Reliving and living my life with you. To: Nubun

Life with you has been fun.  Since the moment I said "I Do" through thick or thin, till the day I die.
   We don't always agree on things, butter being one, and a million other things but there must be something to us because We seem to like each other, we always want to be together and laughing with you is like medicine to my heart. I like to be in the same room with you, even if we don't talk, just having your presence near me is sweet, it's the calming essence to my life. I like you, I love you and I always want more of you.     You are a planner, and I'd love to recount each anniversary I've had with you. Starting with our honeymoon.

   What a wonderful wedding we had! From the moment I walked down the aisle to stepping into our horse and carriage and riding off into the rest of our lives!       
   Then the honeymoon was waiting for us, 4 amazing days at the Holiday Inn right around the corner, our first midnight together we ate at Waffle House and I remember I felt like it was all laid out to perfection just for us, the honeymooners! The chef was entertaining, the waitress was sweet and jolly, the food was amazing and the air was thick with romance! 
   We felt so privileged to be able to park  in the parking spot closest to the hotel door.  Ah! The rosy atmosphere, we thought the world revolved around us. What a dream we were living! Then we woke up the next morning and saw the sign in front of our parking spot. 
  "Bird dropping zone"  And as we looked and laughed at our white spotted car we knew why that spot had been  empty.   

    We went to the Japanese gardens and there was a festival going on that weekend there, JUST FOR US! Or at least that's how I envisioned it. We ate at the gardens, I had almond chicken with mashed potatoes, you had tortilla soup. It was cool outside and the air was crisp and tingling with adventure!    The next day we went to church as husband and wife and that was the first time I was privileged to say: "This is my HUSBAND Nubun" it almost put me in shock how overwhelming those two words were!  "...my husband"   I was proud, happy and excited to try out my new toy, marriage. Then we went to the mall where we bought supplies for our next honeymoon adventure! HAWAII!!!    I remember Nathan took us to the airport and I was so shy with him because he kept on teasing me how I was now an "old married woman"

at the Airport

     The ride over there was fun, a layover in Utah proved a beautiful site. Then we arrived at our destination. I hogged the window to gaze and googoo eye at the ocean and beaches down below as we were landing. I giggled with glee and clapped my hands in anticipation. As we stepped out of the airplane hand in hand I felt the warm sunshine on my face, the wind playing with my hair and I could smell salt in the air. I couldn't wait to bury my toes in the sand! 
    The next 9 days were like a dream! I loved the rice, spam and eggs we had for our  breakfast. I loved our tours with our funny tour guide 'cousin Danny', I loved walking at night times through the heart of Honolulu and seeing all the excitement around us! I loved our expensive bike ride, all the amazing food, the mountain hike, the Wai Mei Falls,  the candy cane and the international market place and oh so much more!

Wai Mei Falls

    Every single glorious morning we were there the first thing we would do after breakfast was go to a lei stand where you'd buy me a fresh lei every single morning and place it around my neck. I'd wear the lei all day long, and sniff its rich exotic perfume everywhere we went. 

my lei

  If I had to pick a favorite moment from our honeymoon it would be when we slow danced together in the Polynesian Cultural  Center.

At the Polynisean Cultural Center

 I had never danced (I am a conservative Christian, I don't dance!) before and neither had you, but it was a sweet moment in our life and I can't remember it without getting tears in my eyes.  I had my head on your shoulder and the whole world around us got fuzzy as we slowly glided back and forth to the calm sound of the banjo playing in the background.     

By far the most exciting adventure was the kayak trip, oh man! That was the kind of adventure I'd been waiting for all my life! Do you remember the birds that were nesting there on that island?

 They only came to shore once a year to nest and I felt so special and privileged that they just happened to come when we were there! I felt like it was a special gift just for us in honor of our new life together! The lunch we had was a chicken sandwich and canned green tea, man! It was good food, especially since we were so hungry.   Even when our kayak tipped over with both of us in it, well, that was pretty cool.   

   The next day after our kayak trip we were so sore and tired we just wondered around and had a lovely low key day. We went to the beach and jumped over the waves. Can you remember it? It was cool outside, we had to wear a jacket to the beach then we took it off right before going swimming. We waded over to that little rock wall and we jumped the waves, we tried not to touch that rock wall because it had tiny little seashells that would leave little paper cut kind of marks all over our hands!

the rock wall

 Can you remember the cool air on our face, the warm water all around us and the taste of salt on our lips, and the sting of the ocean water dripping in our eyes? ah! To relive that moment! Priceless!     Then we walked around town and enjoyed the sites, just like we did every single day we were there.  

 The 6am trip to Hanauma Bay was so exciting! The water was freezing, but we were the first ones there and so it was also clear and the colorful fish were in abundance!

Hanauma Bay

     I apologies 7 years later for freaking out about the sea turtle and pushing you towards him while I tried to escape with my life! If it makes you feel any better the mouthful of sea water I swallowed while screaming under water was utterly disgusting. After an hour and a half of near hyperthermia we got out and headed on to our submarine adventure.

I was worried I wouldn't make the whole hour under water without having to use the restroom but I did. It was fun wasn't it!? After the submarine that day we went to the jewelry store and you bought some bracelets and a nice picture frame. We had a couple of hours rest after that, then we went on a dinner cruise.    

 Woh!  What an adventure!  When we first climbed on that boat they greeted us with a tray full of stuff cool looking cups of punch.   As I was reaching for a cup of the bright red stuff she asked me if I wanted the spiked one or the regular.   "No!" I exclaimed.  "I don't drink alcohol."   So she pointed to the 'safe' cups and I grabbed two. I walked over to where you were by the rales. The boat was flopping up and down, up and down with the waves. My tummy started feeling queasy and I was thirsty so I took a sip of my punch. I frowned and turned around and looked at the lady holding the tray of drinks. 
 "Nubun" I said: "I think these have been sitting in the sun too long, they taste spoiled." 
 You looked at yours, tasted it then gulped it down.
 "Mine tastes real good." 
 "Oh" I said and continued to sip my spoiled punch. It settled my upset tummy and made me feel better almost instantly. Weird. I drank half of it and after a while you grabbed my cup and said that since I didn't want it you'd drink it. You took a big sip of it and spit it out over the rail.   
 "Andrea! This is alcohol!"   
  Ooooooh... So THAT'S what alcohol taste like.   That little bit of spiked punch settled my sea sickness and your little sip made you sick! I remember eating, and watching the night time fireworks sitting down on the wood planks with your head laying in my lap. You only got up to lose more of your stomach contents then you came back to lay down. Your eyes were closed in misery so you didn't get to see any of the beautiful Honolulu fireworks. I felt so sorry for you, my brand new husband!      

 ....to be continued. 

    I wish I had time to finish this now but there is so much to our wonderful honeymoon memories I do not want to rush it. I will continue every week till I am done documenting our precious memories.   Happy Anniversary Nubun, it's been a wonderful ride. The past 7 years have been my greatest yet. I look forward to every year God blesses me with you. 
  I love you.

My Heart job. Its what I Always Dreamed Of

                                                        Yes, another Mommy Post.
                                            It's what's happening in my neck of the woods.  
                                              Basically its just today's random thoughts.

    As my life has progressed I've thought of many 'dream' jobs I would have liked to have had. You know what I'm talking about, when you just sit around and daydream about useless stuff, when your mind wonders in and out of thoughts and back and forth like a bobble head wobbling around while riding in an old pick up truck.    
     Now I'm not an ambitious person, never have been, I just never cared about climbing up the corporate line, making an 8 digit figure or even being famous. I never even care about making supervisor at any of my out of home jobs. My ideas of life were way more simple than that.      
     When I was a kid I just wanted to stay with my Mom forever. No kidding! I loved my Mom and Dad, and at 12 years of age I told my Mom that I was going to live with her forever, that when I got married I would bring my husband to live with me.  
    As a teen I wanted to be an author like Louis L'Amour. I even started writing my own book it was called 'Determination of Steel' about a female spy in the Civil War. Pretty good if I might say so myself. (for a teen) (no kiddin!)
         At 25 I enjoyed planning my wedding so much that I dreamed about being a professional wedding planner, decorating churches, guiding little flower girls down the aisle and crying through the ceremonies.            Right after getting married, my new husband and I traveled a little, to Hawaii for our honeymoon, Mexico to visit my family, To Thailand to visit his family and to nearby  romantic bed and breakfasts. I decided I wanted to be a travel 'reviewer' (didn't even know the name) (still don't)   And travel to exotic places and write exciting articles about them!  honestly, how creative am I? Who wouldnt want to be paid to vacation?    
      At 28 for a while there as I was pregnant with Evie I wanted to be a professional food taster. (Since I couldn't eat anything that wouldn't come back up I was always hungry).  (this is still a nice dream to think about)   
    At 31 after  having a great experience with giving birth naturally I decided my dream job would be a doula, helping out new Mama's  and getting to attend their births. I still get all tingly inside thinking about this one!
    Now at 32 years of age, I think It would be nice to own a juice stand and drink, make and sell juice all day long. Not my most creative one... and I smile as I share this because I sound like a dork, and I know it. 
    And,  well ..... here I am. I relish in the simple things of life!    Although there is a little part of me that would LOVE to do any one of these 'dream' jobs maybe not the juice stand, pretty sure that would grow old pretty fast) The very best part about my life, what God has blessed me in the most (job wise) is that I actually get to do my 'heart' job.
    The job I have now is really where my heart is. I love being a Mom and wife, at home.  Oh my goodness, I just tear up thinking about it!   I am so blessed every day!  And my 'heart' job is so much better then all of my 'dream' jobs put together! Or actually... it just may be all my dream jobs put together.  Maybe some day when I have an empty nest....but I don't even want to think of that day. For now I just wish my kids would stay with me forever, that I can write about them everyday, I'll watch them dress up in white dresses, and a mosquito net Evie pretends is her wedding veil,  we'll travel down the sidewalk and pick exotic dandelions, I'll always taste their food before giving it to them to make sure it's not too salty, and I can't wait someday, if God allows, to attend the birth of my next baby, meantime I will enjoy making, drinking and giving my family my beet and apple juice. So I guess if you really thought about it my heart job is really all of my dream jobs  weaved together in the most precious way.     
    So if somebody asked me if I like what I do, well, my heart will swell up as I  say "It's what I always dreamed of!"  

Banana Pancakes--Tuesdays Tummy Yummys

                                  

One of my new years resolutions was to start cooking different things and to think outside the traditional box. So today I became the proud chef of homemade banana pancakes! Glutton free and sugar free and oh so so so good!  And no,  am not going to be doing this every Tuesday. I love to eat food ~~ not write about it.
 So here is the post I said I'd never write. A food recipe! But this was so good I just had to share. Here are the ingredients. 

Makes 3 small pancakes.
 1 banana
 1 egg
 Half a cup of almonds
 A tablespoon of coconut oil
 Dash of cinnamon
 Dash of salt
 A little 3 year old helper

That's it!
Beat the egg with a fork. Smash the bananas with the same fork. (Hey! Why wash 2 forks?) Grind the almonds with a coffee grinder or whatever you want. 

   Then mix it all together in a bowl, except the coconut oil, put that in the skillet on the lowest setting, coconut oil burns really fast.

                                         Then just cook it like you would regular pancakes.

                                               Drizzle a little bit of honey and Whah-Lah! 


The girls both LOVED IT! Jasmine ate one whole pancake, that's a lot nowadays for my sick little girl.

                                                    Evie got mad when I took a bite of hers.

                                   Aaaaah. Success.  My new favorite pancake! Hands down....

Afterwards we felt so full and yummy and the weather was so nice we took a walk in the neighborhood. Jasmine walked for like 2 minutes then I held her AND Coco the rest of the walk.  At least we got our vitamin D fix.

  Here is when we were crossing the street I had both girls grab a hold of my skirt  so I could still have my hands free, well one hand at least, the other hand was holding the baby.

   The best part of my day was when Nubun came home and Evie climbed up in his lap and said: "Mommy made some yummy YUMMY pancakes! Ummmm mmmm mmmm!" 
                 AND I DIDN'T EVEN TELL HER TOO!
 And to end this ~here is a banana joke.  Come on! Everybody likes a cheesy joke.  It makes them feel smart. 
                     Why did the banana go out with the prune? Because he couldn’t find a date.

Good night!

THE CHEAP MOTEL

                                                              Dad and I in 1994

     When I get to missing my Dad and I start to get down in the dumps I remember the fun times we had as a family and think of memories that make me smile. This memory definitely does that.       One of my favorite trips of all times was when my sister Damara and her husband James rented a large 12 passenger van in September of 2001 and we went on an adventurous road trip to Washington DC. Mom and Dad, Sarah, Nathan, and of course Tiffany and Jared went too.

                                                  The day before 9/11 hapened.

     One night it was getting really late and we were all ready to get a hotel room and go to sleep. We were having trouble finding the right one, you'd have to know my Dad to understand. My Dad absolutely LOVED a bargain, and couldn't stand to pay much for anything so when we saw this little cheap looking hotel we stopped and Dad and I went in to ask the price and check it out.


   I was 21 yrs old but of course that still embarrassed me. Everybody else waited in the van.
  The price was right but Dad wanted to see a room to make sure the rooms were clean. The man behind the counter just grabbed a set of keys and handed it too us.
   "Go ahead."
    So Dad and I went outside and looked for that specific room number. Aaah! We found it and I put the key in and unlocked the door as it was opening I could see inside the dark room and the floor was littered with trash and there were two big lumps in the bed.     My heart jumped to my throat when I noticed the lumps were moving and ....talking!    "What is..."  
    I immediately stepped back and tried to close the door but Dad was standing there, he didn't know! I didn't have time to explain and I was too freaked out to use my voice so I just pushed him back with both my hands, and quickly closed the door.
   "Somebody is in there!"  I whispered in a breathless rush.

                  
    My Dad didn't say a word he just turned around and sprinted! I was left in the dust, I quickly tried to take the keys out of the door and I could hear movement and footsteps on the other side of it.    I panicked!    Finally the keys were out and I turned around to leave, Dad was about 5 miles away all that was left of him was the sound of his far off footsteps. I got two giant steps away when the door swung open loudly and a huge football player looking guy stepped out.   "What is going on!" he said it in a rough angry voice and it was more of an accusation than a question.    My throat went dry and my ears burned with embarrassment. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. My tongue felt heavy, and I was wishing my Dad hadn't turned yellow and ran, my Dad, my hero. Fathers day was only 9 months away and I was not going to forget this!   I murmured my explanation and before the man could open his mouth to say anything I apologized and high tailed it.  As I was rounding the corner to the office I imagined shadows following me, was it the not-so-jolly green giant? Dad was already in the van and I just tossed the key on the counter and hollered as I was leaving. "There are people in that room!"    Dad was in the car and they were backing out. I jumped in and we left needless to say we did NOT stay at that motel.    One thing good about times like those, they make extra good stories to tell and as the years go by, the stories get funnier and I cherish them even more with each time they are told.

                             This was a picture we took at my uncles house near Washington.
                                    Yep. That is my Dad, he was a fun kinda guy!

                Here is Dad checking out the gym in one of the hotels we were at.
                         You can see Damara taking the picture in the mirror.

                  Breakfast at a hotel on that trip--not THAT motel.

Common Comments That Pregnant Women Get.

These are popular comments most pregnant women get. I have certainly been told all of these, at some point in time. Now that I'm not pregnant anymore it cracks me up!

                

FIRST TIME MOMMY:

-Enjoy your nights while you can cause you'll never sleep again.
-Enjoy your freedom now go out on a date!

WHEN YOU ARE JUST PLAIN BIG:

-When is your due date? Do you think you're going to make it?
-Are you having twins? You sure?
-Did you swallow a watermelon? Whale?  Walrus?
-Oh my! That's one BIG baby!
-Are you sure they got your due date right?

SUBSEQUENT PREGNANCIES:

-You're pregnant AGAIN.? Don't you know how that happens?
-Boy! You sure are busy!

COMMENTS YOU JUST CAN'T MISS:

-You are having a boy/girl -I can tell by the shape of your belly.
-October? My birthday (son's birthday, uncle Joes birthday, my dry cleaners great aunts anniversary) is just 5 days earlier, maybe you'll go early!
-How much weight have you gained?
-Do you want a boy or a girl?
-You drank the water didn't you?

WHEN YOU GO PAST YOUR DUE DATE:  (my favorite category)

-You look like you're about ready to burst!
-You haven't popped yet?
-You still here?
-How long are they going to LET you go overdue?
-You look miserable!
-You poor dear.

RIGHT AFTER YOU HAVE THE BABY:

-You sure you don't have another one stuck in there?
-When are you due?
-You know you can wear control top pantyhose for that.

EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN's FAVORITE 2 COMMENTS:

-Here, you want a chocolate bar? I have two.
-*****--YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL PREGNANT-*****

What A Gentle Beginning means to Me

  When I chose Gentle Beginnings birth center as the ideal place and environment to birth my baby, it did not occur to me that the name had a lot to do with the way the birth center and their midwives treated their littlest patients.  After having my baby there I understand now.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee...
~ Jeremiah 1:5

  When a baby has just been born it has never been away from his/her Mommy, never been touched before, never seen a bright light and never felt cold. Everything a new baby goes through right after birth is miraculous and amazing. It is also a lot that the little one has to adjust to. I consider it cruel to immediately take them away from the Mother for reasons that could afford to wait.
  At the hospital where I birthed my two older daughters they treated my new healthy babies like emergencies, like an accident waiting to happen!
   They came out, was literally plopped on my belly for no more than 60 seconds, so that I could see them. Then their umbilical cord was immediately cut, leaving behind up to 25% of their necessary blood and nutrients still in the placenta. That in itself is a shock to their system. Then they were picked up and placed under a heated little table where they start to give them a shot,  poke their little foot to get blood, they got gel placed in their eyes, and flopped around while the nurses rubbed them roughly trying to get all the blood and vernix off of them as if it is something highly dangerous and contagious. They weighed them and measured them and got their footprints immediately. Why is that so important mere minutes after birth I wonder?

          

   I lay watching from a distance helplessly stuck to my hospital bed. I watched the whole process knowing that something was not right about it, something  was just wrong and my arms ached to hold my baby. MY baby! The whole time my sweet little girl was screaming and upset, and all I could do was raise my voice and speak sweetly to her hoping that at least she could hear something familiar and be comforted from it but there were loud machines, loud people and distracting bright lights and too much distance between us. She was too upset and too busy being man-handled to hear me.
I tear up thinking about it.
I truly believe that she cried because she was scared.
   She had just taken her first breath and what a cruel world she comes upon, being treated like a second rate human. She was new and did not understand what was going on but my precious little baby was not second rate.
  After a while she was once again taken far from her Mommy, down to the nursery, where she got her first bath and was scrubbed clean from any remaining offensive vernix or blood, and they scrubbed her new delicate little skin as if she were an iron skillet! My baby screamed the whole bath only stopping to gasp in shock as bitter tasting soapy water drips down in her  little eyes, nose and mouth. Yes, I've tasted baby soap, it's nasty.
   You would NEVER see a new Mom or Dad handle their squishy little helpless newborn like that!
  What is sad is that this is the norm, it is the average treatment of a healthy newborn hospital baby.
Sure, my babies 'survived' and don't seem to be permanently damaged because of it but who wants to 'just' survive? Nobody! Why not treat the new one with common kindness that we show to each other as adults?
  At Gentle Beginnings as soon as my baby was born she was immediately placed in my arms, on my chest skin to skin. Her little face was right next to my heart beat. Where it had been for 9 months.

                
She could hear my voice and got nothing but gentle hugs and kisses from me. Our midwife checked her up and down all the while I was holding and loving on her. Neither my baby nor I even noticed she was there. We were in a sweet little world of our own!
  It was a loving, sweet, warm, candle lit and quiet atmosphere she was introduced to. It was a calm yet a very joyous time for all of us.

                            
   I was the first one she heard, saw, felt. It was a comfort to her, since her little body was still learning to breath and get adjusted to wide open spaces she was introduced into that in the most gentle, calm and soothing way possible, by the one who loved her the most.
   After a few moments of a sweet welcome to this world she was lovingly placed on my chest to nurse. Which was another natural comfort for her.  She ate as much as she wanted for as long as she needed. When the placenta had expelled all it's blood, iron, oxygen and vital nutrients it stopped pulsating and then, and only then did they cut her cord.
  After a while my baby and I settled down into the warm and soothing herbal bath. Where I held my baby in the warm water softly swaying her back and forth, while my husband reached over into the tub and gently massaged his daughters little scalp with a soft baby brush. It was so soothing to her that her eyes started to droop and she calmly fell asleep in my arms, contented and happy.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
~ Prov. 3:24 from KJV

                 

She never cried or complained, because we gave her nothing to be upset about.

                 
   When I had to get some stitches and get 'fixed' up, or when I went to the restroom my baby was safe in her Daddy's arms, receiving cuddles, kisses and coos from him. She never was placed in a plastic tub, heated lamp or behind a glass window, she was warmed by her Daddy's body heat, or my own with no glass wall between us.

                 
  After her gentle introduction to the world we laid  her down on the bed and the midwife very tenderly checked her vitals, her length, weight and etc. Her Daddy and I are right there watching and enjoying it all. It was a fun and sweet celebration! No blood is drawn, she was not an emergency. Blood works could wait at least a couple of days. She didn't cry or get upset because she was treated like a first class citizen, made of flesh and blood, that had real human feelings and fears. Like the precious jewel that she was!

   That night we went home and enjoyed the comfort of our own bed, surrounded by the sounds and routines we were both used to, and slept. It was a deep and healing rest that can not be had if it weren't for a sweet and loving GENTLE beginning.
    A gentle beginning is the best birthday gift my baby could ever get. It will always be a place and a time in my life that when I look back on it I will always have that soft glow in my eyes and a contented sigh on my lips. No matter how big my baby will get I will always hug her close to my heart beat and with sweet memories I'll cherish our first gentle moments together, and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving for that little unforgetable blessing, a moment and a memory that will forever be engraved in my heart.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb...
~Psalms 127:3
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
~ Psalm 139:14 from KJV

My FaceBook birth Story, part 1

This is a blog post made solely from Facebook comments, posts and private messages. It's how Facebook friends and myself told my birth story.  If you've never had a Fb birth, I highly recommend it. It's fun!
   
   October 12th.

Me: "Here's to all those well intended sweet friends of mine who said with pity-full sorrow in their voices: "You don't think you are going to make it to your due date do you?" and believe me, there were many! I'd smile at them and say "Oh yes! I do think I'll make it!" and here I am, my baby and I made it to our due date!! Praise the Lord! yay! And feeling great! -maybe just a tad slow and addicted to naps, but I'm doing swell!!!"
     Me to my doula Hannah: "Wonderful!! Baby is head down AND no longer posterior!!!! --plus: Ann said I had the 'glow' so won't be long. 
No idea what the 'glow' is but I like it anyways..."
 10 days overdue. 
    Me:   "  I guess my 'glow' wasn't strong enough?? 
    Hannah: " Shine a flashlight on your belly in the dark. That will really make you glow! :)"
    Me talking to Amanda:  "Thinking of you. Just remember, it's just a guess date. No pressure, but just in case we go at the same time....I get the red room. :-D"
   Amanda:  "Now you've made it a challenge...I'll race you to it :)"
   Heather:  "hahaha, you two are hillarious! It would be so funny if you were both laboring at the same time at the same center!"
    
   Becca:  "I am so pathetic first thing I do when I get up in the morning is run in here to check yours and Amanda's status... I SO NEED A LIFE... I am just so excited for you BOTH!"
     Me: "Me too Becca!! Me too!! We need to start a club 'Pathetic birth Nuts club' hahaha!
I keep checking my status too to see if I'm in labor or not. Nothing from me today!! Hahaha..."
      Betsy Taylor  "LOL you dingy ladies!"
     Elizabeth  Smith:  " I want a club.... do you have to be prego to join?? I could be the coach.... or something....."
      Becca:  "I am joining yours and Amanda's race to see who has the baby first. I was reading your status and if your MW will let you go up to three weeks past, I just might beat you both! =) Don't worry you can still have the RED room, but the races begin! I hope you have a Wonderful Friday!"
       Me: " What?! Amanda, are you reading this?? 
Castor oil it is!!
AGAIN. I hate Castor Oil. Got to think of something else.... I'm just gonna tel my MIL to turn up the spice-o-dometer on her Thai food. Maybe I'll go run a marathon too... Ok. That's funny, me running that is..I'm cracking myself up! 
Ps. Don't forget my dog Bella is in the race too! Hahaha"
       Amanda: " That is SO not funny Becca. You can NOT beat us!!! IT MUST GO IN ORDER! Me, Andrea, Bella and THEN Becca ;) If you all want to go into labor at the same time that will be fine but you can't leave me behind :)"
       Me: "Maybe Bella could get the red room?  Amanda, I gotta strange feeling we WILL go in that order. It's only fair right?? Haha. Sorry Becca. :-0"
     Amanda:  "NEGATIVE! I am NOT sharing the red room with a dog, lol."
     Me: "By the time my baby is born this will be what she looks like compared to the average newborn. A tad over-cooked?"
    Amanda:  "LOL!! Mine is going to come out talking and walking. :) And I was really hoping for a small baby."
     Me:  " Hahaha! Well, I don't know Amanda, I healed up a lot quicker from my 8 pounder then I did my 5 pounder. I don't think you or I have a chance for a small baby anymore!"
     Kathleen Gardner:  "so how long will they let you go over before "helping" you out?"
     Me:   "As long as the baby and I are healthy..... :) I'm actually glad I wasn't induced at 40 weeks with this one like I was with the other two. At 40 weeks she was transverse and not in a good position to come out. Since I have waited my baby has accommodated herself into a very safe and 'proper' position to come out. And I feel tons better now about going into labor then I did 9 days ago. Still--it is hard to wait, I'm ready to meet her, hold her and feed her.... Ooooh. It can't be long!!"
    Tori:  ‎"They almost always turn on their own and stay put when they get close to being delivered." another invaluable lesson learned through The Bradley Method and Donna Ryan"
  Me:  "I think that if given the chance Jasmine would have turned and I would have had an easier delivery with her. But OBs are so impatient. At least mine was."
    Tori:  " When exactly was your's and Amanda's due dates? Will was 10 days overdue before he decided to show up :)"
  Me: " Ronda, I'm not scared of a big baby! Not even a little! I was a couple of years ago... Not this time around!  It is fun to joke about though."
   Tori:  "Amanda's was the 11th that makes her 10 days passed due today..."
   Me: I'm at 9 days --Amanda is at 10. She has been preggo for 290 days --me 289. :-)"
   Donna Ryan:  "I promise -- these babies *will* come out!"
   Me: " What!!? I'm NOT going to be pregnant forever? Haha. I know Donna, and this time around I don't have the pressure of a doctor or hospitals policies... I'm contented to wait. Although I am ready. Anytime now!"
    Me: "My baby is in position to be born!!!! (first time EVER!). Yes! Yes! Yay!!!! Praise the Lord!!!"
  Sherian:  " Hmm...I wonder if your mama's intuition was right and she will be here tomorrow?? How's the dog?"
  Me:  "Sherian, dog is still pregnant too. She better wait her turn! Its still Amanda's turn first then mine then hers.... :-D   Baby is not engaged but in a good position. Still not in a hurry, just waiting on the Lord! His timing is better then ours."