Parting gifts

We told the girls yesterday morning that I would be going on a short trip. I would be heading with a friend from church to a Women's Christian Mission Study in Murfreesboro for two nights.  There were wimpers, pleads for me not to go, and lots of hugs. That SURE does a momma's heart mighty good to be loved on so much all at once!

    They all gathered things to "remember them by" and brought them to me last night for my suitcase.  The notes say "Rember all of us" and "I love you Mama", which was Adalyn's message to that Anna wrote out for me to take along too. 

Anna ran off to gather my slippers.  Abigail brought me her glass candle holder she made.  I hated to tell her I shouldn't take it because it might get broken. 

Then Aliza asked me if I would be eating there and offered to pack my "handitizer" for me. 

Got a long hug from Aliza, whose tears just broke my heart, as everyone was getting ready for bed.  Times like these make you really feel loved!!!

In the line of defense

2-year old with water hose.

Pre-schooler defends herself.

Pre-schooler flees.

Gracefully staying alive with #5

Surviving summer while pregnant:
Drink water.
Drink water.
Drink more water.

And the mildly inconvenient results:
Bathroom trip.
Bathroom trip.
Bathroom trip.

Today has been unseasonably hot.  I had a quick (unaccompanied) trip to make to church to get something.  I had a great idea!  Rather than refill my huge mug with water and ice (that always seems to fall on the floor, which I have to bend down to retrieve to avoid the puddles), I'd just stay cool on the short drive with a popsicle and eat it....shhh, don't tell any of the girls...IN THE CAR.  So I headed out to the van.

Within a minute, no joke, my homemade popsicle on this little plastic holder was streaming white grape juice all down my arm.  DO YOU KNOW HOW STICKY WHITE GRAPE JUICE IS????  Luckily, I had come to the end of my road, and could stop.  I had been eating it with my right hand.  So I had to put my pospicle in my left hand to put the van into park and unbuckle...which got stickiness on the shift bar and seatbelt.  Meanwhile, I tried eating it faster as it continued to melt and at the same time lean sideways back to my right to get the wipes out of the diaper bag.  Thinking I'm a pretty good multi-tasker at this point, I suddenly lose my balance (pregnancy perk #74) and so have to grab the steering wheel immediately with my left hand.  Do you remember which hand was holding my popsicle?   I spent some time at the stop sign at the end of my road finishing my slush, and wiping down my arms, fingers, chin, the steering wheel, seatbelt, and shift bar.  Then I drove to church. 

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be mean childbirth instructors

Before one can achieve the parenting status of "veteran", "seasoned", or "old pro", (I'm really none of those, honestly, but when I was pregnant with Abigail, I looked at friends of mine who had older children as such) you are a newby, AKA first-timer.  When I was expecting Abigail, we, like most other newbies, attended childbirth classes.  Ours were held one night a week for about 4 weeks. 

During those 4 weeks, Ms. I'm-Here-To-Educate-All-You-First-Timers-Who Don't-Know-Anything, Meanie Childbirth Instructor did her job in scaring educating all the couples.  Each week, we covered all the topics from Labor, Lamaze breathing, to Delivery.

As newbies, Ms. Meanie had us SCARED TO DEATH as we were in class.  She threatened,  "Don't come in here with your make-up on, a big smile on your face, and say you're in labor".  I will send your happy self home!"  And she meant it.  I had no idea WHAT a contraction would feel like.  Her only description was, "True, active labor, is when you are having contractions you can't walk or talk through.  You should not be able to stand up straight when you arrive to Labor & Delivery".  Then she added that if our (remember, we are in childbirth classes) water broke, then we are to come to Labor & Delivery and we'd have our baby before being sent home.  I'm glad she covered that, because I wouldn't DARE ask Ms. Meanie any questions on my own.

So Louis and I just prayed that my water would break so we wouldn't have to face her for an evaluation.  I knew if I had any twinge that could be thought of as a contraction, that make-up was coming off and I would NOT be smiling when I reported to Labor & Delivery!!! 

We soon graduated from Childbirth Class, and went on with our lives with the small thought in the back of our minds of maybe changing hospitals at that point or maybe opting to hold out as long as possible even if it meant delivering at home or en route to the hospital.  We just couldn't bear the thought of having to face her and being scolded for arriving too soon.

Father's Day came and I gave Louis his first Father's Day gift...a baby blue polo shirt. That afternoon after church we went to some church friends' for dinner.  Our good friend Henry had grilled some polish sausages and hot sausages.  Somehow a hot sausage got mixed in with the poilsh sausages and who but me, would discover that? 
My mouth was on fire and I had heartburn the rest of the day.

The next morning, around 5 a.m. my water broke.  Hallelujah for a possible easy excuse to go on in to Labor & Delivery!!!  I didn't know for sure though, because when I stood up out of bed, it stopped. 

So we called the birthing ceneter and they told me to make an appointment with my O.B. doctor as soon as I could.  So, around 8:30, we went on to our appointment and the nurse practitioner explained that I could be leaking urine as I discussed what was going on.  So after the test strip results came in, we heard an "Ah, yes".  Louis and I exchanged glances and the same "What?" came out of our mouths.  "Was it urine or was it amniotic fluid?" 

This was the moment that would make or break us!!!!  A deep sigh of relief came over us as she said, "Oh yes, it's amniotic fluid!  You need to go on to the birthing center".  We almost skipped as we walked out of there.  Yes, we were excited about meeting Abigail 15 days earlier than expected, but I think I was just as eager to walk in to L&D with a big smile on my face, standing up straight sporting some make-up to say to Ms. Meanie, "My water broke" followed by my best "Nah-Nah-Nah-Nah-Nah" playground schoolgirl voice! 

Around 12 hours later this happened: 

And I'm gonna raise her to be nice to first time moms who have no idea what labor will be like, especially if she's ever a childbirth instructor! 

This happened 9 years ago, and I remember it as if it happened yesterday!!!  She's worth every feeling of insecurity I had as a newby.  I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing sometimes.

Taking requests

Our older 3 girls tend to disagree about which cd to listen to in the van or if the back a.c. should be on high or off altogether.  Tonight as we were leaving the grocery store, Aliza asked me to turn the mood lights on and after we turned them on, Adalyn said "Lights off?"  I turned around and asked her why she wanted them off.  "Cuz", she said. 

Eeeeeeeeewwww.

Yesterday was a rough day.  I've been tired this week, and crankiness goes with tired.  A lack of patience goes with crankiness.  I didn't say to the person taking my order in the morning, "Yes, I'd like a lack of patience, and some exhaustion.  Can you add crankiness to that, please?".  And they didn't say, "Would you like 4 girls to go with that?"  But that's what it felt like.  It was the combo you just wouldn't order for yourself.

The girls had been at each other alot, and they hadn't followed any directions without complaining. 

Last night, after we loaded up into the car, I asked one to buckle up her sister.  She huffed, got up, stomped to the back and did it.  I said, "You know, your attitudes today just stink". 

Adalyn breaks the tension immediately by saying,  "Eeeeeeewwwwwwww."  We all laugh and head home.  She probably knew mine stunk too!   Isn't it neat how God uses the smallest people (or things) to change our attitudes?  He's just great like that!