Are you still there?

I have been composing so many posts in my head, but have no pictures to share, because I can't use either of our computers to transfer pictures out of the camera!  At least I'm taking them.  (Lillian destroyed our camera when Jack was a few weeks old by throwing it to the ground from the top of the fridge)  (There are a shortage of Jack baby pictures)

Anthony is wonderful, sweet, beautiful, hungry.

I want to remember how every time he tries to sneeze, and fails, he makes a little oh, or ooh sound of disappointment.

I want to remember how he always seemed a little to surprised to start recognizing us the first 2 weeks--oh, it's you!

I want to remember how soft his skin is, and how good he smells.

Oh what do you do in the summertime?

Well, for one thing, backyard broadway!

Madelyn at  slip n' slide day

What's his name?

Introducing...Anthony Adam Hare.  Born 8/9/12 at 10:55PM.  8 pounds, 10 ounces, 19 3/4 inches, and completely delightful.  His parents are besotted.  More to come.

When are you due?

Boy at the end, you hear that question a lot!

But...we have decided to go ahead and bring this chapter to a close.

When I saw my Doctor on Thursday, he asked if I'd like to be checked.  He wanted to know how much of a hurry I was in to have the baby.  I said I wasn't in a desperate rush, but I also wanted to get done, so I was in a medium hurry.

So he checked, and said he couldn't believe it, I was at a 1 and a half.  I couldn't believe it either, for a different reason.  He said my cervix seemed like I was having my 1st, it was in such good shape (that has got to be the weirdest compliment ever).  I couldn't believe I had progressed that far.  It was the furthest I've ever been when I've been checked in the office.  For both the girls (who were both induced) we were waiting to get the the fingertip of dilation we arrived at prior to induction.  (Yes Molly was at a finger tip when we started her induction at 7 days overdue).  I never even got to a finger tip with Jack, despite being in the office less than 24 hours before he was born (he came on his own 5 days overdue).  So yay for me and Anthony.

The doctor said he was willing to induce me, or I could just wait, and if I was still in this state next week, we'd induce.  He said just call him any time if I couldn't take it.  So I asked if there was a particular day it would be good for me not to be able to take it.  Anytime would be fine, but he did note that he was in the hospital all day Saturday.

Not wanting to make any firm plans without Wesley, I went home and called him.  He was all for being induced Saturday, but wanted to attend Roland's football game first.  He is assistant coaching it.  Since this isn't my first, I was not offended, but amused that he cared so much about Roland's flag team.  So we negotiated with the Doctor, and he said arriving in the evening at 7:30 would be fine.  He's off at 7:30am, so I feel a little under the gun, but he did return to deliver Lillian after he was off, so we can probably work it out.  He has delivered all four of my babies, so--we have a good thing going.

I have to admit, once the appointment was made, I did feel nervous.  Now I actually have to do that thing where you get the baby from the inside to the outside.  I've been induced, but in a "I'll meet you at the hospital in a couple hours" kind of timeline.  So this is scheduled, and I have to choose:  get those last items on the list 'before baby comes' done, or admit:  I don't care any more.

Things I will miss about being pregnant with Anthony Adam

The 'Christmas is coming' feeling

The knowledge that my baby will be the youngest baby around (that distinction doesn't last long, but I love it)

Being able to eat whatever I want and not exercise, and still not really gain weight (why aren't I like that normally?)

Things I will not miss about being pregnant

This is a really long list--there are just so many things.  I really am in the pregnancy business for the babies.

So there it is.  I'm excited, grateful for the help of our families and a little tiny bit anxious.  Next post--hopefully some more news!

So are you still pregnant?

Why yes, yes I am!  I am 36 weeks tomorrow.  I realized I haven't said much about this pregnancy.  It's not that I think pregnancy is boring, it's just that there isn't much to say about a normal, healthy pregnancy (broken foot notwithstanding).  The doctor is pleased.  I am starting to feel as if I am running out of room for the both of us in this body.  My due date is August 7th.  I have been induced once at 39 weeks (Lillian).  I have been induced once at 8 days overdue (Molly), and have gone into labor at 5 days (Jack) and 6 days (Roland) overdue respectively.  My OB is great, and would be happy to induce me earlier, however, I am a reluctant dialater, and both inductions were attempted when I was finally a fingertip dilated.  I agree with his general philosophy that an induction is a good idea only if it is unlikely to force an emergency C-section.  I am grateful we have C-sections, that's the way I came into the world, as did 3 of my younger siblings (my mom is a saint), but I'm not aiming for one!

So I try not to be too attached to my due date (that's pretty futile though).  One funny thing about me is I've never delivered in the month I was due.  Roland was due in November, born December 3rd, Molly in January, born in February, my little outlier Lillian was due in September but arrived August 30th (and then had jaundice so I spent several days in September in the hospital anyway!), and Jack was due in August, (day before Lillian's birthday), and was born September 3rd.  So I feel like, since I'm due at the beginning of the month, rather than at the end, I could have a late July baby, rather than a mid August one!

For photos, I have nearly a year worth of photos from my better camera, that finally got uploaded.  Last year sometime I made dresses for the girls!  I figure Molly will not always be willing to match Lillian, so I need to take advantage while she's still so accommodating!

My mom bought the fabric, and these cute buttons from Greenbaum's on Lillian's jumper.

Here's the boys too.  I didn't make their clothes but I did make them!

Is there a final Sleeping Beauty post?

This might be it!

After a couple of grueling weeks, our family is temporarily out of show business.  (Though Molly starts Backyard Broadway camp next week, so the interval is pretty brief for her.)

A little back story on the upcoming pictures:  After a few performances, we pulled Roland out of the show.  Though he was enjoying being in the show(finally), and liked the cast and the show itself, he just never really was anything other than a distraction on stage.  Everyone tried their best to help, including one saintly actor who carried him on his back for his first scene, but Roland was just too naturally oblivious (and not invested enough to overcome that tendency).  He'd spend the scenes he was in looking at the ceiling, messing with his shoes, or just end up in the wrong spot on stage somehow (despite being manhandled almost constantly while on stage to avoid this).  So we yanked him, and told him we were glad he tried, but we wanted him to concentrate on his football career.

I was a little sad going without him, but chaperoning Molly was super easy, since she always knew her entrances, and had her props ready.  It got so easy, that the last show, I watched from the audience, and it was such a good show, I felt really sad at the end:  Now I'm never going to see it again.  After the show, we went to a cast party (with Roland) in West Salem, where during the director's speech, he paid tribute to the fact that Molly was the best behaved, hardest working, and most in her correct spot member of the cast.  She was really proud.

The director's son took a lot of photos of the performances, and shared them on Facebook, so I'll share some here!

Thanks Theater Outreach, Molly and I had an amazing time, and Roland had fun and learned how much work this stuff is!

Here's a picture I stole off another Facebook page.

What else are we doing this Summer?

Now that the play is over (insert sigh of relief and sigh of regret), we have a few other fun things lined up (other than the new baby, who we can't really schedule).

I realized that I'd never posted pictures from last summer's Kaneko Day Camp, which we just love.  Tokyo International University has a campus here in Salem, as part of Willamette University's campus.  Students from Japanese colleges spend a year here in the US, taking classes at the Kaneko building, and with US students at Willamette.  They spend a whole year, and are here in the summer.  (Which is why that dorm is air conditioned, and has an outdoor pool.)   One thing the program does to get the students interacting is run a day camp.

The campers, who start at 2nd grade, and go up to middle schoolers learn origami (which Roland particularly likes.)

Calligraphy

A Japanese dance

Some language

And other stuff.  My kids have had such a great time, I felt that I should spread the word a bit.  Roland has loved it for two years, and Molly had a great time her first year.  We liked it so much, that despite it taking place during my due date this year, we signed up anyway!

Sorry about the picture quality!