Parenting Class- Teacher: Julianna

On Sunday evening I was reading what every mother to be reads, What to Expect While You are Expecting. Julianna asked me what I was reading about and I told her that I was learning about how to take care of her sister. She didn't need to know that I was reading about cervix dilation and contractions. I guess that she was a little concerned that I was not prepared for a baby, so she offered to give me a Baby Class.
We had our baby class tonight. She taught me about feeding the baby and using a pillow underneath the baby's head (good tip). I also learned about burping, using burp cloths so that I don't get it on my clothes, bathing, and diapering the baby. She was actually VERY informative and I know that she will be VERY helpful when the baby finally decides to come. Here are a couple pictures from the baby class. If you have any questions about parenting, please feel free to call me and I can pass the phone to her.Oh, something else funny about how much she actually knows. Since I have been pregnant she has made comments about how the doctor will cut on the line on my belly and the baby will come out. I am going with that- I don't think that she needs to know about labor and delivery at this point (in fact I think the less I knew the better off I would be). But the other evening she said, "Well mom, sometimes you just push three times and the baby will come out of your peeps." Oh really? I didn't really know how to handle the situation, so I just replied with the "Oh really." I know bad mothering probably. The thing that makes me laugh is that it seems like she has been withholding this information from me for my benefit, and that it finally just slipped out.
Finally, baby update: NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! 1 cm dilated, she hasn't dropped, she seems happy where she is. I was hooked up to a fetal monitor this morning for a while and she is active and her heart rate is great. On Friday I will go in for an ultrasound to make sure that there is still enough fluid around her and that she is still doing well. If she still hasn't come on her own by the 20th, we will talk about scheduling me to be induced! I am so ready to have her, but I would rather her come on her own. Hopefully sooner than later.

The Nursery

Well, I suppose that the nursery is ready for baby. Last night my dad came over and hung the curtain. A girl from my mom's school actually made all of the bedding and the curtain for the nursery. She did such an amazing job, and it is all one of a kind. Her clothes are all washed and hanging for her. The blankets are all folded and ready. The only thing that we need now is for her to make her appearance. But that should be a few more weeks at least.
I would have never believed this thing about "nesting", but let me tell you, from a woman that is already a little anal retentive, I have never been this bad. I have managed to clean out the linen closet, the junk drawer, the kitchen cabinets, the pantry, the baskets downstairs, prune the rose bushes. Anything that I can get my hands on and clean, but things still aren't perfect. Nor will they ever be. We have just accumulated too much stuff. And I have already realized that even though the baby isn't even here yet, she has accumulated lots of stuff. She has more clothes than Julianna and I combined. Don't worry Goose, we'll go back to school shopping soon!

Baby Update

Well, the update is actually from my last visit which was on the 30th, but all is well. The doctor said that the baby is doing well and that she weighs about 5 pounds- so doc what accounts for the other 20? She is in the 48th percentile- which of course is about average. I am not shooting for a record here- average is just fine, I can plump her up when she gets here. As of today we have exactly a month!!! A month!!! We worked on the nursery this weekend and it looks great. I hope that she likes it as much as we do. We will post pictures of it after we (my Daddy) hangs the curtain. We had a baby shower today and we received lots of beautiful things for baby. We can't wait for her to get here.

Beach Fun

This past week we went on our annual Harris family beach trip. This year there were 17 of us in one house- one very large house. Julianna and I went down on Saturday after her recital, and Jason followed on Tuesday morning. One night we had a dance party, we spent many days at the beach, we (Julianna) rode rides at Broadway at the Beach, we enjoyed homemade ice cream almost every night, we played in the pool, Emma and Mason came to visit with Rhonda, we played with our cousins. We had a great time. In fact, we were so spoiled by the activity that we have had a hard time getting back to normal life. Julianna is pretty bored without 5 cousins running around and constantly entertaining her. We are already looking forward to the trip next year!!!Julianna doing "the worm" at the Dance Party

Synchronized Jumping with Logan, Sarah, and Mason

Future Packer (it fits her well)

Hanging out with Emma at the Beach

This one is for Dawson

Riding the cars with Evan at Broadway at the Beach

Recital

Last Saturday, Julianna had her dance recital at Porter Ridge High School. The title of the recital was: Through the Garden Gate. She was in two performances- in the first she was a blue butterfly (ballet) and in the second they dressed in raincoats and tap danced to Singing in the Rain. Both were great. She was great. She knew all her moves and made us very proud.

More Cruisin'

The pictures from the cruise were too great not to include more...And no, the grandparents aren't taking applications for new grandchildren!

Cruisin'

Last week Julianna went on her first annual Grandchildren's trip. Every year for about the last 15 years, Grandpa Tony and Grandma Hazel have taken their grandchildren on a fabulous vacation. We have been to the Outer Banks, the Grand Canyon, the mountains, and many other wonderful places. This year the kids were lucky and they got to go on their 4th cruise with Grandma and Grandpa. Since I no longer go (too old and married), now Julianna gets to go. The first great-grandchild to go! There were 7 kids and the grandparents on a cruise to the Bahamas.
Julianna had a wonderful time. She snorkeled, ate steak three nights, went to shows on the boat, and enjoyed the cruise life. She and Mason had a great time together making each other laugh. Grandma said that they spent an entire dinner telling each other "knock-knock" jokes and laughing hysterically at each other. That is hysterical in itself if you have ever heard one of these jokes.