October, baby.

And what we're gonna do here is just ignore the fact that we have no way of posting "real" pics on the blog and so what you see here is iPad pics of actual photos. (see last post if you start feeling dizzy from the unfocusedness of these) This was me at the famous twin towers in the fair capital city of Kuala Lumpur where I plan to deliver i4. I promise that's me.

It's due date time people.

The other two times I've reached this momentous day and was still pregnant, I pouted. Like, full-on attitude, snippy with my husband, woe-is-me, pout.

Back in '08, with Isaac, I stayed inside all day. Anthony and my mom went to the mall and I refused to go. I'm quite sure it was on the logical and non-emotional grounds of, "This baby is neeevvveeeer coming. I've already walked the malls. It doesn't work. I'm staying home." Clearly. I was thinking straight.

Then with Immanuelle in 2011, things improved a bit and I got out of the house.  We went to see a huge Hindu shrine because my parents were visiting and they had never been to it.  Heck, I even climbed all 272 stairs and put on quite the upbeat face...despite "ALLLLL my other pregnant friends ALREADY having their babies and NONE of them having to wait the full 40 weeks!"And here, copied directly from facebook, is the photo from 2011 at said shrine... (my hair is longer)

And now here it is AGAIN.

I think I passed.  The only people who acted like children were my children. No pouting, no woe-is-me-ing...even on the inside. Scouts honor, y'all.

So even though I've dodged the wrench of whining drama,  I still say it's slightly annoying to watch your due date come and go. They don't call pregnancy "expecting" for no reason.  And then 9 months ago, what was the first thing determined that set up all these expectations? "What's the due date?"

But as my good friend April reminded me. "Due dates are fake."

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down friend. Buyin' it hook, line, and sinker.  Totally fake.

So in the spirit of trying to completely ignore that September 30th is here and is rolling right on by leaving me pregnant, like it wasn't supposed to be significant or something... for lack of photos, here's some of the thoughts I've been thinking while we wait for WHATEVER day i4 is destined to be born (FYI- I only partially blame all y'all who voted for an October baby in the last post. I DID give that option and how did you know you were tempting fate??)

* I'm thankful for yet another healthy pregnancy and am completely astounded at such a gift when such a thing is guaranteed to no one.

* I will write a C-section vs. Natural vs. Adoption post at some point... though mostly I'm curious to see how this birth turns out, first.

* I'm really glad we didn't find out gender this time. It almost makes waiting for the due date diminished and less miserable because the surprise of gender is the "bigger" unknown ahead of us.

* My children can destroy a new pack of crayons in record time. 2 brand new packs have been whittled to tiny paperless nubbins in what seems like hours. I am SO glad I have them with me to help pass the time.

* I wonder why I didn't get any of my mom's Teacher-skills. I mean, I get that not everything can be DNA-passed-down, but you'd think being raised by a teacher would have some sort of osmosis-y benefits. I'd get hives just walking past the Education building at UNF.  She plays with the grands and teaches them the whole time. She's gotten Isaiah to go under water with her- which is impressive in itself and even more so when compared to my epic-mom-fail attempt(s) at teaching them to swim. She fields all of Isaac's math equation questions (he does them all in his head!) and grabs those nubby crayons and draws a vase of flowers for him to try and draw himself. She's even got him to say his "TH" sound correctly.  It's a skill to behold!

* My husband is the kind of man who is easy to love.  He serves and loves me and our children with such steadiness and patience and joy.  Back rubs, foot rubs, trips down to the grocery store, pushing the stroller on walks on the the uneven sidewalks (instead of driving the car) so his pregnant wife can "walk" and get the baby out, going back up to the room just because I really want fancy-schmancy camera pics of my kids in the pool, etc etc.  He really takes the edge off the wait for i4. (him mostly, but also the Dr. Pepper he brings back from the grocery store across from the hotel)

*  Old Wives should not be believed, ok?  I have scrubbed the shower (in our hotel, totally serious), cleaned the windows, walked, squatted, ate and drank things, and followed doctor's orders to (lets keep things PG ok?) "Do what what got you into pregnancy to get you out of it." Maybe those tales are good at getting stains out of clothes or other such handy advice, but babies just show up when they darn well please! But you guys are more than welcome to leave whatever advice you've heard and if it's reasonable, I'll try it! Though I'm not paying import prices for castor oil.

17 floors up (there's a balcony you can't see, promise)

*  I can't wait to meet i4!