Endless skies

Baby Update: 38 Weeks (Guess the date?)

(All photos used with permission from MJD Photography, Grand Forks, ND)

Yes, tomorrow (Friday) is officially two weeks from baby's due date. 

Several things are still true: 

:: We are still waiting for him to name himself (or for a bolt from the blue)

:: We aren't sure exactly how we'll configure our nap time sleeping/quiet time

:: We don't know when he'll arrive, although he gave us a little scare this week

:: The siblings are expectant, but perhaps not as impatient as their mama

People keep asking if I am ready... 

What does this mean, ready?   Somewhere out there must be a mama who is ready for baby to arrive in all the senses that might be true.  For example, that mama has a nursery decorated, meals prepared in advance and in the freezer, and she has a neatly packed bag.  Her laundry is probably even caught up. 

Or, maybe it's just the mama who is so monumentally uncomfortable that moving baby outside will make the world easier. 

I am neither of these kinds of ready.  Actually, I am more comfortable now that I've been much of this pregnancy.  Big like a barge, but not terribly uncomfortable.  And, I know all about the challenge of a stubborn two year-old and a baby carrier.  Let's just say baby is easier to carry this way.  He also sleeps through the night this way... 

But, I am not particularly patient. A part of me would like to put an end to the waiting.  The flip side of that is the recognition that a mama only has a short time to feel a baby move beneath her skin.  

We've suggested to baby that there are several dates that aren't ideal.  For example, C has his chili feeds and important visit from his boss next week.  February 29, although a very interesting day to be born, isn't the day we'd select.  

As promised though, we'll let you take your positions on when you think Attilla the Hunt will arrive.  To make them official, please put them in the comments for this post.  

In the interest of fairness, I'll mention that the official due date is March 9.  There has never been a baby born early in this family, and we aren't really running early kind of people.  However, I am measuring bigger, and the doctor is guessing baby to be bigger, than previous arrivals too.  

And, if you think you know what we'll name baby, you can guess that too ;) 

Jonah at four years, two months

Sometimes I am caught off guard by how quickly Jonah changes.  Physically, he is all long, skinny limbs, which is so different from his baby self.  Intellectually though, he's also so fast and sharp, asking questions I have to seek answers for (thank you magic internet!).  

School, even two days a week for a total of six hours per week, certainly has influenced who he's becoming.  He has a clear sense of friends, a stronger set of likes and dislikes, and a more easy going approach to routines.   By comfortably pushing his boundaries, school is helping him grow. 

He asked, for example, for this hair for wacky day.  It's the hair Laurel likes to give him when they play, and we call it dino head.  (Elijah gets dino head too, but only two horns, not four).  The hair and his cookie monster  shirt together were just the right amount of wacky he said. 

This was taken at a recent school program.  I love it because it shows how much fun he's having.  Jonah loves to sing.  He remembers songs well, whether at school or Sunday school.  He's fun to watch because he is enjoying himself... his mama can forget how naturally reserved he usually is when he's singing for an audience.  

Recently, Jonah spent a whole morning by himself, at work with Curtis.  They had lunch together, and then he came home.  It was, perhaps, the most anticipated three hours of his life so far.  Among other things, he and his dad made these paper airplanes, played in the gym at the armory, and worked on the computer.  Some of the story must be the secrets of a boy and his dad, right? 

This is the more usual situation for Jonah.  He usually has a side kick, or is a side kick.  If I could read his mind, I'd be intrigued to learn what he thinks of the admiration and imitation of Elijah and of the creative energy and force of personality of Laurel.  Maybe it balances out? 

Gymnastics has been a constant for Jonah since we arrived here.  This year has been interesting because he spent the fall in a class by himself, one-on-one with the teacher he's had since the beginning.  Around November, another student, also a boy, joined the class.  The individual attention has given him much more confidence about what he can do.  I sometimes sit amazed at his skill or courage in doing something that even six months ago he wouldn't have considered.  

He loves gymnastics. 

Another development recently is that Jonah has a signature.  These are his valentines, and they show the unique, but completely clear, way he's forming his letters, especially his J.  He's at that exciting stage where he recognizes letters and numbers, and he is also busy learning the rules of the road.  It's important to know about right on red, if you're going to be the safety patrol... 

If there is another great love of Jonah's life, it is trucks and tractors.  We went to the farm implement show last week (it was free!) where there were tractors to climb up in and explore (and candy on nearly every table).  It might have been pure heaven, if his mama were better informed about machinery.  Let's just say we both learned some interesting things about how potato harvesting is accomplished. 

(Photo by MJD Photography)

As we anticipate adding a member to our family, Jonah has become more and more helpful.  Often, he is the most willingly helpful of all the wild monkeys who live here.  But, he also likes things done in a certain way.  I try to keep his blue bowl washed and ready, because that is the one he wants every day, without fail for his breakfast.  I hope that some simple routines will make the transitions ahead easier for him.  

We sure do love him, even when he seems to be growing up at the speed of light! 

All kinds of Fancy

Because our sitter, N, is way fancier than I am, she did this beautiful hair for Laurel.  We hoped that the beautiful hair would last until the next afternoon, but alas...  The beautiful nails, painted red with silver hearts, did last.   We still had some curls for our photo session on Saturday too.  (We haven't seen a preview of it yet, and I might be dying of impatience, heh)

Because the real Fancy Nancy is all about clips, we decided on this updo for the tea party.  I loved how it turned out... very Laurel.  And, she was completely unique with it.  

 One more look... to show you fancy + sophisticated.  tee hee.  

The Fancy Nancy tea party was held in the story time room at the East Grand Forks Library.  The room  is just lovely with big windows, and the Red Hats had decorated it to the nines. Notice the real china tea cups (and fancy tea pots with pink lemonade).  

The fancy food included what you see, but those heart-shaped cookies were the most lovely and delicate sugar cookies I've ever seen.  The Red Hat lady who made them had hands just twisted with arthritis, and she thought they'd be to simple for the girls.  I can't imagine how hard she worked. 

Behind L is a lady we know from church, and behind her is her doll collection. The dolls were all dressed up to be fancy too ;)  

This is my favorite from the day though... 

While L had a fabulous time, she was also thrilled that she found several books she's been looking for.  The librarian at the EGF library has been there 38 years, and she knows the books to order to thrill small girls ;)  I don't know if we can read fast enough! 

February: 12 on the 12th

[The photos I imagined for today are not these.  The photos I wish I had include the sun streaming through the stained glass at church, the boys in their not matching but peanut butter and jelly outfits,  the wild game feed we attended, the beautiful table at the dessert party we had tonight... instead, these are some of the most ordinary parts of our day]

1. Jonah, helping Laurel with a 100 piece puzzle. It is new that she lets him help, and he is very proud that she will. 

2. Laurel working out her part.  We had just finished breakfast, which is often a peaceful time around here.  Bliss.  And, everyone slept in until 7:32, which is so late for our house. 

3. Elijah being silly.  He's actually wearing my shoes and stomping around making faces in the kitchen. 

4. In-process puzzles, after everyone had gone to bed. 

5. Valentine candy experiment

6. From the countdown, heart shaped straws.  They are so long, it's hilarious. 

7. Completed Valentines for L's class. 

8. C's laser disk player unexpectedly (out of the clear blue) began working again on Saturday.  To test it, he put in one of his top three favorite kid movies.  We finished watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today.  

9. The two big kids went to the library with C while I worked and E slept. 

10. I have tried to limit myself to half a diet coke and half a cup of coffee per day.  Decaf coffee doesn't count ;)  But, I look forward to my diet coke all day long. 

11. Laundry... look how bright it is.  I think that's one way you can tell there isn't a baby boy living here right now. 

12. The sock monkey socks... C has finally given in and started wearing them because we haven't gotten the monkey made.  Jonah has sock monkey socks too.  At the end of the day, this is the position we often choose, feet up ;)  

xo

Frost

(Fog and frost from library gates, looking west)

Dust of Snow 

The way the crow

shook down on me

The dust of snow

from the hemlock tree

has given my heart

a change of mood

and saved some part

of a day I had rued. 

(Robert Frost)

Ten on Tuesday: 36 Weeks (with an updated photo!)

1.  For about one minute, I considered trying to do a post a day until baby arrives.  And then I realized I don't have the ambition for that ;)  Still, I am trying to notice and to savor some parts of these last weeks.  

2. Speaking of savoring, this was a particularly sweet moment today:

If you doubt for even a second that Laurel is the star of the show around here, this illustrates that she is.  It's good to have a fan club... 

3. Tooth #2 has now been lost.  The tooth fairy brought a $2 bill.  The tooth fairy forgot to make a card though.  Next tooth.  Remind me... 

The mama looks forward to a small respite from teeth.  She has two more that are wiggly, but distantly wiggly, whew. 

Wednesday is also L's 100th day of school.  She and her daddy worked out a Lego house (her idea) with exactly 100 pieces ;)  She originally wanted to bring 100 mini figures... 

4.  Back when I discovered I was pregnant, I decided to set aside Tuesday mornings for Elijah.  Sometimes we do something with other people, and sometimes we hang out together.  I try to do one special thing a Tuesday.  Today, we had a couple errands, then went for coffee/chocolate milk at the campus book store. 

5. When I am with just Elijah, he talks a mile a minute and does lots of giggling and laughing.  So, sitting in the coffee part of the bookstore, he was watching a group of ravens and sparrows out the window.  While he watched, he explained to me that he'd be inviting them to his birthday, that they'd fly, that they'd like cupcakes.  He didn't want to leave them when it was time to go.

6. While at the bookstore, I bought my labor and delivery book.  tee hee.  I am not so much into television, and I'd rather read in the long hospital hours.  When Jonah was born, and C and L were sick, I read the best book.  I felt like I lived it.  When Elijah was born, I read a good, distracting, mindless novel.  We'll see how this one fits ;)  It is the first labor and delivery book I've picked written by a man.  It is about neither labor nor delivery. 

7. I stole a Valentine idea from the internet:

Yep.  That's it.  Skewers, paper hearts, tape, and a bit of rice in the vase to keep them in the right place.  It just makes me happy.  While making Valentines with L, I also made a fun heart banner.  Thank you, Target dollar section. 

8.  We are doing a Valentine countdown, just like last year.  Should I admit that some of the candy in the countdown is from Halloween?  How handy those boxes of pink Nerds have been... 

9. Last week, I didn't do my work for pay work when I should have.  I followed this up by allowing my house (and my life in general) to fall into this unbelievable state of complete disarray.  So, I was finishing my work minutes before it was due, and feeling annoyed by messes.  

That means that my work is done tonight, and you can walk through the living room without breaking a leg.  Lesson learned.  

10 a.  The library on the East Grand Forks side is hosting a Fancy Nancy Tea Party on Saturday.  A local Red Hats group is sponsoring, and there were limited sign ups.  L and her friend G made the list though!  We've been planning and planning.  Wish me luck, as I am not gifted in fancy.  

10 b. We're also having a friend take some maternity photos on Saturday.  You might know that there are few, very few, maternity photos of me.  The decision was made because we want to show baby how much his siblings loved him, even while he was still on the inside.  Since I started researching, I realized there are few photos out there that show three siblings with an expected baby.  In fact, I've only seen one with hands.  But, I have a couple other ideas.  Wish me luck, as I truly dislike photos of myself.  

(In a week, I'll post to let you predict baby's arrival time and date, so start thinking. heh)

Ten on Tuesday: Highlights

1. This is the most exciting event around here:

[I must confess to being grossed out by loose teeth.  L caught a foot in her front teeth playing at this indoor playground on Monday.  That moved things along, and her dad pulled it.  The right tooth is also very, very wiggly, as are two on the bottom]

2. Although the tooth pillow has been prepared for some time, but we were not thinking much beyond it.  Typical, no?  L had also made a card for the tooth fairy some weeks ago.  The tooth fairy made a glittery card, and the other tooth fairy found a silver dollar. 

3. So, does the tooth fairy have a name at your house?  Inquiring minds want to know. 

4. Baby had his 35 week appointment today.  He is the first baby in this family to measure the correct size at 35 weeks, rather than being too small.  I think it's the cookies I've been eating, but whatever.  I'll take uneventful every, single time. 

5. No, he doesn't have a name yet.  Maybe he will tell us.  This is not from a shortage of options on the table, let me tell you.  The boys continue to push for Henry Thomas.  L is holding firm for David. Curtis, well, Curtis is seeking the odd names where they can be found.  Hello, Samson. 

6. We still have plenty of time.  I expect to see this baby on the day he is induced, likely March 8 or 9. I know, tempting fate.  

7. My children LOVE the winter.  Not sure this is flowing from my genetic code.  We spent a couple hours sledding, climbing and throwing snowballs on Saturday.  We have an unusually low amount of snow.  Can you see to poof of it above?  ;) 

8. This is how L and I work on her skating.  She is a million times more confident this winter, and doesn't hold on to me as often or with a death grip.  Skating at the outdoor rinks here is so fun, especially when we are all by ourselves.  Although, one night two weeks ago, there was no wind, and we went at dusk.  Skating on a warm winter night, under the lights, with the big pick up hockey game bouncing around on the next rink over... it was really beautiful. 

9. Sometimes people share the very best news on Facebook... I cried twice this week, and it's only Tuesday.  Of course, I am also capable of crying at songs on the radio right now.  

10. Wishing for an escape before baby comes. I don't really feel like going to Fargo, as it's main attraction is shopping, meh.  Ambition may outrun effort, and we may work on one of the eight hundred million things we really should do here. 

And, tomorrow begins the LOVE month, who-hooooooo.  C bought me some Reece's PB heart candies, and let's say I didn't wait for the official beginning to have one (or two...). xo

Winter...

It is the winter that inspires the creative mama.  The mama here is weary, so tired.  And, C was gone all week.  Which is probably why I planned several creative, intentional fun, things for the wild monkeys. 

But, this one was really fun to watch, so I'll give you a peak:

(Confession:  I bought these dried beans and lentils with the specific purpose of doing art, not eating.  Earth mama I am not.  But, can you imagine the cool collage one could make?)

We gathered all the trucks, especially the dump trucks to do some bean and lentil road building. You can see it was very serious work. 

There is something about loading and moving, then dumping that must appeal to the small boy mind.  Each different truck was loaded, and eventually bowls were added too, because filling things was so interesting. 

J was very interested in getting a big pile built, but he also understood more about having roads. 

Whether a function of age or of gender, when L arrived home, she went straight to sorting.  Isn't that funny?  

And, nearly an hour of entertainment with no fighting... oh the bliss. 

She is...

... hard to define. 

I've been mulling over how to explain what the past month with L has been like.  And, I am not sure if there is an apt metaphor for it. 

At the beginning of the month, she had a crisis of confidence.  Or, that's how I see it now.  She fainted in chapel, and drew a tremendous amount of attention, then became tremendously embarassed. 

Her teacher, her principal, her dad, and a friend who is a school psychologist and I have worked to re-build the scaffolding on her confidence.  It sounds simple put that way, but the school psychologist said that you don't know you are confident until you're not, and the first time it happens that you lose confidence, you don't yet have the tools for rebuilding. 

But, such tools are the ones L will need all her life. 

Oh, this parenting is tricky, so tricky. 

I never imagined the day that my girl would refuse to stay at school, insisting on coming home.  And, we let her because there was nothing else to do.   The girl who lives here loves school.  She wouldn't keep her head down and refuse to engage with classmates and teacher.  She wouldn't become ill and weep at the thought of having to go.  But, she did. 

We've worked it out slowly, with lots of patience (which you know isn't my gift).  We made it through the first chapel, with a lovey, with L practically crawling into my skin, with a plan discussed ahead, and without standing up a single time.  

Three weeks later, we still have a plan, but it is simpler. 

The joy about school is back, and this is big.  The chattering to and about friends is back.  

Still, out of the blue, she'll be intimidated by something she can't explain.  It happened on Tuesday.  We picked up our car pool friend, and we went on.  For some reason, whatever worried her passed. She had a fine day.  I was glad to have pushed her on out the door, even though it was hard. 

Oh, this tricky, tricky parenting. 

I wish I could hand her confidence like a gift-wrapped package.  But, it isn't that simple, at least in part because it is so formative to learn for yourself.  

eeek. 

Ready to be a big brother

E is preparing to be a big brother.  He has now taken over two differnt dolls.  Both are boys (and we just go with that).  Both are wearing baby clothes and diapers.  Both sleep with him.  Both are talked to, cared for, given pacifiers, share his blankets, and are included in his activities.  While we were watching a movie last night, he covered baby brother's eyes... because he was scared.  

It is sweet enough to make a mama cry, I tell you ;)