The big 3-0!!!...and everything else that happened in August...playing catch up...

I did it! I turned 30. And I survived! :) Weird to not be in my 20s anymore. I don't feel much older, but I should be 30 I guess because I had 4 kids and was 36 weeks pregnant with the 5th?! THAT makes me feel old.

 

This is a tradition in our house. During the middle of the night I heard weird noises and was wondering what it was...but then new exactly what it was! Sweet Justin had bought more streamers and decorated my door. :)

AND my chair! :) What a hubby.

 

Then later someone ding dong ditched these...the most thoughtful gift ever. Inside the books is letter from all my family members on both sides and closest friends. With a little research I found out it was from my NEW friend Kay Easthope! How sweet of her to do this. I think it came up at a playdate we had during the summer and we were talking about my 30th bday coming up. I wanted something about it to be special. And this was!! Very special! Thanks so much Kay and all of you lovelies that wrote such sweet things in there.

Later on Pam and Derick and family came over for a BBQ and cheesecake. Yum!

(Man I needed a bang trim and thinning so bad!)

Love these ones. My babies. :)

Man. Time flies! Life is good. I am old.

But I hear the 30s are the best! So here we go!

 

Another moment to record is that the girls took off their training wheels and learned to ride a bike on my birthday!! As I thought back, Zach learned to ride HIS bike on my 28 birthday! So funny how these things work out. And I am so happy that the girls finally agree with me. Bikes are way easier to ride without training wheels. 

 

Harvest time! Yummy garden peas.

We did A LOT with the French cousins this year. Birthdays, mission farewells, Waterton, fishing at Cameron Lake...Grandma French had her 80th birthday this past January, but we decided to celebrate in warmer times, so we did it this summer when all of her family was here! The kids had an awesome time. They got to decorate their own cupcakes and Kate sure went to town!

There's a cupcake somewhere under there!

Addie really wanted to wear the girls clothes to church. Backwards. This was during her camera shy stage. She sees a camera she goes running.

The kids put up a lemonade stand. It wasn't too busy since we live in a cud de sac at the edge of town! HA! But some neighbors enjoyed it and the kids had a great time!

I FINALLY got my bangs trimmed! Honestly felt so good and like I lost 5 lbs off of my forehead!! Summer is a HOT time to have bangs! Keep them trimmed and thinned! :)

It was Brian's 40th high school reunion so he got to be in the Cardston Heritage Day Parade and throw lots of candy at the kids.

We got Benson for the weekend since Richard drove down to play softball while Leslie and Cynthia were in Toronto with the triplets! It was so fun to get to know him.

And look how our flower gardens grew! BEAUTIFUL! Little did we know stinking snow would come less than a month later and kill them all. SO SAD!

We had another fun French get together during the weekend after the French Softball team lost. Maybe next year guys!

Here I am at 38 weeks!! I would say almost there!! But really, we all know I'd go 1 week over and have to be induced, so really I knew it was 3 weeks away and at the end of a pregnancy 3 weeks might as well be 3 months. One thing I have to document is that I WAS SO SICK. I got some kind of virus, just a normal cold or something. Then it turned into killer pericarditis...which I know it was that because we actually looked into it this time because I felt like I was going to die. Usually when these symptoms come I can take Motrin and get through it, but not during pregnancy, so it was THE WORST CASE I HAVE EVER HAD. Sharp stabbing chest pains, heart palpitations and racing on any movement really, especially bending over and reclining. Trying to lay down to rest anytime was killer. I had to slowly get lower and lower and purse-lip breathe to keep the pain away. The worst night Justin was in hospital on call and it felt so weird to be dying at home when my doctor husband was at the hospital. I couldn't easily go into the ER because my hubby was the doctor there and he was busy and it was late at night so I had no one to watch my kids! He said I'd be fine. I finally took a motrin, which you are not supposed to take ESPECIALLY at the end of your pregnancy because of possible heart complications with your baby so then of course I felt so guilty and wanted to puke out the Motrin...but I didn't. I miraculously survived that night, sleeping upright on the couch for most of it. Ugh...the worst. The next day I went to the ER for a ECG and then saw a Cardiologist a week later when all of the symptoms had subsided. This has happened several times following a viral infection, but like I said I've always been able to treat it so it hurt bad, but was bearable. This time was HORRIBLE. We found out it was indeed pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) and treatment was high doses of Aspirin and colchesine. Both of which again are contraindicated in late pregnancy. I didn't want to bleed all over the table at delivery or have anything happen to my baby! Plus most of the pericarditis symptoms were gone so I decided to do nothing until I get it again...hopefully after I am done nursing because the meds to treat it are also contraindicated there too. Anyway, after the pericarditis I had a horrible sore throat and ear ache. The ear ache was SO BAD!! I feel for these poor kids with ear infections! Mine was so bad that I lost hearing in my left year so I would have to turn my head to hear people. I was SO CONGESTED I couldn't even smell or taste! It was the worst!! I tried eating really spicy cheese and hot and sour soup my cousin made when he was hear and I could barely taste it. The only thing that almost tasted like something. Then I got a sore throat again and a bad cough. It started as a really dry cough. a week or two later it started getting productive. I finally tried antibiotics at 39 weeks pregnant because I didn't want to be sick when the baby was born, but I also didn't want to have a yeast infection when he was born because I've had thrush with Zach and I could think of nothing worse than having thrush on top of all of this. My cough got so bad that a  week or two before baby I pulled a muscle in my side so sitting up was impossible without lost of pain. and it stayed pulled for weeks because I coughed like crazy, or sneezed and it would repull. Yes, even after I had my baby it was there for 3 weeks pulling then healing then pulling. And Really. I am being honest. Not dramatic. Worst last 6 weeks of pregnancy and 2 weeks postpartum ever. I was so sick! for 2 months?!?! And I couldn't taste my food!!! Or hear! It was so odd. Nice when the kids were home and noisy...didn't bother me as much!

I noticed I had the same shirt on for my 30 week picture to my 38 week picture! WHOA. That's a lot of growth!! 

For my birthday present Justin got me a 9th Anniversary night at The Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton (Hey...is that allowed? No doubling up on holidays like that!). I was pretty excited...until we found out it's a historical hotel that they try to keep to period as much as possible...aka no A/C, no wireless, no t.v., no fridge or microwave, shared balconies, and some rooms even share a communal hall bathroom! All for triple the price of a nice normal hotel. WHAT?!!! Yeah, Justin was surprised too. He had no clue. I was hoping and praying that our room had a bathroom at least. I was 38 weeks pregnant! HA. Good memories. And lucky for me we had our own bathroom!

We got there, checked in, sweated (mid August...no A/C...38 weeks pregnant...eeww). Luckily we found a (really loud) fan to plug in and blasted it all night. We had a nice quick overnight getaway walking, eating (Zum's "Famous" fried chicken...had to try it. I always see the sign for it. Not very impressive I say. Pretty dry actually!), walking, and eating...seeing bears right around the hotel. Lots of them! It was a great experience that we will never do again! Funny thing when you pay way more for way less! All for the experience I guess. 

We had a baby sitter come to the house for the evening, then Brian stayed the night (Cynthia was in Toronto again) and then a sitter came over in the morning so Brian could go to work. THANKS BRIAN!!! And look what the sitter made with the kids for us. :)

 

Perks of a Dr. Dad. :)

Justin's obsessed. With fish! Frying fresh fish filets!

We watched the Mini Chuck Wagon races this year. It was entertaining!

Jason and Kamry  came down to go to Echo at the end of August. Justin took them out to Cameron Lake fishing. Jace wanted NOTHING to do with it. Look at him staring at the fish!

The catch.

Jace likes Lego though! And Zach! :) Fun cousin time.

At the end of August...when I was 39 weeks pregnant...Justin LEFT ME!!! He took all the kids to Echo to go hang with his family and all of the cousins and he left me alone! All before this summer I said we are not going! I'll be so pregnant and I don't feel right going 4 hrs away from our hospital, over the border with NOTHING in between. Just a windy mountain pass and rural roads! Justin still thought I would and should go since we all knew I'd be going to 41 weeks...but what if I didn't?! What then. Yes, I would be at Echo Lake with 3 Doctors in house...but Jason said he wouldn't help deliver at all so I guess only 2 doctors...You never know what could happen. I think I was dreaming I would go into labor. I've always wanted to go into labor naturally. Never have. Plus, do I really want to go sleep in a house with a lot of people and kids and maybe on a mattress on the floor at 39 weeks pregnant? As much fun as my inlaws are and Echo is, it didn't convince me. I stayed home. I fought with the decision for weeks and then even when the time came and I was packing the kids bags I was bawling and telling Justin "I can't believe you are leaving me!" and "No, you are not doing this for me!" Although the thought of NO KIDS for 4 days before I would soon add another kid to the house was a tiny bit appealing. The first night they left I bawled...and then I went shopping at Extra Foods and raided their clearance section for clothes for Addie and Baby Boy. Retail therapy. And that's about all we have here in Cardston! Extra Foods...:) Then I started watching "Call the Midwives" (probably not the best thing to watch at 39 weeks prego, but it prepared me!) One night I even had a scare. I let the doctor strip my membranes while Justin was gone! I secretly wanted to go into labor while he was gone to get him back for leaving me and not trusting that I was capable of having a baby on time and even early! Not that I wanted to deliver alone...but if it happened that would show him for being insensitive and leaving me! What if?!? (I was hormonal and really sick-I wanted to be done SO BAD). Anyway, I lost a bit of my plug (TMI) and had regular contractions, like every 10 minutes for a while. I panicked and he thought I was tricking him but I wasn't lying!!! For about an hour or two! But then I moved and they stopped coming. It happened again during the night...but then I turned over and it stopped everything. No! Come back! But don't! I am alone and scared! So nothing happened. I just watched a lot of TV, went to Dr. Appts., visited friends in Lethbridge, had a girls night (at which I could hear nothing because all of the conversations melted into one and I couldn't taste any of the delicious treats! SO BORING!), and I crocheted...a lot. (see above picture.

 

The morning after Justin was gone my neighbor brought me these from his garden!!! He had no clue I was so sick and alone, and a bit sad. It sure brightened my day! They were so gorgeous!!!!

 

I got my craft on...even made stamps to stamp on those awesome guaze blankets...the fox was the new baby's theme. :)

LOVE IT!

And I love this one too! I also made a star one.

I took lots of selfies and texted the to Justin to show him what he was missing. 39 weeks.

I even got really ready one day when I had to go into Lethbridge for my Doc appt.!

At 39 weeks if you a) get ready and b)feel cute, you have to document it. A miracle! :)

I miss dressing this belly...not really carrying it around, but when I am no longer pregnant I do miss the cute, hard belly sometimes.

I specifically texted this to Justin because they were raspberries from OUR garden and I tried to make him jealous! Huge and delicious (well, I couldn't taste them, but I wanted to so bad and I know they were probably delicious!) I would eat my really hot and spicy soup to try and clear everything out, then blow my nose so maybe I could taste better. To none avail.

The last day Justin called to tell me he was coming home a day early...and I tried to convince him to stay longer!! HA HA! going from ugly cry bawling to begging for another day! Turns out I relaxed too much the first few days and only got my craft on the last hours before they got home! I was able to finish this blanket too. Again foxes. I LOVE this material! I may have gone a bit overboard with a theme. Adorable though!

I was supposed to work on his quilt that I bought fabric for 2 months prior...but I was too scared to do it alone and my mom was coming up the next week...so I waited...but such cute fabric!!

 

Echo Pictures from Justin's phone...

This is always exciting! The cereal box at Echo!

Kate got brave and tried skiing!

 

Hair train!

Aunt Kamry made sure Addie's hair got done once in a while. :) I was wondering why she looked so different and discovered it was because she did her ponytail on the opposite side as I usually do! Funny how that can change her look so much.

Sweet action shot!

I love kids in bowling shoes. :)

 

 

So Justin got home and got us to work...we canned and we canned and we canned. I hoped it would bring on labor...nope. Kate was such a good worker and such a good helper!

Isn't it beautiful though!!

and we blanched...getting ready for winter.

There was nice warm weather at the end of August so I took the kiddos to Wally's Beach with some friends. It looks like a California beach almost with the waves and the birds and sand...but nope...just a REALLY windy day on the lake! The kids had a blast though. I believe this was ON my due date.

And just something else to document...only in small town Cardston does your garbage collector hand out suckers to the kids. :) I love this. They are always so excited if they happen to be around when he comes! 11:00 every Thursday!

Me wishing and hoping and praying...JUST COME OUT!!! (sidenote...I bought him a newborn size...if I'm ever wondering if I should get newborn size again tell me I am dreaming. It fit him for 2 weeks. And that was pushing it! I had to buy it again in 6-9 month size because I loved it so much!) NEXT POST>>>BABY! (now that he is 4 months old! Ha! Hope I get to it before he is 5 months...that's my goal.)