New Friend!

We are so happy for Chris and Marissa! They had a baby girl, Addison Rose, on Friday, March 1. Beckett helped make a sign for their yard to welcome his new friend home.

Non-Stress Test 2

I would like to start by asking, Who names these tests?  Clearly, no one who has ever needed one done!

All week, I have been feeling pressure and tightening, contractions.  I knew I had an appointment on Monday, so I did NOT want to go back to the doctor for a couple reasons:
1) I was already going on Monday;
2) I didn't want them to put me in the hospital;
3) I didn't want to be over-analyzing everything and waste everyone's time.

All silly reasons, I logically realize.  However, this morning, the pains were getting a little more intense.  I took a nap with Beckett and when I got up, I could tell I needed to say something.  I took my medicine (celebrate remembering the little things), and immediately got dizzy and nauseous. (A side effect that I hadn't felt yet.)

Shonn was with his friend and sales rep for Illinois Brick, designing an engineered wall for a project on Lake Decatur, and he texted me on his way home.  I admitted I wasn't feeling well, and agreed we might need to see the doctor.  When he got home, we headed to Effingham.

A non-stress test, for those of you who haven't had one, is a test that involves two monitors being attached to your stomach. One monitors the baby's heart rate; the other monitors contractions. This is the same test I took on Monday that showed I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes, completely unaware.  (I still have no idea how that happens!)  The nurse, Michelle, took my blood pressure, which was very high for me and she said she was going to take it again later because I was "all worked up".  HA!  So, they hooked me up to the machine and baby's heart rate was great.  I was having contractions, but no where near what they were on Monday.  By this time, the medicine I had remembered to take (very proud) had kicked in and was doing its job.  Jamie came in and talked to me about the test and next steps, which include a visit on Monday.  After all of that, Michelle took my blood pressure again: 109/69. Normal for me.  Additional proof that this test is not aptly named.

Shonn and I were both relieved.  Mom stayed with Beckett while we were gone, and I was glad to see her when we got home.  I parked myself back on the couch and my little man climbed up next to me.  All is good.

Picture is from last week, but I love the "Cheeseburger" smile. :)

Wrestle Mania

Another fun couch-bound activity is watching my guys wrestle.  I tried to take a video of this because it was hilarious, but apparently, I need to delete some pictures because my storage is full.  They were both laughing so hard and Beckett was jumping around like a wild thing.  He has made the connection about the father-son relationship and often says things like, "Bambi's daddy, like my daddy."  This particular wrestling session was brought on by a scene in Bambi 2 where Bambi is trying to head butt his dad.  It was really cute.

Beckett also likes to yell, "COWABUNGA" prior to jumping on someone or something. :)

Handprint Crafts

We made some handprint crafts this week, after Janis made a cute Stegosaurus craft with Beckett on Monday.  She showed me this blog called C.R.A.F.T by Jaime, and it has a post with 59 hand and foot print crafts on it.  They were something I could do from the couch with Beckett, and he loves painting, drawing, and writing.  They turned out really cute!

Beckett now knows his letter M. (For Monkey, Momma, Mee Maw, Moose...)

When I painted the orange paint on his hand, he said, "Feels funny!  Cold, like snow!"

Autographs, Anyone?

Lately, when Beckett is "writing", I'll ask him what he is writing on the paper. He has gotten into saying, "Beckett James Hild" and then writing really small, like he's signing his name.  It's adorable.  I caught a little on video here, and Shonn took a picture of Beckett doing it on Papa Hild's farming desk on Monday.

Signing his name to some important farming documents.

Bed Rest Week One

Well, our first week of bed rest has come and gone!  I think I would describe it as an adjustment and an emotional roller coaster.  :)  I would also say it has been an opportunity to realize how very lucky we are to have such amazing parents.  Monday night, Jim and Janis brought Beckett home when we got home from the hospital, around 7:30, and they stayed and got us settled in.  Tuesday and Wednesday, my mom stayed with me and Beckett, and Thursday, Janis was here. My mom came again Friday and will be here today (Saturday). Both Mom and Janis have been so great about cooking, shopping, making projects, and asking what I need.  I'm so thankful for them both!

Shonn has been amazing, of course, making breakfast every morning, dinner on Tuesday, helping around the house, and checking on me constantly. (He's also been great about reminding me to take my medicine - why is that so hard to remember?!)  I think this might be harder on him than on me, especially because he can't feel what's going on and has to rely on my less-than-stellar descriptions of how I'm feeling.  For some reason, I find it really hard to articulate the pressure/tightening/whatever-you-want-to-call-it.

I have tried to balance working from home, playing with Beckett, and staying on the couch as best as I can.  I think I'm figuring it out, and will probably have it down to a science by the time Little Miss Firecracker arrives. Beckett has been really, really good, and adjusted to not being carried ("hold you?") really quickly.  I talked to him the first night and explained that my tummy was hurting, so I needed him to help me by holding my hand.  Now, every morning, he says, "Hold hand, Mommy?" and walks everywhere.  It's amazing to me how much he is growing up and becoming more independent every day!

Visit from Braylon

Jayme and Braylon stopped by on Wednesday to check in, say hi, and get some stuff for work.  It was so nice to see them, and Beckett was really excited to have a friend come over!

Of course I couldn't get them to pose for a picture, but I tried! :)  They both had plenty of cookies and juice during the visit, so I'm sure Braylon left with lots of energy for dinner out that night!