The Clock is Ticking ...

I'm terrible at announcements, you should know that by now ... I've thought about it many times ... contemplated exactly how to announce the upcoming birth of our fifth child ... nothing seemed right. Instead, I posted pictures like this, although that wasn't very helpful.



So here are the details.

We're having a baby - Thursday! My due date is July 20th, but as with the last two, I'm being induced 10 days early. My OB originally wasn't going to let me go that early due to new hospital insurance concerns about the babies lungs not being fully developed, etc. but he's going out of town the 11-20th, I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule, and the boys were good sized healthy babies following this exact same "birth plan."

At my doctors appointment earlier today, he said, the baby's in position and I've dilated to a 2+, which is all good news. If the baby weren't thinking about delivery at all, they wanted me to come in Wednesday night and I really, really didn't want to do that!

This pregnancy has been the most physically demanding of all, except maybe the beginning of Rebecca's pregnancy, being pregnant at 32 is so different than being pregnant in your 20s. And it's a little daunting to think about having F.I.V.E. children, five in this slightly cramped house. As I told a friend last week in an email, it would be one thing if I were a Jenn B., or a Kathy G., or a Shelley; but Wonder Mom, I am not. But we're exciting and I think with one more day of preparation, and a few more prayers for peace and reassurance, we/I'll be ready to bring this new little spirit into our family.

I seem to have a knack for having a baby in conjunction with some big family trip. In the past that hasn't stopped me from attending ... I took Sam, 10 days old, to a family reunion at Bear Lake, Alex was about the same age when we went to DC to visit with GR's sister. But this time, it wasn't in the cards.

At the end of this month, on July 27th, my grandparents would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Grandmother quietly passed away Memorial Day weekend. And thanks to an extremely supportive husband and mother-in-law, I was able to fly out and attend the funeral with my siblings and many of my cousins.

For the last year or more my father and his siblings have planned a 70th wedding anniversary celebration/family reunion in Nauvoo July 5-11. I had hoped to join them for at least the first few days, but my legs simply won't allow it. If I sit for more than an hour in the car (or on a plane), they swell to the size of elephants and it takes me days to get them back to normal. Add that to the fact that there is NOTHING remotely close to civilization between here and there, and I reluctantly stayed behind.

Saturday, GR drove the kids, along with my parents and Grandfather (who came in town to watch GR's fireworks display - more on that later, I hope) to Nauvoo. The kids are staying with my parents enjoying all the festivities and time with cousins, and will come home about the time we come home from the hospital. It's worked out nicely. GR came back late Sunday night, and I've been able to catch up on some rest, do a bit of fun sewing and crafting, and of course lots of cleaning and hopefully a little big of organizing too. The children are settling in. The weekend was a bit rough on them, there were lots of tears when they left without me, and then more tears when Papa left. Sunday and Monday I got numerous phone calls from them, just wanting to talk and hear my voice. Today the phone has been surprisingly quiet. Hopefully that's a good thing!

So be sure to check the blog Friday morning for baby news!