Take A Baby to Work day

I love that Ellie is at work with me. Sure, it takes longer to get stuff done, but I am more productive during her naps than I usually am during the day. Also, she keeps me in line when she's awake.

We talk about all the things I'm doing. It's all good.

Besides, Daddy is out making sure if I stopped breathing in public, more people would know how to resuscitate me. Yea for CPR/First Aid classes!!!

New Ellie Tummy Time Pictures!

Can I eat the camera?

What do you mean Mark was in town and didn't come to see me???

Hey, there's a mirror there!

Things to look forward to later in life...

Hi, gang.

I'm almost glad that this last week happened when it did. For those of you who haven't heard, my Grandpa Archie died last Saturday night. We just got done holding services for him Thursday morning.

Why am I glad about the timing? I'm not as talented as my sister is at explaining things like death to small children. Ellie is a baby, hence no need to explain things yet. However, my niece and nephew are old enough to get it. My sister did a good job, and kids made it through the visitation, funeral, and burial just fine. Better than I did for my Great-grandpa Tony when I was their age.

Oh, well. I know explaining complex, abstract ideas to small children comes with being a parent. I'm just glad it hasn't come yet.

Ellie was baptized!!

Pictures of the little girl's big day! By the way, T, she wore the dress you sent us that day after the antique baptism gown was put away.

Thanks to all who made it so special!

Will back in two more weeks...

Sorry that I haven't been blogging at all. We've been having problems with my breastmilk supply and Ellie not gaining weight. Basically, this mom thing is all consuming.

I will start blogging again regularly in two weeks when I go back to work. I'll need the break when I'm homesick and missing Ellie and Kevin.

Thanks again for your continuing prayers. Ellie's weight is finally above her birth weight and we are on track again.

We look forward to seeing everyone on my side at the shower this weekend.

Mackenzie - the tired, but happy mom

Mommy sings the blues...

To be perfectly honest, I love my little girl more than anything. Kevin's parents are here (and taking great care of us by the way - Julie is cooking up a storm!). I am sharing her well, but I find I'm becoming one of those moms who want to grab her back and say, "Mine." :)

However, it's been a week of crying for me too. I've found that so much change and sleep deprivation has taken its toll on me. They try to explain to you before hand that grief will be a part of the process, but I didn't believe it until it happened.

I'll try to post more pictures at the start of next week - when we don't have company and need a new distraction.

Mackenzie

A few new pictures...

I thought that I would add some more photos today!

Cousins Emma and Gabe show Ellie her birthday cards.

Emma and Gabe putting hearts in "Elliebear", Ellie's first teddy.

Emma and Gabe whispering wishes into Elliebear's hearts.

Ellie's pilates routine! :)

Welcoming...Eliana Marguerite!

Ellie's first sponge bath at home.

Kevin and Ellie rocking in the postpartum room.

Ellie gets her APGAR tests. Two 9s!

Mackenzie meets Baby EllieBear

Hello, Friends!

It is my great pleasure to introduce Baby Bear to the world! Please meet Miss Eliana Marguerite Grondahl, born on January 30, 2009.

She is adorable and very strong. She has been lifting her head and looking at the world since she was first on Mama's belly.

Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We will be blogging more in the coming days. Right now, we are trying to adjust to our new life as the Three Bears, instead of Two Bears with One on the way.

Love to you all,

Mackenzie, Kevin, and Ellie

Getting closer...

Good morning!

I'm happy to report that I am miserable having contractions 7-10 minutes apart. So far, it has shown all the signs of real labor, and we are moving into our labor plan of action. I will be working at home until I reach the magic 3-5 minutes interval, and then we'll call the doc.

Please keep us in your prayers!

Mackenzie

My longest day of the week

This is my longest day of the week. I'm at work until at least 7 with my night class.

It's pretty nice in the middle time between when people go home and class. It's nice and quiet here. I can get some creative work done. I think my brain needs the psychic room to play.

I'm very glad I can get home in time to see Lost, too.

Today is kinda fun. I'm having stronger contractions, and I'm actually able to practice my breathing exercises. It's easy to do that with an actual contraction than using sense memory. However, I've got to say that the practice we did in class made it pretty easy to kick in the skills automatically. It's the fact that I know what the contraction feels like now, and know that it works, and I can tweak my practice.

Back to work.

Mackenzie

The second post

Just to update everyone:

The doctor didn't send me to the hospital. It's ok. My cervix is still at the same dilation it was two weeks ago. I guess there are some finishing touches that still need to be done on Baby Bear.

Next week's appt: on Monday, they'll do an ultrasound and non-stress test to make sure that Baby Bear is still doing well. There isn't concern at this point. It's just standard orders.

So more walking at the mall tonight...

Mackenzie

Today will be a double post day

Things are changing. I was having actual contractions last night. I'm still at work, but we have achieved show. (If you don't know what that is, you can look it up. I need to be oblique so that my brother-in-law will feel comfortable reading this.)

I'm just excited that I know I am dilating and, oddly, that the pain is "real" labor.

Now if it just gets more regular and progresses...

I have the weekly OB appt in less than an hour. So, you will probably get an update after that - unless they send me straight to the hospital. Yeah, I know... like that ever happens.

Mackenzie

Can you get the bends on land?

Seriously, I have been getting charlie horses all over my body. I think I have the bends.

On the other hand, it hasn't been a contraction day. Bummer, dude.

We're heading to the mall after work to walk again. I'm also nauseous. Hopefully, I'm not getting flu-ish again.

Back to work.

Mackenzie

One more day

It was great to have Mom and Dad here today. We walked around the mall for a couple of hours. I've been having some kind of contractions around every hour. They last about a minute, but they haven't sped up at all.

So it looks like I'll be at work tomorrow.

Kevin read me the last entry in the week by week calendar that he gets on e-mail. It reminded us that this could go on for weeks.

Well, I guess I should go down and check on our mattress pad. I washed it today, but I'm nervous it won't be try. I had never washed a waterproof mattress pad before. It made a lake under its place on the line.

Good to know before we start washing the baby's mattress pad.

Mackenzie

The random contractions are stronger...

Well, false labor is getting stronger. I think that's good in the sense that it's like I'm in training. I am getting used to feeling of having my stomach get all tensed up.

However, it's only really the top of my uterus that's doing the tensing. Everything else is the same. We walked around Wal-Mart today to keep working the baby down. It's the best we can do when the temperature is dropping back into the freezer.

Tomorrow will be a good distraction. My mom and dad are coming down for the day. :) It's better than hanging around the house or the office pretending that I'm not impatient. I can do something!

Mackenzie

Skipping around today...,

I had a post all planned out in my head this morning with a metaphor and everything. It's lost now. I've been listening to my peppy labor playlist that I put together for my iPod. I'm just kinda dancing in my chair.

I told a couple people this yesterday, but I stood up after a meeting yesterday afternoon, and I felt like if I took another step the baby was going to fall out! Then it happened again once last night and again this morning when I was getting ready. It's a slightly wiggy experience. It goes away pretty quickly, but still. It's good that my brain gets that the baby can't just fall out. Cause I would have just panicked otherwise.

Can I just stop to say that Dolly Parton rocks? I've got "Here You Come Again" playing right now, and I love it. Great beat and amazing arrangement that just pulls you through the song.

Back to what I was saying, I'm thinking my body must be slow jamming on the whole early labor phase. I can feel things happening, but just not drastic changes. So, who knows? Maybe it'll take a little longer to get to the final delivery, but that part will just be slick, because the long part was done in little bits and pieces.

OK, back to work... "Carry On, My Wayward Son" just started. This is a great start to my morning. :)

I like backrubs

The positive side of still being pregnant is that Kevin gives me backrubs with this great Omniball - it's ball set into a base that can roll any direction. Kinda like a caster. But it feels great.

So, I do enjoy sitting on my birth ball getting backrubs. In fact, I could use one right now. :) Too bad it won't be until tonight.

By the way, Happy Iowa is in the 40s Day! Enjoy it while it lasts!

Mackenzie

The One Where Mackenzie Waits...

You'd think that I would be happy for each extra day I get in the office with all the important things I need to finish, but it is really disappointing to wake up in the morning, and not be in labor. I keep hoping that the full day of Baby Bear pushing on my pelvis and minor contractions will actually translate into something, but nope.

Technically, it has. Like Kevin mentioned, we went from 0% effaced to 80% and Zero Station over the week. So there is work being done. And slow, gentle progress is good for the baby and me.

I'm just impatient not knowing when its going to happen for sure.

Best way to deal is to get back to work. I've got a night class tonight I didn't think I would attend, so I have to prepare for that on top of everything else today.

Mackenzie

Getting closer...

Mackenzie and I just finished visiting the doctor once again. We are happy to say we are offically at zero station and 80% effacement. What this means, for those who might not understand, is we are REALLY close! One day very soon we will be off to the hospital!

Lately I have entered the world of car seats, and I didn't realize how much of an enigeering marvel thet truely are. I mean with the straps, attachements, clips, and covers it makes me wonder how I as a child of the dates with out one survived car trips! I am glad to say we are prepared for our trip home with a really nice car seat, AND I know how to put it properly in the car.

Have a wonderful day :)

Kevin

Looks like we made it...

In the immortal words of Barry Manilow, looks like we've made it. I have been hoping to make it through the Big Planning Meeting at work today without going into labor. We have done it. The meeting is over. I am still pregnant. :)

Now commence labor. Wait... that didn't work. OK, now I'm on to being afraid Baby Bear is going to be late. Glad my childbirth educator gave us some things to try. We also have an OB appt. tomorrow. We're a week away from the due date.

Please pray for sooner rather than later. I want to be back to work part time in early March.

Back to work for an hour. Then home to sit on my birth ball.

Mackenzie

Sorry it took so long...

I'm sorry that it took so long to post. I overdid it on Friday at work, so I slept most of the day on Saturday. So I'm finally getting to it tonight.

Not much is happening. Baby Bear is squirrelly at regular intervals. I am uncomfortable when I sit in chairs. However, I found a sweet spot in the bed that seems to put me right to sleep. I like it.

Tomorrow is the big meeting that I've been hoping I would make. After 3 pm tomorrow, I'll be completely relaxed and ready to give birth whenever. Not that it's any of my choice, but I hope I make it that far. :)

OK, I actually need to eat dinner now. Food seems to be very important to me these days.

Mackenzie

Pregnancy for Dummies video was SCARY!!

I am really glad that things have changed in the years since Pregnancy for Dummies was filmed. I thought I was going to hide under the bed and refuse to come out during the delivery section. One woman had a pretty easy labor to that point, and from all indications handled the pain pretty well. (Albeit she had an epidural that was so good that she had to be told it was time to push - and she was pretty surprised.) When she got into delivery, the narrator calmly says, "Well, things aren't going as well as the doctors would like, so they need to use a common tool: forceps." And then there is a shot of a set of metal forceps that make them look huge and it seems like the shot should have been accompanied by the "dun, dun, duuuuuuun" soundtrack.

When they cut back to this woman, she is screaming in pain. The kind of screaming that sounds like someone is being ripped apart or tortured.

Now, after the delivery, she seems much better - aside from when she delivers the afterbirth and she is in pain again (not screaming pain THANK GOD). However, considering all three of the women they showed had epidurals, labored flat on their backs, and one of the remaining women had a C-section after 24 hours of labor including 2 hours of pushing; I did not feel comforted at all.

So, now I'm working on mentally undoing those images. Fortunately, the "what to expect in the 1st 3 months of life" wasn't as scary.

To be fair, the section on how to tell if you are in labor was great. When they did a true or false quiz, Kevin and I reflexively knew all the right answers. Yea us!

Back to work.

Mackenzie

Winter Storms by Papa Bear

Today while getting some breakfast around I heard a strange noise only to see our neighbor snowblowing our driveway. Then I also realized our other neighbor was blowing our sidewalk. After I got my layers on, I went out to thank them. They were both surprised to see us home. Both of them thought we might be at the hospital! This brings me to a thought I have had for a while now. What if the little one wants to do the same thing I did when I was born.

My mother loves to tell the story (at every birthday) about how there was this big snow storm right before I was born. While there was still snow in the driveway my mom went into labor. So everyone had to come and help get the driveway cleared so my folks could get the car out and head to the hospital.

I pray that this doesn't happen, but I guess it would serve me right!

Hope you all stay warm!

Things for me to remember...

I find that remembering things is more and more difficult, just like my appetite and growling stomach are becoming more and more insistent.

However, there are a few mantras that I keep trying to repeat: (This is also part of my 30-day pro-activity experiment as I read through "The 7 habits of Highly Effective People"):

1. Get up and walk every hour. I get lost in my work and when I do get up, I feel like my calves are tree trunks.
   
2. Drink lots of water. If my water bottle is empty, it also gives me a good excuse to see mantra #1.
3. Use the bathroom frequently in the middle of the night. I've got to say, the last two nights I could have sworn I was going into labor, just to use the bathroom and have the pain go away. I'm just too lazy to get out of bed when it doesn't hurt, and then I'm in pain. I'm learning!

We were very happy to get through the snowstorms of the last two days with no baby. I thought for sure it would come during the so-called blizzard. Actually, it probably would have been fine if it did, since the blizzard never materialized here.

One blessing to report today... when I finally left to go to work after our 2 hr delay, there were neighbors with snowblowers working on our driveway. I love living on our street! One of the men was surprised to see me leaving - he knew from talking to Kevin that I was close to delivery and thought I would be staying home at this point. Even in Waverly, my neighbors didn't know that much about me!

Back to work!

Mackenzie

The One Where Mackenzie is Surprised...

First, we promised one Miss Zelle that we would post a belly shot. So, here you go:



It's not the most flattering picture, but it gets the point across. :)

This afternoon we had our 38 week checkup. It was supposed to be a measure and listen appointment. Well, color me surprised when the nurse not only tells me I gained around five pounds this week, but that I was going to have a dilation check.

A cervical exam is NO FUN for Mom or Baby Bear. But, we did learn that I am dilated to a fingertip. I'm not sure I needed to know that, since it just makes the waiting worse. But it was kind of crazy to think about.

We both were given a thumbs up and see you next week. I get to watch what I eat, but my blood pressure is still 106/70. I like at least one good number a week.

Baby Bear is punishing me now for getting poked about by the doctor. It's pressing very hard both high and low. I think it must be stretched out all the way to get its feet under my ribs and its head so forcefully on my bottom. But I'm going to go set up in the bedroom and stretch out. Maybe I can make amends by spreading out the playground.

Mackenzie

The One Where Baby Bear Grows...

Baby Bear has grown a lot this week. It has dropped for sure. It feels like carrying a 1/4 keg between my thighs. I imagine the woodcuts of women from Prohibition in downtown Cedar Falls who would transport small kegs of moonshine under their skirts between their legs.

The baby doesn't know that it is bigger, though. It still thinks it should be able to move as freely as it has the whole pregnancy. Oy, it hurts when the elbows come out! Fortunately, it is much less often that I get feet in the ribs. I LOVED being able to sing out in church this morning. I haven't been able to make it through a whole service without getting dizzy for two months. Baby Bear must have enjoyed it too. It stopped squirming when I sang. :)

We've got our next appointment tomorrow. Just a measure and listen appt. Then the week of the 19th is our 39 week examination.

Two weeks away from our due date. Thank you to everyone for your support! We're so thankful to be at 38 weeks with a healthy baby and healthy mama and as much of the nursery filled as possible. We love you all, and so will the baby when it comes into the wintery world.

Mackenzie

My last quiet morning?

Here I sit with my coffee looking over at the pile of bags just waiting to head out. Out little one is setting lower each day. Letting us know the show will begin soon. Last night while talking to "her" or "him" I was rubbing Mackenzie's belly and caused a contraction. Looks like things are going along swimmingly!

I would like to thank everyone for their support and prayers. We have been blessed with so many wonderful things and the many prayers that go with them. Thank you all for everything!

I will do my best to keep you informed!

The Weekend

Yippee! Work week is over, although I will work this weekend from home. There's a new major grant that just came out this week that I need to work on and my assignment sheets aren't completely finished for my classes I'm teaching this semester. I'm being overambitious now, so I can focus on the grant the rest of the semester.

Anyway, my super-awesome Task Force threw me a surprise baby shower today at our monthly meeting! It was so sweet. One of my faculty members made two quilts that I get the boy or the girl one once we know. I'll put a picture up, but I wish we had "Feel-O-Vision", because the backing is soooooooo soft. Now I just need to find the quilt my Great Grandma Erma made me, so we can have it around too.

OK, time to go home. Kevin's cooking something new tonight and I'm excited. :)

Mackenzie

Baby Bear is a Yo-Yo

First, Baby Bear taunts us with close but no cigar looks at his or her gender. Now, it's the "did baby drop or not" torture. Yesterday, I woke up with my stomach much lower than usual. I could breathe easier again. By last night, when Kevin and I took down the Christmas decorations, it felt like the kid was going to fall out, it was so low.

But today, Baby Bear is back up again with feet nearing my ribs. If this is any indication of our child's personality, I think we're going to have our hands full! :)

Mackenzie

Why "Three Bears Blogging"?

Since nothing much is happening on the labor front today, I thought I would explain why we are calling the blog "Three Bears Blogging."

When Kevin married me, he became the second Uncle Kevin. My first cousins are around the same age as my niece and nephew, and my dad's name is also Kevin. It quickly became apparent that there would be no easy way to deal with this. My dad is Kevin James. Kevin is Kevin John. KJ wouldn't work. And their full names were kind of a mouthful for the kids at the time.

So we went with Bear for Kevin, since he already had that nickname from earlier. Now he is officially Uncle Bear. Which aside from the great Goldilocks allusion, the Three Bears things fell into place.

That's the update for today.

Back to work!

Mackenzie

Today's OB appt report

First, the really good news...the baby is absolutely doing fine. It has a strong heartbeat and seems to be positioned the right way. Also, my blood pressure is 116/70 and my weight is where it needs to be. (In case you don't remember, I lost a bunch of weight during the first two trimesters and then suddenly gained a bunch and the doctors wanted me to watch it. They are happy now.)

Second, the somewhat grouchy news... I tested positive for Strep B, which means I get IV penicillin 4 x during labor. Fortunately, the doctor said it won't inhibit my mobility, so I'll still get to use the bath, walk the halls, and sit on my birth ball.

In other news, my cold is hanging on despite Sudafed's best efforts. But I get another dose soon!

I'm looking forward to more real food tonight as my lunch and breakfast were just grand today.

OK, back to work.

Mackenzie

Blogging to Baby Bear

Ok, this is the first post and it will be short. Mostly because Kevin and I are both sick. My battery on my laptop is also dying.

We're getting to the end of the pregnancy. Jan. 27 is our due date, but we've heard the different docs in our group of OBs put us earlier. In any case, we've reached the safe point where any time is a safe time. We're just waiting.

I got my hopes up two days ago when I started cramping while we were registering at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a stomach virus. Grrr.

Oh, well.

Thanks to everyone who wanted to hear about Baby Bear. This blog is at your request.