November 2013

The beginning of November went by, probably slower than any month I've experienced before. My pregnancy proved to be more uncomfortable than expected at this point, which is saying something. I began to swell a lot, which caused a gain of 11 pounds in 2 weeks, which, needless to say, is concerning. That, combined with higher than normal blood pressure and one positive urine test for protein (not to mention the 24-hour urine test which had to be stored in our refrigerator), not only caused physical discomfort, but some anxiety as well. Every dr.'s visit could be the one they told me I needed to go directly to the hospital to deliver this baby. Luckily, that never happened. Instead, we made it to Carli's birthday fairly uneventfully.

This little bookworm was thrilled with all the chapter books she got for her birthday.

She was a little disappointed with the absence of a birthday party this year, but she knew she was supposed to help keep her very pregnant mother's blood pressure down, so she was a trooper and didn't complain too much.

See the color of that icing? Yeah, that's never allowed in my house again. We enjoyed that for Carli's birthday, then again as leftovers the next night. Which also happened to be the night I went into labor. Of course, who was to know it was real labor at the time, since I'd been having regular contractions every night for more than a week. I was so done with it I started looking into every old wive's tale I could find and spent most of that evening on all fours or leaning into the wall or a chair, with high hopes of getting this little one into the right position to come. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't, but after going to bed expecting to sleep until I had to pee, I woke up to intense contractions around 1:30am. They weren't close enough yet to do anything but wait, so wait I did, but I certainly didn't sleep. This is where that lovely blue icing comes into the story. Janie threw it up all over her bed. Then, she came to snuggle me in my bed. And, as she prepared to spread the blue icing cheer all over my bed too, I rolled my 9-month-pregnant belly over as fast as I could to make sure that didn't happen, and sure enough... my water broke. What fun!At least I could finally go into the hospital and get the epidural that would allow me to sleep for a little while. And then I could finally welcome the most beautiful little boy I'd ever seen. (I didn't even have to clean up that whole mess because I have wonderful friends who not only watched my kids while I was in the hospital, but also did my laundry. Heaven is having friends like that!)

Milton Logan (Milo)

Because of Janie's bug, the girls had to wait a day to come meet their brother for the first time. It was a happy time when they finally saw him!

The day after we got home from the hospital was Thanksgiving. Logan and the girls went to Thanksgiving with friends.This little guy chose such a convenient time to come. Logan only missed one class before Thanksgiving break. Then Lori came the next week to help. I felt so relaxed and happy to have this little guy in my arms and not be pregnant anymore. What a blessing his daddy and grammie were to all of us!