The end is near...

I'm 37 weeks along.
And have not posted here nearly as much as I want to or should have... There are excuses. My laptop keyboard, ravaged by children, was uncomfortable to type on, until it died recently. My spring and summer seem to be a series of children being sick, followed by life being busy, then I get sick, then the children, then vacation, then me n the kids sick again, then busy some more. And so this blog has been floating in the lake of intention that seems only to grow on the edge of my day-to-day life....

It's nice sometimes to scoop a bucket or two out of the lake and water my conscience.

Asher David Isaiah... I've felt him moving since 15 weeks. He's not shown any preference for or notice of music, unlike his siblings when they were in the womb, but he tends to wake up when I'm telling or reading the kids a story. I think he especially likes it when I make silly voices... or maybe I'm misinterpreting. It's possible that he doesn't like it, and he's actually protesting. Violently. In the only way he knows how. "MOM!!! Stop it, that's embarrassing!"

He wakes up every night around 10:00 or so, and we play with him. Phil especially likes to poke and prod, and he obligingly pushes back. I love how responsive Asher is... when we are poking at him he freezes, and then if you wait a moment or two, when all is quiet, he experimentally reaches out and pushes, as if checking to see if someone is really out there.

Makes me think of the picture with unborn twins, one says "Do you really believe in a 'mom'?" the other replies "Yes! I don't know how, but I'm convinced there is life after birth."

Micah and Rosie take very much delight in pestering their baby, and often fight over hand-space on my belly (which really isn't necessary, there's belly to go around!) Rosie commonly asks throughout the day if we can wake Asher up and play with him, and Micah never fails to smile and find my belly if someone mentions baby. "A-Her, my baby A-Her" he says. They are more than thrilled to welcome this little one. Rosie told me today "Mama, when I Asher comes out and I'm grown up, Micah and I will babysit him and you can sleep as much as you want." I hadn't the heart to remind her that Asher would be growing up along with them. I just smiled and said that would be lovely.

Sleep. And food. ah, bliss, what more can I say? Lately they are all I want. The moment I wake I want to be sleeping again, and when I'm finished eating I wonder if there's anything else delicious around... there's nothing in particular I crave, and my weight is still up and down... I'm within 15 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight still, but I'm not losing weight consistently anymore. Most of my last dr. visits have shown me gaining. Still I think when all's said and done I'll be at my thinnest after he's born, especially if he eats and grows like his siblings did.

 I'm sore, and beginning to waddle when I'm not careful and/or completely exhausted. Did I mention sore? Nothing unusual... just achy by the end of the day from occasionally carrying around my 35+lb 2 year old... Otherwise things are going well. Asher is head down, ready for October 6 or somewhere around then, and I'm more excited and nervous every day. Bring it on, baby, bring it on.

(picture of me at 30 weeks, getting more recent ones soon)