Still pregnant

My due date is the 7th, but since the others all came so early, it sure feels like I'm overdue. I have all the signs of imminent labor -- baby dropped a week ago, at 3 cm, constant contractions, but nothing is progressing. It's like the pie is baked but the oven door will not open.

This is me with JB's younger sisters. Sarah is due in August, Suzanne was due two days after me -- but had her baby a week early, last Sunday! It was fast and caught us all by surprise. He's so sweet and soft and cuddly, I can't wait for our little guy to come out and get to know his cousin. And I can't wait to see Sarah's baby girl.

Our family, days before it's going to all change.

Summer haircut time

Before....

During....

After!

Max has been hiding. He's not ready for a buzz yet, he likes to style the front of his hair. And Andrew loves to twirl his hair so we may let him go a little longer before a summer buzz.  Benny's was becoming out of control. I think he looks darn cute now!

School's out for summer!

Look at our sweet preschool graduate.

In this picture, Max is holding onto Benny's hat so it doesn't blow away. Andrew thought we all had to put our hands on others' heads so he's doing so to Max. And Nona came to see Benny's program.

Here's Benny with his carpool friends from the past year, Timmy and Sophie.

Max's last day of school was yesterday. He's all done with 2nd grade! I regret to say I did not go and take a picture of him with Miss Gerri as everybody said goodbye. I was having more contractions that I thought surely this time would turn into real labor. But alas, like every day of the last week, they didn't go anywhere.

So close....

Our garage door is now on!  Just need full power hooked up and stairs built to the storage area.

And if I make it until 9 PM tonight, that will be the longest I've ever been pregnant. Benny came 9 days early, Andrew 10 days early, and Max around 2 weeks early.

I would like to go to tonight's ward picnic.  And I would like to make it to tomorrow night's get together for me to eat frozen yogurt with the gals from church. It's a tradition we started last year for new babies.

But I've been having stronger-than-the-normal-Braxton-Hicks-but-not-painful-just-uncomfortable contractions on and off since last Saturday. What gives, baby?  It was enough on Monday for me to make sure my bag was packed all the way, and to get clothes packed for the boys to go to my in-laws. But the contractions stopped after a nap. Blessed, blessed naps.....

I have had to -- for 9 months -- sleep on a towel with my mouth open because of the constant spit. Last night I somehow closed down hard and bit my tongue again. In the morning after that happens my mouth hurts and I spit out dried blood.  I got teary-eyed the other day when someone I hadn't seen for a while was like, "You still have all the extra saliva?" I forget about it sometimes by chewing gum all day, but the stark reminder made me feel sorry for myself again.

But at least I have pills that work for heartburn. And I have such a comfy full-body pillow. And I feel such cute kicks inside. And I have such sweet boys and husband that do so much more than I ever can around the house. JB cooks such yummy yummy dinners, and got our bassinet all out of storage and fixed! Come on out when you are ready, baby, we are ready for you.

Jr Jazz trophy and medal day

The latest round of Jr Jazz ended the Saturday before last. Here's Andrew trying to sit on the bench with Benny's team.

Benny would like you to know how many baskets he made:

Here's his medal (which for a while he carried everywhere):

And Max not only got a medal, a boy on his team has a dad who works at a trophy shop. They all got personalized trophies -- so did JB the coach!

Spring sing

Next week our Benny-boy graduates from preschool. He has loved his class and his teachers and the high school helpers at the program.

Recently they had their annual Spring Sing, and our boy got all dressed up in the suit his Nonna gave him.

He practiced his part for weeks, and so of course we all have it memorized too:

 

The Elephant

When people call this beast to mind, they marvel more and more.

At such a little tail behind, so large a trunk before.

We also know several new songs after his program.

These boys do love to climb and pose. Next up, preschool graduation, summer vacation, and then we have a kindergartener!

Creations

What we've been up to when we have some spare time:

I sent these onesie dresses to my college friend Meredith who has a new baby girl. The one on the right I had had tucked away just in case I ever had a girl, that's why it's a bit wrinkled.

I made these superhero onesies for Suzanne's shower last week.

And JB trimmed the monster pine tree in our neighbor's yard that hangs over the fence into our driveway and brushes our house.  He also went around to her side and did more trimming for her, for which she was very grateful. 

Scary and attractive at the same time!