Soggy Spring Break, False Labor, and Pancakes!

It was a nearly impossible feat having ALL FIVE boys home over spring break--the rainiest five days we have had since I don't know when.  Lately my energy and mobility have been next to nothing, so I was not really in a position to entertain my children during their time off, or to plan exciting outings to get them out of the house.  When the rain would stop for an hour or so at a time, the boys would scamper outside to soak up the fresh spring air... and return back to the house covered head to toe in MUD.  My one salvation was Steve, who had taken vacation time to stay home and help me survive this difficult week.

The gloomy weather, the cabin fever, and the seemingly never-ending pregnancy put a damper on my mood, so you can imagine my excitement when contractions came every ten minutes all day on Tuesday, and then my disappointment when they fizzled out that night around 12 am.  On Friday the rain finally stopped and the boys spent the afternoon playing outside (yes, again, in the mud), at least long enough for me to whip up a Lenten fish-and-pasta dinner.  But amid my new-found burst of energy, I discovered that contractions were coming again, quite regularly and quite frequently, just four or five minutes apart.  We asked family to come over to stay with the boys, quickly packed a bag, and even called the doctor, only to find that after a couple hours things were not progressing.

So in my impatient, bummed-out mood, I confessed to Steve, "I gave up sweets for Lent, but I need SOMETHING with sugar to lift my spirits.  I'm going to whip up a batch of pancakes and drench them in syrup!"  Samuel happened to overhear me and offered his (uninvited) opinion:

"Mommy, you can't have sweets.  It's not good for the baby."

"But Mommy needs something sweet right now.  It will help me feel better."

"Nope.  You can't.  Pancakes and syrup have too much sugar.  If you eat them, the sugar will go right to the baby's stomach.  And that's not good for him."

Sorry, kid, but Mommy won out that night.  I splurged, and felt much better.

So here I sit on Sunday, hardly able to walk or stand, thinking this baby is just as uncooperative with my requests as his older brothers.  But I'm encouraged in knowing that this time next Sunday, I will have a little bundle of joy in my arms.  Doctor assures us that baby is getting very big, and that it will probably be best to welcome him/her sometime this week.  So please keep us in your prayers, and stay tuned as we welcome our

SIXTH LITTLE BLESSING!

Baby bump... two weeks ago.  Don't you think it's about time to pop?



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