The Waiting Game

so... i never posted this, and it seems silly now, but i'll post it anyway.

Well, I'm over 39 weeks... so now it's just the waiting game.

I totally intended to have a "real" belly picture... but silly Ruthe came  too soon and I never took one.  So you'll have to make due with this picture from when I was 37 weeks and went to the zoo.  :-)

Just a few hours before she was born-- it's my HUGE belly picture!

She's due May 28th, and the drs will induce me at one week overdue, or June 4.  What's your guess when our sweet little girl will arrive? (ok, it's a bit late to ask this question...)

At my 38 week appointment, I saw the doctor and found out that I'm already 3cm dilated and 50% effaced.  I told the doctor that I knew it didn't mean anything about when labor would start because I was dilated to 4cm and 60% to 80% effaced for 3 weeks with munchkin (heck, I'm further behind than the first time!)... for once, the doctor told me, "You're right.  It doesn't really mean anything about when labor will start.  Except that you're that much further ahead when you do get induced if that's what needs to happen in 3 weeks."  Finally, a doctor who listened to me and trusted that I know MY body better than he does!  (If I have to be induced, I'm specifically going to ask to get induced on a day when this dr is on-call!) (or i really don't know my own body that well... I seriously thought I was going to get sent home for false labor that day...)

At my 39 week appointment, I was still 3cm, but "very soft and stretchy".  What's more awkward?  The dr telling me this WHILE checking me and saying, "I can even stretch you to 4... or 5cm."

COMING SOON!  The Birth Story of Ruthe Maedean Neeley.

Zoo Fun

 Last Saturday, we had an all-day family date.  SO MUCH FUN! (and lots of pictures!)

It started at 6am when we all woke up to head to Columbus, Ohio to visit the temple. We made it to the temple with no car sickness-- yay!  (Every time we've gone before, Naomi has gotten sick on the way there and we've had to pul over on the side of the road to clean her up.  But this time-- we were extra blessed!)

Columbus, Ohio Temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

As soon as we could see the temple (shortly before 9am), Naomi pointed excited to the temple and said, "Jesus house!"  I was so excited to know that she recognized the building for what it was.  We had never called it Jesus' house, we'd only referred to it as the temple, but she knew!  (Really, I think she confused Angle Moroni on the top of the temple with Jesus, and decided that if Jesus was on top of the house, it must be His.  We tried to explain that it was Angle Moroni, but she continued to point and say, "Jesus."   Either way, she knew it was the House of the Lord; and Brad and I are very proud of our smart munchkin!)

Brad caught a perfect profile shot of munchkin looking at the flowers

I went in first while Brad stayed outside with Naomi to explore the temple grounds.  Afterwards, I came out and switched with Brad so he could do some work while munchkin and I had lunch and walked around the temple.

Around 12:30pm we headed to the Columbus Zoo-- the rated #1 zoo in the country, mind you. We wanted to show munchkin lots of animals (and i was secretly hoping all the walking would help move me closer to getting Baby Ruthe Maedean here sooner-- it didn't work).  Munchkin fell asleep in the car on the drive from the temple to the zoo, so we let her keep sleeping after we got there for about 30 minutes.  It was hardly a nap at all for her since she normally naps for about 2 hours, but Brad and I were excited to show her the zoo and knew she could sleep after visiting the zoo.  So a 30-minute mini-nap it was...
and then a super exciting and exhausting trip around the zoo... (We were planning on staying til the zoo closed at 5pm, but we would end up leaving around 4pm because munchkin got too tired and cranky. Yeah, aren't we awesome parents?!)  :-(

she loved petting the goats

she had to pet a goat of every color...

this sweet goat, when munchkin started to "brush" her by sawing back and forth, just turned to look at her as though thinking, "you've never done this before have you?  ok, make it quick!"

it's a "BYU Kitty"!  

up close with a polar bear!

one of munchkin's favorites-- a snake!

taking a break from all the walking...

trying out a bench... she's upset that mommy and daddy won't sit down with her.

But it was totally worth it!  Munchkin had a blast seeing all the animals. And Brad and I had a blast watching her meet the animals.  We decided pretty early that we'd let her set the pace-- after all, we were there to let HER see the animals and wanted her to have fun.  We didn't want to be those parents dragging their whining kids around the zoo telling them to hurry up-- nobody has fun when that happens.  Well, munchkin pace is really REALLY slow... we only got to see about 1/4 of the zoo.  Luckily, we got a membership, so we can go back as much as we want for the next year and not pay anything extra!

resting her tired feet :-)

sometimes, we wondered if we actually came to the zoo to
try out everything she could sit on...

Relay for Life

Last weekend, our little family helped participate in Relay for Life!  It was such a fun experience, and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year.

A few months ago, a friend from church asked me to join her team for Relay for Life.  I said, sure... not really knowing what i was getting into.  So I went home and did some google-ing and found the website, http://www.relayforlife.org/index.  I browsed around, and eventually found my self crying.  Remembering so many loved ones who's lives have been touched my cancer.

So Friday evening on May 3, I find myself driving in the pouring rain to do Relay.  Brad's co-worker dropped him off after work, so I met up with Brad and the Relay team when I arrived.  We sat for about 15-20 minutes in the car waiting for the rain to let up, and it did.  It turned out to have lovely weather the rest of the weekend!  We talked with the team, mostly made up of family members of my friend Jessie.  I got to help with a cake walk fundraiser while there.  After the sun set, there was a Luminaria Ceremony-- a time to remember those who have been touched my cancer, light candles for those who have passed away, and walk a lap in their memory.  It was difficult to hear the speaker, so I missed a lot of it, but I was touched deeply by the memories of my loved ones.  It was an emotional time, but I was glad to have it.

Since I'm 8 months pregnant, we decided to go home for the night and sleep in my own bed... i mean, it's hard enough to get comfortable in my own bed.  Forget sleeping in a tent on the wet ground with a toddler.  NOT gonna happen!

The next morning was beautiful.  I didn't walk any laps the night before because my feet were super swollen, but I did walk about 5-6 on Saturday morning since the swelling went down a lot during the night.  It was great to talk to friends and spend time with family and friends.  Also, while walking, I noticed I was having about 2 mild contractions per lap... They were mild enough that I could keep walking at a good pace and talk without difficulty though most of them.  Continuing to walk made it feel more intense, but the second I stopped moving, everything relaxed. Darn, Braxton-Hicks contractions!

There was a closing "Duck Drop" raffle. We bought 4 duckies, but didn't win.  We did get to keep the duckies though, and that makes Naomi super happy!  She loves duckies.  Over all, it was lots of fun, and we look forward to participating again next year.  Hopefully, I won't be so huge and pregnant, and we can stay over-night for more fun events!

In Memory of

Great-Grandma and me when I was little.

My great-grandma, Francis Maedean Harkins passed away almost 8 years ago from cancer.  She's been on my mind extra lately since our little Ruthe Maedean will be named after her. I was very fortunate to spend the summer with her shortly before she passed away.  She was an incredible woman!  Strong, stubborn, kind, loving.  She had high expectations of us, and always made sure we knew that, and at the same time helped us realize we could meet those expectations. A year after she passed away, I was also able to go to the Chicago temple and do her baptism/confirmation work for her.  It was a very special experience. I love and miss Grandma Harkins very much!

Left to Right: my mom, me, great-grandma, and my great-aunt Tina
This was taken the summer shortly before she passed away.

Two weeks after my great-grandma Harkins died from cancer, my step-grandfather Bob Brown, passed away from cancer.  That was a seriously tough summer!  Most of my memories are of him telling me that I was a "perfectly good Georgia peach" that was "ruined by the d*** yankees."  He was a southern man, through and through.

Two years ago, Brad lost 2 of his uncles to different types of cancers.  His uncle Mike (from his mom's side), and his uncle Bruce (on his dad's side).  I only met them briefly once or twice, but they were incredible men.  I felt like I knew uncle Mike through Aunt Jeanne's faithful email updates and getting to know Brad's cousins (uncle Mike's children) who lived near us in Utah at the time.

Uncle Mike is in the center.  He was diagnosed with leukemia after getting home from their trip out to be at Brad and I's wedding.  A great man!

Survivors!

My dad's mom, my Grandma Mary-Ann, has had numerous types of cancers, but is still winning the fight.  I don't get updates often, but I do know she has had at least breast cancer and skin cancer.  She's such a strong woman!  I love her!

And most recently, my mom had a type of skin cancer.  She's recovering now-- the growth was surgically removed and her nose had to be reconstructed, but her dr says she's healing great and has been impressed with her recovery so far.  Way to go, Mummsie!!!

My Mummsie is a grandma! (that's her with munchkin as a newborn)
 I don't know why I don't have a more recent picture of her!  I'm sure i do, but can't find one.

I've also had friends who've been battling cancer.  Brother Teemant of one of our former Provo Family Wards is still fighting melanoma, though in remission.  And the very young son of another friend from another Provo Family Ward is in remission for childhood leukemia.

Daddy-Daughter Date

Who takes their daughter to Wal-Mart on a Saturday afternoon for a Daddy-Daughter Date?

This Daddy!

And who thought it was the most fun ever?!

This awesome, laid-back Daddy-Daughter Duo!

Munchkin and Daddy both recently had birthdays! And with Baby Ruthe coming soon, Mommy and Daddy both thought it would be good for Munchkin and Daddy to go on a date.  But when the Daddy-Daughter Date Day came, the weather was horrible-- cold, rain, snow, ick-- and munchkin had a mild stomach flu!  And it pretty much ruined all of Daddy's plans.  :-(

Well, Mommy still had some "spring cleaning" she wanted to do with Daddy and Munchkin out of the house, so she sent them out to the store to get a few things.  And Daddy decided to make this shopping trip the funnest experience ever for Munchkin.  And thus-- the Daddy-Daughter Wal-Mart Date!

Lining up the dinosaurs

trying on some sun glasses

ready for the beach, anyone?

checking herself out in the shades!

hiding in the men's shorts :-)

i know i did this as a kid

hehehe, i see you!

helping daddy push the cart

Munchkin and Daddy had so much fun at Wal-Mart doing whatever Munchkin wanted.  And Daddy got lots of whispered, "Oh my!  That is just too cute!  What an awesome Dad!" comments as he walked by.

Yeah, Daddy is awesome!