Baby Update!

Maybe you guessed, since I haven't posted all week--our little girl is here, and she is really a she (although we would have felt blessed with another "he" as well)! Her name is Lauren Jane, and she was born Wednesday morning at 4:25 am. She is 7 pounds, 4 ounces and 21 inches long. We are doing well.

Remember the digital camera fiasco? We still don't have one, so we're using film. We can put the images on a CD when they're developed, so when I get some pictures, I will post some.

In the meantime, we're resting and nursing and holding the baby. I'll be back to posting soon!

(By the way, I did get some bran muffins, banana bread and banana muffins made before labor hit. The chickens are still thawing and will probably go in the crockpot tomorrow to make Chicken Divan--eat half, freeze half, Mexican Chicken casserole and other chicken dishes).

Funny Pregnancy Comments

So I am officially due with baby number four, our first girl, August 16. But I must look ready to deliver any day now, based on the comments I have been receiving while out and about. Here are some of my favorites. They just make me smirk and giggle. The things people cannot leave unsaid...;)

• "Wow! You're ready to pop!" (as if it were that easy)
• "When are you due?" Upon hearing my due date is still 2-4 weeks away, the follow up by at least two people:
• "Are you sure you're not having twins?" and
• "Just one baby in there???" (ok, go ahead and call me huge, that's fine). :) I'm 5'4", and what can I say--short women tend to be all baby up front. We can't help it. It's called a short torso.
• "Going for a basketball [football/baseball] team?"
• "Are you gonna make it?"

Sometimes you just have to smile and go with it. Although I should come up with some great one-liners in response...

Have a great day!

Coffee Talk: Say What?

As women, we receive numerous comments and questions (usually from other women) on any number of things. Some are direct, and some are not so direct. But of course, as women, we're usually great at reading between the lines.

One of the questions that I've been getting so much lately, now that I'm expecting our fourth in six years, is, "So, is this the last one?"

Other variations include:
"You're done now, right?"
"Are you happy about being pregnant again?" (as if I've been "knocked up"--pardon the phrase--one too many times, not of my own accord)
"Are you planning to have any more?"

Recently, a well-meaning friend asked something like, "Will you keep accepting what the Lord is providing?" I honestly didn't know what she meant, but then I guessed it had something to do with family size. So I asked if she meant if we were going to have more children. Bingo. I told her maybe; we aren't planning on doing anything permanent, if that's what she was wondering.

It is funny to see the general perception regarding family size in our culture today--a perception that is revealed in questions like those above. No one asks a mom expecting her first child if she's planning to have more children. They're just thrilled she's expecting her first. Moms of two field questions like, "Are you going to have more?" I don't remember receiving lots of questions during my third pregnancy; maybe three is the commonly accepted number today. But when you hit four or more, people start to reveal their perceptions about acceptable family size.  Their questions hint at their belief that you really should be wrapping things up.

My other favorite comment is: "You sure have your hands full." I've figured out it's really not a compliment. I've even started telling the boys when we go out (usually to the store) that I better not hear anyone say, "You sure have your hands full." They know what that means. We usually only get comments like that when someone (or two someone's, or three) are being too rowdy. Then the person sees me with a 6-year old, a 4-year old, a 2-year old, and a 7-month pregnant belly and feels compelled to utter, "You sure have your hands full." Hearing that more than once on a shopping outing means the trip really didn't go well and someone (or two someone's, or three) are going to receive some discipline at home. So the boys are learning that they better not behave in a way where Mom gets a comment of "You've got your hands full." I would much rather hear, "Wow, your children are really well behaved."

While we can find these questions and comments mildly irritating or offensive, we should aim to take them in stride, with a little humor. I love what Nancy Wilson writes in The Fruit of Her Hands: Respect and the Christian Woman about principles and methods. There are different ways--different methods--of applying God's principles. But as women, we can become overzealous that our method is the method every other Christian woman should follow. She writes,
I'm also wondering if it would do us good to not be so verbally expressive with questions and comments...

"Here are a few examples: 'Can you believe how often she has to go feed her baby? My baby was sleeping through the night at six weeks?' 'Your youngest is almost two? You know three children are better than two!' 'Why aren't you homeschooling?' 'Why are you homeschooling?' Women who feel free to express themselves about such things may have no idea of the damage they are doing. Common courtesy prohibits one woman from breezily criticizing another's methods. It also prohibits nosy questions, such as, 'Are you using birth control?'...Courtesy means we listen [as others share their methods] and ask questions (and not loaded questions). We don't interrupt, we don't get impatient and angry. And, if it is a sensitive issue, courtesy demands that we ask no questions and mind our own business!"

As we receive questions, though, we are called Biblically to bear with one another in love (Col. 3:13) and overlook offenses (Proverbs 19:11). Aim to take it all in stride, without letting the questions (or the perceived meaning) and comments destroy unity among believers. As Mrs. Wilson reminds us, grace is needed to accomplish this!

In good humor, I would love to hear the comments or questions you receive that you find the most colorful. And, with what Mrs. Wilson wrote about courtesy, do you think we would be wise to refrain ourselves from asking semi-personal questions--even if we mean no harm and are just curious?


What do you think?

The Ring Test Update

You may remember that a few weeks ago I blogged about an old wives' tale to predict the sex of one's unborn baby. If you dangle a ring (or other metal object) in front of your belly, it will either spin in circles or go back and forth in a pendulum. We got circles.

According to the tale, circles indicate you're carrying a girl; a pendulum indicates a boy. Supposedly, the metal detects and responds to the energy emitted from the baby's hormones. Sounds strange, I know. You don't have to put much stock in it, but it was fun to try and see.

(Stop reading here if you don't want to know until the baby's born what I'm having.) :)

Our doctor's ultrasound confirmed...the baby is a GIRL! How fun. The boys have really been wanting a sister and just knew all along it was a girl, "because the ring test said so." We had to have lots of talks about how the ring test may not be accurate. They kept the faith.

In the hope that maybe I was carrying a girl, I went ahead and crocheted this hat. Isn't it adorable? I figured that if we were having another boy, I would just pass it along to a friend. Now I'm thrilled I can keep it for our little girl to wear (I like the pattern so much I'm sure I'll be making more for friends expecting girls).

So does the ring test really work? Many people think so. All I know is it worked for me and two of my friends who are also expecting girls. If you're pregnant and curious, it can't hurt to try!

A Free Peek into The Womb

Photo credit

I marvel at the wonder of pregnancy--the knowledge that an intricate human being is being formed each day in my womb. An ultrasound offers a peek into the womb. It always fascinates me to see what the baby is doing, unbeknowst to the outside world.

Ultrasounds are also expensive. We will have one with our doctor in the next few weeks. It will cost $451 dollars. Without insurance, on top of the $4,000-some dollar OB bill, it adds up. But it is possible to have a free ultrasound.

Our local Care-Net Pregnancy Resource Center offers free training ultrasounds. These offer the nurses additional training in measuring babies at various stages of pregnancy. They like women to volunteer so they can get this extra practice. Women who volunteer get a peek at their baby in the womb, at no cost. It's a win-win for everyone.

I have had two ultrasounds at Care-Net. Whereas the doctor's ultrasound is usually more medical ("let's find the organs and systems and move on"), the Care-Net nurses--in my experience--let you marvel longer at your baby. They have to gather their measurements, sure, but for the most part, you can watch what the baby is doing, unhindered by the necessity to take another measurement, or move the monitor to see the spine, etc.

I am not sure if all Care-Nets offer the free training ultrasound, but if you're pregnant, or know someone who is, it's certainly worth calling and checking into.

Pregnancy Insomnia

Photo by Feliciano Guimaraes

The hardest issue I've dealt with during my pregnancies has not been heartburn, nor a growing waistline, nor strikes of extreme hunger pains at times, although each of those has been unpleasant.  Before the stork brings the baby, as the saying goes, it brings me many sleepless nights. There's really nothing on my mind keeping me awake, I just can't sleep.

During my first pregnancy, I was anchoring and producing the morning news for our local NBC station. I had to be up at 2AM to be in at 3AM. I just chalked the inability to sleep up to a crazy schedule. Fortunately, I often napped in the afternoon (but I didn't have any kids then either).

With pregnancy number two, the problem returned. This time, I knew it was a real problem, since I was now on a regular sleep schedule. Same thing with pregnancy number three, and now with pregnancy number four.

My body is sleepy; it just forgot how to actually fall asleep.

My doctor explained to me that my insomnia results from the way my body is reacting to all the hormones. Some nights, no matter how tired I truly am, I feel like I am on an adrenaline high, or like I drank three shots of espresso. I lay down and rest, but most nights, I don't sleep. On about night three or night four of no sleep, I may try to take a Unisom (although I generally try to avoid it). Unfortunately, it doesn't help.

Although my day is pretty active anyway, I've experimented with seeing if extra exercise during the day helps me sleep at night. It doesn't. I've tried the hot-bath or shower-before-bed idea. Nope. A glass of warm milk or peppermint tea makes me drowsy; but the drowsy feeling doesn't translate into inducing my body into sleep. So I don't really know.

When your body forgets how to sleep, it can make you anxious.

The good news, though, is--whatever hormones are keeping me up at night are also carrying me through the day. I think it's God's mercy.

Eventually, my body will adjust, and I'll sleep again. Until then, I'm curious:

Have you ever dealt with pregnancy insomnia, and what did you do about it?