Week 21 & 22!

Where does the time go? I missed a week again! It doesn't help that the last three weeks don't feel very much like Summer Break. We had a week of football/cheerleading camp, then a week of Franklin Park Conservatory Camp, and last week was COSI camp. Whew! Plus, Dawsyn's cheerleading started and I am coaching her. Thankfully, I have two wonderful moms, and Cassie who are helping so I am not having to do all of the jumping around. I had my last ultrasound on Monday. Everything looked good, but I was kind of sad that it was my last one. I enjoy seeing the baby and I know I am going to miss these days. The baby looks like it is going to be another big one! It already weighed 1 pound 3 ounces!!! From everything I've read, it will double it's weight in the next four weeks. That means that by 26 weeks of pregancy, the baby could already weigh 2 pounds, 6 ounces. I've heard of a lot of preemie babies being born at a weight like that. After that, it is said the baby could gain up to half a pound a week! No wonder I am having such sciatic pain! I have hardly been able to walk since last Thursday. I keep going, and I am still managing to get in my workouts everyday, but it is getting tough. I am hoping it is just the way the baby is lying, and when it moves I will get better! I also held it together and didn't find out what the baby was on Monday, although I was very tempted! The good news is Dax says the baby is almost ready to come out of his belly. He just says it needs to "grow up" a little bit more. He doesn't know it, but he is growing up so fast himself! He is even staying dry at night now, so I think it is safe to say that he is officially potty-trained!!!! They are all growing up. The control freak that I am makes it very difficult because I cannot control their rate of growth at all! Drew is getting so tall and so mature. I can't believe the conversations we can have, Dawsyn now wakes up in the morning before I do and has been getting breakfast for her siblings and setting out the schoolwork that I make them practice every day. Delaney has really done well this summer and is ready for Preschool. She is already at a first-grade reading level, so I am not worried about her academically. And now that Little D is over a pound, and there a times when I know his/her little kicks can be felt outside my stomach, it seems like we are really getting somewhere! I wanted to post this adorable picture from Fourth of July! Wouldn't it be nice if they always hugged and smiled at each other like that and not just when Mommy was prompting them for a picture? :)

Week 20!

Our Trip to the Zoo...aka...Why do we do this to ourselves???
We actually did have a great time, but we are so exhausted this evening. We went to a breakfast program at the Columbus Zoo. The kids liked it and we did get an awesome parking spot since we had to be there a half-hour before the zoo opened. We ate breakfast and the kids got to touch some animals (a snake, lizard, and some sort of chicken-looking thing--I was too busy trying to keep the orange juice from getting spilled in the midst of the kids' excitement to really pay attention). Then we went to see the bears and meet the keeper. The kids even had the opportunity to feed the bears some popsicles. All was going well until they told Drew that the bears' names were "Brutus" and "Buckeye". He suddenly was not interested in feeding "those particular bears" anymore. Then the kids rode the ponies. When Dax got off and we asked him how it was, he replied, "so cool". The kids definitely got a kick out of the petting zoo--especially Delaney who almost literally got a "kick" from the poor pregnant goat who she chased with the large comb swearing that it wanted her to comb its hair. When it became obvious that the kids were comparing the pregnant goat to their pregnant mom, and even more obvious that the goat was winning, we decided to move on. As we started to actually walk around the zoo, we realized that the problem of the day was going to be the statues of animals..aka "places for Dawsyn to pose". It wasn't as big of a deal if Dawsyn was in the mood to let her siblings pose with her, however this was all too rare, and even if she was alright with it, she rarely left room for anyone else to pose on the statue. After Shawn took a picture of Dawsyn sitting with her legs straight out in front of her, crossed at her ankles with her hands crossed on her knees and her shoulders cocked to one side, while Delaney stood behind her, bent at the waist with one hand on her butt and the other out in front of her in what was her best impression of "jazz hands", all the while not even realizing that they were posing on an endangered species, we got smart and started saying, "I think we already did that one" every time they asked to sit on another statue. We finally made it to the aquarium, only to hear all about the pregnant stingray. Apparantly many animals at the zoo are currently pregnant, the only species I was particularly impressed with was the seahorses because the males carry the babies in a pouch in their bellies until they are ready to separate and live on their own. Let me sum this up in a mathematical equation: male humans < male seahorses = what are we doing wrong and what can medical science do about it??? The highlight of my day came when we walked into the Wolverine's den and I had to explain to the kids that Daddy didn't want to come in because this was the mascot of Michigan who was Ohio State's biggest rival. Finally, Shawn did come in and started making some comment about how the wolverine was a dumb mascot and didn't look intimidating at all, to which Drew quickly replied, "Oh yes, Dad, this wolverine is much less scary than a nut!" Even the two people at the exhibit next to us who were both in OSU jerseys had a chuckle at that one! Shawn just whispered in my ear, "what have you done to that kid???" All the kids thought that the giant sliverback gorilla reminded them of Grandpa Chuck, but then they decided that it was really just the gray hair on its back. It threatened to rain off and on all day. The kids kept saying it would be alright because they could see the "Dutchboy's pants" (what Grammy Michelle calls a spot of blue sky in the middle of clouds which she swears means it isn't going to rain at all, but instead clear up and be sunny--I've heard this all through my own childhood and obviously she has continued this with my children--I could give more "Michelleisms", but that would require an entire blog of its own). As we were leaving, it started to pour down rain. Drew asked if we could take a picture of the storm. When I asked him why he said because he wanted to put it in his summer journal with the caption, "Grammy's idea of 'clearing up'!" By the time we got to the car, we were soaked, exhausted, and laughing about what a great day we had, plus Little D was squirming all over the place. Both Shawn and the kids can't wait until they can feel this on the outside of my belly. I truly don't mind, though, because all of these little nudges and squirming makes me so glad I'm not a seahorse! :)

OHHH..We're half-way there....definitely living on a prayer!
We also have a date! The baby will be here on Monday, November 16th, unless I would need to go sooner for some reason. This will put me somewhere between 37 and 38 weeks. I think that my doctor is worried because for Delaney and Dax I walked around at 3 cm and 80% effaced for 3 weeks before my c-section. It really makes it seem real to have a finish line. I am in no way ready to be done with this pregnancy, though. Despite the severe headaches, the exhaustion, heartburn and the fact that as I passed the full-length mirror today (quite by accident I assure you) and noticed that I am carrying this baby like a 50 year-old man who still drinks like he is in college (Only when you are pregnant can you officially miss doing crunches) I am trying to cherish this pregnancy and enjoy the little nudges and wiggles I am feeling. To be fair, I can't blame the headaches entirely on the pregnancy. Delaney has taken a recent interest in her version of opera, Dax's favorite word is "why", Dawsyn is suddenly obsessed with Michael Jackson and singing his songs at the top her lungs Dax continues to ask daily if we can "take the baby out today". Apparantly, he really wants to put the baby in the stroller. Note to self--I really need to watch him closely and never leave him alone in the room with the baby. Because we have a deadline, we really need to get going on plans for the baby. It just seems like we are so busy with the four we already have, we don't have a lot of time to make decisions. We are nowhere close to agreeing on names. We have some middle names we like. Shawn, and everyone else, keeps pointing out that it would be much easier if we would just find out what the baby is, but I have made it through 7 ultrasounds without finding out, and I only have 3 more to go. On Monday, the baby weighed 9 1/2 ounces. So, it is growing. It was even opening its mouth and swallowing. Amazing-- it really doesn't matter if it's your first, your fifth, or your tenth!

Week 19!

What is a nap?
This week has been crazy. I feel like a high school athlete during Summer two-a-days. Only this time, I am carrying along baby #5, and a potty-training 2-year old. Drew has had football camp every morning for three hours and Dawsyn had cheerleading camp every evening for three hours. Needless to say, by the third day of this, I was exhausted. On top of that, we also fit in story-time and a puppet show at the Library. So, yesterday between the two camps, after all of the laundry was done and put away and lunch was all cleaned up, I sat on the couch for a few minutes. Then, I decided to lay down. At this point in parenting, I have mastered the art of half-sleeping, half-listening for the kids. Of course, Drew totally freaked out at this. He started feeling my forehead and asking me if I was OK. I tried to reassure him that I was fine and just tired. Well, this was not a nearly good enough explanaition for him. Next thing I knew, he was calling Grammy. I heard him dial the phone and then say, "Grammy, something is wrong with Mommy, she says she is just tired, but I don't believe her". Of course, I knew my Mom would be concerned, so I asked Drew for the phone. I explained that I was just tired. She got back on the phone with Drew and I heard him ask what time 15 minutes would be and assure her that he would call her back if there were any problems. I then hear him tell the other kids that he is in charge and Mommy needs to sleep for 15 minutes to feel better and that Grammy told him when 15 minutes would be and he would wake me up then. Of course, the girls did not take this well and immediately started screeming that they should be in charge. Dax came over and layed his head on my face asking, rather loudly, if I was OK. This totally put Drew over the edge when I answered Dax and he screamed that now the 15 minutes had to start over. The problem was he didn't know what time 15 minutes would be now. So, he did the obvious thing, he came over and woke me up to ask when 15 minutes would be so he would know when to wake me up. This actually ended up being perfect timing because Dax decided to not quite make it to the potty on time at this precise moment. Never mind, Drew--15 minutes is up! :)

Week 18 !

Almost half-way there! It is hard to believe that I am this far along already. I am really starting to feel little nudges and movements. The last ultrasound went well. Baby is getting big (not nearly big enough to excuse my hugely-expanding belly, but about 6 ounces now). Today I did what every pregnant women has the inexplicable urge to do--I watched "A Baby Story". What is it that we find so irresistable about watching other women go through the pain that is inevitably in front of us??? Yet, we all cry when the mom cries and can't wait for our moment. The difference watching it this time was that I have four older children who were watching (in obvious horror, I might add) as the women gave birth. Needless to say, they had a million questions. It started with Drew saying, "I thought we came out of your belly". I explained that I have to have c-sections because Drew got stuck. This always upsets him when it is mentioned because he will say, "because of my big head" and then get very defensive about his "ginormous dome" as we lovingly call it. So then they wanted to know where I was cut, how the baby got out, could I see it happening?, how do they put me back together? etc, etc. I showed them where I would be cut. Drew looked horrified and said, "Mom isn't that awfully close to your 'private area'?" I explained that if a baby is born the normal way, they actually come out of the mother's private area. Drew was absolutely disgusted with this idea and after a few moments said, "Mom, that is so gross--I'm sure glad I had a big head!" Funny how his viewpoint changed once it was put in perspective. Delaney just said, "I see--they cut you like this (made a slicing motion across her lower abdomen), pull the baby out (made a motion like she was taking the thanksgiving turkey out of the oven), and then staple you back up (made a motion like she was stapling papers together, which quite frankly I could have done without)." I said she was right and she seemed happy with this and went on her merry way. Dawsyn had a meltdown saying that she remembered now--when mommy brings the baby home it is all about the baby, mommy can't do anything, and they would probably have to make all their own meals, and not get to leave the house for a month, and something about it not being the first time she's had to deal with all of that. As a side, the only baby she remembers is Dax and before Dax was even a week old, we were going to her dance class, Kindermusik, and the mall... and I seem to have vivid memories of dragging myself into the kitchen to somehow manage meals for the other children, but, once again--all in the perspective!
Dax is doing really well with potty-training. We are a week into it and he had a completely accident-free day and night last night and only two little accidents this afternoon while I was gone. It is hard to believe that we might actually be diaper free for a few months. That hasn't happened in almost 8 years! It will be short-lived, but still a small victory! You can have your awards and medals, your Nobel Peace Prize, Grammies, and Emmies, but I have potty-trained four children--take that!!!