Henry Duke

We welcomed Henry Duke 12 days ago. I can hardly believe he's been with us less than two weeks--already almost two weeks. It's like he always belonged with us.

Henry Duke carries the names of great men. Henry for Henry's way back on both Collin's and my family trees. Duke for Grandpa, Collin's dad, a little closer in time. I'm not sure what nicknames will come--I'm sure there will be ones that stick! So far he's just Henry, or "Henwy" if Eliza is talking to him.

I think he'll be one who lives life according to his own expectations and not mine. From conception through pregnancy he's been a bit unexpected and yet determined. So too his birthday unfolded.

From past experience my body needs a little help to get going to deliver those babies. We enjoyed family around the week of Thanksgiving without any sign of baby. My mom in town and ready to get to the having the baby in my arms part I scheduled the hospital to administer Cervadil overnight to have the baby on the 29th. I could have chosen any day after 39 weeks but decided if any day was as good as any other I'd like to have one less date to remember. Eddy is the 29th, Davy and Eliza the 18th. So why not even it out and have another 29-er? Right, no reason not to.

On Wednesday evening we readied to go to the hospital but when we called they were too crowded to accept us at 8:00. They called back later and we were able to get in and going around midnight. Cervadil was placed around 1:00 am and I settled in for an unrestful night. Next morning things were starting to progress but slowly. I anticipated that we'd have a baby by lunchtime, given the three previous deliveries. But by 2:00 nothing was really happening. Contractions but not enough for my liking. The doctor gave me some choices, I asked that my water be broken. Then Collin and I walked laps around the maternity ward. There were no pictures on the walls to distract me--only one Picasso mother and nursing baby print.

I'd finally given up my expectation that the baby would be born according to my plans. Silly me, to have any sort of plans or expectations. Then the contractions finally started to come more rapidly and consistently and harder. I was exhausted by 5:00 and wanted to quit. Isn't that funny, I kept saying, I don't want to do this any more. Like I had a choice. Ha!

The labor nurse, Judy, advised a shower, so I went in the water. I was so tired at 6:00 I lay down. My mom and the labor nurse wanted me to keep working with squatting or moving or anything but I simply ignored them. They brought a weird pillow to put between my legs but by then I was oblivious to pretty much everything around me. Suddenly time sped up and I was wanting to push. Collin says it was about 6:30. They called the doctor and she started getting ready to guide me through pushing and catch the baby. It seemed like there were so many random people and machines in the room, I remember asking where my mom was. She was still there, but hidden behind all the madness. Collin was right at my side.

I had to push for what seemed like forever. They kept saying, one more, one more . . . a dozen or more times. I guess my first efforts weren't quite the thing but eventually I wanted that baby out more than anything else in the world and there he was. He arrived at 7:06. They handed him up to me and Collin said it was a boy and I wasn't surprised after all. The kids had been right all along and I'd just the day before switched my thinking to trusting their intuition. It was a boy! Henry Duke Lambourne.

He was slimy and soft and perfect. His lungs worked very well from the beginning. That first cry--the best sound in the world.

The big brothers and sister were there within the hour. Aunt Camilla had been taking care of them all day and they came full of Wendy's frosties and ready to inspect their baby.

He weighed in at 9 lbs. 12 oz and was our longest at 22 inches.

The past days at our house have been a blur of bliss and tired. Henry's getting the hang of nursing and it isn't hurting me as much. He's sleeping well . . . during the day . . . He's getting so much love and attention from all of us. Just as it's supposed to be.

Waiting for Baby

Waiting for baby #4 to arrive . . . now with a deadline of tomorrow! This has been simultaneously the longest and shortest year. Major ups and downs emotionally (and I have no doubt that will continue the next few weeks and months) but right this moment we are at a good place. Things are as ready as they can be for the arrival of our new person. I'm very, very done being pregnant. But with that finality there is the bittersweet of what will most likely be all the lasts of this season of my life, growing babies. I have enjoyed feeling the baby move. I've adored having the baby's gender a surprise (why didn't we do this every time?!). I've enjoyed how beautiful and round I feel. I've most especially savored how much the big brothers and sister dote on the baby inside, talking to "Littleberry" in whispers and waiting with so much hope for the baby to kick their hands. I think they know how very special it is to be having a baby join our family when they will remember.

I was able to wear several special maternity dresses one more time (at least as proper maternity--I may still wear them after!). My mom made a couple that I treasure and my grandmother Bee loaned me two of her outfits from when she was bearing children. The sailor dress was one my mom made when she was pregnant with my sister, Erica. I wore the bird dress Eliza barely squeezed into as a tunic. I adored feeling the connection to my mom and grandmother as I wore their beautiful dresses.

I wasn't sure if we'd make it out to take some glamorous pictures at the beach, so I took one selfie in the mirror at the entrance to the 3rd trimester, just in case we didn't get anything else. Poor 4th baby already not getting nearly the photo time the others did. Ha!

I'm so glad we did get the big camera and a beach sunset one Sunday afternoon.

Littleberry's due date was last Saturday. With Thanksgiving and family visiting the week before was busy and it was great to be distracted. Now my mom is in town to help and I already know from previous experience that my body needs help to get things moving. So we have a date scheduled at the hospital--for tonight! Baby will be born tomorrow. I think I'm more nervous than I have ever been before. Funny. I think it's because I'm not going into it naively this time. I know what's ahead and it will be the hardest and the best all wrapped up into exhaustion and euphoria.

Baby, we are so excited to meet you. You are the luckiest, coming to these big siblings who have loved you with their entire souls since the moment they found out you were coming to join us. I know our family needs you.

Eddy's 8th Birthday and Baptism

Edward John turned 8 years old and decided to be baptized. He is the sweetest boy, giving the best hugs and smiles. He looks for problems to solve and jumps in with solutions. He's smart and silly. He is hardworking at school and a great helper at home. He is simply growing up so well. We are proud of Eddy bear and love him to bits.

He made a pinata of an Ender Dragon from Minecraft for his party after the baptism with family. We were so lucky to have family come to be with him on his special day. His menu was pretty telling--oreos, mint chocolate any- and every-thing, sandwiches but NO TOMATOES.

Interview with Eddy

How does it feel to be 8 years old?

     Fun. I'm one year older.

What will you always remember from your baptism?

     Probably playing When I Am Baptized on the piano.

How long did you prepare for your baptism?

     I started preparing like a year before.

What did you do to prepare?

     I learned When I Am Baptized and practiced it. We also practiced going under the water. But we didn't actually go under the water until that day. Just the motion.

How did you feel?

     Cold because the water was cold. And then kind of warm when I got the Holy Ghost.

How about your birthday party?
     I had a huge sugar rush! and also I got a tooth ache from the candy.

What can 8 years olds do that only they can?

     I don't know what 8 year olds do. They just be 8 year olds I guess.

What's your favorite color?

    Green

Food?

     Minty food.

Subject in school?

     I really like reading and PE

What do you want to be when you grow up?

     Something to do with Lego or Minecraft. Like maybe design Lego Minecraft sets.

Favorite thing about Minecraft

     You can do whatever you want and there is also a lot of challenge in it.

What do you like about living in CA?

     It's nice and hot a lot of the time. It's got ok schools but I like London schools better.

Where do you want to live when you grow up?

     Somewhere in America but I might move. But I'd like to visit Denmark and also Sweden again.

Utah Visit--A Missionary Returns

The main reason we went to Utah this summer was to join in the fun when my brother, Jonathan, returned from his mission. He was only in town for a short time before he reported to the Naval Academy. We made the most of his time! We ate way way way too much (I came back home to a prenatal exam where I weighed in a bit over target weight, ha!) and laughed and cried late into the night. I love my family, I really really do. I truly enjoy their company and admire each of them. I dearly hope my kids grow up to be friends with their siblings like I hope I continue to be with mine.

(Bonus, we got to see some of the Lambournes, too! And a few friends here and there. I wish I'd had more energy to see more people but honestly I was still barely coping with the days and keeping all the good food down.)

The kids thrive under the attention of all the aunts and uncles and grandparents. They are the luckiest to have such love and trust.

The kids had swim lessons provided by grandparents, plus extra free swim days. We hiked to Timp Cave and enjoyed the coolness of being inside the mountain after a good walk up. Purple Turtle is always on the requested food list.

We got to ride and groom horses at my friend's farm. I miss my horse days every day.

A couple hours at BYU cemented the boys' hope to go to school there (we are keeping expectations very low and hopes very high on that one!). Found my grandpa's rubbish bin in the Law School, even with all the construction going on in the building.