Busy day...

Today was a busy day....we had lots of visitors at the hospital and got to spend lots of time snuggling our new little girl.  Maggie is still loving being a big sister and today she thought it was a great treat to get to go swimming and Grandma and Pops' hotel.  Gracie has now met all 4 of her great-grandparents and lots of other friends and family. 

I'm feeling really good and Gracie is eating like a champ and generally being a very good girl.

We've had alot of questions about her middle name....Tate...well, there are actually several reasons for it....
1- It originally came up as a tribute to "Potato", the name we've been using for her for months
2- It means cheerful, and we hope that's what she will be
3- It was my Great-Grandma's maiden name, we didn't know this when we originally picked it, but it makes me sure it was the right choice.
4- Gracie Tate has a nice ring to it :)

Another day and a half at the hospital and then we're off to figure this out on our own... I think we're ready.  I'm not sure Maggie or Reagan know what all this excitment really means for their lives, but they'll adjust. 

Here are a few pictures from our day...

conversation with her baby doll

  

 

Yep, it's a clown nose.





















Already making faces at each other.



 

Pops made himself really comfortable in our hospital room.







Gracie is going to need to toughen up quickly!






 


 

Crack out Day

Hey it's Arnie.  Today was finally crack out day.  Grace Tate Robinson was born at 12:14 pm.  Weighing in at 8 pounds 1 ounce, we are looking at a whole new size of baby.  Last time, we thought that this was the proper size for a 3 month old.  Maggie is not sure what to call her, it keeps switching between Gracie, Potato and Tater.  We are hoping she decides to go with Gracie, but little sister better be ready to be Tater.  Maggie is loving being a big sister.  She helped with bottles and a bath today.  We are at Methodist Womens Hospital in Omaha, room 5211.  We should be here until sometime Saturday. 

Here are a few pictures.  Sorry about the quality, the photographer will be back on the job tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Gramma Lea...

Maggie is a lucky girl.  She has 3 wonderful great-grandma's and one quirky, slightly eccentric and amazing great-papa.  Yesterday we spent the day in Lincoln for Gramma Lea's Birthday.  You never know exactly what you're going to find when you go to Papa's house...it took Maggie about 5 seconds to get comfortable (it would have happened quicker, but the life-sized Buttons the Clown inside the front door sent her running back to the driveway upon our arrival.)  We had a great time and Maggie loves the attention and all the "stuff" to play with. 

"Gramma Lea, I can do the ice cream!"

"Aunt Lori, get the lighter upper thing"

"I'm making more shots then the Jayhawks!"



Maggie: "This is a BIG bathtub, who takes a bath here?"
Carly: "Papa does"
Maggie: "Is that because his belly is so big?"



"Ta Da" Doing a little show on Papa's Magic Stage.

"I'm afraid of clowns, but Gramma Lea likes them, so it's okay.
Why does Gramma Lea like clowns?"  Maggie made Gramma
Lea this clown picture for her birthday.

I think this picture was before we were even out of the
neighborhood.  She was exhausted! What a fun day!

MOOOOOOMMMMMMM........

....I don't think there is room for Tater in here!

This is more like it!  ("Don't worry mom, I'll hold Tater so she doesn't get lost in the bubbles.")

This could be a long weekend for Arnie.  I'm pretty sure I'm fairly miserable to be around at this point and Maggie's nose is running like a faucet....so taking care of the 2 of us could be a big job.  Thank goodness there is a little basketball on to take some of the stress off :)



We have a nursery....

...now if only we had a baby to sleep in it.  (and pictures of a baby to fill all of these picture frames).  The only thing missing is her initials, they will hang above her crib....but I couldn't put them in the picture, someone might guess her name then.

Thank goodness I have extremely talented parents.  My mom made all the beautiful bedding, pillows, basket liners, etc. (We were going to reuse the ones she made for Maggie, but she decided potato should have her own, and aren't they awesome!!)  and my dad made the perfect changing table!  I couldn't find anything I liked to match the furniture when Maggie was born so he took on the challenge.  It all looked great when it was Maggie's room, but now I LOVE IT!  I guess there is some benefit to living in a house before your baby is born.

not much to report...

but I know people are checking here for updates on little Miss Potato, so I thought I better say something.  So far, she's still staying put.  Yesterday I got a couple more bags of fluid, it's amazing how much a little saline can improve your outlook on life.  They also added a sleeping pill to my daily medical regiment, so last night I finally got a little shut-eye.  I'm feeling pretty good today.  There were a couple of numbers in my bloodwork yesterday that make it seem likely that she will make her appearance within the next couple of days....but we'll see, this little girl obviosuly has a mind of her own (so different from her big sister...or not!)

We're back in Norfolk today, so Maggie could go to preschool and start her new session of gymnastics.  She's still very excited about getting to go "by herself" like the big girls....we'll see what happens when she remembers mom has to drive her :) 

Tonight Maggie and I will head back to Omaha (that makes 38 hour of driving to and from Omaha so far this month, in case anyone is counting....)  With the possible lung complications we may have to deal with, delivering in Omaha is still definitly the right choice, but  the road time and logistics of it are getting a little old!  Poor Maggie, she's been such a trooper and she LOVES being in Omaha with me, but she needs this to be over, so she can have some kind of regular schedule back.  I'm so thankful that her preschool teachers are amazing and that they have been completly flexible through this entire situation! 

I'm sure life with a second child and a new baby will provide all kinds of new challenges but I'm ready to start figuring them out.  We're all tired of the constant driving, the inability to plan and the continual packing, unpacking and repacking of our suitcases.  We're almost there!

We thought...

...this was going to be our last picture as a family of 3.  On Thursday afternoon the doctor told us Friday was the day.  We didn't really make it public because this is about the 5th time we thought Potato was coming, and I was trying not to get my hopes up, but this time we felt pretty sure about the plan.

Arnie and I reported to the hospital at 7:15 for an Amnio of the baby, the Perinatologist and my doctor both told us they thought the results would be positive and we should go home for a few hours and report to pre-op at 1:30, we were scheduled in an operating room at 3pm.  At 11:30 the doctor called to tell me that the amnio results weren't what we were hoping for, actually they were devastatingly low (we need her score to be a minimum of 55 and she scored a 28).  This result actually leaves us to wonder if her lungs will be fully developed at delivery, no matter when the time comes. 

I was devastated.  I've been so sick and so uncomfortable that I was hanging all my hope on meeting my beautiful little girl on Friday and starting the recovery process.  BUT God knows what's best and he's doing everything he can to protect us both.  I know that he won't give me more then I can handle....I may not feel that way all the time, but I know he's in control of the situation.  It still seems unlikely that we'll make it more then a few more days but hopefully those days and lots of prayer will give her the time she needs to get ready for the BIG world. 

After a rough day on Friday, I spent a few hours Saturday in the hospital getting fluids and having some additional blood work.  The fluids really helped me feel human again and gave me a little more energy and spunk then I've had in a few days.  I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning, so assuming there is still no sign of delivery, I'm at least hopefully for a couple more bags fluids/nutrition. 

This morning when I woke Maggie up for school, the first thing she said (it's usually "NOOOOOOO, I'm not ready to wake up!") was, "It's crack-out day!"  I said, "I don't think so" and she quickly responded with, "yes it is, me and God decided."  So we'll see...maybe she knows something we don't.

girl time and lady Gaga...

The last few days have been fairly uneventful....lots of doctors appointments and hangin' out waiting on Potato.  On Wednesday afternoon Maggie and I had a little girl time, we went and had our nails painted.  She was SO excited that she got to put her toes in the big tub of water and that they had purple sparkly (glitter) nail polish. 

We also went to try and find a couple of warmer outfits for when potato gets here, Maggie thought it was fun to pick out clothes for her sister, but she was disappointed by the lack of skirts available for colder weather newborn clothes and that most newborn clothes don't include much glitter.  She found some ruffles and something with butterflies on it, so that seemed to suffice......for now!



Maggie couldn't understand the manicurist and the woman couldn't understand Maggie, so the pretty much just laughed at each other :)





Just to prove we really were there...

 Last night Arnie and I went to Lady Gaga, it was even stranger then I imagined it would be, but we had a great time and it will make a good story for Potato some day.  She spent most of the concert dancing away in my belly, I'm pretty sure she was wondering what in the world was going on out there.  Arnie is a little worried, he says he has a fuddy-duddy reputation to maintain and if people know he was at Lady Gaga it might ruin it....I assured him that I would mention he spent plenty of time out in the hall watching basketball and he was fully confussed by both what was happening on stage and off.  We went as guests of our bank, so thankfully we were comfortable locked away in a suite with lots of other very out of place, slightly too old to be there, and definitly not appropriatly dressed (at least not for what seemed to be the dress code of the concert) bankers and attorneys.  I'm glad my husband humored me and agreed to go.

Nap time at doggy daycare...

Mom & Dad are out of town for a couple of days, and today Dick & Betti were going to be gone for the day, so our house is kind of like doggy daycare.  Maggie is loving it and thankfully the weather is beautiful so all of the girls have spent lots of time outside. 

It sounds like crack out day will be sometime in the next week.  We're waiting on the cardiologist to decipher all the data from the heart monitor I wore this weekend and for the results of some blood work from yesterday and then final plans will be made.  I go back to the doctor on Thursday morning, and she said to have my bags packed when I come, but her goal is really to make it to next week.  I've been hoping for a St. Patty's Day baby for months, BUT this morning our banker called from Omaha to offer us tickets to see Lady Gaga on Thursday night...(I'm not really a huge concert fan, but I've thought for a long time that this would be a fun show and the people watching should be top notch!)...so while I'm still hoping for a little green baby, at least if we have to wait I'll have something to be excited about and a good story to tell Potato about what I was doing right before she was born.  Maybe when she's a teenager it will make her think I'm cool :)

Maggie had her last night of parent/child gymnastics last night.  She and Arnie have had such a good time, I think they both look forward to it.  The teacher said she's ready to move on, so off she goes to the first little girl class, all by herself.  Last night she told me, "Mommy, I'll be careful when I take your car to gymnastics." I told her that daddy or I would be driving her, and she told me I didn't need to because now she was big enough to go by herself.  I think maybe she misunderstood the teacher :) but I'm glad she's so independent.

Birthday Party, BASKETBALL and more doctors...

Wednesday night we went to JJ's 3rd Birthday party.  It was total chaos, but what else do you expect from a bunch of kids under the age of 5 (and a few silly grown-ups).  We had a great time and it was really nice to just relax for a little while with great friends.  Maggie adores JJ and his big sister Carly, I'm so glad that they will be able to grow up together... The move to Norfolk has been a huge adjustment for all of us, without this amazing family, I truly believe it would have been impossible. 


Happy 3rd Birthday JJ!!!



I wish I could blame this on the children :)

 

CHEESE!!!!!   Best buds!

 

















Yesterday was the 1st day of State Basketball, we all went to Lincoln (SHHHHHH....don't tell the doctor) to watch an amazing basketball game.  In the end, the Panther's won by 1 point in overtime.  If that game didn't send my blood pressure over the top, I don't think anything will.  This was Maggie's 3rd State Basketball tournament, and while she likes the Panthers she made it pretty clear that she was there for the popcorn :)   

Events like state basketball make me appreciate Norfolk.  It's fun to be a part of all the excitement and to be surrounded by your friends and neighbors (and all the town crazies).  It's fun to see the stream of 7 county cars in the parking lot and on the highway and it's exciting to feel the buzz around town.  Growing up in Omaha, we loved state basketball, when our high school was playing and we got to leave school for a trip to Lincoln. But it's a completely different for the towns where everyone is cheering for the same team.  I like it. 

Arnie's headed back to Lincoln to cheer them on this morning.  Potato and I get to go see yet another doctor.  This morning it's a cardiologist....(and just so it's recorded somewhere, Arnie wanted to go with me, but I insisted that we'd be fine and he should go to Lincoln for the game.)  My heart rate and potato's have both been very erratic, so they just want to do a few tests and make sure we're both in good shape for delivery.  I'm sure all will check out fine and they'll just tell me to continue to take it easy (I'm not sure they include attending basketball games in that description, but they never specifically addressed it.)  We'll see. 

Don't take yourself too seriously...

Yesterday we lost a friend, Arnie lost a colleague and Maggie lost a great role model.  Duane was an amazing man, he was an outstanding example of courage, love and hard work.  He handled his 2 year battle with cancer with a peace that can only come from truly loving God.

We will grieve his loss for a long time and will continue to pray for strength and peace for his beautiful family. 

One very important thing that I think he taught everyone who knew him, was not to take yourself too seriously.  He was an amazingly hard worker and he cared very deeply about lots of things, but he knew how to laugh and probably more importantly, how to make others laugh.  When he got sick, lots of people (myself included) were unsure of what to say, how to act, etc. But the minute you walked in the room he had a way of making that uneasiness disappear and bringing comfort to those around him, it was an amazing gift that he was able to give. 

Duane and Arnie had this habit of occasionally sending each other ridiculous pictures.  They usually included Maggie doing something ridiculous and then Duane mimicking whatever it was and sending the picture back.  I think most recently Duane sent the first picture, one of himself wearing a cheese head (the day of the Superbowl) and Arnie sent back a picture of Maggie in her Steelers t-shirt wearing cheese sticks on her head....

BUT my favorite are the 2 pictures that started it all....

St. Patrick's Day was Duane's birthday (a big part of the reason I've been hoping for a 3/17 delivery for Potato). 2 years ago Arnie sent this picture of Maggie with a Happy Birthday message, a few minute later we received the bottom picture...we all (Maggie included) looked at it a million times and laughed hysterically every time.  I'm so glad Arnie was able to find the picture for me!  I will treasure it forever.

"I thank God for you." - 2 Timothy 1:3

Seriously, where does this stuff come from??

Maggie had a couple of questions this morning.....
"What do snakes have for breakfast?"
"Grandpa, Do you think bunnies eat honey?"

Daddy & Maggie time...

This weekend Arnie and Maggie got to spend lots of time together...I didn't feel very good, so they kept each other busy and let me rest. 

A little gymastics practice in potato's room...everyone is anxious for her arrival.













Arnie reffed 6 games of youth basketball this weekend.  I mentioned that he might be a little sore and Maggie said "why?  He just watched basketball, he didn't play."  I thought it was a pretty funny observation for a 2 year old :)

Maggie's turn to fly......

Daddy's turn to fly...

Yesterday, Maggie and I decided to come to Omaha, so we'd be close for my doctor's appointment today.  When we got here Maggie helped Grandma sew the new quilt for Potato's bedroom. 

I went to see the doctor today, after feeling pretty cruddy all weekend.  For today everything checked out okay. I have to go back Thursday morning.  I hope she's still cooperating then, I'd hate for her to have to be delivered quickly enough for Arnie to make it to the State Basketball tip-off at 3:45 :)

I Pledge "of" Allegiance to the Flag :)

Maggie's been learning the Pledge of Allegiance, she adds a few extra words and has a little bit of a hard time remembering at the end.... but it's the effort that counts...

http://youtu.be/bSDGO3DPy54

 

got her beat...

Maggie is currently going through a phase where she really likes to make everything a contest...we race to see who can go up the steps faster, who can get their pajamas on faster, who can find their shoes first, etc., etc., etc.... Oh ya, and of course she thinks she ALWAYS has to win.  BUT as of today her baby sister has her beat at one contest...I have now been pregnant with Potato longer then I was with Maggie (or Ralf as we called her at the time).  Only a few hours longer at this point, but it was a milestone we were really eager to pass.  Now, no matter what happens, we feel like we know what to expect and that our baby girl will be just fine. 

It's funny, when I was pregnant with Maggie, while it wasn't an easy pregnancy, it was fairly routine....until one day I went to the doctor and she said, we need you to go to the hospital.  I still didn't understand the severity of what she was saying, I asked what I should pack and if I needed to bring anything for the baby or if I was just going to spend a couple of days there.  The doctor then told me that someone else would need to gather our things and that she expected me to drive across the street to the hospital immediately....being the fantastic direction follower that I am, I went home....I had Reagan in the car with me (we were just out running a few quick errands) and I wanted to get some pajamas (I wasn't going to wear one of those hospital gowns).  Arnie was in Colorado, so I called and told him what was going on.  I then proceeded to call my parents, who scolded me for not listening to the doctor and quickly met me at home and took me back to the hospital.  I was right, I didn't need to hurry....7 days later the doctor decided it was time for Maggie to be born...or "Crack Out" as we have taken to calling it at our house.  BUT with Potato it's been completely different, it seems like at every turn since we found out we were expecting with her the doctor has been bringing "issues" to our attention and warning us of possible complications.  I've spent this pregnancy much more nervous and feeling like I was constantly being told to prepare for a premature baby...and yet here we are, 34 weeks later, with a baby that likely weighs somewhere between 5 and 6 lbs and whose ultimately cooperated better then my last pregnancy and who is doing great.  It's just another reminder that all of these things need to be left in God's hands and it doesn't do me an ounce of good to try and control or worry about the situation.

Yesterday's doctors appointment went well, Potato is growing great.  Her head is still proportionally way ahead of her abdomen and her legs are somewhere in the middle, so basically when you put all the numbers together, she's about average....of course to us she's amazing, not average, but as a medical term we'll take it.  I'm doing okay too, my blood pressure is slowing rising, so it may still become an issue, but for now, we're holding steady. 
This ultrasound picture isn't great, but the lady really wanted Maggie to have a picture....and I think if I scan it and put it here there is a better chance I'll be able to find it in 10 years when potato wants to look at.  Her hand was in front of her face, so that's what all the fuzz is about, but the 2 things to really notice are how round her little check is and how prominent her HAIR is...again the ultrasound tech commented on how much she seemed to have, we'll see, I stuck a couple of barrettes in the hospital bag just in case :)

Maggie hasn't been feeling great for the last couple of days, lots of runny nose and coughing...and a little fever.  Preschool is like a breeding ground for germs.  Yesterday she seemed to kind of bounce back, her fever was gone and she wanted to go along to check in on Baby Potato...she thinks it's very funny when they squeeze the ultrasound jelly on my belly.  After the doctor the weather was nice enough that she and Grandma took a walk to the park and then "scooted" for a little while before we drove home. 

We had to be home in time for the Panther basketball game, they won their district last night and now we just wait to see the schedule for state basketball...I wonder if I'm in Omaha having a baby and the Panthers are in Lincoln playing for the state title, where Arnie will be?? :)