My Oh My, How July Can Fly!

Is my tongue blue?

Jeremy and Whitt getting ready to shred it up!

...and they're off!

Daddy and his co-pilot

Auntie Cheryl and Raegan

Hey, wake up!

Caroline enjoying the boat ride!

Flying fish!

Sam and Payton splashing around

Whitt looking for trouble

I found your belly button!

Payton practicing her big sister skills with Caroline's baby, Izzy

Don't drop her!

Kisses for baby Izzy

Tophams and Kuglers....anxiously awaiting #2's

Me, Amy, Missy

34 Weeks

35 Weeks...and counting!

Belly ring still in...lol, and no stretch marks!

Yummy apple!

Laketime!

Payton and Emma-dog

Partying for Sammy's 30th

Reading a book with Daddy

NOT loving her pretty helmet!

Finally ready to ride with Daddy!!

We're now in late July. 2011. I'm more than 36 weeks pregnant. The final countdown until we meet the newest baby Kugler. Where has the time gone? I know I keep stressing how quickly time is passing, but seriously...the days are flying. The nights are flying. The weeks and months seem to dwindle more and more quickly. Payton's hair is getting longer and longer. My belly is getting bigger and bigger. All signs that I just have to enjoy the ride...this one's out of my control!

The past couple weeks have been a lot of fun! Our friend, Sammy, turned 30, and Payton was the hit of the party, as usual. She pranced around and showed off. She also discovered the "crane" game/thing, where it drops down and picks up a toy (well, mostly, it doesn't pick up anything!) She enjoyed pressing all the buttons. That Sunday, we took the Boughmans and Tisdales out on the boat. It was all fun and games until the boat decided to break down...but up to that point, we had taken a long trip up to the north end of the lake to see the kayakers at the Whitewater Center. On our way there, Jeremy gave Whitt lesson 101 in wakeboarding. Whitt did a fabulous job and LOVED IT! He wanted to try on his own, so we did just that...well, until the boat broke down. Whitt was well on his way to standing on his own, behind the boat, when "she" decided to quit on us. Luckily there was a very nice group of people on a boat who came and rescued us. With two 15 month olds who had no afternoon nap, 2 rainstorms, and ominous looking clouds above, things could have been a lot worse. We all survived, made it home safely, and both Raegan and Payton were angels. Whitt, on the other hand, was really bummed he didn't get to really start his first wakeboarding session...soon, buddy. Soon!

My parents had a summer cookout for the "beach gang" last Saturday. The weather was PERFECT...low humidity, low 80's and breezy. We had awesome food and we were well entertained by the kids. Payton honed her "big sister" skills with Caroline's baby doll, Izzy. We are now looking forward to the upcoming deliveries of Baby Kugler and Baby Topham, THEN to the beach :)

You may or may not be familiar with the fundraiser for cancer "24 Hours of Booty." This is a 24 hour long bike ride which takes place each year in late July (July 29-30th this year), on the "Booty Loop" in beautiful, historic Myers Park. Each team raises money for The Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation, along with some local cancer efforts, and each rider sets his/her own personal mileage goals for the race. This will be Brian's 2nd year riding, and this year he and his teammates will be riding for our dear friend, Johnathan Tisdale, and sporting jerseys in his memory. Amy Tisdale, Johnathan's wife, and Jon Topham, Johnathan's brother-in-law, are both Brian's teammates. Payton and Sam Topham are going to also participate, riding in a bike trailer behind Brian and/or Jon Topham for several loops. Brian rode 100 miles last year, and is going for 150 this year!! So, over the weekend we decided we'd better get Payton used to her helmet (which she HATES) and see how she does in the trailer. Once I distracted her from her helmet-hatred, all was fantastic. She really seemed to enjoy the bike ride. Hopefully she and Sam will be angels during the ride in a couple weekends. To find out more about this ride, or to DONATE to Brian's team, please check out his link here:
http://www.24hoursofbooty.org/site/TR?px=1121061&pg=personal&fr_id=1150&et=fiKruOIWIqBAXFaKZVZe1A..&s_tafId=11330.

And the final countdown continues....we're now under 3 weeks until our DD (delivery date). Over the weekend I received a Facebook message from my OB doctor, Dr. Lucas. Yes, he's my Facebook friend :) He said he WILL be available to perform my csection on August 9th, so I guess it's officially a "go!!" I had an appointment with him this morning and here's what I learned: my blood pressure is still great, 100/60. My iron levels have risen from 10.1 two weeks ago to a 12. That's within normal levels now, and gets me out of the anemic readings. (Yay for iron pills!) I've gained a grand total of 18 pounds, and Dr. Lucas said this isn't a small baby. He guesses at least an 8-pounder at birth, and that's at 39 weeks, when I get my csection! The baby is already measuring 38 weeks, so 2 weeks ahead. Probably around 7+ pounds, at this point. His/her heartrate was 148, and (s)he is still squirming around a lot. Sometimes I feel like this baby is trying to pry it's way out of my belly button! I got swabbed for Strep B, a common bacteria they check for at 36 weeks...this is only a precaution if I was to deliver naturally. If positive, they'd give me antibiotics. He checked my cervix and said the baby is low, but I'm not dilated yet. So, hopefully we'll make it to the DD. Dr. Lucas' scheduler will be calling me by Monday to officially get my csection time scheduled at the hospital. I have requested 8:30am (available options: 7:30am, 8:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm). We have to be there 2 hours prior to get fluids in, prepped, etc. And I can't eat after midnight...so 8:30 is my best option! I have another appointment with Dr. Lucas next Friday, July 29th. Until later....