Baby Face

One of the fun things about having gestational diabetes (hey, I just have to find the silver lining, people) is more ultrasounds! They want to keep a close eye on baby girl during these last few weeks of pregnancy to ensure she doesn't grow at too fast a rate. On Tuesday, I went in for my 32 week appointment and also got to have a 3-D growth ultrasound. We never had the opportunity to have 3-D with Ellie or the boys, so this was a fun treat! The doctor said later in pregnancy it can be harder to get good pictures, since there is less amniotic fluid, but he still got a few good shots! It was fun to see a more 'real-life' view of her, I got to see her yawning, practice breathing, and rub her face. So cool!

A few people have said they think she resembles Maguire, but you'll have to decide for yourself. Or, wait a few weeks until we see the real thing! Hard to believe she could realistically be here in about 6 weeks! Yikes -- we'd better get the newborn clothes & a crib out of storage!

Sweet baby legs & feet, crossed at the ankles.

So, after the ultrasound, we found out that she is growing pretty much on schedule, measuring at about 33.5 weeks, which is still within normal range (I am 32 weeks). My belly also measured right at 33 weeks. The doctor was very happy with how under-control I have been able to keep my blood sugar, and said both of us looked great! We go back again in about 1.5 weeks for my 34 week appointment and another ultrasound (yay!)

Call Noah, There's a Flood in the Bathroom!

Our children have a favorite new trick: push the lights on and off in the back of our minivan. It sounds harmless enough, but no less than half-a-dozen times in the past few months one of our children (who shall remain nameless, although his name rhymes with Smalex) has left the light on overnight. We then wake up to a dead battery. That's where this story begins.

When you have a dead battery and your vehicle is in the garage, you (and by you, I mean me) have to push said vehicle out of the garage, then get your other vehicle maneuvered in such a way that you can jump-start the dead vehicle. That process takes two parents to complete: one to drive the dead car (Carrie) and one to push (me). While this process is taking place, all three of our children are left alone in the house. You can just about guess the trouble that can bring.

After Carrie and I got the van running on Saturday, we came inside to hear a screaming little girl say, "Mommy, Daddy, come quick!" Those are the four words a parent never likes to hear. Ellie was shouting from the bathroom and then says, "Maguire flooded the bathroom!"  

We rush over to find them both in their rain boots standing in water on the bathroom floor. I say, "What happened?" Then Maguire says, "THERE WAS A FLOOD!" Apparently he had been washing his hands and somehow covered the drain with a cup and then the water started gushing over the side of the sink. But they had time to get their rain boots on?? I don't get it. But it was hard not to laugh hysterically at the scene. And what did I do then? Get my video camera of course...enjoy!

Baby Update: 30 Weeks



30 Weeks with Baby #4

So, here were are with less than 10 weeks to go until we meet baby girl Studer. I seem to be doing a pregnancy update about every 10 weeks (I know, call me an overachiever)...but things just aren't as eventful this time around and not much changes from week to week (except the size of my pants). I found this picture from the same point in my pregnancy with the boys, and it helps me feel better when I have an "I'm huge" day...looks like I've got a giant bowling ball in there. And I still had 5 weeks to go!

31 Weeks with Babies #2 & 3

Anyhoo, back to baby #4....here are belly shots from weeks 26 & 28. And yes, I promise I do own more than two shirts...I just happen to find the orange & green ones subconsciously more photogenic, I guess.

 

   

28 Weeks with Baby #4

 

26 Weeks with Baby #4

I am still feeling pretty good, but starting to feel that end of pregnancy tiredness & aforementioned "I'm huge" attitude. We decided to make the switch to a doctor in Huron (I had been seeing my OB/GYN in Sioux Falls up until 28 weeks). I love my SF doctor and so appreciated her laid-back manner & personal approach, but it's hard to justify driving 2 hours one-way for doctor's appointments once you have to start going every 2 weeks. Also, there's the small matter of where do the kids go if we deliver the baby in SF...do they all come to SF with Grammie or stay in Huron? And also, do I really want a 2 hour drive while I'm in labor? So, practicality won (dang it) and we switched our care to a doctor here...I had my first appointment yesterday & really liked him. Unfortunately, I'm going to be seeing quite a bit of him as I also found out I have gestational diabetes. Boo for pregnant carb-counting and finger poking. In all seriousness, it seems like I am able to keep my blood sugar under control with diet management and no insulin, so cross your fingers it stays that way! They will keep a close eye on the baby with extra ultrasounds and non-stress tests for the remainder of my pregnancy, since babies of moms with gestational diabetes tend to grow extra-large due to all the extra nutrition that out-of-control blood sugar provides. If necessary, I will deliver before my due date so baby girl doesn't get too big....I want to do everything I can to avoid a c-section...

In other baby-related news, we still haven't decided on a name for this little girl. We don't ever decide 100% until we see any of our babies, but all suggestions are still welcome. The kids each have their own opinion, of course. Ellie is campaigning hard for Emily. Alex insists that the baby needs to be named George (must have something to do with his fervent wishes for a baby brother), and Maguire thinks we should go with Jackie. If you have spent any length of time with Maguire, you will understand why this is funny. He has taken possession of two of Ellie's Barbie's and christened them Big Jackie & Little Jackie. The kid doesn't know anyone named Jackie, so I have no idea where that one came from. So, what other logical choice is there in his little mind than to name our baby sister Jackie? My question is would he call her Giant Jackie?

Maguire & his beloved Jackies



To Big Boy Beds....and Beyond!

That blog post title will probably only make sense to you if you have someone (or more than one someone) in your house who loves Buzz Lightyear. We've been dragging our feet for awhile on getting the boys into regular beds, but a few weeks ago we bit the bullet and bought some twin bunk beds. Before the beds were delivered, we took down the cribs and had the boys sleep on their crib mattresses on the floor, just to get used to the feeling of not being contained. You can see below how well that went...





Grammie took the boys shopping for their choice of sheets and not surprisingly, they both chose Toy Story. Here they are on the 1st night of sleeping in beds:

We can't put rails on the beds until they're bunk beds because the ladder is needed to anchor the rails, so for the time being, we keep them from rolling out with a rolled-up towel under the mattress. So far, success! We've had the beds for almost a month, and no one has fallen out!

And below, a video of the boys talking about their beds:

Way to Go, Ellie!

This month, Ellie was chosen as one of four kindergarten students to be featured as a Washington Star at her school's monthly assembly. She had to choose a project or piece of artwork that she was proud of, and talk about it in front of approximately 250 students, teachers, and family members. She was pretty nervous to speak in front of the whole school, but she did a great job! She also got a free lunch at Subway, a cool pencil with a star eraser on top, and a special 'Star Student' pin from the principal. We are so proud of you, Ellie!

Here she is with her snowman, made of things the students gathered at home.

You might have to turn your volume waaaay up to hear her talking in the video below, but here's the closed-captioning:
"My name is Ellie Studer. The work I am proud of is my snowman. I chose this work because I worked really hard on it, and I think it looks funny!"

Look Out, Kristi Yamaguchi!

Ellie took to the ice yesterday for a classmate's 6th birthday party. It was her first time EVER on ice skates, and she did great! Before the party, we were talking about skating and whether she was nervous or not, and she said "It's okay, Mommy! I can do it. It'll be just like roller skating. Oh, wait...I don't know how to roller skate, either. Oh, boy."  

She stepped right out on the ice and took off (slowly) with one of the metal "trainers"...when she came back around to the rink entrance I asked if her legs were tired. "Nope, but my arms are! I'm holding onto this thing so tight!" was her reply. 



By the time Chris went to pick her up from the party 1.5 hours later, she was skating ON HER OWN! Way to go, Ellie! She has already asked us at least 14 times since yesterday when we can go ice skating again. When I said I wasn't sure if they had skates small enough for the boys, she said "Well, Mommy, you can just carry the boys while you skate!" Ha!

A Sneak Peek

A preview of our Christmas New Year's Valentine's Day cards, coming soon to a mailbox near you....