We'll Get Better...promise

Well, it's been awhile. Henry decided to show up about six weeks early...much to our surprise and delight. He also decided to show up with a heart defect that we are working hard to correct. Surgery is this Wednesday actually, so please pray for Henry and send positive thoughts and energy out to him and his surgical team. Once we get him back home, I'll try to be better at posting photos/video here. I realize not everyone has access to facebook and that is where all the updates have been since May/June. Love to all, Team McDonald (James, Kel & Henry)

Showers, For Baby and For Real

Auntie Erin threw me a wonderful baby shower this past weekend out in Oxford. She and mom and many friends and family were so generous and helpful. Here are just a few pictures from the big day. It has also been raining a lot here...a lot. Hence the title of the blog.

32 Week Update

Well, our little baby is at 32 gestational weeks old now. I don't know if that is a term, but that is where I "am" in our pregnancy. Peanut is moving a lot and still shocking me with these sometimes hard pokes to the belly. I love it though and wouldn't wish for them to stop at all.

My diabetes is going as well as I could hope. Of course, I still complain almost daily that I can't have ice cream. For those of you that know me well, you know I could eat ice cream twice a day for my entire life and still feel like I need more. Alas, I cannot eat it. James and I have found some nice sugar free fudge pops that keep my needs quenched. At least a little bit. I still have plans of a chocolate malt or snickers blizzard from Dairy Queen the minute I'm able to have one. James has been wonderfuly supportive and understanding through this and helps me with my diet every day. It is so nice to have that sort of teamwork to rely on.

I'm now visiting the doctor every two weeks for check ups. I was just in yesterday and the baby is measuring right on and his/her heartbeat was at 152 yesterday.

I'm still fairly comfortable but am getting more and more tired. I think this hot/humid weather plays into that considerably. I don't even want to leave the AC on days like today when it is about 90 with a humidity level of 85% - disgusting. I often wonder why I live in Iowa since I really can't stand any of the seasons besides Fall. Summer - hate the extreme heat and humidity. Spring - hate the threat of tornados. Winter - love it most of the time until March 1 hits, then I'm done. The thing that keeps me here - my family. No doubt. However, James and I often consider another move to keep things interesting! Okay - that was a bit of a rant...back to baby.

Due date is August 3, so 8 weeks away. I feel completely unprepared. Well, not completely. We do have a crib, crib sheets, dresser & changing table and end table. Our rocker is due to arrive today and I have my shower tomorrow - which I'm really looking forward to. I guess the rset of the "small things" will come over the next few weeks and we'll make do with what we have.

I'll post more photos soon of the growing belly. In all honesty, I lost about three pounds when I started the diabetic diet and upped my exercise. I was back even yesterday with my previous weight and have gained 24 lbs in the pregnancy thus far. They recommend 25-35 total weight gain, so I guess I'm right on track. I suppose if ice cream hadn't been banned, I'd have already surpassed that 35 lb. limit!

Hope you are all well. ~ Kel and James

Cakes Made of Diapers

James' co-workers surprised him (and his two other expectant co-workers) with a shower today. They brought in snacks and this awesome diaper cake. Just wanted to show it off with the proud Dad to be.

Some more pictures

Just a few pictures. 26 and 27 weeks, respectively.

No Sugar Tonight - in my coffee

No Sugar tonight, tomorrow, the next day, etc. etc. for another three months. Founds out today I have gestational diabetes. I've been everything from exteremly worried to sad to defeated to confused to angry. Of course, I am eating *fairly well*, I exercise at least four to five times a week and I have no family history of diabetes and I get it in pregnancy. I have no idea what to eat now and the only thing I can think of is salad. Oooh, salad - awesome. I did pick up a few cook books at the library and have and educational class a week from today where I will find out more. I do know I will need to check my sugars four times a day for the next little while. I just hope our little McBaby is okay in there. I'm blue. :(

25 Week Photo

Went to Minneapolis for work and got to hang out with Joe and Shelagh a bit. The three of us, and Jared, tried to go to the Twins game Tuesday night, but we couldn't find tickets. It was still really cool to see the new stadium. It is pretty impressive.

You Look Great

Just wanted to vent a teeny-tiny bit. For those of you out there that will encounter a pregnant woman, my advice to you is to never say the following...

1. Wow you're huge. When are you due?
2. Are you sure you're not carrying twins?
3. Your boobs are HUGE.

The best thing to say to any pregnant woman, whether it is your friend, wife, co-worker, Aunt, etc. IS "You look great". Repeat after me, "You look great". It's not that hard. That is all we want to hear and deserve to hear. We understand that our bodies are hurling out of control but you pointing out the obvious (most often in front of others) is not a way to get on our good side.

Yes, I know that most all comments are not meant to hurt you. But, you know what - they kind of do. My thing is that it makes me feel like I am doing something wrong and am hurting my baby. Irrational - perhaps, but true.

So, to wrap up. Thank you for your genuine interest in my changing body - it really is great, but just remember the words that will never lead you in the wrong direction. "You Look Great!!"

8:15pm - After further consideration, I have to remove point three from my list of what not to say to pregnant woman. I realized some women might actually enjoy that statement. I however, have never been lacking in that department and just feel out of control now!

24 Weeks, or there aboots

Just a couple more pics to post of the belly. I need to get some with James in there too. Picture in the dress is from our friend Dan Trochil's wedding up in Appleton Wisconsin. I am 23w5days in that picture. The other is just after James and I got done playing catch on a lovely spring evening. I think I'm 24w1d there. Things are going well. Growing, growing and baby is moving around a lot. It's a really cool feeling.

Belly at 22 Weeks

Here is the belly at 22 weeks. I've been feeling pretty good lately, just a bit "front" heavy. Learning to walk and my back constantly arching is something I'm trying to get used to. I am really feeling "big" now and am trying to adjust to the weight change and the balance issues I'm having. My dreams have been much more graphic. Lasts nights was the best as I dreamt that I got to hold our baby for the first time. It was a boy. His name was clear in the dream, but not to be discussed here. I think I woke up crying. It was an awesome-awesome dream.

Kipper likes the belly

Our cat, Kipper, seems drawn to the belly. Lately, when I'm laying on my side, he'll crawl right on top of it and make himself comfy. He seems to think my breasts act as nice pillows as well. Can't blame the cat...they are out of control. Someone once told me that they swore their cat was drawn to the heartbeat of the child. Crazy. Whatever it is, Kipper is digging it. More pictures of the belly to come soon.

First Pictures of McBaby

Introducing Baby McDonald!!!!!

Telling the Campbell's on New Year's Eve. I wish I would have filmed this as everyone screamed and jumped out of their chairs at the same time. We told them just a few minutes before midnight. A tequila toast followed which many did not take too kindly to. :)

The Growing Belly

James and Dad finally enjoying a cigar and Templeton in celebration of Baby McDonald. They had attempted twice before. The temperature broke 40 today and made it bearable to stand outside to smoke.

Here's a picture of me at 17.5 weeks. The belly is really starting to grow!

Pregnant!!

We found out we were pregnant the morning of November 24 before work. I was so anxious to take the test I got up early (ish) to do so. When I got the positive result I jumped on James and was singing and dancing some awesome song I made up in the moment.

Telling the Family - McDonald's

Every year James and I celebrate Christmas in Okoboji with Jock, Chris, Shelagh & Joe, and Stuart. This year Grandmum McDonald was there to share in the festivities. Every year we start our dinner with "crackers". I wish I knew how to describe them, but I'm not sure. It's a McDonald tradition and I love it. One year Young Stuart discovered you could covertly insert items into the crackers that would fall out when they were "cracked". It was a great discovery as he uncovered this the year a deer decided to jump into my car and destroy it. Stuart snuck two deer whistles into James' cracker and we all got a good laugh out of that.

This year, James and I thought it would be a great idea to put a small baby rattle and baby bottle into Chris' cracker so that when we started dinner she would find the clues and put our secret together. Needless to say, it did not work as planned. The presents are notorious for flying everywhere and they did not fail us this year. The following is the progression of the McDonald's finding out about their soon to be grandchild. I laugh so hard every time I watch it. Stuart gets mad, Chris is confused and Joe catches on before anyone else. I love family dinners at the McDonald's. Enjoy!!

Take 1 - It Begins

Take 2 - What Did You Get?

Take 3 - Stu Gets Mad, Joe Gets It

Take 4 - WALLBANGER!

Telling the Family - Hackathorn's

We decided to tell Mom and Dad the news when we celebrated our Christmas this year. The date was December 20. Erin of course already knew. She knew the day we knew. Like I could hide it from her. I told Erin by showing her a picture of my positive test right before we went to see "New Moon". It was pretty awesome. She thought I found some random test in the bathroom at work. Once she put it together she was over the moon. I needed Erin to know for support and to help me hide the fact from others until we were ready to share with the rest of our family and friends.

Erin helped us share the good news to mom and dad. We coordinated a "joint" present for Mom and Dad from James, Erin and I. Luckily, mom opened hers first to find movie tickets for a date night. She was pretty excited. Dad opened his next and found the onesie we had gotten in Maui that reads, "Aloha Baby". Their reaction was luckily captured on our camera. It is a bit shaky because I was laughing and crying at the same time.

It was a great day! I think they would all agree.

New to Blogging

Okay, this is my first time blogging and I'm not sure if it will work. James and I wanted to start a blog so our family and friends could join us in our journey into parenthood. Baby McDonald is due August 7, 2010 and we are very much looking for to his/her arrival.