It's a Girl!

Clara Sage Williamson

So, at 40 weeks + 3 days I was ready.

Sage, however, was not! When I heard her weight, 7 lbs, I knew why she wasn't ready and felt bad for grumping around about the baby not coming!
It might have been coincidence. Or maybe Sage just really wanted to meet her Grandpa Max. But on Thursday, when my parents were going to be stopping in for a day before going to my aunt's wedding, things got started-and finished!

About 4:00 in the afternoon I started having irregular contractions. I crossed my fingers that they were more than Braxton-Hicks contractions. We had some things to do to get ready for my parents visit and I was going to run to Walmart. Chris came home to help and I went off to do some walking and pick up a few essentials.

The contractions were still coming after that trip so I kept steaming ahead and swept and vacuumed and cleaned a bathroom. By the time they got here about 6:00 the contractions were much more regular and more painful. I started to let myself hope that it might actually happen that night!

And really, coincidence or providence, Mom and Dad were visiting when I had Noah 6 weeks early too. Other grandbabies have also enjoyed the unplanned for presence of Grandma and Grandpa when they were born. They are like a lucky charm or something! (Maybe I should rent them out to pregnant ladies who are ready to deliver!)

Chris took care of the boys and grilled dinner while Grandpa timed my contractions as I worked on the salad and fruit in the kitchen. Soon he was able to start telling me when I would be having another. It was back labor and as the pain got worse it was harder and harder to relax through the contractions.

By the time dinner started (incidentally we were supposed to be celebrating my birthday!) I was pretty sure that we would be leaving soon. In fact, I called the doctor and told her that I was going to come in.

I have to shake my head at health professionals who refuse to think that I have any reason to understand what is going on with my own body. I mean, really, I have had two kids before and might have a slightly better idea of how things would progress!

The doctor asked the usual questions about how close together and how long they were lasting. She wasn't terribly impressed. She also asked about dilation and effacement the last time I had been checked. Again, not impressed. Finally, she said that I didn't sound to bad off and to wait till I was really uncomfortable before coming in. I verbally agreed and hung up to say that we were going in right then anyway.

When we arrived at the hospital they took me to the pre-admittance room to check me before they would admit me. I was a little annoyed because I knew that this was really labor and that given my history I would progress quickly and I wanted an epidural. I did not want to be told later that I was too far along for it. Back labor gets the better of any thoughts I might have about doing things without medication. I can keep things relaxed in the beginning but I my abilities are quickly outpaced by the pain and its location.

The nurse checked me and I was at 5 centimeters. She called right over to tell them I was going to be staying. We got settled and I did get my epidural. None to soon, for me, really. By then I was about a 6 and moving along. The doctor came in and broke my water and said I was about an 8. Within about 1/2 an hour I told the nurse it was time to push. She wanted to check me and quickly agreed after the first trial push that it was time to call in the doctor.

With one push the baby was out-easy, peasy. And it was a GIRL!

I don't think I really knew what to think.

Maybe that my dream was real. Or, we don't have to pay for circumcision. I don't know. It was a little surreal to me at that point. One thing I did note, though, was that we had her before midnight. It was sweet serendipity.
The boys and Grandma and Grandpa came over the next morning. We had a little birthday celebration with cupcakes from my aborted birthday dinner and presents. They brought a present for Sage and she got each of her big brothers a gift as well.

They loved their gifts but still declined to do any actual holding.

They finally agreed to pictures.
And daddy, well, he is a proud papa.

And a trooper. He spent the night at the hospital and then went home early to take care of the boys. (We were very grateful for grandma and grandpa being able to stay with the boys that night.)

And a saint. He was, and remains, the "go-to" person for just about anything and everything. Me. The boys. Church callings. Work. We couldn't make any of it work without our daddy.
And Grandma. She has been here all week and I love her for it. She has been my sounding board as we deal with the whole 'insufficient milk production' issue, my companion in the middle of the night, babysitter so I can nap, cook, cleaning lady, etc. Priceless!

We have been taking an embarrassingly small number of pictures (grandpa escaped without a single picture! Shame on me!) since I knew that my sister was coming for the weekend and bringing her camera. We had a photo shoot this morning and got some adorable shots so stay posted for more sweetness to come!

Wait a Minute...

It is going UP?

THAT TICKER NUMBER IS GOING BACK UP!!!

I am Ready

I am ready to have this baby.

I am ready to find out if it is a boy or girl! (I finally finished the boy AND girl afghan!)
I am ready to not have greasy hair and skin. I am ready to be able to move without certain unmentionable parts hurting. I am ready to be able to feel my fingers all the time (but especially when I am trying to write something down, talk on the phone, or shave my legs) instead of just some of the time. I am ready to have enough blood in my head to keep me from feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I am ready to be able to wear something besides my flip-flops (not that I don't love them, cause I do, but I feel like a bad example at church!). I am ready to be able to turn over in bed without it being a long production of positioning everything just right to minimize any painful movements. I am ready to stay in my bed all night-no potty breaks (I know this is a pipe dream, at least for awhile, but you know what I mean)!

But more than those things, I am ready to be me again-the me I feel like I have almost forgotten I was! I am ready to have my emotions, hormones, and mental faculties back. I am ready to participate in conversations that I don't think about later and realize that I missed so much and the other person must think I am an idiot for not getting half of what they just said. I am ready to have some control over my emotional being and how it effects me. I am ready to have some recall of common words, phrases and recent history (my own!). I am ready to be me again.

I am ready to meet this little person who has been running out of room inside me. I am ready to know if the baby is going to be a crier, like Ian, or a sleeper, like Noah, or his/her own person all together. I am ready to know who the baby will look like. I am ready to know if we will share a birthday or if the baby will share a birthday with one of the uncles or have a birthday all to his/herself.

I am ready to have this baby.

How about you, baby, are you ready?

Father And Son Campout

Last Friday, was our night to babysit, it didn't rain and the weather was reasonably warm. Just the kind of evening that Chris had been waiting for.
A weekend or so before had been the ward Father and Son camp out. Chris really wanted to take Noah. He has been waiting years to start introducing Noah to some of his favorite outdoor activities. The time has to be just right, though, especially with Noah.

Otherwise we end up with situations like when we are cutting hair. A near breakdown at the thought and an actual continuous riot of crying, snot and screaming while we are doing it. Not pleasant for anyone, especially years after the initial incident of clipper use gone awry.

So we have tried to be selective and optimize our chances of having positive experiences when it comes to new adventures for Noah. Chris deemed Friday night the night.

Building the fire was fun 'cause we got to break sticks.

And then it was time for the tent. Chris had willing helpers.

Until the poles came out and then suddenly it was all about the 'cranes'!

And after that got settled it was a great tunnel for a running game.

After the friends left and Ian was put in bed it was time to outfit the tent for the night. This entire process was interspersed every other minute with the same question: "Can I sleep in the tent?"

When the 'beds' were made, warm clothes put on and a bag of books packed up for reading by the flashlight they were set. Chris said that finally about 10:30 they turned off the light. Noah slept well. Chris, well, not so much apparently.

But it was a great success and Noah wanted to sleep in the tent again the next night. For our next camping adventure we hope to make it further than the backyard. (And somehow we will have to incorporate Ian and baby!)

Noah Did It!

And Ian helps. Sorry he is so far away for most of the video-the disadvantage of just using a camera with a video feature, I guess.



It really seemed like he mastered this overnight. One day he couldn't and the next day he could. Something about it makes me burst my buttons with pride-though I had practically nothing to do with it. My baby is growing up!

My Mommy's Day Party

I had a great Mother's Day. I only have one video to prove it. I hadn't showered yet so there are absolutely NONE of me.

Since the boys are a little young to be heading up plans for a celebration that role naturally falls to Chris for Mother's Day. This year he decided that we would have a Mommy's Day party. It would, in essence, be a birthday party-something my kids really get into!

While I was blissfully snoozing in bed Chris had the boys help decorate with streamers that ran the length of the house and balloons that had 'Happy Mommy Day' written on them. I got up and found them in the kitchen painting a big poster. I snuck back to bed to wait till all the prep work was done.

We played party games, like musical chairs. This was a new one to the boys and Noah particularly enjoyed it as long as he won:)



They decorated me with streamers and balloons and then we had a parade through the house. And last, but not least, (we actually played it first anyway), Pin the Flower on Mommy's Belly. Noah actually won this one as well.

No party would be a party without cake.

First, we had to sing. To the tune of Happy Birthday we substituted the words 'Happy Mommy's Day'. This worked ok for Noah-he got it. But Ian still sang Happy Birthday. In fact, while Noah would come up randomly throughout the day and say in his sweet, earnest voice "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy", Ian would come up after and say "Happy Birthday!" Talk about a reason to smile!

But back to the cake-it was the most delicious part of the day, anyway! Noah wanted to "eat the head." Chris had made a Dorothy Morris chocolate cake for me which is a sheet cake and does not have a head. A few sprinkles and a couple of pieces later and everyone was happy. It was yummy!!

Chris made dinner that night while I sat outside with the boys while they played. It was so pleasant sitting in the sun enjoying the cool breeze! And then eating food I didn't have to make! I love that!

It was a great Mother's Day! Did I already say that?

The only thing that might have made it better was if I had had this baby!! Apparently, Chris doesn't have that kind of pull with the Man Upstairs.

We are still here waiting. And waiting.

I know, I know, I shouldn't be anxious for this to happen anytime soon. I still have 11 days till my due date and it could go past that. But since I never have gone past my due date....I can't seem to help myself.

And I know that I will only be swapping one type of misery for another (I definitely consider not getting 7-8 hours of continuous sleep just about the most miserable thing on the planet!) But I am getting ready for a change.

Any day now would be good for me:)

And the Job We Took is...

In Milwaukee, WI! With Bucyrus-I think I mentioned them a post or so ago. But it's official. We (read Chris) signed the papers and took the drug test. We will be moving (probably-assuming our house sells) the beginning of September. I think I have more to say but every time I think about sitting in this chair long enough to get my deflicted thoughts in order I wimp out. But short and sweet is good, right? I will say, mostly we feel very blessed to have a job lined up and that we feel good about it.