I decided to take a break for summer, after all.  Considered schooling year round, but I think I need a break as much or more than they do.  So, the plan is to read everyday, both me to them and them to me, and do math review 2x a week.  I won't intruduce any new concepts, just reinforce mastery of the things they learned this year.  L could really use practice on her muliplication tables since she'll be moving on to division next fall.  J needs to work on simple addition and subtraction facts.  He knows how to figure them out, but he's slower than he should/could be.  I plan to play math games with him to get those math facts memorized.  R is going to work on reading this summer.  She's a whiz at math but reading is coming slower for her.  I take blame for that.  She is more than capable of learning to read better if I spend the time with her.  I haven't given her the 1-1 time that she needs.  She's napping less and less so, I plan to use that time to work with her.  If/when I get her up to reading level, she'll be in 2nd grade next year, skipping 1st grade.  I'm gonna wait at least another year with MisB.  She just turned 3 and she does know her letters and all the sounds they make but, I want to wait to start schooling with her.  We still hold to the idea of later being better.  I won't discourage any interest that she shows, but I'm not going to encourage 'school time' with her yet either.  It will be a bigger help form me to have her play with C in the fall.  They can keep eachother occupied while the olders have table time.

I plan to have them spend the summer OUTSIDE!!  Beach trips, park days, pool in the yard, etc.  Lets enjoy this weather that we pay so much to live in! ;)

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When we were new parents, we took the Pedi's word as bond.  If he said we needed it, we did it.  We vaxed for everything they reccomended.  L was healthy and never had a reaction to anything.  So, we followed suit with J and R.  Gave all the vaxes, no reactions, no questions, no regrets.

Then came MissB and her heart defect.  We (I) did research on everything with her heart related issues.  At 4 mos, she had a reaction to Penicilin.  I did some research on the vaxes and still felt confident that they were still safe for her, for the most part.  But, this time there would be no Varicella, no Heb A, no Pneumococcal, no Meningococcal and no Flu shots.  The ones that she did get were still given individually (DTAP, MMR, HIB, IPV, and Hep B).  We were not even offered a combo shot.  She did fine with all of them and had no reactions.

I knew that we'd be selective again with MrC.  I knew we would make similar choices to those we made with MissB. 
I refused the HepB at birth.  He would get it later, not so soon.  I felt uneast about giving a vax to such a tiny newborn.  My Pedi was supportive and agreed to wait.  That was the only one offered/reccomended at birth.  (I should note that we also declined the VitK shot and antibiotic eye ointment.)
At 2 months he got his first round of vaxes.  This was the first time I'd been offered combo shots.  The idea seemed okay, since I wasn't expecting any reations.  None of my other kids had ever had a reaction.  Why not save the baby the pain of multiple sticks when he could get it all in 1 or 2?  He got 2 shots = HepB, HIB, DTaP and IPV  No reactions.  Some tenderness in his leg, but that's it. 

Well, we had his 4 month checkup and shots in the last few weeks.  It did not go as planned.  I did not listen to my mommy-intuition.  At the checkup visit, he was sick.  He'd been down with a cold and still had a fever.  Pedi and I opted not to vax until he was well.  We did all the other well-baby checkup stuff. 
Weight: 15lbs 3oz
Height: 25.5 inches
We came back 2 weeks later for shots.  We only saw the nurse this time and she was not much help in telling me what he was getting.  She kept getting the names of the vaxes mixed up and giggling like it was funny.  He got 3 shots.  I had a pit in my stomach as I watched her inject my baby, but I dismissed it as over-emotion.  She handed me his record card.  He had recieved the same 2 combos as the first round, plus a new one, the Pneumococcal. 
He didn't cry much.  I nursed him and he fell asleep.  The rest of the day seemed normal.  His legs were obviously tender, but nothing seemed abnormal about his temperment or symptoms.  He started to get fussy in the evening.  He just wanted to nurse and be held.  He started running a fever sometime during the night.  When he woke me for his 3am feeding, he was burning up.  I took his temp and it was 103.7*  I gave him Tylenol and nursed him back to sleep.  When he woke at 7am, his temp was still up.  I gave him more Tylenol and decided that if it didn't drop in the next hour, I'd call the Pedi.  I know a fever can be a normal reaction, but this was high and unbreakable.  That alarmed me.  After an hour, I called the Pedi.  The nurse seemed concerned but when she spoke to the Pedi, he was not.  He said to give Tylenol every 4 hours and call back if the fever went above 105*. 
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?  He's only 4 months old!!!  105*?!? 
Pedi said the fever might last 2-3 days. 
WHAT!?!? 
I wore MrC all day so I could keep a close eye on him.  His fever did go down to 101* for most of the day.  He was lethargic and fussy, but happy to be held all day.  Sometime in the night, his fever broke because when he woke, it was down.  He seemed back to his normal self, happy and content.
Later that day his fever returned but it was only 99* this time and was easily broken with Tylenol.

I think that we will request his vaxes one at a time from now on.  It will mean more sticks more often, but the alternative is too scary.  I wish I knew which one it was that he reacted to.  Pedi seems to think it's the Polio (IPV) but all my research says it would more likely be the HIB or DTaP. (sigh)  I'm pretty sure we WILL continue to vax... selectively.  Not vaxing at all is not an option/conviction at this point.  I have friends who are on both sides of the fence on this issue and I respect them all.  It is such a controvercial issue and both sides have good arguments.
I think I'll be on my knees for a while about this one.

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I have been abundantly blessed.  Specifically with this newest baby boy.  He is a dream!  He sleeps, eats, poops and smiles.  That's pretty much it.  He's so happy and content.  If he is crying, there is something wrong, and it'susually pretty easy to fix.  I think God is being merciful with me because he know how full my hands are with MissB right now. ;)

He's on a pretty standard self-imposed routine:
7a     wake up, nurse, stay up 3 hrs
10a   nurse, sleep 1hr
11a   wake up, nurse, stay up 2 hrs
2p     nurse, sleep 2 hrs
4p     wake up, nurse, stay up 2 hrs
6p     nurse, sleep 1 hr
7p     wake up, nurse, stay up 3 hrs
10p   nurse, sleep 2 hrs
12p   nurse, sleep 3-4 hrs
3-4a  nurse, sleep 3-4 hrs

We've got a wellbaby check up next week, but at far as my scale at home says, he's about 14 pounds, maybe a bit more. 
Here's a recent pic of my 3.5 month old sweet boy and me:

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Daddy's family moved to GA about 15 years ago and I'd never been to visit.  (For Shame!)  So when we heard that Grandpa was terminally ill and it wouldn't be long, we decided to go for a visit rather than a funeral.  I'm so glad we did.  I was so blessed.
 My middle sister, Auntie R, played travel agent for us.  She took care of all the arrangements and her mom, my stepmother, graciously gifted us the plane tickets.  Who knew she could be so sweet?  We wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. 
My littest sister, Auntie T, went too.  This was the first time some my kids had ever met her.  My children adored their aunties and made me promise that we'd see them more often.  A promise I'm all too happy to keep. 
The aunties were wonderful help through the whole trip, but especially during the traveling.  They each took on a buddy and helped us keep track of everyone.  L became quite attached to her auntie R and Becca to auntie T.  It was really cute. 
Miss B did as well as can be expected of a 2 (almost 3) year old on the plane.  She had a hard time sitting for 4.5 hours but really wasn't naughty.  The traveling was much less stressful than I'd thought it would be. PTL!
My aunt picked us up at the airport in Atlanta.  She had already parked her minivan for my family of 7 the day before.   She drove her truck to pickup the rest of the crew and luggage.  We adopted the van for the rest of the week.  SO nice to save on rental fees! 
It was about an hour drive north-east to their home in Suwanee.  GA was beautiful!  So many trees.  There is forrest land in the middle of town and rolling hills of green everywhere else. 
We were blessed with awesome weather.  There had been a storm the week before, so the pollen was low and it was cool but not humid.  Gorgeous springtime weather. 
My aunt's home is large enough to accomidate us all, so we didn't need a hotel either. SCORE!  The aunties shared a room and my family was in another.  Dh, baby and I in a queen and the kids on the floor (air mattress). 
Our only complaint was the heat at night.  The air temperature didn't change from day to night.  So the wonderful breezy 70s in the daytime turned into HOT, still 70s at night.  We are used to sleeping in the cold dry air, so it was tough.
The first day we spent just hanging out around the house.  We took a walk around the neighborhood and drooled over the HUGE homes.  It's amazing, the difference in housing costs between here and there. Whew!  L kept saying, "We gotta move to Georgia, Mom!"  I couldn't make her understand that daddy's salary would adjust accordingly in GA and we'd not be able to live in that particular area. ;)
On the second day we got to go see my cousin's son play baseball.  He's 14 and playing in the pony league so I thought J would be into it.  But alas, he was much more into the playground. LOL 
On the 3rd day we found a park called Suwanee Town.  AMAZING!!  This was the coolest park we've been to in a long time.  Huge play structure, lots of space for all ages, nestled in the trees with lots of shade, and a fence all the way around so the kids could run free.  VERY COOL!  Later that day we went to church for dinner.  They do a big churchwide dinner every Weds pm before services at the Methodist church that my aunt attends.  It was neat to meet some friends and see where they worship.  It's a beautiful facility and a huge congregation.
The next day we went into Atlanta and went to the Aquarium.  It was really nice.  J was so excited, especially to see the whale sharks.  He still swears he's gonna be a marine biologist.  It's been more than 3 years so... we'll see.  My cousin's little girl went with us.  She's 4 y/o and a total crackup.  She's very animated and used to being the only child around, so it was an adjustment for her to be with my kids. lol
On Friday we went into Atlanta again and went to Centennial Olympic Park.  Such a pretty park.  We got to see a brick that my aunt had purchased in mermory of my dad.  Neat.  We went to the children's museum that is across the street from the park.  SO FUN!!  There was so much to do in there.  The kids (and the aunties) had a blast.  Magnet fishing, moonsand, painting, tapdancing, dress up, pretend grocery shopping, mega tinkertoys, ...  it was a great place! 
Saturday was AMAZING!  We went to another baseball game in the am and then they threw a birthday party for my little MissB.  (Her actual birthday was the following day (Sunday).)  On the way home from the ballfields my aunt stopped at Costco and bought a party.  A feast complete with sushi, steaks, scampi, cake and gifts.  The generosity was overwhelming.  We teased that we'd come back to GA for all our birthdays from now on.
The best part of the trip, for me, was the time spent listening to Grandpa tell stories.  I came to know him in a way I never had before.  I wish I had that opportunity with my dad. 
Here's some pix from our trip: 

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I've been avoiding my blog because there is just so much going on that I don't know where to start and everytime I sit down to type, someone needs something.  I just don't know how yall do it so often.  My blog being up to date is usually a sign that I've been neglecting something else and spending too much time at the computer.  I just don't have the time to sit here lately.  But, I love being able to look back at past posts and reflect.  So, I'm gonna have to find the balance.  Maybe a once a week sum up on Saturday morning while the kids are vegging or Wednesday nights while everyone is at AWANA....
Well have to see what works out. 

For now, here's a list of the things I've neglected to blog about:
1. J began farm league baseball with an AWESOME coach.
2. L&R began ballet rehearsals for the June production of Sleeping Beauty.
3. All 3 older kids participated in AWANA Games and Bible Quizing
4. L turned 9 years old and had a sleepover and then a shopping spree.
5. Dh played a charity basketball game against the Harlem Widards. HILARIOUS!
6. Baby boy started sleeping for 6 straight hours at night. WOOHOO!!
7. Miss B potty trained... finally!
8. We started a second PE class with some other HS families on Fridays.
9. L&J started an art class on Mondays.
10. We joined the Presidential Fitness program on Thursdays.

So, as you can see, BUSY BUSY BUSY!!!

I'll try to catch up in the coming days, BUT, I have a HS conference  all day tomorrow, a baby shower that I'm hosting on Tues and a trip to GA over Spring Break to plan and pack for as well as all our 'normal' weekly activities.  No promises. 

Whew.  It's no wonder I'm exhausted.

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Baby boy had his first well baby checkup today. 
He will be 8 weeks tomorrow. 
WOW, how the time flies!!

He is 12 pounds even and 23 inches tall. 
So, he falls into the 50% for weight and height. 

He is eating well, besides the times when he's so hungry that he gets all flustered and sucks too hard and gets a bunch of air bubbles.  Silly boy.  He does have a sensitive tummy and I've had to limit gassy foods and chocolate.  He still wakes to eat every 2-3 hours at night, but he goes right back to sleep.  He is sleeping in bed with us, in the crook of my armpit.  He's ready for bed around 9-10pm and ready to be awake around 6-7am.  Right on schedule for me. =)  During the day, he sleeps in the Bjorn or in someone's arms.  He's very social and doesn't like to be left alone for even a minute. He adores his siblings and smiles and coos for all of them... except Miss B.  He's a little scared of her because she is so loud and moves so quickly.  Typical toddler. lol
We are all so in love with our newest family member. 
Here's a pic of our little guy on our recent field trip:

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Our small church HS group went on a field trip this week.  It's an annual event, but it was our first time.  In an effort to get more people to tride the train and get youth involved, Amtrack gives a great group rate to large parties.  All 7 of us rode for $36 round trip.  Woohoo.  Our group leader scheduled the trip on a "Passport Day".  SB county designates several days of the year for students to visit museums and attractions for free.  Each student can bring one person with them for free too.  Since we have 3 students, the other 3 of us were free. (Baby not included)  We had our pick of over 20 SB tourist attractions for free.

We started the day at the train station at 7am.  On the 15 minute drive to the station, I realized that I'd forgotten the Bjorn.  It was too late to go back and get it, we'd miss the train.  I had brought the stroller, but intended it to be for the toddler, not the baby.  He spends 90% of his day strapped to me or in my arms so I was VERY nervous about how he'd do sitting/laying in the stroller all day.  I was also stressed about how I'd keep my extremely independent and strong willed toddler from running away from me all day.  She's not a very good listener right now.  Add to that, she's fearless and sees no harm in wandering off alone.  So, if the baby was in the stroller, that meant she'd be free.  AHH!  Holding back tears, I informed dh that we'd likely be purchasing a new baby carrier in Santa Barbara. (sigh)  The other alarming issue was the weather.  It had rained the night before and more showers were in the forecast.   Would we be stuck in SB all day in the rain with a newborn and no vehicle?  Nope.  God was merciful and held the rain for us.  It was a beautiful day, if you like cloudy and cool (I do).  Not a drop of rain. PTL!

We got a whole train car to ourgroup, which was nice for the extremely excited & rowdy children.  We could let them play and move around without disturbing other passengers.  The parents chatted while the kids crawled all over the car like little monkeys.  I was conflicted with how to handle the situation.  On the one hand, this was our first train ride and I didn't want to set expectations that it's okay to behave this way.  On the other hand, we were on a special trip and they were not disturbing anyone... but me.  I let them wander the aisle and move around but I drew the line at running and crawling over seats.  Excited as they were, it was not a playground afterall.

When we arrived in SB, the families all parted ways to go off on our own adventures.  We set out for the wharf and The Ty Warner Sea Center.  It was just a short 2 block walk from the station. It was not quite open yet so we stopped for coffee on the way.  Once inside the kids had a blast exploring the interactive exhibits.  There was a Wet Deck with an open hole to the water below.  There was a guide to show the kids all about being a marine biologist.  They scooped up sand from the sea floor and examined it under the microscope.  They learned about the tides and how the shoreline changes during different seasons.  They learned about our coastal islands and the animals that call them home.  It was FANTASTIC!  The little man slept in my arms the whole time.  After a few hours exploring the underwater world, we decided to move on to the zoo.

We took the trolley since it was too far to walk and it's only $.25 to ride and it drops you right at the zoo entrance.  We've been to this zoo several times in the past, but it had been a while.  There have been many changes since our last visit.  The elephants had a new home and they brought in a snow leopard.  The lions were awake and playful.  We watched as Papa Lion tried to get Mama Lion to play and she was NOT in the mood. (HaHa,  Just like humans, he nudged and swatted and she growled and walked away. HaHa)  We were sad to learn that the crooked-neck giraffe had died a few years ago.  She was always a neat sight to see.  I had packed a lunch so, we sat near the elephants and munched while we watched them bathe themselves in dirt.  Then the kids had a blast 'surfing' down the new hill at the playground.  They took plastic trays from the lunch area and turned them into sleds & surfboards.  Too Funny!!  MissB had fun rolling down the hill and then teaching several other tots how.  The baby boy was a prince, in and out of sleep and mostly in the stroller.  Dh pushed MissB in the zoo stroller while I pushed the baby in our stroller.  It worked out wonderfully!  He didn't fuss much at all. PTL!

We had to be back at the train station by 5pm, so we took the 3:30 trolley back.  We had an hour to kill so we went for an early dinner at Subway.  Several other families had the same idea, so the place was packed.  Invasion of the Grace Baptist Homeschoolers. HeeHee
The train was due at 5:30p and showed just 5 mins late.  SWEET! 
The ride home was fun for the kids and tiring for the parents.  The kids were all amped up on sweets and overtired.  It seemed to take longer to get home than it did to get to SB.  No one lingered in the station.  Everyone was tired and ready to be done!  We got home at 8pm and had the kids in bed by 8:15.  DH and I were soon to follow.

It was a fun trip and I look forward to next year.  Here's some pix of our day:

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Typing one handed again here.  So, instead of trying tp type out the whole ordeal, I'm going to cut and paste copies of the emails the were sent out. ;)

From Jan 9, 2009:

... Upon exam before discharge from the hospital, the Pediatrician found
a deep dimple at the base of his back.  The depth of the dimple was
cause for concern.  The Dr did an ultrasound and found that the skin
is making contact with the interior fluid pocket that cushions the
base of the spine.  An MRI was ordered to explore the extent of the
connection and check for any brain, spine or nerve involvement or
abnormalities.  In addition, a Renal Utralsound was done to rule out
any abnormalities there as well.
I am happy to report that the renal u/s came back completely normal
and the MRI showed nothing more than the original diagnosis.  His
brain, spine and nerves look totally normal.  So, the remaining cause
for concern is the open dimple, which can be an easy source of
infection, and the connection of the fluid pocket to the skin.  These
issues require surgery to repair.  Because it involves the spine and
nerves, the surgery will be done up at Stanford Children's Hospital
in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit in the upcoming weeks or by 3
months.  We will have a consultation appointment next week at
Stanford to get an official diagnosis and make the plans for surgery.

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It's a BOY!!!!

After 13+ hours of labor, our newest blessing arrived on Wednesday, January 7, at 4:14pm.  He was 8lbs 5 oz and is 21 inches tall. 
I had a tough time sleeping on Tues night.  At 3am I was awakened by a cx so strong that I thought my water might break right there in the bed.  I got up, feeling like it might be time.  I waited about 45 mins and the cx were coming every 5 mins, but only every other cx was a 'good' one.  At 4am I called dh, who was at work.  He told me to time them for another 30 mins and call him back if things didn't slow down.  See, he remembers the 2 false alarms from baby #4 and wanted to be sure it was really time.  Well, they did not slow down, they picked up.  I called him at 4:30am to tell him that cx were 4 mins apart and each one was STRONG!  He headed home.  I got into the shower hoping to get some relief and test to see if things would slow down or if it was the real thing.  The shower did not slow things down but it definitely helped the pain.  When dh got home, I was still in the shower.  He sat with me for a few minutes, watching me like I was gonna explode or something and then he left to make arrangements for childcare and call the grandparents.  At 5am, I finally emerged from the shower as the water turned cold and told dh that we needed to go very soon.  This was it, for sure!!  He called a friend over to stay with the dc until the IL arrived to pick them up.  MrsH arrived within minutes.  Dh woke L to tell her we were leaving.  She was too excited to go back to sleep so she stayed up and saw us off.
We left for the hospital at 6am.  It was a LONG car ride and dh tried to keep the mood light by singing along with the radio.  I was NOT amused.  We arrived just befor 7am and apparently the L&D floor had been closed the day/night before due to staffing shortages.  What a blessing that we hadn't been there the day before as I would have had to go to the other hospital where VBACs are not permitted.  It was the very begining of the shift so the nurses were busy getting situated.  We were shown to a room and left for about 30 mins.  The cx were still coming every 5 mins but I was still able to work through them with the swaying and humming routine.  Finally a nurse came in and got us all set up.  She hooked up the monitors but let me stay on my feet, as I was NOT comfortable in bed.  She said that DrL was on his way and she'd let him check me when he got there.  He showed up a few minutes later and did a pelvic check.  He said I was 4cm but baby was still pretty high.  He wanted me up on my feet and walking.  Fine with me!
I paced, I swayed, I moaned and hummed.  I was having back labor and had dh pusing on my spine through the cx.  He's a pro at that since our first delivery was posterior. 
By 9am, my legs were getting tired and the cx were getting almost unbearable.  I was ready for my epidural but I didn't want to slow things down.  I was torn by the decision.  The nurse said that the anesthesiologist was on his way to L&D and if I was ready, he would be right in.  I decided to let her check me and I was 6cm.  I knew I'd never make it all the way without meds and I was exhausted from no sleep and laboring on my feet so, I opted for the epi and a nap.  I got my epi at 10am.  Ahhhh sweet relief.
Dh and I both napped for several hours.  I woke around 1pm, when the nurse came to check me again.  8cm! WooHoo  The Epi had not slowed things down and had given me the rest I needed.  PTL!  With a slight increace in the Epi dosage, I was quite comfortable, just feeling pressure but not too much pain. 
At 4pm, the nurse checked again and I was complete.  Since the epi was still working (mostly), we waited for DrL to come from his office across the street.  He arrived and confirmed that we were a go.  Baby was still a little high and I had a slight cervical lip, but we were gonna go anyways. 
After 2 good cx and 4 pushes, our boy arrived.  I think I pushed harder for this one than any of the others.  The epi was wearing off and we had started a little high, so I really pushed with all I had and IT BURNED!!!  When he emerged, he had the cord around his neck, which I sorta feared after seeing the U/S weeks before, but Dr was able to remove it right away.  As they lifted baby onto my tummy, he was quite purple and not crying.  I looked up at dh who was almost in tears with joy as he kept repeating, "It's a boy, a boy."  I didn't care what it was.  I just wanted it to cry and breathe!!  I rubbed him, the nurse rubbed him, finally after what seemed like forever but was likely just moments, he screamed.  AHH the sweet sound I'd been waiting for.
No tearing, but Dr did a little tugging to get the placenta out.  I think he may have tugged a little too hard because I am having a really tough time healing.  It's much more painful and taking much longer than any of the others.  I know, I'm older and this was my 5th delivery, but still.  I consider myself a quick healer and this time has NOT been quick.  Here I sit 10 days later feeling like I just delivered 2 days ago.  Even after my c-section I was off the pain meds and up and around 4-5 days later.  Not this time.  I'm still out of commision and popping pills every 4-6 hours for pain. 
Praise God that dh is off work for a few weeks.  He's been wonderful.  He lets me sleep when I can and helps with schooling the kids.  He even went tothe market today!  He hates the market, so that is HUGE!
We have been blessed by our friends and church family with meals for dinner.  The first few days, MIL ws here and she cooked for us.  Then a friend from church organized a week's worth of meals from ladies at our new church.  MrsY has this coming week set up for us with meals from old friends.  We are blessed and OH SO thankful!!

We've got a bit of drama with baby boy's health.  But, that's a whole nother post for another time.  Took me long enough to get this one done. lol

Here's a pic of my handsome boy at 5 days old:

FTR- It took me 5 sessions to get this one post typed.  
Newborns keep ya busy! ;)

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I had a quick checkup yesterday and Dr said that I am not dilated AT ALL. 
I've been having cx all week and cervical twinges and still NOTHING?!?

Dr wants to check placenta health before we decide what to do next so...
I go today for a NST and an U/S. 
If all looks good, we wait another week and then test again before we try induction at 42 weeks. 
If anything looks iffy, we schedule a c-section. 
Dr said he won't induce if the placenta is not fully healthy.  He said that a pooped-out placental is often what leads to fetal distress during labor and then I'd end up with a c-section anyways.

I have peace about the possibility of a c-section. 
It's not my first choice (obviously) but at this point, I just want a healthy baby on the OUTSIDE of my body.   At least the waiting and wondering would be over with a set date. (sigh)

Well see what today's apt holds...

Okay, back from the dr:
The U/S showed lots of clear healthy fluid and an active baby with head engaged. WooHoo
The NST showed a consistant heartrate of 140, even through a couple good cx.  WooHooAgain
Baby looks great and placenta is still functioning as it should.  So, we wait.

I'm feeling the 9th, for some reason.  When I look at my calendar, it looks like baby's birthday.  I know it's silly and I'm probably wrong, but I think we may have a baby on the 9th.  Well see.

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I thought it would be neat to watch the belly grow, so I did a belly progression slideshow. 
Doubtful I'll be getting any bigger at this point so here it is. 
My journey growing baby #5 ...

(If you move your cursor over the pix, it will tell you what week.)

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I'm due in 4 days... and no signs of L&D yet.  Sure, I get those annoying BH cx that get your attention but don't cause any progress.  Yeah, lots of those.  But nothing that would signal that we're begining.
At my last OB apt (Mon) Dr confirmed that baby is head down and engaged.  Still facing my left a bit, so not totally in position, but that may not happen until actual labor begins.  He's confident that we are a go for trying the VBAC.  I lost a couple lbs, but nothing to worry about.  I'm sure after all this Christmas sugar I'll have gained them back.
We still have not settled on names.  We have a couple that we are considering, but nothing set.  That's so not like us.  We usually have the names by the second trimester.  Dh thinks we'll know when we see him/her.  I hope so because they won't let us take home a baby with no name. lol
I think I'm handleing this last few weeks better this time around than I have in the past.  I'm not as antsy or impatient as I've been with previous babies.  I'm not trying natural induction methods or worrying about going way over the EDD.  I've accepted that I have long pgs and that babies come when God says so, regardless of how exhuasted and miserable I make myself trying to get things going. 
Peace.  That's what I feel.  Peace that it will happen in His perfect timing and nothing I do will speed it up or change things.  Instead of going into L&D tired and worn out, I'm resting and just letting things happen.  Hopefully that will help with my stamina for delivery and healing afterwards.  It is certainly helping with my emotional state.
Dh is in more of a hurry than I am, but his hurry has more to do with having to work on New Years Eve. lol  Our town can get pretty rowdy and he's working the graveyard shift.  He'd really like me to go into labor so he can be off work. 
I think I might pack our bags this afternoon.  The dc will be staying up in MB with the IL while we are at the hosptial so they need a bag, as well as my hospital bag.
I do have a few logistical restrictions on baby's timing, but we all know that nothing will stop this process once it starts. ;) 
1. Our heater went out last night and the guys are coming to fix it tomorrow am.
2. My mom, who attends all my births, is out of town until Dec. 30.
3. Dh would really like to get the tax deduction THIS year.
4. My MIL is only available in town until Jan 4.

We'll see what God does...

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Merry Christmas from me and my crew. 

This pic was our first attempt at using the timer setting on our little snapshot camera.  We were all dressed up for Christmas Eve service at church.  They did a beautiful candlelight service complete with LED candles for the kids.  Several children took turns reading the story from Luke and the band played a couple of my favorite Christmas songs.  It was lovely.  Then we came home and had a quiet dinner, just us.  The kids went to bed and dh went to work.  I was left to enjoy the cozy fire while I waited for Santa. ;)
The next am, the kids awoke to stuffed stockings and a Karaoke machine from Santa.  They were so good to wait for Daddy to get home before begging to start opening.  I popped some cinnamon rolls in the oven while they unstuffed their stockings.  After we ate our yummy gooey breakfast, it was time for gifts from Mommy and Daddy.  Each child gets 3 gifts, just like Jesus did.
L got a stationary kit, complete with diary, address book, wooden stamps and a card making kit.  She also got WallE on dvd and a fabulous new bathrobe.
J got a set of RC cars.  One is a police cruiser and the other a red hot rod.  They interact and the cop car pulls the hot rod over.  It's pretty cool.  He also got a set of 2 Nerf revolvers and Lego Star Wars for PS2.
R got the new version of the Operation game, an animated Dalmation that responds to comands and touch, and Sleeping Beauty on DVD.
B got a new MagnaDoodle since the old one was lost in the Eucerine incient.  She also got the Elefun game and Color Wonder art supplies.
Daddy got a non-stick 12inch deep saute pan, a Norelco Swivel Head Razor and a Digital Voice Recorder that is compatible to the computer so he can download work stuff onto audio files.
I got a new robe and slippers, a 2' flat iron and a pretty new Nutcracker to add to my collection.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing and Daddy napped.

We all made out very well this year considering the economy.  I am so grateful that dh has a carreer that will always be in demand, regardless of the financial crisis our state/country is in.  His income is steady and his benefits are secure.  That makes for a very comforting feeling during this turbulent time.  I am truly blessed beyond measure! 

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This is my favorite Christmas song this year.  Maybe because I'm so close to delivering my own baby, maybe because I love Faith Hill, maybe because it is so very beautiful.  I had to share...

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It's official.  I'm nesting. 
(That term is so weird.) 

I spent much of this morning washing and folding baby clothes.  It was fun.  They are so tiny, especially the socks.  It's like doll clothes. 
I broke down and bought a little more than a week's worth of gender neutral newborn sized stuff this week.  Socks, onesies, a couple gowns and rompers.  Then my gf, MrsH, brought me a big ole box of loot.  WOOHOO  All gender neutral too.  I should be good for the newborn-3 mos stage... unless of course I get an explosive pooper like my son was. LOL  That kid would go through 4-5 outfits a day! 
Now I just have to figure out how to fit all this stuff in the already crowded nursery dresser and closet.  Dh uses half the closet for his 'dressy' clothes and MissB, being the 3rd girl, has WAY too much clothing.  I bought a really cool storage unit from Ikea but it filled up fast!  I might just order me another one.  We all know how I obsess over furniture being symetrically placed in a room and this shelving unit has made the nursery unbalanced.  Yeah, that's it.  Think dh will buy my logic and let me have another? HeeHee
 
Now, if I could just get the rest of the laundry clean and put away.  (sigh)

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Haven't updated in a while because I haven't really had anything to update about.

School is going well.  Kids are right on track with our lesson plans.  If I can keep on task, we'll finish right on time for a nice summer break.
We haven't done any projects, really.  We did a small lapbook for Thanksgiving and have been making some Christmas crafts.  L is almost done with her needlecrafts.   She had 10 to do and she's planning to give them as gifts to family.  I'm making needlepoint ornaments as gifts, so she wanted to do some too.  Like mother, like daughter.  She really is my mini-me. =)

The pregnancy is going well too.  I'm now just over 36 weeks.  I met the new OB this week.  I think I'm gonna like him.  He's super nice, like give you cavities kinda nice, but he's very receptive to letting me be in charge of my delivery.  He is a big VBAC advocate and agrees that to make me have surgery without a medical emergency would be criminal.  I'll be seeing him every Monday afternoon until baby comes.

I'm pretty uncomfortable these days.  Baby has dropped so there is lots of low pressure and lower back pain.  Baby is head down so, hopefully he/she will stay that way.  It's just a waiting game now.  I've been resting alot and taking it easy, but that means my house is not up to my normal standards.  My nemesis, aka: the Laundry, is forever looming.  Dh asked what I wanted for Christmas and I told him that I wanted a maid. lol  Not likely to happen, but he's doing his best to help out.  Bless his heart.

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Occasionally peer pressure is a good thing.  This week, it's a wonderful thing!
My son is becoming a reader! 
FINALLY!  WOOHOO!!
He's never been a bookworm like his sister.  He likes to look at the pictures but wasn't really interested in chapter books yet.  Reading for schooltime was difficult for him.  It didn't come easily and he's be resistant to it.  He'd complete his assignments, but never want to read more than what we required.

Lil has been reading through the Magic Tree House series and done her book reports about each one.  We've collected books 1-24 and she's in book 20.  J never showed interest.  I knew they were a little beyond his reading level, so I didn't push it.  We stuck to early readers and books about sharks (sure to keep his interest).

Well, apparently J's best friend has started reading MTH books.  He's been very enthusiasticly telling J about the stories and it's peeked J's interest and sense of competition.  "If A can do it, so can I".  J has been on a reading mission this week.  He's excited about reading.  He's been found several times, tucked in a corner reading all on his own, unprompted.  He hasn't fought me about our daily quiet time, in fact he brags about how many chapters he read.  He's finished book 1 and quickly moved on to book 2. 
It is such a blessing to see him enjoy reading, whatever the original motivation was.  I have been struggling to find books that would interest him, but now, because of the enthusiasm of a peer, he's become a reader.  PTL!

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Here's the official 34 weeks update...
No news is good news. =)

I'm pretty uncomfortable most of the time, but that's to be expected.  My abdominal muscles have never been in great shape, but now they are completely shot.  I'm using my back to hold this baby up most of the time which is exhausting.  BUT, I am blessed!  No sciatica as of yet, and no numbness in my limbs, and no swelling. 
I had my last apt with DrC this am.  Sad to leave his office, but excited that it means I'm that much closer to babytime.  Baby sounded good.  A little rowdy with a HR of 160+, but I had 2 cups of coffee right before the visit so, not surprizing.  I gained a pound and am still measuring a little big.  But, not worth moving the EDD.
Nesting hasn't really begun yet.  I'm cleaning, but that's more for the housefull I'll have at Thanksgiving than for baby.  I don't have any baby clothes to wash and fold since we got rid of everything under 18mos.  Crib never came down, so that's ready.  I feel like I should be 'prepping' but there's really nothing to do at this point.  I guess that's a good thing, more time to rest and get ready for the holidays.

Here's a pic from this am, taken by my little photographer Lil:

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My boy turns 7 today.  He is my only boy, so far, and perfectly picked to be my son.  God is so good at matching children to parents. ;)  My boy is 'all boy', full of energy and enthusiasm.  Ready to go! go! go! all the time.  He's rowdy and dirty and never stops moving.  But he's also the sweetest, most caring boy I know.  He adores his sisters, especially the little ones.  He looks out for them and stands up for them.  He's their protector by nature.  He's Daddy's best friend and Momma's sweet boy.  We love you Joshua!!

Here's a look back at his 7 years...

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I saw the cutest little face today. 
It's the face of my 32 week old unborn baby. 

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I have joined the HS support group at our new church and I have been SOOOO very blessed by these ladies.  The group is purely a support group in the traditional definition.  There is no legal protection, no community updates, no co-ops or field trips.  We have Hearthstone for that.  This group is for HSing mothers to get together and share trials and successes and pray for each other and our children.  Solely emotional & spiritual support. 
I'm getting to know some of the ladies at church more intimately, which is great.  Most importantly, I'm learning some new parenting techniques and hearing about new resources. 
Here are a few of my new jems:

Proverbs for Parenting - A very nice hard bound topical guide through Proverbs.
Heaven at Home - I'm hoping this one will help me deal with the sibling rivalry.
Wise Words for Moms - a quick reference chart for on-the-spot discipline decisions.
Instructing a Child's Heart - I read "Shepherding" years ago, this is the latest from the Tripps.
For Instruction in Righteousness - an in depth handbook w/ topical listings of sin and the scriptures that deal with it, ideas for specific discipline and object lessons.

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Halloween?  Bah!  Not for us. 

Today we celebrate the Reformation and all the freedoms it brought us. Praise God!

The kids and I did a simple history lesson about the Reformation and how it effects us today.   Then our HS group threw a party at church.  We dressed in period garb, brought potluck food and goodies, played games, etc.  It was so fun!  Here's a pic of us in front of the "pin the 95 theses on the church doors" game, ala pin the tail on the donkey. lol

A good time was had by all, as well as some important history. ;)

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Well, I've reached 30 weeks preggo.  WOOHOO Almost there!!
The most common question at this point is "How are you feeling?"  My answer has been pretty positive, usually I say "really good" or "great considering my size".  Today dh overheard me tell someone that I was feeling good and he laughed and said I was lying.   What?  He told her that I was miserable and just not unloading on her.  I was so embarassed.  Not that he called me out, but by how drastically different our perceptions are.  I really do feel good most of the time, I feel blessed ALL of the time.
When we got home I brought it up again and asked him if he really thought I was miserable.  He laughed and said, yes.  He said, "You groan and moan about your back in the morning, you hold your belly and complain about the pain in the evening, you tell me about how this little one kicks so hard and how old you feel."  I was saddened.  I realized that all he hears is the complaining.  He comes home in the am when, yes, my back is stiff from the night before.  Then he goes to sleep for most of the day and wakes at the end of my day when I'm exhausted and in pain.  He misses the daytime when I'm up and around and feeling good.  He misses the time the kids and I spend giggleing at my mishapen belly and the little one kicking away in there.  He's not been to a dr apt, so he misses the tears of joy at each ultrasound and doppler reading. 
So, I guess I need to make a better effort to keep my complaining to myself and only share the joyful moments with him.  Otherwise, he's likely to put an end to growing our family and that's not what I want.  He likes the growing family, but not at the expense of my health and comfort.  I see it as a short period of time to sacrifice my personal comfort but, it's much longer in his perspective.  Pregnancy brings sacrifice that he makes, but does not enjoy and he doesn't like to see me (or live with me) in pain. 

As for the pregnancy itself...
This baby is super active.  Not so much shifting position, but kicking and punching and hickupping ALOT!!  He/She is also very sensitive to sounds, especially music.  It 'dances' during worship at church which is both wonderful and distracting. lol  I have lost some weight, so my gain is now at 8 lbs.  That's a good thing, considering all the extra fluff I had before I got pg.  Dr estimates that baby is gaining well so I'm not worried.  Although I did get a short lecture about the dangers of dieting during pregnancy.  Yeah, whatever.  I'm so NOT dieting.  I'm just a busy HS mom with 4 other littles to care for and not alot of time to munch.  My abs are starting to split a little below my belly button.  That's kinda painful but also expected because of my hernia.  It only gets bad if I'm on my feel for an extended period of time.

I am loving my OB and will be sad when I have to transfer next month.  At my last visit I asked him how long he'd keep me and his reply was, "I'll see you as long as you like.  Heck, I'll deliver you if you want.  We'd just have to go in and refuse surgery, and you are the perfect candidate for another VBAC."  If only he'd deliver me at the hospital that we want to use.  Sadly, he doesn't have privledges there.  So, I'll be transfering to another OB next month who can deliver me at said hospital.  Daddy is insistant that we use the out of area hospital so that we don't see "people" that he knows while we are there.  Besides, the facility is really nice and has a better NICU if anything should go wrong.

Here's a pic of me and my big 30 week belly:

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This post is a shameless plug for MathUSee.  No, I am not getting any endorsement fees or customer discounts, although it would be nice if they had a large family discount since I have 3 using it right now.  No, this is just my personal recommendation for a program that ROCKS!  It is so easy to teach.  I'm actually learning little helpful tips that I never learned in school.  My kids are loving math and progressing wonderfully.  It works for each of my 3 students who happen to be different kinds of learners.  I am SO pleased!!  We bought 4 levels (Primer - Gamma) and 2 complete sets of blocks along with the nifty wodden boxes to store the blocks.  Yes, it was quite a financial commitment.  Praise God that it's working out!!  WOOHOO

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Today is Columbus Day.  We did not take the day off from school like PS did.  We did our regular studies and then had a short lesson about the holiday and a craft.  It was interesting to me and I think the kids had fun.  I'm still not quite sure why it's a holiday, since Columbus didn't really "discover" America, he landed in the West Indies, by accident.  So why is it a national American holiday?  My research led me to find that it was an Italian-American pride thing back in the 1700s.  Whatever.  It's on the calendar, I figured I needed to teach the kids what it was and why the kids on our block aren't in school.
Here's a pic of our craft and a few of the books we read:

FTR, It's also Canadian Thanksgiving today, but I thought that would just confuse them. lol 

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There is an annual event in our area called the Fall Gathering.  It is best described as a craft fair & bake sale put on by and for homeschoolers.  Most of the items for sale have been created by the children.  It is held each year in a local park.  The kids and I have attended in previous years but never set up anything for sale.  This year L and I sold "Pie in a Jar".  It was great fun.  We spent much of the day before assembling our pies and planning our table.  We decided to sell the pies unbaked and market them as "take-n-bake" or "take-n-freeze".  This would save us valuable baking time, and allow the buyer to have fresh baked pies when they waned them.  We did not, however, bake any samples.  We should have.  I printed out a pix of what the finished (baked) product would look like, but I think we would have had better luck in our sales if we had pies to taste.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  We made 24 pies and sold 10.  Not enough to cover the cost, but now we have pies in our own freezer whenever we want them.  YUM!
(These are the pies we are making in the previous post. ;))

Other booths offered candy apples, fudge, lemonade, cookies, knitted accessories, beaded jewelry, wood carvings, etc.

Here's a pic of MissL at our booth:

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WOW, it's been a while.  I hadn't realized.  My bad.

Well, things are going really good on the school front.  J and I are working it out and having more good days than bad. WooHoo  I'm working on my patience and he's working harder.  Yay team.
We've been super busy with field trips and dr visits and ... life.  I'll have to update better when I have more time.  For now, I give you a fun slideshow that I made for my MOMYS.  We chronicled "a day in the life" in photos. 

Had to be in 2 parts because photobucket can't handle how busy we are in one day. ;) It goes pretty fast so if you want to slow it down, use the controls in the bottom right corner of the pics.  Enjoy!

Part 1:

Part 2:

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I know several moms with multiple boys who homeschool.  I just don't know how they actually do it without loosing their minds or strangling thier sons. 

Before we started having children, I thought my ideal family was 3 boys.  No more, no less. 
God knew better.  He gave me girls. 
In fact he gave me the sweetest, easiest girl ever for my first child.  She has always been an easy child.  Since birth, a good sleeper, good eater, and a happy demeanor were things I would say about this girl.  She is now 8 years old.  She is a compliant child by nature and a 'traditional' learner as a student.  She is easy to teach, excited to learn, she works hard and catches on quickly.  What a case of false advertising of homeschooling for me.  She did NOT pave the way for her younger brother. 
He is a challenge, to say the least.  It's not that he's not bright.  He is.  In fact, I would venture to say that he's probably smarter than his older sister, though I would never tell her that.  It's his personality, his 'boyness' (yes, I made up a word) that challenges me.  I am forever trying to find ways to keep his interest and focus.  He is SOOO easily distracted and s.....l.....o.....w..... when it comes to getting his schoolwork finished.  I know he's getting it because his answers are flawless and his questions are totally appropriate and thoughtful. I am confident that the material we are using is right for him.  I'm not so sure that my approach is right though.  I am continually frustrated with his inability to focus and stop moving.  I am convinced that if he were in PS, he would coming home with pages and pages of HW because he was unable to finish in class. 
Today my girls each finished 6 pages of math (yes, they got a little ambitious) in the same amount of time it took for him to complete ONE page. Argggg!!!!  
Even when I sit right next to him and walk him through it, step by step, he'll gaze off into space or start zooming his pencil like a rocketship. (sigh) 
He's a boy.
He's a 6 (almost 7) year old boy.
I know I can't fight his nature.  I know that God made him this way.  I know that I need to embrace his 'boyness' (yes, there's that word again) and work with him instead of against him.  But how?
I am a girl.  I understand my girls.  I know how their brains work and how to reach them.  They sit still and listen.  They are quiet and clean.  They don't tap their pencils or zoom them around like rocketships.  They concentrate and finish in a timely manner. 
Not the boy.  He's a monkey in a cage.  He just can't wait to leap from his chair and run. 
I don't think we have unrealistic expectations of him.  We allow lots of breaks and plenty of outdoor activity and time to play.  School for him is only 2-3 hours and even that is broken up into 15-20 min segments with breaks in between.  But, he needs to learn this stuff.  He needs to be able to read and write and finish an asignment without constant supervision and prodding.  I need to find a way to help him concentrate without getting upset at him.  He's getting into trouble because I just don't know what else to do to motivate him.  I don't want to punish him for being a boy, but I don't want to let his behavior get in the way of his education either.  School can't and won't always be fun and active.  He needs to learn to sit and concentrate and finish in a timely fashion.  How do I accomplish that?

As much as we would LOVE to have a boy, it's school days like today that lead me to hoping this next baby is a girl too.

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This is L's first lapbook.  I laid out the design, so it was all ready to go.  All she had to do was color,cut and tape.  We used tape because they still haven't mastered the art of glue application and I didn't feel like waiting a week for each section to dry. 
She's got a color section for each day and then one at the end for 2 games.  One is a 'memory' type game in a pocket, the other is a cryptogram.
It was fun, the kids enjoyed it. 

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