Mother of a Filler Post

I began this post over two months ago, if that tells anybody what kind of priority this blog has been. It's been so long since I blogged that those of you in cyberspace might be wondering what in the Sam Hill is going on at the Olson Homestead. Not that you've lost any sleep. But your theoretical concern piques my heart, nonetheless. So here's a beginner of a filler post on what we've been doing here.

• Learning. We're heading into Week 18 of homeschooling--yes, that means we started back up in July--so we've been hip deep in larnin'. Reading? Check-check-check. Writing? Check. 'Rithmatic? Check-check. Catechism and daily prayer and bits of ancient history and science too. And Latin and piano lessons (for the Little P). Then there's tunnel-making and ball-rolling and leaf-pile-design and all kinds of free play for the littles, and all sorts of random stuff (I'm hoping the recent fascination with arachnids passes soon, because wheesh). It sounds like a lot, but it isn't. Maybe I'll explain that more thoroughly someday.

• House-selling. Well, it's not sold yet, and maybe I should have filed this under "learning." But it's been an interesting few months in a very small market. "Why are you selling your house?" you're probably wondering. Well, the short version is we'd like to both get rid of some debt with our huge equity and possibly get a bigger house before this one gets way too small. And the good news is we don't have to rush (if we sell, we can move, but we don't have to move rightthissecond). The better news is we've had five positive showings--a solid showing for this area--and springtime is a better time to sell. So we're optimistic.

• House-moving. Internally, that is. After eight years of a series of remodels and getting used to everybody sleeping on the first floor, Papa and I finally moved up by moving down to the ensuite master bedroom in the basement. With a walk-in closet and our own bathroom, I feel like I've finally reached some point of adulthood I didn't know I was missing. And it's really quiet down there! Unless Small Dude is screaming into the monitor. Pearly Girl transitioned cleanly into a big girl bed and her own room, and Superman and the Little Professor enjoy their big boy room. Yes, Papa did a three-room furniture shuffle (and repainting one room). I was awesome at giving directions, pointing, and picking up random screws. 

• Exploring regular freelance writing. Since late August, I've been given an awesome opportunity to write a weekly column for our local paper, the Star. It's been great practice for me, and the editor is amazing--constructive, insightful, encouraging in pushing me to improve. You can look up my columns here, under "Thoughts in the Heartland." 

• Kid growing. The Little Prof (6) is seriously steaming ahead in lessons (again, possibly more on that later). Superman (4.5) is looking to follow in his tracks ("I'm crazy about history!" he announced the other day). Pearly Girl (almost, almost 3) wants to do everything the boys do, and more. And Small Dude is a year old--a YEAR OLD! No walking yet, but he's crawling everywhere and starting to pull himself up on his knees (and eating random Cheerios off of the kitchen floor. Score!). We're thinking he might, just might, decide to go bipedal by Christmas, but it's actually kind of great that he's not walking or running or climbing stairs and furniture yet. Because..

• Kid growing, part V.  Yes, we have been blessed again. Olson Child will arrive in mid- to late April 2015! I'm doing much, much better in terms of energy and appetite than for a few months there in early fall, but keeping up with four kids is, for some reason, kind of time-consuming. I keep wondering why I'm so surprised by this. Like getting used to this life somehow also should mean it gets easier. It does, in some ways--few things they do surprise me--but in other ways, it's just a dump-fest--laundry, books, toys, needs. Thank goodness Someone Else is ultimately their Caretaker! This season is just that--a season. That gives me both heartache and incredible relief.

Well, that's about all I can put down for now. My pillow is calling.

A Little Peek at a Small Dude

Today we mark the one month face time arrival of our newest blessing, our son Daniel Luke Michael. He arrived on Saturday, September 28, a week ahead of his due date, and managed to give us all enough of a heads-up to get his siblings some awesome care and for Papa to make it to both services on Sunday. He weighed in at a solid seven pounds, fifteen ounces, and measured twenty inches long (and by six days post-partum, he'd shot up to eight and a half pounds. Good eater, this one). We were surprised but pleased to see his full head of blond hair--no bald baby this time! I'll share more about his watery births--physical and spiritual--later, but suffice it to say God is merciful and we are very grateful for our son. Say hello, Small Dude!

I'd say more, but the little manny is hungry, and I still haven't figured out how to breastfeed and blog at the same time. Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers! Our cup runs over.

Oh, and happy belated October, all, and Go Cardinals!

Snips and Snails*

Other than my own suffocatingly slow reflexes when it comes to blogging lately (that's a really lame excuse for an apology for my absence here), we've been moving slower here generally in the Olson household. The temperature outside finally rose above freezing, so we've been lounging and soaking up the sun outside. We've also been sleeping like rocks at night due to all the fresh air time. Last Thursday, I sprained my ankle when I missed a step. I am very thankful that I sustained only a few scrapes, bruises, and a minor sprain, and I'm already moving much faster than I was a few days ago (does sitting on the couch for hours qualify as movement? Please say yes). Baby's complied by kicking me more since Thursday than I've felt yet in this pregnancy.

Anyway, beyond some physical snail-ness (excepting Baby), we've been waiting with patience for today's prenatal ultrasound. Because we found out today that Baby...is...a....

You didn't think I'd just spit it out like that, did you? Patience, patience!

All of us went for the appointment this morning. I asked the sonographer if she would only tell us the gender if she was really sure. I explained we know some recent instances of people finding out their child's gender, only to find out on birth-day that--oops!--Baby isn't a girl but a boy. Or vice-versa. She said she only shares what she's absolutely sure of (don't they all say that?). Then she said she knew what sex our Baby is. At that point I'd been lying on the table with the gel on my belly and Baby's picture up on the monitor for about five seconds. So Papa and I were a bit surprised that she said that. Then we both thought the same thing: that must mean...

Sorry for all these ellipses! At the same time the sonographer continued with her normal measurements and picture-taking (Brain! Heart! Stomach! A-maz-ing!), and we explained to the kids what we could see. "There's Baby's face! Do you see the heart beating? Look at Baby's kicks!" Superman said, "There's the eyes!" while we looked at the brain. We obviously haven't covered any biology yet. Then he said, "It's dark in here. Can we turn up the lights?" I was laughing at all of their comments so much Baby looked like an earthquake was happening. It was awesome.

So the boys were impressed to see Baby. Pearly Girl was impressed by the swivel stool in the room. After a few minutes, Little Professor abruptly told us that he thought Baby was a boy. He's been telling us for months--months!--that Baby was a girl. Surprised, Papa and I talked to him about it for a little bit, and then he or Superman asked the sonographer what she was doing now. She said, "I'm writing that your new baby is a boy." And she did. And he is!

Did you like how I snuck that in there?

Papa and I have been thinking for awhile that Baby is a boy. To have that hunch confirmed was still surprising--I suppose the difference between thinking about winning the lottery and actually winning it. I admit I felt a momentary let-down. We'd both hoped that Pearly Girl would get a sister. But then we both got really excited. A son! A son! Three sons! The sonographer then said, "And he's not shy at all." Boy, was she right. While Pearly Girl was modest to the point of us almost not finding out that she was girl until her birthday, Baby hid nothing in that all-important department. I'll refrain from including a tell-all picture here, but suffice it to say, we saw a little, er, "snip" that told all. :)

The little man was more shy when we saw him in the 3D. But we still got a peek at his face!

When we realized Baby is a boy, we celebrated. Little Professor said he was excited. Papa and I grinned at each other and expressed our joy. Pearly Girl smiled because we all were. But Superman got upset. "I don't want a boy," he kept saying. "I want a girl." He even put his head in his little hands and leaned against the table where I lay. We had to talk to him about how much fun a little brother will be, but he was still pretty despondent. I was surprised because he's never expressed a strong opinion on the subject (while LP stuck with his "sister" guess, Superman would change his mind every day), and his dejection was unexpected. He's a thoughtful one, our S. I don't know if he saw another brother as a competitor or really wanted a little sister so Pearly Girl would have a buddy. I suspect the latter. Superman is very aware of other people and shows an acute conscientiousness for his age (asking open ended questions to adults with no prompting, for example. Then again, he also yells at his brother and pushes his sister on a regular basis). My guess is that over time, Superman will come to love having a younger brother. And before he went to bed tonight, he told us, smiling, that he was excited about his little brother. So he's recovered somewhat.

And we have, too. Every life is a gift, as we've been reminded so clearly in the last day since the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. Whether we expect what we get or not--and truly, who actually gets exactly what they expect?--God knows what is ultimately good. We give Him thanks for His gifts of life and salvation, comfort and steadfastness, and for our Baby Son.

*The phrase "snips and snails" is taken from an old nursery rhyme entitled "What are Little Boys Made of?" So no real sneaking going on here!

Baby Stuff Friday, or To My Fashion-and-Stuff-Forward Mommy-to-Be SIL

After several showers, before P's birth. Papa was pretty excited.

Dear Rachel, 

I told you a few weeks back that I’d get you a list of stuff that, after three go-rounds, I’d recommend to new moms like you. In true mom fashion, I ripped off a template of this list from WebMD, because as all moms know, why reinvent the diaper when someone else has already gone through thousands of versions for you? So the bones of this thing don’t belong to me; any and all idiotic comments do. Here you go. J (And please, all moms or people-who-know-moms or parents generally, add and/or take away from this list in the comments section. You all are a lot smarter than me.)

The Nursery

• Cradle, bassinet, or crib. I’ve had friends get the crib-to-toddler bed-to-full-size, and there’s plenty of them out there. I’ve had friends use a bassinet and then transition Baby to crib. I’ve had friends co-sleep until the kids are six. I do not recommend this. We’ve done the crib route, and it’s been great. I don’t like sharing my sheets, and Baby learns to sleep alone (which, if you ever want to sleep again, is pretty helpful).
• Crib mattress: Dad E’s company does business with Serta, if I’m not mistaken, so if you want to boost their stock price however slightly…
• Musical mobile for crib: Cute decoration + distraction for a whiny kid = score. Just watch out when your older kids want to climb in with the newborn to play with the mobile.
• Dresser: “You will need a few drawers to store baby's clothes and toys.” That was a WebMD comment on this one. Check that: you’ll need multiple tractor trailers to store all the c-r-a-p your kid will accumulate. But don’t worry; a multi-drawered dresser will work for starters.
• Changing area: We originally thought, “Why get a baby furniture set? The kid eventually grows out of it, and then you have furniture you can’t use.” Well, that’s what garage sales are for, and, particularly when it comes to changing, you want to have furniture that you actually won’t ever want to touch again once Baby’s through the diapering stage.
• Rocking chair or glider: Or rocker-recliner; whatever you’d prefer to sleep on during those midnight/afternoon/early morning/whenev feedings. A little table for water, snacks, awesome reading material, etc. next to the chair is a must, too.
• Night light/Small Lamp with Dark Shade: We inadvertently lucked out with the latter. We like to see (somewhat) during nighttime changes, and the nightlights we tried didn’t cut it. Our babies have always slept in the dark, too, so a lamp’s been fine because it’s basically just been for us.
• Tape or CD player: See “Essential Non-essentials” for more on this.

Crib Linens (Since your mom is making super-adorable ones of these, you don’t need advice, other than this: get more than one waterproof mattress pad. At least two. Three or four are even better—plus they fit toddler beds, too, if you know what I’m sayin’. I left the WebMD list here just for kicks. And otherwise this section would look naked without bullet points.)

• 1 quilted mattress pad
• At least 2 fitted crib sheets
• 2-4 waterproof mattress pads or waterproof sheets
• 2 light blankets

Diaper Time: What You Need for the Changing Table

• Diapers (plan on using 70-90 per week for the first six weeks, then 50 per week): Put this way, diaper use makes us think of dollar signs. Lots of them. We use generic diapers, usually always the Parent’s Choice Walmart brand. They figure out to 12 or 13 cents apiece versus up to a quarter. I know friends who’ve used cloth, and there’s lots of choices there—bumGenius, FuzziBunz (my personal favorite name), Bummis, Bumkins… you get the idea. Many of these are super cute and look easy to use, too, so if you want to shell out a few hundred bucks to get started on a set, it might be worth your while.
• Disposable diaper wipes (alcohol-free): We get ours at Sam’s Club.
• Diaper rash ointment or cream: We finally wised up and got the one pound Desitin container with the big blue lid. It’s a thousand times cheaper per ounce and it lasts a.long.time. I’d skip almost any other brand; there’s a few others out there that work like magic, so recommendations are good here…)
• Petroleum jelly: Especially if you have a boy. I’ll let someone else explain why.
• Pad for baby to lie on during changing. Um, duh. And I’d add four changing pad covers and a package of prefold fabric diapers go a long way to keeping your changing table semi-non-toxic (we lay a folded diaper on top of the changing pad covers as a quick take-away when changes are messy; that way we don’t have to change the actual pad cover every day).
• Diaper pail: Unlike us who went El-Cheapo and now have a lid that doesn’t close properly, get one like the Baby Trend Diaper Pail Deluxe which will minimize odors (especially once you’re out of the breastfeeding stage. I won’t go into details because they really aren’t necessary).  

Layette: Baby's First Clothes

• 6 undershirts that snap on the bottom or tie on the side, commonly called "onesies" (3 in three-month size and 3 in six-month size): I didn’t use just the shirt ones that snapped, and I’ve never actually seen ones that tie on the side. Go for 3 short-sleeved white AND 3 long-sleeved white for each size. These are great for layering; plus, they’ll tide you over until you find out Baby’s sex. Plus plus, you’ll get a lot more colorful clothes then, too, and you only need so much white.
• 3 to 4 infant gowns “with elastic bottoms or draw strings. These make for easy diaper changes. All you have to do is pull the gown up over the belly to change the diaper and then pull it back down when finished. There is no stumbling around trying to snap the gown back together, which is especially nice when it's 3 a.m. and all you want to do is get baby back to sleep so that you can get back to sleep.”: These also are something I’ve never seen. But they sound great. At least the “so you can get back to sleep” part.  
• 6 sleepers/stretch suits (3 newborn to three-month size and 3 in six-month size).: I love zip-up sleepers. I got a package of five neutral colored ones in the 0-3 months size and have used them to pieces, even with sex-specific other sleepers. Getting a few for 3-6 months are good, too, especially since your child will be tall no matter what and will outgrow the small sizes quickly. Is that jumping to conclusions? Probably. I’d still tend to get more in the bigger sizes than in the 0-3 month size.
• 3 to 4 pairs of booties or socks: I don’t think moms can ever have too many socks for babies. I think we literally have like thirty pairs of newborn/infant socks in white. And still that’s the one thing I feel like I end up getting (especially as the kids get older). Even little C’s going to need some more socks soon, all not-quite-three-months of her, because her feet are too big for the newborn/infant socks we have. I don’t like most booties because the ankles tend to be wide enough to fit mine and so they come off easily.
• 3 to 4 receiving blankets: Most of the ones I have worked for summer babies; they’re light. But none of them were all that big. The ones that were a nice wrappable-Baby size were the ones we filched from the hospital. So don’t go nuts on these.  
• 1 blanket: Ha. Hahahahahaha. Between Grandmas and quilting/crocheting/knitting relatives and church ladies, you’ll have waaaaaaaaaaaay more than one blanket. And that’s good, because you’ll use different ones for different reasons (Baby in bed, Baby laying on the floor, Baby in swing, Baby in carseat, Baby in Daddy’s arms as they both sleep in front of the television…) and different seasons. I wouldn’t buy any because you’ll end up with more than you can use as it is.
• 1 sweater and hat: Two-three light hats for Baby’s early days are nice. Otherwise, hats gotten for seasonal use are great. One or two sweaters/sweatshirts with buttons or zips are plenty at first, especially for summertime.
• Clothes generally for Baby: It’s nice to have two or three “nice” (re: matching, meant for church and/or walks at Easton. You know, so you can strut your Cutie) outfits per size range (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, etc.). Generally, let other people buy these for you. Because they will. And then you can spend your money on other stuff. And try to go big whenever possible with clothes; kids seriously do outgrow stuff insanely fast in the first year, and you really would rather save your cash to get them cute stuff when they’re old enough to appreciate it (and wear it a lot more). Also, Once Upon a Child and other resale places are awesome. I’ve found brand-new and barely worn clothes for our kids there that were super cheap. I don’t buy new clothes for our kids anymore unless we get specific directions to do so with gift money or cards. Or they’re involved in or going to a wedding. Hand-me-downs are even awesomer, so basically brace yourself if you end up having a boy. J

Bathing Baby: What You Need

• Baby bathtub (sloping with foam pad or flat with molded sponge insert): We have a sloping tub and a fat sponge we use in it when our babies were small. You’ll only use the tub for a few months; once our kids hit about seven months and were sitting up well by themselves, we moved ‘em to the kitchen sink and then the tub. So you can go cheap on this.
• 4 terry cloth bath towels (hooded towels are OK, but not necessary): I beg to differ. Hooded towels are necessary. And the bigger, the better; the homemade ones made out of matching hand towels and big towels that we have are p-r-i-c-e-l-e-s-s.
• 4 to 6 washcloths: These are like socks. The more, the better, especially as Baby gets older (and hopefully, Brothers and/or Sisters join the family).
• Tearless shampoo: We got a bunch of this with soap and lotion in gift sets with P. So much bunches that I didn’t actually have to buy any until he was about three years old. So don’t get any yourself.  
• Baby soap. Many brands make baby shampoo and soap all in one.: This is nice; I just go for the cheapest kind.
• Baby lotion: But make sure your baby doesn’t break out from these.
• Baby oil: A must for combatting cradle-cap; this is where the fine-toothed comb comes in, too.
• Brush and comb: Combs with very fine teeth work best. The best ones we have also came from the hospital, and I would probably stoop to stealing more if I ever saw more than one at a time. I think hospitals hoard them. Fifteen bucks for an Ibuprofin? No. These combs probably cost at least $37.50. Each.  
• Rounded-tip nail scissors or clippers.: The little ity-bity ones for babies are best.
• Bulb syringe nasal aspirator. “These are used to suction excess mucus from baby's nose and mouth (the one you receive in the hospital is a keeper!).”: Gross yes and economical yes. If you get a baby medical set, the last three bullet point items are often all included. I always need more than one nasal aspirator (they break, I can’t find one when I need it, etc.), though, and having a few extra clippers are good, too, so those are worth getting a few more of.

Baby's Laundry

Dreft, the made-for-babies laundry detergent, smells awesome. I’d buy it if it was less expensive and if it wasn’t too weird to have adult clothes smelling like new Baby. It’s nice to get for first kid, though, for your first set of clothes and linens and such to smell amazingly sweet. Helps with the nesting instinct—I would bet money on it. And Shout Stain Remover Ultra Gel is a must for diaper explosions and other incidents that leave messies on clothes. It even works if the yucky has been left for three days in a huge pile of laundry before being put on and then washed. Not that I’m speaking from experience.

Feeding Baby (Other than breastfeeding, of course. And even if you do…)

• Boppy and/or breastfeeding pillow and two covers. Not only are these adorable, but they’re awesome. I’ve used mine for hours every single day with each kid, and not just during feedings; they’re good prop-me-ups for tummy time, too. This is a must, must, must.
• Breast pump for breastfeeding moms: I got a secondhand pump before P was born. (I know, I know—they all scream about voiding warranties and insinuate other grossness when talking about breast pumps. But the owner got it new and used it only a handful of times; she even had the original box. It’s worked fine, and none of us has come down with any diseases. Fifty bucks sure beat $250, too.) I have a Medela breast pump and I’d recommend the brand; you’ll know better than me with reviews and such if that’s still the case.
• 12 nipples, covers, and bottles: You can get these in sets that go along with whatever brand of pump you get. Make sure to get nipples for different ages; as Baby grows, the flow increases and so different nipples are used.
• 1 bottle and nipple brush for cleaning
• Dishwasher basket for bottles and nipples: Definitely a must if you pump regularly. You do not want to be cleaning all those little doo-dads by hand.
• Infant formula and measuring cup: I kept all the free samples I got just to have backup and to use when I started weaning (I haven’t made it to the one year mark… yet). Docs usually recommend certain kinds and usually you stick to one kind so Baby doesn’t get fussy, but this is a subject outside of my expertise, so don’t listen to me.
• 12 burp cloths: A few cute ones are nice, but usually I use the prefold cloth diapers for this. Then, when Baby grows up, you can use them for dust rags. Or so I’ve been told.
• 6 bibs: I have only bought the plastic big bibs for toddlers for our kids because we got so many bibs from others. So probably don’t buy any of these, either. Unless you just can’t live without the “Mmmmmm. Boobies” one. J

The Diaper Bag

WebMD is worth quoting here: “When buying a diaper bag, pick one that has lots of pockets and places to store individual items. Also, keep in mind that your diaper bag often becomes your purse, so find one large enough to keep your wallet, keys, glasses, cell phone, and other items you need for yourself.” Clarification:  you will not actually use a stand-alone purse for about a decade after having children. So get a cute and multi-pocketed (re: Vera Bradley J) diaper bag.

This is a nice little list of stuff to keep in diaper bags. I say bags, because I think having two is better than having one. Just in case, you know.

• 5 to 6 diapers
• Disposable wipes
• Diaper rash cream or ointment
• Pad to lie your baby on top of when changing the diaper
• Plastic bags to wrap dirty diapers in until you can find a trash can to throw them out
• Change of clothes for baby: Infant onesies, a pair of socks, hat, baby outfit (Just be sure to keep the clothes updated for Baby’s size and according to season. Not much worse than being peed on in church during the autumn, opening up the diaper bag, and realizing all you have to clothe your little Saint with is a summertime romper with “Life’s a Beach” on it.)
• Blanket
• 2 clean bottles and powdered formula (if bottle feeding)
• Burp cloth (or two..)
• Pacifier (if using) and cover. Even if you aren’t using one, put one in the diaper bag. You’ll thank me when you go to see Garrison Keillor and Baby decides to wail in the middle of a Lutheran monologue and multiple retired persons around you start squirming. Just don’t drop it, especially not way, way under the seat where you can’t reach it. But I digress.)
• Baby toy or rattle: Not really necessary for the first few months. Don’t overpack; your biceps will thank you.
• Sunscreen for babies older than 6 months: I’ve never put this in a diaper bag. I’ve never even thought to put this in a diaper bag.
• Baby Tylenol: Ditto. If you need this, that’s what Walgreens is for.

The Baby Medicine Cabinet

• Thermometer: We have a digital thermometer that reads temps off of the forehead, and it’s totally worth the $30 or so to get one.
• Calibrated medicine dropper: This will come in that medical kit I  
• Pain reliever/fever reducer medicine: Infant Tylenol works for this.
• Teething rings to soothe teething gums: Wet washcloths work for this, too.
• Small gauze squares to clean wounds.
• Hydrogen peroxide to clean wounds: This just sounds evil to me. That’s the stuff that burns even when you’re an adult. But hey, this is WebMD, so they must know.
• Wound cream such as Bacitracin Antibiotic or Johnson & Johnson First Aid Cream.
• Small bandages.
• Cool mist vaporizer. Good for when baby has a cold.: We’ve used a warm-mist, too. These are a must, especially in the winter.
• Infant sunscreen for babies over age 6 months
• Pedialyte or Ricelyte to be used as directed by your child's pediatrician for fluid replacement during diarrhea or vomiting.: Hopefully you won’t have to worry about this, well, ever. But at least until Baby’s over a year.

Essential Non-Essentials (plus other random stuff I thought of)

• Newborn-size pacifier: “Some lactation consultants recommend not using a pacifier if you are breastfeeding to prevent nipple confusion in your baby.”: Yeeeaaaah. Get two. Just in case you need to save your sanity (and other body parts that need a break once in awhile).
• Noise machine and/or music maker (Ipod, CD player, etc.): We found that P really only like to sleep when he had white  noise around him. While you can go old school on this (dryers, exhaust fans, even running water can make white noise, and we know multiple parents who have put their babies by all of these things to please, dear Jesus, make them sleep), having a formal back-up isn’t a bad idea.
• Cart covers: I’ve never had one and don’t think I’d ever use one if I did. I think this is one of several rip-off items that companies make because most people who get one use it twice and then forget about it. But maybe there’s more moms out there that are germ-sensitive than I think.
• Wipe warmer. I got one as a gift for P and used it a lot, until these weird bugs crawled in there from our basement. It sounds like a super gross B movie, but those things were crazy good at finding spots with water, which, of course, the warmer was. Back in those days, I’d keep the house spotless (or almost) and then hit the ceiling as I freaked out finding those bugs in the warmer. So that, along with not wanting to replace the sponge after the first few times, convinced me they are more trouble than they’re worth. Plus our kids lived even when the wipes weren’t warm. So not something I’d recommend actually buying yourself.
• Baby monitor: Nice, especially if you want to go lay out in the backyard with your dog by your side while Baby naps. You know, just in case you have a backyard and a dog. J
• Baby book…or a blog: Obvious what this is for (other than collecting dust for Kid #2 and #3’s stuff—the book, not the blog, though that happens with some people, too. But you won’t be like that.)
• Infant seat: We have a very basic one that’s been great. You can get one with 1000 bells and whistle, but ultimately, it’s just a seat. If it’s got straps and is easily washable and take-apart-able, then it works.
• Bumbo (mid-infant-age seat): We got one of these with S and used it a lot once he could sit up by himself. I’ve also seen people take these along on outings; they’re portable and cute.
• Swing: Ditto above. Also be prepared to buy lots of batteries with these baby seat type things.
• High chair: Ours is plastic, so it’s relatively easy to clean, comfortable (not hard or cold), and reclinable, too. You can match these to your traveling system sometimes if you’re really into a certain pattern, which is nice.
• Baby sling or pouch: I’ve used the Baby Bjorn a LOT. (Hey, I got that from you! Good call! J) The wrap sling, not so much, but I just got it with C and I’ve found I either carry her or put her in a seat or on a quilt more than wear her around. I’d recommend waiting to get a more involved wrap until you get a sense of how you’ll care for your little bundle of joy.

This is a long list, and I hope it helps (and doesn’t completely overwhelm) you! Remember: it’s not the stuff that makes the baby or the parents… but it sure helps make you feel like you kind of know what you’re doing going into this Parenting thing. Plus, it’s FUN! J

Love,

Your SIL

And Then There were 3!

E with our beautiful children (boys laughing at the photographer!) 

We are so pleased to announce the arrival of our lovely daughter C, born at 10:39 p.m. on December 7. After just over ten hours of labor, our "little" girl showed her face--and the rest--to the world, all 8 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 3/4 inches of her. She was baptized into Christ's death and resurrection at just after 12:30 a.m. on December 8.

Bigger than her two brothers at birth, C has been a great blessing to our family already! We look forward to many smiley times, God willing, in the coming weeks, months, and years. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

Will the boys be able to handle it...?

So. Long. Yet So Short.

We're entering the final turn of pregnancy with Baby Girl. I can honestly say we've prepared the nursery (pink sheet and all), though all of our Christmas decorations are stacked neatly in it just now because the plan is to decorate the house come Friday. I say "the plan" because, of course, all that could change in the next few days, tomorrow, even in a few hours.

It's a weirdly unsettling feeling, knowing that our lives are about to change momentously as we move through our daily schedules. We get up in the morning, I work a few hours, Papa takes care of breakfast with the boys and dresses them--yes, he is priceless!--he heads off to church/visits/Bible Study, we do whatever is on The List for the day, mixed with reading stories, doing puzzles, listening to music (St. Paul's Children's Choir, The Civil War soundtrack, any number of Wee Sing albums), making a tent house out of the kitchen chairs because I need to clean the floor and this is a great way to keep the boys corralled.  Voluntarily, of course. We eat lunch (lately, peanut butter on whole grain, pretzels, pick your fruit, and milk. And maybe Halloween candy for dessert). We nap. We play/work again until Papa comes home. We eat supper, do baths, read stories, do a shortened version of "Close of the Day" from LSB (I almost wrote TLH... old habits. :)), the little boys go to sleep and Papa and I finish projects and/or take a bath to relieve our my aching back. We sleep.

It's remarkably simple, even mundane. But no day is alike, and I never know when P is going to look over at me suddenly and say, "Ya know, Mama...I like ya." Or S is going to tell me in his half-jabber, half-articulate wording that he's got "Duncan on choo-choo tacks." Or they're going to make up a game involving their fold-out Thomas the Tank Engine, climbing in and out of its doors, all the while laughing hysterically and saying "Stinky fish!" I really, really can't make this up.

And while all of this is going on, the unpredictable predictability, the bags are packed (finally), just sitting and waiting; the kind people who have volunteered to step in when The Big Time Comes have (mostly) all been called; the must-have-dones feel mostly done. And I'm feeling pitch and roll, pitch and roll. Occasional muscle spasms, breathlessness, even some Braxton-Hicks that sure don't feel fake. P's been saying the last few days, evidently when I get a certain look on my face, "Mommy, it's hard for you to bend over, isn't it?" I told him that once, about a week ago. And he knows.

But he really doesn't know, and neither do we. Nothing--not even going through this twice before--can prepare us for the change, for suddenly holding a new life in the midst of ours, for adapting to the sleeplessness and the chaos that comes with such upheaval. If it sounds intimidating, it is; if it sounds impossible and something to be avoided, it isn't at all. Everything right now just feels so... normal. Except we look at the clock, and rewrite the to-do list, and wait.

Quite timely, then, that the reading on Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year, was from Matthew 25. The parable of the ten virgins used to strike me as an incomprehensible lesson in selfishness condoned; that was when I was about ten and didn't get that parables, like allegories, represent something other than what they tell. I just thought those wise five virgins were really stingy. But it's kind of like being pregnant and waiting for labor; no one else can take on that experience. I couldn't at the last moment say, "Hey, BF, got a little extra physical strength and fortitude you can spare?" Encouragement, yes; actual bearing, no. It just doesn't work that way. And there's Jesus: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." So true. SO true.

And in the meantime, as we wait--for Baby Girl, and for Christ--life can feel so long. So incredibly, painfully long. And yet so short. We blink, and the time is here. We turn, and it's over. And I try to remember this, as I one minute wish This Could All Be Over and the next wish for a Little Bit More Time. I guess that's what this is. And, come to think of it, it's a good thing He knows when all this will happen and I don't. That way our waiting is a blessing, as we live, and sometimes groan, and sometimes relish, all that is immediately before us.

Human Sex Ratio: Fisher's Principle

Fisher's principle is an explanation of why the sex ratio of most species is approximately 1:1. Outlined by Ronald Fisher in his 1930 book, it is an argument in terms of parental expenditure. Essentially he argues that the 1:1 ratio is the evolutionarily stable strategy.
I did not know that "evolutionarily" was a word.

Register your predictions in the comments to follow...we will let you know if we begin to balance the sex ratio in the U.S. or whether we will contribute another boy to the imbalance of our environment. -J

Baby, Miracle

Today Papa and I went to see our lovely midwife and a few other medical specialists for our baby's 12-week prenatal visit. Honestly, I hadn't thought a lot about it; getting the boys ready to be out the door (by 6:58 a.m.! I couldn't believe we were on time!), over to some dear friends' home, and thinking about and executing all the logistics that had to take place prior to the appointment kept my mind pretty void of expectations. Of course, I got excited once I was on the table and the ultrasound began.

First glimpse--there's Baby! See the fist above the chin?

Then, before our eyes, a miracle. There was Baby, in perfect profile, heart beating regularly, little chest going up and down slightly. Head, eyes, nose, mouth, neck, ribs, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes. Brain. Stomach. (These last two were pointed out to us.) Tiny; just about three inches long. Baby lay still while the sonographer took measurements and answered our questions. Then, as if on cue, Baby started moving, just in time for the sonographer to get observations--and pictures!--in more detail. We were enthralled. It was miraculous to behold.

Hearing--and seeing--Baby's heartbeat, at 160 beats per minute.

And what's even more miraculous is that this tiny child, complete with parts since conception, grows in secret, grows only in sight of our Heavenly Father, while we prayerfully wait for the day to see this child's face without the medium of an ultrasound. Aside from my little bump, this child is totally physically hidden to us. Yet heartbeats, millions of them, have already happened. Features are already becoming more pronounced. We are thankful, so thankful, to have witnessed a glimpse of God's amazing creative power today, and we pray God will continue to bless our child with good health, physical growth, and faith by hearing--because Baby has already begun to hear! Another fantastic miracle!

Legs, litttle feet, little toes!

My favorite--a wave to Mommy and Daddy!

Foot

Face

Hands

Hands

Blurbs

I know: people hate gushing. But J deserves a public embrace for his lovely post from the other day. The man is incredible--not perfect, but certainly the perfect man for me. He sleeps behind me as I type this, his patience proven again by his ability to put up with my occasionally nocturnal turns.

I hear thunder outside. Though this might seem commonplace to many of you, I associate thunder with summer--which is what our recent weather has been like. I'll take it, and take it, and take it. Along with the numerous contractions I've been experiencing for the last hour and a half. AND I hope you enjoy the new Babystrology widget here; I know, it'll be pointless very soon, but isn't it COOL? Sorry, no more gushing.