Baby Baby Baby

So I don't mean to run the world over with thoughts of pregnancy, childbirth, and of course, BABIES!  But I have four minutes to wait while my external hard drive moves my clip art onto this computer so I can finish making my Girl Scout Certificates for our final meeting this evening and I figure I might as well pop over here and share my thoughts for today, as that is generally what blogs are for, right?

Anyhow, I visited my doctor again today (wouldn't want her to miss me, you know :) and I am still in shock over what she said.  When I asked her last week  about potential times and dates to induce, there was some mis-communication going on.  I was speaking about this week (my 39th) and she thought I was referring to the current week (my 38th).  Apparently current OB doctoring law says no voluntary inductions before 39 weeks and I am all for that - don't get me wrong.  I was asking about being induced two days before 40 weeks (but she thought I was asking about 2 days before 39 weeks).  So anyhow, there was the confusion.  So today when we sat back a minute to "talk" and she says, anytime this week is fine if you really want this baby out, I about died of shock.  I have been SOOO READY to be done and now all of a sudden, I could be - AS EARLY AS THIS EVENING!!  Good thing I was sitting down!  The funny thing is that now that "the time" is finally here, I have this odd patient feeling and actually ended up leaving the hospital planning to return again in a week - unless, of course a miracle happens (hint hint, God) and my body decides to kick this baby out on its own.

So,why did I decide to wait another week and a half?  I'm not 100% sure, but it just feels like "the right thing to do" at this time.  Maybe I got a little scared thinking about labor (especially induced labor - with those mean pitocin contractions. . . /shudder) and maybe I have been looking at my schedule too much and I do have a lot planned this week - my last MOMS club coffee shop visit until August, my Parents As Teachers visit, a pedicure (who can give birth without one of those?!? :) with my daughter.  Yeah, I guess I can keep busy and let the baby cook another week.  Just, please Baby Girl, don't be 11lbs like your brother Jacob.  Anything under 10lbs would be golden - really.

Oh and for all those praying for me, thank you.  I imagine that is where the peace in all this is coming from.  (Well, that and getting very little sleep the past couple nights - exhaustion makes me a little calmer.  That's why I'm such a good mom.  I am greatly subdued in my usual sleep-deprived-stupor:)  Hopefully I can rest up, finish up these last few things, and then some time next week, ready or not, she will have to come and we will start our new adventure as a family of seven.

Pregnancy update #2 for Baby #5 and some rambling

I am a big fan of pictures.  I like to take pictures.  I like to look at pictures.  I like pictures!!  I think I have "bloggers' block" because I just cannot seem to imagine blogging without pictures!!  But for many reasons I am not able to have pictures at this time, such as:

1) I have no current prego pictures of me and do not feel like trying to take any at the moment.
2) Although I am aware of the location of the camera and the camera cord, I have no desire to get up and gather them and make it back to the computer.  (By that time I would loose interest in blogging. Trust me, this happens ALL THE TIME.)  So all those "cute" pictures I have taken recently of who or whatever are still not accessible at this time.
3) Even if I did manage to get all those amazing pictures off the camera, onto the computer, I would surely get distracted by organizing them, ordering prints for them, and/or I would find pictures from that last event I MEANT to blog about and get myself back in a I'm-so-far-behind-I-might-as-well-not-blog-anymore-funk.

So, to summarize, I have no pictures to go with this post.  Now, on to the actual post.

I am 39 weeks pregnant today.  After some discussion with my doctor at my last visit, I am trying to prepare myself for going AT LEAST a week over and then of course, to being induced again (ugh).  Don't get me wrong, I am optimistic (or was - as I was having quite a few contractions - off and on - for several hours at a time - and I was just SURE things were happening, but then I got checked to discover. . . .nothing is happening) and would really LIKE to have this baby soon and go into labor on my own, but for whatever reason my body just does not seem to get things figured out and my babies tend to be HUGE so I can't wait for my body to "get things figured out."

In any case, that is where we are at now.  I have whined to anyone and everyone who would listen.  I am pretty miserable.  Mostly it is the varicose veins that have been doing me in as all my support hose are all getting runs (not to mention they are hot!) and even with the hose, my body does not like being vertical (or even sitting) for very long.  I have been "couch camping" as much as possible lately.  For some reason being physically troubled makes me mentally off my game as well.

After a few "attempted resting" days I am feeling "a little" better and that is certainly helping my sanity lately.  But I certainly miss exercising and doing more than just "surviving" each day.

The one perk to all this sitting is that I've had more time to sit around and "goof off" (aka do things just for pleasure) but I am out of practice on taking time to myself.  Plus, often my house and children "taunt me" as I just want to get up and cook and clean and play with them, but I just CAN'T so not only do I feel bad, but I feel bad that I can't do what I want.  So not cool.  But the end is near and I am trying to stay focused, as maybe the baby really does just need a little more time to"mature."  Plus, in the grand span, what is two or three more weeks?  Oh and I still have that "to do" list that needs to be FINISHED, of course, before the babe comes.  Some of it has been done, but I keep adding to it.

Here is the current version:

1) Homeschool prep
*I've really made great strides in this department, but I need to finish up a few more things.

2) Picture organize
*Yes, I want to get all my pictures, from the three different "digital storage devices" I have them on and put them all together in an organized fashion.  Then I want to order the prints from the most recent ones - then label the prints and put them in albums - hah, I laugh even as I type this.)

3) Knit baby hat
*I know, it is May, the baby does not need a hat, but it is a small project and I am still a "beginner knitter" and I just want to FINISH AN ENTIRE PROJECT already - as I have several started (including 2 slippers that don't match - one for my pair and one for my daughter's pair) but other than a small scarf and a few "pretty cloths," nothing really completed.

So these three, keeping the house clean, the laundry done, and the meals coming . . . that is the plan for the next few weeks.  Sounds like the plan for the past few years and probably the next few years, doesn't it?  But because of the nature of this time I am more acutely aware of all that is going on right now - living each moment more fully somehow.

Well, it is time for dinner.  I will stop with the ramblings now.  And I think I will just post this without thinking about it too much (as saving it will cause me to delay and then it will be obsolete).

So there it is.  Hopefully my next post will be pictures of our new little lady.

Blessings all!

I'm a nerd

So I've hit the 37 week mark.  At this point, "baby" would be eagerly welcomed any time, any day.  However, my babies tend to not come early (or really at all - as the last three had to be induced), so I'm trying to remain calm.  I have noticed more of the braxton-hicks contractions/cramps/back pain with this one than with any of the others (or really all of them put together - hah - I did not have ANY IDEA what a contraction felt like until I started my actual labor with my first child, Rebekah).  Despite these and my complete and utter exhaustion from trying to remain an active stay-home-mom of my four other kiddos, I have begun preparing myself for the next few weeks.  As the title states, I am a nerd.  Here is a copy of my most recent "preparation."  I will put it on the fridge by our regular calendar.  Our schedule is fairly typical (this next week is oddly empty in the mornings while the boys are at school, but I'm sure I'll find plenty to fill it with).  In any case, it seems like such a short time when I look at it this way (rather than when I tell someone I have three weeks left).  I'm just trying to stay busy and not freak out, as thinking about labor too much. . . well, I try to offer up every time I think of it, but it does kinda freak me out - I am not really excited for it - other than the fact that the reward is a little baby.  I always thought it would get easier and maybe it has. . . by about one percent - hah.  But it is still a great challenge.  In any case, I'll quit rambling here.  I just thought I'd post SOMETHING as I have kinda dropped off the blog world for a while.  So here I am jumping back on for a bit.  That is all. . . for now.

Oh and this picture I found on the internet the other day.  Some truth there for sure.

Yet another reason why my husband is AWESOME :)

Gordie is going to be working from home.  Wanting to encourage him in being healthy, I urged him to purchase a stationary bicycle.  His ingenuity and AMAZINGNESS led to the following creation.  This is definitely one of the reasons I love him so much.  Such creativity and the ability to follow through and make an incredible creation.  I hope he enjoys many hours of work at this "desk" :)

Lent 2012

Lent is here!!  I had hoped to get this published before but I have just barely finished preparations for us to begin today.

 I will begin with perhaps my favorite lent activity.  I put this big cross up on the wall (made from brown construction paper). Each day, as we do good deeds, keeping our lenten resolutions and such, we get to put flowers up on it.  (See picture below for the flowers my daughter will hopefully be cutting soon - as she is old enough to be really helpful like that now and does not seem to mind so much.)  I believe I found the idea through a blog called Catholic Icing last year.  (Tangent: Catholic Icing has LOTS of good stuff, for Lent and for all the time.)  The direct link, however, is here.

As you can see in this second picture, I added a few "suggestions" for lenten sacrifices.  They are the Spiritual Works of Mercy and the Corporal Works of Mercy.  Now I don't anticipate us doing ALL of them, by any means and the words are BIG for my kids (Admonish the sinner, etc) but I'm hoping I can link some of their deeds to these such as to forgive offences willingly, or to comfort the afflicted.  At the least it spurs discussion and explanation, I hope.

I also have my hand there with my own personal lenten resolutions.  Last year we did hands for the whole family, but the younger ones just don't seem to "get it." And I don't want to push them.  Maybe as the season progresses they will show more interest.  Rebekah, however, has her hand there, as well.

The three charts with the sun in the background we got from church.  They came with a set of stickers.  There is a numerical sticker (a cross or a lamb or a cloud, etc) for each day of lent that the kids can each stick on their respective chart. Then there is an empty tomb and Jesus for Easter.

 We also have one Lenten Countdown page.  We did these last year, but having one for each child was a bit much as the younger ones really were not so into it.  I almost skipped it this year as we have the sticker charts, but I thought they might enjoy being able to see how much is left.

Above the Lenten Countdown we have our memory verse.  This is a concept I borrowed from my friend, Monica.  It is the responsorial psalm from Sunday.  Well, it is supposed to be, anyhow.  For Ash Wednesday and the rest of this week I chose the responsorial psalm from Ash Wednesday: Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.  (Psalm 51).

 Next up we have our crown of thorns that loosely corresponds with the flowers on our wall cross.  Each good deed done means the child gets to pull out one of the thorns.  Last year I baked my crown of thorns and I think that looked a little better, but I was running low on flour and time this year, so I tried making it out of play dough.  I'm not overly impressed with the result, but it works.  I should have put in less blue and probably took a little more care in rolling.  Also, as it dries, it is starting to crack, but it still works.  Our candles are rather humble, but I had to fit four (as you may recall from my earlier post, our prayer time REQUIRES four candles so each child can blow one out) and these were the four I could fit.  I would like to add a small cross to the center but as if yet I had not found/made one.

We light the wreath when we say our prayers. I posted earlier about our Family Prayer Time that is really working for us.  For Lent we do pretty-much the same set-up, but with a lenten reflection from Welcome Risen Jesus.  I'm trying to get us all up earlier so we can pray that reflection in the morning, before school, and have all day for the action part.  It worked today, but I imagine getting up early is a battle to be fought one day at a time.

Finally, I am eager to read The Story of the Cross again as we discovered it last year and enjoy it a lot.

That's all I have for now.  I hope your lent is fruitful and leads you closer to Christ!

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

-Renew in me a steadfast spirit.

Spiritual Reflection

In Conversation With God

I asked for these for Christmas and my birthday (December 27th) and received the first two volumes.  They are AMAZING!!  They have three short reflections for each day (corresponding to the liturgical calendar, for example, today is Saturday in the Third Week in Ordinary time).  The reflections are about two and a half pages (counting each side of the page as one - and keep in mind the book is a smaller size).  I really enjoy them.  They are deep enough to get me thinking, but not too heavy and not too long.  I recommend them for a nice short, but serious spiritual reflection each day.

Prayer Update

In my last post I shared our growing prayer habits.  Well, they have grown even more!  Ok, first off, a slight tangent. . .

"Anyone who does not breathe dies of suffocation; anyone who does not accept with docility the grace that God constantly gives us ends up dying of spiritual suffocation." - R Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Vol. 1  (Tangent inside a tangent: This comes from In Conversation with God which I plan to address in my next post.)

"For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." - Mark 4:25 (NRSV)

What this quote and this passage from Scripture enlighten for me is how God's grace is so much more than we can imagine.  As we open ourselves to it, it is like a faucet on full-blast!  And there is no turning it down.  It is on or off and when we manage to get ourselves to stay put in the flow - oh my, it is amazing!

I feel like this is what is happening with our family prayer time.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I did "pray about it" as I know it is really important and I just felt like I was not doing it justice.  It felt like an insurmountable task to try and conquer and our minor attempts seemed so pathetic.  To add to it, I have a degree in Religious Education.  I am TRAINED to teach this - you would think I could handle helping grow the spiritual life of MY OWN FAMILY!!  Sheesh, I certainly felt like a failure I must say, but God has been showing me that it is not me (surprise, surprise), it is Him.  And man, when I step back and follow His inspiration, He does a pretty darn good job I must say.

But enough with the tangent.  Back to the main point of this post.  I mentioned we were reading Prayers for Each and Every Day.  And we still enjoy that book, but it has become clear my children are hungry for more.  The other day we finished our short "reading" and they asked for a bible story.  So I broke out the Bible and it has become a tradition now.  I love that they enjoy Scripture!  Some days I pick up the regular Bible  and other days we enjoy a more structured approach such as 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories.  This is nice as it starts at the beginning and you can just read it from cover to cover, but it is simplified and sometimes my hungry young minds want two or three of the stories, but I'm not really complaining.

So there you have it.  I will keep you updated as we progress further.  On a side note, but related, I have started praying Night Prayer from The Liturgy of the Hours with my oldest child, Rebekah (almost 7-years-old).  The words are BIG and often above her, but she knows it is a sacred prayer for the Church and she enjoys praying it with me.  (On a side note: Night Prayer is only on a weekly rotation, instead of the four weeks of psalms for Morning and Evening Prayer, so it is a bit more familiar.)  I have no doubt it is helping her vocabulary grow and when the time is right she will have an even greater understanding of the spiritual aspects it contains, as well.  I'm also working through

The Mass book for Children and Little Acts of Grace with her as she will be turning seven soon (the age of reason!!!) and God-willing, receive her first Reconciliation and first Communion.

 

So there you have it.  Yay, God! :)