HE'S HERE!

World, meet Josiah Edward Culbertson, born at 7:00pm on June 13, 2009. He weighed 8lbs 5oz and was 20.5" long! Fearfully & wonderfully made, indeed! We praise our Gracious God and pray that Josiah, like his namesake, will be a great reformer in Christ's Church.

Josiah Update

Dianna is somewhere around 9cm dilated! We're just playing the waiting game at this point. It looks like we'll be celebrating June 13 for years to come! God has really blessed us through this process. On Wednesday night we discussed God's goodness at church... today is just another reminder to me of our Father's kindness!

Dianna has banned the camera at this point! So, this has nothing to do with pregnancy, but I thought I'd share a cute picture of big brother from VBS.

Josiah Update

They just put in the epidural. Let me say - it's not because Dianna was wimping out on the pain. She's one tough little lady! She decided to get it because the nurse seems to think it will speed things up. Dianna is ready to see her baby... and ready to eat some food (she hasn't eaten since last night)! Thankfully, Dianna can relax now and maybe take a little nap before Josiah arrives.

Wait... doctor just came in & he's about to break her water! THAT should speed things up.

Josiah Update

Dianna is still hanging in there (without the epidural). Her contractions are still coming every 2-3 minutes except they're stronger now. She's trying to rest some between contractions because she didn't get to sleep much last night.

Here's the contraction action (which, btw, I think would be a great name for a rollercoaster):

Meanwhile, the family anxiously waits...

My folks are keeping Thomas at their house. They should be here after his nap. Hopefully just in time for Josiah! Thanks for the prayers... keep 'em up!

Josiah's on the Way!

We're at the hospital right now waiting on Josiah. Dianna started having contractions at about 1:30am this morning, but we waited a long time to make sure they were real since we'd been disappointed a few times before. We came to the hospital around 8:00am. She is currently 6cm dilated, so we should be holding a new baby boy in just a few hours... Lord willing!

Here's my beautiful bride getting ready for the baby...

Looks good for labor & delivery, doesn't she?! Please pray for her (she's thinking about not getting the epidural!!) and Josiah.

We'll keep you posted.

Our Big Boy

I realized recently that I have been so consumed with giving updates about my pregnancy, that I haven't shared any pictures or news about Thomas. He certainly isn't forgotten around our home and we still take tons of pictures of him too!

This week he went to VBS at our church and I think he has had a good time. Thomas still isn't a great talker, so when I ask him about bible school usually he just says the words he knows as they relate to bible school "choo-choo" (the theme is Lifeway's Boomerang Express), "Nolan" (a little boy at church), or "Laura" (a little girl at church). When I ask him questions about bible school, he normally just shakes his head and starts talking in gibberish, but at least he is trying to answer me!

Recently, he has began to climb. Yesterday, he figured out how to climb out of his bed! He had been down for his nap about 30 minutes when I heard his door open. I was a little scared someone was in the house and when I checked, Thomas was walking toward me! He realized very quickly that getting out of the bed was a no-no by the expression on my face and the tone of my voice. Thankfully, no discipline was needed and after about five minutes of crying he was asleep.

Overall, Thomas is a very compliant child and normally only has to be warned he will be "popped" if he does or doesn't do _____. He definitely is all boy - loves to play with blocks and cars, and loves going outside. However, his favorite things are trains. I really need to record him saying "choo-choo" because he gets so excited when he hears a train. For some reason he thinks that tractor trailers are "choo-choos" too, and although we constantly say, "No, Thomas that is a truck," he is convinced it is a "choo-choo" (we think it is because the trailer looks like the train cars).

Without further ado, here are some recent random pictures of our big boy, who will be a big brother very soon!

Our cute, but messy eater!

Playing by the pool
Doesn't he look relaxed?

When, Oh When Will He Come?

That seems to be the question on our family's mind as well as our entire church family! I think my favorite question has been, "You still here?" I'm actually pretty hard to miss at this point and as long as you see me, I'm still here (that is what I want to say, but I just smile and say, "Still waiting"). I did have some Braxton Hicks contractions on Saturday morning between 1:30am and 4:30am and Josh and I were hoping that labor was starting, but they stopped and just left us both very tired on Saturday.

We went to the doctor this morning and the news is mixed. They are going to give me until Monday to go into labor naturally. I haven't progressed any since last week, but the doctor is hopeful that Josiah will decide to come without an induction. The doctors in this practice don't like to induce until they really need to because natural labor is much easier for me and the risk of having a c-section is also less when they don't induce. However, if Josiah isn't here by Sunday at 4pm, I will check into the hospital to be given some medicine to get my body ready. On Monday morning, if I haven't went into labor, they will start Pitocin.

Josh and I are praying that I will go into labor this week and that we can avoid an induction. This pregnancy has been much longer for me because Thomas came at 39 weeks and I'm now 40 weeks and 1 day, and more than ready to have this baby. Josh even decided we needed to sit outside under the full moon on Sunday night hoping that the lunar pull would have some effect on my body! Even though nothing happened, it was fun to sit under the stars and talk. :-)

Thank you for your many prayers. The Lord has given me more contentment over the last few days and I'm just trying to enjoy every moment for this is the day the Lord has made! The end is in sight and I will be holding my baby in a week!

Still Waiting

Well, the next post isn't a picture of Josiah like we would have wanted. I have had some contractions, but nothing that has lasted or been consistent. On Wednesday evening/night, I really thought I was going into labor only to be disappointed with contractions stopping around midnight. When I was pregnant with Thomas I didn't have any contractions until I went into labor and I was really hoping the same would be true of Josiah.

We are trying to patiently wait, but I will admit it is difficult. Josh is having a hard time focusing on his sermon because he isn't sure if he will preach it. I'm having a hard time doing anything, because all I want to do is have a baby! I have caught up on laundry once again this week and I'm praying that I won't have to do another load until Josiah is home.

I think I have mentioned that I recently read the book Respectable Sins: Confronting The Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges. One of the sins he brings to light is the sin of discontentment - we are never satisfied with where the Lord has us. The Holy Spirit continually convicts me of this sin as I groan and complain about waiting on Josiah. Isn't it so true that we have such a hard time being content? I wanted to get pregnant 9 months ago and was discontent until I was pregnant. Then I wanted to be over morning sickness and was discontent until relief came. Now I am discontent because I am pregnant, over morning sickness, and just want to hold my baby! The Lord truly is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love to care for a wretched sinner like me! I think the Lord is using the waiting to sanctify me and oh, how I need it!

If Josiah doesn't make his appearance by my next doctor's appointment on Tuesday, I'll give another update - hopefully with more contentment!

Update On Baby

I know everyone is curious as to when Josiah is going to make his entrance since I'm only 6 days away from my due date. As of this morning, I am one centimeter dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor said that baby's head was in position and that everything looks great. She didn't think he would come today, but this week! I told her that I sure hope she is right.

Josiah is constantly moving and I am constantly telling him the direction he should go! I am walking in the evenings when it isn't so hot and when my feet aren't so swollen that it would hurt to put on tennis shoes. Someone asked me the other night if I was trying to "walk this baby out" and I told them whatever it takes! We went and ate Mexican for lunch today in my efforts to do anything to bring on labor.

Yesterday, we met a friend's six-day-old baby and he was so tiny! He weighed 6lb 14oz as of yesterday and my immediate thought is that Josiah, who is still in my womb, probably weighs more than this baby - hard to believe! Yes, holding another baby makes me long to hold my sweet baby boy. However, I do know Josiah will come soon - he is due in 6 days!

On a side note, Josh is so excited that we are having a June baby. Josiah's birthday works into a neat every-other-month birthday for our family: Me - Feb., Josh - Apr., Josiah - June, & Thomas - Aug. I guess the Lord needs to work it out so that our next baby will come in October to keep the tradition!

Thank you for all your prayers as I patiently wait for his arrival. If we can remember to bring Josh's laptop to the hospital, he will try to put some pictures of Josiah up on the blog when he makes his entrance. Hopefully, the next entry you see will be of our sweet baby boy!