Lavender's Birth Story – The Prequel

I shared Lavender's birth story HERE, but now I want to share the story before the story.

It was a warm July day when our second son Aaron received his mission call. That same afternoon, I took a pregnancy test. I was more than two weeks late, something that had never happened except when a baby was on the way. But I was a 44 year old grandma, so a pregnancy seemed unlikely. I had ordered the test online, unwilling to go to the store in case I happened to run into anyone I knew. Neither John nor I were really surprised when the test result was positive. I was worried, but secretly thrilled. I had always felt that there was a child missing from our family, that we were supposed to have another baby. John never felt quite the same way. For years we discussed it and prayed about it, but could never come to an agreement. I had become pregnant once after Evan, and John and I were excited. When it ended in miscarriage, I was sure that we would try for another baby, but we didn't. I had never been “baby hungry,” but that feeling that there was one more had never gone away despite my pleadings with the Lord.

John and I were scheduled to leave on a wonderful trip in a few days. It would be just the two of us for nearly two weeks. We would spend a week in Puerto Rico courtesy of John's employer and then we would spend several days in New York City using John's hotel points. John was worried and wondered if we should still leave on our trip. We decided to go and have a wonderful time. We could think about the pregnancy when we got home. Our attempts at denial didn't work very well. I needed a nap every afternoon in Puerto Rico. Fortunately we had a luxurious bed at the San Juan Ritz Carlton. In New York I started to feel sick and the extreme heat didn't help. One night I sat up in bed when I was awakened by a voice calling “Mom!” At first I thought it was Marianne, but then I realized she was thousands of miles away. I wondered if something was wrong at home and if I should call in the middle of the night. Then it occurred to me that I had heard my daughter calling to me, but it wasn't Marianne.

Despite my morning sickness, we had a wonderful trip. When we returned home I took another test just to be sure. Then I called my doctor. She ordered blood tests and after getting the results she started me on progesterone. Everything seemed to be going fine until my 45^th birthday. That morning I got a call from the doctor's office asking me how everything was going. Was I having any bleeding or cramping? I was confused. The nurse explained that my follow up tests showed that the progesterone wasn't working and I was likely having a miscarriage. What a lousy birthday present.

A week later I had my doctor's appointment. I was a wreck. John came with me, not knowing what the news would be. The ultrasound showed a 10 week old fetus with a strong heartbeat. What a roller coaster of emotions. We really were having a baby!

Later in August we decided to tell our kids the news. We showed them the ultrasound pictures so they would have tangible proof. Evan was confused, Ryan was shocked and Aaron was sure we had photoshopped the pictures. Marianne was the only one who wasn't surprised. She had figured it out weeks earlier. She started naming off symptoms and evidence, finally asking her brothers, “Didn't you notice that Mom was in bed all the time?!” Apparently they just thought I was tired.

I decided it would be easiest to tell my extended family all at once. I sent everyone a text message telling them to check our family blog for a little surprise. On the blog I posted a video clip from Father of the Bride II. Then I included the ultrasound picture with a caption saying “Yes, this is real. No, it is not a joke. I am twelve weeks pregnant. We are having a baby at the beginning of March.”

Can I Blog About Anything Other Than My Baby?

Nope!  It's All Lavender, All the time here at Happy Hartz . . .

 

Lavender's Birth Story

Our baby was due on Evan's birthday--his 14^th birthday! Fourteen years is long time between babies and I felt a little out of practice. I decided to use the Hypnobabies program my sister had used with her last baby. To try out the program, I used the “Peaceful Sleep Now” CD to help me fall asleep. After three nights I determined it wasn't working very well. It still took me awhile to fall asleep. Then I realized that I had never heard the end of the CD. It was a 35 minute CD and I had only heard the first 15 minutes! That made a believer out of me and I had Evan put all the Hypnobabies childbirth CDs on my iPhone. I began practicing relaxation and focus techniques for about 30 minutes a day. I really enjoyed my practice sessions. I got to lie down and listen to a calm, soothing voice with my eyes closed; sometimes I even fell asleep! I loved listening to the various tracks because they are so calming and positive. I was preparing for a “peaceful, easy, beautiful birth” and contractions were called “pressure waves” or “surges.” Later in my pregnancy, I had Evan download the “Turn Breech Baby” track from the Hypnobabies website to help our little “flipper” get in position. She turned almost immediately and stayed put until her birth a few days later. (I highly recommend the Breech Baby MP3 from Hypnobabies.  It stands alone and can be used even if you aren't doing the rest of the program.)

About 10 days before our due date, I woke up at 4:00 AM and began making a mental to-do list. I sat up on the edge of the bed and then my water broke with a big gush. I was surprised because I hadn't been having contractions and I definitely hadn't had that unmistakable sign of labor (bloody show/lost mucous plug). I woke up John asking him to get me a towel and he was shocked that the baby was on her way.

Despite our surprise, we managed to leave for the hospital by about 5:30. I would have preferred to stay at home for awhile, but I had tested positive for group B strep and needed to be treated with antibiotics before the birth. On the way to the hospital I listened to my childbirth affirmations and it helped me relax and get in a positive mindset. Thank goodness because the nurse was anything but positive. She questioned my desire to have a heparin lock (instead of an iv) telling me I needed to be prepared for an epidural and cesarean. She also told me that if my baby was breech, I would definitely need a cesarean. I calmly told her that I had already discussed both of these matters with my doctor who had advised the heparin lock and was prepared for a breech birth if necessary. A quick ultrasound confirmed what I already knew—baby girl was head down!

Now it was time to get to work and things were going well. Negative nurse's shift ended. My doctor stopped by before heading over to her office. I was having regular pressure waves and the baby's heartbeat was strong. My new nurse was very supportive of natural, unmedicated birth. She had been a midwife in England and even had one of her babies at home.

I kept one earphone in and listened to Hypnobabies throughout my labor. Once my antibiotics finished, I was able to get up and John and I walked the halls together. John and I love taking walks together –even in the hallway at the hospital. It felt so good to be up and moving. At the end of the hall there was a big window and often I had a contraction as we got there. I put my arm's around John's neck and he held me as I relaxed and breathed.

My labor didn't progress the way I expected. It was gradual and steady rather than picking up speed as we got further along. I had to focus as the the surges got stronger, but I wasn't in pain. Early in my labor, the nurse asked me to rate my pain on a scale of 1-10. I explained that I thought of labor as work and pressure, not in terms of pain. She understood and never asked me that question again. Instead she would ask, “Are they getting stronger? Or are they changing?” They did keep getting stronger, but I really wasn't in pain. The harder the surges, the more I needed John. I would call his name and he came over to the bed and held my hand. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but we couldn't see out the window because the blind wouldn't open. The nurse had tried and couldn't get it to work. John rolled it up by hand and I loved looking at the sunshine on the green hills behind the hospital. It was the perfect day for our baby girl to arrive.

In the afternoon my wonderful doctor arrived. She said that some of her appointments had been canceled and she was going to stay there. I was feeling a little impatient and surprised that things weren't moving faster. I was waiting for that feeling that it was time to push. This time was different though and that feeling never came, at least not it the way it always had before. Instead, my body started pushing and I felt kind of out of control. With my other babies, pushing was always such a relief and it felt good to push. I was excited that the baby would be here soon, but I never got that “finally I get to push!” feeling.

My sister Jenny and my daughter Marianne came into the room. I had tears in my eyes and I didn't want them to think I was crying because of pain. I told them that my mom was there. The nurse turned around and asked where my mom was. I explained that she had passed away. Just before Jenny and Marianne arrived, John sat on the side of the bed and reminded me that our mothers were bringing us our baby girl today. I knew he was right and I could really feel their presence. I felt their love and comfort and support. I knew their spirits were close to us.

Finally it was time to push. I was very vocal during the pushing. This surprised me and I felt a bit self-conscious, especially with Marianne there. Pushing was also very hard and somewhat painful. I think there are a couple of reasons it felt this way. First of all, the baby was still up fairly high so I had a long way to push her. Although I didn't realize it at the time, one of the nurses who was getting everything ready had unplugged my earbuds from my phone. I had been listening to my Birth Guide, but without it I wasn't as relaxed.

It felt like I was pushing forever and the baby was never going to come out, but I really only pushed for 15 minutes. Finally the doctor asked John, “Did your other kids have lots of dark hair?” That surprised both of us. Everyone kept telling me, “She's almost here” or “Just one more push,” but I didn't really believe them. At last the nurse told me, “Open your eyes and look down. She's here.” I didn't realize that my eyes had been closed, but when I opened them I saw her little head and they scooped her up onto my chest. It was the most wonderful feeling. I was blessed to nurse and hold my sweet girl for more than 30 minutes after she was born. I looked at her beautiful little body and I knew she was perfect. In the weeks before her birth, I had prepared myself for the possibility of Down Syndrome. But as I looked at her, I could see she didn't have DS and the spirit confirmed that to me as well.

Our doctor told John and I that she wanted us to look at something. She showed us the umbilical cord and it had a big knot in it. She told us it was a “true knot” and that if it had been pulled any tighter we wouldn't have our little girl with us. We knew she was indeed a miracle!

Lavender

Flu season
The doctor warned
As he washed his hands

Wait a few more weeks
My friend (a nurse)
Advised

So I stay home
Keeping her safe
Avoiding germs

Reasons
That make sense
But not quite true

I had her all to myself
For nine months
Mine alone

Now I share her
With daddy
And family I love

But not
With the world
Not yet

She is too precious
And tender
Even sacred

Still connected
To my flesh
And my spirit

A part of me
I am not ready to share
Our souls intertwined

Sent to me
As a gift
A healing balm

Someday
Her gifts will bless the world
Today she blesses me

Almost 3 Weeks

There is so much I want to say and I don't know where to start.  Over the past few weeks I have felt many emotions, but one stands out above the rest.  I am filled with deep gratitude for:

Our sweet baby girl and the peaceful, healing spirit she brings to my heart and our home.  

Lavender with lavender

Her strong and healthy body 

The love of our extended family--not to mention the meals, visits, gifts and phone calls

Beautiful flowers and balloons (thanks J & L for these)

My missionary son who asks me to "please send more pictures of Lavender" even though we didn't name her Zadie as he suggested

Friends who gave me such a lovely baby shower with

beautiful gifts, yummy food, laughter and my favorite flavor of bundt cake

(white chocolate raspberry in case you were wondering)

And who are still patiently awaiting their thank you notes!

Warm weather so we could go out for a walk

A fabulous doctor and nurse who I could trust completely while in labor

Delicious meals brought by friends in our ward

The cards, gifts and wishes from friends near and far

Being able to walk, breathe, eat and sleep without pain.

In other words, not being pregnant any more!

On our way to the hospital at 5:30 AM. My expression says "Hurry up and take the  picture!"

Crazy Things A Good Mom Does

I'm not sure if these prove that I'm crazy or that I'm a good mom.  Take your pick.

Evidence #1
So, we've come up with a name for the baby.  What do you think of Flipper?  Okay, not really.  But it should be her nickname.  She gets in the perfect "ready to be born" position for a day or two and then during the night she flips into a breech position.  We are trying several methods to convince her to keep her head down, but the funniest one is playing music down where her head it supposed to be.  It's not so bad when I'm in the car.  I just hit shuffle and put my phone on the seat when I sit down.  But at home my family thinks I am really weird.  Marianne is a good sport though and has been choosing music she thinks the baby will like.  This morning it was September by Earth, Wind and Fire.  It actually did wake her up and get her moving.  Now if we can just keep her moving in the right direction!

Evidence #2
Elder Aaron has been a missionary for four months now and I kind of feel like THIS.  So when Aaron mentioned a couple of Korean books that would be really helpful "if they're not too expensive," I set out to find them.  The first one was easy to find and inexpensive.  The second one I had to order from Seoul Selection.  And that isn't just a catchy name.  It is in Seoul, Korea.  It was reasonably priced so I placed my order.  As I was checking out, I realized that the shipping rate from Seoul was a bit more than I expected.  But hey, what mom doesn't want her missionary son to have the best in Korean grammar books?!  I figured it was kind of like contributing to the church missionary fund.  To make matters worse, I mistakenly thought that shipping rates to Toronto would be about the same as to New York.  Just take a look at the map.  Wrong.  Next time I have a package for my missionary, I might just fly there and give it to him in person!

What Didn't Happen At My Baby Shower

On Saturday I had an absolutely lovely baby shower.  I will tell you all about it soon but first I want to tell you what happened after the shower.  Saturday was pretty much consumed by the baby shower.  There was a van full of gifts to unload, a stroller to put together, toys to play with, clothes to sort, stories to tell and delicious leftovers to eat for dinner.

So it was no surprise that Sunday morning found us talking about the shower again.  When John and I woke up I told him about my funny dream.  He sighed and said, "I wish what you told me earlier was just a dream."  I was puzzled and asked him what he meant.

"You know, about the couch," he patiently explained.  "How you wanted to talk to some of your friends and when you sat down on the couch . . . it broke."

I started laughing and assured him that I hadn't broken any furniture at the shower.  He decided he must have dreamed it and told me, "I am so relieved.  I didn't want to have to call Drew (the hostess' husband) and find out how much I owed him for the couch."

My husband has been wonderful all through this pregnancy telling me how beautiful I look.  But now I have proof that he has noticed I have put on a little weight!

In Other News

Whew! That was a whole lot of birth stories.  I tried to keep out anything even remotely graphic to please some of my readers, but for Rachel or anyone else who wants to know about that sign that let me know I was  heading into labor, click  HERE.   I think we'll take a little break from that subject while I tell you what everyone has been up to in the past week.

John spent most of the week in Orlando.  Sounds like fun, but he was in meetings the whole time. He did get to go to Sea World one evening, but everything was closed. It was okay though, because everyone got to help with a service project.  They worked in teams to build prosthetic hands.  These were not life-like prosthetics, rather they were basic open and close models that could grasp and pick up items.  I believe they were donated to those in need.  John really enjoyed that experience.  We missed him and were glad to have him back home!

My excitement for the week was getting my hair done.  It had been too long!  I also had my weekly doctor's appointment and found out that I now get to go in for non-stress tests twice a week.  I had my first two and it is pretty simple--just monitoring and everything looks good.  I went ahead and scheduled them for the rest of the month.  I figured I had better plan ahead since I now have 3 appointments a week.

Molly got her wisdom teeth out last week.  Not a fun time, but everything went well and now it's over!  We got to help out with the girls while Ryan was at work and Molly was getting a little rest and recovering.  The girls were really good and cute as ever.  Leighton loved the baby swing at the park and laughed every time Evan gave her a gentle push.  Brianne, on the other hand was a little nervous about the swings.  She did like it when Evan pushed her really fast in the stroller though.  Go figure!

Brianne smelling a flower before our walk

Later that day, Marianne was sitting on the piano bench talking to me.  Brianne came over and insisted that Marianne move.  Her vocabulary is still growing, but she made it very clear than she wanted Marianne to get off the piano bench.  As soon as Marianne got up, Brianne carefully set her little Duplo lego guy on the bench and went on happily playing.  Apparently that was HIS seat that Marianne was sitting in!

Aaron sends us emails once a week on his p-day.  We all look forward to Mondays!  Last week he told us that at the end of Sacrament Meeting in the Korean branch, his companion mentioned that the whole meeting had been about missionary work.  Aaron was surprised and had no idea that had been the topic!  He asked me to order a Korean dictionary and grammar book for him.  Ha!  I emailed him his birth story from my blog and he responded today saying he had no idea there was so much involved.  He just thought he happened to be the "good, easy baby."


Marianne's highlight of the week was getting her braces off!  When I picked her up at the orthodontist, it looked like her birthday.  She had balloons, a Target gift card, movie passes, a frozen yogurt gift card and a gift certificate for a professional photo shoot.  All I remember getting was a retainer!

Before

After

Doesn't she look great?!

Evan got to go to Knott's Berry Farm for completing all the work in his Pyramid Project class.  He loved all the rollercoasters and especially the "Windseeker" ride which is like a giant swing ride.  He saw a fellow rider lose his phone in the water below the ride.  He said it was funny, but not if it's your phone. He has also been playing basketball with the YM in the stake and our ward's team made it to the championship game.    They lost by just one point!  He has been riding his bike to the games, which makes his mom very nervous because it is often dark outside.  He does wear a reflective vest to appease me and stays on the sidewalks on the major streets.  He assures me this is necessary since he is training for a triathalon. His father agrees, so I have been outvoted.

Pregnancy Favorites

This morning I was telling my kids how delicious my breakfast tasted.  They looked at my bowl of oatmeal and thought I was crazy. 
"But it is made with milk, not water and it has FRESH blueberries and bananas!"  I explained.

They nodded, but I could tell they weren't convinced.  Finally Marianne said, "You enjoy your food way too much lately."

I guess she's right, at least some of the time.  Breakfast has never been my favorite meal of the day, but I love eating breakfast at this point in my pregnancy.  It settles my stomach after a long night of popping Tums.  Some of my favorites are:

Fresh fruit, especially blueberries and clementines (but not together)
Peanut butter on toast
Cottage cheese with apples

For lunch my favorites include:
(You guessed it) Cottage cheese with something salty like tortilla chips or triscuits
Quesadillas
Cheese and crackers
(Did you notice a theme here?)

By dinner I really don't feel like eating, but I make myself eat something.  The only thing I can't handle right now is eggplant.  John loves fresh eggplant so I coat it in breadcrumbs/seasonings/parmesan cheese and bake it.  Usually I like it too, but during this pregnancy I have a strange reaction to it.  When I eat it, my mouth feels fuzzy.  If I keep eating it, I feel sick.  It is almost like an allergic reaction.

After Christmas, Evan stocked up on incredibly cheap candy canes.  I wasn't very happy with all that candy, but now I am really grateful.  I love having a candy cane every day.  I think it is the peppermint that helps settle my stomach and prevent heartburn, when the Pepcid doesn't do its job.  Even my peppermint scented body wash makes me feel better during my shower. 

When I was pregnant with my other kids, I didn't really have any cravings and my diet didn't change much.  This time has been weird and I am kind of driving my family crazy.  On the other hand, I have gained only a fraction of the weight I did with my other kids.  My doctor says it's fine because the baby is growing and doing well. Yeah!

I did it again

I should be at Stake Conference right now, but I am blogging instead.  Why?  My husband tells me I "overdid it again."  Actually, he's told me this several times recently.  It turns out that you have to take it easier when you are pregnant.  At least pregnant grandmas need to rest more than non-pregnant grandmas.  Or maybe it is just me! 

I have cut back in several areas of my life.  I don't have a calling (except for visiting teaching) right now.  I am not mentoring at our commonwealth school this year.  I am not cooking dinner every night.  Okay, most nights.  I haven't been walking regularly.  And you may not have noticed, but I haven't been blogging.  However, I do have a few projects that need to be completed before the baby comes.

#1 We are re-doing our bedroom so that we have a place for the baby.  This is also a perfect excuse to get rid of the broken, 20+ year old, ugly furniture!  John and Evan have done most of the work, but I guess sitting in my recliner while supervising makes me tired.

#2  I am helping to clean out my dad's house so he can prepare to rent it.  Again, I am not doing hard physical labor there. We just cleaned out my mom's sewing room.  I told John that all I did yesterday was sit in a chair and boss Jenny around.  He said he believes the bossing part, but not the sitting in a chair part. 

Every inch of this closet was filled with fabric and quilting supplies before we got to it!

 

#3  Baby registries!  Laugh if you will, but this is hard work!  I'm not sure they even had baby registries when my other kids were born.  Talk about pressure.  What if I choose the wrong carseat or stroller?!  This stuff is expensive and I want to get it right.  Once again, I did most of my copious research and registering online from the comfort of my couch.  But you've got to see some of this stuff in person and walking around Babies R Us for several hours with a scanner can wear a pregnant grandma out.  (Thank goodness Molly and the 2 adorable grandbabies accompanied me on this trip.   Molly was very helpful, plus it was fun to watch the employees trying to figure out our relationships.  I didn't say a word and just let them wonder!)

Now you have my excuse for missing church today.  I should probably go lie down now.  This blogging is hard work!

Missing in Action

I am sad to see that I only posted 3 times in December.  I had a good December and a wonderful Christmas, but something had to give and it was blogging.  Growing a baby seems to take up most of my energy these days.  So here is a poem in honor of the sweet girl who is my excuse for not blogging much in the past month.

This poem was published in the Ensign in 1999 when Evan was a year old.  I  immediately loved this beautiful poem about motherhood.  It resonated with me and I kept it in my nightstand for all these years.  A few months ago, I pulled it out and realized that although this will only be my 5th child, it is my 7th pregnancy.  I have miscarried two babies, one at 13+ weeks and one at 8 weeks.

So here this lovely poem for my 7th baby.  She will be here in two months.

Seventh Child

By Sharon Price Anderson

Sarah would laugh

to think that I feel old,

yet understand better than I

the longing which gives you life

and overcomes the logic

that it has been too long

and six is sufficient

for seed as dust and stars.

Is it your desire

to come to earth

that makes me willing

to give you birth

and further fulfill God’s promise?

What blessing will you bring?

What mission will be yours

in this Saturday of time,

you who are Sarah’s increase

as well as mine?

Could I have kept completely

my mortal purpose and

consecration’s covenant

without you?

Sarah knew much of

altars aging,

offspring waiting,

missions and promises.

Now as we grow and wait,

she would teach us also faith.

Books Are Life

My friend Tawnya posted a reading meme on her blog.  I looked up a few others and found one I liked.  The rule for this one is that you can only use titles of books you've read this year to answer the questions!

 
Describe yourself:  Monsters and Mormons

How do you feel?  bliss to you

Describe where you currently live:  Home:  A Novel

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? The Place of Knowing

Your favorite form of transportation:  The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Your best friend is:  Extraordinary, Ordinary People

You and your friends are:  Same Kind of Different As Me

What's the weather like?  Our Iceberg is Melting

You fear:  Sept 11

What is the best advice you have to give?  Leadership Education

Thought for the day:  Heaven is for Real

How you would like to die: The Only Way to Paradise

My soul's present condition:  Zion:  Seeking the City of Enoch


The authors can all be found on the sidebar under "Books Read in 2011."  This was really fun, but it made me realize how much this pregnancy has affected my brain.  I am reading quite a bit, but mainly I'm reading articles not books.  I am struggling with the focus required to make it through "real" books.  I have been enjoying our collection of Christmas picture books (not listed on the sidebar), but I've noticed that even my read-aloud skills are somewhat impared.  Sad, huh?!

The News You've Been Waiting For

Well, maybe not, but it is definitely the news I have been waiting for! John and I went to my doctor's appointment this morning hopeful that the baby would be a little more cooperative this time. I knew that my doctor had delivered my friend's baby earlier this morning and she told us it was a little boy named Samuel. As she started the ultrasound, the baby still wasn't giving us a clear view. I was disappointed, when suddenly she said, "Well it looks like we have a little girlfriend for Sam." It took me a second to realize what she meant. "It's a girl?!" Yep, it's a girl!

Marianne and Evan were at classes at our commonwealth school today. Marianne wanted me to text her with the news. I told her I wanted to surprise them when they got home. They didn't like that idea, but I didn't make any promises. After my appointment, John and I decided to drive over and tell them in person. The timing was perfect since they were having their lunch break. They were surprised to see us and I had them come out to the car to see the ultrasound photo. We told them they were the first to know!

Now the news is out and we're tickled pink.

Fill in the blanks

My Mom taught my brother Scott and I to say "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you" at a very young age.  These statements had to be made sincerely and followed with a hug.  Later my Dad taught us how to deal with stress and pain by forgiving others.  He told us to follow this formula:  say "I forgive  [name of person] for [whatever happened],"  Sometimes this was a process that started with "I forgive Joe for being a total jerk and stupid idiot" and progressed to "I forgive Joe for hurting my feelings when he teased me about my new haircut."  Even better was when you could finally add, "I'm grateful to Joe for being my friend."  (For the record, no one named Joe ever teased me about my hair.)

So the pattern is:  I am grateful to _______________  for _______________.
Today I want to fill in the blanks by sharing a few of the people I am thankful for and why.

I am grateful to:

Brooks for making the most comfortable shoe on earth (even if it is ugly).
My mom for being steadfast and immovable in her testimony of Jesus Christ..
Bryn for her great faith.
John for holding my hand and walking beside me for almost 25 years.
My body for allowing my worst pregnancy complications to be only heartburn and aches and pains.
Evan for his enthusiasm and energy in playing the piano.
Heather for her endurance and sense of humor.
Muff (and her family) for caring for grandma as she approaches 90.
Molly for starting the family tradition of walking lots of miles while pregnant.
Aaron for giving up solitude and the great outdoors in order to serve the Lord.
Carolyn for lifting my Dad from the pit of loneliness.
Amazon for making the Kindle so I can carry my library with me at all times.
Marianne for getting up for seminary day after day even when she hasn't slept well.
Cows for making milk that becomes cottage cheese.  (I'm still craving it!)
Mormon for abridging and organizing the Book of Mormon.
Moroni for not making Ether the last book in the Book of Mormon.
Ryan for being my guinea pig and letting me practice my momskills on him.
Brianne for looking like her daddy, but improving on it with her curly hair.
My Dad for always believing in me.
Costco for selling beautiful flower bouquets at a great price.
Sheree for being my example and showing me what is possible.
The calendar for telling me that Christmas is almost here!
Leighton Anne for sharing her sweet smiles with me.
Jenny for walking thousands of miles with me over the past 15 years.
Everyone who actually reads my blog!
My Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ for all of the above and for many more blessings I didn't mention.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Angels Did It!

Although we are missing our wings and halos (and Brenda!) in this photo, we are still Annie's Angels and together we raised $12,255 to fight against breast cancer!  We are still accepting donations, so it's not too late to help out.

It was a tough 3 days with not enough sleep, too many porta-potties, lots of blisters and very sore muscles, but it was worth it!  We joined 3,600 walkers in San Diego and we raised a total of $9.2 million to defeat breast cancer.

I stuck with my plan to walk about 10 miles a day for a total of 30 miles.  At times it was hard to leave my team and take a shuttle to lunch, but I know it was the right thing to do.  My back hurt during the walk and I had Braxton-Hicks contractions (the first of my pregnancy) so I know I needed the rest during lunch.  I usually waited about 2 hours for my team, but it gave me a chance to meet so many great people and hear some wonderful stories.  Telling people that I was 6 months pregnant was a great ice-breaker.  There weren't too many pregnant moms on the walk!

One of the sweetest stories I heard was from a woman from Colorado.  She was walking in honor of a friend with breast cancer.  She had been training for 7 months and was so excited.  On the first day she fell off a huge curb (some of them were over a foot high!) and sprained her ankle.  She kept walking and ended up injuring her other leg in an effort to compensate.  That evening the medical staff told her she shouldn't walk any more.  She was crushed to have to give up her dream.  Her husband went out and rented a wheelchair so he could push her the rest of the way.  She started crying as she told me about it and I was really touched.

I met many other women who lost their mothers to breast cancer and walked in their memory.

Crowds of people cheered for us along the way.  They played music for us, sang, danced, offered gifts, candy, water and kleenex.  Some cute Girl Scouts even gave me a sleeve of thin mints which we enjoyed for our FHE snack tonight.  On Saturday John, Marianne, Evan, my Dad and Carolyn came to cheer us on.  They walked with us for a mile or so and it really lifted my spirits to see them.

The crew at camp was fantastic.  They fed us and took good care of us.  They even found the money and credit card I dropped!  However, I do not regret our decision to stay in a hotel.  It was worth every penny sleep in a real bed and have a real bathroom after a long day on our feet.

I am grateful for my experience on the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure Walk. Hugs to my fabulous teammates and thanks to everyone who donated!  Most of all, I send my love to the three women I walked to honor:  my mom who was a 15 year breast cancer survivor, my grandma who at nearly 90 is still going strong after defeating breast cancer, and my daughter Marianne who I pray will someday live in a world without cancer!

Our Annie's Angels theme:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.               2 Timothy 1:7

My Plan

Yes, I know today is Veterans' Day and also the very cool 11/11/11, but today is special to me for another reason.  Exactly one week from today, I will begin the 3 Day for the Cure Walk!  Nine months ago my sister and I committed to participate in this walk in order to raise money for breast cancer research and to honor and remember our mother.  We formed the team "Annie's Angels" and our aunt, cousin and two friends soon joined us.  One of our friends decided to drop out, but the rest of us have held strong despite some pretty major obstacles.  You might want to call us team gimpy.  It has been a struggle for all of us to train for this event.  My aunt had to have surgery on her foot, Jenny broke her leg, Brenda's daughter needed major surgery with an extensive recovery time.  And then there's me.  I will be doing this walk as I start my 6th month of pregnancy.  Slightly less than ideal circumstances, huh?

I talked to my doctor about the 3 Day walk at one of my first appointments this summer.  She told me that she didn't want me to do the entire walk and asked me if I could modify it.  I've given it a lot of thought since then.  I presented my plan at my last doctor visit and it was approved by both my doctor and my husband! 

• My first modification is staying at a hotel instead of camping.  My fellow team members were happy to support this change.
• Each morning I will walk approximately 5-6 miles and then take a shuttle to the lunch location.  I will rest there and wait for my team.   I have also promised my doctor that I will drink lots of water and gatorade and eat at every rest stop.
• After lunch I will walk another 5 miles or so and then take the shuttle back to camp where I will wait for my team so we can have dinner together.  
• After dinner we'll head to our hotel for a (hopefully!) good night's sleep.

If I stick to this schedule for all 3 days it should allow me to meet my goals.  It is important to me to be able to participate all three days of the event.  I don't want to wear myself out or push myself too hard so that I put the baby in any danger.  I would really love to finish all 60 miles of the course, but I know that wouldn't be wise.  I will be satisfied with doing 30 miles in three days.  That is still a lot of walking and I have still raised over $2300 for breast cancer research.  Best of all I get to spend 3 days with some of my favorite people and honor my mom's life! 

I think my mom would get a good laugh out of me doing this walk with my big belly, but I also know she would be supportive.  I can imagine her making embroidered shirts for all of us to wear and giving all of us big hugs.  My mom did many hard things during her life and overcame many challenges.  She suffered much physical pain, but continued on with a smile.  I'll be thinking about her as I walk.  I love you mom!

No news

. . . is good news? 

Today was supposed to be the big reveal.  I did have my ultrasound and everything looks good, but the baby refused to give us a clear view.  Those little legs were held tightly together.  I am disappointed, but not too upset.  I will try to focus on the positive.

• I got to see my sweet baby's face and watch him or her move.
• All the measurements were spot on.
• The placenta is in a perfect position.
• All organs seems to be working well.
• I have only gained 9 pounds in 5 months (although I did come home and drown my sorrows in leftover Halloween candy).
• My doctor gave me the go ahead for the 3-Day for the Cure walk.
• We got a letter and pictures from Elder Aaron today.

As soon as I got home from the doctor, the baby started moving around like crazy.  Sigh!  I was hoping to post a picture of baby #5 today, but instead you get pictures of baby #2.  He's not a baby any more, but at least we definitely know he's male.

Drop off at the MTC

Outside the Provo temple with his companion

Halfway

In the midst of all our missionary excitement, I didn't have a chance to note an important milestone.  I am halfway through this pregnancy.  In four months or so, our baby will arrive!  Thank goodness I am (mostly) finished with the nausea.  The baby's movements are stronger and more frequent, which helps to ease my worries.  I am still in love with cottage cheese and I never have to worry about sharing it now that Aaron is gone. 

I definitely look pregnant, but I will not be posting pictures of my belly even though my husband insists on periodic (fully clothed) photo updates.  I am not willing to risk a picture of my stomach ending up in google images.

By the Numbers

Here is some fun information about this sweet baby growing inside me:

18 weeks gestation
156 heart rate
15th grandchild (on both sides!)
38 - age of oldest first cousin
1 - age of youngest first cousin
30 days until we find out the sex

Fringe Benefits

I realize no one will be offering me a contract as a hand model, but I wanted to get a picture of my nails.  They only grow this long when I am pregnant.  It isn't just the prenatal vitamins, because I have taken those at other times when I wasn't pregnant and it didn't have the same results.  I am grateful for a little bonus like this, especially since morning sickness has returned with a vengance this week.  Thanks to Marianne for taking the picture.  She did her best, but told me there was no way to hide my wrinkles!

A Month From Now . . .

I will have a beautiful new granddaughter.
Elder Aaron will be in the MTC learning Korean.
My dad and Carolyn will be married in the San Diego Temple.
I will only have one month left to train for the 3-Day Walk.
I will have my bedroom closet and my kitchen cupboards cleaned and organized.
I will be 5 months pregnant.
I still won't know the sex of the baby. (That is about 6 weeks away.)


And to answer Rachel's question:  I only had 1 ultrasound with Ryan and none with Aaron so I didn't know they were boys until they were born. (My doctor was old-fashioned and low-tech.  He didn't even have one in his office.  BUT, he was awesome.  He called me personally before he went away for the weekend, just to make sure I didn't have any signs of labor.) I found out Marianne was a girl about 6 weeks before she was born.  My doctor thought Evan was a boy, but never got a good enough view to be certain.  Now with ultrasounds being much more common and accurate, I am excited to find out whether we're having a boy or a girl.  I definitely don't need to wait to be surprised.  Just being pregnant is surprise enough!