May 1st Update

It's 2 p.m. now and we haven't been called. Jill is next on the waiting list for induction and we have heard that they are swamped at the hospital. Her doctor's office called and said they are doing everything they can to get us in this afternoon. The kids can't stop talking about how they can't wait to meet their brother today. We're hoping it is today, but if it isn't, tomorrow is a great day to meet him, too. We're just happy to be in the home stretch. :-)

May 1st!

It's 7:15 a.m. and today is the day we are waiting to be called in for induction. I only slept a couple of hours last night . . . had a lot on my mind and anxiously awaiting my son. I prayed for the delivery- for him to make it through perfectly and for Jill as she sacrificially gives birth to our son. Speaking of prayer, today is the National Day of Prayer that was designated 52 years ago by Congress. I think it would be pretty neat to have a baby today. Jill thinks we have a great chance of being called in this morning, so we're gearing up and waiting. I guess that's what we've done for a while. We'll do our best to post updates throughout the day. Thanks so much for caring about our families. Love, Jodi

Looks Like It Will Be Thursday!

Jill writes-

After a day spent yesterday walking through Snohomish, weeding the yard, and walking up & down my long driveway feeling like labor is nowhere in sight, we are preparing for an induction on Thursday. I am staying active and out of the house as much as possible to avoid going stir-crazy waiting. I went to the mall today with Jen & Lori and met my mom to shop at Costco Home, while Jodi stayed back and worked in the office....I felt a little guilty for not doing the same, but my attention is just not anywhere but trying to get ready for the delivery! I have mentally checked out for now (from my business, I mean) until the baby comes. :)

Ben said everyone at school keeps asking him if I have had the baby yet. He told Jodi tonight that he is getting tired of having to say "not yet" and he wants to be able to say yes finally. I think we all do!

Tomorrow night we are all planning one last dinner together and a movie. We have Rachel coming to watch the kids and we are going to have sushi and see "Baby Mama". For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler from Saturday Night Live. Amy is a surrogate for Tina and it's supposed to be very funny. Quite appropriate for the evening before delivery, right?

As for the picture below....Jodi & I went back and forth about whether or not to post it. Sometimes when the baby is in certain positions and I have a contraction, it will make my belly into the wierdest shapes. So last night we got a picture of it...a big ball on top, and totally flat in front. It's so bizarre! I guess all modesty goes out the window since you all are part of this! :)

Update From Jill

Jill writes-
We had a very fun afternoon at Mark & Jennifer Landes' home for a barbecue yesterday. The weather was so beautiful and made us all excited for summer. As you can see in the videos, the group is so calm...easily ready for another member of the family!! :) The kids had a great time riding around the lawn on the mini-quads and searching for snakes. Chloe found two.

As far as any signs of labor, it seems that everything has quieted down so much that I think I will end up going until Thursday for our induction. It's crazy. I thought for sure that I would have delivered by now, but doesn't every pregnant woman think that??

If I am not contracting, I am comfortable, so I feel I can wait until then. The only time that I feel like I'm at the end of my rope is when I am having false labor, very uncomfortable for three or four hours, then to have it stop. I start to gear up emotionally, then have to wait some more. It's a little frustrating. However, I do feel I am as emotionally ready as I'll ever be! With all the kids and activity going on, I haven't had much time for contemplation, I admit. We're very busy. But it's ok....I know I am prepared by the Lord and being held up by all of your prayers and well wishes. Thank you all so much!

The Whittemore's will be going to a hotel on the day of delivery so they can have some family time with the new baby. The plan is that we'll come together each day so all of us and the extended family & friends can to get to know him a little, too.

So, keep checking back...we'll have news for you soon! Love, Jill

It's A Beautiful Day in Washington

The Whittemore family had such a great day yesterday in downtown Seattle. Here is a picture of us at Pike Place Market, where we bought beautiful fresh flowers, fresh monk fish, clams, fresh jam, and the biggest artichokes you've ever seen! We went to the Seattle Aquarium as well. We returned home and Jill was in bed sleeping. She started to feel ill in the afternoon. We were all a little nervous she might be getting the flu because Ryan and her little girl Lindsay have had it in the past week. Thank goodness she woke up feeling great this morning. No contractions to report. We have a scheduled induction next Thursday and just may make it until then.
Tim and I were talking last night about how we need to mentally prepare that this is really going to happen. It feels kind of like we're up here for vacation and we are reminding ourselves that we will be leaving with a new family member! The car seat is empty in our rental car . . . soon to have a new Whittemore occupying it. The four of us are sleeping in the basement in the kids play area. Last night Christian woke us up a few times and it was so painful because we were really tired. A voice in my head is saying, "Get ready. You haven't seen anything yet!"
Ryan and Jill's oldest son, Ben, has a baseball game in a little while and then Mark and Jen Landes have invited us over for a barbecue this afternoon. Thank you for checking in on us. I promise that one of these days the blog will read that a baby has been born:).

No Baby Yet

Jill is taking a walk right now with her good friend, Lori DiMonda. Once again the contractions started to spread out around 11 p.m. I was happy we didn't all have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, but Jill is getting tired of the starting and stopping. I don't blame her, especially because they are getting stronger and more painful. It's hard to watch her in pain, knowing she's doing this for us . . . very hard. We watched Juno together last night with Ryan and Tim. It was so exciting when the baby boy was born at the end and then you see Juno crying. She's so happy for the adoptive mom, but she just gave this child life and in this there are feelings and emotion. Even though we are the biological parents, Jill is giving life to our baby and I'm sure the emotions will be similar.

Tim and Chloe and Christian and I are heading to Seattle for the day. We'll pack a suitcase for the hospital in case we need to head straight there. It's going to be a "mostly sunny" day and we're looking forward to eating by the Pier and going to Pikes Place Market. We will keep you posted!

Contracting

It is 8:53 Washington time. Tim and the kids just pulled out of the parking garage at the Seattle airport and they are headed here. To say I can't wait to see them is an understatement. I haven't seen them in almost 7 days, which is a record for me. Jill has been gone since 5:30 this evening. She took Ben to his baseball practice and his ear started to hurt, so she decided to take him to urgent care. Sure enough, he has an ear infection. Jill sent me a text message while in the waiting room alerting me that she was contracting. I asked her to text me every time she had one- six minutes later my message says, "Now." After 7 minutes I hear a chime and check to see another "Now." I've gotten five more "Now"s and Jill just called from the Pharmacy and is having painful ones now. Well, we will either head back to Seattle shortly after Tim and the kids walk in the door or they will slow down once again. We will see . . .