For Gordon

Gordon is out of town right now. He is in Texas, and apparently his client is having serious doubts about the fact that we have children. Gordon has no pictures with him, on his computer, in his wallet or anywhere else. Not only that, but he doesn't know how to access this blog, facebook or anywhere else that I have posted pictures of the baby. It's not that he couldn't figure it out, he just isn't interested. And the fact that he has no pictures with him is really due to the fact that we are horrible picture takers, not that he doesn't adore his kids (because he does.) So these pictures are for Gordon and his client, and anyone else who is interested. And hopefully the link that I email Gordon will work, otherwise these pics are just for you!

(below) Pre-baby pictures. Gordon and the kids making pizza. What a good dad!

(above) Amanda, Madi, Abby and Chase on the 4th of July. This is one of only two pictures that we took of me pregnant. I felt huge, and this picture does not really do justice to just how big I felt!

(above) Chase, Madi and Abby watching with great wonder at Mommy getting her blood pressure checked in the hospital. Baby Mason didn't hold a candle to the noisy automatic contraption velcroed tightly around Mommy's arm.

(below) I think Abby was pretty nervous to hold the baby. She has such a serious expression.

(above) Madi on the other hand was all smiles and very excited to be a new big sister.

(below) Chase wanted to hold the baby mostly because the girls were doing it. He was really more interested in getting drinks from the "refreshment room" in the hospital.

(below) Cute baby Mason sleeping peacefully.

(below) Those hospital binkys are huge and a little strange. You can see here the scratches Mason gave himself. It's amazing how long their fingernails are when they are born! What a cutie! It's been so fun having him here. We all just love him so much!

A New Baby

It was Friday, (July 17th), and I was determined. I had an appointment in the morning, my membranes were stripped, and I was off and walking in 100+ degree weather up in the hills of Walnut Creek. It was so hot. I came home got on the treadmill and walked for an hour. I walked up and down the stairs. I walked all around the house. I bent over a lot and picked stuff up off the floor (an activity sure to give me contractions). And by 7pm I was having irregular contractions every 10 minutes. Not really labor, but I was impatient and tired of being pregnant. We decided to take the kids to their Aunts house for the night and on the drive over I decided to call my doctor just to see what he would say about my irregular 10 minute contractions. Can I just say, I love my doctor! The answering service lady told me that he said to come on in to Labor and Delivery. I knew by the way she said it he was already at the hospital, and that I would be having the baby that night.

We went in and I actually was contracting every 4 minutes, but I could only feel every other one. My dr broke my water and started Pitocin and at 7:58am baby Mason was born. He was a little stuck and after 1.5 hrs of pushing he came into the world with a little help from a vacuum(sounds worse that it actually is.)

He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 20.5 inches long. He has dark hair and looks nothing like Chase did as a newborn. He is so cute*** and we are all having so much fun with him.

*** Chase was also very cute as a newborn, just to clarify- they just look so different to me, but both very cute!

The Ever Shrinking World

First of all, no baby yet. I need to get some serious walking going on! Too bad is was 104 degrees today. We are going to try and walk around the Lafayette Resevoir tonight when it cools down a bit. Do you think if I have Gordon push our three kids in the triple jogger (which we are trying to get rid of by the way) that it will slow him down to my 9 month pregnant pace?

isn't it lovely? would you like to buy it, or do you know anyone who would?

So I just made a phone call to the hospital which struck me as really funny. My parents are in Africa serving a mission for our church. They have been there for about 20 months and have about 3.5 months to go, so they will miss being here for the birth of our baby. We have been able to communicate frequently with my parents using Skype and they love watching the antics of my crazy kids on the webcam. I was feeling bad that they were not going to be able to participate when our baby is born, then it struck me that we could just use skype on a laptop at the hospital (with the webcam appropriately directed at my head!) So today I downloaded Skype on my sister-in-law's laptop, located an old webcam we had, found the software and made sure everything was working. Then I realized we needed Internet access. I don't know why, but it struck me as so funny to call the hospital and ask if I could get wireless Internet access in my room when I come in to deliver my baby. And then, when I found out I could get Internet access, I just sat amazed for a moment that my parents in Africa could actually participate, in real time, in this amazing event in our life. Wow- how amazing. The world is getting so small. Don't you think?

The Update

Today I am exactly 39 weeks pregnant. I was scheduled to be induced on Wednesday, the 15th, but got a call on Friday that I was bumped for another pregnant woman with more medical needs?!?! I was near tears the rest of the day! They were able to reschedule my induction for the 20th- ugh! I am due on the 19th. So that is the scoop. I am ready, and my doctor comes back in to town tomorrow night, so from Tuesday on I will be walking, eating spicy foods and praying that this little boy comes soon.

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

This witch was last seen on 6/8/09 at approximately 6:30pm Pacific Time. This witch was going to "rescue the girls and fight them with my big sword." The jury is still out on the good witch vs. bad witch controversy.Oh WAIT- you're not a witch at all!!

This particular Cinderella was last seen 3/3/09 at approximately 3:00pm. Just like the witch above, Cinderella was also, "going to rescue the girls..." but I think a rescue rope was involved rather than a sword. I wonder how much the girls enjoy being rescued?

They probably enjoy this much more. The Witch/Cinderella did not enjoy this quite as much as the girls and stood in that exact position for most of the afternoon, wanting to try but just lacking a little bit of courage.Isn't it great that they make 3 lane slip and slides? Anything that comes in 3's is a good thing in our house. Taking turns HAPPILY (is that a word?) isn't always the easiest task in our home. Now we are just waiting for the weather to heat up again so we can slip and slide the summer away!!!!!!!!!!

Nanny needed now!!!

Ok - so I've come to the realization that several things about my summer, when added up are not likely to equal a very fun or happy summer for our little family.

Tired, anemic, pregnant mommy + Apraxic kid + ADHD kid + no meds + intensive speech and OT therapy for one kid+ art therapy for another kid + one kid with a thyroid disorder + daddy working late, but hopefully not traveling + Nana and Grandpa on a mission in Africa + a desire to maintain a schedule and a decently clean house + A NEW BABY = Nanny needed now!!!!

I am on a search for a nanny for the summer. We have a cleaning lady, so that part is ok. So, if you know anyone who might be interested let me know. I am thinking around 30 hours a week through the summer. I know it sounds like a lot, but that's what I am going to need after the baby comes to get everyone everywhere they need to be! So we'll do it for a few weeks before the baby comes too.

Now I am going to make yummy mac and cheese for my two kids who have been watching way too much Noggin and my one child who just practically impaled herself with a very long stick while pretending it was a trumpet and now has some nice gashes on the roof of her mouth and tonsils. Gross huh! Why would a long stick be in her mouth you wonder? Ahh- if you knew her you would not wonder. You would tell me to get a Nanny!

It's all tied up now.

The line can be drawn, the big room repainted, the teams are now equal. Yes, the future holds many boys vs. girls activities for us, 3 on one side, 3 on the other. The baby is a BOY!!!! I am so excited. I wanted a boy, and believe me there is no mistaking it, this baby is a boy. Even I could tell. He was not being shy, or modest for that matter. He was wiggling all around, and isn't it the cutest thing when you see the baby inside of you sucking on his little itty bitty hand! You can hardly feel he is there, but boy oh boy he is sucking, swallowing, practice breathing, and doing all kinds of acrobatic feats inside you! What a truly amazing thing. What a blessing- one I truly doubted I would ever get to experience - way back when. Now I just have to convince Gordon that the name I like is the one and only perfect name for our new baby boy. I'll let you know if my powers of persuasion are successful.