Uncle Brandon

Everything is more fun when Uncle Brandon is around! We really enjoyed having him here for a few days for Grandpa Fritz's funeral.

23 Weeks**

** Note: this post is all about baby and may be very boring to most of you. Don't feel bad if you don't read any of this... :)

This morning I had my 23 week doctor appointment. It went GREAT! The more I meet with and talk with Dr. G, the more I am so amazed at his knowledge, his confidence, and his willingness to meet the individual needs of each patient. He is an amazing doctor! I can't even begin to explain how unique and different he is than all the other doctors I've seen.

Today we started the appointment by listening to baby's heart and guess what?! There were TWO heartbeats!!! Ha, don't be worried, I'm not having twins. The little machine (I can't remember what this is called!) was just picking up my heartbeat, too, but it scared me at first! Then Dr. G measured me and I'm measuring a week ahead. I cringed when he said this because I really really don't want a big baby. I want to be able to try for a VBAC! Seeing my reaction, he reassured me that this may just because this is my third baby and you tend to get bigger faster with second, third, fourth.... babies. Next appointment I have my diabetes test and he said that there may be a reason, other than gestational diabetes, that I'm having bigger babies. He said that we would look into some diet issues and imbalances and he would help me keep my weight gain (and baby's weight) down. I have never heard of an OB caring this much and doing this for a patient - wouldn't most OB's just jump to repeat C-Section instead of going through all of this work and time?! Like I said, he's amazing!

We talked about contractions. He wanted to know if I have been having any and I admitted that I thought I had been having some. He wasn't surprised. He says that contractions come earlier with second, third, fourth... babies and to expect some pretty painful contractions in the coming weeks, and until I deliver, but not to be worried about them. He also reassured me that he was completely comfortable taking this pregnancy as it comes and waiting until the end until we assess things, as far as a scheduled C-Section or VBAC goes. I can't even begin to describe the feelings I have surrounding this issue. I have found a caregiver, a professional, an OB/GYN who actually believes in me and believes in my body. Just the fact that he is even considering giving me the chance to make a life-long dream of mine come true, is just simply amazing to me. THANK YOU DR. G!!! I'm more content and comfortable about this pregnancy and birth than any of the three so far because I know that I am in good hands and he truly will do what's best for me and what's best for the baby.

Honoring Grandpa Fritz

It was an honor to be a part of Grandpa Fritz's life and to celebrate such a wonderful man last weekend. Grandpa Fritz was buried at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, a place I had seen many times, but never been to. Driving through the cemetery and looking at all of the white stones, in perfect straight lines, was moving. As we were led in and greeted by soliders waiting for us, I was touched. I didn't know if I felt good about taking pictures and videos of the service or if I should just stand and take it all in. I decided to do a little of both, so sometimes the pictures and videos aren't very clear, and I missed some amazing things (like the folding of the American flag), however I decided to put them all together in a slide show for family members and friends that weren't able to be a part of the day. I think that Grandpa Fritz would be so proud to see that he was honored in this way.

(Apparently in the video I say "three bullets," but Erik's says that they were the empty shells from the three shots that were fired... guess I really wasn't paying attention to what was said!)

Skogen's Bible Song

Skogen LOVES Bible school. Lately whenever we talk about the Bible or Bible school, Skogen starts singing a song. I used to think it was "Pat the Bible," but now I'm sort of thinking it might be "The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock" song according to the actions he's trying to do. Whatever it is, it's cute! It's hard for me to get him to sing for the camera, though, but I finally caught him on my webcam (Warning: Erik watched this video and said that other people might not find it as entertaining as he did, because he's the dad. But he said that that the last 1/3 of the video is the cutest. So this is really for Nana and Grandma!)...

It was a weekend of mixed emotions, but I wouldn't have missed Grandpa Fritz's funeral for anything. I feel closer to the family, closer to Erik, and oddly enough, closer to Grandpa Fritz. It was beautiful time to honor such a great man. I have some pictures and a short video that I'm putting together to remember the weekend by, but until that is finished, here are some pictures of Maida from yesterday.

Yesterday was Grandpa Fritz's burial and since Maida didn't really need (or care) to be there, we decided to go ahead and take our friend, Wendy, up on her offer to take Maida to our weekly playgroup party. This week the playgroup met at the Mall of America for a Goodnight Bear pajama party with the Care Bears. Wendy was so kind to take on another kid and to also take pictures on top of it all! It was so nice not to have to chase two kids around the burial grounds and keep them quiet during a full formal military burial. It sure looks like Maida had a lot more fun with her friends...

Green!

Look!!! Look at my flowers coming up!!!! IT'S SPRING! Everything is turning GREEN.

My tulips are up (Maida planted them last fall - can you tell?!!).

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There are buds on my Hydrangea - can you see them?!!

Here's a closer shot.

Here is another plant that I transplanted last year. I wasn't sure if it would make it through the winter.

Here's closer look at the new life.

That's not all that was green around here this week. We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a picnic at the park and then a little game of "My Spy" where we tried to spot things that were green and take pictures of them.

Here are all the things we found that were green:

Names

"Picture Dance Move Eela"

"Sally To Move It Dada"

"Windows Salerina"

"Shark Dance Wall"

"Beela Sadala"

While it seems fairly easy for Maida to name her favorite dance moves, we're not having such luck naming the new baby! Erik's stuck on names that have a "K" in it. I'm stuck on digging up some family history. Maida's into making up her own names (her latest is "Tuna-loola-loola"). Wouldn't it be nice if babies came with name tags?

Grandpa Fritz

Erik and his Grandpa

Erik and I took our honeymoon over our one year anniversary. On the way to the airport (before flying out for New York City for five days and a nine day cruise around the Caribbean), we spent two days hanging out with Erik's grandpa. It was a highlight of our trip and such a great visit as we got to know Erik's grandpa in a whole new light. It was fun for him to show us his town - his favorite place to bring us was the old car museum. He LOVED that place. It was also fun for him to show us pictures from his past. We learned a lot of his family history that week...

As I stood in the hot steamy shower this morning, my thoughts replayed those few special days with Grandpa Fritz, and all the other memories I have of him, like how he called the bathroom, the "can," and his walker, his "Cadillac," or sometimes when he'd smile, it would be so big that his eyes would squint almost shut. He was a Walmart greeter. He spoke German well (although this faded as he got older). He got his GED at an old age and was determined to go to college in his 80's to be a "detective." He was a man of God - just because he couldn't hardly walk or hear, that didn't keep him from going to church every Sunday morning. He was a quiet man and although sometimes it would seem as if he wasn't following the conversation, he'd always surprise me at just how sharp and "in tune" he was.

This morning something was different just knowing that he was actually gone.

We will forever remember Grandpa Fritz and will miss him always.

Us with Grandpa Fritz at his 90th birthday party.

Skogen is the only great-grandchild (so far) to carry on the Scharrer name! I am now kicking myself that I never got a picture of Fritz, Mike (Erik's dad), Erik, and Skogen. What a great picture that would have been...

Weekend Recap

Guess what I did while Erik worked all weekend?

I sorted baby clothes! I sorted the girl clothes from the boy clothes from the gender-neutral clothes. I also sorted them by size. Judging by as many clothes as I have for a baby girl, I really hope that we have a girl! I have six tubs of girl clothes, 0-12 months... I have one tub of boy clothes 0-12 months! Another problem with the boy clothes is that Skogen was born in the middle of winter in Duluth, which means that all of our boy clothes are flannel lined overalls and turtle neck onesies -neither of those things will do for a baby born in July!

Erik got home on Sunday afternoon after working a 34 hour shift. (As a side note, I'd like to point out that Erik works in two days what a normal person works in a week... and that is a normal occurrence.) He then took a short nap while I finished sorting and then we were able to spend some time together outside! We took the kids and the dogs on a walk around the neighborhood and found a new park! The kids LOVED being outside. It was a loooooong winter of being indoors.

I was telling Erik last night after the kids were tucked soundly in bed that it is amazing how we won't see Erik for days and days on end, but all it takes is an hour or two, or even just a few minutes with him, to be refreshed again. We've learned to take the little times, the little moments, and cherish and relish in those. We were so thankful that Erik skipped some studying yesterday to hang out with us.

Poopty-Doo-Doo

Maida was teaching Skogen how to draw while I was cleaning my NEW HARDWOOD FLOORS (more to come on that in a few days....). They were doing such a good job of sharing and she was doing such a good job of being patient with him when he would throw the pen or toss all of the paper on the ground. It was such a precious moment that I decided to take some pictures. After I snapped a few pictures, Maida said, "Oh, Kogen! Let me smell your butt." Then she jumped off the stool, smelled his butt, and then yelled, "Moooo-ooooom! Kogen has poopty-doo-doo!" I just thought that was so funny. She's a big helper! Now if only I could teach her to change the poopty-doo-doo, then we'd be in business! :)

20 Week Ultrasound

Our 20 week ultrasound was great! It was so fun to have the kids involved and so excited about seeing the baby. Maida picked out her own outfit for the occasion and she was SO proud to be there and be the big sister. I was thankful that we were able to schedule the ultrasound late at night so that Erik could be there, too. Baby was head down for now (which is so much more comfortable than Skogen when he was breech!) and had his/her legs curled way up tight. That was my favorite part, seeing the legs. It was so so so stinking cute. Of course we didn't get the picture of the cute legs because it could have potentially exposed a private part. :) Speaking of, we stuck with our decision and did NOT find out the gender.

My doctor called this morning and said that everything looked good on the ultrasound and baby looks healthy. Dates are right on.

Enjoy the pictures!

I must have a lot of blog stalkers who are afraid to comment! Either that or no one really cared enough to. :) I had 140 people read my last blog post and only five comments.

Anyway, I really appreciated all the comments and emails. - THANK YOU! I wasn't looking for anyone to tell us whether to find out or not. I guess I just wanted to know what other people have done and why, just in case someone had come up with a good reason why or why not, that we hadn't thought of.

Our final decision (which I'll get into later) was made last night around 11:30 at a very special time... Erik and I had been discussing names all night. We were sitting next to each other on the bed, he on his computer and me on mine. I was looking up names while he was taking care of emails and other medical school business. Suddenly the baby started kicking, so I asked Erik to put his hand on my tummy. He rolled his eyes and hesitantly did so because every other time the baby usually stops kicking as soon as he touches my belly. We sat there still for about a minute and then it happened! He felt our baby kick for the first time. I always love seeing Erik's face after he feels our babies kick for the first time. He's so sweet as he just smiles so big! It makes me happy.

During this happy moment, we decided together that we will wait to find out the gender of our baby. We have been leaning this way the whole pregnancy, but confirmed it after talking through all of the reasons others had suggested, and some of our own, too. We did not find out the gender with Maida and did with Skogen. I have to admit after doing it both ways, the surprise at the ultrasound just wasn't the same as in the delivery room (or in my case, the recovery room). Telling other people wasn't the same, either. There is just something about delivery day when everyone is waiting in suspense for the baby to get there and for you to come into the waiting room or call and announce, "It's a ____!" It's so intense and climactic. Everything builds and builds and builds and out comes the first best surprise - a healthy baby! Then comes the next best surprise - the gender! However, my deliveries, as some of you can relate, are not the climactic birth as most. I schedule the place, I schedule the day, I schedule the time. Erik and I pack the night before and show up at the front desk as if we're checking into a hotel. On schedule, just as planned, in a very routine procedure they remove the baby from my body and there it is, just as we had imagined - a baby. In my case, knowing the gender before just adds to the anticlimactic experience. Don't get me wrong, it's still exciting and it's still an amazing thing - pregnancy and birth - but, trust me, after having a VERY climactic, intense, dramatic birth the first time without knowing the gender - in my case it's better to wait than to know everything beforehand. That is my main reason for waiting - to create a climax in an anticlimactic story. :)

Another big reason for waiting is that we already have a boy and a girl. What do I need to plan for when I already have everything pink and everything blue?! I will agree with some of your comments, though, that it really helped me bond more before birth with knowing Skogen's gender and name. However, this is my third time around and I know a little bit more about bonding after the baby comes (skin-to-skin, keeping the baby with me at all times, breastfeeding right away...). As long as I don't end up under general anesthesia again, I don't think bonding will be a problem.

Thank you to everyone who gave input (in case you are curious, we had 14 people say to find out and 9 people said to wait). Our ultrasound is tonight at 8:00pm. Please pray that the baby is healthy and that he or she is growing properly. I get so so so so nervous around this time in the pregnancy that something is wrong, but I also know that God is good and that He knows us and our life and He won't give us anything we can't handle.

To Find Out or Not to Find Out

On Wednesday of this week we have our 20 week ultrasound. This is the ultrasound where we could find out the sex of our baby, if we wanted to. Up until this point, we have been very convinced that we would not find out the gender of the baby, but recent conversations have almost swayed us the other way. I need some advice!

Should we find out? Why or why not?

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I'm not as creative as Sarah with her color coordinated days (which I thought was such a great idea, by the way)! At my place we play with old cardboard boxes and ripped off pieces of cardboard as babies. :) Here are bits and pieces of our weekend...

Skogen loves his chair that Deda made him for his birthday.

Playing school

Catching bubbles

New flip flops for summer!

Lots of snuggle time with Daddy

Overall it was a great weekend. We enjoyed all day Sunday with Erik, which included a great potluck lunch after church. We also took a two hour family nap in the afternoon, which was awesome, and then got some stuff done around the house in the evening.