kemry's first czech days {and a quick baby update}...

...Well, sort of.

We only hit the parade. 

But that totally counts, right?

Every year, a little town in South Dakota {just a few miles away from where I used to call home} throws a huge festival honoring their founders who came from Czechoslovakia a bazilion years ago.

People dress up in Czech attire, eat lots of food, and drinks lots lots lots of beer.Since my dad always drives the car for his work's float, and also since Kemry and I were in town for a quick trip, we loaded up the car and headed to watch the parade.It was the first parade Kemry has ever seen, and she adored it.She got to dance to music, wave to people, and collect candy.Every two-year-old's dream come true.

{We still don't know what this face is about?? Boredom? Fatigue?}

We made-camp next to the sweetest old couple.

Kemry took a liking to them right away, calling him "Grandpa", placing her hand on his leg, and trying to give them all of her candy.

Typical South Dakota. You don't need to go to a parade to see this everyday.

Kem also decided that she didn't want to eat any of the candy {score for the pregnant lady!}, but this flag hasn't left her side since someone handed it to her on Friday.

As much fun as it was, we were hot, sweaty, and ready for some air conditioning, so we grabbed some kolaches {cream cheese filled, thank you very much} and headed home.And thus concludes Kemry's first {and probably last} experience with Czech Days.Can I get an amen?--------------------------------------------------Also, will you look at my parents garden?Jealous. I wish I inherited the green thumb in the family... 

-------------------------------------And for all you who have been keeping track of our pregnancy, here is the latest on the little boy growing in my belly:  -He grew from the 15th percentile to the 49th, so that was terrific news! No early induction for us {yet}!{It must have been all of those ice cream sandwiches, right?}  -We have gotten perfect scores {10s} on his biophysical profiles and non-stress tests. {They give you 2 points for each thing they find working correctly in regards to movement, heart rate, "practice" breathing movements in his diaphragm, bending/straightening limbs, and the amniotic fluid levels. If we get an 8 or 10, all is good. A 6 brings us back the next day, and a 4, 2, or 0 sends us to labor and delivery.}  -The kidneys seem to be working perfectly. His bladder was full and the amniotic fluid was perfect, so his body is doing something right.  -We got word that when the hospital's specialists had their weekly chat about the "special" pregnancies they were monitoring, they decided that we don't need a neonatologist present when I go into labor, which means they don't think he will need any special care immediately after birth.
-The genetic counselor sees no family history that would link to baby's problems, so hopefully it won't happen again. If they find that things are serious with him  when they do scans right after he is born {in regards to the kidneys and the heart},we have a game-plan set to get the rest of us checked out to make sure we don't have any hidden heart conditions/kidney problems {since this stuff is apparently highly genetic}.
-And the heart thing might not be as bad as they initially thought?All the wording we see and hear now is "a possible bicuspid aoritc valve", which we will take anyday.  In summary, things look good.And we are starting to get a little excited :)