And we are surviving

Here we are lacking sleep, fighting off colds, watching too much Blue's Clues and enjoying every minute of Jeremy's life with us. There are things about newborns that I love that I totally forgot about. Some like all night cluster feeding I think God programs us to forget or we'd never have more than one baby. Others, like their smell, their facial expressions and their tiny toes you want to hold onto forever. Elijah says Jeremy smells like a bowl of honey. I asked him what he smells like and he answered popcorn. As tired as I am, I do cherish the little moments. Like the 4 in the morning feeding where you feel like you and your baby are the only people in the world. (this is only special if you don't have the baby blues, otherwise that contentment turns into a feeling of abandonment). I've had those moments too, but what gets me through is knowing this time around that newborn doesn't last forever. I got through it before and I will get through it again. I look at Elijah and wonder where the last 2 and a half years went...it makes me cherish my time with him and Jeremy all the more. I love my boys and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I thank Jonathan for all he does to make this time as easy on me as possible, Jill for encouraging me 7 weeks down the road from us, and everyone else who have sent along messages of love and well wishes and prayers...they are much appreciated.

Only if you are from Abby...

You know you're from Abbotsford when:

1. You aren't sure whether marijuana is legal or not.
2. You can swear in Punjabi, English and Mennonite (Darnit!)
3. You've hunted mailboxes
4. You see a gas station on every corner.
5. You see a church on every corner.
6. You see a grow-op on every corner.
7. Five degrees is really cold and twenty is really hot.
8. Rain is a part of daily life.
9. You secretly have a firm stance on the great Blueberry Cannon Debate.
10.You don't get excited about Christmas lights anymore because people keep them up all year round.
11. Your town's automall is bigger than the actual mall.
12. You don't think seven hockey arenas is enough.
13. Your town has had 2 mayors even.
14. Your current mayor is an octogenarian.
15. You know when the Diwali festival is.
16. You know when the Berry Festival is.
17. You've grown accustomed to the smell of cow manure in the morning.
18. Going to Vancouver is a long day trip.
19. You use the Trans-Canada highway to get around
20. You know you only have two dates with a girl to score before you have to start taking her to the same places again.
21. Someone asks you where you're from, and you answer, " Vancouver ."
22. You tell someone you're from Abbotsford and they ask, "Where?"
23. Bowling is the highlight of your day.
24. Your yard is the drainage center for all of Washington and Vancouver's pollution.
25. You know what the "big orange bubble" is
26. You know how to spell and pronounce "Trethewey"
27. You celebrated your 25th birthday and 6th wedding anniversary in the same year.... at Sneakers.
28. You don't need Playland, because you got the Agrifair.
29. You've noticed your 'water tower' is really a cheese tower.
30. You know what the 'mechanical vacuum gorillas' are.
31. You know where to go for Karaoke 5 nights a week.
32. You sit on a bench which is actually a paint palette, farm machinery or a creepy guy.
33. You consider a gravel pit a decent place to meet up and hang out.
34. You're SO much better than those kids in Mission
35. The flea-market is a must-go-to-event on Sunday... after everyone goes to church of course
36. You have been part of the glory days partying up on Sandy Hill before there were houses there
37. You see ten people that you know walking two blocks to a convenience store
38. You hate Chilliwack . I mean the Chillbillies.
39. You develop asthma.
40. Your city is both the murder capital and bible belt of Canada .

Jill always finds these things...

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The 1st Week Part 2

The 1st Week Part 1

Just in case you missed the email!

Jeremy Neal Kenneth Springthorpe was born this
evening March 6th at 7:10pm, weighing 8 pounds 3
and 1/2 ounces. He is named after Jeremiah in the
Bible (OT one of Jonathan's favorite OT Prophets,
and we also really like the name!) and after
Kristen's Father, Neal, and her Grandfather,
Kenneth.

Both Mom and Baby are doing fine. Kristen will
e-mail more details I am sure, once her and
Jeremy are home.

Thanks for your Prayers, and well wishes,

Jonathan

Doctors should not be allowed to do this...and other pregnant notes

So at my appointment on Friday, my doctor says to me...this baby is coming this weekend. All the signs point in that direction. Great, I'm ready, I'll have time to do my last minute packing and make sure that the house is all in order. We call my parents and Jonathan's sister to put them on standby. We call our friends that are going to look after Elijah to let them know that he'll probably be coming this weekend. And then we wait, and wait, and wait. And I re-read about labour and delivery and breathing techniques and all of that. Jonathan makes sure that the driveway is ready (because you know there's a storm of course). And sure enough I have early labour symptoms (so many, that I start thinking the book checklist is made for this moment). And I count contractions. And I start getting consistant contractions...20 minutes apart...up to 10 minutes apart for a good hour. And they do get stronger and more painful...and then nothing. Stops completely. In fact I've had very few contractions today and very mild and nothing consistant. So here we are, ready for church...and who knows how long until this baby will come. I guess that's false labour for you...at least it didn't get as far as some people who get all the way up to 3 minute apart contractions consistantly, go to the hospital, only to have them stop altogether and be sent home.
Oh, yes, the other pregnant notes:
1) Girls, when you buy your maternity clothes, nothing will fit you right in the last weeks of pregnancy...even if your pants fit very well when you get dressed in the morning, they inevitably will slide down during the course of the day...several times...trust me, it is no fun having to keep re-adjusting your pants while grocery shopping.
2) The concept of get as much rest as you can before the baby comes is a joke...if only because you can only sleep on your side and when that side gets uncomfortable, you can't just roll over...you actually have to physically sit up and then turn over to the other side.
3) Take a 2 year old with you to the doctor's appointments...they learn to lose their fear of the doctor (they still get the sticker) and you get extra checkups at home. Elijah has found my old school keys key ring that is like a long necklace that has become his baby heart rate monitor. He "checks" the baby with it daily, complete with the static sound and heartbeats. He also takes a tape measure to measure the baby and would take my blood pressure, I'm sure if we had something resembling that too.

Elijah the pancake-aholic

Ask Elijah what his favorite food is lately, it's pancakes. In fact, we've had so many pancakes for breakfast lately that yesterday, I made a batch for him and Jonathan and then made myself poached eggs and toast, just to take a break. So, how many pancakes does the average 2 1/2 year old boy eat? Personally, I eat 2 or 3 and I'm done, so I would assume Elijah would eat the same or less. Nope, not my boy. His current record is 7. His average pancake intake a day is 6. Seriously, I can't get them off the pan fast enough for him. I serve him 2 at a time and just finish the next set in time for hear "more please". I know I don't have to make him pancakes every day, but how do you resist when he comes up in the morning all sleepy eyed and loving and says..."hug and a kiss mommy" and then says "pancakes please mommy". It's kind of a nice ritual in the morning too...he helps make the batter (the recipe that I pretty much have memorised now). And I know he's getting a good breakfast to start the day. I don't have to look far to figure out where he gets this pancake love from. The last 2 year old that I knew that ate pancakes so much? My brother Jeff. Family legend has 2 pancake stories in it. The first was when we were staying at our auntie's house for the weekend and she couldn't keep up with his pancake demand either (every time she turned around his plate was empty...so she says). The other was on vacation at Samba's (?) for breakfast where they made silver dollar pancakes for kids. I think you got 10 a serving. Jeff ate his and half of mine and some of Krystal and Danielle's (family friends) as well. So Elijah comes by it honestly. It's getting to be pretty funny, this pancake thing. Last night at supper, he asks for pancakes and I said that he could have some for breakfast tomorrow, but it was suppertime now. He looks at me very seriously and replies, "I want it breaket time now".

This, my friends, is what very pregnant looks like!

39 weeks and counting