Pray with us?

THIRTY-SIX WEEKS!

You heard me -- thirty-six crazy weeks in and who knows how many to go.

I cannot believe it.  It's September 2, folks.  This is potentially my daughter's birth month!  When counting down to the due date, we're in the 20's.  It's going so lightning fast and so agonizingly slow.

This weekend we took a mini-babymoon up in the mountains.  Friends of ours in Eagle, CO, graciously opened their home to us to relax and recharge surrounded by mountains.  The loveliness of "getting away" was only exceeded by the loveliness of our constant lovely view.  See?

Last week was a whirlwind of delightful baby showers.  

On Sunday, August 24th, my theatre friends poured out lots of love and balloons and blessed our socks off!  The best part?  They sent me home with three trays of brownies.  Yum!

On Thursday, August 28th, my company threw me an amazingly fun shower with monkeys and frogs everywhere!  If you don't remember, I'm OBSESSED with monkeys and frogs right now.  It all blew me away -- the sheer generosity of my coworkers, the adorableness of all the monkeys and frogs, but mostly the sheer generosity of my coworkers.  I am continually blessed to work for Bonanza Creek with such an amazing boss, surrounded by people I truly enjoy working with.  Little One, Landon, and I were blessed for sure.  Most of the photos involve me making some kind of crazy "Awwww!" face -- just like the one below.

 Upon our return from our babymoon, we trekked down to Littleton for a third baby shower with friends from church.  We had a great time!  It was so relaxing to barbeque, chat, and be entertained by the 1 year old stealing the show. :)  Our future danced before us.  Of course, the highlight of the night was the little game we played.  I discovered something about my husband that night -- he is really good at "Pin the ____ on the____" games.  And this one was no different...

  

That's a winner, folks!  It's a girl!  All of us ladies decided it was a game that only the men needed to play.  Makes sense, right?  It's the most adult I've ever felt at a party. ;)

So, after a week of showering Little One, our place is bursting with baby stuff.

That particular pile 'o' blessing is my goal for this week.  Little One could come today and she'd survive quite well -- but there still a few things that would make her survival a little more comfortable.  Since I've had quite a few people ask what we still need, below is a list.  All of it can be found on our registry at www.babiesrus.com, but I'm also not afraid of second-hand, passed around items.  

In no particular order:

• Changing pad liners
• 4moms Mamaroo Infant Insert
• Burp cloths
• Mamas and Papas Baby Snug Floor Seat
• Nursing cover
• JJ Cole Agility Stretch Wrap Carrier
• Evenflo Active Carrier
• Temporal Artery Thermometer
• Baby Bathtub
• Video Monitor
• Play yard waterproof pad
• Play yard sheets
• 2 Baby gates
• Bobby Pillow Protector
• Diaper Cream
• Diapers & Wipes!!!
• Diaper pail inserts

We are extremely blessed and humbled by all the generosity that has supplied our "big" items, tons of clothes, storybooks, toys, and blankets.   Thank you all!!!

Now, to the title topic.  More than anything, I would ask you to pray with us.  We are in the homiest part of the home stretch, with each day bringing the question, "Will it be today??"  There are a few things that we are specifically praying about and I'd like to invite you to join with us.

Of course, "healthy mom and baby" are the top priority, but within that, here are some ways you can specifically pray with us.

1. One Week Late: Call me crazy, but I'm praying that she will be one week late AND that I will be able to work through that week.  If I'm unable to work (bed rest, etc), then she might as well come already, but if she is a week late and I can work, then my maternity leave will take me through Christmas, which means we may actually be able to see family this year!!
2. Going into Labor:   I'm praying that I will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am in labor.  I'm a watcher, so I'm constantly thinking, "Is this it?  Is that it?  What if it's today??" so for the sake of my sanity, I am determined to discontinue that line of thinking and just live normally and hopefully.  I've also heard too many stories of people not knowing they are in labor, and while that's nice and all, I like to know what's going on. ;)
3. Natural Labor and Delivery:  I am hoping and praying to go as unmedicated, non-intervention, naturally as possible (terrible grammar, but you get the idea!).  We are finishing our "Unmedicated Childbirth" class this week and I'm feeling empowered and well-informed.  I am not "against" epidurals, etc, but I have a greater desire to be an active participant in my daughter's birth, come what may pain-wise.  I'm leaving the door open, but I am very much hoping to stick it out.  I have two friends who have given birth in the last 6 weeks completely naturally and they have each encouraged me greatly that I can do it, too.  So much better than the usual skepticism of others who tell me I'll be begging for that epidural.  Not helpful.
4. No Tearing:  I am fully aware that most first time moms tear during their delivery -- but again, I know plenty of women who didn't, and I am praying that I am one of them. 
5. Needle Fear:  This is a big one.  We've decided to utilize the hospital and stay with my OB/GYN.  I like her a lot, and I'd prefer to be in a setting where they can immediately help if something goes wrong.  As many of you probably know, they automatically prep you with an IV when you arrive to deliver.  I have to majorly work through this.  My doctor won't even discuss other options -- and honestly, I don't blame her.  My fear has gone down, but it's not gone.  Will you pray with me that by the time I get there, my fear of the IV, the blood draws, and anything else needle-wise will be gone?  People say it will be the furthest thing from my mind, but as I stand now, it won't be.  It will be what I hyper-focus on and I will lose the empowerment of being actively involved.  No, it won't be hooked up to anything; yes, they are going to wrap it so I "won't even know it's there" (right).  It will be in my forearm and not my hand or inside of my elbow -- which is helpful, btw.  There's not much anyone can say that will relieve this phobia.  It seriously must be supernaturally removed.  So please pray.
6. Nurses/Medical Staff:  We're praying about the people involved in the labor and delivery room.  It's quite wonderful that it IS the same room and we won't be moving in between.  I've never really done well in medical settings, but having the right medical team makes all the difference.  Please pray with us for very skilled, compassionate nurses who ease tension and don't add to it, who can advocate for us, who are encouraging and supportive in the "natural" track, who are patient to explain and discuss what's going on, who do not rush me or make me feel weak/stupid/petty/silly, who aren't too frazzled by the laboring women next door, who bring peace with them, who are practical and down to earth, and who just in general are helpful and not pushy.  (Do I have preconceived notions about all this???  Noooo.....)
7. My Doctor: Again with the preconceived notions....I'm very much praying that my doctor will be patient and very, very slow to jump to any interventions (read: episiotomy, forceps, vacuum, C-section, etc), that she won't be pushy when it comes to those interventions unless there truly is an emergency situation, that we will actually get our doctor and not someone on-call that we don't know, that she will continue to support natural/unmedicated delivery, and that she will have all the support she needs.
8. Peace in the Room:  My greatest prayer in all of this is that there would be such a peace in our room, that people would walk in and palpably feel the peace, that I wouldn't be an anxious, demanding, crazy, unhinged mess, but able to breathe, relax even, and rest in the knowledge that I'm not alone through any of this.  "Loves endures all things" is still my mantra of sorts.  I'll be breathing that in throughout it all. 

So, will you join us in praying over this labor and delivery whenever it happens?  Feel free to share any verses that helped you through your childbirth process or that just help you in hard/scary/painful times in general.

We appreciate you being involved in our expanding family!  Let's see what the next 4-5 weeks bring!!