Updates and Ramblings, early December 2013 edition

What does it take to carve out time to update a blog? In this case, it appears being 38 weeks pregnant and home sick with an upper respiratory and ear infection. Neither of those are fun, especially not in combination with one another! However, I have had fun compiling pictures from the various phones, cameras and emails in preparation for updating this blog. What a wonderful reminder that, even though I'm not running on all cylinders at the moment, I am immensely blessed!

Where to start?

As of this Wednesday, I am 38 weeks pregnant. Time goes so slow, but also so fast, when you clock it in terms of weeks. It seems like ages ago that we found out we were pregnant. And it was...almost the better part of a whole year ago. April 17th, to be exact. So much has happened between then and now...and all of it with the added anticipation of bringing a new member into our sweet little family. And we will...on December 12th...if I don't go into labor before then.

It's so crazy how time and experience change your perspective. We started out this pregnancy all hell bent on going for a VBAC. Dr. Keeton was totally on board. But as we did more research, we got honest with ourselves about the risk factors. The top three risk factors for repeat emergency C-sections are: 1. The risk factor for the original C-section, 2. Mother's age, and 3. Mother's BMI. Truth is that we decided based on the first factor alone and time has only confirmed that decision. No matter the amount of wanting or wishing, I just do not have a cooperative cervix (and it totally makes JP uncomfortable when I talk about this in public...my cervix, I mean...lol). Dr. Keeton calls it the "Cervis of Steel". The baby dropped over 2 weeks ago, I've been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for about 3 weeks, and my cervix is trucking along like it doesn't have a bit of work to do. Factor in that I will be 38 at the end of this month, and I meet two of the 3 risk factors. Factor in that my metabolism was still shot from last year's competition prep cycle and that I packed on weight when I found out I was pregnant, no matter what I ate or how much I worked out, and I meet all three factors. When I look at it from that perspective, pushing forward with VBAC seems foolish. Which is why I say that it is crazy how time and experience change your perspective. Last time, a C-section was the worse case scenario. Having one led to a lot of grief for me while I was on maternity leave - all because I wasn't willing to see it as a possibility. Coming into it, knowing what the outcome was last time, and able to make an informed decision, brings me peace. Not to say that there isn't a part of me that wishes I could have the totally natural, vaginal birth experience, but I know that bringing our baby girl into the world in a way that least compromises either of our health is the most important factor today.

And with all this pressure I am experiencing, there is still a chance I might go into labor before the 12th. I guess God and lil' bit will determine that. Mommy and Daddy are kind of just along for the ride at this point!

The advantage to having such a long incubation period while also raising a toddler is the ability to attempt to prepare said toddler for the introduction of another human they are going to have to share attention with. In this case, Jenna was slow to warm to the idea of being a big sister. We started talking about it from early on. We felt that would be the best approach to helping her over time. As a result, we have been talking about this for a LONG time. However, having her get different furniture for her room, and helping decorate the baby's nursery helped a lot in getting her warmed up to the idea. We have been intentional in preparing, too. I have the hospital bags packed, and in the baby's bag is a baby doll for Jenna - one she can feed and put to sleep on her own - plus a few small gifts for Jenna from the baby. We are planning on trying to keep Jenna on her normal schedule as much as possible. That's the plan anyway. We'll see how that works out in reality! Of all of the things we did to help Jenna prepare, naming the baby was the most effective. It made it a reality for her, rather than just a conceptual idea or theory. Once she started calling the baby by her name, she warmed up to the whole idea, and even started getting excited about being a big sister.

Speaking of the baby's name...it is Julia Rose. Funny how people we have met who know a Julia Rose. It appears to be a pretty popular name. We knocked around a lot of other options, but like Jenna Mae, it just fit. Julia is a nod to JP's late grandfather, Julius. Rose was JP's great-grandmother's name, but is also a nod to the Cole side of the family, as his aunts are Rosita, Rosann and Rosemarie. So, now Jenna refers to the baby as Julia. She tells everyone about her little sister, that she is going to be a big sister, and even told me the other day, "Mommy, I am excited to meet Julia."

On a different note, Jenna has earned a new nickname - Jenna the Greek. Each time that my Dad has let Jenna do their football picks, they have won. Their group has even agreed to allow Jenna the Greek to have her own picks for the bowl game series. Jenna the Greek is venturing out on her own in the betting world at the ripe old age of 2 years old. This should be interesting!

There are so many other things I could include here, but they seem to escape me when I sit down. Jenna has taken to making her own variation of certain words, as toddlers do, and then forcefully corrects our pronunciation when we attempt to correct her. It's pretty priceless. As is her phrase of the week..."Mommy, I'm frustrated", which cracks me up every time. I do have to say that she always uses it in the proper manner and context. :)

Here are snapshots of what has been happening in our world:

We took Jenna to the fair this year for the first time. The morning of, she kept telling me she wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel. I kept asking her how she even knew what a Ferris Wheel was, but assumed that she would change her mind when she actually saw the Ferris Wheel. Not so much. We walked through the gates and she spotted the BIG Ferris Wheel in the back, pointed at it and started screaming about wanting to ride it. We figured she would change her mind when we actually got up to it and she saw how big it was. Again, not so much. She rode it twice - the second time she started crying when they tried to stop it, so they let her ride it extra long.

Halloween this year consisted of Boo at the Zoo, which doubled as a play date with Cooper, Trunk or Treat at her school and walking part of the neighborhood with the neighbors from our cul-de-sac. For Boo at the Zoo and the neighborhood, she went as Izzy from Jake and the Neverland Pirates (Cooper went as Jake at the zoo...too cute!) and for Trunk or Treat at school, she was a little Gamecock. Jenna also decorated her own pumpkin with a kit Aunt Joan sent to her.

We did the Buddy Walk with our friends, Padgi and Mark, in celebration of their daughter, Lila.

Jenna stalked Cocky, but then turned shy when she finally caught up with him. Just like a toddler!

I had a Sprinkle (diaper and wipes shower) and work and home. We stocked up on wipes and diapers, for sure, and it was good to spend time with everyone and celebrate Julia's upcoming arrival.

In all of the excitement and preparation, Jenna has had a chance to spend a lot of time with the G-Unit, which consists of many things, including reading with Nana S...

Puzzles with Nana B...

Baking with Mimi and Pop Pop...

We have a bunch of friends who had babies the same year we did, and Jenna is buddies with Aiden and Miles. She is in school with Aiden and her and Miles have regular play dates...

A regular source of conversation is who Jenna looks like the most. I think this puts those questions to rest...and yes, Jenna has me doing selfies with her while wearing her princess tiara...don't judge...she does it with JP, too, but he manages to avoid having pics taken...:)

Yeah...she looks like her Daddy, too! :) Fortunately she was cheering on the winning team this past weekend (sorry, Daddy!).

And finally, we are all gearing up for Christmas in the Cole household. We put up the decorations and trees this past weekend, including Jenna's little tree for her room, and made a visit to Santa. Afterward, Jenna (who asked for a Choo Choo, a baby doll and a Barbie) was so confused. She said, "But Mommy, Santa didn't give me a choo choo, a baby doll or a Barbie." I had to explain to her that she sees Santa now so he knows what to bring her for Christmas. I forget sometimes that some of these things need further explanation... But the whole family got into the fun with Santa!