wish me luck...

today is craig's first day back to work after a wonderful 2 week paternity leave. it sure has been nice having him home and helping out. today is also my official due date... i can't believe graham has already been with us for over 2 weeks.

carter is already off to school, and craig has left for work. i just finished my first cup of coffee, and need to get mason ready for school. i was trying to think of what i wanted to accomplish today... which store to go to, what to cross off my "to do" list, but instead i think i will drop off mason while in my pj's... come home enjoy more coffee, give hadley some much needed one on one time while graham sleeps, and then just snuggle with graham while hadley naps.

i also want to put away my fall decorations and start getting out all the christmas stuff. let's see how different my plan for the day goes compared to what actually happens.

here are some photos from the long thanksgiving weekend...



heading to mason's thanksgiving feast at school...




craig and the boys going to the KP thanksgiving day game... hadley really wanted to go too, but it was way too cold!!



so many great memories... i just love long weekends, holidays, and having craig home!!!

so thankful

i love thanksgiving. it is just a comfort holiday, and it's my favorite. i love this time of year... i enjoy putting on my comfy clothes when i get home. i love snuggling with the kids and watching a movie, and drinking a hot cup of coffee. i actually don't even mind that it starts getting dark at 4:00. and i can't wait for the first snow fall...

this year i have so much to be thankful for...

* i am thankful for my husband. not only is craig my best friend, but he is an amazing husband and father. he is my soulmate and together we tackle our daily chores and raising our kids. i am also thankful he had a 2 week paternity leave... it has been great to have him home!

* i am thankful for my four beautiful and amazing children. they make me so proud, and they are really good kids. sure, they have their moments like anyone, but at the end of the day, i am thankful that they are who they are. i look forward to watching them grow, learn and change over the years. i can't wait to watch their relationships with each other form, and see how everything falls into place.

* i am thankful for my parents. they are so supportive of us, and are always willing to help. the last year has been so hard for them as they have dealt with my dad's cancer, but they are still so involved with us as much as they can be. my mom was able to come and stay with us for five days while we welcomed graham to the family, and it was such a big help!

* i am thankful for an amazing group of friends.

happy thanksgiving!!!!

39 weeks

today i should be 39 weeks, and i was hoping for an induction today.... clearly that isn't going to happen. i am over-the-moon happy to have graham safe and sound, but a small part of me is disappointed that i had him a little early.

i loved being pregnant. especially since this was my last pregnancy, i tried to really enjoy every moment of it. of course i know that the most important thing about a pregnancy, is to bring home a healthy baby at the end. so maybe disappointed isn't the right word, but you know what i'm saying... right?

i guess now that we are settling in to our new routine of a family of six, it has finally set in that never again will we experience a pregnancy. the fun of trying... the excitement of learning that you are pregnant... waiting for your belly to grow... sharing your news... feeling the first kicks. i'll miss it all.

family photos

i find family photos to be very stressful... that being said, i really wanted a good family pic to use as our holiday card. sometimes we go to portrait simple, but the thought of heading out to the mall just isn't appealing. once graham gets a bit bigger i would love to go to a location with a photographer, but with the cold weather, and a newborn, that really wasn't an option for now.

my friend cindy lives down the street, and also works for a photographer. the other day when she was here visiting, i asked if she could come over and take a family picture outside. it worked out really well... i gave her my memory card from my camera, and she took a bunch of photos and i was able to upload them, and order my holiday card last night.

were they perfect? well, no... mason has a very strange smile these days. hadley only smiles when she wants to, and carter complains about wanting to be done exactly 30 seconds after we started. it was quite chilly out, so i kept graham snuggled in a blanket, so you really couldn't see him up close, or what he was wearing.

here's a couple of pics from yesterday... i'll hold off on sharing the picture i used and card until they are mailed out to my friends and family. (all the family pics were done outside... the boys each just really wanted to hold graham in the house, so i took a quick picture.)




next up, i need to do hadley's 2 year photos, and graham's newborn. i brought mason and hadley when they were 3 weeks, so i am going to get some done of graham when i bring hadley. let's see if i am brave enough to do all 4 of them? i would love a picture of all of them in their christmas outfits w/out craig and i, but i just don't know if i am up for the stress of it. i may need to bring out the big guns in bribes for the boys - a trip to the lego store!!!!

* i am very thankful to have photographs to look back on and watch our family grow and change... as stressful as it may be, i cherish all my photos. and i very thankful to be in these photos with my kids. i wish i had more family photos from my childhood, and not just the standard photo from picture day at school.

so in love...

i am so in love with graham... he is so perfect! i love to snuggle with him, hold him, feed him, and sleep with him. i just love having a newborn. it fills my soul.



i realize as i watch graham grow and he changes, each new phase will be my favorite, but for now i am 100% enjoying every moment of this.

i am not the only one who is loving the newest member...






hadley has been so funny! she just wants to be wherever graham is. she walks around saying "hello baby graham" in an almost british accent. it is so cute. she checks in on him about once every five minutes. yes, i think she is enjoying her role as the big sister.

the boys both adore him... mason just wants to give him hugs, and carter likes to talk about all the things he is going to teach him.

i think graham is the perfect final addition to our family... he has been the perfect little angel, and is doing exactly what he is suppose to do - eat, sleep and poop. he is very content and peaceful.

i could go on and on, but for now i am just going to snuggle the little guy until the next feeding time.

{my birth story}

the house is quiet... everyone is sound asleep except for me, so i figured i would try to jot down my birth experience.

on friday, november 12th i had my 37 week appointment. i dropped mason off at school, then headed home to meet my sitter who was staying with hadley. i was up really late on thursday night, was tired and my belly wasn't feeling so great. really nothing new and different, but i didn't want breakfast when i got up, so i stopped at panera on the way to the doctor's to get a drink and an oatmeal raisin cookie. i needed something to settle my belly.

once at my appointment the medical assistant had me do the regular routine - pee in a cup, get weighed, and have my blood pressure checked. she informed me that my bp was 140/100, which was the highest it has ever been during this pregnancy. she told me to wait a minute and the doctor would be right in.

sure enough, a minute later georgia (my doctor) came in and started chatting with me. we listened to the baby's heartbeat and then she asked how i was feeling and checked me. after my internal she told me to go ahead and get dressed, she would be right back to talk with me.

i was informed that due to my high bp she wanted me to head over to the hospital to be monitored. she then said i had progressed to 4cm, and that while i was being monitored they would check me again and if i continued to dilate then that alone may keep me at the hospital. my group b strep test had been positive, and i would need to be on antibiotics before i delivered. since i live an hour away, this is my 4th baby, and i have a history of going fast, she said they may keep me to be cautious... she was sad that she wouldn't be there, but gave me a big hug and assured me that everything would be fine.

i called craig and tell him to meet me at the hospital... called my sitter to let her know what is going on, called my parents and tell them they may want to head down to my house before traffic gets bad, and called a friend to pick up carter from school.

i must have had a feeling something was going on b/c i packed my hospital bag and left it in the car.

after i got checked in at antepartum, craig showed up, they did some lab work and then got hooked up to the nst machine. everything was looking good (so i thought) and then i was told the doctor on from my group wanted to check me. i was shocked to learn i was now at 6 cm... she showed me small contractions the nst picked up that i didn't even feel. at that point, regardless of my lab results, i was admitted and it was going to be the day i met my baby. (turns out my lab results weren't so great so i would have been induced anyway...)

the nurse who came over from l&d was just as shocked as i was that i was 6 cm. without any pain or discomfort. they started an iv for antibiotics, then a little pitocin to see if that kicked things up a notch. i was told i could get an epidural whenever i wanted. i waited a bit since i still wasn't having any pain.

final belly pic - 37 weeks 4 day (and yes i got my pedicure the night before!)


at 7:00 pm the doctor on-call (who i really liked) came in and said i had been on the antibiotics for 4 hours, it was now safe to break my water. so she checked me, and i was still at a 6, but the head was lower. luckily i had decided right before that to go ahead and get my epi since i knew the pain would come and i didn't want to miss my window.

(enjoying my epidural)


around 7:15 i started to get really uncomfortable, and asked the nurse to check me again... yes i know it was only 15 minutes, but i was in so much pain even with the epi. i was bummed when she said i was still a 6. grrrr......

from then on i was in pain and could feel all my contractions. i was offered more pain medicine, but i declined. in my heart i knew the baby was coming soon and i didn't want to be too numb to push. maybe around 7:50 the nurse checked again and i was fully dilated. see, i knew it would be fast!!! she had me do one push, and then said to stop, and called in my doctor and a back up nurse. i remember the doctor coming in, and suiting up fast and then at 8:03 i started to push... the doctor encouraged me go slow so i wouldn't tear, but the pain was intense i just wanted to push. at 8:12pm my baby was out, and craig got to make the call... "it's a boy!"



it is amazing all the emotions i was experiencing at once... i was so in love with this baby. i was still in shock it was actually happening, and i was a bit surprised that it was a boy. i was really thinking girl... but guess what? it didn't matter... i finally got to meet the little person who was growing inside me and who i loved with all my heart. i was so so happy. Graham was the final addition to our family, and he was perfect in every way. i couldn't believe how dark his hair is, and how much he has. my first thought was that he looked so much like mason.

the kids were already in bed by the time we called to tell them they had a new brother... but craig went home so that he could be there in the morning when they woke up. i was so excited for them to meet baby Graham. we also never shared our final decision on names, so that fun to share too. my dad was so happy to hear that Graham's middle name is after his. also for those who were wondering, i had ordered 2 hats from etsy, one with Graham for a boy, and one with Emerson for a girl.

(more photos)






so for now we are adjusting to life as a family of six... graham has been the perfect baby. he only cries every 4 hours to eat... other than that he is sleeping 99% of the time, and looks around for a few minutes before going back to sleep. he loves to cuddle, and i am enjoying every moment.

tomorrow my mom is going home, and graham has his first doctor's appointment. craig's will be home on paternity leave for 2 weeks, which will be such a big help!

(ready to head home and desperate for coffee and a shower)


i am so excited to start the next chapter of our life... we have been blessed with four beautiful and amazing children.

it's a boy!!!

i'm so excited to announce the final addition to the jacobs family.... introducing Graham Frederick Jacobs. he was born on friday, november 12th @ 8:12 pm, and weighed 7lbs 8oz.

i'll write the whole birth story later, but for now here's a couple of pictures... we are so in love!!!

hanging in there...

so, i have physically been feeling pretty good. but when i do too much i will start feeling contractions and lots of pressure. usually after i rest it goes away. but man am i in a mood... i snap pretty quickly, i don't have a ton of tolerance and patience, and i generally feel annoyed.

today carter had the day off because of veteran's day. it was nice not to rush this morning or do anything. my friend jen and her kids came over for a play date and lunch. it was fun! although carter was in his own mood, which i could have done without. after our play date, hadley went down for a nap, and put on a movie for the boys. at that point i was really feeling crampy and needed to rest.

i just had a cup of tea and some oreos and now i am feeling better. i am meeting some girlfriends out at chili's tonight... i am looking forward to a night out. it's not that i can't go out once the baby comes, i just don't want to. especially this time of year... i just want to cuddle in my warm house wearing my pj's and slippers. i am crossing my fingers that craig comes home early so i can run out and get a much needed pedicure and get my eyebrow waxed.

i have been very anxious all week about going into labor. i keep waiting to see if my contractions will start getting into a regular pattern. every day i have to think about what my plan for the day will be depending on where the kids are, and where my friends are. it has been stressful. tomorrow i have my weekly appointment with my doctor and i am really looking forward to it. i am looking forward to finding out if i have dilated any more, and see what else is going on...

so far i have been able to do what i needed to this week... checking things off my never ending list.

* went to the american girl store and bought hadley her bity baby for x-mas, along with some other items so now i am just about done.

*ordered curtains for hadley's big girl room... annoyed i went to pbk and they didn't have the ones i wanted in stock.

*had carter's parent/teacher conference and was so pleased to hear that he is doing so good both academically and socially... his teacher just kept telling me what a good boy he is.

*brought hadley for a hair cut... or should i say trim. you can hardly tell, but the curls are bouncing better, and i'm trying to grow out her bangs so it just looks more healthy, not shorter.

* i went to a meeting at our church to learn about upcoming events for carter, and was able to pick our date for his first communion.

the final things i would like to do before the baby comes is get a pedicure (hopefully tonight) and see carter's last soccer game on saturday. i also have tickets to a fundraiser saturday night, but if i can't do that, i'll be fine. carter's game is really important to me because this is his first year playing that he is really into it, and scoring. his team is also undefeated, and i am praying they win the last game.

well, that's my update. i'm going to enjoy my final moments of quiet time before hadley wakes up and the boys need me.

37 weeks

37 weeks = full term

well my turkey is officially considered full term... but that doesn't mean i am quite ready to meet him/her yet. i think this baby better keep baking a little longer!

i had my u/s today with mfm and it went well. the baby is in position, and we couldn't even get a look at the face it was so low and facing down. the estimated weight is 6lbs. 9oz. so not too big. the doctor who has been seeing my the last couple of visits there said all is looking good but she is going to recommend an induction at 39 weeks due to my blood pressure. so i guess i'll see what my doctor says on friday.

nesting

nesting is in full effect over here now... laundry, packing, baby items, organizing the kids, actually making a plan. we are just busy checking things off our list.

i think i have been in serious denial about the baby coming this month. last night i went to a fundraiser for mason's school, and i had a great time talking, eating, socializing, eating, laughing, and eating. before i knew it i was dropping off my neighbor and i looked at the clock and it was 12:09. yikes, i guess i had a late night! once i was home i wasn't even tired. so off to the bonus room to watch the real housewives of beverly hills. my brain just had too many thoughts going through it, and i don't think i finally fell asleep until around 2ish.

i guess what i am freaking out about the most is that i just may not have any control when this baby comes. i understand that's how is goes for the majority of women, but it just has never been my experience. i am a planner, and i feel so much better when life goes according to my plan.

i've never gone into labor on my own, and although i am sure it is a wonderful, at this point in my life with 3 kids i was really banking on something more scheduled.

so yes, nesting is going on at the jacobs house this weekend!!!!

today i am thankful for my loving husband... he has been doing so much to help around the house. he even brought me home chinese food for dinner, even though it isn't his favorite. together we make a great team and have been busy checking things off our list.

freaking out

36 weeks + 3 cm dilated = shannon freaking out

today i had my appointment... i had to get undressed from the waist down for the gbs test, so i figured i would ask my doctor if she would check me since i have had a couple of contractions and it feels like the baby has dropped. as she was checking me, she asked me to remind her when i usually start dilating, and how i was when i was induced in the past... so i told her i usually am around 1 cm at 37 weeks, and 3 cm by 38 weeks when i was admitted to the hospital. well, i am already at 3 cm... i know that this means nothing, but i have so much planned next week, i need this baby to stay put until 38 weeks.

so this weekend we really need to get the house prepared for the baby, and maybe make a plan just incase i go into labor? a plan would be good...

seasons of love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights
In cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.

In five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?

tonight as i was rubbing my belly, it really sank in that the end is in sight... soon there will be no more baby in the belly, and there will never be one again. as much as i can't wait to meet this baby, i am sad that i will never have this amazing experience again. i looked over at craig and said we have really come full circle. last november i found out i was pregnant with a little surprise baby... we were so happy, and then when we lost it, and our world fell apart. now, this november we will be welcoming another little bundle of joy into our family and then our family will be complete.

will it be a boy or girl? i am getting really anxious waiting... there are so many wonderful things about each, that either way i will be over the moon!!!

tomorrow i have my weekly appointment, and i am hoping to check out my doctor's schedule for the month and see if there is any opportunity for inductions. hey, a girl can dream!

today i am thankful for my kids... carter stayed home from school today because he wasn't feeling well and we all stayed in our pj's and watched a movie and played. it was cold and rainy out, and i just loved staying in with them and snuggling. i love this time of year!

i also played in iphoto and put together a photo book of all my favorite pictures from 2010... after i finished i played the slideshow for craig and the kids, and it was so great! i love looking back at everything we did this year and watching the kids grow and change.

here is a funny story from mason. he is kinda obsessed with how the baby is going to come out. i told him that all mommies have a special whole for the baby to come out. so tonight at dinner he asked where my special whole was, and then before i answered he said "are you sure the baby isn't going to explode out your belly... it's getting big and the baby might just fly out."
he cracks me up! carter has never once really questioned how babies come out, and has always accepted my simple answer that the doctor takes it out. mason sure is curious...

it's november...

well i made it to november... do you know what that means? we're having a baby!!!! i realize i technically have 4 more weeks left, but who cares, it's november and i'll be having a baby this month!!!!

36 weeks today...



during the month of november i will try to add something i am thankful for in each post... so, today i will start will my parents. i am so thankful that i have 2 amazing parents. they are so supportive, and are always there for us. even as they have plenty of things to deal with as my dad is going through chemo, they are still so willing to help. i spent saturday with my in-laws and yesterday with my parents, and what a difference.

ok, me and my big belly are going to check out the halloween candy....