Happy Birthday Ben!

Can it really be true that the crazy boy above is really nine years old? I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday he was born. I remember being told we'd probably never have children due to my having severe endometriosis and scarring and then the pleasant surprise that we were indeed going to be parents, the nine months of the worst nausea and vomiting I have ever experienced in my life and the look of horror on the doctor's face when she delivered Ben because he was so huge. You don't expect to have a 10lb 9 oz baby when you only gain 7 lbs!

Ben had a nice day today. Lots of presents, lunch at one of his favorite restaurants (Famous Daves) and ice cream pie for dessert. He had a little trouble blowing out the nine candles on his pie, but his sister Macy was more than happy to help him out.

Now we're just playing the waiting game for baby #5. Unfortunately I seem to be developing a very nasty cold. I only hope that it will be gone by the time the baby decides to make her appearance. I still need to do a few things, so if she could wait just a bit longer, it would greatly be appreciated.

Baltimore

Yesterday we took the family up to Baltimore for the day. We often go in the summer, but I was feeling so sick and time slipped away. So we planned for January instead (brrrr it was very cold!). We went to Port Discovery in the morning. Port Discovery is a children's museum with a large indoor play space. You may have heard of it a couple of years ago when they had a hot air balloon full of families go kind of crazy. Needless to say that particular feature isn't offered any longer. While we were there we purchased a family membership so we can get into the Creative Discovery museum in Chattanooga my children were eyeing this winter and Imagine It! Children's Museum of Atlanta this summer when we visit my in-laws. There are several others that offer reciprocal programs that are very close to us that I think we will take advantage of just because we can!
After lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (yum!), we spent the afternoon at the Baltimore Aquarium. I was hoping this picture I took would be clearer and then I could enter it in the fair, but it's too blurry.

Looking back, I wished we hadn't gone to the aquarium. It was very crowded due to the fact it was a holiday. We saw mostly the back of people looking at the fish/animals than the animals themselves. It was hard to keep everyone together, even when they were trying to stay with us. (What is it with people cutting into an obvious family trying to separate the children from the adults?) The kids were tired after a very busy morning climbing, running and playing and as a result just a little bit cranky. Next time we're only doing one thing. To be honest, the aquarium doesn't offer much more than what we can see at the National Zoo and that's free. Okay, there's no dolphins, but that was just a small part of the afternoon.

I need to get busy cutting out a few items and sewing them up before the baby comes. Ben's teacher is due the month after me and I would like to sew something new for our baby coming up (about one more month!). Now if I could just find the energy and make my stomach behave!

Surprises

Here is the latest picture of the newest member of our family, due to arrive in about a month or so. I had placenta previa at my 19 week scan and we had to have another this week to see if it resolved itself (it did). Even with just about a month to six weeks to go, this is a fat baby. I usually have big babies, so this wasn't a surprise, but no one ever said my others were big before I gave birth. This one may break all family records. We'll see.

Related to the little one pictured above, I would like to share one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me. A little background info first. This has been a hard pregnancy. I've had the usual unrelenting nausea, tiredness, aches and pains that have accompanied all of my pregnancies. What has been the hardest for me has been the reactions of many to this pregnancy. Let's just say many people weren't as thrilled that we were expecting baby #5. Some family members have yet to ask one question about how this baby is doing, how my appointments with the midwife have gone, etc. Some have even made snide comments such as "If you get so sick when you're pregnant, I would think you would stop getting pregnant." I find myself making excuses by saying things like, "It's not like we were planning this." and then I get mad because even if she wasn't planned, it doesn't mean we're not anymore excited about her arrival. So needless to say, I've been feeling a bit down about the whole thing.

Well today I felt the baby and I were truly appreciated. My neighbor threw me a surprise baby shower and I was so surprised. For one thing, I have never had a surprise party for anything so that was a first. Then there were people there I wouldn't have expected in a hundred years. She had me thinking were going to a surprise 50th birthday party for her husband. I had even ran out to get rolls to contribute and I made him a funny t-shirt. I had no clue. I thought her husband looked much younger than 50, but other than that I really had no idea. Unfortunately 10 minutes before we were to go over to the party I glanced out the window and saw someone I recognized from church. Since we worship about 27 miles from our house, I was surprised to see her get out of the car that had just parked. I just thought, "She must know our neighbors, too" but then upon a second look, I saw two others with her and then it hit me that something was going on. I said to my husband, "Is this really a birthday party or is this for me?" He just sheepishly looked at me, but my son was smiling from ear to ear. I just burst out crying and spent the next 10 minutes trying to compose myself.

At this point we headed over and brought the rolls and the t-shirt because I didn't want them to know I knew something was up, but once we got inside and I saw people I wasn't expecting, I started to cry all over again. It was such a wonderful party and it was so nice to be surrounded by people that were not only happy for us, but took time out of their busy Saturdays to celebrate the arrival of another gift to our family. I still can't stop thinking about it. It was truly one of the nicest, most wonderful things that has ever been done for me. Just goes to show you that life is full of surprises!