Beans, Beans

A friend of ours brought us chili for dinner last night. It was very flavorful with a wide variety of beans in it. Cannon does not eat a lot normally, but a scoop of beans did not appeal to him. I managed to get one bite in his mouth. We finished eating, the boys did the dishes and even had time to play around before we loaded us all in the car for an evening of delivering treats to friends. I was buckling Cannon in when I smelled beans on his breath and discovered he still had the one bite in his mouth! It had been over an hour and he had this bite tucked in his cheek. He wouldn't swallow it because he said it was poisonous. Finally, he relented and spit the bite out. I guess that explains why he never ate his applesauce!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday was my 34th birthday. I don't think that sounds so old anymore. I remember when 30 sounded old, now 40 doesn't really seem that bad. I am glad I have had 34 years of life, it has been a good one. Madsen and Sully made me breakfast in bed and they even cleaned up the kitchen afterwards. Cannon and Declan gave me lots of birthday hugs and kisses. Matt bought me pink sapphire earrings but he gave them to me in the hospital because he thought it was more fitting for my birth day to go home in pink earrings. I wore pink yesterday so I could wear the earrings. I made my own birthday cake, the one my mother always made but my family doesn't eat. I guess I have to eat it all by myself! I did get to talk to all 3 of my sisters and my parents for a few minutes before running out the door to Cannon's joy school party. Matt took me shopping to get some pants that fit. I am only 10 pounds off of my pre-pregnancy weight, but 10 pounds is enough to make my pants not fit! I am hoping to not have to wear these new pants for too long! After a bout with post partum depression after Cannon, we are both a little afraid of it returning this time. Matt asks me every day how I am doing, and he was worried about me being alone with all the kids yesterday. I think there are not many things more depressing than buying pants 2 weeks after having a baby, the size is depressing! I am doing fine, and looking forward to running as soon as the doctor says I can! So, as far as old lady birthdays go, it was a good one. You can all come over and eat cake!

Making Waves!

Thursday night was quite the adventure as Waverly Maris decided to join the family. We enjoyed Madsen's play while contractions came about ten minutes apart. Once home, things rapidly accelerated and we ran out of the house and drove like crazy to the hospital. We were in the hospital for maybe 5 minutes when it was obvious she was on her way out. We went screaming down the hallway and were barely on the bed when she arrived. The doctor did not even make it in the room on time, so we think the nurse who delivered should get a bonus.

I had no intention of ever giving birth without drugs, but it was not as bad as I expected. The pain was immediately gone once she was born. I feel better after her birth than any of the boys. I still have no intention of ever doing this again, seriously this time! She weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 ounces and measured 20 inches long. She looks a lot like Cannon did when he was fresh, so it will be interesting to see what she ends up looking like. She is a sweet little thing and we have enjoyed all 4 days of her.

The brothers adore her. They came racing down the stairs shouting " Waverly's home, Waverly's home" when we arrived. They fight over who gets to hold her and bring her the things she needs. Cannon is particularly good at bringing her pinkies (pacifiers to the rest of us) They are being really good big brothers. They ask how her day went, like it can be bad sleeping and eating and being held all day! She has been pretty good at night so far too. I hate to jinx this! The first night was a little rough for a couple of hours, but then she slept from 2:00 am to 7:00 am so not too awful. Last night she only woke up once around 3:00 and then around 7:00. I can handle nights like that.

We are loving having her join our family. I believe she will be a force to be reckoned with in no time. And as the cute shirt Aunt Di sent says: And though she be but little, she is fierce!

One of these things is not like the others

At 8:45 pm we were headed home from Madsen's school play and at 10:22 our baby made her first stage appearance. During the play Danae was having somewhat mild contractions that were about 12 minutes apart. By the time we got home started coming very hard at three minutes. I started grabbing things and we jumped in the car. During the drive the contractions merged into one another and I was really worried about having to deliver on the side of I-440. We got into the hospital and while I was signing the forms Danae made it clear that there was no time for that. We went straight to the room and our little girl was coming out by the time she got onto the bed. The nurse delivered her before the doctor could make it down the hall.

Both mom and baby are happy and healthy. She was born at 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 20 in. long. She likes to suck her fingers and has lots of dark-brown hair. We'll have to get back to everyone with a name. :-)
(Guest posted by Matt)

1 more photo

Here is the view of the house I missed a minute ago. I just love the colors!
Think of all the fun the boys get to have raking these leaves!

Fall colors, a little late!

So, I am a little late putting up my fall leaves. I love the red ones above. This is in the Target shopping center by my house, I frequent the darn place!

This is one of the neighborhoods on my way home. I just think the colors are so beautiful!

Taking pictures while driving might be more dangerous than talking on the cell phone, I only took a couple! Pictures do not do justice to the real thing.

More colors on my way home. I have a picture of my house, but it did not make it on the post. I will try again. We have lived here for 5 falls and the colors just amaze me still. I guess it is like my favorite snow in Colorado, where all the branches and needles of trees are lightly frosted, but the ground is covered with fresh, white psarkly snow and the bright blue Colorado sky, I love that! I am not sure I will ever get over the beauty fo the leaves out here. Now the trees are naked, as Cannon calls them, and the boys have a huge amount of raking to do. The piles are huge. Some day I will take a picture of that too!

Shopping and Evolution

I was talking to Dad today and we discussed how we stay away from stores and crowds as much as possible this time of year, particularly this past weekend. It would take one fabulous deal to get me in the store in the early AM with a bunch of crazy people. I think maybe a buy one get on free at a car dealer would make me think. Or 50% off the house I have my eye on. There is nothing at Wal-Mart worth trampling someone to death. Dad said that Sheila's comment was Black Friday combines two of her most hated things, crowds and shopping, not to mention her Ohio weather. When did shopping become one of the most hated things? I remember loving going to the grocery store with Mom, probably for the same reason the boys want to go with me, to sneak things into the cart that I don't usually buy. A trip to the mall was anxiously awaited. Is there anything more fun than going from store to store just to see if there is something you want? I now understand why Mom hated shopping. First of all, she had to drive 45 minutes to said mall, and then have2-3 girls to deal with trying on clothes or athletic shoes (her personal favorite to shop for!) Just being in a mall is bad enough with out adding Mom's challenges to it. I hate the mall now. On the rare occasion that I go to the mall it is with a specific purpose and I am pretty sure I walk like I have a mission to complete, just like Mom used to. I think shopping hits the most hated list when it becomes a to do. It is no longer fun, but a chore that is to be endured. I hate grocery shopping, I hate buying gifts for my kids friends, I hate school supply shopping and I hate Christmas shopping. It is only magnified if the boys are with me. I avoid shopping on Friday night or Saturdays like the plague. My family would eat from the year supply complete with powdered milk, before I will go to Sam's on a Saturday. I am so glad I have the opportunity to do my shopping any time of day any day of the week, when I can avoid the largest crowds. And now I plan things around when Cannon is at school or play group. Being on my own makes this yucky to do a little more tolerable. Just one more thing I have discoverd in the evolution from kid to parent.

New Months

I love the start of a new month. Especially one that starts on Monday. It is such a great opportunity to start a new goal, or start over on an old one. I know that sounds silly, but to me it is just wrong to try to start something new on a Wednesday, even if it is the first of the month. I would have to wait til Monday. So Monday the first is always fun. New months always seem fresh with so much adventure ahead. I like to look at an empty calendar, for at least one day, before it suddenly fills up. I have found myself looking at my calendar this year with lots of " if I can just make it through..." take August, with that one the boys went back to school. Then I needed to make it through October so baseball and soccer would end. I love watching the boys play, it is just so time consuming and we hardly get to be together at night. Now I made it through November, which this year, is great! So, Monday, December 1 was really exciting today. I can officially say I will have this baby this month! I looked at my calendar and today was the only empty day this week. I filled that up with an eye doctor appointment. The next 2 weeks are out of control busy with church events and my turn to teach Cannon's joy school. Then it slows down. If things slow down in December! I made a list of all the things that are required to be done before this baby gets here. Since I only have 3 weeks, I better get cracking.

I have to admit, I did not make any goals for this month, beyond my list. I am really just waiting for this baby to be born. After 2 crazy busy weeks, I will really be counting days. This Monday the first all I am thinking is that every day I get through gets me that much closer to this baby. I am not worrying so much about finishing December.

Maybe someone else loves Monday the 1st too and will make great plans for this month. I sure wish January started on Monday. That is really just perfect!

Happy December 1st!