Who has the cutest baby bump...

I guess I do!! Anyone that reads my family blog saw that I won the Cutest Bump Contest this weekend----thought it was only appropriate to add it to Jillian's blog---considering I wouldn't have entered or won if it wasn't for her!!! :)

Also this weekend, another GREAT long time friend of mine, Brianne, was in town...and brought a present for both Jillian and I! She got me a robe and slippers for my hospital stay---which I thought was soooo thoughtful and practical---love it!!!!!! She also got Jillian a little stuffed animal/blanket that is adorable, and has a little butterfly on it! Thanks so much Brianne----very thoughtful of you!!!!!

I had Ellie take a picture of me in my robe and slippers tonight, then of course, she had to put her robe on too and wanted me to take her picture, then we took this self portrait before bed---just thought I would add those as well----but forgot to get a picture of Jillian's gift---I will post that tomorrow---it's cute! :)

A busy week for us---maternity pics tomorrow, dr. visit tomorrow, and a trip to Omaha for a dr. visit on Thursday----the countdown is on---14 days from tomorrow Jillian will make her way into this world-----so anxious to meet her, but not at all ready to say goodbye----just PRAYING for TIME----lots of time....

Details

This week, we have gotten a couple things out of the way we needed to do.

Yesterday we met with our nursing staff at the hospital. They were all wonderful, and they also lent me a copy of the book "Waiting for Gabriel." I have seen the book and have wanted to read it, so am excited to start it tonight. Anyway----we met with 6 nurses that will be with us during delivery and after, and we couldn't be happier with how wonderful they all were. We went over a few delivery details of how we see things all happening, and talked about our stay as well. There is an OB section of the hospital where we stayed when Malia was born, so I assumed that is where we would be again, the only downfall is there really isn't a good "waiting area" so they told us and showed us a room they have on the general floor, that has a couch that pulled into a bed for Adam and a recliner and very spacious. Also directly across the hall is another room that has a couple couches, recliners, table and chairs, tv.....so nice for all of our family to feel comfortable and it is all together, so no one has to be too far from us. We were thrilled when we saw the set up, so decided that would be perfect for us! They also gave us a tour of the operating room, and showed us where our family can wait, and there is also a small waiting room right outside of the operating room for our girls(maybe), our parents and Father to wait so Jillian can be baptized right after she is born----again, it is a perfect setup for us! We will go over details with our family as it gets closer, but puts our minds at ease to actually see where we will be and they walked us through each step---it was awesome!

Then today, we finally met with Scott and Connie at the funeral home. I have been putting this off for obvious reasons, but really it wasn't that bad at all. I didn't even shed a tear. It was a very relaxed setting, and we got a few questions answered and now will just wait until Jillian arrives for the little details. We also had a plot for Jillian at the Catholic Cemetery, and we were so lucky that Adam's Grandma and Grandpa Lansink have an extra plot on the other side of their stone, so that is where we have decided to lay Jillian to rest, which is comforting knowing she will be right with family, and not by herself somewhere. Adam and I were not ready to buy our plots yet, so this will work out great. We also talked to Scott about her marker, and we originally had though we would get her name put on the large stone that is already there, but he had a great suggestion we hadn't thought about yet----which is not to add her info to the marker there, and just do a flush bronze plate for now, and he said that way, when Adam and I are ready someday to buy our plots and headstone, that she can be moved to be with us, and all info can be added to our headstone. (I still can't believe I even have to think about this all at age 28, so surreal to be thinking about burial plots?) So we have decided to go that route for now.

I must say I already feel so much better about having these details worked out and the rest we will just "go with the flow" when the time comes. I am sure some things could change, and also not knowing how much time we have with Jillian I think makes a big difference on plans, etc. So just a waiting game now...

Just one last thing----which is more of a fun thing for me is our maternity pictures! We plan to have them done in the next week, I just need to call to schedule it! You know how much I LOVE photography, so anytime we can get our pictures taken is always exciting to me! :)

So that is all for now----still feeling pretty good. I had a rough couple weeks, but for the most part doing pretty well emotionally right now. Just taking it easy and staying inside as much as possible----100 degree weather and this humidity does a number on my feet!!!!

Thanks again for checking in and your prayers are always welcome! :)

{Smile}

Yesterday I was quite surprised to go to the mailbox and have 2 packages!

The first one was a gift that my mom had sent for Jillian, a cute white tiny Bible with an embroidered cover that Jillian keep with her. She had also bought 2, so we can keep the same one in her memory box! Thanks so much mom-----we love them and Jillian will too, knowing it was picked out with love from Nana! :)

Second was the necklace I had won from Holly's Blog, Caring For Carleigh. It was a gift created by Sue at My Forever Child and is BEAUTIFUL!!! It is a silver chain with a pendant that has all 3 of our girls' names on it, with a gem for each of them. If you get a chance be sure to go to My Forever Child and check out all her items, she does a great job and has some really cool items on her site! I can't thank Holly and Sue enough for putting this drawing together, and was so excited to be the winner! There are so many up and down days, and fun drawings like this is such a great idea, and sure brightened my day! (Maybe in the future I can put something together on my blog!?)

Again----I don't even have the right words to thank our friends and family for all the kindness we have been shown already---we are so fortunate to have wonderful people around us and helping us through this----we are so very lucky!!!!!

More Special Gifts

Here are a couple special gifts we got this week:

This first one is a Willow Tree that is a gift from my Grandpa----or Jillian's Great Grandpa Schafer! I LOVE IT!

The card on this reads

"A TREE, A PRAYER:

MAY YOU FIND STRENGTH, BEAUTY AND PEACE EACH DAY"

I don't have this one yet, and goes great with my collection! Thank you so much Grandpa!!!!!

The second one was this blanket for Jillian. My Grandma Schafer had asked if there was something else I needed or wanted for Jillian that they could get for her, so I thought a blanket with her name on it would be prefect! I have always loved this minky material, and found this website Southern Sassy Pants on etsy--and got an adorable one---a great keepsake to add to her memory chest! Thank you so much Grandma!!! I know Jillian will love being all snuggled up in it! :)

The Date is Set

I met with my surgeon today, and set the date of July 14 as Jillian's Birthday! Wow, I wasn't quite prepared for that, it is only 4 short weeks from today. My due date is actually July 29, so 2 weeks early, which I think should be fine. He was pretty nice, but I am seriously TERRIFIED to have a C-Section! I have never any any kind of surgery in my life, so this is giving me so much anxiety---but I hope we are making the right choice, and this will allow us some extra time with Jillian. I don't like the fact that I am pretty much helpless, that after she is born, I still have to lay there and get stitched up, but I am sure it will all work out, just so many things to think about! I am almost done with my birth plan, and we are going to meet with our nurses in the next couple weeks too, which will be great to go over our expectations and make sure we are all on the same page. So far, I was told three nurses that will be with us, and couldn't be happier!

As far as myself, I have really had to slow things down a bit, if I overdo it, my back kills me and I get slight cramps in my stomach, so I have been trying to take it easy----but body tells me when I have done too much! Hoping to get a lot of going to the pool with the girls, and relaxing over the next few weeks----and just one thing left to do, and that is talking to the funeral home. I keep putting it off, for obvious reasons, but will be forced to do that this week sometime....oh and our maternity pictures! I FINALLY figured out our outfits, so will hopefully be getting those done in the next week or so too---but other than that, I have everything I need for Jillian, her suitcase is even already packed, just in case something happened early, I wanted to make sure I at least had all of her stuff ready to go! We also meet one more time with our doctor in Omaha---so hoping for once last chance to see her cute little face on the 3D ultrasound before we get to meet her. I am sure the next 4 weeks are going to just fly by, so I just want to sit back and relax and enjoy every last minute of this----and the girls have REALLY sparked an interest the last week or so in watching my tummy move all about! I also plan to get a video---sometimes my tummy looks like a tidal wave!

Oh---and I have the cutest story about Malia...
the other night while I was tucking her into bed, we were talking about Jillian, and how mommy will have to go to the hospital to get her out of my tummy, etc, and were going through all the people that get to hold her, and Malia was saying she was going to hold her, and kiss her and then I said "what are you going to say to Jillian?" (thinking she would say I love you or something like that) and she instantly started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".....she is going to sing to her!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously it was adorable!!!! Still if you ask her now what she is going to say to her sister, she will start singing----I better get that on video as well----melts my heart!
Ellie also has lots of questions, and wanted to know the other day where Jillian was going to sleep, if we get to bring her home, since we don't have a room for her, or she will say things like, "Oh, I just love Jillian so much, why does she have to die?" I know this is going to be hard on her as well----but we have a great support system and we will all get through this together.

Well, I have a couple "gifts" I need to go take pictures of to post, so look for another post later!

Thanks for everyone for keeping up with us and our journey, and all the kinds words and prayers-----it is greatly appreciated! :)

Emotional Ups and Downs

This week has probably been the worst week I have had in months emotionally. I think it set it in that in a few short weeks, little Jillian will be here. With that comes excitement to get to meet her and hold her, but also comes sadness to have to think we have to say goodbye. I have tried my best to stay positive, and to keep my head up, but that is getting harder everyday. This is suppose to be an exciting time---I should be getting her nursery situated, and getting all her clothes washed, folded and hung in her closet and dreaming about what it is going to be like with 3 little girls in the house and how Ellie and Malia would be awesome big sisters---but that was all shattered and we just don't know why?

I know we are so lucky she is still with us at 33 weeks and hope she can hold out for another few weeks, and I know the time we get with her will be wonderful and special and we will treasure it forever. It's just a lot to deal with sometimes....

Reporting in...

Reporting in for all my followers...I feel like I don't update this blog as much as I do my family one, but I don't really have much to report! Things are going just fine, which is good! I can't believe Jillian is due in 8 short weeks-----wow, hard to imagine! I have been feeling great, a little tired, probably because I have hit the "up 5 times in the night to pee" phase, so I am not getting much sleep, but that is expected, and was the same with Ellie and Malia!



We did call the funeral home today and are planning to go in and talk to them next week---this is the part I have been putting off, but it is time to get all that in order, in case Jillian decides to come early, we will have everything ready. So more details on that next week.



The girls and I had also gotten a gift from one of my best friends Katie a couple weeks ago, and wanted to post. She got all of us matching necklaces, that have little rings on them with words...mine has the words MOTHER, STRENGTH, and MEMORIES and the girls both have SISTER and REMEMBER. They are really so neat and I seriously wear mine EVERYDAY--well Malia too, she is always asking if she can wear her necklace too! I also love that I can add rings with different words---I am sure I will be adding some soon! Thank you so much Katie---we love them and it is so nice you were thinking of us!



Here is one picture I have that Adam took when we were all three wearing them!!!!