Blurred Vision

I don't really know what to say about this, but wanted to share.

Uncle J and STBA M brought gifties for the kids. For Wombles, they gave a racetrack for hotwheels--very cool two levels, car launcher, the works. This has been a hit with both of our boys...and their friends. Muy popular.

The set even came with decals to be affixed--mostly yellow striped ones, to go down the middle of the racing lanes so that it looked like a real highway. Also some traffic signals and road signs.

Here is how most of the highway stickers ended up being used:


There's a car under there, as you'll be able to tell once you can get your eyes to focus. Happy Tuesday!

Nutmeg Meets Uncle J

We were so happy to have Uncle J and Soon-to-be-Aunt M (As opposed to Auntie M? We'll have to figure this out--new code names forthcoming) come to visit soon after Nutmeg's arrival. I have a couple of things to say (and photos to share) from that visit--but for tonight's late night, here's a fave:



Hooray! Thanks for coming, hanging out, and putting up with the madness!!

Just Thought You Should Know

I'm not allowed to call my sister and tell her about the weather, or wearing shorts and flip-flops. Boo.

I'm probably not supposed to post about it on her facebook page, either. I got a not so subtle hint:

Atlanta Weather

The first minute and a half are pretty funny. I won't go on about how funny it sounds to someone who spent years living where there are things called "permacloud" and "lake effect snow" (where it snows even when the sun is shining), or where it snows in April 9 out of 10 years.

I still remember watching the news weather reports on that: "People always make a big deal out of getting snow in April, but it actually snows in April here 90% of the time."

The rule of gardening in my past? Don't plant before Mother's Day, or you could lose everything to frost.

So it's not as if I have no sympathy. Which is why I'm not calling or posting on facebook.

But I thought that everyone should know that J took the three big kids to the pool this afternoon.


The outdoor pool.

That's all.

You can't catch me in your slippy-slidey rain-come-snow boots,
H

Callin' You Out

I feel a little guilty about doing this.

Let me just say that up front.

But I said I would, and so I am.

My mom has a really fabulous Canon DSLR or something camera. She's always been into photography, and had the cool big-lens-manual focus thing back when film was film, and film was expensive.

It's a happier world now that she can take lots and lots of pictures on a digital camera.

And she's taken a class on how to use it.

This is the woman who was referred to as the paparazzi by my friends when I was growing up. Thank you, Mom, that our lives have been well-documented, whether at Podunk swim meets or summer vacations or cross-country meets. The photos are treasures!

Naturally, when she was coming out after Christmas, I begged her to bring the "big camera." The thing (and its bag, etc) takes up a lot of room. LEAVE MY BREAST PUMP IN ATLANTA AND BRING THE CAMERA!!

She loves me. She did. She left the telephoto lens at home, but that's not so necessary when shooting a newborn, so that was OK.

And I got some of the pictures. When I tried to download the rest off of her card, though, it wouldn't work. I think because it was HD or something that my camera didn't understand. So we made a pact that she would get me the pictures after she got home. And I said she had two weeks before I called her out on my blog.

She said no, just give me one week.

Today is the 8th day.

I feel guilty because she has been working 12-hour shifts for (I think) five of those eight days. Also, we got a package from her in the mail today--shoe socks for Nutmeg, and hairbows, and two supersweet little outfits.

And again, also, she had sewn a pillow and blanket for Bud's Delicate Blue Baby, and shipped those along, too.

So between Mom working and sewing and shopping and, I don't know, living, I TOTALLY get why I haven't seen the pictures.

But here's where I'm calling you out, anyway. Because I'm a jerk.


MOM: SHOW ME THE PICTURES.

You can choose which of these I'm saying:

(substitute "pictures" for "money.")

Show me the pictures-1

Show me the pictures-2

For later discussion: Why do I think in movie quotes so often?


I love you so much, Mom!!

Third Day of Christmas, 2B

So, you may want to skip this entry. That's fine.

Just before noon on the 27th, I went in for (another) non-stress test. And by Non-stress test, that's what I mean. I know it's supposedly referring to the baby, or whatever, but the fact is that you go in and they hook you up to a monitor. While you sit in a recliner. You get to listen to your baby's heartbeat for 15-20 minutes.

You are asked if you want the light off so you can rest. Or would you like a magazine? How about a cup of water?

OK, so a LITTLE bit of guilt about J coming home to watch the kids so I can "go to the doctor." Mwahahaha.

I was having NST's because the doctor thought I was overdue. Which I wasn't--verified by nurses and friends alike after Nutmeg's birth--this baby didn't look at ALL like a postdue baby.

In spite of the fact that she was over 9 1/2 pounds.

When I went in on the 27th, though, I didn't have 15 minutes in the chair. I had maybe 5--enough for a patient nearby to be shuttled off out of earshot--and was then told that my amniotic fluid was very low and we would need to induce. I had been all ready to fight induction based on the post-due thing--I was pretty darn sure my due date was the 28th--but up against low fluid and possible placenta non-function I didn't have much weaponry. I'm just glad now that they THOUGHT I was postdue, so I was being checked on!

I got permission to come home and pick up J, and then go to the hospital.

Totally bizarre. In the past I have either labored at home or had such quick onset of labor that I have been unable to talk/walk/be rational by the time I get to the hospital. So this is the only child for whom I was able to strike a pose on the way to the hospital.



My mom's a labor and delivery nurse, and I am NOT going to be one of those people who gets sent home because they aren't really in labor!

So just walking in, checking in, and having a rational conversation with the nurse was a totally new experience for me.

As was not having a typed-up birth plan. I think our plan for Pixie must have been at least 6 pages long. The birth plans have gotten progressively shorter. This time, the nurse asked if we had a birth plan, and the birth plan was: "Have an epidural." I felt so ashamed in the moment that I wanted to cry. However, I still really wanted one. I'm so glad J was there to keep convincing me that it was OK. This hospital does not have whirlpool tubs, my friends. And I have not taken the hypno-baby classes I need to be able to relax and let the body do its thing. Also, as my mom says, "No one is handing out medals." And I figure, that if they were handing out medals for that, I already have a couple and don't need any more.

Another boon of being induced? Yummy hospital food. I'm not kidding--CA is where it's at.


I only wish you could see how much avocado is piled on that turkey sandwich! So I chowed down. J and I read books. We watched 30 Rock on Netflix. We waited. And waited. I had been pretty disappointed that the doc chose the long, slow, 12-hour-inducer instead of Pitocin. Our kids were being taken care of by friends--I was much more concerned about our friends than about our children--and it looked like it was going to go into the next day.

I was having contractions when we got there, but not real labor.

For a 30 Rock break I started walking the halls. Fast. A good contraction every now and then!

Then, about 9:45, my water broke. Weren't we supposed to check in and see about pitocin around 4 am?!?! The anesthesiologist was called in from his home (no, they don't always have one on the floor). But he got there really fast. My nurse started using phrases (to other people) like, "History of fast labor".

And at 11:13 PM, Nutmeg joined us! Wonder of wonders! And, I got to hear J announce the surprise we'd all been waiting for...

"It's a ---------!"

A girl! A GIRL!! Funny, since we had spent SO. MUCH. TIME over the past few weeks settling on a boys' name. In an instant I was rejoicing in little Nutmeg, and that Pixie would have a sister, and also dealing with the fact that little [insert secret boy name] was not, and never had been. It would have been the same if it had gone the other way--for me, the flip side of the excitement of waiting to be surprised by the baby's sex is that you essentially have both until the moment of revelation, when you find that there's only one, after all. I had foreseen this, though, and wasn't rocked by it--just aware.

Nutmeg is two weeks old today. She's on my lap. And wanting a snack. So, I'll post one more picture and post this blog I started 3 days ago...more soon, I hope!

Third Day of Christmas, 2A

So, our Twelve Days celebration was a little interrupted. Pixie and Bud had been working on decorating Advent Calendars while I read a little morning devotion to them in the mornings. Their last entry is on December 27th, instead of running all the way through until Epiphany.

Oh, Well! Something to shoot for again next year!

Our last theologically tied-in celebration was on the 27th, too, for the Feast of St. John. So I leave you with the blog post I had planned for that day...and hope to get to the Third Day, 2B, soon. Nutmeg!

At breakfast on the 27th, the children unwrapped their candles and had them burning at their places. It was the last meal I had at home before heading off to have Nutmeg, so I'm glad we didn't wait until later in the day!


John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, [1] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, [2] and his own people [3] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

And here's the song we sing! Light of Life Click on Track #4 for a little taste. If you have children--even if you don't--I can't recommend this series enough. We really enjoy the music, and the kids love coming across a passage that they already have memorized... the lyrics are straight from the NIV. We have four of the five albums, and I find that they are a great way to start the day. Bonus? I didn't have to look around for John 8:12--I had memorized where it was by listening to the album so often. Grown-ups can learn, too!

One of my favorite parts about homeschool.

But I digress.

Happy Weekend,
H

The Third Day of Christmas

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

This post was supposed to be about the Feast of St. John, and I'll get there...really. But Our Lord had more in store for us on Dec. 27th than a sweet morning with candles and scripture readings from the book of John.

On the Third Day of Christmas, Cuatro came to us!

Not that she hasn't been with us since last spring. But she made herself more fully known in all of her girl-ness...and soft, dark-haired-ness...and sweet snuggly-ness. We are all rejoicing in our little Nutmeg!

I hope to have time to share some of the story over the next few days--it's a tale of grace, delight, nerves, and glee. We're so glad she's here!