Announcing:
I knew I'd go overdue. I told everyone I would go overdue. It's just my way. But despite the slightly bewildered looks I get from people who don't (or can't) understand why I would voluntarily cancel an induction date, or refuse to have some kind of intervention, I am completely at ease with my very last stages of my very last (sob!) pregnancy. I have so enjoyed every bit of it. There is nothing, NOTHING like feeling a baby move inside you. Even after 4 or 5 months of movement I still get caught off guard sometimes and find myself catching my breath and laughing at the re-realization that there is someone inside me. I love watching my tummy grow and am still in AWE, even after five children, that your body can do such things! I mean, holy cow!! We're talking actual, new human being in the process here!!
Even when I felt like crap in the early stages, I knew this for what it was...my last chance to experience everything I love about being pregnant and giving birth, and yes...I ENJOY giving birth. Every painful, messy moment. It lasts an infinitesimally short time compared to the result and is easily forgotten. I have deliberately hoped that this pregnancy would last as long as possible so I could relish in it and it seems that I am going to get my wish! So, no...I am not going nuts waiting. I am not hoping at every small, medium, or large contraction I have that this is IT. This is not something I want to pass quickly by. Let me clarify...I am indescribably ecstatic at the thought that in a few short days, I will be indulging in my favorite activity thus far in my life. Holding and caring for a brand new baby! However, there is a part of me that will never be able to peacefully accept that this stage of my life is over.
I felt a bit of this feeling each time I was pregnant in the past and made sure I got a good-and-pregnant picture of myself, even if I had to enlist one of my kids to take it for me. So I have to express what a complete gift it is that I had the chance to have so many prego-tastic pictures of my fabulously large, enciente tummy taken by master photographer Erin Summerill. She has given me something that I will treasure forever and will possibly even make the unavoidable step into the next stage somewhat more bearable for me. So I will simple say: Thank You Erin! Your talent is being used for good!
As I sit here blogging on All Hallows Eve, I ponder where my Whedon obsession has led me. First, Serenity, the movie that introduced me to Firefly, which remains the ultimate in my ranking of t.v. shows. Then, I ventured into the world of vampires and demons...with Buffy and Angel as my guides....I have come to recognize that people aren't black or white, by this I mean that there is good to be found in (almost) everyone, we just need to be able to take the time to discover the real person inside! Outward appearances can be deceiving! Well, I have looked beyond the epidermal layer and fallen in love!!! I now take this opportunity to reveal to the world the father of the love-child that I am carrying.............
We recently gathered our brood of chickadees together for an adventure in family fellowship. With special attention paid to the couture & coiffeur, we met Erin Summerill (of ES Photography) at the appointed location and hour. We knew the challenge we were about to take on. Namely, the simultaneous coordination of seven individuals in a pleasing, well composed manner. I have to say, I found the experience quite pleasing, but I wouldn't necessarily say all of us were composed. After an initial set-up and snapping of the first group of photos, Cameron decided he had had quite enough. No more sitting still and smiling for him! After all, he was outside, which is never conducive for sitting if you are a two-year-old. Nicholas departed for his daily quest to find the perfect stick, and Shelby became distracted by the abundance of leaves at her disposal. Erin, recognizing a losing battle when she see's one, decided to get some shots of mama & daddy. I think Jason slipped her some green in order to get some shots for his own personal collection (if you know what I mean!).
After the offspring had burned through some extra energy, we gathered together again to try some group shots. Cameron still retained his non-cooperative state, but we pressed on. When about an hour had elapsed, the light beginning to fade, and Erin (bless her heart) obviously exhausted from her day-job duties of demolition to her newly-acquired home, we called it a wrap. I drove home pretty tired myself, thinking about how much effort it takes to pull off such a feat as family photos, and concluded that if Erin could find ten good photos in the batch, I would consider the effort a smashing success.
So imagine my surprise and delight, when Erin showed up at my home two days later with an entire disk full of great photos!! I mean like, over a hundred!! And a super-awesome DVD to boot!! This was completely unexpected. Although I never doubted Erin's photographic abilities, I did understand the limitations of a family of seven.
Here are some of the beautiful pics of my beautiful family. I thank them, and I thank Erin for such a treasure!! 
O.K. If you know me at all, you know that I loves me a good home improvement project. It doesn't even have to be mine. I especially get excited if I see DEMOLITION!!!! I love before and after pictures. I love the smell of Home Depot and drywall mud. I love watching a semi loaded with trusses headed up the road; I often have the urge to chase it like it were an ambulance to see where it stops! Now, I'm not saying that LIVING with remodeling is a load of fun, in fact, more often than not, it SUCKS!!! But, other than that, I dream of changing almost every part of my home. And I LIKE my home. If you could see into my brain and get an idea of the "dream" version of my house, you'd probably give me a look something like Jason does when I start "expressing" my ideas. Like I just asked for the Hope Diamond or something!! So I try to give it to him in little pieces. Or better yet, wait for it to be his idea! I have occasionally thought of starting a project myself and looking totally inept on purpose, so he'll finish it, but I haven't dared. I'll maybe save that for when things get drastic.
Anyway, it's been awhile since we tackled a project around the house. My husband is great at building and remodeling. I can't think of a type of project he hasn't taken on, except maybe masonry. So far in our house, we've knocked down walls, ripped up & replaced floors, moved cabinets, added heating and cooling, repainted & replaced several doors. So now what? Well, we got this idea. It's kind of crazy, but we think it will work. It's going to add something totally different to the plan of our home. So we have a preview video to show everyone, to see what you think, although, we are going to go ahead with it regardless, so click away.....
Well, despite the objections of Jason, (I'm still not sure what he was thinking), I gave Cameron his first haircut yesterday. I have issues when it comes to this: I am torn between excitement at the outcome, and sadness that yet another stage has passed in my baby's life. 
When Sidney was a baby, my sister-in-law, Pat, used to say "doesn't it just make you sick when they grow up so fast?" I used to think, "I am relishing in each and every new stage and this is how it is supposed to be--babies grow and we should be happy about it!" I never wished any one of my kids stages away, I feel that time moves at the pace it is supposed to, to wish it to go faster or slower is robbing you and your kids of the present moment. Now, however, I know what Pat was talking about. With each child, I have wanted more and more for each adorable stage to last and last. I could cry right now when I think of the first 2-3 weeks of a baby's life. It is so fleeting! If I could somehow capture those feelings and moments and hang on to them a little longer I'd give almost anything. They are the sweetest imaginable! But when I think of all the cute things Cameron does now, I swing back to my original thinking---"THIS is the cutest stage so far!"
I delight in each stage and try to hold on to the feelings of the one that came before. My idea of heaven is to be able to rewind to any moment in your life and re-live the feelings the same way you did the first time--as many times as you want. 
So despite my feelings when I took the first cut (you can see the sick look on my face) I'll try to focus on the sweet way it felt when Cameron gave me a smooch and the giggle I feel every time I look at his double crown in the back! It's perfect!!
