major events.  Saturday Nov 22, 2014 my sweet mother-in-law passed away.  We had known since March that we would lose her sometime soon due to pancreatic cancer but had hope that maybe she would make it to see the baby.  She had been doing so well and had Taylor and I had actually been discussing how and when we would go down to Utah so Grandma could see and hold baby girl after she is born.  Just a few short days after that conversation we got a call to pray for Mom because she wasn't doing well.  A week after that conversation Taylor and I had she passed quietly from this life to the next. I'm grateful she didn't have to suffer long because watching someone you love be in pain is hard.  We are sad that Grandma is gone but are extremely grateful for the life and legacy she left.  

Before Sue passed she had been doing some shopping (not a surprise to anyone who knows her because she was the queen of gift giving and parties) and she bought a few outfits for Susana.  Taylor went down to Utah this past weekend to be with his Dad and help around the house.  He came home with a bag full of presents both for Christmas and the baby that had been purchased before Grandma's health suddenly turned.  The outfits are darling and I can just see in my mind how excited Sue would have been finding them and giving them as a gift for her new granddaughter.  It will be precious to see Susana in the outfits her Grandma picked out for her.

Because of the funeral arrangements our Thanksgiving break was extremely crazy and ended up full of travel.  Friday Nov 21 Taylor, the kids and I went down to Utah.  We were able to see Grandma one last time.  Saturday we traveled to Las Vegas so the kids could spend Thanksgiving week with their Dad.  We stayed in Vegas Saturday night and Sunday morning when we got the news that Sue had passed the night before we decided that we should go see my family like we had originally planned for a few days until we knew for sure what was needed and when the funeral was.  It also gave us a little time to try and sort out if the kids would be able to come to the funeral.  So Sunday through Wednesday Taylor and I went to my family in San Diego.  Wednesday we started heading back to Utah and stayed the night in a hotel in Jean, NV.  Thursday (thanksgiving day) we finished the drive to Utah.  Dinner that night was at Cracker Barrel.  Friday we helped with the final funeral preparations and Saturday we had Sue's funeral.  The funeral was beautiful.  Saturday late afternoon we had to drive back to Las Vegas so Sunday morning we could pick the kids up.  Sunday we drove all the way from Las Vegas to Idaho Falls.  There was some major traffic delays so it was a LONG day.  I discovered the more I sat in the car my legs would fall asleep, my feet swell, and standing up hurt.  By the time we got home Sunday night my feet were huge!  They could barely get into my flip flops!  I have never seen them so big.  The swelling went down after a couple days but lets just say a couple thousand miles of travel by car so pregnant did have some consequences.     

Fortunately throwing up has gone down a lot.  I did just throw up this morning and a couple other times over the past few weeks but not nearly as bad as before.  The replacement has been heart burn at night. Not pleasant!  Also my body has started to transition to the I sleep like a newborn baby phase.  I wish I could make a deal with my body that I really do understand I won't be sleeping once the baby is here so can I just sleep now please?  I promise I get it.  I've done this before.  Oh well.

So now these last few weeks I'm trying to balance Christmas and getting everything ready for baby.  There is still so much to do.  I got my home birth kit ready this past week minus two items so most of the essentials are ready but my house is not even close to ready.  Cue nesting/cleaning constantly phase!  James new play habits aren't helpful in this cause.  Every day he fills the house with the toys from his room.  Train tracks line the hallways and lines of cars are found every where.  Its a little dangerous walking around when James has been playing.  I have to watch where I put my feet closely and I don't dare go to bed at night if the toys haven't been cleaned up because with how often I get up I would fall all over the place if they weren't.  James is cute about the baby.  We'll see if that continues once she is actually here.  This past week he started telling me he is going to "help the baby come out."  It makes me laugh. I really just want to make it to January with this baby.  I know she could come sooner and it would be ok but I really think January would so much better ; )  Ok long entry over time to go clean and organize some more.