A Baby Update- 40 days!!

Before I wrote this post I was all over my house trying desperately to find it.

I just...can't...live...another...moment...without...it! I...must...have...SUGAR, preferably in the form of chocolate!

This dire
craving
need is a sure indicator that I'm at the end of my pregnancy. But the problem is that I've done this four times and know myself well enough to try to keep the sugar out of the house. But when the craving need comes on, it comes on strong. As I dove frantically through my cupboards, thoughts whirled in my head:

I hate myself!

Couldn't I be kind enough to just leave a little chocolate somewhere?!

Why did I give away those Lindt chocolate as prizes at the baby shower I hosted for a friend last Saturday?! Was I stupid, handing a whole bag of extra dark chocolate to another woman?!

Then I found it.

Ha-ha, Alyssa, you're not smart enough!! Chocolate chips and in a COSTCO SIZED BAG!!

So now I write this post with traces of chocolate on my lips and feeling
guilty
so much better. And yes, I am nearly towards the end- only 40 more days. I say this in days since I've gone into labor on my due date with every one of my children. So we have May 29th set aside on our calendar as "baby birthing" day. At this point, baby girl is healthy and strong. Since she keeps measuring a week small, I'm really hoping that she won't be matching her big sister's birth weight of 8 lb. 10 oz. I am uncomfortable, but doing well; and after a week's break, am back to losing dinner most nights. I'm trying to remember what life looks like when you don't have to stick your head in a toilet at least once a day, and I'm ready to be there!!

In the meantime, I've been collecting the things I need for my first home birth. While I've had midwives with each birth, this is the first time I'm planning to stay home. My midwives bring almost all the supplies but ask me to provide a list of necessities which I've carefully collected.

My favorite part of the collecting was my husband's reaction when I brought this item home:

He nearly had a heart attack.

"WHAT is THAT for!?!"

"Honey, they're the pads to lay everywhere to absorb any birthing liquids. You remember."

He looked again at the package once more and finally started breathing again.

"Oh, my gosh. I read it wrong. I thought it said 'underpants'! I'm just not ready to deal with you wearing that size for another 50 years!!"

Isaiah-isms

Some recent great moments/quotes from my eldest...

Steven and I thought we were alone in the hallway; so my affectionate hubby started making out with me. Suddenly we heard Isaiah's voice behind us calling out to his siblings, "HEY, GUYS, COME WATCH THE SHOW!"

Steven was trying to keep the boys occupied during a ride to the airport, and he pulled the money out of his wallet, asking them which president's face was on each piece. Isaiah was doing well until he got to a $20 bill. He confidently answered, "It's Michael Jackson!"

I overheard Isaiah having a conversation with a imaginary friend. For some reason, both and the "friend" had English accents. At this point Steven called out for him that it was bath time.

In his overly thick British accent I heard him say to his invisible companion, "Excuse me, I haff to get bawth."

His "friend" replied, "I cahn't understand why."

To which he answered, "If you smelled my ahm-pits you would."

Easter Day

The final photos from our Easter weekend are from Easter Sunday....

With some help from dad, we were able to go from this:

To this:

The big boys:

With their Great Grandparents:

Egg Hunt

We started off our action-packed Easter weekend with an lively packing day on Thursday. First, we were getting excited with all the labor news that each phone call brought. And while I rushed around the house packing for all five of us and contemplating the fact that it was the last time I would pack for "just" five people, Elijah spiced things up a bit by accidentally slamming his bike into a parked car. I heard a scream and ran out to find a stitches work gash in his chin. Thoughts of Quick Care Center waits and unpacked items raced through my head, and I instead did what almost mother of boys has learned to do: reach for the trusty box of butterfly bandages. After a mix of motherly coaxing and boyish drama, Elijah was finally taped up and quite proud of his war wound.

Early next morning we were out of the house and on our way to Michigan. And on Saturday we went to the annual Sieb Easter Egg Hunt in Great Aunt Nancy's woods. We always have a big lunch with all the extended family afterwards; but the new tradition was doing this at the bowling alley that Great Uncle Dick owns. Because what feels more Easter-ish than bowling!? As you can imagine, the kids had a blast with everything!

At the Sieb Egg Hunt, finding a golden egg is your ticket to receiving a chocolate bunny!

Tucker

We were so excited that our new nephew, Tucker Scott, (born to Steven's brother and his wife) decided to make his entrance into the world the night before we arrived in Michigan. When you live 500 miles away, seeing your nephew at one day old is a serious privilege!!

With big sis:

With Steven's mom:

All five cousins: