Happy Birthday Monica

Ok so Blogger is driving me nuts today. I"m having trouble getting these pics in the order I want them, but at least you get to see a few pics! I'll try to write a full blg in a few days but for now here is the important info!!!

Monica Grace Young was born

Sunday Dec. 27th 2009

5:54pm 7lbs 1oz 20in.

More Christmassy Pics

Andrew had his Christmas program at school today. They sang songs and did cure little finger-plays. I also snapped this adorable pic of him and Maria sporting their Christmas hats! :)

Gingerbread House

Today our friend Gabe came over and brought a Gingerbread house kit. So while I was busy making Christmas candies and cookies, the boys had fun constructing, and shortly thereafter demolishing the Gingerbread house! :)








My mom asked me to get some good pics of Andrew in front of a Christmas tree. Since we have the pitiful 4ft "charlie brown" tree, we took the pics in front of the trees at church.

Andrew's Gift

As soon as he found out he was going to be a big brother, Andrew has been asking if he can go to Build-A-Bear and make something special for Monica. Well the time finally came. So last night, we braved the cold and ventured into the holiday mayhem. I think John was a little over-whelmed buy the whole experience. He could not believe all the "stuff" they had for stuffed animals! After a lot of thought and some persuasion from his parent's, Andrew picked out the cutest bunny. The biggest issue was the sound. He really wanted to put either Frosty the Snowman, or a Jonas Brother's song in it. Dad and I veto both! Finally he settle on the heartbeat. It's nice a quite, but you can slightly feel the beating heart when holding the bunny. So sweet!

The other great accomplishment of the night was picking out paint and ordering the wall border for Monica's room! The "plan" is to have the carpets completely cleaned this week and by the end of next weekend have the painting done! :) Then we can move in the furniture the week before Christmas and finally finish off her room!!!! Nothing like cutting things a little close.

Speaking of close... as of today there are only 32 days until Monica's due date! PRAISE JESUS!!!!!! We originally had a c-section scheduled for Jan 14th if I went past the date. The 14th is my Grandfather's birthday. However, I found out that the one and only doctor that I really can't stand happens to be on call that day and would be doing the c-section... NO WAY!!!!! If I go into labor on my own and he ends up being on call, well that is in God's hands, but I will NOT schedule a day with him. So we moved it up a day, the 13th. So that means a MAX of 38 days till we get to finally meet our little girl. I'm still praying for an early delivery, just preferably not on Christmas! :) New years area would be good. Or even around the 15th, which could fall on either my grandma's birthday or John's dad's birthday!

Andrew also made a little shaker in Sunday School today out of beans and paper cups. When he gave it to me, he asked me to save it for Monica. He said it was a rattle to remind her of Jesus! He is already such a great big brother!

Here are a few photos of Hoppie, the bunny Andrew made for Monica!

Single digit countdown continues... 7 1/2 weeks

As of last Tues things were still going good. I had been having a lot of cramping but everything checked out fine and it was determined that it's just because of her low positioning! My blood pressure is slowly climbing, but I'm just now at 120/62. Which yes is pretty high for me, considering I'm doing good to break 100, but it's still considered normal at this point! I will say she must be packing on the pounds. I've gained about 7 lbs in 3 weeks or so. Again they say they are not concerned, since i was slow to gain in the beginning and have still only gained at total of 17 lbs. My luck I will have had a c-section for a tiny 6lbs 5oz baby and this time that I'm going for a VBAC I'll end up with a 9+ pounder!

We did get sad news that Andrew will NOT be allowed to visit us in the hospital. Because of the H1N1, the hospital is restricting any visitors under the age of 12. I cried off and on for a full day about it. It breaks my heart to think he won't be one of the first people to meet her. And now I'm praying for a VBAC even more, so I'll only have to be in the hospital for 2 days instead of 4. I can't imagine not seeing him for 4 days. I don't think he even knew it was possible to come visit us at the hospital before, we hadn't really talked about it much, so it won't be as hard for him as it was for me! :) My mom is going to bring her laptop with webcam for us to use at the hospital, so we can video chat with him.

He is so excited. He's always saying how he wishes she was already here. And when he talks to her he tells her all about the things she's going to get to do and see and the people she will get to meet! Just about every store we go into he finds something that he wants to buy her! :)

Monica's room is SLOWLY but surely coming along! It's about half way cleared out from being a computer room. We got her changing table and dresser on Thur (gotta love craigslist), and I've hung up most of her clothes. Hopefully the two weeks I'm off around Thanksgiving, I'll be able to finish up clearing out the room, steam clean the carpets and maybe, just maybe get to start painting! :)

Well here are the most recent "belly" pics at 32 1/2 weeks. In a few weeks we have a professional photo session set up to take maternity pics so I will post those as soon as I get them!

Trick or Treat Fun!

This year Andrew grew his own pumpkins in HIS garden. They were a little small becuase we had to pick them early so they didn't freeze and turn to mush with the first snow (first week of Oct.) Some friends of our gave Andrew an adorable pumpkin decorating kit. We called them "Mr. Pumpkin Heads" (aka mr. potato heads) They were alot of fun! And much less messy and smelly then carving pumpkins.

This is a gourd Andrew finger painted at school. Since we had left over pieces, we decided to put a face on this one too. It turned out to be our favorite! :)

This year instead of staying home we went to our friend's house and the kids went trick or treating together then after bedtime, the adults had fun hanging out and playing games!

My "cheesy" Lion

Cooper. He was supposed to be a Rodeo Clown, but he refused to wear the clown nose make up so he turned out to be a cowboy instead.

Laurel the Cat (you'll see her tail in the next pic) and Gabe the chubby monkey!

Laurel and ANdrew walking. I just had to get a pic of the tail!

The men stayed at the house and handed out candy while the mom's took the kids trick or treating.

Andrew preschool class party. Unfortunately my camera batteries died so this is the only pic I got! :( There are two Andrew's in his class and both chose to be Lions this year.

Big Brother...

I'm amazed each day how involved Andrew is in the pregnancy. He's always asking how I'm doing, and how Monica Grace is. He wants to hug and kiss her first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I told him last week that she could hear him talk to her so now he will randomly comes over and tell her things or sing her songs. Last night he heard something on a commercial and came over and said he needed to tell Monica Grace a secret. "Monica Grace did you know cupcakes are made for fun?" It was adorable! I've tried to tell him he doesn't have to say Monica Grace all the time. He can call her just Monica, but he says he likes Monica Grace better. This morning he was explaining to her what her name was, Monica Grace Young... "Young is our family name, it says you are part of our family" He also seems very concerned about what I'm eating or drinking. He's always asking me if that's ok for Monica to eat or drink. Or he'll tell me that I should eat more so Monica can have plenty! Last night he told John he needed to go to the grocery store and get me some sweet stuff, because Monica must be wanting it since I was craving it! :) John came home with a cheesecake for me!

Maria is also starting to get jealous over who's turn it is to talk to "Baby Ica" She doesn't want Andrew to talk or touch my belly! Only her! :) Little does she know how that little baby in there is gong to turn her life upside down soon!

I'm including a pic taken last month of Andrew and his best friend/girl friend McKensie. They moved to Arkansas so we got the kids together one last time at JumpIn for a simple farewell party! We miss them very much, but can't wait to see them when we go back to MO next June

After much nagging...

Ok so this will be quite the hodge-podge of pics. My mom has been nagging at me pretty much since the reunion to post new belly pics. I finally got around to taking them this morning.

I'm also throwing in some pics of Andrew, and the Rose John made for me during the boys play dough time! Oh yeah, and look what we woke up to this morning... about 3-4 inches of snow.

And the ultrasound said...

Yep, that's right... a girl! Monica Grace Young! Andrew is so excited! John and I are slowly adjusting to the idea. :)

On Friday, John got to work and found his cubicle in wall to wall pink streamers and balloons and candy. Here are a few pics. The last one is PRICELESS!!!

Before and After

Ok, so I just realized that I still never got these pictures posted! I'm so sorry! But the house is 99% done now. All we have left is the trim around the door and we plan on repainting the doors them self, but that will have to wait til this fall when it cools off a little! The sunlight has not been cooperating so the lighting for the pics is a little off. But you get the general idea!

Mom also pointed out that I never took pictures of Andrew's new big boy bed. He graduated from his Toddler bed to a loft bed! It make the perfect fort or play area underneath, plus it's much easier for prego mom to tuck him in at night. We currently have his nap mat set up underneath in case of midnight accidents it's an easy transition instead of stripping and remaking the whole bed at 1am. Night accidents rarely ever happen but when they do, like last night (as you can see by the lack of bedding on the loft) it's a life saver!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Andrew's new bed