The Fall heard 'round the house

Well, Tom was on an overnight, so Payton and Bo were the only ones who heard. I guess every pregnant woman has some story, whether it be before or during labor. Hopefully this is it for me.
I fell. Hard. Down the stairs. I was just doing my usual morning routine when I rounded the middle-top of my stairs and up went my foot. Not sure how it happened, I don't quite remember slipping, but I must have, because my body fell hard on my back and down I went. Poor Payton was just looking at me in horror as she waited for me to tell her I was okay. I laid there for a moment to make sure I was okay and that labor hadn't started.

All is fine - DON'T PANIC! The baby is more than fine - that's what a uterus and sac is for! The baby has been moving just fine and I'm still have my BH contractions. But I can tell you that I feel like my tail bone got kicked with a steel-toed boot. It's hard to move around. That's about it. I bet there's nothing like watching a preggo fall down the stairs - actually Tom probably would've had a heart attack, and I was sad he wasn't there to comfort me. It did hurt, and I did cry, but I think it was more out of shock, then maybe pain. Now I wish it had induced labor, but no such luck.

However, starting today Tom has his vacation until after the baby comes! So he'll be home with me for the next feeeew weeks! I'm looking forward to that.

2 Weeks

Technically I have 2 weeks left, but truly little Ryan will determin when he would like to enter the world. It seems as if he wants to come out because he keeps trying to stretch out, but he runs into my ribs and can't go much further. I am having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions these days - none of them are painful but a few have been "uncomfortable," which is good because that apparently means things are "preparing" down below. I have an appt on Wed to find out if things are starting to happen. Other than that no other signs have really happened yet. No real contractions, but I'm sure they'll be coming soon enough. I can't believe he's almost here - we can't wait to meet him.

Tom is almost finished with his woodworking projects for baby. He built a book case for all Ryan's wonderful little books and he's almost finished with a little table that will be next to the glider. It will hold the lamp, clock, etc.

For the past 3 weeks we've been watching Bo, our pastor's dog, while they were on vacation. Bo goes home on Wed. Payton will be sad to see her friend go, but probably pleased to have all the attention again. This will mark the beginning of my "nesting." I've been waiting to vacuum until Bo was gone, just to keep from having to do it again.

My parents fly in on Sat the 4th so that they can hopefully be here for the birth of Ryan. They have a couple of weeks before they have to return home, so hopefully he comes in this window! Please be praying for their travels and that they'd get to see their grandchild!

And the name is....

Tom and I decided on our name the other night. Baby Boy Wassmer, aka Cletus the Fetus, is now, and officially, going to be named Ryan Thomas Wassmer. Yay! Tom and I know that there is always a chance we'll take a look at him and think, "he doesn't look like a Ryan." Our second choice of a name was David. I don't believe it will change, but we understand that there's the slightest possibility it could. But it's Ryan. Enjoy!

Answered Prayer

With 3 weeks left until my due date, things are starting to get done around the house. It's still a slow process because the "nesting" energy hasn't kicked in yet. The nursery is almost complete, and once it is I will be sure to post those photos. One thing we've been praying for is the opportunity to purchase a new car. We only had 2 two-door cars, both of which aren't condusive for a car seat. So we sold the '72 Super Beetle and built up our savings over the past few months. That money was to be used toward a car, whether it be cash for a car on Craigslist, or for a down payment at a dealership.

So Tom and I went to a few dealerships last week just to look at our options. After staring at Craigslist for months and not finding anything suitable, we decided to explore other places. In the end we found a 2006 Ford Escape that came pre-owned certified and still has a warranty. After some "dealership negotations" we walked out of there with that car, lower payments than expected and we didn't have to wipe out our savings! In fact, nothing from our savings was used! I still can't believe it - God is soooo good when He answers prayers like that. God is good either way, but He never ceases to surprise me. Now we have a vehicle that will last us at least a few years, has all-wheel-drive and can fit a child. This is a huge burden off our shoulders.

I have 3 weeks left until my due date! We are praying that Baby comes a little early. Not too early, but it would be nice if my parents get to see him and play with him a little bit before they have to return to work. If I am even a week late, they will miss out. Right now I am waiting for signs of pre-labor. Baby hasn't dropped yet, but I think he might be on his way. I am having more frequent Braxton Hicks, which is good. It literally could be any day now!

Upcoming Father's Day

With all this baby talk going on, and the excitement and anticipation of his arrival, I just wanted to dote upon my husband for a minute. With Father's Day approaching all I can think about is how great of a dad Tom is going to be. I love my husband with all my heart and I truly am convinced he's the most amazing man! He's been a good husband to me, providing and protecting, and stepping up to the plate to take on a second job just to support our upcoming lifestyle. When people weren't hiring he decided to start his own business where God has blessed us greatly in that area. The additional income is exactly what we need right now to stay afloat. Tom has lovingly sacraficed his boat and now the Beetle just so we can get a family vehicle. This man works hard, and he does it because I know he loves me deeply. He loves our baby boy. And yes, he loves Payton too! I married a man whose limits I haven't begun to see yet and everyday I swear I learn something new about him. He still cracks me up, after all these years - jk - it's only been a year, but he continually steals my heart day after day. Tom is a godly man who walks with integrity, works hard for his family, is truly humble, and can still sit back at the end of the day and crack open a can of jokes and a can of good beer! He's a man's man with a tender touch and big heart. He really is the most amazing man!

Nov. 2008

A few days after I found out I was pregnant

5 weeks left!

June 2, 2009

These pictures were taken by Veronica Campbell, the same person who photographed our wedding. I am 34 1/2 weeks in these photos. I only get bigger from here! A snapshot of the nusrsery can be seen, however, the whole thing is much better when seen in real life.

This past weekend, on June 6, I had my shower that was thrown by our wonderful ladies from church. Little Wassmer got plenty of clothes and blankets, and good start at the diapers. Tom and I will now pull together a list of the remaining random items that we might need to start this journey with. There a few things left on the registry, as well as items I know I need but haven't put on the registry. Below is a pic of all the goods I got, which most of the clothing can't really be seen.

Starting this week we will be watching Beau, our pastor's dog, for three weeks while they are on vacation. The Peterson family will be traveling to Florida for vacation and for General Assembly - an annual meeting regarding the affairs of the PCA church. Payton will be thrilled to have a friend for a few weeks, but deeply saddened when he returns home. Then, a couple weeks later she will have to welcome our baby, which will take her place in priorities. It's a good thing we'll have family here to help with the baby and keep Payton occupied and help her get adjusted. Other than that, we are on our way down the homestretch! Only 5 weeks left until D-day!

34 weeks

The doctor told me this week that at 34 weeks, if I were to have the baby early, he would have less than 5% chance of having complications. It's a kind of a relief even though I'm not expecting him to be early. Baby Wassmer is moving around a lot these days though I suspect he'll soon run out of room. I am starting to feel all the little discomforts of pregnancy. I have a hard time sleeping now, more than before, my back really does hurt and regions around my tummy make it hard for me to walk sometimes. I plan on pressing through and talking daily walks.
I also suffer from the horomonal changes that probably leave Tom thinking he married a bi-polar stranger who walks like she's pushing a wheel barrow infront of her that carries this belly. I'm already tired, so I can't imagine what the first few weeks are really going to feel like. Sometimes I wish I could pre-pump my milk, save it, then hand the bottle over to Tom the first night. Ha! I'm sure I'll actually want to be with my new baby boy in the middle of the night.
And even though I have anxious thoughts about labor and motherhood I still can't believe that he's only a few weeks away from joining our family. It is exciting. One comfort Tom and I have is knowing that the Lord has very specific plans for this little man. It was He who planned when the baby would come, not Tom and I. There's no feeling like knowing you're not in control than the feeling of being with child. There's not one thing I can do to make sure his heart beats or that his brain will work or that his spine is in the correct spot. All I do is harbor the baby, but the Lord has designed him, He knows how many hairs are on his head already and what his fingerprints are like. I do not. I can't. And I don't need too. Giving up control to God is so much more satisfying than trying to do it on my own, and reassuring. I only pray that I can remember that from day to day as I face the struggles of motherhood.
Tom and I are closer to chosing to a name. We have it narrowed down, but we are still letting the names marinate before settling on the one. I don't know when that will be, but I am hoping soon. Soon as in before July.

A 3d picture of Baby Wassmer

Tom and I went to have a 3d ultrasound done on May 7th as my Mother's Day present. I've wanted to have one of these since I knew I was pregnant. It turned out okay, but the ultrasound tech said I should come back for another round of photos because the baby was asleep and his face was right up against my placenta. So on May 14th we returned. He was still asleep, but some of the pictures came out much better. We surprised our mother's, aka grandmas, with a framed photo of this young lad. And if you're still wondering about names, so are we! We have it narrowed down to a couple of names that we like, but the ball is now in Tom's court. He knows my choices but he wants to make sure he's looked at all the options as well. Here are a few pics that came from the ultrasound. These ones are some of the best. The foot picture was included because the tech kept saying, "this baby has some big feet." If you didn't already know, Tom has size 13 feet and an even longer middle toe. To me it seems that he will look like his father and hopefully be tall, and yes, he will have his daddy's big feet. We also got a DVD of the action taking place, but we didn't have extra DVD's to burn it to for the gift for the new grandmas. The DVD is really cool because you can see all four chambers of his heart and watch it beat.

A Weekend of Fun

This weekend started off with a little celebration of my completion at San Joaquin Valley College. I received a letter in the mail on Friday that stated whether or not I passed my certification exam. Not only did I pass, but my score was a 96%! I was quite surprised, but very pleased. That evening I had my graduation ceremony where I received awards for a 4.0 GPA, Perfect Attendance and AMT Membership. With this being my 3rd graduation for me, I probably wasn't as "excited" as some of those there were, especially since it may be their only degree. It was still fun, however, and I got to enjoy one last goodbye with a few of my classmates.



Then on Saturday it was off to Monterey, CA to celebrate our 1st anniversary! Tom booked us a room that had a fire place in it. Good thing, Monterey isn't exactly known for being a warm area of the coast. It was cloudy, but it wasn't freezing. We spent Saturday exploring Carmel, CA, which is only 5 minutes south of Monterey. We walked the Ocean Ave shops and restaurants and ate dinner at Forge in the Forest. It is a nice restaurant surrounded by ivy and other trees and plants. We sat on the outdoor patio by the large fire pit and listened to live music as we ate fabulous yet affordable food! This place also allows dogs to dine with their owners, but we did not have Payton with us. She would've loved it. We finished the evening with a stroll to the beach and then back to the hotel to eat our anniversary cake. We had it specially made by the same lady that made our wedding cake last year. It was the same type of cake (chocolate and mint filling), and it was just as good as we remembered it! Tom gave me one calla-lilly (representing one year) and a ruby pendant necklace. The ruby is the birthstone for July which is when our baby boy is due. It's beautiful!

Sunday was spent walking throughout Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row. We just did some sight-seeing and then left for home. It was a nice retreat and wonderful time of walking and relaxing, and a great one-year celebration.

Happy Easter!

This past week has been challenging. I've been experiencing a stuffy nose for about a month now, and last week it turned into a cold. Now I'm truly suffering, and it doesn't help that I can't sleep well. I praise God for medicine, and that my nasal spray hasn't backlashed on me yet. I hope that it doesn't.

Today is Easter! Praise the Lord, for He is risen. If Christ had not risen, then we are much to be pitied. I thank the Lord every day that He chose me and saved me, as well as Tom. May we never take it for granted.

I made Tom an Easter basket, as I do every year, and this one tops them all so far. Since we are now into planting things, I made it look like a planter with growing things. Interpret as you like. Inside this wonderful basket includes the following: Brach's jelly beans, Mike & Ike's, Reeses pastel eggs, Robin Eggs, Reeses chocolate covered eggs, green M&M's and peeps.

We also took a couple of pictures when we got home from church to show off my 27 week belly. Forgive the shadows on our faces - not quite the professional photographers here. The pics are more for my belly anyway. Enjoy!