36 weeks 5 Days

We had another doctor's appointment today…my blood pressure was 120/50 laying down and I lost a pound.   I went Saturday, Sunday and Monday without throwing up…but then came Tuesday.  I am still feeling crummy and our mothers have stopped in to help me out with the boys.  My next appointment is July 9th, I will be 38 weeks and 3 days…I am hoping they don't make me go to 40 weeks feeling like this.

Negative Nancy: Throwing up, nauseous, cramping and pressure.  Not sleeping as well and peeing often

Positive Polly: Maybe…Hopefully…GOD willing only 12 days left

Waistline:  I wear a lot of long skirts and yoga pants…she feels large and my belly is wide, I can feel her kick on my sides. My weight has been so up and down, I am starting to lose track of how much I have gained.  I am anywhere from 25-30 pounds.  

Cravings: I don't really have an appetite, but when I do, I want buffalo chicken or snickers and root beer…together and alternating bites.  

What I miss: I miss feeling comfortable and having energy

What I am looking foreword to: the birth day

Ryan: getting excited  

Riley and Tate- Riley is getting excited for BLAKALEEE

36 weeks

We had our follow up appointment from Wednesday today, my blood pressure was 140/90 sitting up and 122/72 laying down.  I had some pretty violent vomiting spells on thursday and ended up throwing up some blood.  The doctor was concerned and I got admitted to the hospital today for a couple hours for some tests.  My blood work came back good and not protein in my urine.  But I was ordered to "modified bed rest".  I can do the following activities: showering, use the bathroom and light housework (whatever that means!?)  NO SHOPPING (aka. avoid Pam Schaller and her 7 hour shopping sprees)
I have ANOTHER "check-in"appointment on Wednesday, June 27th and a routine 37 week appointment July 2nd with an ultrasound to check baby's size.  There is still talk of inducing me early, but nothing for sure yet.  My regular doctor is on vacation July 3rd-6th (how convenient!?) so I have to see a new doctor that week, hopefully he is up to date on what is going on.

For now…I am a lump on the couch (since my BP is high when I sit up)  until told otherwise.

Measure Twice…Cut Once

I asked Riley what he wanted to get Ryan for Father's Day.  He said "UMMMM… a GOLDFISH!"  I responded "do you really think daddy wants a goldfish???".  Riley said "YES!"  

Okay?

"Well if you could get daddy another gift….anything in the world, what would you get him?"

Riley thought about it…"A TOOLBOX!"

Okay that's a start, but Ryan already has 2 tool boxes.  So I googled how to make a tool box and I found this homemade tape measure.  

Riley helped make this faux tape measure for father's day.  A Macaroni box and some other items made this a fun way to make a gift.  I asked Riley what he loved about his daddy and we wrote it on the "tape", so Ryan could later pull out and read.  

Here's the link to the supplies and instructions:

http://familyfun.go.com/fathers-day/fathers-day-crafts/fathers-day-gifts/how-dad-measures-up-904176/

35 weeks and 5 days

okay here we go….


Had our doctors appointment today and just like groundhog day (or my other 2 pregnancies) I heard the same thing…my blood pressure was high 148/98 and I gained 10 pounds.  And boy do I feel every bit of those 10 pounds…I am really swollen, today I have fish lips.  I am still throwing up and nauseous.  Doctor wants to see me back in 2 days (friday)  and get an ultrasound next week, because baby feels a little big…

If my bp doesn't go down and I don't start feeling better, she wants to induce me at 37 weeks to avoid preclempisa problems.  That means the week of June29th-July6th.  So we may have a baby here in 2 weeks.

We Party Hard on the Weekends!

 When the weekend approaches, we put on our party hats here at the Lafrenz house. So here's the rundown of the "frat house" activities that we take part in over the weekends:

FRIDAY NIGHT:  

Pizza and a Movie

We get Little Ceasar's Pizza and Breadsticks and rent a movie for the kids and one for the adults.

Every Friday Riley waits for Ryan to walk through the front door bearing pizza boxes

( Bear just prays someone leaves some crumbs)

SATURDAY MORNING:

We stay in our pajamas ALL DAY

Why waist precious time changing clothes?  It's either pjs or your swimsuit here!

We catch up on our favorite book while mom washes the bedsheets.

I strip the bed and the boys always roll and play in the comforter…today they felt like reading.  

  

SATURDAY AFTERNOON:

We Swim!  

Get out the 50 SPF, the lounge chairs and the Mr. Freezies!  Cuz were having a pool party!!!

And as you saw in previous posts, sometimes an au natural pool party.  You never know what could happen???  Squirt Gun fight???  Dog Poop Hunt??? Hey Dad might even break out the sprinkler!  It can get pretty crazy!

SUNDAY MORNING:

We rest from all the fun we had saturday, we wake up with ambition to go swimming, but become lazy ninjas instead.  

SUNDAY AFTERNOON:

We fulfill our inner redneck and watch the Outdoor Network or maybe some Swamp People

So there you have it!  A weekend at the Lafrenz House!

Father's Day

Make him fall in love with you all over again...

Oreo Trifle

• 2 bags Oreos or a Family Pack, broken into pieces, (I like them fairly large pieces)
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 3 cups milk
•  2 sm boxes instant vanilla pudding 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• 12 oz Cool Whip, thawed 

Cream together cream cheese, butter & powered sugar & vanilla. In separate bowl mix milk & pudding, chill until set. Fold in cool whip after pudding has set. Add cream cheese mixture. Layer Oreos-Cream-Oreos-Cream and Top off with more Oreos... Chill until ready to serve!  Works best in a trifle dish!

Where are your clothes!?

Does anyone else's kids do this…or is it just mine.  As soon as my back is turned they take off their clothes.  I don't even want to know what our neighbors think!  And to top it off, they laugh and run from me when I try to put their clothes back on!  Whatever!  I guess we will just be the naked weirdos on the block.

An Important Lesson...

Every dad passes on life long lessons to his sons.  Like, how to change the oil in the car, how to throw a ball or how to bait a hook.

Todays life lesson:  how to eat an OREO…properly

First select the oreo with the most double stuffing of cream

Then dunk in a cold glass of milk…

Now this may be the most vital piece of information you ever receive in your life…

the secret is to let that cookie linger in the milk…

so you can eat it in one piece

This is Tate putting pudding in Riley's hair…HA!

Maternity Pics

I have never done maternity pictures of myself…I don't like getting pictures taken of myself ( and I don't think I am the only one)  but I really wanted to with this pregnancy. Since it will be our last pregnancy,  I thought it might be something I would regret if I didn't get them taken.  But who could take them for me…? Setting the timer and running in front of the camera is not a task easily done my a pregnant woman (which is how I have always taken our family pictures)  And giving up control of the camera is HARD for me.  So I asked my mom, cuz I felt comfortable bossing her around  with her taking the pictures of me.  I have a VERY specific way I take pictures and a VERY precise way of using my camera to get those pictures (hence, why it was hard to give up control)  But mom took direction well and had a good idea of what I was looking for (or am I just that good of a muse?)  Needless to say, mom did a FANTASTIC job…and I could not be more happy with the photos…Here are some of my favorites!

By the way…the boys did terrific and sat in the van watching a movie while I did my individuals and  Ryan dropped by during work to take a couple (when I asked him if he could, I thought the answer would be no…instead he said "if that's what you want…then that's what I will do"  geee…what a guy!)

Tate's Doctor Visit: 14 months

I was a little late scheduling Tate's 1 year appointment…a couple months late…but we got it done yesterday.  If you know our little Tater PoTater…he doesn't sit still, so he roamed the doctor's office lobby poking and smiling at everyone who came and left.  When the nurse called his name back, he marched up to her with his arms in the air.  He stood on the big boy scale just long enough to get a weight and stood up against the wall for half of a song to get his height.  He sat on my knee while the nurse measured his head and chest, and held her hand as she listened to his heart.  While we waited for the doctor Tate managed to shut down their computer, unplug the equipment, pull out the stirrups, tear the paper off the table, open the cupboards and throw the paper cups, throw his shirt in the biohazard garbage and bonk his head a couple dozen times…and yes, I was literally a foot from him, but in my defense he is quick and I am currently slow.  Again when the doc came in, Tate sat on my knee and complied with all the poking and prodding.  Tate has hit all his "milestones": walking, talking, self-feeding, name recognition and so on.  He had to get blood drawn for lead poisoning (really!?)  They wrapped a band around his little arm and drew the blood…so sad!  Bonus…he got 3 shots…not a happy boy.  He wanted hugs all night.

Weight: 25 pounds (85%)
Height: 32.5 inches (95%)
Head: 18.5 inches (30%)

Clothing: 18-24 months
Diaper: Size 5
Shoe: Size 6 (fred flinstone feet)

Climbs up and down stairs
Self feeds with a fork and spoon, but still uses his hands too
Drinks from a straw cup
2 naps a day: 9-11am and 1-3pm
Sleep through the night 7pm-7am
Says the following words (if you speak tater)  Shoe, Cow, Baba, Mama, Dada, Raw (Riley) Deer
Car, Uh-Oh, ROAR!
Nods and points to what he wants
Dances and does "quick feet"
follows commands: "pick that up and give it here" or "throw that in the garbage"
started throwing those damn tantrums
Throws well
Scribbles with crayons
Runs
Wrestles with Riley and Dad
Folds his hands to pray (it's so cute!)
Loves books
Still a Mr. Busy Body with octopus arms

For those of you who are curious:

Riley @ 12 months:
Weight: 26 pounds
Height: 32 inches


Riley @ 15 months:
Weight: 32 pounds
Height: 33.5 inches

Here is a picture of Riley at 14 months

33 weeks

I had a follow up check up today…

My blood pressure was 138/84
I lost 1 pound
My skin color and swelling was better
and my eye stopped twitching


Why do you ask caused this positive change?    

….I stopped eating.  Not literally, but it feels like it.  When everyone else is eating enchiladas, I am sipping on a slim fast.  The doctor said that as long as I am still getting some nutrients and my blood pressure stays down, she doesn't care what I eat.

I still have nausea and vomiting, she gave me a prescription to fix that.

This little girls kicks are getting slightly uncomfortable now and I am having some weird baby dreams.  I don't sleep well some nights (just thinking about all the things I need to get done) and I sleep-pee (at least I think I do)  cuz I don't have to go in the morning?

My next appointment will be at 36 weeks and then it's weekly appointments…

Here's a 33 week pic in my new favorite shirt (meaning I wear it everyday)  it's the last of my t-shirts that is long enough to cover the bump.