Jiminy Jesse

My mom thought this picture of Jesse looked like Jiminy Cricket so I found a picture of him and turns out...yup my son looks like Jiminy Cricket. Weird. It made me laugh. Maybe we can dress him up like that for Halloween:) Jesse doesn't smile quite yet (some glimmers) so it is not a perfect match but put a top hat on him and the resemblance is uncanny. Yesterday I took Jesse for his first mall trip. It was very fun. We walked around, ate in the food court and bought him some cute onsies (the essential baby apparel). It was a much better day than the day before. Screaming day, as I like to call it. Although picking up my stroller is equivalent to lifting a small elephant...that thing is monstrous. On the bright side it is really easy to fold down. That's all for now!

Venting

(big sigh) I am so tired. I feel like Jesse will not stop crying! He's driving me crazy. I am home all day by myself and calling Dan does not help because he can't come rushing home to hold the baby, which is all I really need so I can go into another room and have silence. It is silent now...he finally fell asleep. Praise the Lord. I just have this awful headache and the screaming baby is not helping it. That sound is becoming my least favorite in the world. It wouldn't be so bad if I could just figure out what he want but he just seems to want to scream! A LOT. It just started really... I feed him, he screams, I change him, he screams, I hold him, he screams, I "insert any activity", he screams...what is going on! I can't take much more of this. It is better when Dan is home cause I don't feel so alone. It is very scary being the mom and knowing that I am the one who this baby needs most. (For food and comfort and stuff) I am feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility and he is only 4 1/2 weeks old! UH! I just need to vent and writing sometimes helps. I just wish there was someone here like poof whenever I needed them, and they would know exactly what I needed and how to help me and I would be able to sleep and eat. Seriously how am I supposed to eat when the baby won't stop screaming. I suppose I should eat now when he is sleeping but then when do I sleep??? I am going crazy.

On a happier note....Beth and her beautiful son Caleb came to Michigan this past weekend. So we met for Breakfast and our babies had their first play date:) They mostly slept through it but Beth and I had fun holding each others child. Caleb has a little cold and his little baby cough just breaks your heart. I wish they lived closer...it was so fun to have a new mom around...plus I love Beth:) Here are some pics (this was also the first time we took Jesse out to a restaurant...he did well) The first one is Me & Jesse and Beth & Caleb. The second one is just the boys hanging out:)

I know everyone says "it gets easier". (taking care of your baby that is) I thought it was getting easier and then suddenly it got really hard all over again. This parent stuff is so difficult. That's not even the right word...I am not sure what the word is. Pray for my sanity...

I love this thing!

This is the coolest baby product I have ever received! Serina recommended it but my sweet friend Katie bought it for me. So thanks to you both! It's called an adjustable fleece Kangaroo Pouch...and I am in love with it. Jesse loves to be in it! In fact he is in it right now as I am writing this, sleeping soundly. We had to go to Children's Hospital yesterday to follow up on his kidney problem and I carried him around in this thing all over it was great! It is soooooooooo comfortable and I have the use of BOTH of my hands...for you mom's you know how wonderful that can be! Anyway I have nothing but great things to say about this thing. I want to buy like 4 more! Although I haven't quite figured out how to get the baby in and out of the pouch without some help from another person. Suggestions welcome. I tried making the pouch bigger but then it feels too loose when the baby is inside. I don't know if you know how to do this. I am all for help. Today it is my goal to find out how many things I can do while wearing my baby...so far...I can brush my teeth, eat, blog, and sort of put my hair in a pony tail (that one was a bit harder than the others). Oh yeah I can go get the mail from the mailbox too! Did I mention how awesome this thing is!!!!!!!! Forget registering at Babies R Us all you need is a Kangaroo Pouch! Thank you Katie and Serina!!!!!

Cutiest Baby Ever

First bath (sponge)

Sleeping with Daddy


Super Cute

Just some pics to enjoy. Do the nights ever get easier??? So far they are miserable. Good thing this babe is so cute or I might pull my hair out. As it is I just cry...all the time. They never told me the hormones are worse after you have the baby! Also I feel like all I do is feed this kid. Advice needed...do I wake him up to feed him or wait till he wakes on his own and is hungry? Can't figure out a schedule that works for us both. Pleas say this gets easier...HELP!

MY SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I am finally home from the hospital. I have bascially been there for over a week. We went in last Monday to be induced and came home with our bouncing baby boy today. We did sleep at home Tuesday night but other than that we have been at the hospital. What a long and draing labor that inevitably ended up in a c-section! Seriously 23-24 hours of labor and then the doc was like well this baby is posterior so we will have to c-section him out! By that time I didn't even care I just wanted the pain to be over and the baby to be out. Oh yeah and whoever said epidurals are great didn't tell me about the part where it doesn't work for some people...like me. It did not even effect my pain. Well they ended up giving me a spinal tap for my c-section and I was a very happy camper. Anyway here are some pictures of the little guy.

Picture one: right out of the womb being weighed and measured

Picture two: sleeping on Daddy

Picture three: with Aunt Amanda (also his godmother)

Picture four: all swaddled up and no where to go:)


I can't believe how much I love him. Mom's say it but you can't understand till you have one of your own. I am unable to sleep right now because he keeps crying and fussing. The nights are the worst. Not sure what to do. He likes to be held but I can't do that or I won't sleep. I already fed him and he can't keep that darn pacifier in his mouth and when he looses it he is very mad. I am holding him right now while I type. He likes the movement o my arms....weird...I should get a picture of this:) Anyway pray that I get some sleep!

P.S. Babies smell soooooooooooooooooo good! And I love his feet!

Home Again Home Agian Jiggity Jig

No I do not have my baby yet. Here is an email that Dan wrote last night to exlplain what happened. For those of you who didn't get it....it was an awful day and a half and I am still pregnant!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrea just came in and said, "I feel like we just got home from the worst vacation ever and we have to go back tomorrow."

The induction today did not work. After 18 hours of contractions, Andrea is still only 1cm dilated. We are exhausted (had only 4 hours of sleep) and we just fed Andrea properly (wasn't allowed to eat anything after midnight until 7 tonight). We return tomorrow night to try it all again. If the baby won't come one way, then we go the other way.

Pray for us.
Dan

Happy Due Date Day!

So today is my offical due date...but as you can see there is no baby! Just thought you would all like a last look at giant pregnant Andrea. The next photo of baby should be of him out of the womb! Unless for some reason God decides to bring him before Tuesday...that will be the big day. I am a bit nervous but also very excited. I had contractions last night but turns out they were due to the fact that I was dehidrated! Don't walk around the mall all day and not drink anyting...bad idea. Dan and I were both upset it wasn't real labor but oh well on the plus side I got to see my baby brother graduate today! Congrats to Max! Class of 2007. We are going to his little grad party later today, so that should be fun. Also my Dad is in town and I got to hug him for the first time in like a year so that was pretty cool. So thanks to all of you who are praying for us Marlow's. Keep em coming! Only a few days left as "just the two of us". Scary!

Waiting Sucks

First sorry to all of you who I have yet to call back. I am posting this so everyone gets an update and I don't have to tell the same story 5 million times. I will call everyone, it's just taking me some time:)

Went to the doctors yesterday...not much progress. I am now 40% effaced but she didn't say if I was more dilated or not. It looks like I am just going to have to be induced. I go in Monday the 11 the at 6:00pm to the hospital. They are going to put that gel stuff on my cervix and hopefully it will thin out faster, like it is supposed to. Then I spend the night at the hospital waiting for it to work. The next day (June 12) they will check me and if I am all ready they give me the drug, petocin I think, that makes you go into labor...or start contractions. So if the baby doesn't come before June 12 that will be when he is born, I guess. They said it takes a while to work so he may not come right away on the 12th. They also said that sometimes the gel is enough to put you into labor but knowing my stubborn body probably not:) I am just sick of waiting and really wanted my body to do this on it's own. Plus I am scared of a c-section because of the baby's size. Apparently he is going to be like 9-91/2 lbs. Which I know is not 100% accurate and many a women have delivered such gargantuan babies but I am just scared. It doesn't feel like this is happening the way it is supposed to. Also, because of all the grief the doctors gave me about how there "may" be something wrong with him, I am so worried he is going to come out with some weird disease or birth defect. I having a rough time putting faith and trust in God. Which makes me feel awful! I worry all the time anyway and this is even worse. I know don't be anxious. It's just hard. I have control issues people, if you didn't already know...and I have NO control over any of this. Anyway like the title says...waiting sucks.

39 Weeks

What the heck this baby needs to come out! Do you see this gigantic picture of me??? My ankles are swelling to size of small tree trunks and my shins have so much fluid collected in them that you can press on them and leave your finger imprint. Dan calls this phenomenon memory foam legs. I find it to be super gross and am afraid to touch my legs. I had them crossed the other day so one of my heels was resting on my shin and I had a baseball size welt in my leg that took 15 minutes to go away. Ah pregnancy. Anyway I went to the doctor on Thursday and she said I am only 1 centimeter dilated and 20% effaced. She said she doesn't want me to go too far past my due date because of the baby's kidney issues so she scheduled me for induction on June 12 if that is this stubborn little boy doesn't come out before then. I wish he would just show himself already. I have been trying to relax and do things for my self like all you mom's say but it is hard when I am so uncomfortable and am sick of being cooped up at home! I would go out but it has been so hot I would rather be bored and the right temperature at home then out in the heat. Sorry to those of you who have to face the whole summer pregnant! Well now that I have thoroughly ranted (I'm entitled when I am this big) the up side is that there is an end in sight. It's just hard to wait and wait and wait. I am not a very patient person. I did start crocheting a new baby blanket for a friend. I actually am reading a pattern to do it. Amanda has inspired me she made the cutest little green and white sweater with turtle buttons for the baby. I am not up to a sweater yet considering I can't fully read the pattern without a little help but I did start this lovely double shell stitch blanket. I have to think about what I am doing while counting and reading the pattern so it keeps my mind off the baby. I love crocheting! Bye for now!

All Spruced Up

Hello out there. Hope you all like the aesthetic changes I made to my blog. This new template thingy on blogger really lets you personalize your format. I highly recommend it. The picture at the top I took while on a Marlow family vacation in Canada last year. Why you may ask am I changing my blog now....well when you have been home from work for almost 3 weeks and have done everything else you could possibly think of for the arrival of your new baby (that hasn't come yet) you "spruce up"....everything. Some things I have done:

• made curtains for the living room
• finished my wedding scrapbook (that I started 4 years ago)
• updated my blog
• made jewelry for a friends bridal party
• actually have been caught up on my laundry
• almost finished crocheting a baby blanket
• cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned some more

So to those of you mothers out there who know what it's like to wait for the baby to come...have any suggestions of what else I could do to keep my mind off of being sooooooooo pregnant?

Baby Caleb

Here are the baby Caleb pics. The top one of the whole Roselius family, but I like the bottom one better cause you can see more baby face and his dark head of hair! I think he's gonna look like dad! CONGRATS Beth and Jesse!

38 weeks and 31 weeks

So here are Rebecca and I posing in all our pregnant glory. We had breakfast this morning and I couldn' t pass on a picture opt. We are in the very blue nursery. She doesn't know what the sex of her baby is but I found it quite funny when she rubbed her belly on mine like the babies were able to feel each other:) I am so excited for her. Although it seems that everyone is pregnant these days! I added Baby Block's blog to my tool bar. Check it out if you already haven't. I don't have any pregnanty pics of Lisa yet. Oh yes and my friend Beth Roselius just had her baby (due June 10 born May 23) and he is adorable. Will post picture of baby Caleb ASAP. When is my baby coming!!!!

Toe Show

My mom and I went to get pedicures the other day and they said I could get writing on my toes....so here they are proclaiming the question everyone seems to ask. It's hard to read from far away but this picture is pretty cool:) Plus I get to look at my feet all the time so that is good. Although lately they look a bit like pillows attached to elephant ankles. The swelling has begun. Not my favorite part of pregnancy. They are not too bad but I can't imagine women who are pregnant in the winter and have to wear real shoes that tie! Flip flops all the way baby. I have't tied my own shoe in months! I am very ready to be unpregnant. I want the baby to come early because I am sooooooooo uncomfortable but not sure I am ready for the daunting responsibilty of being a mom either. Oh well I am getting stuff done around the house. This will be my second week off from work and I am loving it! I get so much done at home and I can nap when I feel tired. The doctor said my belly is measuring quite big for how many weeks I am. ( I am 37 weeks and my belly measurement last week was 41) I am anticipaiting a large child. Kinda scared about delivery:) Ok that's it for now...everyone pray that the baby comes SOON!

Cradle

Just wanted to share picture of this cute cradle my mom and aunt got me for my shower. I just put the new linens in it and I love how it turned out! It is in our bedroom next to my bed and I can't wait to put my little bundle of joy in there! This last 6 weeks is going to be torture! I feel huge and uncomfortable and I am just ready to meet my baby! Oh yes and at my last ultrasound they said the baby was 6 pounds already with 6 weeks left to go...what does that mean for me you ask? ONE FREAKING HUGE BABY! Please pray that my body is internally set up to deliver naturally.

Look How I've Grown!

THEN (week 9) and

NOW (week 33)

So I have in fact gotten huge as you can see! I think it is funny how different I look. In the first picture I am actually SKINNY! Which is a word I would never use to describe myself. Here is a list of 10 things I have lost since being pregnant and want back ASAP , Oh yes and they all get worse the more pregnant you are...

1. My lap...I can't put anthing in my lap because it has dissapeared. Which is quite difficult during sunday school when I have to read my bible and a work book thingy.

2. My memory...now granted this has been slowing leaving me for months now but when I get up to go to the bathroom and then less than 5 minutes later I ask Dan if I went to the bathroom, that's a problem.

3. My ability to sleep through the night... with hip pain and getting up to go to the bathroom you would think I am a 90 year old woman!

4. My ability to hold my bladder for more than 15 minutes....I seriously had to pee before during and after church service today, that's no right!

5. My vocabulary...yep it's true I cannot for the life of me think of the right word to say when I am talking. Dan thinks it is funny...but I feel like I am loosing my mind!

6. My lung capacity...One should not tire easily and be out of breath from walking to a car and putting a seat belt on.

7. My ability to bend over....lets just say there is a lot of grunting and growning if this is attempted at anytime.

8 Being able to stay up past 10pm...I want to watch law and order for goodness sake!

9. Cuddling with my husband...now it is still possible but usually when I get comfortable my unborn son decides that he is not and proceeds to kick me repeatedly until I change positions which is usually uncomfortable for me or Dan.

10. Maintaining a comfortable body temperature....I'm hot, I'm cold, I'm hot, I'm cold....WHAT THE HECK!

All in all I have had a pretty easy pregnancy (pshyically...emotionally it has been a nightmere) so I can't complain too much. I think I am just ready for our baby to be here. Well I wouldn't say ready. More like excited, terrified, anticipaiting, anxiously awaiting. Who can really be ready right?

Baby Shower

Well I had a baby shower on Saturday. Is that a crazy event or what! It was bigger than any of my bridal showers so it was a bit overwhelming but really fun. Our nursery is filled with presents you can hardly tell it is a room anymore! I feel like we need a new house because of all the stuff you aquire with a new baby! This "diaper cake" was a pretty cool gift. Aunt Barb made it and another one made of baby blankets and other baby wear. Here's me with my blond girls looking huge! I still have 10 weeks to go I am just going to be a blimp! Anway that's an update I supose. It is getting really hard to bend over and stand for any length of time. Being pregnant is not as glamourous as people think! Everyday tasks take the wind out of me. I am getting a bit scared about the whole labor process and that when it is over we will have a new life to take care of. It didn't seem so real till these last few weeks! We are attending birth classes starting this week and a breast feeding class. So that should be fun/interesting/informative:) Hope all the other prego's out there are doing well! There were like 4 or 5 women at my shower who were pregnant...it seems to be contageous lately!

Good News!

So my super awesome brother-in-law got a job in Southfield! This may not seem very exciting to any of you but to us Marlow's it means that we will have Peter back in Michigan. HAZAH! (that was for Dan) Peter as been living and working in NYC for the past 8ish months. Or so he says...when I asked if the new company in southfield was giving him moving expenses he replied that all he had was a duffle bag of stuff with him in NYC. Um that doesn't really constitute moving Peter! Anyway it made me laugh because it is so him. When he was a sophomore in college and moved into an apartment with some guys he slept on the floor/couch for 6 months becasue he never came an got his bed that was at our house in Wayland. I had to physically plan a date for him to come get it or I think he would have slept on that couch for his entire college career. Anywho despite the weirdness of him we love him and can't wait for him to come home...considering he has only been on an extened visit to NYC anyway:) We're so proud of you Peter! Come home now...I need my nursery painted:)

Progress

So here I am looking gigantic. For those of you who want to see my big pregnant belly. I do not however intend to show my bare skin because unlike you lucky mom's out there I DO in fact have many, many stretch marks. I did everything right...I didn't gain weight too fast I have been working out and putting lotion on my belly but I think if you you're going to get them your going to get them. Oh well I guess, I never really wore a bikini anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. The baby is a boy for those of you who don't already know. We don't have a name yet but even if we did we would't tell. We are keeping it a secret till the baby is born. Gotta have some secrects:) Um he is doing well, growing and moving. Actually today was the first time Dan got to feel him move by feeling my belly. He is finally big enough to feel from the out side. Although most of his movements are still only felt on the inside. Also here is an ultrasound picture that gives a pretty good profile view of the baby which by the way we have taken to calling Thor.

IKEA

So here I am being super cold like I always am these days. Whoever said pregant people are always hot are full of it. Anyway the real reason for this post is that we went to Ikea and got some cool things. A china cabinet and some DVD towers. That place is cool but super busy. It is not so much fun to go on a saturday when it is basically like an amusment park! Anway Dan put together these things and it is so nice to have out the china/crystal we have had packed away since Wayland.

(p.s. don't forget to check out Dan's guns in the tower pic.....he's been working out can you tell?)

The China Cabinet


The new towers....the tall ones are new.


Anway our house is really shaping up now if I can only get going on the baby's room! First we have to get rid of the furniture that's in there! Ok well not much else going on. For those of you who care I have an ultrasound on Thursday and i have been having growing pains which no one warned me about and they are not so fun. Plus I don't even get the bonus of puberty growing pains where you get to get taller no I just get fatter! Oh well at least I get a baby out of it:) Later dudes....

Name Contest

Here is the picture of us girls that Lisa wanted me to post of Amada's "angry" eye:) Not sure what she is doing the rest of us were pretending to be sad but Amanda the rebel that she is (she does have 2 tatoo's) decided to go angry. She makes me smile

Anyway.... Back to the real reason I am writing...
So a lot of people have been asking us if we have any names that we like for the baby. We haven't really thought about too much yet. There are maybe 2 or 3 that aren't bad but we thought it would be fun to get your opinion. So this is a baby name contest. There is no guaranty that we will pick a name from this list because ultimately we have the last say but I have to start somewhere. So here are the rules..

1. If you are posting a girl name it has to go with the middle name Mary. (I am fond of it considering it is my middle name my mother's name and my grandmother's name)

2. No names that start with "M". I will not have a Mable or Mike Marlow. Too much alliteration.

3. Do not post a name that you want to name your child. What if we like it? Then you'll have to ask us not to use it and then we won't because we love it.

Other than that you can give first or middle names for boys or girls. I was going to buy a baby book or look online but this seemed more fun....Thanks to Lisa for the idea!

Oh yeah the winner gets bragging rights that they helped name the baby:)