Dear, Thing 5

Oh,Thing 5! Only 21 weeks gestational and already you are completely ignored. No blog posts are written about you, no weekly baby bump pictures to capture your growth are posted, and up until recently when your kicks and rolls became much more noticeable, your mama would even forget all about your existence. I am sorry. It's not that we don't love you or that we are not excited for you to join our family, it's just that your older brother, Leif, keeps us all very busy. Not to mention, you were kind of a surprise. Yes, your mommy and daddy wished and prayed that we could have another baby, someone to grow up alongside Leif, but in all honesty, we truly did not think it would happen, especially not this soon and definitely not that easily.

When I first told your daddy that I was pregnant, he said:

No, you're not.

Like, he has any grand insight into these matters, but in all fairness, your mama is a bit neurotic and often thinks she is pregnant, when in fact she is not. So, I guess we will forgive him this time. So, yeah, I had to show him the stick I peed on before he would even believe me. Then we just looked at each other, laughed and said, "okay", not really expecting this pregnancy to go much further. You see, we had a lot of trouble having your brother Leif, and we lost two babies before him. (I like to think that we, in fact, did not lose two babies, but that it took Leif three times to get here), and so as Leif's first birthday approached, which marked when we could start trying to conceive you, we were mentally preparing ourselves for yet another long and heartbreaking journey. Much to our surprise (and delight now that you seem to be sticking around), you decided to show up before it was even "go" time, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, as I am sure yourdad does to, from saving us from that ordeal. Trust me, it is no fun trying to have a baby when a baby is just not ready to come. It kind of makes your mama even more crazier than she already is . . . eeek!

But you are here, and you seem to be doing well. You are not a very cooperative baby, though. You sleep during your ultrasounds making it difficult for the doctor to check everything out, you hide when the nurse practitioner tries to listen for your heartbeat, and you never, ever, ever kick when anyone but Leif touches my belly. Leif, who is completely oblivious to your existence, will be in for the shock of his life when you arrive. But in all fairness, you have been doing your best to let him know you are here by kicking him repeatedly whenever he nurses. I guess the war for mama's milk has already begun between you two . . . yikes!

Although I am starting to get very excited to meet you, Thing 5, I do have to be honest, I am completely terrified. I have never had two babies so close in age before. Leif is only going to be 19 months old when you arrive, which is still a baby. He likes to sleep between  mom and dad and he loves to nurse. I have never had two babies in diapers before either, and with the demanding schedule of your older three siblings, I just don't know how I am going to do it. But have no fear, your mama loves a challenge and she always manages to care for all her babies. 

So, Thing 5,in spite of your recent neglect, know this:

you are loved,

you are wanted,

and you have a large family who will do all they can to help you make your way through this world with love, laughter and minimal bumps and bruises.

16 week bump. This picture speaks volumes about our life right now!

A thing 5 sandwich, nestled in between a slice of Leif and a slice of mom.

There you are! 19 weeks gestational

We may not know if you are a boy or girl, but we definitely know you are a soccer player! Dad is excited because we now have enough to make up our own futsal team . . .  tee hee!

I love you, baby and I can't wait to hold you in about 18 weeks from now!

38 Week Check-In

38 week bump. Please ignore the laundry catastrophe behind me. 

In exactly one week from now I will finally be holding my little Leif or Harriet. It is almost surreal to think that the day I have been longing for over four years now is almost here. Our entire house is abuzz with excitement! Yesterday, the kids picked names out of a hat to determine the order of who gets to hold Thing 4 first, who gets to sit beside Thing 4 in the car for the first time, and who gets Thing 4's name in this year's Christmas exchange . . . tee hee! Luckily, they each won a claim to fame: Avery gets to hold him or her first, Zoe gets to sit beside him or her in the car first, and Elliot gets to buy his or her first, sibling, Christmas gift . . . phew! It could have been ugly. 

As hard as it is to believe, I sometimes think they may actually be more excited than me. Yesterday, Elliot walked by the baby's crib and ran his hand along the fleece blanket inside:

I can't believe there is going to be a baby lying here next week.

This afternoon, Avery hopped into the van after his gym class and exclaimed:

That was my last gym class before the baby comes! 

And just a moment ago, I walked into my room to find Zoe holding the baby's car seat:

I can't believe that in only one week there is going to be a little person sitting in this seat.

Perhaps excitement does not fully encompass exactly how we are all feeling this week. Each of us seems to be fully aware of the tremendous blessing that is about to be bestowed upon us and although we are excited, we are equally humbled and in awe over the fact that we, of all the families in the world, have been chosen to welcome this particular person into our home. We are incredibly lucky!

So, with only one week left before the munchkin arrives to stir up even  more shenanigans here at Shenanigans Inc., I am going catch you up on a few things because I will unlikely be posting any blog updates over the next two weeks. On Sunday, as many of you may have heard, I had a minor fainting spell at church. After being attended to by two dear friends of mine, who are both nurses, I decided to go to the hospital to get checked out. Thankfully, both the baby and I were fine. As I was hooked up to the monitor, though, it occurred to me that I really need to slow things down. I am a thirty-seven year old woman whose body has spent the last thirty-eight weeks creating a body for Thing 4, and that is no small feat. This pregnancy has gone remarkably well and I have had no problems at all, but with only one week left and after the busy, stressful past few weeks we have had, it is time for me to slow down, and I can feel it. I am tired, I am uncomfortable, and I am ready to cross the finish line. 

So, rather than run myself ragged this week, I plan to slow down and savour this precious time with my family; therefore, I have decided to lessen my load and to focus on what is most important. This week, I am completely ignoring the housework because I figure it is pretty much going to be a mess for the next year or two so one more week really won't matter. Instead, the kids and I are working on some school, and we are cooking lots of yummy meals and treats to freeze. When I say we, I truly mean we. Zoe, alone, cooked a chili and a hamburger noodle soup today, and tonight Zoe and the boys are making cookies. I have the best kids! With our last weekend as a family of five quickly approaching, Mr. Level-Headed and I are also planning to take the kids to see the new Thor movie. It is so strange to think that after almost ten years of it just being the five of us, we are finally welcoming a new member into our family. This new addition is going to change the dynamic of our household, but I am I know with all my heart it will be changed for the best.

Speaking of changes, and since you have had to endure this dreadfully boring blog post under the pretense that I have lots of terribly insightful ideas and really it has been no different than my usual sentimental dribble, I will let you in on some big news. Are you ready for this? 

Well . . .

not only are we welcoming a new addition into our family, but we are also welcoming a new student into our homeschooling mix. Two weeks ago, Zoe came to me and asked if I would homeschool her. Initially, I wanted to jump up and down, screaming:

YES! YES! Definitely YES!

while smothering her in kisses and hugs, but I kept my cool. I showed self-restraint (only out of fear that my lack of coolness may cause her to change her mind), and I simply said:

Yes. If that is what you really want, I will.

Being home for the past eight weeks and really not being in any shape to return to school soon, Zoe is afraid of losing a semester. She also wants the freedom to do her work on her own schedule, one that will allow her to take the time she needs to heal and to rest. I am so excited to have her home with us, and to be her teacher again. Oh, and the really exciting thing is that the only area I was very concerned about teaching her was French since she has been in French Immersion for the past four years and really wants to receive her bilingual certificate. Well, last week we received an email from our homeschool group announcing that the College of Extended Learning at UNBSJ is offering a french course for homeschool kids ages 12-18 starting this week. How cool is that? I just love it when life works out for the best!

Well, I've got to run. The smell of freshly baked peanut butter cookies are calling my name and this very pregnant mama is HUNGRY!

Happy Thursday!

The Home Stretch

35 Week Bump

I am currently hiding in my room with the door locked and a can of Coke by my side. I am done. I have nothing left in me, and I am waving the proverbial white flag to announce my surrender. 

Do you hear me, God! I am done! This girl can't take anymore! Whatever lesson you want to teach me, or whatever trait you want me to develop needs to be put on hold. I am done.

With only three weeks and five days left until Thing 4 arrives, I am tired. All I want to do is to lie on the couch with my feet up, a can of Coke in hand, and a tray of bonbons by my side, while I watch endless hours of mindless daytime television. Oh, and we cannot forget the muumuu. Yes, I definitely want to be wearing a muumuu.

Unfortunately, though, this is not what the world has in store for me. Instead, this week, my husband as been working both day and night everyday. Elliot is in shutdown/Mr. Negativity mode, Avery was sick with some weird stomach/cold combination, and Zoe has made no improvement at all. In fact, I received a phone call on Monday from the IWK informing me that she needs to be admitted next Monday and that we will be staying two days in the hospital, possibly three, possibly four. Who knows! And Thing 4, who is defying all the baby books and is still managing to kick up quite the ruckus in spite of the limited space my uterus has to offer, is really hurting me. Not to mention, this 37 year old body of mine, which has just begun it's 36th week of pregnancy, is tired, oh so very tired and can barely climb the basement stairs let alone do any housecleaning . . . ugh!

Yeah, so that's my life right now. Jealous, right? You are probably wondering why I have just dumped this rant on you. Well, on Sunday, thanks to my lovely teenage daughter, everyone was laughing at me for always posting the sunny side of our days and for always trying to find the silver lining. Sure, I am guilty of this, but I write my blog to help me drown out the negative. No one can say I do not acknowledge that my life is not perfect or that my life is hard, but I find it pointless to dwell on these aspects. No ones life is perfect. Everyone is dealing with some form of hardship, and I want my blog to be a refuge from the harsh reality of the world. I want it to be uplifting for both me and my readers. I want it to be a source of comfort, a source of inspiration, and a source of laughter. I want people to keep coming back to A Ferry Crossing Away because they leave feeling a little more stronger, a little more optimistic and far less alone.

So, with that being said and the miserable, ugly week that I have been dealing with laid out before you, let's turn this around and find the silver lining.

Well, right now, within the sanctity of my room, I can hear my boys playing cheerfully with one another in the basement. They are not fighting, they are safe and they are happy. Each kick from Thing 4, although they hurt like heck, reassures me that we have a strong, healthy baby on our hands, who I will be holding in only three weeks and five days! As much of an inconvenience as it will be to be away for a few days next week in Halifax, I know that Baby Girl will be receiving the best possible care and that we will be one step closer to calming this flare-up down. Oh, and not to mention, I will not have to cook, clean or teach during those days. Perhaps I should pack my muumuu and my bonbons . . . tee hee! Seriously, though, it also humbles me beyond words to see how our families and friends are willing to step up and help us out next week. We could not do it without them! And finally, with 350 ml of refined sugar and caffeine making its way through my body as we speak, I can honestly say I am ready to unlock my door now. I am ready to face the disaster that has currently taken over my kitchen and to finish up our homeschooling day.

Bring it on; I can do this!

See, doesn't that just feel better. 

Happy Thursday!

The In Utero New - Issue 3

Thing 4 at 34 weeks!

Thing 4 here. Yesterday, mom and I went to another doctor's appointment, and it was a really good one. Not only did we learn that we do indeed only have five weeks until we get to see one another, but we also learned that we gained four pounds. This made my mama very happy because she is all concerned that something is wrong since she is not as big with this pregnancy as she was with the other three wee Websters. Both the doctor and I, through all my ridiculous acrobatics, assure her that everything is great and that I just may be a smaller (but much more mightier) baby than the others. Nonetheless, she was thrilled when she saw the scale's numbers make a four pound leap and immediately texted dad to share the good news. Dad, who is always so sensitive to mom's  neurosis, replied exactly as he should have and made mom's morning even better:

Ha, ha! From what I understand, husbands should never tell their wives they are getting big, but I guess this case is what you would call an exception and it scored big points for my dad. If I am a guy, I plan on paying close attention to how my dad treats my mom. He seems to know exactly what he is doing.

After our weigh-in, mom was called into an examining room where the nurse asked her to lie down so she could listen to my heart beat . . . Ugh! This is my least favourite part of the entire visit because the nurse pushes down on my tender, little body with a big, metal knob. In the past I have tried to push it away, but that never seems to stop her; so yesterday, I devised a new plan to get back at her. As she was quietly taking notes of how quickly my heart was pumping, I whispered to myself:

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . 

And then I did one of my Olympic rolls to the other side of mom's uterus. I scared the life out of the nurse and she screamed:

Oh my!  You really do have an active one there . . .

To which mom laughed and rolled her eyes . . .

Yes, and a show off too.

According to the nurse, baby's my age (34 weeks) tend to slow down, but that is craziness. Who can slow down when they know that in just five short weeks they will be joining the biggest party on earth - Shenanigans Inc! Come on, seriously?

Okay, so perhaps scaring the nurse was not very nice, but man it was funny, and in all honesty, it is far less cruel than what my siblings have in store for me. Oh yeah! They are definitely not the nicest or the brightest! Yesterday, they revealed to mom all of their nasty plans, and they were so proud of themselves. Little do they know, though, that I heard every word they said and I have five entire weeks with very little to do but to plot my revenge . . . muhahahaha!

It all began Monday evening when dad came home with a very large box. It turns out my dear Nanny Webster bought a car seat for me to ride in. How sweet is that! Mom had picked it out a couple of weeks ago and nanny ordered it. Well, when it came into the house, everyone got excited, particularly Zoe. She unpacked that seat, read the instructions, and had it fully figured out in no time. She and mom then took one of mom's old baby dolls, wrapped her up in my new blanket and placed her in the car seat . . . awwww!  Then, yesterday morning, Zoe installed it in the car, and mom drove around all day with it . . . ha, ha! These girls make me laugh. 

Anyhoo . . .

So what were the boys up to while mom and Zoe were busy getting my car seat ready? Well, they were playing with the box:

And during his time in the Box of Shame, Avery came up with the great idea that they should keep the Box of Shame for when they are babysitting me, and then they can use it to put ME, adorable, innocent, little me, in the box. They laughed so hard when one of those fools suggested they even turn the window away from the television to prevent me from seeing what is going on. How cruel is that? Then, like all great ideas, this one quickly snowballed until, finally, the Box of Shame evolved into a trap. Yes, that is correct, my adoring siblings devised a trap for me when I begin to crawl, and the bait was a cat food bowl filled with a drinking box, a granola bar and mom's keys. According to them, these items are all very enticing to babies, and as soon as I crawl over to the dish, one of them, who will be holding the string attached to the light saber, will pull the string and the box will close on me. They even tried the trap out on each other and it worked. Oh, and in case you doubt how maniacal all of their little minds work, I have proof. Check it out!

They think they are pretty funny, but I vow to have the last laugh. Oh yes, they are all getting pooped on; I just have to figure out which one gets it first. Hmmmmmm . . . . .

Have a great day!

The In Utero News - Issue 2

Thing 4 here, again. My mama is really tired lately. I think it may have something to do with me, but I am not entirely sure. I am getting stronger and more active everyday so you think that she would be too, but I am just a fetus, and really, I don't know how your world works yet. Anyhoo . . . (yes, I stole that one from my mama. It's one of her favourite words. That and another one that starts with F, but I have been given strict instructions, as have my siblings, to never say that word. I am guessing that my family operates on the old adage do as I say and not as I do . . . ha, ha!)

So, today marks my 33rd week birthday. Woohoo!  Mom had been expecting me to make my grand entrance into the world in six weeks from  now, but after talking with dad last night and discovering that our doctor's OR day may be on a Monday and since the Monday six weeks from now is Remembrance Day, mama is thinking that we will probably have to wait the full seven weeks. I have to admit that if this is the case we are both a little bummed out because we are getting uber excited to see one another. Sure she yells sometimes and sure I kick a little too hard sometimes, but we have already come to terms with the fact that neither one of us is perfect and we will love each no matter what. I really hope she sticks with this bargain because if she knew what I have in store for her over my lifetime . . . yikes! Let's just say it is not always going to be pretty . . . ha, ha!

There I am at 33 weeks!

You all know that my big sister Zoe had a pretty lousy week last week. She was really sick with her colitis and a cold. She has not been to school in two weeks and has not left the house for anything except doctor's appointments . . . blech! So, on Saturday, dad woke up and told her that as soon as he was done showing some houses, he was going to take her out and do whatever she wanted. I guess they call these daddy/daughter dates, and I really hope I get to have them too, but since I am not allowed to tell anyone if I am a daughter or a son yet, I guess we will all have to wait and see. I am sure if I am boy that I will also get to do some really cool stuff with my dad, but to tell you the truth, from the way it sounds to me on the inside, I think the girls of this family get special treatment . . . just saying. Anyhoo . . . Zoe spent Saturday morning trying to figure out what to do. Eventually, she came up with something and texted her idea immediately to dad, but she would not let mom in on their plans. This would normally drive my mama crazy, but she was pretty busy editing her latest blog book and so she did not think much about it. Zoe then spent the afternoon getting all done up. I have to say of all the people in this household, Zoe is definitely the most fashionable! Finally, dad came home and they went out. When they came home, mom was still working on the book and didn't even get up to greet them, but much to her surprise, Zoe came bounding in her room with a bag of goodies. First, she gave mom a can of Coke and some Peanut Butter Cups for being such a great mama . . . awwwwww, and then much to my shock, she gave me a present. Me . . . little old me! My big sister chose to spend her day of pampering shopping for me! How lucky am I? Truly, I think I have the bestest big sister in the world. Mom and I were giddy over all my presents. First, she pulled out some baby socks. Then, she pulled out the softest baby blanket imaginable! Mom squealed when she saw the blanket, and assured me that even if I was a girl I would most definitely be wrapped up in this blue, green and brown blanket. According to mama, Zoe had two blue blankets when she was a baby and since she has turned out to be them most amazing girl the world has ever seen, it only makes since that I too, if I am a girl, have a blue blanket. I love how my mama thinks! By this time, mom thought my spoiling was done, but Zoe had one more surprise up her sleeve: an adorable baby nightie (and yes, even if I am a boy I will be wearing this. Come on! This should not shock you by now.) with matching socks, hat and bib. Mom nearly died and declared that this will be the outfit I wear home from the hospital. Check out my loot!

Awwww . . . Every night, when mom lays down to read her book before bed, she takes my soft blanket and covers her belly with it so I can appreciate my new gift. Gosh, I love my mom and I, especially, love my big sister! I am really starting to think I am the luckiest fetus in the world!

Happy 33rd Birthday to me!

The In Utero News

That's me in there! 

Thing 4 here.  Since I woke my poor mom up this morning at 5am with my early morning baby Zumba class, I figured the least I could do was write her blog post for her so she could get some rest. Yeah, I am nice like that. Oh, and what a class it was. I danced, kicked, punched and rolled for at least an hour and a half. It was a blast! Finally, mom got the hint and got up to take a shower, and, man, was I thankful for that. A baby can work up quite the sweat with all that action. While we were in the shower, dad made us some oatmeal. I have to tell you that I have the funniest dad ever. He acts all tough and stern, but he is such a softy. Like this morning, mom pleaded with him to tell me it was time to stop being so rambunctious, and both times, he came up really close to mom's belly and said in a very deep, serious voice:

Thing 4, this is dad. Mom is very tired. It is time for you to settle down now.

Then he would give me kiss . . . ha, ha! That man is putty in my hands. Of course, as soon as he kissed me, I would laugh and giggle and kick up an even bigger fuss. Gosh, I love that guy! Oh, and yes, for the record, when I was just a wee fetus, I was a little timid of him and I would immediately do as I was told, but I am so over that now. I figure the way my big sister and two brothers squeal and laugh around him that he is no one to be afraid of.  In fact, a couple of weeks ago, I even showed him who was boss. I was performing my usual before-bed shenanigans, and he knelt very close to mom's belly and told me it was time to go to sleep. Well, as soon as he leaned over to give me my kiss, I kicked him right in the mouth . . . it was perfect! Now, if you ask mom, she claims that I very gently, nudged his mouth as if I was giving him a knuckle bump, like all the other kids do before bed, but dad and I both know the truth; I kicked him in the kisser . . . ha, ha! 

So, I am thirty two weeks old and right now there is not much happening here  in utero other than some major weight gain, some zumba, and some hiccups. It is getting pretty tiresome, and I can't wait to get out to experience the world. I think I may have picked the best family ever. As you have probably heard, I am a very active baby and so I am going to fit in perfectly with this crazy family. They are always on the go, and they are always in the middle of some form of foolishness. I can't wait! Right now, my favourite time of day is when mom lays down in the boys' bed at night and reads us stories. I can always hear dad and Zoe off in the distance discussing some topic in great length and detail (between you and me, I think they are the brainiacs of this operation, but don't tell mom that). The series mom is reading to us right now is about four kids in Ancient Roman times, and they have just arrived in the city of Pompeii . . . oooh! I may only be 32 weeks old, but even I know this story is about to get good. As mom reads the story and Avery interrupts every two seconds to ask questions, Elliot rubs mom's belly and I bounce and bounce and bounce. We have so much fun!

As for cravings, I think you have already heard that my mom travelled far and wide to find my most favourite poutine of all time. She is such a good mom, and now that I tasted the best poutine ever, I can proudly say that I am done with this silly poutine craze. Yep, like I said, I am now 32 weeks old, and my tastes have matured. Sure, I think I will still send mom out once a week for a can of Coke because, let's be honest, who doesn't enjoy a little buzz once and awhile, but I am done with the poutine. Instead, my new craving is almond milk smoothies and dad's oatmeal covered in blueberries, strawberries and raspberries . . . . mmmmmm. Oh, and I can not forget to mention peanut butter on rice cakes. They are to die for! You see my big sister Zoe is now on this uber strict diet to help calm her colitis symptoms down and she can not have dairy, wheat/gluten, refined sugars, or eggs. You would think that this would leave her with very little to eat, but our mom always finds a way to feed her babies, and let me tell you, I have been reaping the rewards from this new diet. Last night, I even had maple glazed salmon . . . mmmmmm. Mom hates salmon, but she realized quickly that I love it,and she could not stop eating it . . . ha, ha! We all know whose calling the shots around here. 

Well,there you have it, the in utero news. I plan on making my entrance into the world in about seven weeks from now and I look forward to meeting all of you. Oh, and just so you know, my mom is one highly overprotective mama bear with her babies. She has promised to be generous and let others hold me since so many of you shared your babies with her, while she was waiting for me, but don't be surprised if she lets out a little roar or two when you first snatch me away. Oh, and fully expect her to hover very closely. She waited a long time to get her hands on me, and she is not going to stray too far away for quite some time.

-Thing 4

Smoothie time!

Week 30 Check-In

This week is flying by! I nearly died when I woke up this  morning and realized it was already Thursday. Our week has been filled with appointments, homeschooling, meetings, and some really fun outings. In fact, tonight is the first night all week that I get to stay home, and I envision curling up in my bed with my comfy, cozy jammies on and reading "The Maze Runner" . . . heaven!  On Tuesday night, I went out with a bunch of my girlfriends to see The Immortal Cup. There is nothing better than being surrounded by a bunch of friends, munching on some popcorn, drinking copious amounts of carbonated, caffeinated beverages, while being frightened by werewolves, demons, and vampires and drooling over "creepy hot guys", who, honestly, are young enough to be one of my own kids. Yep, I have officially become a dirty, old woman . . . tee hee!

In spite of how busy I have been with keeping on top of the household chores, teaching the boys and being a mom, my mind is currently preoccupied with Thing 4. I open his or her drawers at least three times a day to take a peek at the jammies. I daydream about the moment the doctor lifts him or her from my belly and announces: "It's a  . . . .!", and I imagine going about my hectic life with him or her strapped to my chest, while I periodically pause to kiss the top of his or her head and stroke all that black hair I imagine Thing 4 to have. This week marks my 30th week, which means in 9 short weeks, I will finally get to meet my little darling, and  I can't wait! 

This week I also visited my doctor and everything went great! I have been a little worried lately because everyone who sees my belly comments on how small it is. I was at the bank the other day and the teller exclaimed: "Where are you storing that baby!". I understand that I should be regarding these comments as compliments, but they frazzle me. I have always had a ginormous baby belly, but for some reason, this time around, it is much more compact. I also think that losing two babies prior to this one has also made me super sensitive and in all honesty, I will not be able to relax until I have Thing 4 cradled in my arms and I am smothering him or her in kisses. Anyhoo . . . according to my doctor, everything is absolutely perfect, and she even jokingly told my sister, whose appointment was only fifteen minutes after mine (how funny is that!), that she wants to clone the two of us because our bodies just seem equipped for this whole baby-building business. So, with her assurance that everything is going great, I am going to try to relax. Seriously. I can do this. I hope. 

Speaking of Thing 4, he or she did the CUTEST thing ever the other day! On Sundays I spend the afternoon teaching our primary group, which is comprised of children from ages four to eleven. We have quite a large group and they can get quite loud and rambunctious at times. While the kids were waiting for their parents to pick them up from the classroom, a bunch of the kids were circled around me, touching my belly, and squealing: 'Come on baby, move!". Poor Thing 4 must have been terrified because he or she was being super quiet. Then, out of the blue, Avery showed up, placed his hand on my belly and said: "Thing 4, it's Avery. You need to move for the kids!". As soon as Avery spoke, Thing 4 jumped and started acting foolish. I was shocked that amongst all those voices and all that chaos, Thing 4 was able to distinguish Avery's voice and was clearly excited to hear him. What a cutie!

Thing 4 continues to go quiet when Mr. Level-Headed talks to him or her at night, and this is starting to worry Mr. Level-Headed. He doesn't want the baby to be fearful of him so this week he has started kissing Thing 4 goodnight and assuring him or her that he really isn't that scary. The good news is that this seems to be working, and last night, as Mr. Level-Headed was whispering to my belly, Thing 4 began moving closer to his voice. Again, how cute is that? 

But not so cute, is how strong Thing 4 is becoming. In fact, on Sunday night, Thing 4 kicked me so hard I screamed and doubled over in pain. Then, because once is never enough, he or she did it again. I scared everyone in the house, but thankfully, my future rugby player settled down and since then, I have stopped asking Heavenly Father, in my prayers, to make Thing 4 strong. Instead, I simply ask for Him to ensure Thing 4 is healthy and safe . . . tee hee!

Yep, that pretty much sums up my week and if you are a regular visitor of my blog then you know that now comes the slew of crappy Iphone pictures I have taken to document all of our shenanigans. Enjoy!

The boys modelling their Ancient Chinese peasant hats. They were a little on the small side, but the boys had fun making them.

The imposter is finally gone, and Elliot has returned. Even though Monday was a rough day for him, he still managed to pull it together and get all of his work done. 

This dog is so spoiled!

Thing 4's new sandbox! Exactly what every baby needs when they are 30 weeks old in utero.

Fall soccer started and EVERYONE needed new cleats. Thank heavens for 50% off clearance sales!

The boys excavated some rocks and minerals,

and made some very yummy moon cakes (a Chinese tradition).

And here is my 30 week, kind of tiny but very uncomfortable, baby bump:

Awwwwww . . . .

More Nesting Neurotics

Last night I had a terrible dream. I dreamt I was showing off my big, baby bump to my sister, Emily, when I noticed there was a small hole in my stomach. I could peek through the hole and see Thing 4 bouncing around and much to my delight, I discovered that he or she had a head full of black hair. I was ecstatic! Then things went bad. Thing 4 decided it was time to make his or her grand entrance, even though I kept screaming: 

No, not yet. You still have another ten weeks to go.

Like the rest of my children, Thing 4 did not listen to my counsel and as a result, was born ten weeks early. All I remember is calling Mr. Level-Headed and telling him the baby was born, but he or she was too small to live. I was crushed. I spent the remainder of the evening dreaming that I was visiting my friends, who all seemed to have brand new babies in their arms. It was a terribly depressing dream! 

When I awoke, I felt sad, but I knew it was just a dream and so I brushed it aside and started our day. As the boys were working on their math, I went into my room and began cleaning it up. As I peeked into the crib and saw all the sleepers I bought a few weeks ago, I had the most wonderful idea. I decided in order to really shake off that horrible dream I needed to wash all the baby's clothes and make room for them in my dresser drawers. (Thing 4 will be sharing a room with Mr. Level-Headed and I for the first two years of his or her life like all the other wee Websters did. It's how we roll!) I love doing laundry on regular days, but when my basket is full of adorable, tiny, baby paraphernalia, then I REALLY love doing it. I love smelling it. I love holding it up and imagining my baby wearing it. I love rubbing the animal faces on the bum of the jammies. I love folding it, and I love seeing all the clothes neatly piled along side one another in my drawers. It was a very therapeutic exercise for this neurotic, nesting mama.

Thing 4's basket of baby books on my bedside table. I may or may not have already began reading them to him or her . . . I know CRAZY!

My AppleCheeks stash all neatly tucked away.

A onesie I found hanging in my closet that I had bought four years ago, right after my surgery, as a baby shower gift, but could not bring myself to part with it and so I had to buy another gift . . . tee hee! Can't you see Harriet in it? 

The Patriot jersey all of our kids wore when they were babies during football season, and although it will be a tad bit too big for Thing 4 this year, I am sure he or she will still be wearing it. I am so glad I never parted with this jersey!

My laundry basket full of baby goodies!

All that adorableness neatly tucked away in my dresser drawers. I hate to admit it, but I have opened this drawer about a hundred times already today. I can't help myself!

I have a feeling that these next ten weeks are going to  be the longest ten weeks of my life (and probably the cleanest ten weeks my house has ever seen!)

Oh, and it is not just me who is super excited around here. The three kids started calling dibbs on who gets to hold the baby first. In the end, they have decided to pull names out of a hat the night before Thing 4 arrives . . . tee hee! Thing 4, we may not have a whole lot of room for you here at Shenanigans Inc., but I can promise you there will be no shortage of love.

Hodge Podge

So, forgive me today if I am all over the place with my thoughts, but I have so many ideas swimming in my head right now that I have this overwhelming need to share them, all of them.

First of all, homeschooling is going phenomenal so far. I can't believe it! I really thought we were in for a doozy of a day yesterday since it was day two and also because our school day had to be interrupted for a doctor's appointment, but much to my shock, that was not the case. As soon as we arrived home and even after the boys got to eat copious amounts of treats and play a ton of video games at their Grammie's most of the afternoon thanks to my second flat tire this month (grrrrrr!), they got right to work and didn't even complain. Then, today, both the boys finished all of their work an hour early . . . craziness!  Even Elliot has noticed how remarkably different this year is going, and after he finished his math in record time (and received a B+ on it to boot), he exclaimed:

Mom, I think this is our best homeschooling year so far!

To which I full-heartedly agreed and then gave him one ginormous hug to thank him for being so awesome these past three days. Who knows, we may just survive this school year after all?

After school each day, the boys have gone out to shoot crab apples off of our hill using their golf clubs. Their goal is to shoot one into the river, but I have not seen it happen  . . . yet! Last night, though, they grew tired of this game and decided to have an all-out crab apple war. Thankfully, they put their protective gear on . . . I love these two!

As you know, last week I took Baby Girl to the IWK for another check-up and I am pleased to announce, according to her doctor, she is doing amazingly well! Her blood work is perfect and he thinks we may finally have this colitis thing under control . . . for now. Keep your fingers crossed. What you may not know is that after our appointment we participated in a study the IWK is doing between the correlation of a  child's family dynamics and the degree of pain they experience and how they manage it. Zoe and I had a blast doing helping out with this study! First, she had to put her hand in FREEZING cold water, while I watched her endure the discomfort. We were left in a room all by ourselves and videotaped. Of course, we could not stop laughing and cracking jokes. I guess this is just how we deal with things at Shenanigans Inc. Then we had to fill out a ton of questionnaires about our family and how we get along. Afterwards, we had to choose two topics that Zoe and I have recently argued over and we had to sit in a room together and come up with a solution to these problems, all the while being videotaped. It was so funny! We didn't do as much laughing during these two sessions because these points are hot topics between the two of us, but we did come up with solutions. In the end, we were each given $15 for our time (oh, the things we will do for a bit of cash . . . tee hee!), and Zoe received a Junior Scientist Certificate, of which she is very proud!

As we were leaving the IWK, Zoe and I laughed at the fact that someday she could be sitting in an auditorium during one of her med school lectures and have to see these videos of us, but then again, maybe not, since we also fear they will disqualify our results on the basis that we are both clearly crazy . . . tee hee!

Oh, and if you are not a friend of Mr. Level-Headed's on facebook then you missed out on this tidbit of information: he has decided to enter his first body building competition, The New Brunswick Championships, which is only nine weeks away. If you are any good at math, you will also realize that his competition is only two weeks before Thing 4 is due to arrive; therefore, we figure we may need to seek out separate living arrangements at this time since we will both be feeling a little surly and uncooperative . . . tee hee! But for now, we will continue to share our living quarters and fight over the bedroom mirror each night oogling over how big our bodies are getting. If you ask me, though, it is far more fun and a whole lot easier for me to get bigger. :)

The third trimester bump (or week 28)!

Also, I learnt yesterday at my doctor's appointment that I actually lost a half of a pound over the last three weeks, which is perfectly okay according to the doctor, but I found it shocking!  Especially since it was just last week that I went on a four day poutine binge  . . . craziness . . . and yes, very gross. I should be disgusted with myself, but heh, I'm not.

And as promised, albeit a day late, here are some pictures from our Back to School Feast and Festivities. Might I just add, we had so much fun! The food was delicious. In fact, the kids and I could barely move afterwards because we ate so much, but Mr. Level-Headed, or Mr. Discipline as I should call him from now on, stuck with his broccoli and chicken and seemed to enjoy himself too. This year, I decided to serve the appetizer while the chicken wings were cooking, which gave us a full forty-five minutes to sit around the table and talk. And just so you don't go fool yourself into thinking that life here a ferry crossing away is somehow magical and perfect, let me assure you, while I talked all about the importance of pursuing as much education as possible in your lifetime, the kids discussed everything from bodily functions, bodily noises, to soccer. Oh, and I am pretty sure they were making those bodily noises as well . . . tee hee!

Mmmm . . . Skor Cake!

And our goals for this upcoming school year . . . that Thing 4 is so gosh darn considerate . . . tee hee!

There . . . I got it all out, and I feel so much better now. Thanks for listening! :)