We have a tooth!

It's official...Jack has a tooth. He is almost 5 months old and already has his first tooth popping through his gums on the bottom. He is such a great baby and I love every day with him. He is rolling over, starting to scoot while on his tummy and laughing. His laugh is so sweet and he gets so excited about many different things. He loves interacting with people and is honestly a very happy baby. He has started eating cereal from a spoon and is really good at it. We do a small bowl of baby oatmeal and a 4 oz. bottle 2 feedings a day and just 7 oz. bottle for the other 2 feedings. He gets so excited when we put him in his high chair. I look forward to seeing his face when it is time to put a bib on, that is his signal that the food is on it's way.

We thought we had found our dream home, but it turns out that our dream home was full of black mold. Therefore, the house hunting continues. We are going to look at a few homes tonight and it seems that the location and price range still cover a very wide range. We are trying our best to narrow down all of our wants/needs, but it is so hard. We are both so grateful to my parents for letting us stay in their home. I'm pretty sure that we are all ready to have our own space again. However, I'm pretty sure Jack LOVES waking up and seeing all of us every day. Hopefully we find ourselves in a new home soon.

Overall we are all doing really well. Jack is growing and developing at a perfect rate and we are positive that being back in Missouri was the perfect step for our family. I look forward to seeing Jack grow alongside his family.

Lots of Love,
R

Pics

It's been too long...so sorry!

Hello All!

It has been WAY too long since my last post and for that I am truly sorry. Jack is keeping me very busy. He is smiling, giggling, growing and teething. He is an absolute angel. John and I tell him that he is our angel baby multiple times every day. He goes everywhere with us and just enjoys everything. He is holding his head up VERY well and has recently discovered that he has built in toys...HIS TOES and feet. He loves grabbing them and playing with them. If you put jammies on him that have characters on the toes he gets really excited (tonight he has on giraffes). He is very reactive to smiles and faces. He falls asleep in the car and does well when we go out. I can't believe how much he has grown. When John comes home from work he always asks..."did you get bigger today?" When I was pregnant he would ask me that now it is nice for him to be able to ask that to someone else. I'd like for him to be able to ask me..."did you get smaller today?"...hopefully that day will come.
We have found a new house in Greenwood and have a contract on it. As long as all of the final construction items go as planned we will be closing on July 6th and moving in sometime that week. I have to admit that I have really enjoyed living with my parents and having them around to help. As much as I am looking forward to having our own space and time to ourselves I will really miss having the extra hands and advice. At least now they are only 30 minutes away instead of 8 hours. Enough talk...I'll post some pics tonight.

Just an update...

It has been a very busy time for us. Jack is getting so big and is cuter every day. He is so alert and the smiles and giggles flow out of him all the time. He has started getting a little bit of baby oatmeal cereal in his night time bottles and it has really made a difference in his sleeping. He has started sleeping about 6 hours a night which has been great for all of us. We are really starting to develop a routine during the days and nights which has all of us feeling better.

We have been house shopping a lot online and have found a few worth looking at. We have taken a look at a few and have finally found what we believe to be our long term dream home (at least one that is in our price range). We currently have a contract on it and are hoping that the inspection comes back with no problems. It is a new construction home that is finished and we are very excited about it. I'll get some more pics uploaded soon of Jack, until then. Take care!

Back in KC

We are officially back in Kansas City! We sold our home in Texas and are currently staying with my parents. We packed and moved all of our stuff in to a storage facility. My brother came down and he drove a Uhaul and John drove the other one. We found out that we had a lot more stuff than we realized. It is now in a storage facility until we find a new home. We are currently searching for a new house and are very excited to be back around all of our family and friends. Jack is growing so fast and is very interactive. He weighs about 14 lbs. and is about 23" long. He is so good at following people and looking for you when he hears a voice. John and I are enjoying every minute of being parents and can't stop smiling at our sweet little angel baby. We take him every where we go and so far he has been great when we are out. I'll post a more recent picture of him soon. Hope you are all doing well!

Life is BUSY!

I know it has been quite a while since my last post...but it is not because there was nothing to tell. We have been so busy. As you can see from below, Jack and I flew to KC and he did great. He was asleep most of the time. We spent Easter in KC with all of our family and Jack got to meet a lot of people.

We took Jack to have his pictures taken on Sunday, he was 2 months old. He was the perfect subject. He was smiling and laughing. He far exceeded my expectations of just wanting him to be awake. I think they gave us a disk of the pictures, I'll see if I can get a couple posted.

Our house in Texas has a contract on it that is closing on April 30th and we have found a home in Independence that we have put a contract on. We are looking forward to closing on that in the first part of May. The new house is going to get a little makeover once we own it. We will be tearing out all of the flooring and replacing, painting and giving it a good cleaning. There is quite a bit of old landscaping in the backyard that we will be tearing out and getting some new bushes and flowers planted in the front yard. It is a beautiful home and we got a great deal. It is right at the lower end of our price range which will continue to allow me to stay home with Jack. I feel lucky and blessed every day, thanks to John's hard work away from the home. All is really starting to fall in to place and we are thrilled to be moving back. Everyone should get their work clothes ready and be on call to help us with the new house...we'd love the help.

Stay tuned for more house updates and Jack updates too!

Happy Easter!

First Plane Ride!

After Bath Time!

Busy times

Last week we had 6 showings in 4 days and then nothing. We haven't heard from anyone and we haven't had a showing since Friday so we are hoping that it picks up again soon. We are looking forward to getting back to KC so we don't have to leave the house with Jack and Tyson every time someone wants to look at the house. It sure is hard to entertain a 6 week old and a chihuahua for blocks of time. What am I talking about...Jack sleeps...it's hard to entertain myself for blocks of time, when I know there is so much we have to do before we leave. I still haven't figured out how to pack everything that I need for an indefinite amount of time while keeping everything put away.

Jack has been somewhat keeping a schedule in the night and his feedings are getting a little more spread out...slowly but surely. Last night was a little rough, but we made it through. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow for my 6 week check up and we have an appointment for Jack on Wednesday for his 2 month shots. We are doing his appointment a week early since we are leaving for KC soon. It was important to me that we have his first set of shots before we get on the plane...you never know what you can pick up on the planes. I'm looking forward to seeing how he does on the plane. I hope it isn't an hour and a half of crying or fussing. Hopefully he sleeps the whole time.

A month from tomorrow is my 30th birthday and I can't believe it. Time has gone so fast and now that Jack is here time is going even faster. It's hard to believe that in a month John and I will both be in our 30's and we have a baby. A lot has happened in the six and a half years that we've been married, but Jack is by far the best accomplishment. I look forward to seeing how much he weighs and how tall he is on Wednesday...I'll post his updated stats sometime on Wednesday so you'll have to check back. Lots of love & Smiles, Robin

Oh Happy Day!

On the market!

Our house is officially on the market and we've already had one showing last night and another one scheduled for today. I'm not sure what we were thinking trying to sell our house with a newborn. It is so much work to keep the house in "showing" condition when you have a baby. I hope these showings are signs of a speedy sale.

We are looking forward to our trip back to KC so we can show off our sweet little angel. I know I say it all the time but he gets bigger every day and I think he is looking more like John every day. The nights are going well and the days are sometimes stressful, but fantastic. Jack and I have really enjoyed having John working from home. It has made my life a lot easier. I know there have already been a couple days that I wouldn't have gotten a shower if he hadn't been here. I have come to terms with the fact that ponytails are my friend and wearing spit up on my shirt is just part of the game. In the beginning I was changing my shirt every time he spit up down my shirt and then I realized that I don't have time to do that much laundry so just deal with it. Feeding, changing and snuggling Jack, washing bottles and doing laundry is what my day consists of right now and I am loving every minute of it. Can't wait to share him with all of you. He's waking up now so I need go.

Have a great day!

Our little Shamrock!

We had a fantastic week with Jack. I hope you enjoy the pics from St. Patty's day. He is getting bigger every day and making new noises and faces. We have been hard at work getting the house ready to put on the market and it will officially be listed with our realtor tomorrow. It is extremely hard to keep your house in "showing" condition with a newborn but we are doing our best. We're not sure what we're going to do for the next 2 weeks when and if someone wants to come look at it...since we have a 5 week old baby and a dog that we need to take with us. We'll figure something out, good thing it is only for the next couple weeks and then we'll be back in KC and potential buyers can come look anytime they want. Hopefully, we will have good luck with the sale and won't have to wait too long to have a buyer. We're looking forward to being back in KC and visiting with all of our family. See you soon!

Stat Update

We had another successful trip to the doctor. He weighed in at an amazing 9lbs 10oz and is 20.5 inches tall. He is growing wonderfully and is the 50-75 percentile for his growth. He also received his Hep B vaccine which he took like a trooper...a quick squeal and then was easily calmed by a snuggle with Mom. Once we got home I snuggled him some more while he took a nap. We'll go back at the end of the month for his 2 month shots before we come back to KC for our April visit. That's the stats!

One month and beautiful!

One Month!

It is hard to believe but yesterday Jack turned one month old. He has grown so much over the last month and John and I are so grateful for our new munchkin. He is starting to spend more time awake, during the day and night. He is focusing on faces and recognizes voices and turns his head to try and find a face to go with the voice. He is so amazing and I can't believe we get to keep him!

We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon and I can't wait to see how much he weighs and how tall he is. He has officially grown out of his newborn clothes and is now in 0-3 month clothes. We have started to introduce some formula because he is eating so much. He is still mainly getting breast milk with about 1 bottle of formula during the day and 1 bottle of formula at night. He is absolutely perfect and I can't wait for everyone to meet him. I'll update you on his stats from the doctor later today.

Time Flies!

Today Jack is 3 weeks old and still absolutely perfect. I wouldn't mind if he slept a little more at night but I enjoy spending time with him...no matter what time of day or night. I'm sure a day will come soon enough that I will wish he was waking me up. We estimate him to be over 8lbs now...that is from our very accurate weighing him on our scale while one of us holds him. We go back to the doctor mid March and will have a more accurate weight at that time. He is getting bigger every day and more alert every minute. John and I both think he gets bigger every morning when he wakes up. I am feeling well and amazed at how well I am getting around. I would like to be able to do more but I still get tired very easy and some motions still cause a little pain. We went to my doctor this week and she said I am doing GREAT and my incision is healing well. My blood pressure was slightly elevated while we were there so I'm going to go back and have it checked tomorrow. We'll see what happens with that. The doctor and nurse really enjoyed snuggling with Jack. I have been cleared to drive and am very grateful for that. The weather has finally gotten warm enough for us to take a walk outside so that is on the agenda for this afternoon/evening.

John has been working from home this week and it has been fantastic. He comes downstairs and has lunch with me every day and is able to take breaks in his work day to spend with Jack and me. It will be a huge change when we move back to KC and he has to go in to the office. It has been great having him around. We are attempting to get the house in order so that we can contact our realtor to list the house but it is really hard with a new baby. It seems like all I want to do is snuggle with him or sleep. One big task a day seems to be the current limit...today I cleaned the kitchen floor and did laundry. Tomorrow hopefully I'll be able to tackle a bathroom or two or maybe some vacuuming...we'll see. I can't say it enough...but I can't wait for all of you to meet him, he is so perfect! Love and miss you all!

Three Johns!

It's been 2 weeks

It has officially been 2 weeks since Jack was born and he is getting so big. We went to the doctor on Tuesday and he weighed in at 7lbs 6oz and 20 inches long. We must be doing something right if he is happy and growing. He has started grunting and is eating a lot. He's sleeping well...the stretches of sleep aren't as long as I would like in the middle of the night but we're making it. It seems like we are doing really well. He loves to snuggle and I enjoy it too. As long as he has a clean diaper and a full tummy he is content. I find myslef just staring at him, waiting for him to do something new. Tyson still isn't sure what to think of Jack. Whenever Jack makes any kind of noise Tyson is right there sniffing him and then comes to get one of us if we aren't responding quick enough...he seems to be a great furry big brother.

Today is John's last day at his job here in Texas. He starts back at his job in KC tomorrow. He will be working from home for a few months and we'll be working on selling our home and getting things ready to move back to KC. We have both really enjoyed being in Texas and wouldn't trade this time for anything. However, we are both very excited to be back around all of our family and friends in KC...especially with Jack. We can't wait for everyone to meet him.

1 week and 1 day old

Yesterday officially marked the 1 week mark of Jack's arrival. We are still working on the feeding/sleeping schedule but it is going surprisingly well. He is eating well and sleeping okay. We had our first outing today (other than the doctor), we went to see Daddy at work. John wanted to show him off to his friends at work so we took him up there for them to take a peek. Needless to say he was a hit! My parents are still here but are currently packing to leave in the morning. It has been so amazing having them here to help. It has really allowed me to spend some quality time with our munchkin while they have done all the hard work around the house. It is amazing how every time I go to the closet there are clean clothes that have magically appeared and meals miraculously find their way to the table 3 times a day. I have a feeling I am in for a rude awakening starting tomorrow. My freezer is now stocked with homemade frozen meals and the laundry is all done...let's see if I can stay on top of the laundry, the meals, the munchkin and my sleep. I don't know how working moms do all of it. I look forward to the challenge and have a whole new respect for women with multiples and careers. We have lots of pics...too many to share but I'll keep posting a few here and there. The pic included in this one is my current favorite. Enjoy!

JJRIV is 6 days old!

The past few days have been amazing and action packed. Jack is now 6 days old and he is so fantastic. We came home from the hospital on Saturday evening and were grateful that my parents, John's mom and Uncle Cody & Aunt Ashley were here to help...we needed it. Since I had a c-section and went home right at the 48 hour mark I needed lots of help getting in and out of chairs and walking around. It was our choice to go home so early, we had asked the doctor when was the earliest we could go home and she said we were required to stay 48 hours. So...right at the 48 hour mark we were heading home. Since I had been on bed rest in the hospital for so long, was doing so well after the surgery and had lots of help at home she said I could go home as long as I promised to take it easy and let others do stuff for me. Therefore, right at the 48 hour mark we were being wheeled out the doors of the hospital with our new family on our way home.


We got home and just couldn't snuggle him enough. We are still working on our routine. However, so far I think we have done an amazing job. John and I are working great as a team and attacking everything from a tag team or team work perspective. Don't get me wrong, we've had a couple nights that were really rough with lack of sleep and trying to get feeding down, but the key has been that we have recovered well. My parents are here for the week having them here has been a huge help...I've actually been able to get some rest and have someone else doing things around the house so I can enjoy snuggling with our sweet little boy. Every day that goes by I thank god for John and our new munchkin. We are so blessed to have such an amazing family. I couldn't ask for a better baby...or husband.


We went to the pediatrician yesterday for his newborn checkup and the doctor said everything looks great. When we left the hospital on Saturday he weighed 6lbs 5oz and yesterday at the doctor he weighed 6lbs 9oz, so we are obviously doing something right since he is gaining some weight. He is sleeping well and starting to really focus on objects and study faces. He has the sweetest little grin that just melts my heart. So far we are doing well and loving every minute of it. I'll keep you updated so stay tuned!

Meet Jack (JJR IV)

Here are a few photos from today. He was born 4:29pm today weighing in at 6 lbs 15 oz and is 18.9 inches long.

http://picasaweb.google.com/john.j.ruhlman/JackSWebAlbum

Less than 48 hours

Well the big day is rapidly approaching and we couldn't be more excited! We will move down to labor and delivery tomorrow night and everything will begin at 8AM on Thursday. Pops and Mom will be here tomorrow night.

The specialist came for his last visit today and he said Jack looks GREAT! He said..."this is one beautiful baby". I couldn't agree more. He was able to get a 4D video of him smiling, breathing and puffing his cheeks. He doesn't anticipate us having any problems and has estimated his weight to be somewhere around 7lbs. 2oz. Today has been a great day and I know they are just going to keep getting better. I hope all is well with you and I hope you'll check back for some pics of our new addition!

3 Days to Go!

Today marks Day 20 of hospital bed rest and it is a gloomy rainy day outside and an exciting day in my room...we only have 3 days to go! In 2 days they will be moving me down to labor and delivery and getting me all settled in the delivery room. Tuesday evening they will start an i.v. with some meds that will help with the induction. Then at 8AM on Thursday morning we are scheduled to start the induction. I will have another visit from my specialist tomorrow and he will be checking the size of the baby and his breathing with a sonogram. We're sure looking forward to meeting our munchkin on Thursday and then updating all of you as soon as it all settles down. We'll keep you posted!

A goal in sight!

We have officially made it to single digits on our goal and I couldn't be more excited. Friday the 12th marks 38 weeks and my doctor is on call on Thursday the 11th so that is our new goal date. We want to make it to the 11th and if we do we will induce that morning. 7 days to go and we are so excited...one week from today we will be meeting our sweet little munchkin. This is all under the assumption that I don't go in to labor before then and as long as my bp doesn't spike in to the danger zone before the 11th. I'm continuing to take it easy, so that he can grow just a little more. We'll keep you updated!

Day 14 and he's getting BIG!

Today is a very good day! My specialist came in today and did a sonogram and Jack is looking great! He measured in at an amazing 6lbs 11oz. He said that if we make it to our goal (10 more days) we should have at least a 7lb baby. He is measuring right on target, not too big and not too small. He has been very active and it is fascinating. They are still monitoring my blood pressure every four hours, except at night when I'm asleep. They are monitoring his heart rate every morning and evening and he is perfectly active and has a great heart rate. We are so grateful for how well the three of us are doing. John and I both greatly appreciate all of the nice thoughts and prayers that you have sent our way. We'll keep you updated so keep checking back!

Day 13

We have officially started day 13 of hospital bed rest and I am still doing well. My blood pressure (when sitting up) is staying under the danger zone but still in the high zone. Jack has been VERY active the past couple of days which has been fun for John and I to experience. John spent the night Friday & Saturday night on his sofa/futon which made the room seem a lot less like a hospital room. My doctor stopped by this morning and she checked my cervix and Jack isn't coming today or in the next couple days. He is 25% effaced and I'm only dilated to a 1. He has not dropped yet, and apparently this is all normal and good for my current situation. She still doesn't have any kind of estimate for delivery and our goal is still 38 weeks which is 11 days away. I just can't believe that in 11 days or less we will be able to meet our little munchkin. I have really had some great nurses and I love my doctor and all of her partners. We have really been blessed with the care that we have received and the time that it has provided for Jack to get a little older. Let's all keep short labor and a few more days of growth in our prayers!

Day 9 and going strong

So far today has been a good day...considering the circumstances. Jack was so cooperative with the fetal monitor today, I had a good breakfast, my doctor has already stopped by, I have one of my favorite nurses and I've already had my shower. My blood pressure readings have been a little higher than I would like so I'm going to spend the rest of the day lying in bed instead of sitting in bed. There has been a little bit of a change since my last post, a dietitian came to visit and got me set up to receive snacks between meals. Let me tell you what, this is the place to be. They have room service, housekeeping and someone constantly asking if there is anything you need. It really hasn't been that bad, the biggest challenge is finding ways to entertain myself while John is at work. I've been reading some books that I have, reading magazines, listening to music, watching tv and shopping online. Tomorrow marks 36 weeks, so we've made it over our first hurdle. After tomorrow we'll start praying for 37 weeks. I'll keep you updated.

Day 7 of Hospital bed rest

Day 7 of hospital bed rest and I've moved rooms again. I'm now in Room #427. This is actually a postpartum room so it is bigger than the temporary room and has room for John to stay the night. This is where I will stay until an antepartum room opens up. The nurses have been great and my bp is staying level in the 140's over 70 or 80. The perinatalogist came this morning to do a sonogram and he had nothing but great things to say about Jack and me. He said Jack was under no stress, the amniotic fluid was measuring great and he'll stop by and see me next Tuesday. He has no reason to believe that we won't make it to 37 or even 38 weeks. It has been all around great news today. I now have a tv with a remote, a thermostat and a shower in my room. The nurses have been great and I'm so grateful that the bed rest is working.

Day 5 of bed rest

Today marks Day 5 since I was admitted to the hospital for bed rest. My parents came down on Friday and left today. They came down to check on John and I and to take Tyson home with them. This was a huge help for John and myself. We know we won't have to worry about him being at home in a kennel all day while I'm sitting here with my mind roaming around. I have been moved...again. I am VERY ready for a more permanent home in the hospital. I don't mind being in the hospital but this is the third time I've been moved since I arrived. Apparently there are several other women here being monitored and on bed rest so all of the antepartum rooms are full, they had me in a temporary room and then a labor and delivery room and now I'm back in one of the tiny temporary rooms. They have quite a few women coming in to be induced tonight so they needed all of their labor and delivery rooms for those ladies. I'm trying to look at it this way...when I go in to labor I want a labor and delivery room for myself and not for someone on bed rest. However, it makes it very hard to stay positive and be comfortable when you are in a room as small as your bathroom at home with a tv that you can't reach and no remote and blinds that don't close all the way so the sun is shining in and making me hotter than I already was. These temporary rooms don't have showers, however, I was able to grab a quick shower in my previous room before I came over. Hearing Jack's little heartbeat on the monitor or feeling him kick makes it all worth it. No room in this hospital is that bad once I remember why I'm here...it's for the safety of Jack and myself! I know he needs to grow a little more but I won't be sad when this bed rest situation is over. Lots of love from my hospital bed!

We spoke to the doctor this evening and she informed us that I will be spending the rest of my pregnancy on bed rest in the comforts of the hospital. Tomorrow marks 35 weeks and they would like me to carry to 38 weeks. If I go in to labor before 38 weeks they will deliver and we will proceed from that point. If I haven't delivered by 38 weeks they will induce. So it looks like I will be on bed rest for the next 3 weeks unless I go in to labor before then. We will be meeting Jack before his due date so keep checking for updates. I will probably be making more posts now that I have A LOT more free time. Stay tuned for updates on my bed rest journey and Jack's arrival.

In the Hospital

Well...I've officially been checked in to the hospital for observation. I went to the doctor today and my blood pressure was through the roof. So they sent me home to pack a bag and meet John to go to the hospital. When we arrived they hooked me up to a fetal monitor and Jack was doing great. They started monitoring my blood pressure and it had already gone down. They continued monitoring it every 10 minutes for a few hours and it continued to go down. They are also monitoring all of my output for protein. A combination of high protein in your output and high blood pressure is a sign of preeclampsia...so I'm glad they are being so cautious. I will be staying the night at the hospital tonight and they will continue to check my protein levels until tomorrow at 12:30 and then we will know more from the doctor. I have a feeling that some sort of bedrest is in my near future. It's a good thing that we've got the nursery almost ready because it's looking like Jack could arrive at any time. John spent the day here with me and I sent him home to take care of Tyson...he'll be back in the morning to keep me company and wait for our diagnosis and instructions. I'll keep you updated with any info that we receive.

Today was a day of pampering! I went and got a manicure and pedicure today and it was fantastic! I upgraded to the citrus melon specialty pedicure and it felt so good on my swollen hands and feet. I am so glad that my leg has finally healed enough for me to have enjoyed this today. Everything from the massage chair to the relaxing foot massage was great. My belly seems to be getting A LOT bigger. I'll have to remember to ask John to take some pics of me to post. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow that will just be a check up but I'll make sure to post any updates after that appointment tomorrow.

Apparently I am officially in the nesting stage, according to John. He says that he didn't know that actually existed until he saw me in action the other day. I'm feeling great, I just get tired very easily. We're both working very diligently to get everything that we need done around the house finished. It seems like we have a new task to complete every day...something to clean, organize or put away. I couldn't do any of it without John's help and he has been GREAT! I hope you are all having as great of a week as I am. Take Care!

Jack's Nursery

Well, with the munchkin's due date quickly approaching we finally got a new camera. We were long over due for one and we are very happy with our purchase. Along with a new camera we have pretty much finished in the nursery. We are waiting on one little piece of furniture to put next to the rocker, it should arrive sometime this week. Here is a link to the photo album of nursery pics if you would like to check it out.

Link to Jack's Nursery Pics

Hope you enjoy!

Just a little Update

Wow...we've got lots of movement today. Our little munchkin has been moving around a lot today. It is so exciting to have him active and know that he is healthy. I can't wait to meet him. We have less than 7 weeks to go and it seems like it is sneaking up on us. As soon as we get all the finishing touches on the nursery I will post some pics for you all to see. We are going to start our lamaze classes in a couple weeks. We will do them on 2 Sundays...hopefully that will help us be more prepared for the delivery. I hope you are all having a great day.
Love and miss you all,
Robin

Meet Jack!

32 weeks...33 weeks tomorrow!

We had an amazing holiday back in Kansas City. We had the intentions of staying a week, but ended up staying two weeks. We got to see most of our family and a lot of our friends. It was important to us to make the rounds as this will be our last trip before Jack arrives. It was amazing to have such a beautiful Christmas with snow...and that just so happened to prolong our trip. We didn't want to take any chances driving through Oklahoma, since they got 14 inches of snow in places. We are so blessed to have such an amazing family to spend the holidays with! The holidays were a little difficult for me, since I have been monitoring my blood sugar so closely. Christmas cookies are really hard to resist when you have gestational diabetes. I found myself asking around if anyone knew how many carbs were in fudge. I soon found out that eating 4 pieces of fudge after dinner will really make your blood sugar sky rocket.

I went to the OB earlier this week and everything was great. It was pretty uneventful. I had an appointment with the specialist today and he had nothing but fabulous things to say. My blood sugars were amazing and as a reward he said I only need to check them twice a day...a fasting one in the morning and then a two hour reading after any meal each day. I was so excited to hear that! The best part of the visit was the fact that Jack was measuring perfectly normal and weighed in at 4 lbs. 11 oz. The Dr. said he is a beautiful baby and that he'd like to see us back in 3 weeks.

John and I work on getting something done in the nursery every night. We picked up our rocking chair the other night and got it home, unpacked and inspected and there was a giant chunk missing out of one the sides. So we returned it and have to wait for the reordered chair to come in. The crib and bassinet are ready for Jack. I'm almost done washing all of his stuff. John has a few more things to hang on the walls, but overall I think he could come anytime and we'd be as prepared as any new parents could be.

I can't wait for all of us to meet our little munchkin! It's approaching quickly...only 7 more weeks until our due date. I'll keep you updated!

Love,
R