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.