Welcome to the World Miss Anders!

40 weeks and 1 day pregnant (and just got to the hospital)

Prepped and ready to head to the O.R., (the nurse told me to lay on my side before I had even gotten in the bed, something about getting the best reading from the fetal heart monitor- all I know is it wasn't very comfy after a few minutes and I had to face the wall instead of the side of the room where the chairs for visitors, i.e. Percy, were- and it made me look goofy in the pictures!)

SHE'S here! Anders made her appearance at 9:52 am and was face up in the womb, Dr. Kellum said she was face up, aka sunny side up, with her eyes wide open when he got to her- ready to meet the world! Percy stood up and watched them pull her out and was the one to tell me, "Oh Babe, we got another girl!"

She refused to behave like a lady in any of the pictures of her on the scale, so a little clip art was required.
8 lbs 15.2 oz (love my chubby babies)

Getting measured, 19 1/4inches

Getting her footprints made.

Aren't you finished with me yet?

Bye bye belly, hello baby-- now the fun begins!

Swimming with Mama & Daddy

Percy and I have started getting a little nervous about how much we are about to rock Chesley's world. We are feeling a little guilty about all the changes headed her way. We know that the baby will, of course, only add to our lives but- the baby will be shaking things up for Big Sister for a little while. So we have been spending a lot of family time and 'it's-all-about-you-Chesley' time with our first baby before #2 makes his/her appearance!

One of this weekend's 'All About Chesley' activities included a family day at the pool.


Now, swimming with Mama is nothing new because we have spent A LOT of time in the pool this summer (I don't feel pregnant in the pool so I'm a big fan!), but having Daddy there is a treat!

She was all about it!

Catch me Dada!

My big girl LOVES to jump off of the diving board. We went through a period where she made me come out there and throw her off (and let me tell you I made everybody at the pool very very nervous when I waddled my way out to the end of the diving board- people thought they were about to watch a water birth!) Sometimes she would tell me to come help her and that was what she meant! Thankfully, she got past that and loves showing off her stuff!

Can't believe she's big enough for this...

I think she was getting a little talking to...

But, it looks like all was forgiven. (Geez, the belly!)

Looking cool!

Baby Q #2, 39.5 Weeks

In spite of my impressive girth, this kid is not ready to make his or her exit yet. We went to the doctor today, still no progression and the baby hasn't dropped. This last bit of information will come as a surprise to the 7 people who told me I had dropped on Monday. Two separate Kroger employees came up to me, unsolicited, and said I looked like I had dropped and was about to have that baby right there! My alterations lady, who is Asian but I am not sure which country, told me in her very thick accent that in her country you were to try and hide a pregnant belly, but with the styles today there wasn't no hiding and I had dropped! A lady who came to install curtains in Chesley's new room who has given birth to five children naturally and has four grandkids told me I looked like I had dropped since she saw me last Friday. And my friend Tatum's mom, Hillary, and my mom. But the dude with the MD disagrees. So I am scheduled to go in on Tuesday, July 19th. If anyone knows a rain dance type thing that they can do to make this child come out please start shakin' a tail feather for me!

P.S. No, I am not wearing a body suit in this lovely belly pic, it's capri leggings and a tunic top that I have pulled back so you can fully appreciate the profile view.

38 weeks and Shopping

In case you ever wondered what mattress shopping at 38.5 weeks pregnant looks like, wonder no more.

We took Chesley with us, which did not turn out to be our brightest idea as she insisted on trying out each mattress as well, and bouncing, squirming, kicking, and squealing while she did so. Since this is not how we sleep at home, (with the squealing squirmer between us), the sales lady distracted her with stuffed teddy bears they had on display long enough for us to narrow it down to two. The two we were choosing between were all the way across the store from one another and let me just say I am not ashamed to admit I was worn out from climbing into and heave-ho-ing out of all those beds over and over and then waddling back and forth between the final two. On some of the softer options I had to either push off of Percy to exit the bed, or he had to roll me onto my side from my back like a beached whale, or I had to shimmy/rock back and forth a little while until I had enough momentum to rock onto my side. Laugh all you want, it was a lot of work. But we did get to try out the new millennium's version of the Craft-matic Adjustable Bed. My sister, Katie, and I begged and begged my parents to buy us one every time the infomercial came on. We didn't even share a bed or a room but we were willing to start if they would buy us the double or queen size, and it came with a free TV!! I mean come on! Alas, my parents never gave in and Katie and I had to make do with our normal boring, non-moving beds. But, wow, this thing is cool. Percy and I made a deal that we will buy one when our last child goes to college and I am not even kidding a little bit. Katie, it was everything we dreamed it would be...

Baby Q#2 Update:
We went last Thursday and there is still no progression whatsoever and the baby hasn't dropped, (although two Kroger workers, Hillary, and Tatum Goodman's mom all stopped me today to tell me I looked like I had dropped so maybe by now?) We had a sonogram that estimates the baby is around 8lb 4oz, Chesley was 8lb 6oz so this may actually be somewhat accurate. We took Chesley to the sonogram so she could see the baby but Baby had it's face turned towards my back and no matter how hard the sonographer tried I couldn't even ever see anything that looked like a baby. Chesley didn't know the difference but she was less than impressed. She was, however, very excited to be at 'da baby doctor.' She was pretty squirmy until Dr. Kellum came in the room, then she didn't make a peep and just stared at him the entire time. We, (minus Chesley), go back this again Thursday, I'll update when we know more!