Busy ,full days

I love being a mom! Phoebe is doing great. She is growing like a weed. She's already 11 pounds and 23 and a half inches long! She even sleeps around 6 hours a time at night! I think I could just stare at her for hours. She is already responding to us - she smiles, is beginning to coo, and will kick and throw her arms about when you talk to her. My favorite is to watch her as she looks at herself in the mirror. We have this mirror that attaches to the side of the crib. She just talks to herself and gives herself huge smiles. I wonder if she will be disappointed when she finds out it is just her reflection and not a new friend :)

Phoebe is here!

Phoebe arrived at 1:21 a.m. on March 17 after 21 hours of labor! She was 9 pounds and 6 ounces. We have been home for a week now. She is doing great and I am recovering, too. I was a crazy loon and did the whole labor thing with out an epidural. I don't know if I'll be that crazy next time or not. Tom is voting for not.

She already seems to have her own personality. She loves to be touched. She eats up kisses and turns her mouth to catch them. She loves her back to be rubbed. She definitely is a cuddler!

Only a few things thus far bring on her tears - having her diaper changed, hunger, and right now that's about it. She is super easy going. Her daddy's constant shananigins with her doesn't bother her a bit.

At moments it is hard to believe she is here!

What a long baby!

We went to the doctor today. Phoebe, in the womb, is 8 pounds 5 ounces. She is also really long! Her legs are as "3 weeks" longer than the rest of her! The doctor said she is by no means fat - just really long! We might have a basketball player on our hands! If she doesn't make an appearance before Wednesday, the doctor has set to induce labor on Wednesday morning at 5 a.m.! So remember us in your prayers!

The day is approaching

Only two weeks and a couple of days until my due date. At this point, it seems like pregnancy has flown by. I am so ready for Phoebe to be here. We had an ultrasound last week and she was 7 pounds and 6 ounces. If she doesn't make an appearance in the next week, we have another ultra sound to see if they want to induce labor. Sometimes, I just go into her room and sit thinking of all the memories to be made within our home in the next weeks, months, years. I am ready for this next chapter of life. I'm ready for the two Fuersts to become three.

.Pregnant Women are Like Turtles?

1. Are you having twins?
Spoken response: "Why, no actually I'm not."
Mental Response: "Really did you say that to a pregnant woman?"

2. Pregnant women are like turtles.
Spoken response: "Oh really, how?"
Mental Response: "Why can't I leave well enough alone?"
Well both turtles and pregnant women are helpless if you put them on their back.

3. My it seems like all your clothes are getting mighty small.
Spoken and mental response (no filter on this one) "Can you give me a break? Please don't talk to me for a day or two - that is not something you should say to a pregnant women."

4. My you have spread pretty wide.
Spoken response: None - just a forced smile and a nod
Mental response: Explicative

5. Wow! You are really pregnant. It just sticks way out there.
Spoken response: Yep
Mental response: I know this guy has two kids - poor wife.

I'm sure I'll have more to come!

Managing a Big Belly

So at 32 weeks pregnant, I've got a pretty big belly. This week, I'm having trouble maneuvering with it.
Take evidence A. Yesterday, I went to have lunch with a friend at the seminary's cafeteria. I've got my tray filled with chicken fingers and reach for two glasses to fill with apple juice. As I turn with the glasses to the juice machine, my belly hits the tray. You guessed it -- the tray goes flying. The plate smashes into a dozen pieces and there are chicken fingers all over the floor. My first reaction is to bend down and pick up the chicken fingers. As I begin to bend, I almost lose my balance and fall. My friend steadies me and tells me someone will take care of it. At this moment embarrassment sets in. I feel my face flush hot. Did I mention how busy the cafeteria was? It took me 20 minutes to recover. By the time I told Tom about it, I was having a good laugh at my antics.
Now take evidence B. Today's weather was a balmy 40 so I decided to walk down to the bank with the store's deposit instead of drive. Though 40 is hot compared to last week, once you get walking it gets kind of chilly. So about 10 yards into my excursion, I decide to try to zip my coat instead of hold it shut. With a little bit of effort, I get it shut. I'm feeling good I can still zip it up -- that is until I get back to the store. As I try to unzip the coat, it just won't budge past my bulging mid-section. Charley tries to help me unzip the coat, I suck in and she pulls as hard as she can. She tries using a rubber band as pulling leverage. After several attempts, we are both laughing so hard we are crying. It is a good thing there were no customers in the store. Finally we give it up as a lost cause. She hold my shirt as I peel the coat off over my head. As soon as I'm out of the coat it unzips easily. Believe me there will be no more zipping of coats!

Closer and Closer

I can't believe how the time has flown. Around nine weeks from now, I'll be meeting my little one. I am excited, but I don't at all feel ready yet. I still have curtains to make, books to read, fears to overcome. But in just two months time, Tom and I will be welcoming our daughter to this world. I'm glad they grow with you. I'm also glad she won't remember my mistakes for a while. I've been having dreams recently of holding her. Not too much longer...