Adoption blogging

Today I recieved this awesome surprise in the mail. My dear friend Becky had warned me something great was coming and my mind immediately jumped to baby anouncements. No shes not preggo. Lucas then suggested maybe she was sending an adoption fundraiser letter. That would be great too, but no. Instead it was this awesome bag! I pulled it it out and thought, really cute bag. Look it has Africa on it! Then I read her card. A family in Iowa that she had run across while reading adoption blogs was selling these as a fundraiser. Usually they have a heart on the Africa where Sierra Leone is, the home of their beautiful twins who are awaiting their homecoming. She had them put the heart on mine over Tanzania. So special, so sweet. I went online to look at their blog and have spent as much of my free time tonight reading it as possible! They call it The Intersection. The blog itself is beautifully done and the mothers writing about her children is poignant and humerous. They are in a very difficult moment awaiting word on their travel visas, the final step to go claim their children and bring them home. Please join with me and pray for Gods swift hand!


****The LANDERS ARE IN AFRICA! PRAY FOR SAFETY AND A QUICK RETURN!*******

At the park/The day the camera died

Thes pics are from a park we found here that has a huge sand pit with "rocks" to climb. Its really well done. Ayden can learn to boulder! tee hee, Balin like to eat the sand. We have been going as much as possible so we get that "been to the beach" feeling with sand in diapers and ground into our hair. Lots of fun!

teething, mno and spiderman

So the tooth turned into a not so much fun experience. Ayden was always cranky when teething, but Balin has a way of yelling at you that can be quite unnerving. Fortunately the tooth is gettting a good way out and not bothering him so much. Hopefully the next one will not be bad so bad! We had a really great weekend. Lucas will be home for eight days over the next month, and will have to be working in the field as much as he can over those days. So we took this weekend for some family time. Friday night I got to go out with the moms group I joined. We went to a paint your opwn pottery place and had yummy food and conversation. Saturday we slept in (yay) and then went to the boardwalk. We kept grummpy tooth baby awake all morning and took Ayden to an early showing of Prince Caspian. Balin fell asleep as planned and we all enjoyed the movie! Ayden has been listening to the Narnia series on cd for his rest times, so he was looking forward to the movie. Then we had dinner at IHOP and walked around enjoying the cool weather while it lasts! Most of our other freetime was spent playing on the Wii which we normally don't do much of. Ayden is aparently quite good at it and he and his Daddy mkust have beat some important level because the first thing Ayden said to me when we woke up on Saturday was "WE BEAT RHINO!" Great! :-). It's a victory. Oh and on Friday afternoon I got plants! I've been frustrated not having a backyard or nice home decor so we bought houseplants! Now the living room smells like potting soil instead of poopy diaper! (I promise its a step up). Anyway, now I have something green to try to keep alive. We'll see how that goes.

I see a tooth!!!

We've been waiting for Balin to get a tooth for what seems like forever! He's been drooling for weeks and finally this afternoon his first tooth broke through! Yay! Its one on the bottom in the front. I think the one next to it will come through at any time as well. Now I know why he wont bite on anything today!

Dedication Sunday

Today was Baby Dedication Sunday at our church. For those of you unfamiliar with it its similar to infant Baptism in that it is a profession of our faith and commitment to raise Balin in a Christian home, teaching him in the Lord. The commitment is two handed, we as a family commit to provide him the opportunity to learn about the Lord by praying with him, teaching him and taking him to church. The other hand is the church commiting to provide a safe and loving home to bring him to. There were 23 families who participated! I've never been a member of a church this large, so that surprised me. They did a really sweet slideshow with pictures of the babies and introduced all the families. Afterwards they gave the babies little "gifts." One was a chocolate bar personalized with his name and the vers "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 The other gift was a small white bible engraved with his name. What a special mothers day this has been. I am blessed with two healthy children. What more could I ask for?

My new job title

JUST A MOM?

> > A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's
office,
> > was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.
> >
> > She hesitated, uncertain how t o classify herself.
> >
> > 'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder,
> > 'do you have a job or are you just a ...?'
> >
> > 'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.
> >
> > 'I'm a Mom.'
> >
> > 'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation,
> > 'housewife' covers it,'
> > Said the recorder emphatically.
> >
> >
> > I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself
> > in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.
> > The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
> > efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
> > 'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.'
> >
> > 'What is your occupation?' she probed.
> >
> > What made me say it? I do not know.
> > The words simply popped out.
> > 'I'm a Research Associate in the field of
> > Child Development and Human Relations.'
> >
> > The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in m midair and
> > looked up as though she had not heard right.
> >
> > I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
> > Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
> > in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
> >
> > 'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
> > 'just what you do in your field?'
> >
> > Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
> > I heard myself reply,
> > 'I have a continuing program of research,
> > (what mother doesn't)
> > In the laboratory and in the field,
> > (normally I would have said indoors and out).
> > I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole
family)
> > and already have four credits (all daughters).
> > Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
> > (any mother care to disagree?)
> > and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
> > But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers
> > and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'
> >
> > There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
> > completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
> >
> > As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
> > I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
> > Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
> > (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
> > testing out a new vocal pattern.
> > I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
> > And I had gone on the official records as someone more
> > distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.'

> > Motherhood!
> >
> > What a glorious career!
> > Especially when there's a title on the door.
> >
> > Does this make grandmothers
> > ' Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and
> > Human Relations'
> > And great grandmothers
> > 'Executive Senior Research Associates?'
> > I think so!!!
> > I also think it makes Aunts '
> > Associate Research Assistants.'

57 states

so I have no comment on the election or who should be in the white house. Heaven knows we all make "misstatements" but this is great. hysterical actually.

Language

I majored in English and although my spelling is horrible and my typing worse, I have a big appreciation for vocabulary. I love finding new words, or reading stories that make use of creative vocabulary. I have come to realize though in raising children it is indeed the simple words that mean the most. We have started really listening to Balin and these are the words we believe he is saying. Words that are more "million dollar" than any I have heard before.

Dad / Daddy/ Dada
Dog (any fuzzy animal)(he loves Lucy)
Duck
Ball
bye-bye
bottle
AAAAYYYNNNN (Ayden)
Mummmm mumum (mom)

We are trying to teach him sign, but he prefers to try to speak instead and looks at me like I'm crazy when I show him signs. Ayden on the other hand loves to yell "mom I'm this" from the other room so that I have to go look, when he can talk like a third grader when he wants to. Communication. A precious gift.

First steps

Last night Lucas got home around 8;00pm. Within ten mintues Balin took his first steps!! I got all teary, of course and we all celebrated. How is my nine and a half month old wlaking? He's so short! It is so exciting to see him growing so fast. He started clapping today as well!

Happy May day!

Today marks three years from Lucas's proposal.. the weekend of it at least. It is amazing how fast time goes by. Balin tried feeding himself for the first time with a spoon this morning. It is so cute to watch him take on things like that. When I first handed him the spoon he stuck it in his mouth (empty) and looked at me like I was crazy! The I heped him try dipping his spoon in his yogurt a few times, and he actually fed himself a few bites.

My Grandfather

I found these pictures this past week at my parents house going through all the old photo albums. I do not remember having seen these before. I teared up actually when I found them and showed them to my mother. Something about these two photos captures everything I remember and love about my grandfather, Gilbert Eugene Miers. I remember the way he smelled, like chewing tobacco and tabasco sauce. I remember plaing with the hair on his forarms while we watched baseball, the news or soap operas in the afternoon. I vividly remember Friday trips to the grocery store. Once I walked away with a different grandpa, only to realize my mistake and turn around. I remember that he took great pride in his flowers and the yard around their home. He was always outside as much as possible. There was always the inevitable stop at the fruit stand for among other important items, cantelope. He would eat this cantelope at what seemed every meal, covered in salt, often accompanied by a huge pile of eggs with salt and pepper and tabasco. Another favorite was cake with butter. He wasn't a perfect parent, as none of us are, but with age came wisdom and knowledge. The most important lesson: to show his love. I can not remember a single visit where he did not take me to a picture of myself and tell me "that is the prettiest girl in the world." That was the last thing he told me. That and that the girl in the picture could do anything with her life that she wanted. He has been gone about ten years now and how I wish he could see where that girl has gone...He would love these boys.

Update

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYDEN!!!!!!

Colorado baby

My Ayden is in Colorado this week visiting his dad. I am in Houston and missing him! I am trying to enjoy the time with Balin though. I know I don't get all that much one on one time with him. I'll be here at my parents all week, so say hi! I'm gonna be lonely! (Everyone else will be working and Lucas went home today)

Ayden's birthday party: My Favorite Things

We celebrated Ayden's birthday in three part, the zoo visit, a big breakfast of his favorite breakfast foods and a cake. A doughnut of course. Other favorite things we incorporated: spider-man, chuck-E-Cheese plates, transformers and friends.

Ayden is turning 5!!

Turning five

This is a picture taken of Ayden a few years ago. He has grown so much. This weekend we celebrated his fifth birthday with my parents at the Houston Zoo. the next morning we had a little party for him with Destiny and a little girl, Ryann who lives across the street from my parents. We called the theme "Aydens favorite things. As soon as I figure out how to use my parents Mac I will post photos of his Do-nut cake and Transformers!

Ayden quotes

"I don't want to be a human anymore. I didnt know it would be like this"

Mom: Ayden- Hanna Montanna is on American Idol Ayden: "Thats because their giving back kids mom"

the playground

 

We went to theplayground yesterday afternoon. Balin loves the grass.

Balin is sick, AGAIN

So we just can not seem to get healthy around here. Balin was great yesterday, happy and friendly. Then he went to sleep. hard. Usually B wakes up by about 2 for a bottle. (I know shame on me). Last night he stayed asleep and at 9 this morning was still completely knocked out. When I woke him up I noticed he felt warm and sure enough 102. Yay for Lucas's job and YAY for no more medicaid. I called his doctor.. as in the same one he saw last time we went in and he ould see us, right then. Amazing. On medicaid it would have gone like this. Sick baby, go to doctor office, wait three hours, see either new doctor (most likely intern) or the nurse practitioner. Get immediate prescription for antibiotics and told to go home. IF not like last time I walked in and was told "we have no more doctors." So anyway, itwas really nice to have a sick baby and to be able to get medical treatment for him. He has a cold, and possibly an ear infection.

Bienvenue Avril!!

Today is the first day of April, one of my favorite months. This month my first child will turn 5! FIVE. Five years ago I was just me, alone and by myself and now five years later my precious little mystery will be five. This month my little baby will be nine months old, hardly an infant he is starting to try to take steps literally and figuratively into early childhood. This same month my husband will complate the first half of his training program and be one month closer to that all important "promotion" or guarantee of career stability that comes at the end of this. Today I met with some ladies from a local moms group I have joined for the first time. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to meet them where they go.. the library, the playground. Today was at the indoor play structure at our church (the moms group is not associated with my church, but the church has a gigantic indoor play structure that is open to the public during certain times) and the local science museum. I had a ton of fun and really enjoyed getting to know some other mamas. I've never done this before. I've been a mom for five years, but this is the first time I'm really plugging in with other moms socially and not just because I take care of their children at school. I welcome the rain that is falling outside, and the thunderstorms of this month because at the end of April all these things will have come to pass.

 

 

Gramma Judy's house in 2003 and 2008. Its amazing how fast Ayden has grown, but the same smile is still there.

Balin got the bug

 

My sweet little tiny baby is sick. He just threw up more than I've ever seen a baby get sick :-( Pray for healing!

Easter

This easter was Balins first, and lets just say it was imperfect. We arrived home from our trip just before midnight the night before and got the kids and ourselves to bed. Balin had had several blow out diapers the day before, one very special one at the aiport resulting in his stroller getting wrapped up in a trash bag. We woke up and started to get ready for church. I had outfits picked out, but we wore them to the wedding so I put the boys in Hawaiian button down shirts and called it good. Within an hour Balin had allready had two VERY runny stinky diapers and was acting very cranky and sleepy so the decision was made to send Lucas and Ayden to church and I would stay home with Stinky Pants. That afternoon I was extra sleepy, which I figured was due to our trip, but by bedtime I was sick and stayed sick until yesterday afternoon. Balin started throwing up bottles and by dinner Ayden had joined our party. Today we are all feeling better. Today should have been Easter. We certainly feel resurected.

The kids at the wedding

The groom dances with his bride

Ayden shakes it

Ayden Dances off a shoe

Yummy cake

Mukwa and Phoebe

Day of the Wedding, groomsmen getting ready

Balin was a little sleepy, the grumpiest he got all week
Groomsmen getting ready

Judy and I dressed the younger groomsmen for the wedding. They were very proud of their tuxs and looked handsome indeed. (I now have five nephews with another on the way and four nieces!)

Day one, crashing at the hotel in Austin

Towel bunnies on the beds, who needs a cruise when you can stay for four hours in Austin?
Thanks again DAd!
Desi Lou was such a great sport!

Mukwa got Married!

This week we went to Mukwa's wedding and had a great trip! There was a bit of a rocky trip with the Dallas Airport closing, but after a day of unexpected travel we got to Minnesota and had a wonderful time! Here is a bit of a photo journal describing the trip..
Day one, Tuesday. We drove to Tyler Texas, about 1 1/2 hours from here and took a commuter flight to Dallas. It was awful. Ayden got sick within ten minutes, I was certain I would......





Now the flight was delayed about 45 minutes due to a "computer crash" as the gate agent worded the situation. not the right phrase for an airport, but whos being picky?


Seven hours later and we are waiting for my Dad ****THANKS DAD***** to come pick us up. He happened to be in Dallas for a meeting and volunteered to drive us to Austin where we slept for four hours and got up to go on another flight.. flew to Chicago and then FINALLY made it to Minnesota. We were so happy to finally see everyone though we did not care. I would like to comment here that I have AMAZING children. There was hardly any complaining the entire time. They both slept on the planes and put up with everyting beautifully. I am a very blessed mama.

Parental visit

Today my parents drove up from Houston, spent a few hours with us and drove back. Crazy people. It was really great to see them though. We havent had time to just relax together in over two months. Since then Balin has started crawling, pulling up, trying to stand on his own and cruising around the room. We had lunch on the Louisiana Boardwalk which is an awesome place to go hang out. Its an outdoor outlet mall with restraunts and entertainment. Theres a dancing fountain and a carousel. Great food too, a Buffalo wild wings, Joes Crab shack, salt grass steakhouse. Lucas and I actually went for the first time yesterday, but I have a feeling I'll be spending LOTS of time there now. The weather was perfect, sunny and cool with a gentle breeze. Great day.

Lousiana, first impressions

We have now been living in this new territory for over a month. So far I have noticed a strange but distinct contradiction. The people here are the nicest and kindest I have ever met, except when they are not. Huh? Take driving for instance. One car will be carefully driving five miles BELOW the speed limit in the right hand lane while car number two zips and zooms around them. I have been invited to church while standing in the grocery store line and (this really happened)watched an elderly gentleman call another elderly gentleman a red neck (in a very non humerous way) while waiting in line at the deli counter. For the most part people are very friendly. My current theory is that people become their weather's personality. Think about it... People in California are laid back, calm, with the occasional violent earthquake like moment. (As seen with political "causes".) People in New York are Cold and hurried, but stable and predictable, productive. Texas goes big and windy, with a frequent disregard for the outcome of actions. Northern Lousianians are as unpredictable as their weather. Today is beautiful and sunny, around eighty degrees. Friendly, hospitable, lets go meet the neighbors weather. Last Friday was below forty and it snowed all day.... Now I know my husband is the scientist, but I think I may be on to something here.

Balin is eight months old

Balin turned eight months old yesterday and he's growing so fast it scares me! This afternoon I was playing with his standing and let go.... he didnt sit down for over seven seconds. (Thats a long time if youve never had a baby...) I bet this little guy will be taking steps before the end of the month! WHOA.. slow down kiddo. I love having a baby... I'm not ready for a toddler!

Return to blogging, return to me

I stopped blogging a while ago because I decided no one really read this and no one was benefiting or interested in what I was saying. I'm not a politicians wife, or a mother of a special needs child. I'm not an avid photographer or artist. I don't know whos "hip" with music these days. I don't pay much attention to politics or pop culture. And then I realized. I did not blog for others just as I never journaled for others, nor wrote poetry or music for others. This is for me. My place to tell you that my children are beautiful, my life is blessed and my belly fat. I can discuss the way Hawthorne affected society or the poor result of beating madelein dough for too long. I know where Texas big hair went... maybe I'll tell you about that too if you stick around long enough. So if you want, leave me a note. Let me know you read this and I'll start finding my way back to the girl who's writing was once called "quirky." Maybe I'll just find my way back to writing. Maybe I'll just find.

facebook

You can now find the Texas Tilsens on Facebook!

Liz is in China picking up Mei!! check out her website at http://www.bringingmeihome.blogspot.com/ Lucas started his new job this week. We are still in Houston while he trains, but will be heading up to Bossier City in just a couple of weeks! Ayden is so excited he askes me every day if today is the day. I feel so blessed right now with everything falling into place. Thank You Lord for your provision.

EMPLOYED!

Lucas officially has a job with BJ Services. We will be moving to Bossier City Louisiana by the end of January! I guess that makes us the Ark-La-Tex Tilsens!

Halloween 2007

Mei

I wanted to take a moment to point out my sisters blog at www.bringingmeihome.blogspot.com. Her adoption is FINALLY starting to get moving and we are merely weeks away from holding our newest addition to the family. Little Mei is 18 months old and beautiful! Our parents will be traveling with Liz, Andrew and their two boys to China very very soon!!! Please pray that all will go well as we await China's final word and their official travel appointment!

Three Months

Balin turned three months old officially this week. He is starting to get very alert and interested. He tries to focus so hard sometimes his eyes cross! Ayden is doing better in school. I think he is finally settling in a little bit. I hope we can find a way to keep him in this class until this year is over. I think it will be an easier adjustment if we change schools after the school year is over. He is starting to figure out phonetics which is so much fun. He can tell you what letter almost any word starts with now based on its sound. (As long as its a simple sound). Lucas is waiting on the police department to finish his background check. He still has to meet with a psychologist, get a full physical and pass a polygraph test. There is a rumor he would start the academy December 10th if all goes well. I never knew it was so difficult to become an officer. It looks like we will be all be doing quite a bit of traveling in the next few weeks.

Just to fill in some blanks.... We decided to go ahead and enroll Ayden in Public school pre-kindergarten. After the first two months of being home all the time we realized that the change from having a classroom full of friends ALL day every day to having just mommy and baby wasn't working very well for Ayden. So we enrolled him in public school, which has some of its own very big downfalls. His class is huge! Plus his teacher is pregnant due in a couple of weeks, so there will not really be consistency there. As soon as Lucas starts the academy I will find a job and apartment closer to Houston. When we make those decision then we will be moving again.... Hopefully we will find a community we can grow into. We are all really ready to start growing some deeper roots. We found a church we really like and that has lots of ministry opportunities for us in the Woodlands. The decision we will have to make is if the Woodlands is to far north if Lucas is working downtown. That choice will come later.....

my boys

The Boys

Ayden

Balin

Rolling rolling rolling

Welcome to October! Lucas is now in the middle of the application process to become a Houston Police Officer. We are awaiting some official transcripts to arrive and then he can make an appointment to go to the next step which involves a polygraph machine. coool. Ayden is enjoying his first year of big kid school. We are working through a few kinks, but trying very hard to figure out a solid behavior system that works for this little ball of fire. Overall he is doing well. Balin is growing like a weed and is a miracle baby. He sleeps through he night?!? AMAZING. Ayden did not do this until he was 18 months old. He sleeps at least 8 hours, last night TEN and a half! Then this moning he rolled over twice from his tummy to his back. I'm impressed:-). I had forgotten how thrilling it is to watch a baby learn these tiny little amazing miracles. Pictures to come soon!

Team blogging

We are attempting to learn how to team blog. here we go.

Moving

We will be moving next tuesday or wednesday, just as soon as we get the apartment cleaned out and ready to go! We are very excited to be getting out of Denton, grateful for my parents hospitality but a little hesitant about Houston itself. Though planing a very intense Houston area job search we are also going to keep our eyes open for a more desireable location. Anyone with any science lab contacts in Colorado spring let us know!!! We would love to go back to where we met, to a state with four seasons! For now we are looking forward to getting our feet planted in Houston. This monday we went down and started getting our stuff settled. My parents very graciously cleared out their office for Aydens room. They had it painted a pretty blue color and Ayden's superman stuff matches perfectly. I am going to teach Ayden this fall so he can keep up with what he would be learning if we were to stay at Springbok. I most likely would have been teaching his age group this fall at Springbok so I'm excited to use the ideas I had then for him now. We have set up a little classroom space in his room and I have been pulling curriculum and lesson plans together. I am very excited and just hope Ayden will be excited about doing school with mommy as well! He is in colorado this week going camping for the first time. He called me today and told me he was making a present for Balin. What a sweet big brother. Next post we will be back in Houston! Here's to hopeing the Uhaul doesnt break down!

The wait is over!

Balin has arrived! He was born July 10th, 2007 at 1:44 pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 13.6 oz and was about 20 inches long. We are having so much fun with him! The delivery went went very well and other than some jaundice he was very healthy! The poor guy has been through a lot this week though because he was circumcised on Wednesday and late Thursday night we discovered that he has an ear infection! Poor baby. Everything is going really well though except for a lack of internet! We will be posting much more whent hat happens!

Waiting

Last night we went to the Denton Fireworks show put on by the local Kiwanis group. It's actually very well done and allways lots of fun. They do it at the UNT football stadium so we sit on about the 50 yard line (astro turf) and enjoy. I had forgotten that all along we've been telling Ayden that the baby was going to be here "after the fireworks" so of course he couldn't understnd why there was no baby when we got up this morning. oops. Soon, at least we can all hope. We did have maternity pictures taken last week at a park. They were lots of fun to get done and the photographer is very nice. We are looking forward to getting back the pictures any day now! My belly measured 40 cms at my appointment this week. Thats big for those of you unfamiliar with preggo bellies. Very big. And I'm not done. eeek. we are now hopefully less than one week away from meeting Balin Conrad and though we are all very excited we are also getting tired of waiting. The anticipation starts to wear you down after a while. We are in major need of holding this baby.

Forgive the lame blogger!

I officially appologize to those of you who actually have been checking this for updates on our crazy journey called life! The past six months have been filled with waiting, so often there just has not been anything for me to mention. Lucas gave the board exams another valiant shot back in March. He took a $4000 review course and lived in a hotel in downtown Dallas for two months studying non stop all day long. It helped his score. 2 percent. Although we have another shot at the exam before his school puts him up for "review," Lucas has decided to take some time and look into other careers that would make use of the education he has recieved. He has over 120 post gradute hours in the life sciences, surely that counts for something. At the moment he is applying for lots of lab positions. He likes he idea of working behind the scenes on medications or in disease research. In August we will be moving back to Houston. Well, Ill be going Back.. this will be Lucas's first foray into the jungle. Don't tell him about the bugs... I don't think he has quite gotten over the island yet!
The big wait has been for this pregnancy to be over!! I am not a fan of being pregnant as many of you know. Yes I love this little being inside me and am amazed at how God created life within my body. We spend hours watching the baby wiggle and make my tummy contort... but the puking and not sleeping and heart burn and sciatica and itchy itchy belly are needing to be done now:-). Babies are much more fun to cuddle than a giant belly. Luckily we only have two weeks to go! My CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) wants to induce me because Ayden was such a big baby. The thought is that if we induce a week or so early then maybe the baby won't be quite as big or at least not any bigger and we can avoid having to use any surgical means to help him out... like the vacuum they used on Ayden. We are completely in support of this. Assuming that my body is ready, which there is no guarantee that it will be I wan to avaoid the very big risks associated with trying to get a baby that is just plain bigger than his mamas pelvis out. Second babies tend to be bigger and I will not have a vacuum delivery again. We've decided the risks to the baby are higher that way and would prefer to go straight to a cecarean if the need be. Hopefully Inducing me will prevent any of that. I have been cleaning like a crazy lady the past week and have been having lots of BH contractions. This evening we are supposed to have maternity pictures taken.
Ayden is very excited to be a big brother, although I'm not sure he's quite understanding everything. He found an old baby doll of his from a long time ago that he stole from Destiny. This past week he has been carrying it around and putting diapers on it, feeding it putting "his baby to sleep" and telling me what a good daddy he is. He also announced that he is going to marry Mikyla, a little girl in his class at school and that when they grow up she is going to be pregnant and he will drive the car. I overheard them at school talking about it and defending themselves to a friend. Mikyla piped up that her parents said it was okay.... I guess I'm goin to have a four year old daughter in law :-). (I should mention that Mikyla's mom is due with their baby on Friday. ) So yeah... the waiting continues, but we have a BIG light ahead!