We're Ready!

I had my 35-week ultrasound on Monday afternoon. I have been feeling great, so it was a bit of a shock when the doctor told me that I'm 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated. She said that there is no telling when the baby will come, it could be days or it could be weeks, and that ideally the baby will wait until 37 weeks, which is considered full term. She said she seriously doubts I will make it much past that, especially since M&R were both born at 37 weeks, and third babies come faster. If I go into labor before 37 weeks they won't try to stop it since the baby is fully developed at this point and is just growing. So we are hoping and praying that he will stay put a little longer, but if he doesn't, we are ready for him...

He has a place to ride. The car seat has been disassembled, washed and reassembled.


He has clothes to wear. The "going home" outfit that both of his big brothers wore home from the hospital has been washed and pressed.


He has a place to sleep. The crib is ready!

Changing My Prediction

I have kept a pregnancy journal with all three of my pregnancies...and just last night when reading back through my journals I discovered something really interesting.

Mason's due date, based on his measurements during the 8-week ultrasound, was October 5. He was born on September 16, which was 19 days early.

I had completely forgotten that Roper's original due date, based on his measurements during the 8-week ultrasound, was August 4. My doctor adjusted that date to July 27 based on my cycle and his measurements at a later ultrasound. But...he was born on July 16, also 19 days before that original due date estimate of 8/4!

My due date this time around is 3/25...but at my appointment this morning I asked the nurse if she could look in my chart and tell me the due date that was indicated by my 8-week ultrasound...it was March 30. Subtract 19 days and you get March 11.

I have been saying all along that this baby would be born on 3/16, since my first two were born on the 16ths of their birth months...but now I'm thinking he might be born on 3/11!!

Time will tell...who knows, he might end up being one of those babies that decides to stay put until his due date!

On the subject of baby, we spent some time this weekend working on the nursery. The closet was full of my clothes, so I cleaned it out. And then I got distracted and cleaned out our upstairs linen closet (it needed it!).

Speaking of linens...the lady from that etsy baby bedding site never sent me the fabric swatches that I requested. I followed up by e-mail and she hasn't written me back. I got impatient and started looking around more. My friend Sally e-mailed me a link to this bedding from Serena & Lily.



I love it...I'm a sucker for seersucker...and it's the "Graham" collection (haha). The picture makes me think of my Graem...with the nautical inspired decor (oars & ropes on the shades), not to mention the seersucker. Although S&L's description of their Graham doesn't really match up with the description of my Graem. The first line, "Graham is hip," really cracks me up! And if you know my Graem you will understand this.



The coordinating pillow on the S&L site has a "d" on it...how appropriate!



I found the whole set, including lots of extras (roman shades, changing pad cover, pillow, blanket) on eBay!! I'm working on getting everything together & I'll post pictures of the nursery when its all done! Sometime between now and March 11. :)

Our Third Sweet Baby Boy

I feel like everyone in the world was holding their breath on Wednesday to find out the gender of baby Clark #3! And thanks to text messaging and Facebook, and now my blog, now the whole world knows!



Yes, we are having a third boy. Last night Graem and I joined the Smyths to see "Rain," the musical tribute to the Beatles, and all day today I've been singing "one and one and one is three...come together..."

I have to admit that this pregnancy is so different from the first two that I really thought it must be a girl...of course this is only the third time that I've been wrong in predicting the gender of my children...so much for a mother's intuition! But I learned a long time ago that God knows best and I know He is giving us this baby boy for a reason. I know God has big plans for this little fella's life and it is an honor for me to get to be his Mama. And there is definitely something special about three boys...there aren't many Mamas that can say they had three boys ages four and under!

Now that I've had a couple of days for the news to sink in, I thought I would share some random thoughts I've had and/or suggestions from others about raising 3 boys.
1. The southern gentleman is an endangered species; I'm glad to do my part to increase the population.
2. Since I'm only capable of producing heirs, I must have been meant for royalty.
3. We need to increase the coverage of our homeowner's insurance.
4. I plan to pick the wives of all 3 of my sons.
5. Graem thinks a third boy justifies the need his wish to buy a camper.
6. Boys love their mamas best.
7. It's a good thing I like to cook.
8. We will always have female pets in our home.
9. I believe that boys can be well-mannered, kind, considerate, and respectful and still be "all boy."
10. My boys are fortunate that they'll have brothers as playmates and friends for life.

Cock-a-doodle-TWO

I'm so proud of the South Carolina baseball team! Isn't it crazy that until last year USC had never won a national title in a major sport and now we're the CWS champions two years in a row?!?

Of course I am biased, :) but I really don't think it could have happened to a better team...from Ray Tanner all the way down they are a class act! They credit each other with the plays/points/wins instead of trying to steal the limelight. What a lesson in sportsmanship and humility! And they really seem to have fun along the way. With all the negativity surrounding many college and professional teams lately I couldn't be happier to support such a good group of guys. I loved Michael Roth's post-game interview:

"We're not the most talented team, and we don't have the best players position for position," Roth said, "but we go out and stick together as a team. We battle. I can't describe it. We're a bunch of average Joes and love each other and come out and battle."

Thanks to my friend Kerri for the catchy title (she put it on her Facebook page)...and my cousin Andrew put this YouTube link on his FB page...check it out!

For Kate and William...

My visit to the palace...this was 10 years ago! Wow.

Amanda, me, Jessica & Jenn.



Although I didn't get a photo with one of the Buckingham Palace guards (you know, the ones with the tall fuzzy hats)...I did get a photo with this handsome guard outside of Edinburgh Castle. I know, such a shameless tourist!!