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!