She's here!

God answered our prayers and we met our healthy and perfect (I'm not biased at all) baby girl this morning! He also allowed me to go into labor on my own! I feel so blessed! I had a false alarm last night when I thought my water broke, so I was sent home from the hospital around midnight and was only 1 cm dilated. I was pretty disappointed, but my contractions really picked up in the night and I was back at the hospital a little after 7 am this morning and in some pretty good pain. I'm glad I got to the hospital when I did because I was 7 cm dilated at that point ....woohoo! It just so happens that we had the worst snow storm of the season last night and today...so I'm grateful we made it safely to the hospital too! Mike had school called off, which worked out perfectly for him. Everything just fell into place! :)

Natalie Alison Moser was born at 9:38 am this morning and weighed 7 lbs 10 oz (smaller than expected ...which was another thing I was grateful for!). She is 21.5 inches long and has just a little bit of dark hair on her head. We love her already...such an amazing experience to get to have all over again!

Benny loves her already too. It was really cute to see him interact with her. When they took her away to bathe her he said "Where are they going with my Natalie?" :)

More pictures to come...I'm sure! Thanks for your prayers!

No news...

...no baby...yet. I know my lack of posting this past week and a half has led some of you to believe that Natalie has arrived...but, she's decided to stay put for awhile longer apparently. My babies never seem to be in a big hurry to come out. I'm trying to be patient. :) As of my appointment on Thursday....no dilation, fluid level still good, stress test perfect, ultrasound showed a healthy, active baby! She's just fine and dandy hanging out in there for awhile longer. I'm still doing the whole "resting" thing...it's thrilling laying on your left hand side for hours a day...let me tell you! :)

If all goes as I dream it will, I will go into labor on my own sometime in the next six days and she will be perfect and healthy. If God has other plans that involve an induction or c-section...well, I'll go with that too, again, just as long as she is healthy. Do I really have a choice though? Selfishly, I'd like to experience what it's like to just "go into labor" on my own, but I know that's not always how it works. I was induced with Ben and laid in a hospital bed for probably 17 hours before I was even dilated to 2cm. I just kept asking the nurse "So, when am I going to be in pain?" Obviously, he eventually arrived (at hour 23)....and was perfect (at least to me!) and it didn't matter how he got here or how long it took. I know that will be the same story for Natalie...at least that is my prayer.

All that being said...I just can't wait to meet her. Have I said that already? I feel like I've been ready...inside my own head and body, as well as at home...for quite awhile. The baby toys are all clean and set out (like a newborn really plays with toys...but I felt this urgent need to have this DONE for some reason?!), Ben's carseat and stroller have been cleaned and put back together, her closet is full of cute baby girl clothes, diapers and wipes are ready to go, I have my pj's for the hospital...all the paperwork is filled out....etc. Ok, Natalie...we are ready! :)

I just feel like I learn the patience lesson over and over. God's plan and timing are better than my own. When will I really GET that? So, for now, here is a picture of my little man...who's about to look not so little...gosh, I love him. I'm looking forward to instantly knowing what it's like to feel that love for two precious babies! Ahh...can't wait! :)

Getting close...

For the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy I've been going to doctor appointments every Monday and Thursday for non-stress tests and ultrasounds (yes, every single Monday and Thursday...). Needless to say, I have seen a lot of my little girl, well on the screen at least, and I can't wait to meet her in person (it's been fun to hear her heartbeat for at least 45 minutes every week too!).

This has been a really smooth pregnancy and everything is going well, but as of Monday my doctor put me on a "resting" regimen that is almost impossible for me to follow (due to a lower than optimal amniotic fluid level around Natalie). I'm supposed to be laying on my left side, three times a day, for three hours at a time....um, hello, that's nine hours a day!! Wouldn't that be considered bedrest?? He didn't call it that, but it sure feels like that. Well, if you know me, you know that this is very difficult for me to do, especially when I had planned on working up until I went into labor. My boss is graciously allowing me to work from home now and it's a wonderful blessing! I'm so thankful for the flexibility my job has provided, for multiple reasons (a: need the money for the next several weeks (since I'm part-time, I won't be paid while I'm on leave), b: don't have to cut into my maternity leave before Natalie arrives, c: i like my job and have many things yet to wrap up!). I'm just glad that I am able to accomplish both my work and my resting (let's face it though...I don't think I've actually laid on the couch for nine hours in any given day yet...does he know I have a three year old?...but I am definitely taking it much easier than I had been).

Anyway, this is probably much more detail than most of you care to know, but a few have asked, so I thought I'd fill in the masses. As of my appointment today, the fluid level around Natalie had come up a bit and she had gained a whole pound since the last time he'd measured her (7 lbs 11 oz...that's already bigger than Ben was when he was born!). I am glad the resting is working and keeping her safe inside for a bit longer. When the time is right, she'll make her grand appearance...until then...you'll find me resting....sort of. :)

Here we are...at almost 38 weeks....

This is what happens...

...when Ben and I are bored on a Sunday evening. We take pictures of ourselves making really dumb faces. I think I will probably regret posting this as soon as I hit publish, since I look like a total and complete moron in 99% of these. Just look at his face...it makes me laugh. He's such a goofball! I don't know where he gets it?! :)

Snow, snow, snow!

Ben and Daddy had fun playing out in the snow together today. They had fun testing out Ben's new sled from Santa, making snow angels, eating the snow, and helping shovel a path on the deck for Lucy. He is in need of some new gloves, so he's wearing some old ones of mine in these pictures and they are WAY too big. He was very annoyed that he kept getting multiple fingers stuck in one of the finger slots. :) The crying shot was the end of the fun...he had done a small face dive into the snow and his gloves were annoying him. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Happy New Year!

My family has been here from Missouri since New Year's Eve. We celebrated Christmas and the New Year and watched a lot of football and basketball (ok...I didn't really...but the guys sure did!). I hadn't seen my brothers, sister in law, or neice, Emma, since July, so it was fun to have them here. Emma is such a cutie and it was fun to get to watch her for the last four days. I promise, after this post, to be more reasonable in the number of photos I post(maybe...).

As good as it gets when you're dealing with a 3 1/2 year old and a 9 mth old. This picture makes me laugh.

Opening presents....Isn't Emma a cute little elf?

Grammy told Ben about 3,000 stories while she was here. I'm grateful for that, since I got a break! My brain can only be so creative! Oh..and Ben is only in the high chair because there was nowhere else to sit during dinner. Daddy, Pops and Eric were harrassing him with sweet potatoes...weirdos!?

Isn't she adorable? I love the giant flower headband on her. She has the prettiest eyes. Oh..and that's my little man in the clothes hamper with a bunch of stuffed animals. Goofy...but cute!