FAMILY

Haven't had time 'til now. I'm going to post some of our pictures from when my uncle & aunt came to visit as well as my sister & her boys.

In order; Hazel & Luke; Aunt Naomi & Luke; Daddy & Luke; Melody, Ryan, Tyler, Matthew & Luke; Dad, Uncle Derwood & Luke; & last but not least..Uncle Derwood, Aunt Carolyn & Luke.

I am trying to get better about pictures & posting them as well as emailing them. The emailing part is a little harder because the overall system gives me problems sometimes allowing the pics to be sent. Hopefully the "bugs" will be worked out soon & it'll be a snap like it used to be.

NOW WAYNE KNOWS....

Well Wayne finally knows what it's like to be with the kids & have one being super cranky & the other fine except when "starving". Matthew was having a really bad day yesterday. He was super cranky. I'm not sure if he was just over tired or if it's from his teeth that are coming in. BUT now Wayne has seen first hand what I go thru on a daily basis....not that Matthew is super cranky every day...just on occassion.
Both boys are down for a nap. I must be crazy to still be on the computer when I could be sleeping too. LOL!!! But it's also my soap opera time(YES!!! I am addicted to them again...as I always am when I'm off work for any amount of time).
I'm going to be working up a learning schedule for Matthew. He's already smart...knowing a lot of words that most kids his age don't know. I wish I had an extra $200....there's a learning program for kids ages 3 months to 5 years called Your Baby Can Read. It's a wonderful program!!! I want to do something like it w/Matthew.
Well by the sounds I'm hearing..it sounds like Luke may be about ready to eat again.

WHEW!!!

My "boss" & friend Judy w/the boys. Matthew was not sleepy...just in motion at time of the picture.

Below: They may be a little hard to see....Patti did a great job....made them like announcements!!!

I am tired today. Matthew got up an hour & a half earlier than normal....guess he was excited that his PaPa & Ninnie Rippel were coming to get him for breakfast. I took the opportunity to clean the house while he was gone....though it's been like 3 & 1/2 hours & they aren't back yet. I'm guessing they planned on keeping him longer than just breakfast(wish I'd been told about that...I've been hanging 'round the window waiting to do stuff because I'm afraid I won't be home or available when they bring him home). Oh well, guess he'll be home soon enough...better enjoy the "freedom" of just one child(who's not running around) while I can.....LOL!!!

We signed up for new insurance....now we're just waiting to see if we were approved. We had to find new because our insurance was/is thru my job & we won't have it anymore once I quit(no, I still haven't quit yet).

My friend, Patti, sent us some wonderful creations(above) she did with the pictures she took of Luke at the hospital. They are just adorable.

My boss came to the house on Wednesday to see the boys. She is the first non-relative to come see them. I've added the pics of her w/them above as well.

WHAT A WEEK

What a week it has been!!
My dad & Hazel came over on Tuesday. They took the boys & me out to lunch. We had a very nice time. Then that night...Matthew slept in his "bed"(playyard in our room) for the entire night. Boy were we all excited about this!! Wednesday brought along Matthew's second haircut. He did a very good job sitting there. I even had the girl "sneak" in a trim for me too. We hoped & prayed that Wednesday night would also bring another night of a Matthew-free parents bed.......
BUT no such luck......we got maybe a 30 minute kid-free zone.
Thursday, I took the boys to dad's church to this little group for newborns to toddlers called Little Blessings. Matthew had a blast!! He ran around just like all the other kids. He also had his "first" kiss. They did kind of a freeze game except instead of freezing when the music stopped, you had to hug someone. Well Matthew had a little girl hug him & then she planted a big kiss on him. It was too cute! Of course his "Pa Pa" was sitting on the side lines giving him the "thumbs up" & " way to go" signs...LOL!!!
Friday brought a LOT of work for me. I had to rearrange the third room to make the back half a " guest room" & the front half the boys play room. I had to get all their toys out of their bedroom so that we could get Matthew's new bed in there. My friend gave us a toddler race car bed. Wayne & his friend picked it up this morning. We have to get a new mattress for it tomorrow BUT Matthew loves it so far....so this could be the beginning of something great!!!! YEA!!!(fingers crossed, hoping & praying)!!!!
Well need to get some shut eye!!!

SLEEP DEPRIVED

I have not really been sleep deprived this whole time....actually Luke sleeps really well. However yesterday I did not get my usual daily nap(while both kids are sleeping). Neither child took a nap at all yesterday...wait I take that back...Luke slept for 30 minutes....BUT that was it. Thank goodness they are both down for a nap today.
Well I gotta go catch a few ZZZ's before they wake up. More later!!!

2 KIDS, 3 SHOTS, OH MY!!

We took Matthew & Luke to the doctor yesterday. Matthew was there for his 18 month old shots & Luke for his 2 week old shot. Matthew also had to have his MMR shot that I held off on having. I was "scared" of it. I was afraid that with the luck we always seem to have that he'd be one of the few that would develop autism from it(though they say that's not possible). On the way home from the doctor he must have gotten tired from the shots because he wouldn't hardly talk which freaked me out...BUT then he finally came around & started talking like he normally does.
Luke went to his first party yesterday as well. Our friend's son is turning one & she had his party yesterday...so we stopped by for a few minutes. Mathew seemed to have fun while he was there.

Back to a comment I made in my last blog...about wondering if I was going thru post partum depression. I did some research on the subject...I am not suffering from that. I had/have what is known as "baby blues". Easy to cry, emotional, etc etc. This is all I had. I would cry the first week when Wayne's parents would bring Matthew home from their house because he would stand at the door & cry for them & refused to be comforted by me. This would hurt my felings & I'd end up crying. It's better now that he's been staying at home all day with me.
Matthew has been very helpful & loving with his baby brother. He loves to hold him & kiss him etc etc.
Well I got a phone call from the girl who was going to watch the boys for me....she called to say that she's not going to be able to watch them now. I guess this works out good so that now I don't have to blame it on Wayne when I quit.
Well better sign off for now....Matthew just woke up & wants mommy.

MOM & BOYS

These aren't the greatest photos but here are some photos of me & my boys!!

LUKE AUSTIN RIPPEL

Introducing Luke Austin Rippel. This is him resting at home while mommy is snapping pictures.

He was born on January 15,2009 at 1:05pm....weighing in at 8lbs 1oz....and 19 & 1/2 inches tall.

Let me just say that my experience with this birth was totally different than with Matthew. I knew what to expect this time but some of the stuff that happened I don't remember happening the last time. This time I was looking up in the lights of the OR & realized I could see everything they were doing(kinda gross)....so I stopped looking 'til they actually got Luke out & then I looked back into the light & saw him.

Recovery was a bit different too. I got up the next moning was able to do everything they needed me to do & was up most of the day moving around. I again did not keep baby the first night I was supposed to because I believe I "over did" it that day so I was in pain.

Matthew loves his baby brother & is already very protective of him. A nurse came to take Luke for a test & Matthew screamed & cried 'til she brought him back. He has been very helpful with Luke. He helps me burp him, gets me diapers etc. What a big boy helper.

Sadly though, I think I may be suffering a little bit of post partum depression. I don't know for sure but I'm more emotional now & can cry at the drop of a hat. I'll go into more detail about this later....right now I have to go...someone's calling for "lunch".

TOMORROW!!!

Well tomorrow's the big day. Luke will be coming into this world around 1pm(EST). Hard to believe it's time already...though I'm so over being pregnant...LOL!!! It just seems like yesterday we were telling everyone that we were expecting.
I have everything ready at home. The only thing we haven't done yet is put the infant carseat back in the car. We were supposed to get that done this past weekend BUT Wayne's back was hurting from being in 2 attics a day for 3 or 4 days straight. So he says he'll do it tomorrow before we go to the hospital....otherwise he'll have to do it by himself sometime before he picks us up at the hospital on Sunday.
I had to pack a different coming home outfit for Luke because our weather changed. I only had cute onesies packed BUT since we got a cold snap that's supposed to last thru the weekend I had to find an outfit that was a little warmer(which was hard since Matthew was born in the summer & mainly had "summery" clothes). Hopefully the one I did find won't be too big on him.
Well, I better look like I'm doing some work. This will be my last blog for a few days. Will be back on sometime next week...hopefully.

3 DAYS LEFT

Hard to believe there's only 3 days left 'til this little bundle of joy is born!! I'm so ready BUT yet also a little apprehensive. I had a "bad" day yesterday. Matthew was being kind of bratty & I was trying to get a lot accomplished.....it almost overtook me. I was almost in tears wondering how in the world I am going to manage this....being a mom of two. The Lord will give me the strength to handle it, I know...but it was just a little(who am I kidding)...a lot overwhelming yesterday.
I will try to blog between now & Wednesday(or maybe Thursday morning) but if not will be back on ASAP after coming home from the hospital.

1 WEEK

YEA!!!! 1 week from today & Luke will be in this world. We are excited!! I am a little apprehensive as to how Matthew will react to his baby brother....BUT hopefully he'll be fine. We've been trying to spend as much time with him as possible for the last week or so, as well as this coming weekend(as it is his last weekend as an only child). Everything is ready for Luke's arrival except for getting the carseat back in the car & putting back on the fabric pieces(that I washed) for the swing & bouncey seat....all of which will hopefully get done by Saturday afternoon so that Sunday we can go to church & then spend rest of day just goofing off w/Matthew. I am hoping to get the house & laundry all done on Saturday so that Sunday is just a goof off day. I'd really like to be all caught up so that the last three nights before Luke's arrival that I don't have to "work" every night after working all day.
The ultrasound doctor on Tuesday said that the guesstimation of his weight is 7.5lbs(give or take a pound)....I said probably give...I really think he's going to out weigh Matthew at birth. Matthew was 7.4lbs....I really feel Luke will be at least 8+lbs. With the time frame of my surgery
both boys will have been born at almost the same exact time....which I think is pretty cool. My biggest "challenge" is not being able to drink anything after midnight. With my sinuses the way they are I'm up a couple of times just for a drink....BUT I can't that night....I can only "swish" out my mouth. And then no breakfast....I have to sit there & watch Wayne & Matthew eat & drink while I can't have anything....not fair .
Well I better get to work. I will try to blog between now & delivery day. If not, I will be on as soon as I feel up to it after I get home. I come home on Sunday....so then it might be like Wednesday the earliest....we'll see.

ACCIDENT!!!!

Here is a picture(taken 4 hours after the "accident") of Matthew's first real injury. It looks good here...especially compared to what it looked like when it first happened. I was in working in his room, trying to get it ready for Luke's arrival. He was supposed to be playing with daddy in the living room but decided he needed to see what mommy was doing. Well we had the crib pulled away from the wall & he went behind it & fell. He started crying, so I picked him up....took him out of the room & asked him if he bumped his head or what he had bumped. Well as I asked him I brushed his hair to the side & there was this huge, nasty knot on his forehead. It had a bloody looking line going right thru the center of it. I think if he had rubbed it anymore or we had pushed on it too hard it would have "erupted". So I ran to get the ice pack. Wayne snatched him away from me & wouldn't let me near him. Of course Matthew refused to let us hold the ice pack on it at all. So Wayne took him outside, making him walk around etc while I called to get an "emergency appointment" at his doctor's office(thank God for Pediatric Associates & having emergency hours 365 days a year). They told me on the phone that since he hadn't blacked out, thrown up etc that he was fine BUT went ahead & set up an appointment for us & our peace of mind to see the doctor. This happened at 11am & earliest they could take us though was 1:45pm.
This worried me since he was due to take a nap. They assured me it was fine to let him sleep as long as we kept him up for a little while right after it happened. Then she said to just check on him every hour....so I held him & every 15 minutes would "nibble" his finger to make him "squirm" a bit. We went to the doctor & she said he was fine...he might just have a black eye in the next day or two when the swelling goes down & he "bruises" more.
After getting home though, Wayne became very overprotective & wouldn't hardly let Matthew do anything at all. Sadly, even though he swears he doesn't blame me for it happening...Wayne does blame me. He said that when I saw Matthew come in to the room that I should've dropped evrything I was doing to watch him. We still don't know if he hit his head on the leg/foot of his crib or on his fire truck that was right there as well.

A few Christmas Pics

Actually these aren't really from Christmas but of Matthew wearing an outfit from his Grandpa & Grandma Rowell while riding on a toy from his PaPa & Ninnie Rippel. SO CUTE!!! When I took him there that morning I told his Ninnie that he was there to "mow the back 40"...LOL!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year to everyone. I am not one to make resolutions because I can never keep them. I usually fail w/in the first month..LOL!!! However there is one that I can keep this year & that is the one that everyone always does....losing weight. I know I can keep this one this time because I'll be able to start losing weight two weeks from yesterday..the day I have this baby. And then my goal is to lose at least everything I gained from this pregnancy(50+ lbs). With Matthew I only gained 30 lbs but lost like 47 lbs before getting pregnant w/Luke. So hopefully I'll be able to lose all the weight this time as well. I think I might be able to since I'll be running around after two little ones.
We're hoping to get some assistance w/getting our mortgage cut down(in 1/2 would be wonderful)....so that I won't have to go back to work. As of right now I need to go back...BUT....there's been a snag in my plan of going back. I knew Wayne's parents(mom really) would not be able to take care of two little ones so I checked into daycares in the area. YIKES!!!! The prices are so high & w/what little I make I couldn't even afford it....my check wouldn't cover but like 1 & 1/2 wks w/nothing left for me. So then I talked to my one friend about watching them(she's a stay at home mom). I had it all arranged...$150/wk for both kids. Only drawback is she lives like 20 miles away from us & about 10-15 miles away from my work. BUT I was gonna bite the bullet & do it anyways. Well I guess in all the talks about it...Wayne never heard me say that she would have to put them in the car to take 1 of her kids to school(right around the corner from her house...not a 5 minute drive)....he didn't hear it 'til I was talking w/my dad & Hazel about it....then all of a sudden he started "freaking" out about her driving them around. So he put his foot down about it...so now I can't use her "services". So now I really have no choice but to not return to work.....which is a slight problem....well not for me but for my boss. She wanted to know back at the beginning of December if I was quitting....so she could hire someone & I could train them before leaving. Well lucky for her, we closed a store & the manager is training to "fill-in" for me while I'm on leave. I just can't bring myself to tell her I'm not coming back....I guess I'm hoping things will change so that I could come back.
Well I better get back to work.

3 WEEKS(minus 1 day) LEFT

My scheduled c-section is 3 weeks from yesterday(& not a moment too soon...lol). I can't wait!! I'm in the state of "misery". I can't get comfortable in any position(sitting, standing, laying, etc etc). Soon it'll be over though & I'll have precious little Luke joining our family.
Hate to say it but so glad Christmas is over. We changed it up a little this year. We only went to his parents for Christmas eve(instead of both eve & day/night). Then we went to dad & Hazel's for lunch on Christmas day.
I feel so bad for dad & Hazel. I had to use them as babysitters that one day & I guess it traumitized Matthew. He is such a "creature of habit" & to have a "monkey wrench" thrown into his routine....it has apparently "scarred" him. Now every time we go to their house...he starts crying as soon as we get to the front door. I'm hoping he'll grow out of this. And hopefully he won't cry when they come over to our house the next time. His reaction each time(now) is really hurting them. I feel so bad BUT there's nothing I can really do about it.
I just found out a few days ago that one of my really good friends will be in town when I have Luke. I can't wait to see her. I hope & pray she is able to make it to the hospital to see me.
Well I better start thinking about doing a little work while I'm here....LOL!!!
Hope everyone had a great Christmas!! We used a disposable camera for our pictures this time around...so as soon as I get them developed & a disk(or scanned to my home computer) I'll post them on here.
Matthew hadn't quite grasped the concept of unwrapping the gifts yet...BUT he had a blast with everything he got for Christmas!!
More in a while!!

4 Christmases

Matthew is having "4 Christmases". He had 1 yesterday...we let him open his gifts from his "Aunt Sandy" from church. Talk about having a blast!! He wouldn't even stop playing w/his toys long enough to eat lunch. Then #2 will be Christmas eve w/Wayne's family. #3 will be Christmas morning w/us & then #4 will be later that day w/my dad & Hazel. Matthew is going to have a blast!! He still doesn't "grasp" the concept of opening gifts(still needs a little help w/them) but once they are open he's all about them....LOL.
3 weeks from Christmas day!!! if Luke lasts that long....LOL!! I hope he does(even though I am completely miserable) because I have a lot to do before then...lol!!
Well better get back to work...boss just walked in...lol.
If not back on before then...hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!

4 WEEKS TO THE DAY LEFT

Well by this time 4 weeks from now, I will be in recovery(if not already in my room). It's not that far away yet it seems it at times.
My doctor said that what the other doctor meant about the baby being 2 wks more than me...had nothing to do w/my due date needing to be changed. It just meant that at that moment he was the size of a 33 wk old "fetus"/baby.
I still don't know if I'll actually make it to my actual scheduled delivery date or not. Noone I know thinks I will either. I look like he could drop out at any moment...LOL!!
Matthew is having a hard time lately if his daddy is not home within a half an hour of us getting home. I went thru another evening of him crying for more than an hour because he wanted his daddy. He wouldn't even take comfort from me..his own mommy. He wanted only either his daddy or his "Ninnie"...BUT no mommy. I now kind of know how my dad & Hazel felt a few weeks ago when they watched him & he cried for an hour for me. He was so upset last night that even in the brief moments when he'd be "calm" & I asked him if he was ready for dinner, he'd start crying again(I guess he associated eating with his daddy)....so needless to say he never ate dinner last night. He fell asleep before Wayne got home & had refused to eat until he got home. I hate that he didn't eat but I can't force him to either. I'm sure he won't suffer from missing one meal(especially after hearing what he'd had for breakfast...he ate more for breakfast than I did for breakfast, lunch & snacks...LOL).
Well better do some work(LOL) before it's time to go home for the day.

BIG BOY!!!

FUNNY FACE!!!! But look at the hair!!! This is the first picture taken after his very first haircut....which he had done this past Saturday(12/13/08). Daddy was so excited that he finally got a haircut. Everyone was...except mommy!!! I loved my lil man's curls he had in the back. BUT I caved to the "pressure" of everyone saying how badly he needed a haircut. I only caved because I thought it was important for me to be involved in it...& I had a fear that someone else would sneak him away for one while I'm in the hospital having his brother. I did good while he was getting it cut....BUT I did cry a little bit afterwards(in the car) because he no longer looks like my "little boy".....now he looks like a little "man". It has grown on me & I do love it...it was just hard at first...LOL!!! BUT since he got his haircut he has "changed"....he has become more "stubborn" & defiant....LOL...even his daddy noticed...LOL!!!
Well I go to my doctor today. I'm in the stage of appointments every 2 wks now. I have to ask her if I had heard the ultrasound doctor correctly the last time when she said that I was 31 wks & 5 days but that the baby was 33 wks +. If so, there's a chance I won't make it to my January 15th scheduled c-section. Plus this past Sunday night, I was having contractions(at least I think they were contractions...LOL). I say think so because I never had them w/Matthew....so not completely sure what they feel like. I just know that whatever was happening was not something I ever felt w/Matthew. Who knows...maybe I was having sympathy pains for Wayne's cousin's wife who had their son Sunday night...LOL!!!
Oh yes....time for the BIG announcement!!!! It hasn't been told to everyone(not sure if all of Wayne's family knows yet or if they are still calling the baby..#2...his dad was told the name so I assume he told Wayne's mom & so forth)......this baby's name will be.....Luke Austin Rippel.
Well I better do some work seeing as I leave in a little less than an hour.

Growing Up

Matthew & daddy taking a ride on Papa's(grandpa Rippel's) riding lawn mower. Matthew saying "hey I'm going to drive this thing by myself".

He is becoming such a lil' man. So grown up!! He's definitely not a baby anymore.

Matthew is "speaking" more & more w/each passing day. Last night we started going thru some flashcards w/him. Then I decided that we'd just pick one each Monday night at dinner & that would be his "word" of the week. His word this week is apple.....AND he did say it two times last night during dinner(as I was showing him the card). He's very smart. He knows exactly what we are talking about(no matter what the subject). For example...while he was sick a few weeks ago...he got "hooked" on the bottle again(anything to get him to drink enough fluids). Well it's gotten to the point that I want him "broke" of it again but he can be very demanding...LOL....so if he says bottle I ask him "what do you want? do you want a b-o-t-t-l-e(I spell it out)?" He then shakes his head yes.....the kid already knows how to spell bottle....LOL!!!

Well I hate to have to close but I better.

BACK PAINS

I have back labor. NOT FUN!!! I honestly don't know if this child will wait until the scheduled surgery day or not. I meant to ask my regular doctor the other day, if I had understood the ultrasound doctor correctly. I'd swear last week when I had my ultrasound done that she had told me that on that day I was 31 wks 5 days(according to my Jan. 22nd due date) but that the baby was measuring 33 wks. I will have to remember to ask at my next doctor's appt. on Dec. 16th. I'm thinking if I heard correctly, that there's a good, strong chance that this baby will come earlier than expected(more like closer to my original due date of Jan. 9th).
I'm still sick. Matthew is still congested a little bit as well. I really hate being sick. It's so very annoying!!!
Well better get back to work.