38 and getting close

Last post, I finished with this:

"So while I might not have the time to say and show just what we're up to, know it'll involve locating and cleaning the baby clothes stash, the co-sleeper, the infant carriers, installing the 4th carseat, packing a hospital bag ... oh yeah, and going to more appointments, doing school, and all the other normalcies of keeping up with the family. Life is good!"

And that's exactly what's happened 😂 At least I'm predictable. 

37wks

38wks

School has certainly found its stride, which feels awesome; so awesome, in fact, I'm a tad sad we'll have to put it all on pause for a bit. In fact, I've thought about staggering a few subjects so we come out after a 4-5 week break with another 1-2 weeks completed, after all. They enjoy it so! I tell ya, little missie sure has taken off! It's amazing to see the challenges she's put on herself and achieved well in these few weeks, completely of her own motivation!

inside recess!

outside work + recess

 Jack in a box 

 Ada's 2nd ballet class followed by a little mama-daughter coffee treat

 Paul's a legit Tiger Cub Scout!

And this was a surprise "Happy Baby" Evening a few friends put together under the guise of the kick-off to the Well-Read Mom book club's new year! It might sound silly to have gained so much from a casual get-together, but it was just what I needed to be reminded of the excitement that is coming! It's been so easy to almost brush aside the enormity of what's ahead because "it's #4" and we know, to some extent, what we're getting ourselves into. But it's still such a  b i g  d e a l! And I appreciate very much how these ladies treated me and this new little one. 

And then Jack got to enjoy some of the cake the next day, too:

Also, we threw ourselves a dressy 10th wedding anniversary party! Doesn't happen all the time, so why not celebrate? We enjoyed ourselves and our friends, and the kids had a ball with all the other littles, too. Mom even came in for it (Dad had a cold =/ ), and a good friend who's more with-it style-wise than I am even came over to give me an up-do!

And now for what's next: BABY PIP! I think there's not much else to do but wait... I've begun nesting - for real - and have fussed the whole household into evening tidying in case it happens overnight; I don't want our overnighter-friend to come over to utter chaos! I'm trying to keep the fridge stocked, but I've also stocked shelf-stuff (which is unusual), and the kids are pumped about getting to eat snacks "like other people's snacks" while they have adults other than Mama and Papa taking care of them, ha. While we don't anticipate being in the hospital long, should all go similarly as with the others, Nana is coming asap. And AND Dylan's mom and stepdad, Susan and Gerry, are arriving the first week of October for a month! There will definitely be a higher level of flexibility and shrugging going on with 3 generations, both sides of in-laws, and a newborn under the same roof. Sounds nuts to some, I'm sure, but God is good! We did practically the same thing last baby but had half the house space! So this might seem a breeze 😉