Silly boy ...

Today, Mami decided to take some pictures of Andrin again. He now knows exactly what it means when Mami gets the camera out and this is what we get when he realizes that he is being photographed ...

Mami just wanted to take a picture of Andrin and his little red wagon.
Papi was cleaning out his fishing stuff and
Andrin put some in the big box and then had to pull the flies all over the place.

And this happens when Andrin does not sleep well during the night. He will get himself comfortable on the floor. Mami was mentioning that she also was feeling tired and he quickly made a bed for her as well.

Preparing himself for his baby sister and looking at a book about being a big brother. He loves the story "Peter's chair" that he just got from his friend Samson and we have to read it every night.

Home Sweet Home ...

I think sometimes Papi would like to send Mami to the moon with an one-way-ticket. But like someone else mentioned, he is very unlikely to do that at the moment considering Mami's condition ... Andrin is happy and that is what counts most for Mami. He got a beautiful present today and he has been in heaven. And yes, Mami knew about the present and how it would be big and take up almost entire living room ...

Actually, Papi can fit inside. At one point, we were all inside Andrin's new house and there would have been room for baby sister as well. But with all the doors and windows closed, it was dark and got to be rather hot ...

Communicating with Papi on the outside.

And this was going on inside. Andrin had all the animals joining him and was lining them up.

37th week appointement

Today we had our 37th week appointment with our OB. We never had to wait for such a long time, but we were finally seen after 60 minutes ... Andrin was a great trooper and was playing happily in the waiting room with the truck and excavator. We decided not to have a vaginal exam, so no more stats. But our girl is doing well, her heartbeat is good and there is nothing to worry about. The OB sent us on our way with the comment that she had a horrible day today and that she would wish to have one or two glasses of wine tonight and that we would earn the gold star if we will go into labor Friday, Saturday or Sunday night since she will be on call anyway ... While waiting at the doctor's office, Mami had pretty strong Braxton Hick's ... We are ready, Baby Girl, whenever you are ready as well!

Big Belly pictures ...

With Andrin, Mami took a picture of her belly every week to document his growth. But with his baby sister, we have taken no pictures so far. Mami decided that this was not meant to be and Becky was kind enough to take the drive up to Hendriks Park so that we could take some pictures.
Thank you, Becky! So here are the official pictures of Mami's big belly at 36 weeks ... (We have officially made it to 37 weeks today and our baby daughter would not considered to be premature anymore ...!)

Baby Shower

Last Friday, Becky and Julie threw a baby shower for our family. Thank you so much, Becky and Julie! Not liking to be the center of attention, I was a little bit apprehensive of having a baby shower, but Becky and Julie did a great job to make it a lot fun.

The balloons were a big hit. Andrin especially loved that we were taking them home, but he has been sad that they are not flying anymore.

I had quite the little helper with opening all the presents.

Focused on opening another present.

Andrin commented on how the shoes were too small for him, but that they might his baby sister.

The girls had fun carrying the "big" present, a wooden high chair to match Andrin's high chair.

We can't wait!

Visit with friends

We have been blessed to see our friends, Hazel, Henley, Richie, and of course Becky and Beau, a few times this week. Henley even spent some alone-time with us last Thursday while Mommy had to give a training and Andrin loved to show him what to do and how to do certain things ("Watch this, Henley./ Look here, Henley.").

Are you ready to have a little sister, Andrin?

And today, Becky and Mami took a drive up to Hendricks Park to take some pictures of Mami's pregnant belly. Andrin has been complaining lately that it is not comfortable sitting on Mami's lap anymore and that he is ready for baby sister to come out!

Hazel with one of the balloons from the baby shower (I will blog about it later).

The tunnel is always one of the favorite toys when we have visitors.

Henley is checking everything out.

Andrin with one of his famous "neck hugs." Maybe we should sign him up for wrestling instead of soccer ... Sometimes, he just has too much love to share ...

Henley is making his way through the tunnel. Is is really fun?

Henley and Andrin share the house together.

Richie joined the crew a little bit later.

papa made us some amazing cheese sandwiches. Sorry Beau, that you missed our lunch!

Watching Papi in the kitchen.

Having a Playtherapist as a Mami

According to Andrin, there are definitely some advantages to having a play therapist as a Mami (even though he might think differently about that at an older age). He was so excited when he saw that Mami took the big box with her animals that she uses for sand tray therapy home. He even had to take the cows to bed with him. He especially enjoyed putting the horses in the pasture and then fitting different people on the horses (maybe this was influenced by the fact that we had to stop by the horses today after daycare and say hi to the six horses at Jasper).

Conversation with our OB

Today, Mami had her 36 week check-up with the OB. She did all the stats and then sent Mami on her way with the following update:

• 70%, no, probably more like 80% effaced.
  
• 1 cm dilated.
• Baby girl is low in pelvic area.
  
• You are ready for labor!

When I asked when I should make the next appointment, she was hesitant for a minute and then said: Make another appointment in a week but I might see you before that ...

Well: Mami will take time tomorrow to put up the co sleeper that we are borrowing from friends, Mami will pack her bag for the hospital, and we will install the baby car seat in the car.

With that in mind, Mami is sure that baby girl will wait and probably will be late!! But we are all getting excited that it is not that much longer until our baby girl will be here. I know that she will make her big entrance whenever she is ready (and we will try to be ready as well).

Visit from Kirsten and Gilad

This past weekend, our friends Kirsten and Gilad traveled from San Francisco to spend the weekend with us. It was great having them in Eugene again. The weather was not really in favor of their visit, but that is Oregon ... Andrin enjoyed all the attention that he was getting and he was so excited that his sleep regressed completely.

Playing with Kirsten and the chicken.

Showing Gilad how to do a puzzle.

Drawing a fish together with Gilad.

IIt was a challenge even for the adults to put together the "perfect" railroad track.

Reading books with Kirsten. Kirsten shared her favorite childhood book with Andrin and he loves to search for Goldbug. Thank you so much, Kirsten!

Enjoying homemade pancakes on Monday morning.

Andrin is really enjoying playing with his dinosaurs (he calls them "old animals") at the moment.

Papa and Andrin

I guess Mami still has some hope that baby girl will look a little bit like her ...
But there is no question who Andrin looks alike.

I just had to add this picture - Andrin loves to sit behind Mami's chair on a little crate and munch his snack (here, he is eating some sticks (pretzels) and listening to Peter and the Wolf).