3rd trimester!!

Hi little Elijah!
Great day today - we are 27 weeks! 1 more week and you are going to make Dr. Bonehead one happy camper - he said that 28 weeks is when his anxiety goes down. You are almost there little bambino :) According to our pregnancy program, your rate of survival is now 85% and your risk of serious complications dropped to 40%. It also says the average weight is 2 lb 3 oz. However, you were 2 lb 1 oz a week and a half ago. Even though we are progressing along just great, still can't know for certain we are 100% smooth sailing. According to Katie Volenec, white baby boy preemies are big wussies and don't do as well as girls. So, we want you to keep cooking for as long as you can. I also put a new poll on your blog so we can see when people think you are going to arrive. I put my vote out there - I did January 1 - January 9.

We are officially in our 3rd trimester now. We are 2/3 of the way done! Obviously, we have never made it this far before so it is quite exciting for your dad and me. Now, your mom has to do her part and keep the sugars down so you stay in the clear when you are born. I was trying to get them down but my cut off was always the 3rd trimester. I am going to try a new breakfast recipe tomorrow because I have a lot of problems with my beloved oatmeal in the mornings.

Were you proud of your mom yesterday? I said I wanted to work on the kitchen and I did! The dishes were done and I cooked pork chops for dinner. That is all I accomplished that was on my long list but it was something, right? I hope to accomplish a lot more tomorrow. I don't think completed scrapbook pages are going to get your room ready or get the living room unshoveled!

Well kiddo, that is about it. Big news today & lots of happiness all around. Well, except from 12-3 when the Chiefs play and your dad is probably shedding a tear or two :) The only upside is that he is doing well in fantasy football with your Cvilikas cousins so it helps to cushion the blows of the Chief and Husker losses every week. :)

Random topics

Hi baby boy!
Lots of random little things to tell you. From what your mom can tell, you are still doing good. Moving all over, pressing me all over and still listening to me when I say "Good morning baby Elijah. Give me a good morning kick." Granted, the timing of that hello depends on how we we slept. Today, we slept 11 whole hours and the day is pretty much shot.

I think I forgot to tell you about your first baby blanket. Last weekend, I went to a birthday party with your Great Gramma Lang. Aunt Lee & Uncle Herman were up here from Oklahoma. She gave me a big hug, her face lit up then her hands went all over my belly saying "Hi baby!" When I left, they gave you a present - your first little baby blanket. It is pastel and soft and will keep you warm!

Imagine my surprise when I get the mail today and you received your FIRST PIECE OF MAIL. Yep, you guessed it - there was another present in there and the envelope was addressed to ELIJAH LANG BRIGHAM. What? You aren't even here yet and you are getting mail? Huh? Your Gramma Debi D sent you a 3 piece outfit. I was going to rant and rave how abandoned I feel with you getting all of the gifts and me getting shut out in the dark (who is doing the hard work here, huh? Not you - you just float around and poke me), but, I remembered that Gramma Debi D sent me a present a few weeks ago so we are even :) Like Aunt Val told me a couple of weeks ago, I guess I have to suck it up because my years of getting attention and gifts are over. Now, it is all about you. I guess a 34 year streak of being spoiled isn't too bad.

Your dad and I had a big chat last night about insurance. It is that time of year where we have to sign up for work and this year, we have to some big decisions to make for you. I know we don't control when you arrive but we have our final answer on our preference. :) We are hoping you are a 2010 baby. Yeah, I know, I have said since May that I want you in 2009 for the tax write off. However, 2010 would be better for our insurance deductibles and we wouldn't have to pay them twice - one for 2009 and one for 2010. So, we won't ask Dr. Bonehead to bring you in December. We will just have you whenever you decide you are ready to come out - as long as it isn't for another 9 weeks or so. (WOW - Eli, did you see that? We are in the single digit countdown of when you can come. Holy mackerel - we better get your room ready!!)

We don't have any plans for this weekend so I am hoping to accomplish stuff around the house. Yeah, I know, I say that all the time and we do nothing. But, I have cooked for your dad this past week - I made him chili, a Runza Casserole, a yummy cake, oatmeal pumpkin cookies and, last night, I made him Turkey & Mashed potatoes (ok, they were premade mashed potatoes and he microwaved them himself but I did cook the turkey). We only ate out once this week and that was because we were taking Sandy out for her 40th birthday! That is a record for us.

That is about it for today pipsqueak. Speaking of records, I will talk to you tomorrow about a HUGE record for us - we start our 3rd trimester tomorrow!

Like a duck...

Good evening little Elijah!
Not much to report these last couple days - same old scoop. I thought I would share a couple quick photos with you. See this animal?

When you get older, we will teach you that it is a duck. It goes quack, quack. It waddles when it walks. Check out this next photo.

This is your mom when she was thin. Sexy mama, huh?
I bet you are wondering what the correlation between the two is. I will tell you. Your mom is starting to waddle like a duck when she walks.

Contradictions

Hi Kid,
Have you noticed that your mom contradicts herself a lot? Can't make up her mind? I was sitting here and feeling you go crazy all over my tummy and I was thinking "I am going to miss that feeling *SO* much when Eli gets here. I wish he would stay in longer." So, let's think of all the different things I have communicated to you -
1) Don't you dare come out before you are full term.
2) I hope you come so you are a Christmas baby
3) Don't you come early so you have to be in the NICU
4) Gosh, a 2009 tax write off would be nice. Come on out in December, kid.
5) Stay in there cooking as long as you can so I can keep feeling you.

What's a baby boy to do? I guess we both will have to leave it up to God to decide. For now, I will enjoy all these little movements and trying to figure out what the heck they are. I will also enjoy the many times a day I smile and say "Hi Elijah." Then, in a few months, I will enjoy your actual face and smiles and fingers and toes as I kiss them all up everyday!

Hormonal!

Hi Eli!
I don't think that I have experienced the full swing of pregnancy hormones but I think they are coming right now! You must be kicking out some strong juice because they are in full force. I am constantly irritated. I am beyond rationally irritated. Here are some things that are so bugging me I can hardly stand it:
1) Work - we are slow. I hate being slow.
2) Work - idiots. I hate having to answer the same question over and over. I just plain don't like dealing with people lately - even the ones I like.
3) The sound of licking. I know that sounds kind of kinky but it isn't. As I sit here typing this, the cats are laying in bed and licking themselves. The sound is like nails on a chalkboard to me these last few weeks. I want to kick them out of the bedroom and shut the door. This also applies to the dogs - they will curl up for bedtime and start licking. OY. Luke has also decided to begin sucking out Padi's brain through his ear every night. I don't know what is so tasty but the noise makes me want to scream and some nights, I do.
4) The dogs curling up against me then licking or scratching. I admit that I love the little heat balls sucking up to my back or between my knees. However, when they do that and start moving, it throws me into a rage. Last night, I moved Padi about 4 times and he kept coming back in the same spot and started licking again. OY! I almost picked him up and threw him off the bed. Obviously, that is hormones and not my normal disposition!
5) Hoobie's constant crying - maybe she is trying to prepare me for you? But, it also makes me want to scream.
6) My laziness - do you know that your dad has still not been able to start working on your room because my part of the work isn't done? I bet it would only take me one evening to do it and I still haven't done it. I am so annoyed at myself.

OK, that is enough complaining for today. If you could knock down the hormone juice just a bit, I might return to my "normal" self :)

Oh, interesting conversation with your dad last night. He will deny it but... I was talking about labor and how it was with Little M then how it was with Jacob, and finally with Xander. I was trying to decide if "size matters". For example, they were just little 6 oz babies so is labor (the actual contractions) easier than your labor of 8 lbs? We are guessing that it would be the same because the contractions themselves are the same. However, yours would be more painful as you get ready to actually be born. I told your dad that maybe I should try it without the epidural since I survived the first 3. He put his foot down. Absolutely, no way. He said I will be drugged up whether I like it or not. Apparently, he is worried that if I am not drugged up, I will kill him during labor. (OK, I made up the part about killing him but he is worried about bodily harm and vicious verbal abuse). So, he said it is all about him and his labor experience and that we will be getting the epidural. :)

Grampa Lang

Hi Baby Elijah,
Today, I am going to tell you about your Grampa Lang. In theory, your Grampa Keith should be called Grampa Lang but I can't bring myself to do that. Grampa Lang is reserved for your Great Grampa Lang. You know your mom has kind of weird views on life after death but I really hope that you have met your Grampa Lang in your journey to make your way to us. You have a lot of Grampas up there in heaven - Grampa Lang, Grampa Faiman, Grampa Bill, Grampa Bob, Grampa Larry, Grampa Bill and even Grampa Blankman - I can only pray that they helped us with the miracle that is you.

I have this weird thing going on in my head that your Gramma and Grampa Lang are 55. I guess they haven't aged in my head for over 25 years. I know it is illogical since your Grampa Keith is almost 55 himself but in my eyes and in my heart, they haven't aged. That is why it took me so off guard when Grampa Lang was diagnosed with cancer. How can my Grampa get sick? In my head, they were in the prime of their lives. I will never forget when I learned he was sick and that it was not able to be cured. It knocked me on my butt. I know that there will be people in our family that would disagree with this but I really respected the way he made his decision to handle his illness. I didn't respect that he hid it from us in the beginning but I did respect that he made a decision to refuse treatment and stuck with it even in the face of grief from others. I truly believe that the year he had after he was diagnosed was of better quality than they would have been if he had been going through chemo or radiation.

I would probably say that Grampa was the funsucker when I was little. I knew that he always loved us and he genuinely liked having his grandkids around. However, he liked it quiet and he liked kids to be seen and not heard. One example is that I remember getting in trouble with your cousin Brandi for giggling too loud. But, as we got older and learned to respect his boundaries, then he became someone you could sit down with at the kitchen table and have conversations with. He was still strict with us but as we got older, our relationships changed with him. I have told you a few times about your Gramma Lang and I will still vote that she scares me more than Grampa did but I never wanted to cross your Grampa either. He would give you that ominous look over the top of his glasses and that look was enough to stop you in your tracks.

Your Grampa was funny. He would always flirt with your Gramma and he would pretend to be so offended when she rolled her eyes. He would always talk about them growing old together and holding hands on the front porch - I don't know that any of us saw them holding hands but to hear it from him, you would think they were on the porch nightly rocking, holding hands and gazing at the stars. He liked the simple things - good TV, good food, mowing his grass, managing the pickles at the bar, playing the stock market and a cold beer. You always knew what he was up to because you just had to look at the kitchen table and see his mini yellow sticky notes with all of his tasks or notes on them. Every Christmas morning, he would cook us all breakfast and order us out of the kitchen when our shift was over. He always said he bought our Christmas presents and then asked to see what we got from him.

Grampa was always fair. I don't think he ever showed favoritism to any of his kids or his grandkids. If one of us got something, each of us got something. He was also fair when I needed advice. If I called him, I knew he would give me a straight answer rather than an answer that might benefit someone else. He tried to teach all of us financial responsibility. I sure wish I would have listened more!

As your Grampa was battling his cancer, I really admired his attitude. I had a few talks with him and I hope that I could handle a terminal illness with that grace. I never once heard him feel sorry for himself or say "why me?" In each conversation that I had with him, he was just worried about Gramma and how she would manage all their affairs without him. He wasn't worried about his mortality - I asked him if he was scared and he said "No, I have had a good long life." Gramma is still finding little notes he left her about how to do something or where to find something. He is also still picking on her every once and awhile by hiding her money or ticking her off by putting leaves on the glassed in porch.

I think that I have inherited your grampa's strictness. We will see how that plays out when you are here but that is my vote now :) Physically, I got your grampa's butt chin and, unfortunately, his diabetes. I was doing my hair recently and I looked at my ears and I think I inherited his big old ears. haha. He was stubborn too and I got that too. I wish I would have inherited his ability to say "I love you." I wish I would have inherited his financial responsibility. I hope that I am fair like he was. I hope that I inherited his love for knowledge - I always thought it was great that he was in his late 60s but taking computer classes so he could manage his stocks online. I hope that you inherit his butt chin (I know it sounds silly but it truly is one Lang characteristic that I hope you get), his financial responsibility and his ability to laugh at himself. I hope you avoid our stubbornness, fine hair, big ears and diabetes.

I miss him sitting at the kitchen table or in his recliner and hearing him say "Hi Babe" when I walked in the door. I miss him laughing and winking at me. I miss him telling everyone that Gramma is always picking on him. I miss that sense of innocence that I had that Gramma and Grampa were young and would be around forever. I am sad that you won't have the chance to meet him and adore those things about him. I am sad that I won't be able to see his face light up when he would hold you. I still dream about him frequently and, even in my dreams, I cry knowing he is gone. But, your cousin Brandi will tell us that he told her on Saturday that he is still with us. We will just have to have hope that he is going to be watching out for you now and when you get here. I have read a lot of stories about younger kids seeing deceased family members and talking to them. My hope for you is that you will be able to see all these grampas and learn from them even though the rest of us have a heavy heart that they aren't here anymore.

Your Dad

Hi Baby Boy,
We had our first snow today. I love the snow. The first one is magical - we haven't seen it in months. You look outside and everything is covered in white. I am biased because I work from home so I am always warm and toasty. I also don't shovel or drive in it much. But, it reminds me of hot cocoa, days off school, Christmas at Gramma Lang's, warm sweaters and a break from the heat. Then, in about 2 months, I will be ready for spring. Actually, this year, in 2 months or so, I will be ready for you to be here :) Your dad hates winter. He hates the cold. He hates shoveling. He hates driving in it. He hates it all!

Tomorrow, you turn 26 weeks - woohoo! From our program, your statistics look even better now. Your chances of survival went up to 80% and risk of serious medical conditions went down to 45%. We want 100%/0% but we take each week as a victory! I think you had the hiccups this morning - for a few minutes, I got rhythmic little blips in my tummy :)

I have to tell you the truth - your dad is whining because he never gets a call out on your blog. I mention him (good and bad) and I have told you how much he loves you and how great a dad he will be to you but he has whined twice now that he did my birthday post and I haven't done a 100%-dedicated-to-him post. I told him that was because I was only using him to create you and then for child support and alimony afterwards :) Even the book club girls were making "awe" noises because they have read on the blog that he helps cook and clean and take care of us. So, now I have to make some stuff up and get it out here so he can feel good about himself. haha - just kidding E - I won't lie to you about your dad.

Your dad is ornery. He is quiet but deadly. You may think he is just sitting there zoning off into space and when you least expect it, he will throw out a zinger and take you by surprise. Or, he is just absorbing everything and he will comment on each detail later. He is funny. He is silly. He acts like he is 10. He is sarcastic and he has a dry sense of humor. But, he also has crude sense of humor when it comes to the stupid TV shows and movies he likes.

Your dad has a big heart - he genuinely does care about most people and tries to do right by them. He is the only one in the whole state who can stand the pain of taking your Great Gramma Faiman anywhere. He will do anything for any of his friends or any of his family. As laid back as your dad is and as big as his heart is, if you cross the line with him, you are done dealing. I promise it takes a lot to cross a line with him but he does have that Brigham stubbornness and once you are done dealing, you are officially done dealing. He also has a big heart for our animals - even if they are being turds!

Your dad is loyal. He is loyal to Wells Fargo. He is loyal to his friends. He is loyal to his family. For some reason, he is loyal to the stinking Chiefs and Royals. He will be loyal to you. He is loyal to me.

Your dad is a good husband and I hope he teaches you to be the same. He is caring, he takes responsibility for 50% of the house. He balances me out in almost all situations - when I am mad, he calms me down. When I am taking something too personally, he tells me to chill out. When I am being extreme, he helps me to be fair. When I am sad, he tries to make me happy. There are 2 things he doesn't balance me out on - we both hate to clean and, unless it is a huge extravagance, we don't balance each other out financially.

I am very lucky to have married your dad. We will joke around with each other - when I pick on him, he will say "You are the one who married me." We can laugh and be silly. We can be sad together. Unfortunately, we have had a lot of practice in grieving together. But, you know what E? I learned that we really had what it takes when we came out of all of our trials and turmoil stronger as a couple. Infertility could destroy marriages but I believe that it made ours stronger.

You know what else, Eli? The guy knows how to show emotion. That is something foreign to your mom. When your dad cried in front of me the first time, I was like "Who the heck is this guy and what is he doing?" However, it is because I wasn't raised around men that cried. Your Grampa Keith cries at funerals and, now that he is getting old, he will tear up at different things. Your Grampa Larry only cried once that I ever saw and not even at funerals. I never saw your Great Grampa Lang cry and I think I saw Great Grampa Frankie cry when his son died. So, this display of emotion was so foreign to me. But, I hope that you feel confident enough in yourself to be able to cry and be emotional and know that it doesn't make you any less of a burly man :)

I think you will be in good hands with your dad. He may not teach you all the mechanical things that Grampa Larry would have taught you or all of the construction things Uncle Jeff can teach you. But, he can teach you a lot about being the best man you can be. He will love you unconditionally. He will do his best to raise you to be the best person you can. He will laugh with you. He will play with you. He will take you to sporting events and watch you play sports (if that is your thing). He will encourage you. He will discipline you. When you are older, he will be your friend.

Just to show you how silly your dad is, here is a photo you will enjoy!