Update

Ultrasound at 36 weeks - two weeks ago...

(She looks scrunched, doesn't she? I'm putting up an eviction notice soon.)

I'm starting to field the emails now, so I see I need to add an update to this blog. The doctor says I'm still pregnant. The torso grows ever-massive... but no.. no baby. Not yet. She's bound to keep us waiting.

These are the lessons I'm learning from Emma:

1. No child is the same. And just because one baby comes early, does NOT mean they all will. The ladies/moms have been telling me this since day one around here. Prior to this week, I thought I was solidly aware of this fact. But it's been reinforced in my head as there is no sign of Emma's impending arrival. Jack came early, and I was happy as a clam to see him. Emma has watched the deadline for Jack's gestational term come and go. In fact, I think I can feel her thumbs twiddling and feel the vibration of her giggles as she waits it out, warm and cozy. She seems quite comfortable with protruding elbows and knees sometimes causing my abdomen to appear deformed and lopsided at times. Come on, girl. It's surely getting crowded in there. Let's get this show on the road.

2. Old wives' tales are a bunch of hullabaloo: Treadmills/brisk walks don't work. Spicy food does not bring on labor. A little dilation doesn't mean a darn thing. And alternating between scolding and begging a baby while she's inside your womb is pointless.

3. Anxious siblings can't really help. No matter the amount of conviction in Jack's voice, his pointing of a light-up wand at my stomach and chanting, "Abracadabra... Come out, Emma!" is cute but not really substantial.

4. Births during full moons are purely coincidental. The moon is now waning and I'm still having to roll out of bed in the mornings.

I'll keep you posted.

Big Whitney

Marathon!

Jim participated in the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival Marathon yesterday here in Springfield. Translation: Jim is crazy. It's okay to shake your head with me. He won't see.

Despite my realization that I've gone and married a slightly deranged person, I won't hide a hefty amount of pride here too. He ran for four hours and 1 minute, and he still looked pretty strong at the end. He was slightly immobile and definitely requiring me to drive the truck home, but he did this thing. A marathon! Don't get the story from Jim, because he'll relay it while kicking the dirt about the extra one minute that put him over his "sub four hour" goal. Get the story from me and we can, together, totally bypass his downplaying of the accomplishment. He RAN for FOUR HOURS and ONE MINUTE! Woah. Just typing the sentence wears me out.

Here are a few less-than-great pictures. My job was hat-holder, energy gel passer, and chapstick stand-by person. Breathtaking photography sometimes gets sacrificed.

Jack and Grammie watch for any sign of Daddy rounding the corner

Here he comes!

There he goes!