One week from today baby will "pop out" (via induction unless she comes earlier on her own). Hopefully "pop out" will be as quick and easy as the kids make it sound.
Baby is still in need of a name. Last night Clare said, out of the blue, "so, we are going to pick a name we all agree on, right?" "A name for what?" " For our baby!" "No clare, dad and I pick the name for our baby, you can name your own baby." "I don't like that idea." Hopefully she likes what we choose. And there isn't really any way that we could choose something everyone likes. It will be hard enough getting one that Dave and I agree on.
Here are the names the girls want and I would say they are very inflexible about considering other options.
Lex: Sally or Molly
Clare: Macy, Olivia or Marina
Calvin often suggest piglet (he says this just to make the girls cry). Really, he likes a lot of names as long as they aren't too boyish.
Pregnancy is going okay here at the end thanks to the beautiful june gloom. It has been such a nice summer so far with only one or two days over 85. :) I am just about to the point where are I am uncomfortable enough to be ready for the baby to come out. For now, I just smile when I drink a glass of water knowing that I might as well just head straight to the bathroom as it will be on it's way out very soon. I no longer have room for dinner so I just live on smoothies and dessert. Dave has been living on PB&J and the kids on crepes. Life is good!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
service baby shower
I come from a ward where we don't have tons of babies, so giving a baby shower for every baby that comes along is par for the course. When people started talking to me about a baby shower I said I didn't need one. One friend suggested we go to lunch instead and that seemed like a good idea -- I certainly didn't need a big baby shower! I told her to be sure to let everyone know that I didn't need gifts but instead to help me out after by bringing meals or helping w/ my kids. Another friend who wanted to help plan and hatched the new and improved plan of having everyone come to my house and giving the gift service. So, we ended up with a service shower at my house yesterday. I was hesitant to invite the entire ward over to help me clean and paint (b/c all baby showers in our ward are full ward baby showers) but somehow I was outvoted and this came to be the plan.
Anyway, it was AMAZING. It was so nice to have all of these angels come and help me get some of the grime off my floors, windows and kitchen. Others worked in the yard, clearing away 20 big black trash bags of weeds and hedge trimmings. A few ladies helped paint Calvin's room, a job which I have been meaning to do for MONTHS. one of the ladies who came with paintbrush in hand was a wonderful woman who I have known since I was 3 years old. She is now low to mid 80's. I think I felt a little of what the apostles must have felt when jesus cleaned their feet. Many of the people who were working were women who I would not have ever expected to come but they were so willing and so capable. One thing that was neat to see was how each person just came and went to work. Nobody needed to be told what to do. The person in charge of the shower had asked me to have a list of jobs to do so that she could direct people. Nobody needed direction though. Everyone just came and did what they felt like doing. For some it was windows, for others it was was yard work, for others it was painting. Two ladies who did windows (a mother daughter team) brought their own vinegar and washed windows with vinegar and water. I have never seen my windows so clean. That stuff is amazing.
A couple of men came with their wives to work and mostly worked outside. One of them said it was the most yard work he has ever done in his entire life!
We had about 20 people come over and most worked 2-3 hours. Some stayed an hour or so. That is a LOT of labor! It is really a priceless gift.
It was interesting seeing people at church today. A couple of women said they were so sorry they couldn't come and had really wanted to ("I love cleaning")! A couple of the husbands told me that their wives came home to tell them it was the best baby shower they had ever been to. Some people really know how to work hard and love to do so. I was so impressed and am so grateful and humbled to have been served in such a way.
Anyway, it was AMAZING. It was so nice to have all of these angels come and help me get some of the grime off my floors, windows and kitchen. Others worked in the yard, clearing away 20 big black trash bags of weeds and hedge trimmings. A few ladies helped paint Calvin's room, a job which I have been meaning to do for MONTHS. one of the ladies who came with paintbrush in hand was a wonderful woman who I have known since I was 3 years old. She is now low to mid 80's. I think I felt a little of what the apostles must have felt when jesus cleaned their feet. Many of the people who were working were women who I would not have ever expected to come but they were so willing and so capable. One thing that was neat to see was how each person just came and went to work. Nobody needed to be told what to do. The person in charge of the shower had asked me to have a list of jobs to do so that she could direct people. Nobody needed direction though. Everyone just came and did what they felt like doing. For some it was windows, for others it was was yard work, for others it was painting. Two ladies who did windows (a mother daughter team) brought their own vinegar and washed windows with vinegar and water. I have never seen my windows so clean. That stuff is amazing.
A couple of men came with their wives to work and mostly worked outside. One of them said it was the most yard work he has ever done in his entire life!
We had about 20 people come over and most worked 2-3 hours. Some stayed an hour or so. That is a LOT of labor! It is really a priceless gift.
It was interesting seeing people at church today. A couple of women said they were so sorry they couldn't come and had really wanted to ("I love cleaning")! A couple of the husbands told me that their wives came home to tell them it was the best baby shower they had ever been to. Some people really know how to work hard and love to do so. I was so impressed and am so grateful and humbled to have been served in such a way.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
don't sweat the small stuff
This month 3 people in our extended circle of life have died. We didn't know any of them very well but all have touched our hearts and made us realize life is fragile and such a blessing and also to feel grief for the families that are suffering.
Sometimes posts like this can be depressing so feel free to skip, but I am not meaning to be super depressing rather to be grateful for what I have.
1. Ken Scherer. 51 year old dad of twins Calvin's age (+ a 4 year old) died of a GBM. The most aggressive and awful brain tumor there is. The family is a great family. Every summer they invite everyone in their kids' classes over for swim parties 1 day a week, host cookie decorating events during holiday times and generally have an open door policy for friends and family. Very neat. He was diagnosed only 2 months before he died. About 1 month prior to his death they emailed to friends and family to let them know of the diagnosis and invite them to come any time day or night to spend time and say good byes, which I think is quite amazing in and of itself.
2. Nick Venuto. About a week later. 40 year old dad of two kids (their second grader was in my chorus at school) was bicycling home from work at 6:20 pm when he was hit by a car and killed instantly. The weird thing about this accident is that he was riding on a "protected" bike trail up a small hill and with a fence providing a barrier from the freeway. The driver was not drunk nor did she have a stroke or other medical issue. She was 27 years old and claims to have over corrected and gone off the road (50 yards up a hill on grass) but there is an investigation going on as to what happened there since it was such a large deviation from the road. The passenger says the driver was not texting. She actually hit two bikers and the second is in critical condition still. Heartbreaking; so sad.
These two hit close to home becuse 1. dave is a biker himself and I always worry he will get hit when he is out biking. 2. both families had 2nd graders. My Mom died when Dan (my bro) was in 2nd grade.
3. Nkiru Amene. 27 year old killed in a car accident yesterday in Nigera while attending a wedding. She is the little sister of one of the residents in Dave's program. (The resident who is the same year as dave.) Click on the previous sentence for a link to an old post about Dave and Chiazo. So tragic and hard to lose a sister who is so young. She was about to start an MBA program at Harvard in the fall.
It makes me think about how I should be a little more grateful about all that I have and to appreciate each day a little more. Sometimes for me a good vs. bad day teeters on events that are so trivial in comparison to those things that these families are going through. I considered writing a post this morning about my bad luck of the day...being shut out of my email account (still SUPER ANNOYING) and having broken my brand new camera (still SUPER LAME since it is only 1 month old and in 2 weeks I need it to take pictures of my baby), but I realized that these are such small matters in the real scheme of things.
Remember the books about don't sweat the small stuff...there was one called, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and it's all Small Stuff" and so most of what we fret and fight and worry over really is small.
Sometimes posts like this can be depressing so feel free to skip, but I am not meaning to be super depressing rather to be grateful for what I have.
1. Ken Scherer. 51 year old dad of twins Calvin's age (+ a 4 year old) died of a GBM. The most aggressive and awful brain tumor there is. The family is a great family. Every summer they invite everyone in their kids' classes over for swim parties 1 day a week, host cookie decorating events during holiday times and generally have an open door policy for friends and family. Very neat. He was diagnosed only 2 months before he died. About 1 month prior to his death they emailed to friends and family to let them know of the diagnosis and invite them to come any time day or night to spend time and say good byes, which I think is quite amazing in and of itself.
2. Nick Venuto. About a week later. 40 year old dad of two kids (their second grader was in my chorus at school) was bicycling home from work at 6:20 pm when he was hit by a car and killed instantly. The weird thing about this accident is that he was riding on a "protected" bike trail up a small hill and with a fence providing a barrier from the freeway. The driver was not drunk nor did she have a stroke or other medical issue. She was 27 years old and claims to have over corrected and gone off the road (50 yards up a hill on grass) but there is an investigation going on as to what happened there since it was such a large deviation from the road. The passenger says the driver was not texting. She actually hit two bikers and the second is in critical condition still. Heartbreaking; so sad.
These two hit close to home becuse 1. dave is a biker himself and I always worry he will get hit when he is out biking. 2. both families had 2nd graders. My Mom died when Dan (my bro) was in 2nd grade.
3. Nkiru Amene. 27 year old killed in a car accident yesterday in Nigera while attending a wedding. She is the little sister of one of the residents in Dave's program. (The resident who is the same year as dave.) Click on the previous sentence for a link to an old post about Dave and Chiazo. So tragic and hard to lose a sister who is so young. She was about to start an MBA program at Harvard in the fall.
It makes me think about how I should be a little more grateful about all that I have and to appreciate each day a little more. Sometimes for me a good vs. bad day teeters on events that are so trivial in comparison to those things that these families are going through. I considered writing a post this morning about my bad luck of the day...being shut out of my email account (still SUPER ANNOYING) and having broken my brand new camera (still SUPER LAME since it is only 1 month old and in 2 weeks I need it to take pictures of my baby), but I realized that these are such small matters in the real scheme of things.
Remember the books about don't sweat the small stuff...there was one called, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and it's all Small Stuff" and so most of what we fret and fight and worry over really is small.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
lest I forget
I thought I should write a little about pregnancy for myself to remember what it is like. I feel like the pregnancy is harder than my others and I'm not sure if it actually is harder, or just seems harder since I can't remember what I felt like for the others. For sure this end is harder than the end of Calvin's pregnancy when I went one week over and was grateful to have the extra days to study/write my thesis.
To start off, here are a couple of quotes to bring a smile your way:
Clare: "Oh, my butt hurts soooo bad. I just had a big poo and it felt like I was having a baby!"
My OB: "Well, everything looks good. Your blood pressure, your urine, your weight. Well, that's a little high, but ok." What, have I met the female version of dave?
I feel like I am wearing super tight clothes, you know what I mean? I feel like I've squeezed into a pair of jeans that are tight and just can't wait for the end of the day to come so I can slip into something more comfortable? However, even when I slip into something more comfortable I still feel like I am wearing something too tight!!
Baby moves all the time. This is fun. Sometimes I am so tired though I feel the burden of having 4 kids already and think "how can I have 4 kids???"
Random pains when baby punches or kids inside me or when I get cramps.
Varicose veins! YUCK. They are SOOOOO UGLY. I only have them on one leg (from knee to ankle) and I never had them before. I am lucky and grateful that I didn't get these until this pregnancy. They are so icky and also so painful. I wear a compression tight on one leg only. So far it has been cool enough that I wear pants and can get away with this but when I clean at home I wear shorts and sport just one tight. It is crazy. Does anyone know how quickly these will go away after I deliver? I am so anxious to be myself again!
One of the fun things about this pregnancy is having bigger kids who can enjoy the fun parts with me. The kids love to feel my tummy/feel the baby move, ask lots of questions, suggest baby names, get excited and countdown days with me.
Three weeks from today I am getting induced. I am counting down the days! Excited to meet baby girl (no name still -- however, I am determined to have her named before her siblings meet her).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHROHJlU_Ng This is what my kids have been watching while I type.
To start off, here are a couple of quotes to bring a smile your way:
Clare: "Oh, my butt hurts soooo bad. I just had a big poo and it felt like I was having a baby!"
My OB: "Well, everything looks good. Your blood pressure, your urine, your weight. Well, that's a little high, but ok." What, have I met the female version of dave?
I feel like I am wearing super tight clothes, you know what I mean? I feel like I've squeezed into a pair of jeans that are tight and just can't wait for the end of the day to come so I can slip into something more comfortable? However, even when I slip into something more comfortable I still feel like I am wearing something too tight!!
Baby moves all the time. This is fun. Sometimes I am so tired though I feel the burden of having 4 kids already and think "how can I have 4 kids???"
Random pains when baby punches or kids inside me or when I get cramps.
Varicose veins! YUCK. They are SOOOOO UGLY. I only have them on one leg (from knee to ankle) and I never had them before. I am lucky and grateful that I didn't get these until this pregnancy. They are so icky and also so painful. I wear a compression tight on one leg only. So far it has been cool enough that I wear pants and can get away with this but when I clean at home I wear shorts and sport just one tight. It is crazy. Does anyone know how quickly these will go away after I deliver? I am so anxious to be myself again!
One of the fun things about this pregnancy is having bigger kids who can enjoy the fun parts with me. The kids love to feel my tummy/feel the baby move, ask lots of questions, suggest baby names, get excited and countdown days with me.
Three weeks from today I am getting induced. I am counting down the days! Excited to meet baby girl (no name still -- however, I am determined to have her named before her siblings meet her).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHROHJlU_Ng This is what my kids have been watching while I type.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
neurosurgery graduation
Last night we attended the graduation dinner for the graduating resident, Dr. Lissa Baird. (In the front middle wearing a teal shirt.) She is going on to a pediatric fellowship in Boston and then who knows where she'll take her job. If it is in your city, you are lucky to have her. She is an excellent surgeon and a great person as well.
above: all the current residents
below: dave and I (this picture kind of makes me look pregnant, don't you think!?! Baby is coming in 4 weeks).
Calvin took this picture of us at home!
Three more years 'til it is Dave's turn to graduate!
above: all the current residents
below: dave and I (this picture kind of makes me look pregnant, don't you think!?! Baby is coming in 4 weeks).
Calvin took this picture of us at home!
Three more years 'til it is Dave's turn to graduate!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
We have started to have some fun swim days with friends lately. (our pool is too cold to swim in still so we swim with friends at their pools 'til ours warms up. People with solar heating have warm pools already!)
On Memorial Day we had a fun swim party with lots of friends. We had about 25 kids in all and it was crazy and fun!
Pete and Parker and Jessica are in town for the summer. It is fun to have them around! Lexey loves uncle pete!
One of the residents in dave's program lives on this boat (the little one). ALL THE TIME. It really cracks me up.
Clare's friend Jane is moving next week. We will miss her and her family! Clare and Jane went on a "friend date" last week to Color Me Mine. It was a highly anticipated event and very fun for the girls.
My dad brought back these dresses for the girls from Spain a while ago.
We had a neighborhood street fair and the girls got their faces painted.
On Memorial Day we had a fun swim party with lots of friends. We had about 25 kids in all and it was crazy and fun!
Pete and Parker and Jessica are in town for the summer. It is fun to have them around! Lexey loves uncle pete!
One of the residents in dave's program lives on this boat (the little one). ALL THE TIME. It really cracks me up.
Clare's friend Jane is moving next week. We will miss her and her family! Clare and Jane went on a "friend date" last week to Color Me Mine. It was a highly anticipated event and very fun for the girls.
My dad brought back these dresses for the girls from Spain a while ago.
We had a neighborhood street fair and the girls got their faces painted.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
adding insult to injury
Sunday Dave says, "now you're so big I am thinking maybe you're having twins and one will be a boy."
Dave is really hanging on to the hope that he will somehow get a baby boy out of this. It is a good thing he came to the ultrasound and saw with his own eyes that it's a girl or he really wouldn't believe it!
I will post some belly pics soon so you can see my giant tummy too!
Dave is really hanging on to the hope that he will somehow get a baby boy out of this. It is a good thing he came to the ultrasound and saw with his own eyes that it's a girl or he really wouldn't believe it!
I will post some belly pics soon so you can see my giant tummy too!
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