Gran and GranDon have been very helpful these past couple of weeks as they stay with us.  Not only did they get the kids to VBS in the mornings (something Toby would have struggled to do), Gran is diligently working on making a new cover  for Max’s comforter.  He is ‘just not into pirates anymore’.  They went down to the fabric store and  picked out some baseball themed material.

Don has been helpful in doing some of the things that I have been putting off.   He up-righted our bougainvillea which had blown over more than a year ago.  He also cleaned and installed all of the screens for our windows.

Additionally, when they arrived, they brought a gift.  They thought it would be good for the baby in a few years, but the kids (especially Lucy) have really enjoyed riding the rocking dino.  Thanks!

Lucy on Dino from Matt Theule on Vimeo.

Max on Dino from Matt Theule on Vimeo.

The kids were ‘Swiffering’ (those disposable dusting pads to clean hard floors) our downstairs yesterday, each with their own Swiffer, which is one of their regular chores.  They started making up their own song while they worked, which sounded rather like an operetta.  Some of the words I caught were, "We are slaves, and we work for a chubby queen…"

I wanted to chronicle all the many interesting and challenging physical/medical things I have experienced during this pregnancy.  I have struggled so much with feeling like I am complaining all the time; and have asked God repeatedly to give me joy when I have felt my worst.  This baby that is coming soon will be a grand blessing, and I know all these crazy things will be forgotten, or at least greatly minimized.  But I just gotta write ’em down, since it has been such a different journey than with my other two.

Starting from the beginning of the pregnancy:

• Intense nausea (for 4 months)
• Insomnia (the entire time)
• Ptalysis (excessive bad-tasting spit production, for 4 mo’s)
• Sciatica (down my left leg, entire time)
• Low belly aches due to baby sitting very low; needing to wear belly belt almost constantly (starting at 4 mo’s)
• Intensely painful low cramping/spasms, initially thought to be pre-term labor, later thought to be possible kidney stones (peri-natal hospital visits at 25 and 34 weeks)
• Very strong Braxton-Hicks (much more than other pregnancies, starting at 7 months)
• Hips ‘opening’ – such that sometimes my legs don’t quite move where I want them to go (like a pirate with a peg leg, in this last month)
• Overall feeling that someone traded my body in for a 90 year old body!

She’s been taking classes for about 5 months, at the Curtis Dance School, which is only a block away.  Max has been my awesome go-to-guy; he walks her there and then goes to get her and walk her home.  This has been very helpful in recent months, when the idea of me walking even a block is hard.

Lucy did so well in her recital; she had seemed quite nervous about it, but she was one of the most energetic ones in her class during the show.  Lots of smiles, big kicks and movement – quite the beginning little ‘ham’ (wonder where she gets that from?).  She also totally loved wearing blush and lipgloss.

We called her the beautiful yellow banana girl!

With best friend Emma – super fun that they are in the same class.