25 weeks

Today marks 25 weeks. And what did we do? We got to see our little boy via ultrasound again! He is quite the mover. And once again, just like Addilyn, no good profiles or facial shots. He either had his arms waving up in his face or he would move it in such an angle that we could only see the down side or some weird shot. Don't worry, I have been taking pictures, I just choose to not upload them out of laziness. But I figured 25 weeks is some kind of milestone right? Two years ago the day I turned 25 weeks, it was also the first day of of my last semester of school. Here is the post of a rather exposed belly. I think I am starting to level out. Meaning my belly now is starting to look similar to what it did with Addilyn size-wise. I definitely started showing earlier this time and was worried I was going to be gigantor in no time.

Scott came to my apt. this morning because it was an ultrasound and I had to get blood drawn (took my gluco-test). I thought it might be easier having him handle Addilyn between those two procedures. Afterwards Scott had a moment of, well, I don't know. I think he started having flashbacks and reliving my labor/delivery with Addilyn and was starting to sweat. This time it will be different in the fact we won't have our awesome doula Linda. So then he started thinking about how loooooong my labor was. (refresher...28.5 hours) He and Linda were pushing on my knees to help alleviate my back labor for close to 15 hours of that. Scott basically was panicking that my labor/delivery was going to go the same and was questioning if we had a birth plan ready again, if we've asked the dr's all the right questions, etc etc. I just keep trying to remind him that this labor should (shooting for) 1/4 of the time it was with Addi...so like 7 hours (max I hope). From beginning to end. I guess Scott just hasn't been as involved this time as he was with Addilyn so it just sort of hit him all at once! But it was a very good reminder that I do need to revisit the old birth plan and start actually asking the dr's questions about their process.

And by the way, as a fun fact- when I was pregnant with Addilyn, all of my sister-in-laws were also expecting. Granted, I was due first that year, then a month later Charlie Meldrum came, then in the fall came a Western and a Jadwin, then lastly Busby. This pregnancy, so far it's me first again, then a Meldrum, then a Jadwin.....and now we are just waiting for the announcements of a pregnant Western and Busby family. Oh family...

lip stick

Addilyn loves putting chapstick on. Whenever I put it on, she puckers and smacks her lips together to let me know she wants some too. Well, this night she didn't realize the chapstick she was putting on was tinted....red!

I will have to find the picture of me about her age (I think) with lipstick on. Except I wasn't happy, I was in trouble!

As for other news, I hit 24 weeks this past week. And next week we get to go in for a bonus ultrasound! During his last ultrasound they didn't see all they wanted to because of his position. So we get to go in again and see him worm around!

The slush

We got slush! As the people here in North Carolina call it snow! Well, it did stick overnight, but it was super wet and was all gone by the afternoon. I knew it wouldn't last long so I took Addilyn out right after breakfast. It was her first time in it.

My favorite part is the frozen trees.

A smooch from Cabo

Mommy it's cold!

Also, Scott's boss said the night before it snowed that if they don't come in the next day they have to take PTO. Well, Scott went in normal time. And he said all the locals stayed home. Wimps.

Sisters

The title of this post "Sisters" is probably misleading. Because I'm not about to talk about Addilyn being a sister. Nope. I'm going to talk about my sisters. Hold the phone---no, not blood sisters, but sister-in-laws. I don't have a sister of my own but do in fact have 4 sister-in-laws. One of which put a shout out for a favor.

It all started with Shirley, Scott's oldest sister, and her husband wanting to go on a cruise. A few months ago Shirley put out the idea of seeing if Addilyn and I could come down to Atlanta in January to watch her 3 girls for a week. I said that I didn't see why not, I should be in my "normal" feeling stage of pregnancy by that point. So after a very long train ride (8 hours) I arrived with Addilyn in Atlanta.

The train left at 12:30 AM Sunday morning. First mistake: we put Addilyn down just as normal, at 7pm. So she slept until 10:30, when we had to leave to the train station. She basically took a 4 1/2 hour nap and stayed awake on the train until about 4AM. So I had not slept until about then and I got probably about an hour or so. That was until they flipped the train lights on at 7AM and Addilyn woke up. The Westerns picked us up and we made it to their house at about 9am, in which Addi and I passed out on their couch in the basement until we had to leave for their church that started at 12:30. Since I was sleep deprived, it was hard to keep myself awake for most of the day. My attention needed to be it's best especially when we were going over the particulars of the routines the girls go through during the week.

Monday morning EARLY Eric and Shirley left. That meant I was now in charge. Now, I'm not going into a play by play of the week- because honestly it was a blur and I only remember the not so great moments. But, I do have some pictures of the good moments that I took.

Addilyn and Afton

 Addilyn is right inbetween Afton and Eila in age. So Addilyn was really good playing with both girls.

Addilyn and Afton

Addilyn and Afton

Afton, who took a spill down the stairs

Afton

 The above picture of Afton- I thought it was a funny picture, until later. Mostly it was funny because I was never able to get Afton to take a nap even though she needs one and her mom can get her to take one. So here she was lying on the floor saying she wasn't tired. Well, probably within an hour of this picture, she threw up. Yes, she did. It was on herself and in the kitchen so it was well contained. That was on Thursday, the day before her mom and dad came home. Thank goodness.

Eila and Addilyn

Addilyn

Eila and Addilyn

Afton and Addilyn

Afton and Addilyn

Loves her oranges

All 4 girls, Olivia, Eila, Afton, Addilyn

Addilyn and Eila

All 4 girls

 Shirley and Eric got home about 3:30pm on Friday. I was SO happy they were back! Mostly because that meant I could just be in charge of 1 child, mine. I was exhausted. Saturday we did a little this and a little of that while on Sunday Shirley stayed home with the girls because they were all getting sick.

At the train station going home

So really, for the week I learned a few good things. It was an experience I'll tell you. I told Shirley and Eric that really, they are not my kids. I mean that in soooo many ways too. For 1) I am not their mom, so when they cried for mom, they were not happy to get me 2) We have very very different personalities 3) I don't know the "tricks" with them- like what bribes really work or what words/phrases they are familiar with or how to get them to bed (the worst) 4) I don't know their cues- like with the 15 month old who can't talk etc etc etc....I really could go on. But ultimately I wasn't their parent and it's a good thing. Shirley and Eric are.

The ride home was different for sure. The train was 2 hours late. So Shirley and I hung out in the car until it was time to board. Then Addilyn and I had the very front of the train- where the door opens and closes all the time for people going in between trains. From about 10:30pm on the train until about 3:30am Addilyn would sleep for about 10-15 minutes and then wake up crying. I'd console her and put her in a new position (on me, because she refused to lay on the chairs). This was bad for me because first of all, she was lying on me and her brother was fighting back. Then I couldn't get very good sleep either being in these awkward positions. She woke up for a little bit, had a snack, and then went to sleep at about 4. Which at that point I just stayed up and watched a show on my computer. The train got in at 5:15AM Monday. Luckily Scott was able to take a half day and was home until 12:30 on Monday.