Summer Sweetness

There's really nothing like being a kid in the summer. I lived on a farm for my happy childhood, so summers were pretty much the height of everything (we did not work the farm; just rented the house from a farmer). Barefoot days were spent running around in the yard and by the creek, picking dandilions, running through the sprinkler, climbing trees, and digging holes.

We just finished a fairly untimely heat wave, which reminded me about my happy childhood nights. Once or twice a week, we'd have a camp fire out in the grove and we'd roast marshmallows with my dad. Usually when the sun first started setting, we'd go out to the garden with him and do some weeding and watering. I remember one time we picked these huge tomatoes. I'd never seen such big ones before. Probably not since, either, at least not in my mind's eye.

When it was hot out, we had this water trough-turned-wading pool (it was bought for that purpose and never used for animals), that we'd spend hours in. We played the stupidest games, but it was always so fun. Other water games we played included running through the sprinker, "recycling", which was some version of pouring buckets of water into smaller buckets and through an old drain pipe and then doing it all over again, and "The Big Bazooka", which involved my older brothertying up an old bike inner tube on one end, filing it beyond capacity with water, and then the three of us hiking it up over our shoulders and parading around the yard while JOnathan decided which things to spray it at.

We went to the library a lot. Mom tried to give us some designated reading time (she called it DRAT because she was funny like that), so we'd do the reading program at the library. On really hot days, she'd check out the Star Wars trilogy or rent some Little Rascals movies from the rental store in town, and we'd spend the day inside watching those.

Most nights I slept in my rosebud wallpapered room with a nightgown and a white fan blowing on my face, with the windows wide open letting in the cooler breeze and sounds of crickets. But sometimes, it was just too hot in that old farm house. Sometimes we had these magical nights when we got to camp out in the living room with that window unit on. That is one of my favorite memories of the summers in Swisher. My mom had her own air conditioner in her bedroom window, but us kids would take our blankets and pillows downstairs, and make ourselves a comfortable corner to sleep in. I used to pretend I was camping, because I thought camping was the coolest possible thing back then.

I love those memories, those special times when the whole family was together, working and enjoying each others' company. Mom, thinking of fun things for us to do, trying to get us to read more, and putting up with wet feet tracking grass clippings through the house. Dad, tending the garden, filling the pool, coming home to his wild brood doubtlessly covered in dirt from the day. Me, Jonathan and David (and later Baby Anna), making the most of those sun-kissed days and the freedom to ride our bikes and dig holes and waste water and be kids. I'll never forget it. I'll treasure it all my life. And hopefully my kids will feel the same way about their summers when they look back.

Baby Boom

The last year has been full of people announcing pregnancies and having babies. I guess it's kind of like that year when we had a wedding every other weekend all summer. Just the age we're at right now. People have babies. But for the last year it was kind of disappointing for me too.
It never took very long to make babies before, but this time, when I REALLY wanted it, it just didn't happen. It was two years of actually trying, and one year of trying harder, with nothing to show but more mysteries and things the doctors didn't know what to do about. That's a frustrating place to be.
I guess it was so that I could have more grace with those obsessive people who really want to be pregnant adn can't just let go of it until it happens. I've never really understood that. I still don't really understand it. But I do understand wishing so hard and dreaming about that soft skin and tiny smiles and wondering if it's ever going to happen, and wondering if my body is broken beyond repair.
There's been a little wave among the people I hang out with, of pregnancy announcements. Mostly people having their seconds or thirds.
This time I was among them! With my other pregnancies I happened to be one of the few who had a baby at that time. I know. This is really interesting to most of you. So my kids are stuck between two big waves of summer babies and I didn't get to be pregnant with most of my friends. But this time, there are lots o' bellies running around in my circles of friends. I think it will be fun.
So, in the spirit of "What to Expect when You're Expecting" book, I will now answer the questions I know you all are thinking.

Q: When are you due?
I guessed December 20th as my due date, and then I had an ultrasound that confirmed it to the day! It happens to be my dad's birthday (and the day after my father-in-law's birthday).

Q: Are you going to find out what you're having?
No. well, I mean, we assume it's a baby. The gender will be a surprise. (But we both want a boy and so do the kids).

Q: Are the kids excited?
Unbelievably. For two little girls who play baby dolls all day, or pretend that they are babies, it's a dream come true.

Q: You had to take medication last time for something, right? Do you have to again?
I'm taking lovonox (blood thinner) injections every day along with 4 doses of folic acid. Otherwise it's just the normals. The injections aren't going that smoothly yet but hopefully I'll get into the swing of things sooner or later. They've just been kind of painful and left bruises. Nothing new for some folks. I'm a wimp.

Q: Is it going to be a C-section? 
Yes. After two other c's, I doubt the doctor would be convinced to do anything else. Plus, I am more at risk of bleeding to death in the case of a rupture because of the blood thinners.

Q: How are you feeling?
Pretty crappy, thanks for asking. I'm 12 weeks now and I've been feeling a little less nauseated, but this has been the worst time around by far. No vomiting, just lots of wishing I could. Also, I'm not super tired unless I don't sleep well, which is happening more than I want thanks to some kids.

Well, that's all for now folks! I'll update periodically, and I'm sorry for those of you who hate this kind of stuff. I would have made a seperate blog but I figured no one would read that one anyway, and I don't want to have to spread myself out that thin.

Nothing.

I'm still here! I think about blogging often and just... don't have the energy. But here I am. With nothing profound to say. We had a busy week with extended family visiting for the brother-in-law's wedding. It was really fun seeing everyone. I think it will take me two weeks to catch up on life, though. We kept dropping stuff at home and running out the door for the next thing. I love my in-laws. The whole lot of them. I think i can actually refer to them as a "clan" since they're Scottish. And they have a crest.
Anyway. I really will post more later. I'm just too tired out and busy right now. Especially since summer started and now I have a billion things to get done. Sooner or later, I will write substance. Promise.