36.5 Weeks Pregnant!

It's getting scary for me to think that we could have a baby any day. I know the chances of me having the baby early are slim... but you never know! I had Chadder take a picture last night of my growing tummy. I think my skin is to the max on stretching. My poor stomach is so itchy that I put lotion on at least two times a day. I know that I will probably never be able to wear a two piece swim suit again because of the nice and beautiful stretch marks that now accompany me! When we go for our checkups the nurses always say, "Oh, Sarah, you look so good!" They think that the stretch marks are beautiful... I don't know if they fully understand the meaning of beautiful. Maybe I should take in a dictionary this week for them to read the definition!




I don't know about other pregnant women but I am having a hard time finding shirts that cover the bottom of my stomach! Notice in the picture that my stomach is "creeping" out of my shirt!

Chad tells me he is COMPLETELY ready for the baby. (I'm glad he's ready...I might not be but he is!) Yesterday we had a snow day and he said before he left. Why don't we make this a great snow day and have the baby. I then look at him with a puzzled face thinking to myself, Oh yea. Because I am totally ready at school to have this baby! He must have noticed my face because he said, go up and down the steps 100 times this morning and then do it again this afternoon. I laughed at him and he didn't think I was too funny! He is just ready. Ready to be a Dad. Ready for everything he gets to do!!

We were watching a movie the other night and it was about a pregnant couple. They were having the baby and it showed the umbilical cord. He turned his head away from the tv because he said he was about to throw up. Pretty sure that I laughed out loud. He said, "It's not nice to laugh. I really don't know if I'm going to be able to be in the room when you have the baby. I might just have to wait outside the door!" I stoped laughing, look him in the eye and say, "You WILL be in that room. I don't care if you are passed out on the chair next to me. BUT you WILL be in that room!" He is such a freakin' hoot!

Here are some pictures of the baby room. These pictures are not updated, because we have nothing on the walls.







The crib was given to us by Chad's Mom and Dad. The rocker is from my Mom and Dad. We have put pictures up on the walls and also the quilt that my sister-in-law Missy made for us:)

And now on to sad news. I got a text this morning from my teaching partner that one of her students is not doing well. This student had a brain tumor when he was only three. Doctors around here gave him no hope. So his parents heard about St. Jude's and off they went. St. Jude's saved this students live. The student can't move the left side of their body very well but the student loved life. The student told me jokes to tell Chad all the time. The latest joke from the student... why did the skeleton cross the road?? To go to the body shop! The student said, "Mrs. Sudol I know Chad will like that joke because he works at a body shop!!" This student knew the real meaning of life. It isn't about things at all. This student didn't care about those little things in life. It's about enjoying everyday you have on this Earth.

So, every four months the student has to get checkups at St. Jude's. The student has been cure free for over a year and a half. So, this time just the student and Mom went. They ended up finding another mass on his brain yesterday. So, the student will be staying at St. Jude's and tomorrow they will find more out about what they are going to do. Dad is on his way down to St. Jude's to be with them.

I completely believe in God. I know God. He is my friend. But I asked him today, why? Why this young child? Why will this young child have to go through something like this? Why will the child's family have to go through this? I know there must be a reason, but right now it is hard to see... why!

So, please pray for this student. I'm sorry I can't tell you the name because I know it would be easier to pray. I just can't say things like that... So, pray for a student in the first grade at Tripoli Elementary. God will know who you are talking about. God is with them right now, holding them in his arms.

I know this morning when I got that message I just rubbed my tummy and was thankful for my baby. Thankful for my husband and my family. Please be thankful for what you have. I know sometimes it's hard to be thankful for your husband when he doesn't do something right, but be THANKFUL! I know it's hard to be thankful for your children, when they do something wrong... but please.... be thankful. Hug your children today, kiss your children today, tell them you love them, because you never know!

So, I leave you with a sad and heavy heart this morning. Please pray for the student and pray for your own children. Pray that they can continue to be healthy and this student can beat it... no matter what it is!

-Sarah

35 Weeks and 6 Days

Can you believe that we are almost ready to see our baby? I can and I can't. It seems like a long time ago when we found out we were pregnant...



Notice my SWEET hair! Literally just found out 5 minutes before this picture that we were pregnant!! Looking at this picture makes me think of how short my hair was... and how thin my face looks! I KNOW it does not look like that right now!!

It wont be long and this baby will be changing our lives for the better. I didn't think my life could get any better. I have a husband who loves me to death, a great job, and a loving family! And now I am going to be able to love a baby more than anything in the world.

Since my last update my feet have started to swell. And when I say swell, I mean SWELL! I can take my socks off and still have the indents from them for like an hour... Today I wore a skirt with tights and my UGG boots. When I got home tonight I took off my boots and had an imprint from where they where! No lie! Everyone keeps telling me, "Get your feet up during the day!" Okay I'll do that while I'm trying to teach... impossible. Especially when you teach lower elementary.

The baby room is officially ready to go. All I have to do is get Natalie, Lucas, and Maverick to paint some pictures and get them framed. Other then that we are ready. My bag is packed and the baby's bag is packed. My husband is SUPER organized so he has been helping me get the bags packed so we can get more in them. Including the outfit for Baby Sudol to come home in. He ordered an outfit for a boy and a girl the other night online through Children's Place. He seriously spent more than I do on an outfit for me! He doesn't care because it's for the baby!

I do have conferences for school on February 8th and 10th so I can't go before then! I will be ready to go anytime after that though!! On the 8th we take the students to a play down in Cedar Falls... I'm hoping the bus isn't too bumpy!!

Anywho's I will update again before the baby comes... that is my goal. Then I can show a picture of the baby room and maybe one picture of my growing tummy!

Have a great Friday!! We get to wear jeans... it seriously makes my day!!

-Sarah

30 Weeks!

I am officially 30 weeks! I don't exactly know where those thirty weeks went! Chad said this morning, this is going to be the longest ten weeks of my life! I said, why because I am so crabby? He laughed!!

I have been feeling really good physically. Emotionally... not so well! I have had the biggest issue with my weight. I see the weight that I am, and I could throw up. When I think of someone who weighs what I do, I think they are heavy! My face has been the worst part for me. It's because I have to look at it everyday in the mirror as I get ready for work. I would say at least two times a week I cry in the morning because of the way I look. Everyone (well except one person) says that I look great, but I don't feel it. I really don't feel like I was prepared enough for how emotionally hard it would be to gain the weight! I try to hide it by making little "cracks" about myself and my weight... but I have hated the weight part! Loved every other thing about being pregnant, except the weight!

Earlier I said everyone except one person tells me I look good. Listen to this your mouth will probably drop open because mine did! We were out one night with my family and a some other family members that we hadn't seen in a month or so. I heard one of them telling my Mom, "Wow, poor Sarah has put a lot of weight on in her face..." I thought okay I give her that, because I have put on weight in my face. THEN THEN later this family member says to me, "Oh Hun, you really are retaining water in your face aren't you?" I just smiled and nodded my head! I could have cried right there but I couldn't because we were in public! On the way home, I was crying and telling Chad about what had happened. He was SOOOOOO upset. It made me feel good to have him get upset about it too! Seriously... who says that to someone when they are pregnant? Seriously?

So, needless to say I am no longer posting pictures of my face. So, here is earlier todays picture of Momma and Baby Sudol!!




I hope that you have a great weekend, and a Merry Christmas! I am just saying Merry Christmas now because I know myself and how busy we are!! I hope that you all remember the reason for the season! Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

The Countdown is On!!!

Wow, can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner? I still have some shopping to do... I hopefully will get that finished this weekend while Chad's out hunting!

Our life has been super busy like normal. Sunday night my cousin had a Madrid musical thing. It was interesting to say the least. The students were dressed up as if they were back in Medieval times. They sang, we ate, and they sang more! It was really neat but it got really late! It was almost 10:15 when it was over and we still had an hour and a half drive! I have a few pictures from that night!




Sorry the pictures are so blurry and dark! My cousin was very happy that we came, so it made the short night worth it!

Then on Tuesday night my Mom graduated from Nursing school!! Yeah for my Mom! It was VERY stressful for her (and the rest of us)! She graduated with all of us there except my brother Zach, who had to work. He recently got promoted to a supervisor at Nestle, so he really couldn't take any time off! We all were proud of my Mom for reaching her goal! Missy, Kacie, and I have all said we are ready to have our Mom back! She just was so busy with school she couldn't talk or hangout as often as normal.

Last night we had play practice for the church play. I thought since I was pregnant I would maybe be Mary... nope a VERY pregnant angel! I swear the costume makes me look over four hundred pounds! I told Chad I might have to make it more up to date! It's just a piece of cloth that is way to big! I might put a belt around the top of my tummy so you can tell I'm pregnant and not just super sized!

I have some pictures of getting the crib put together for the baby and also Chad putting the car seat and stroller together! We had both Grandpa's over to help with the crib!








We went down and registered for the baby shower the other night! That was really fun... for me! Chad kept saying, "This is new to me, what is this? what is this? we really need something like that?" When we left he was very overwhelmed. I think mostly over what we still need to get ready to have the baby! It was funny because the next night we ordered the car seat and stroller. He then said, what are the other MAJOR things we need before the baby comes. It's all setting in for the both of us. We are on the countdown now... on Saturday I will be thirty weeks! That means only ten more weeks to prepare!

In early December we had our Holiday Concert (Christmas Concert, but we can't say Christmas anymore!!!!) The kids were really excited all week long. Chad came over with me and the kids went freakin' nuts! They couldn't believe that he came to watch them. They are still talking about "meeting" Chad! I had Chad take a few pictures after the concert of me with the kids. This is the best one... they were all being pretty goofy if you can't tell!



Okay, I have probably jabbered on about nothing so I will end my post. Looks like we are having a late start this morning. I just hope that it doesn't turn into a no school day!

-Sarah

Whooops!

Whooops is all that I can say. I have been TERRIBLE at keeping up with the blog. Anyways there are tons of things new so I'll get started.

Thursday we went for my six month check-up. Everything is going really well. Dr. Royer is happy with everything in my pregnancy. So, that makes me feel good! Got to hear that darn heartbeat again!! You know that song... Stuck Like Glue?? Every time I hear that heartbeat... I start to cry. When I hear that it makes me feel just like that song says!!! Here's the link. You need to listen to it and think about how it would make me feel.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iDPw_qjhtM

Anyways, I am loving being pregnant. I love the way I can feel those little legs and arms moving. I love that Chad can now feel it too! I love it when he feels it because he'll look at me and say, "Did you feel that?" He told me he can barely wait any longer! The other day someone asked me if my husband was excited. I started to cry when they asked me this. He is SOOOOO freakin' excited to be a Dad! Chad is going to be one of those dad's that you see who is amazing at being a dad. He tells me everyday things that he was planned for him and the baby. Boy activities and girl activities. Things that only Dad's can do... oh! I know that I'm excited to be a Mom but I'm just as excited to see him as a Dad!!

Anywho's, we went to Minnesota last weekend with Chad's whole family for a Vikings game. We had tons of fun! We ended up picking up a crib and a dresser for the baby's room. It's really cute. I will post some pictures soon of it all!

School has been going pretty good. Last week we had conferences... and I survived! I was so nervous about them and they went very well. My students are all really good and work hard so it didn't make it hard for me! It was nice because the school had the food catered so we didn't have to worry about supper!

I am ready for Christmas break though. I think it will be nice to have that time to myself because that's when I plan on doing a lot for the babies room. It also will be nice to be able to be home before five every night! Everyone told me that my first year of teaching would be tough... yeah they didn't lie! I just keep thinking, man what will I do next year if I get pushed to a different grade?? Will it be like this again next year? I sure as heck, hope not!

Have a good week and I will post some pictures hopefully by the end of the week!

-Sarah

Halloween, Baby, And Everything In Betweeen!!

Wow, it has been awhile for me to do some posting! I have been SUPER busy at school. I sometimes feel like I should live at the school. I drive to school in the dark and when I leave after school it's dark! I keep telling myself, someday it will get better! It has to right?

Anyways, everyone keeps asking me to put pictures up of Baby Sudol growing in my tummy! So, today I will deliver. Before Chad went out hunting he snapped a few photos of us (baby and I).



This is from earlier today... 23 Weeks Pregnant. Can't believe that we are on the down hill slope. It seems though as time is slowing moving forward. I just want to see this baby, know what sex it is, kiss this baby, and love up on this baby! So, I am hoping that the holidays go fast and February will be here before I know it!!

These next few pictures are from my classroom. The kiddo's helped me decorate the room. They had so much fun! I am hoping to score a few good deals tomorrow on Halloween for next year. Then I will have more things to decorate with in the classroom.




The ghosts hanging are made out of cheese cloth and liquid starch. I loved making these with the kids! It was VERY messy but we all had fun! I even made a few for our house. I have some hanging from the lights over our table and in the entryway!

I hope that everyone has a good Halloween! We are passing out candy and silly bandz at our house this year. Please come:) My mom and I both keep track every year of how many kids we have. The past two years I have been the WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!

Enjoy your weekend... we have nothing planned and I have enjoyed that. Got some baking done today, took a nap, and cleaned. I think that it's now time to sit down and relax while I watch the rest of the Iowa game! Go Hawks!

Finally Getting into the Swing!

I feel like I am finally getting into the swing of teaching. At first I was totally overwhelmed with my new teaching job. I brought things home every night and worked until it was time to go to bed!

I am now working like a fool during the day to get my tasks completed so I don't have to bring LOTS home. I still bring about an hours worth of things home every night but that's better then what it was!

With this extra time at home I feel like I am being a better wife because I am able to get things done around home. Like cook meals that are not frozen!! I feel like I am a better daughter because I have more time to spend with my parents and talk to them more frequently. I feel like I am a better teacher because in my free time at night I am thinking how I can do things better. Not thinking, "oh man, I am freakin' exhausted!"

Chad and I are thinking about working on the baby room this weekend. We are thinking of taking the old furniture out and picking some paint colors. Missy (my sister-in-law) made this beautiful quilt for the baby. So, I am probably going to pull colors out of the quilt to paint the room in.



I am thinking about pulling the tans out... I have this cute idea on some artwork for the room. I think it would be neat for the baby's cousins to paint some pictures for their new cousin. I have two nephews and one niece. I was thinking about having them paint with the colors that are in the quilt. I also have some good ideas for some sayings to go on the wall. Oh my... before I know it Baby Sudol will be here!!! I totally can't wait!

I go in next week for my 20 week appointment!! I am ready to hear that heartbeat again. It always makes me feel better after hearing the heartbeat. I told Chad we needed to invest in one. We thought about trying to "steal" it from the doctors office... my purse was to small! Just kidding! I WOULD not steal!

I hope that you have a good rest of the work week! It's almost Wednesday:)

-Sarah