11/7-10/2011 Getting ready for Carson!

 It is the week of Carson's birth and we've been waiting for this week to come for 39 weeks now.  We're so excited to meet our son and everything is set for his homecoming.  We've set up the swing (which LEB loves to play on--I hope it doesn't break!) and washed the padding.  Gotten the bassinet and cradle out of the attic and put the baby pink bedding away and pulled out the blue bumper/sheet/blanket for the cradle and blue sheet for the bassinet.  Breast pump accessories are sterilized and ready to go if needed once we get home.  Pre-prepared meals are frozen and labeled in the freezer.  As many Thank You notes as possible are written and the rest will have to wait until after we come home.  

This pregnancy is one that I'm sure I'll remember all of the sweet moments of little feet kicking and hiccups hiccuping throughout the day and night.  But hopefully I'll forget all of the heart palpitations, heavy chest sensations, shortness of breath/dizziness/nausea moments with any position lying down, and major contractions over these last 3-4 weeks. And the cardiologist tests of echocardiogram and 24 hour Holter monitoring along with VERY long waits in the cardiology office with all of the 70 year olds is something that I will not miss.  I can honestly say that my belly could be pregnant for another month, if needed, but the rest of my body is ready for 11-11-11 to come as soon as possible.  I've become virtually useless with any major care for Lauren but am so thankful for Eric's help and care and the help from Miss Heather over these last few weeks.
Our pregnancy could not have been any more healthy for our little baby even though my body has seemed to not be so cooperative with a growing belly.  Because my cardiologist is recommending a no-push kind of delivery we opted for a cesarean section over a vacuum delivery in the OR. Dr. Ramie has been great at controlling my anxiety about the delivery, has requested the anesthesiologist that he wants to use, and has ensured me that all of the fear of the big day will soon be a passing memory.  And I'm sure that it will.
How could I ask for anything more in my life.  This time last year, we had NO idea that another baby would enter our lives as easily as this one has.  We could not feel any more blessed and truly fortunate to receive two babies into our home and our lives.  A boy or girl would be just fine, but the fact that we get to experience raising a girl AND a boy is so nice.  If I were to write my own life story, I'd write it exactly like this.

 Gigi, Pops, and Kaitlin spent the night with us the night before Carson's planned C-Section delivery so they would be here first thing in the morning to take care of Lauren.  

Because Gigi will be sharing a birthday with Carson, we celebrated her birthday the night before with Captain Anderson's to-go and a cake and balloons.  

 One of Lauren's favorite places to plunder in our house is the pantry.  She wandered off after dinner and came back with a bag of powdered doughnuts!   Here is the white-lipped proof that she enjoyed herself!  She is excited about "Car-Car" coming home, as much as we can assume that she understands.  She does know that there is a baby in my belly and she has recently been saying "Car-Car.  Get out!"  

 Mommy's girl

One last belly shot before going to the hospital in the morning!  We are scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 8:00 am with a 10:00 am delivery.
Here I am at 39 weeks.  Soon after this picture, I honestly thought we were going to spontaneously go into labor but things calmed down and we were able to go to sleep around 11pm.

  My guess is that Carson Eric Berry will weigh 8 pounds even and be 20-1/2 inches long (he feels like a long baby when he makes huge turns in there!)  He will be 6 days early; 10 days younger than Lauren's gestational age.  We'll see!  Only a few more hours