Punch-It Faithy

Faith is 100% original. Apparently, she felt like we had run into a shortage of utensils for breakfast this morning. Making herself resourceful, she climbed up on to the kitchen table with a hole puncher and began systematically capturing her cereal bits with the puncher. She was so proud of herself and was thrilled that we had all noticed her mastery of fine motor skills.

Too Big For My Britches

And....here we are on October 9th. Me and Hope. Hope and Me. More specifically, Hope IN Me. On her due date. But I predicted this from the moment she was just a little bean. She will show herself to be a true blue Knucker Hatch, late out of the starting gate. My visit with the OB on Monday showed some progress in that I have gone from 0 to 50% effaced in seven days, however, I am still at just 1 cm. Overall the news is good for a woman who has accepted that she doesn't go into labor on her own. At least I can avoid the cervical prep drugs the day before hitting "The Pit".

This past weekend, I took advantage of a tradition I started with Faith - "The Pity Party Pedi". Which always turns into much more as I indulge with my last bit of quiet time for myself. And so it became the "Pity Party Pedi Mani Brow Waxy With a Haircut On Top". It was LOVELY. My last haircut? One year ago. Yeah. It was less about indulgences and more about necessities.

The toes are pretty. The nails are colorful. The brows have been magically lifted with waxing. And the mane is at least no longer splitting. But this belly is uncontainable. They don't make pants for ladies that exceed their due dates. Pregnancy pants weren't meant to fit snuggly around a planet. Overdue = Pants Problems = Mandatory 24 hour PJ lock down. Hope...come out sweetie...you're embarrassing your Mommy.

More Secure Than The Oval Office

OK. I admit, that those are my words not the words of my OB. But I'm quite sure that the White House has got nothing on security compared to MY oval office. The doc says I'm one centimeter and long. Sounds like football talk, doesn't it? But really, can you hear the sound of the Red Sea parting? No? Me neither.

The man of very few words tried to be encouraging and stated that this is when things can start to happen quickly. I tried to be sweet, and not remind him of my anything BUT sudden history listed on the chart before his nose. I continue to run my 4:00am insomnia streak, and as of yesterday, a horrid case of back pain and green snot. I'm feeling pretty disgusting right now, on top of being ill, but I remind myself about every five minutes that this is temporary.

The good news is...and there is good news I promise, that yesterday was "The Day". You know when you keep telling yourself if you can just get past such and such day it will ALL get easier. Well, yesterday was it for me. I have finished my three week run at leading our Bible Study, which takes up every spare minute of my time, and requires creating vacation days for the children's school just to prepare. But I'm done for the season. And I finally feel like I can breathe again today. And feed my family. And clean a toilet or two. So despite all of my complaints, I am beginning to feel more positive. (I know. I've got a long way to go still.)

Since I am still in sick bay around here, I'm going to usher you out of the sick and contracting room and encourage you all to visit Katy over at Treasured Chapters of Life and Family. She has a wonderfully creative post that I think just about every multi-tasking mother can identify with and should read...entitled "An Overworked Mind". Katy is one of those delightfully special friends that everyone feels like they completely don't deserve, and wouldn't trade for nothin'. If you've got a friend that's just naturally good at friendship, then you know Katy. Love ya girl.

Stuck In The Middle With Two

Really now people...what in the world is our family supposed to do about the results of Hope's "Middle Name" poll?? I am tickled we had such a great poll response, but I had no idea that we were going to have two middle name candidates so neck and neck.

I think we are going to need some more involved voter participation. And a good dose of honesty. (Not that Tom Builder and I can't make our own decisions...but the man has already suggested that maybe we should go with the name that has the lowest vote and say we wanted to be different.) So for Hope's namesake, leave us your comments as to why or why we should not go with Olivia or Evangeline as a middle name. And if you didn't go with either, send us your plea or your second choice. Be brutal. Be specific. Be biased.

Yep. Still here. And it is 4:00am again. So humor me.