Baby Boy Colton

It's On Like Donkey Kong!

First of all thank you to every person who uttered a prayer on our behalf, because they worked!

The ultrasound today found Baby Boy back down where he was supposed to be all along. And rather than take a chance on him changing his mind again, we're inducing tomorrow morning!

It seems like after all this worry and anticipation the reality has really snuck up on me, which shouldn't be the case. I realized today that Ava needed a costume for school tomorrow. Unfortunately, the tinkerbell fabric is still sitting on my desk. So off we went to Walmart tonight to buy her something she would love. I told her she could pick whatever she wanted.


The bride costume spoke to her...as long as she doesn't have to have a baby in her tummy, the bride is right up her alley.


Luke will be The Lion, lovingly sewn by Grandma Linda a few years ago.

I realized tonight, after a really long and not very good day with Luke, that tonight is the last night he'll be the baby. And it makes me a little melancholy.


He has no idea what's about to hit him, either.

And while Ava is excited, she is very stressed about everything; Dan and I being gone, a babysitter, carpooling to school, etc.

This year because of the whole flu fiasco, no children are even allowed on the Maternity floor. That means I won't see the kids at all and they won't be able to meet the baby until we get home. While I understand the reasons behind the precautions, I'm not really happy about them.

I am really anxious, excited, and nervous, to meet this little fellow. And I am crossing my fingers he stays head down tonight. He's already given the impression of a troublemaker and heaven knows I do not need one of those. But truth be told, I think I'll keep him regardless!

Thinking about puppies

A few years ago, when my nephew, Roan, was just a few years old and mastering the art of using the potty, we were visiting my mom's house at the same time.

I heard him running towards the bathroom saying over and over, "Puppies, puppies!"

When I questioned what that was all about, I was informed that thinking of puppies instead of how bad you had to go to the bathroom, was a great distraction and very helpful in preventing an accident.

And so today as I sat in the doctor's office, staring at the ceiling and willing myself not to cry, that little story popped into my head and I started saying to myself, over and over, "puppies, puppies!"

Today as the doctor checked me she found that she could no longer feel the baby's head. For the past four weeks he had taken up residence nice and low and was seemingly ready and in position for his grand exit/entrance.

An ultrasound confirmed that he has moved and is now laying transverse and face up. Not good from a labor perspective.

The doctor does not want this to progress past this week, as labor in this position is dangerous. She gave me the option of a C-section or trying an external version (where she manually tries to move the baby) with an induction or if it is not successful a C-section. For the record, I really do not want a C-section. I am such a scaredy cat anyway, that just scares me more.

We decided to try the version.

But after not finding it easy to schedule me at the hospital and promising to call me when they got something worked out, the call I eventually got from the nurse was not to inform me of when we would be attempting the procedure, but for me to come back to the office in two days for another ultrasound.

So I don't know what is going to happen. I will continue my life of mystery. But as a small favor, might I ask you, if you are reading this, to say a little prayer that Baby Troublemaker will find his way back to head down or the very least this delivery will be a safe one.

Living a Life of Mystery

Maybe mystery is not the right word. Maybe we are living a life full of unknowns. But that really isn't any different than normal. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I know stuff is about to happen but I don't know when or how and then we've had a few little surprises thrown in as well which has left us feeling...feeling...something.

Dan told me not to make this post a downer and my mom told me to stop complaining today, so I'm gonna do my best to just state the facts. And truthfully, I wasn't even complaining! And I don't feel as down as I may have in previous weeks. So, there!

The plan has always been for Mom to come down when we had the baby, just as in previous times. This is what makes inductions so darn convenient for us. Because we can time it out just right so that she's already in town when I go to the hospital.

But timing is not our side this go around. Mom has to have surgery this week to remove some skin cancer from her face and needs to stay in Dallas at lest until next Thursday. That pretty much means that the next two weeks are not the ideal time to have the baby let alone schedule an induction. And oh yeah, I'm 38 weeks, so according to the human living inside me, the next two weeks probably sounds pretty ideal.

On his way home from work this morning, to keep the kids during my doctor's appointment, Dan's car died.

After tossing my dirty, not dressed children in the van and rushing to pick Dan up, I made it to my appointment only a few minutes late, luckily. Where we discovered that I have progressed since last time-to 3 cm, and 80% effaced.

And after telling her about my Mom's surgery, asked me, "You have a Plan B, right?"

"Yes" unfortunately for my friend, Jill, who is Plan B.

Though also luckily, I finished that appointment in time to get picked up by Dan and the kids on their way to Luke's doctor's appointment. Because after a few hours at the urgent care on Sunday it was discovered that he has a staph infection in his foot!

Oh yes, just the facts.

Luke has a staph infection in his foot.

And in case you are keeping track, it was only two weeks ago his eyes were swollen shut from mosquito bites.

Anyways, today's doctor visit confirmed that things are looking better. Which is all we could ask for.

So, I'm trying to adopt the motto of "Go with the Flow" for the next two weeks.

I will have a baby sometime. My mom will get here when she can. I have a nice friend who will watch my kids. We might get to/have to buy a new car. Luke's foot probably won't fall off.

Where's the downer in all that?

A Little Better Now

It feels like the threshold between the world and my Niagara Falls of emotion is about as sturdy as wet tissue paper.

In other words, I am about 4 seconds and a wrong look away from crying at all times.

And I know that all the major pieces of my life are in order and I am sure from the outside perspective everything looks great. And they are. It's not as though anything major is wrong. It just seems more like a lot of minor things are weighing me down. And to me, they're actually not that minor.

To be sure, my kids have never been at this caliber of difficult before, either on their own or at the same time, and that's sayin' something. I feel like I am barely scraping through the day with them. It has been so miserable in fact, that it makes it very difficult to be excited for our new arrival because I cannot honestly see how things can play out in a positive manner. I'm a real optimist, right?

But then I feel guilty and resentful for not being excited.

I am sure they feel my stress and then honestly, they've kind of freaked each other out with their new individual brands of intensity.

I know I have a lot of lessons to learn from these past few months of difficulty. I've already begun to see some of them, though I think I am going to need a little more space to actually appreciate them.


Well I started this post last week before we went out of town. And I am happy to report that I am feeling better in so many ways.

Could it be that a little trip out of my own head did me some good? That for a while I had something else to focus on other than how absolutely scared I am for our imminent future?

That even despite our 3 hour standoff at the Crapper Corral last week, Ava's 2 week long constipation issues seem to be letting up?

Could it be that Luke's eyes went from this



to this


and finally back to this, all from the well placed bites of a mosquito?


Or was it the little rendezvous with my big sister for breakfast one morning?

Or could it be that I got to enjoy such a beautiful wedding ceremony, from which I not only felt the joy of people I love but also selfishly took from it some words of comfort that I truly needed.


Or was it watching my little daughter enjoy herself so thoroughly in her "wedding dress" while she ran around with her cousins?






My mom was kind enough to be "The Nanny". And it couldn't have worked out better for us. We didn't need to worry about the kids as we went about the wedding events. She is like a snake charmer. I don't know how she does it with Luke, but somehow she works her magic.



He just loves her.

I wish I had taken more pictures. But that's the story of my pregnant life.

I got myself all ready and actually thought, "Hey, I don't look half bad for being 9 months pregnant" and then I saw this picture of our little family and was yanked quickly back to reality.


At least 50% bad, if not closer to 75%, though I know it could be worse. Ava wasn't too impressed either!

The wedding was very beautiful and very fun.




My sister in law looked like a beauty straight from the 40's.



And her husband looked like one happy man!


So while I could credit my improved outlook with many things, I have come to the conclusion that, even if you are feeling bad, it's nearly impossible to witness the happiness of people you care about and not feel better yourself.

And I feel really grateful to have had that chance!