Recent Happenings

Ruth Elaine was born at 6:22 p.m. this evening. She is 8 lbs 4 oz., 19.75" long. Mom and baby are doing very well. More details to follow...

Posted by Tom on 9/19/2008 | 10 comments

Yesterday was my due date, and it started out as a normal day. However, later in the day, Tom began to experience lots of dizziness and then bad nausea as a result. He got so bad, he would actually bump into the wall when trying to walk through the hallway! We realized he has vertigo, and decided to take him to the doctor. Thankfully, my sister Rachel is staying with us right now, and she babysat while I drove Tom to the doctor. We learned that he probably has the vertigo because of a middle ear infection. He was so miserable from the dizziness and nausea, and I felt terrible for him! Thankfully, the doctor put him on some medication which is helping tremendously, and we are very grateful! The timing of all this was so humorous to us. We got a chuckle over ourselves as we were walking through the parking lot. I'm waddling from the weight of the baby, and he can hardly walk in a straight line! We made quite a pair as we waddled/staggered slowly to the doctor's office, carrying a trashcan with us in case Tom had to lose more of his lunch (and he did--poor guy!)! Neither of us felt like we had our full mental capacity intact either, because he was feeling so terrible, and I have that fuzzy "pregnancy brain" rather severely right now. When I was getting Tom ready to go to the doctor's, we laughed so hard when we realized that I was putting his shoes on the wrong feet! Honestly, are we a safe pair to have around?! :) We were both SO tired by the end of the day, and we were so grateful to the Lord that He didn't have the baby come last night. Tom feels so much better today (though he still doesn't feel well enough to go to work), and I feel much more rested as well. I have my doubts about that curtain-washing and window-washing I was planning for this week, though! Even though the timing of this is kind of crazy, we are so happy it happened now instead of right when the baby comes, or shortly thereafter! We are also grateful that my wonderful, WONDERFUL sister Rachel is here to help us out!! We honestly don't know what we'd do without her! All those hours at the doctor's office yesterday would have been most interesting if we had taken all the children with us! The Lord is very good to us, and His timing is always perfect.

Our children continue to keep us thoroughly entertained! Yesterday at the lunch table, I asked Julie if she was all done. Normally she nods her head at just about any question, but this time she vigorously shook her head no. I thought she wanted to be done, so I didn't put much stock in her answer until she asked, "More?" We were so surprised! We asked her, "You want more?" and she vigorously shook her head yes! She happily ate another helping of chopped up pears after that! I guess she understands more than we think she does!

Posted by Katie on 9/16/2008 | 3 comments

With the baby's due date just days away, we have settled into the waiting mode. For some reason, this last stretch of pregnancy usually feels quite long to me! There is a temptation to just sit around, wishing that things would hurry up. To distract myself, I have been working on tons of projects--cleaning, organizing, working on Christmas projects, writing thank you notes, and doing yard work. I guess you could say that I am purposely putting myself in a "nesting frenzy". My sister Rebecca is here this week, and she has been helping me get lots of things done--she is such a blessing!

Our front yard has been looking terrible after the summer heat killed some of the plants (let's not mention the extreme neglect on our part to water them!). Yesterday evening, Tom and I went to the store and got some new plants for part of our front planter. I was so excited about them, and so determined to have them in the ground BEFORE the baby comes, that I decided to set to work this morning. I wanted to edge the grass around the front planter first, and since Tom was at work, I set to work on it myself. I have to say, that is the first time I can remember using an electric edger before! I grew up with many brothers, and they usually handled the power tools. I must have looked ridiculous out there with my huge safety glasses and 9-month pregnant belly, trying to figure out how to turn it on (which was about as easy as it gets). I was very proud of myself when the job was done (though I have to admit, there were some spots I did by hand, with some gardening scissors--sometimes the old-fashioned way works better, I think!). Rebecca dug up the long flower garden next to the front door, which was no easy task, since we wanted it to be dug deep. Later in the day, I planted the chrysanthemums while Rebecca made a delicious lasagna dinner. I was quite worn out by the time the planting was done, but it sure looks better out there!

If the baby doesn’t come next week, I think I will wash the kitchen and living room curtains. Who knows--maybe I will even get to some window washing! I guess my “nesting instincts” are in full swing! :)

Posted by Katie on 9/12/2008 | 4 comments

Just for fun, we enjoy walking to the store sometimes to get our weekly supply of groceries. It is good exercise, and the children love it! Recently we have been taking both our triple stroller and our single stroller, so that we can transport all the groceries home easier. Just this last Tuesday, we decided to go again. Tom loaded up the triple stroller with Michael and Bethany in it, and I transported Baby #4, as well as the single stroller with Julie in it. At the store, we fill our strollers with the food that we want to buy, so that we don't have to lug around a shopping cart, too! We are kind of hard to miss, with two strollers going down the aisles, and a lot of the employees at the store know us by now. I think it adds interest to their day when we come into the store! One time, when we went in, a female employee said, "I was just telling someone about your family earlier today"! I guess we must be quite strange, if they tell other people about us! I pretend not to notice the stares, comments, and gasps, as we traipse by with our load of children. I feel very grateful for the fact that I grew up in a big family of eleven, because my family certainly would get a lot of stares whenever we went places together, so I'm kind of used to it by now! Michael loves to hold some of the food we are going to buy, and today was no exception! He wanted to hold the cereal boxes, and could barely see over the top. Our little caravan eventually reaches the checkout counter with our strollers stuffed with bread, olive oil, strawberries, milk, chicken, etc! We quickly unload the food, and manage to get the cereal boxes from Michael with very little fuss. We are still getting the stares--in fact, even more so now that we are standing still! Bethany adds to to the scene by cheerfully singing "Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so!" for all those around us to hear. She only has one of her two hair ribbons in by this point, and she has taken off her shoes as well. We finally steer our loaded strollers out of the store, and rearrange the groceries a bit so that everything fits. We must make quite a sight as we make our way back home--two strollers stuffed with children, and groceries sticking out of every remaining square inch. Michael and Bethany add to the sight by cheerfully waving at the cars and people that pass. Michael is still sitting in the front of the triple stroller, clutching the cereal boxes tightly. We reach our residential area, and parade down the sidewalk. A man and his wife are standing in their front yard across the street. When they see us, the man just stands there, frozen in place, and stares. He then loudly exclaims to his wife, "Look at all those kids!" And then a minute later, "Look, honey! It looks like triplets!" They didn't seem to know that we could hear them. He continues to stare at us as we move farther and farther down the street, trying to keep our chuckles to ourselves! I ask Tom, "Do you mind having such a strange family?" He grins and says, "No, I love it!" It is a good thing he doesn't mind the stares and gasps, because I'm sure we are going to be getting all the more once the new baby comes!

Speaking of the new baby, it is hard to believe that the due date is only a few weeks away! I'm definitely feeling large and heavy these days! Michael has finally seemed to grasp the fact that there is a baby inside of me. He enjoys feeling the baby kick. The other day, I saw him pretending that there was a baby in his tummy. He held Bethy's doll's hand to his tummy, and explained that the "baby in his tummy" was "kicking". :) Um...I don't think so, Michael! :)

We have been busy lately moving Julie's stuff to the children's room, and washing the newborn clothes and putting them in the baby dresser. We bought a used armoire off of Craigslist that holds Bethany and Julie's clothes.

With me being so hugely pregnant, we have been realizing more than ever that we really need to get a bigger bed. Tom and I have had a full-sized bed ever since we've been married, but have been hoping for awhile now to get a queen sized bed. Two weeks ago, we bought a beautiful used canopy bed frame (again off of Craigslist), and then last week we bought a new box spring and mattress for it. It looks so cute in our room, and it feels so much bigger and more comfortable to us! Who knew that a couple of extra inches could make such an amazing difference?!

August was a "big spending" month, I guess, because we also finally got a dryer. I had enjoyed hanging up our clothes outside, but I knew I wouldn't have that type of time once the new baby is here (not that I have a ton of time now!). It is amazing how much you appreciate things more once you don't have them for awhile! We so enjoy having a dryer again, after more than a month without one!

I'd better sign off for now, because it is time for our traditional Saturday lunch of hot dogs (nitrate-free, for those who are concerned ;) ). Have a great Labor Day weekend! :)

Posted by Katie on 8/30/2008 | 4 comments