Baby Countdown and Confession Time

So maybe you have noticed the baby countdown jumping around a bit in the sidebar.  Maybe you haven't.


Yesterday it said 1 day remaining.   Today it says 10. 


One morning a while back it said 23 days remaining.  By that afternoon it said 13.


What gives?


First of all, we are quite sure, and always have been, of baby's due date.  


However, a couple of weeks ago, my doctor offered an induction date, and even though I had been induced in all three previous deliveries and had wanted to avoid it this time, I accepted.


Long story short... we changed our minds. 


So here I sit, knowing that just 24 hours ago my name was somewhere on a hospital form for our arrival this morning.


Based on my last two deliveries, we very likely could have been holding our baby girl in our arms by early this afternoon.


And while I am very anxious to be doing just that, I am very confident that we made the right decision.


Impatient?  Yes.  Regretful?  No.


This isn't about me.  This story belongs to God and Miss B.  The two of them have the timing worked out just right.  The rest of us just have to wait and see how they write it.

What do you get....

...when the toddler that naps in your bed wakes up and finds your packed-for-the-hospital bag unzipped:

I'll let you just imagine all the little match-head to pea-size deodorant bits scattered across the carpet.


Or how about this one?
....when the toddler that loves powder finds it accidentally within his reach and decides to share with his baby:

And I didn't even bother with a picture of the one when the toddler who is fascinated with his coming sister's room and her tiny diapers scattered said diapers all over the floor.  And poured an entire half-full (aren't I optimistic?) bottle of rubbing alcohol into the carpet.  


This boy gives a whole new meaning to "you really have your hands full!"

A Morning at the Playground

1. After 3 months of high-90s to mostly over 100 degree temps, we are two days in to beautiful, mild fallish weather

2. With the countdown to baby into the final week, our school schedule has let up considerably this week.

3. With the countdown to baby into the final week, Mama goes stir-crazy without much warning.

4.  And have I mentioned how thrilled we are about not feeling like we're in an inferno when we walk outside?

So we got some things done this morning and then went to the library and the park! :)

Yay for fall!  Yay for homeschooling!  And yay for getting out of the house!

"Pretty Much"

A new homeschool song from Tim Hawkins.  Because he was "tired of the old one." Haha!

I'm probably the last one to see this, but I wanted to share it anyway, just in case. :)

Tyler's favorite picture, ever.

I mentioned the other day that Mom and I went for a pregnant photo shoot.


We had so much fun playing with different poses and props, and she got some really good shots! (if i do say so, myself) ;)


As we were leaving our top secret, secluded location, we had to pass through the corner of a pasture.


When we stopped to open the gate, I saw a kindred spirit and couldn't resist posing with her for one more picture:

We reproducing, multipara, abundantly lactating mamas have to stick together, you know?

Room for Miss B

The day we found out this baby was a girl, we made one simple statement that has stuck with us and applied to many situations. "This changes everything."

One of those changes has been "the baby room."  For varying reasons, each of our 3 boys has had his own crib set.  But this time, I was content to stick with the khaki jungle print Tyler had used.

Until we found out a GIRL would be sleeping in that bed.

"This changes everything!"

So we bought a new crib set.

And suddenly, those softly warm yellow walls didn't work anymore.

"This changes everything!"

Goodbye yellow, hello faintest hint of PINK.

Choosing a theme for the room was easy.  Who else would be joining our buffalo herd, but a tiny little butterfly?

So butterflies it was.

Several hours and gallons of paint and a good bit of glue later..... a room for Miss B.

The crib? Same one everyone else has used. Originally white. And originally purchased brand new for $13 (Or was it $11? - prorate that over 4 kids!), thanks to a heads-up from my Aunt and Uncle.

The chandelier?  A leftover gift from my sister's wedding last year.

The armoire in the corner?  The other piece of baby furniture all 3 boys used. I never have to think what is in which drawer, because they've held the same things for 3 babies!  The only difference is there is a lot of PINK in those drawers this time around.  "This changes everything," remember?  Well, that and the fact that this piece was natural wood tone until now.  

A closer look at the butterflies in the corner:

They look a little red in this pic, but they are more of a bright pink.  This wall paint has been the weirdest thing.  It changes its color, and that of everything in the room, depending on time of day and lighting.  Never seen anything like it.  

Another painted item for this time around, our desk-turned-changing table:

I made the pink gingham curtains to match the bedding.  You can see more about the changing table, and a closeup of the clothesline window frame at my mom's blog. Now would be a good time to mention that she gets the credit for pretty much the whole room.  Greg painted the walls and trim.  Mom did ... pretty much all the work for everything else.  Sure, I tried to do my share, but I think I was kind of like the Shake n Bake kid.  "I hay-ulped!"  Still... she lets me say 'we', because she's just nice like that. :)

And last, but not least....

The sign over the bed reads, "B is for ______".  The bloggy world will just have to wait for a birth announcement to find out our little butterfly's name. :)  Hopefully you won't be waiting long. :)

So there you have it!  A brand-new room for a brand-new baby.  All pink and full of butterflies.  Like nothing we've ever had in this house before!

But like I said.....

This changes everything!

I should blog.

I was looking at my archive list the other day and saw that 2011 is looking to be a sure bet for the year with the least posts.


Year 5.


And Year 4 was the least before that.  


I always think that the lack of posts is simply because of the life-season I am in at the moment.  (It's summer..... It's a new school year... It's a new baby soon.....) but then I look back at that archive and realize it's all one big season of declining blogging.


I have no explanation for this.


A few theories, but no solid proof.


For now my seasonal excuse is the final days of pregnancy.  Because we are to that point.... days.  Not weeks anymore.  Days.


So we've been busy putting the final touches on a sweet pink baby room (post to come on that.... maybe - ha! - but you can get a sneak peek here and here), taking some fun preggo portraits, sewing a carseat cover, and -oh yeah- all that real-life stuff like laundry and parenting and meals and housekeeping and homeschooling.  


All that stuff makes me tired.  Who am I kidding? All that stuff makes a person tired anyway, never mind while carrying around another human being.  


So instead of blogging, I'm busy. Or instead of blogging, I'm sitting back and enjoying my boys.  They're crazy, in a funny sort of way.  Or instead of blogging, I'm spending time with Daddy Buffalo, sometimes taking care of more of that running a household stuff, sometimes just zoning out and watching baseball.


And on one more note of random rambly randomness... we (heart) our Rangers. Fun times. 


See y'all around.  When I probably won't be blogging more frequently in the next season, no matter my optimism. Two or three a week seem to be it for now.  But I'm ok with that.  Beats nuthin'. ;)

Photo credit: My awesome mom @Simple Journeys.