Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fever

Alison seems to be feeling fine but last night after dinner when I wiped her face off and was giving her a hug I noticed she was REALLY warm so grabbed the ear thermometer and was shocked to find out that she had a temperature of 102.9!
I sent Chris to get some medicine from the store and I looked up the number for the pediatric on call nurse. 
Normally if your child hits a 102 fever you give them medicine and wait an hour to see if the fever comes down before taking them to the ER but since she was so close to 103 I wanted some advice and he recommended giving her the medicine and taking her to the ER just in case the fever went up any more and if it went down while Alison and Chris were there (he recommended that since I am so pregnant I not go) they could just leave. He said the ER was really busy and it would be best to be there already just in case.

  Daddy came home and we gave her the medicine and luckily he checked her temperature after he buckled her into her car seat and her temperature was already dropping, whew! So he was able to bring her back upstairs and avoid exposing Ali to the emergency room germs. Today she is hovering around the 99.8 so we are still giving her medicine every 6 hours as a precaution but hopefully she will be at a normal temperature tomorrow. I really hope that the temperature is completely gone by Friday, that's when I am scheduled to be induced into labor. Whew Friday I will be 10 days over due.
Other than fever Alison shows no other signs of being sick, which is really great.

FYI, I just posted a new post for Sept 7th of Alison at a birthday party

Wish us luck as Friday approaches!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Still Pregnant

Talking to Chris
OK not looking my best but here is a picture that another pregnant lady took of me at the hospital during the typhoon. As you can see I'm pretty big at 40 weeks +5 days. I am having trouble sleeping because I am so uncomfortable and I am even more tired in this picture because it was after a restless night in a room with 40 other people on an air mattress that I could barely get out of. Thank goodness the lady who was on the cot next to me was a someone's mom and she frequently helped me up.
I was really hoping that I would go into labor and did A LOT of walking on the 5 stories of ramps inside the hospital, and although I've been having some pretty big contractions nothing substantial and I am only dilated between 2 and 3, which is better than I was with Alison but considering how far along I am not that great. The lady in the background of this picture and I were the farthest along in pregnancy, we have the same due date and we met at the last typhoon. Everyone was waiting for one of us to  go into labor and although we were both having contractions neither of us ever did. She is scheduled to be induced on Tuesday and I am scheduled a few days later on Friday.
Chris is thinking about going ahead and taking off work because I am having a lot of trouble moving around and pregnancy associated pain. These last couple weeks have been pretty hard and I am looking forward to feeling comfortable in my own skin again. My hips have so much pressure on them and have become so sore that its hard for me to lift my legs to do things like get in bed and put on pants.
I'll admit that its getting a bit depressing and Alison has started calling out for daddy since mommy isn't able to help her with most things but she doesn't really seem bothered by that and still wants to snuggle up with me on the couch and be here usual good natured self.
Anyways, thought you all might be interested in seeing a belly picture!
Light at the end of the tunnel, just have to make it to Friday and then push this big guy out! 

Friday, September 7, 2012

Birthday Party!

Yea! Today our new couches and big rug were delivered! Under that rug is beige linoleum.
The little love seat got a hole in it, but with the baby and everything else going on Chris didn't think it was a big deal and we decided to just overlook it. It really isn't that noticeable and as long as the kids don't decide it will be fun to pick at shouldn't be a problem.
We also got a lamp that you can see in the corner. We still have the government furniture until they deliver our household goods, they are the blue chairs and couches, not as comfortable but we were thankful to have them.
Alison went to a birthday party today, here she is waiting for someone to help her with her shoes!


These are the birthday girls, the one on the right is names Alison too! the one on the left is Hadley.
Apparently its a common thing to do in out apartment building to have have the kids who have birthdays close together and make one party.

They reserved a table at a local indoor playground and decorated like crazy!
As you can see these are some really creative mamas!

Alison had a good time in the ball pit and daddy cringed thinking about how many germs were in there.
Daddy got to follow Alison around while mommy rested her pregnant self in a chair with some of the other moms.
Alison wasn't interested in the food or the cupcakes but she really enjoyed the juice boxes.

I tried to get a picture of the dad corner. You can see Chris is keeping an eye on Alison who is far right in the picture (almost cut out)
Fancy princess crown shaped sandwiches, rice crispie treat snacks and some other sort of cookie.
It all looked really cute and tasted good too. 

Daddy had a really good time playing with Alison, he has really stepped up into being the primary care giver since my mobility with the pregnancy isn't as good as my mobility was when I was pregnant with Alison.

Both girls like the gifts we got them. A Dr. Seuss book, a hair bow and a pair of overalls (one pink one purple) with coordinating shirts.

Chris pointed this out to me. There are a lot of things misspelled around town that give you a good little chuckle. This one says "Don't bring food or beverages into the PRAY area" 
(it should say 'play area')

Alison loved the party favors they gave out, a pretty fairy outfit and a poof fairy want. They also gave out a little decorate your own princess crown kit that daddy helped her with when we got home...I'll have to get a picture of it as Alison really likes wearing it and daddy did a good job decorating it.
Overall I think this was the fanciest birthday party we've ever attended and we had a really wonderful time.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Only Child

Alison is enjoying her last days as an only child. Her world is about to be changed by the birth of her very own little brother who I am sure is going to be a source of love and annoyance.
I am really looking forward to seeing how the two interact but for now I am trying to give Alison all the special attention and love she is going to have to share with her sibling.

September 1st 
Alison still sleeping and looking so cute mommy had to take a picture.


September 5th
On our way down to the 2nd floor for a play date we ran into daddy at the elevators and sat down in the hallway to read the letter he brought back from the post office just for Alison from Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Frank!

Alison and daddy showing off her letter

Down on the 2nd floor Alison is trying out a scooter, about 3 minutes after I took this picture she decided that she needed a helmet as well. I love that she likes wearing a helmet.

Daddy and Alison spend some special time together reading before bedtime.

"Hi mommy!"

As for me I had a doctors appointment this week and am 2cm dilated! The doctor said baby Ethan should be coming any time now. I am looking forward to our family having one more little bright eyed face.
Chris got the car seat put together today and our hospital bag is ready to go.
We are not as over prepared as we were with Alison.There isn't much of a baby selection here, well maybe out in town but since neither Chris and I read or speak Japanese its kind of hard to tell what's inside a store your driving by lol. But we have the basics and really that's all you need. Although, I will say sending cute outfits will be very appreciated! The exchange doesn't seem to carry more than baby everyday basics, no cute church/picture clothes. We haven't looked much at the little girls clothes since Alison is on the small side and can still wear a lot of her 24 month/2T clothes. Other parents seem to order a lot of stuff online and I think we will probably do so to some extent as well.
Other than getting prepared for little boy to arrive we are just playing the waiting game! Waiting for me to go into labor. Alison keeps telling us that she wants baby brother to be born, me too!