We Have No Pants

My folks dropped by for a three-day visit (they'll be back in two-weeks). We toured the hospital where Dr. Dad and Nurse Mom meet Dr. Evita, saw the labor ward, and noted the highly professional medical facilities. Dad bought a gift for Dr. Evita. Fancy chocolate you might ask? No. A pocket-sized doppler. Mom couldn't stand having the doppler in the house and Baby S. to use it on. So before handing over the gift, dad administered an at-home check-up and we listened to the heartbeat--thud-thud, thud-thud.

Another highlight was the 7 a.m. walk with dad. He said hi to every person we passed, picked up a newspaper, and we were back home just as Ben and mom rolled out of their beds. With hazy lazy eyes they gazed at us, disgusted by morning-people who sip coffee and have the boldness to welcome the day with a "Good morning!"

On Friday while the guys fastened in the car seat, mom and I attacked the baby room with stealth. At one point I commented, I guess several times that "we have no pants" (in lue of trying to find baby pants) at which point the guys stuck their heads in the room and said, "You have no pants??" Ben continued to repeat "We have no pants" throughout the day at random moments suffering us all into giggles and laughs.

It was great having mom and dad around. The next time they see us, life could be totally different. Though some things may never change like morning walks, morning "good mornings", and jokes on who has "no pants".

Family time is good time. And sometimes it's funny too.

Pregnancy Update and Refresher

In lue of our delivery date nearing (Feb 13th), here's a brief update and refresher of already known facts and maybe some new ones.

Facts:

• At week 37, I'm considered full-term.
• Total weight gain (all the ladies want to know) is 22lbs.
• My folks will be here for either the delivery or post-delivery. First they have medical training in a nearby state, and afterwards will fly to Hyderabad arriving on the due date of Baby S.
• We (still) do not know the sex of our baby (and won't). Yes we have a hunch and that's a secret.
• A name has not been nailed down, but we're close.
• The baby room is furnished with a crib, makeshift changing table (aka: single bed), diapers, clothes, wipes, and my favorite, a rocking chair.
• Continued exercise throughout the pregnancy has freed me from too many aches and pains, though I am ready to sleep on my tummy, practice yoga moves, and run again.
• Specific cravings: apple juice just before bed and oranges. Lots of oranges!
• Ben will take time off for baby/mother caring.
• Ben's folks have tickets for mid-March. They'll stay two weeks. And volunteered to babysit so Ben and I can take a date for our three-year anniversary.
• Baby S. has regular bouts of hiccups.
• I've read them all!, picked and nibbled at some great concepts, thrown out legalism, and come across one or two great reads. Feedings, sleep schedules...thank you for the grace of Your guidance.
• And finally, Feb is a popular time for babies due to the auspicious time that comes nine months prior--May. A religiously-held "lucky" time to marry, thus conceive as well, on the wedding night. We joined the ranks without even knowing it!

Time Keeps on Ticken

The clock is ticken.

Week 36 ends. Month nine and no turning back. Dr. Evita will begin to evaluate the "readiness" of my body to deliver. The hospital bag is (partially) packed. The crib is (partially) prepared. Baby clothes are drying on the line outside. Grandparents have tickets to India. I'm tired. Fatigued. Anxious. I can't wait to meet you! Ben arranges for the installment of an AC so the whole family doesn't melt this summer. I stay awake at night baby names whirling in my head. Ben does the Bill Cosby impression of Lamaze breathing. We think it's hilarious. Labor won't be.

The clock is ticken.

Labor and Delivery 101

Ben was doing his homework last night. Reading through a chapter "for spouses only" in the pregnancy book, let out a few gasps, asked some provoking questions ("They do WHAT with forceps?!") and landed on the section about cheering his beloved wife through "pushing." This conversation followed...

So Babe, do you want me to cheer "push, push, push" along with the doctor, or should I kick everyone out?

Well Hon, I really don't how I'll feel right th.....

But think of this: when you are running a race, are you encouraged by people cheering for you?

Yes, actually I...

Alrighty then. I'll have the doctor and staff line up and, "Give me an L, give me an I, give me a B.."

I'm not sure if humor will be the best for me right th...

No. It's gonne be great. We're bringing in the pom-poms.

Not only do have to worry about forceps, I now have the head-cheerleader planning routines to chant our way through delivery, pom-poms and all.

Clippin' n' Snippin'

Today I am clippin’ n’ snippin’. It’s called “nesting” and I’m supposed to be madly dashing around the house dusting every nook and cranny, killing every cell and molecule no matter how miniscule, of germs I may find. I’m supposed to be folding and unfolding baby clothes, testing out every cream, every ointment and every medication that will be put on, under or into my baby. Ben, on the other hand, is supposed to be finding new hobbies he’s never loved before but now finds great pleasure in, like assembling a 500-piece do-it-yourself “easy-to-assemble” bookcase in 15 minutes flat. Or planting a crop of corn in the dust of our front yard and grunting at the end of the day how fulfilled he feels, how he’s “redeemed the day.”

I’ll definitely let you know when this happen. Maybe that’s what today was? Today I clipped and snipped off “for sale” tags on baby clothes, toys, and blankets. I definitely have a sense of satisfaction. Like removing the “Do Not Ever Remove” tag off your pillow. So I did this with some baby’s clothes, etc. More plastic containers to fill, so there was also time spent arranging miniature everythings. I have a sense of satisfaction in appearing organized for the time being. Ben hasn’t planted a new crop or assembled any bookcases lately. But he is working hard to keep the car clean, dust his bike, replace broken tub lights, hang framed art, manage finances, suggest ideas for the baby room, take me diaper shopping, check the health of our plants… oh wait. That’s all normal.

Nesting. Hum. What does it mean to you?

Beautiful Foot

I never liked my feet. I ran around barefoot for a good 10 years before I was forced to wear socks and shoes. During those ten years, I had some tough toes. But I also suffered severe pain from my heels that cracked and bled. My feet have an allergic reaction, different than athlete's foot, when left uncovered. My dad often bandaged them up in long strips of white cloth until the hurt healed.

So my torn, bleeding and calloused feet really were ugly. But it wasn't until I was 18 years old that the truth about my feet was realized. Flying high above the lush forests of Madagascar in a six-person airplane, I was reading my Bible. Romans 10:15, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. It came at me sharp like a blade.

For it was on this day that I had spent many hours with abondanded and rejected twins. Nestled in a small village, twins were a curse and a taboo, literally thrown away. The forgotten ones. I'd spent the day in a rescue home for the twins. It was one of the first moments in my life where a tangible expression of sin crushed me, heart and soal, so tremendously.

From that day on, my feet became beautiful. And Romans 10:15 became my life verse. I felt like God had whispered a personal, tangible message of his love and dreams for my life. He took my uglyness and made it good.

So it's no surprise that at our last ultrasound, all Ben and I were able to see were feet, and more feet. Our baby was all folded up, and all he/she allowed us to see were feet. What beauitful feet.

Aweful Mystery, Mysterious Joy

Every day I am forced into the reality of this pregnancy. Every day I am forced to see the miracle of this child growing in my womb. Catch me in a quiet moment with my hand on my belly, and you'll find a smile as my fingers feel this child's foot pressed against my tightened skin. Find me in the doctor's office with red slightly swollen ankles and aching joints on my hands, and you'll find us in conversation about delivery, where, when and how. Find me on a morning walk as I am able, but listening to the tones of my body. As I listen, I am forced to sometimes slow down, sometimes speed up, lie down, or put my feet up. I am forced into the miraculous reality of this wonderous child. God could have chosen any way to bring a child into this world, but He chose this aweful mystery and mysterious joy of bearing children to bore by woman. What a mysterious God is He.

All Arms and Legs

Our last and final ultrasound confirmed that Cutie Spotts is definately a "Spotts."

Looking at the 3-D colored picture moving on the screen, our Baby's face was identified...behind a web of arms and legs that is. Allowing us a peek at his/her face for just a moment, Baby gave us a big yawn (I guess life must be getting more mundane in that confined space) revealing two closed eyes, a button nose, and little, but full lips. Then up came his/her tiny fists again, clenched to his/her eyes in a "I'm sleepy and you're disturbing me" way. Then, of all things, we clearly see the bottom of a foot (a beautiful foot). Baby is bent in two...with both feet right up there with the clenched fist. This is definately a Spotts baby.

That was the entire ultrasound, all arms and legs with a face peering out now and them. I should start practicing now how to talk tall to a lowering teenager. Then again, if you ask my husband he may say that I already have that down pretty good.

Stop, Drop, and Rolly-Polly

Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do when our limbs are on fire? Although my limbs are not on fire, I’ve been doing this age-old mantra more and more lately. Mostly at night.

Mid-way through my sound sleep, I awaken suddenly to movements within my womb. I stop. It continues and in doing so, my bladder is pressed upon by a small little person within. I realize I must take action. I drop whatever I’m doing... my sleep that is. Then I roll. Rolly-polly. Not in stealth movement and it's not pretty. It's rolly-polly. Slow to one side, then up on one elbow, then ease my way up (stiff limbs at 4 a.m.), shuffle on my backside and lean forward. Oh yes, I am up and stumbling to the bathroom.

The movement in my womb is back to sleep. I on the other hand, have just accomplished a great feat, one that will only become more difficult, if not more frequent, in month nine. Soon I should be waddling. For now I embrace my limbs (that are not on fire) and their ability to stop, drop and rolly. For now, I’ll rolly-polly my way out of bed and leave the waddling for later.

We Laughed

Mer visited and we laughed.

Of course it's expected from college friends. Memories from Taylor U. usually does that... makes us laugh. But while that chapter of life fades into the distance (1999), this friendship, as many do, only ripens with age.

Mer's visit lasted five days with nursing school calling her back home just in time for exams and papers. But while she was here we did very little to be responsible. Played board games in the evening, shopped (five pairs of shoes Mer?!), watched movies, ate Indian dishes (she and Ben ate me under the table!), drank coffee and caught up.

Thanks for good times, friend.

May you see the colors

Child of Ours,

May you see the colors of the world.
May you recognize the diversity of people (many we call friends) from the world around.
One with brown hair and almond eyes, one with fair skin and green eyes,
one with dark hair, dark skin, and dark eyes.
I want you to see this, dear one, for God is a creative God and His creative dance is the creation of cultures.

How amazing, how glorious this world of color!
An immensity of humanity stretching from shore to shore.
What a generous God we serve!
He who desires his children to see His own beauty in the very beauty of others.

Dear Child
A heart is wrapped in skin, in bones and blood,
Bones and blood wrap themselves around flesh and organs,
So from within this creative and unique blend, there is similarity as well.
Not all is different.
Remember this!!

But because of and in these creative differences,
I pray that you may be drawn to others with a fervor to know more, to love more
in an unlimited, radiant and poweful demonstration of your love for all peoples.

Love, and love all the more because you delight, from the depths of your heart
the various cultures, colors, and casts.
Because what you love is the Creative work of God.

May you see the colors. Vivid, bright, lovely. Delightful

Body Work

A dear friend sent me a fantastic read about an author's journey in pregnancy. I'm reading her private diary but not getting in trouble for invading her privacy. I resonate with these reflections.

"My body adapts and the baby grows according to a wisdom designed into it--decidedly not in response to whatever clever brainstorms and willful effort I can muster. I do this work unconsciously while I sleep or while I'm thinking about other thing things, just as much as when I focus my thoughts on my belly.

Let me enjoy it, this effortless work! Nothing is so uncomplicatedly wholesome and holy as this."

Not as if You Care

Okay seriously. Numbers and I have never had a good relationship. Just ask my husband. He sees my aversion (this may not be strong enough of a descriptive) first-hand to numbers. What I’m saying is, it’s no surprise that I’ve miscalculated…again. I haven’t gained 16 lbs as noted in my last entry. I’ve gained 13 lbs. But not that anyone cares. For me, it simply means I have more room until Feb. to “space out” my weight gain. And more importantly, it means Thanksgiving Day (one week from today!) couldn’t be at a better time of year! Hey, I’m just doing my duty; working on the baby.

Programming our Child

I had another doctor's appointment a few days ago. The goal was to check my glucose level and blood pressure. My BP levels are "boring" as Dr. Evita teased, and no red-flags about a too-high, or too-low glucose reading. I've gained 16 lbs (entering my third trimester), and the tetanus shot (in the back-side...hallo!) caught me off guard but I survived.

Dr. Evita was telling my husband and I that next week would be a good time to start "playing" with Cutie Spotts, as his/her hearing is becoming more and more attuned to our voices. She talked about the importance of the bonding as well as the learning for both us and the baby. She suggested tapping on my belly, watching and waiting for kicks, and singing/talking to our little one.

Ben had a better suggestion. He leaned into my tummy, and in a robotic voice repeated, "You will be a good teenager...you won't give us trouble... discipline won't be an issue." I looked around at the doctor and two nurses as I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Dr. Evita was have coughing fits of laughter, and the two shy nurses were in the corner covering their mouths with stiffled giggles. I told Ben that we're not "programming" our child, but bonding through songs, coochie-coos, and sweet nothings. He stopped. Silence. Hummm....

I couldn't ask for a better life-mate, a sweeter husband, a more caring man than my husband, Ben. And oh yeah, he makes me laugh too.

Virtual Baby Shower?!

Since the announcement of our pregnancy, many friends have asked how to welcome home Cutie Spotts, or if its possible to have a virtual baby shower. Your response has been overwhelming and we are touched! Here are three opportunities to give, which you might be interested in.

1. We registered for a few items at Target.com.

2. This is our Wish List. The items pictured below are available at a local store (most items are made by a great UK company). This is easier & less complicated than having them carried into India, and the prices are only a little higher than what you'd pay in the US. Cash donations will help us buy them. Any amount will be gratefully accepted! Make checks to “Ben Spotts” and either:

a) if you want your gift to be anonymous, include a separate note that says "Please deposit to the checking account of Benjamin Spotts of 3690 Arrowhead Way, Hood River, OR 97031". Then send to:
OSU Federal Credit Union
PO Box 306
Corvallis, OR 97339-0306

b) if you don't mind us knowing (we'd love to thank you personally!), just put a few words on the memo line of your check to say which item you’re contributing towards. Then mail to Ben's parents who will email us to let us know your check arrived, and then they'll deposit it for us:
Bob & Kim Spotts
3690 Arrowhead Way
Hood River, OR 97031

Diaper Bag, $45 -- FULFILLED. Not this one, but another version was gifted. THANKS!!


Bottles (4 pack), $18 --FULFILLLED--THANKS!

Booster Seat, $45 --FULFILLED--THANKS


Safety Gate, $47.50 -- FULFILLED--THANKS!


Baby monitor, $76 -- FULFILLED! THANKS.

Baby Gym, $67 -- FULFILLED! THANKS.

Mobile, $36 -- FULFILLED! THANKS

Fitted sheets, $23 -- FULFILLED! THANKS.

Newborn starters, $48

Thermometer, $15.25 -- FULFILLED! THANKS

Sippy Cup, $7.75

Electric Breast Pump, $171.50 -- FULFILLED! THANKS

Car seat $150 -- FULFILLED! THANKS.

3. I compiled the list below after talking to friends in India who gave their suggestions based on their own experiences with their children being born and/or brought up here. Contact me about the best way to get them carried by people coming to visit (grandparents, for instance), or I can give you our postal address. We’d love any of these. If you’d like to send them contact me for the best way to get them here.

--Clothing (Good quality can be more costly here than outside prices.)
-- Onesies
-- Diaper rash cream (A&D brand) FULFILLED! THANKS.
-- “First Years” products
-- Any learning-based toys
-- Blankets FULFILLED! THANKS.
-- Baby wipes
-- Zip lock bags (all sizes)

2 lbs Today

Today I read in my pregnancy book that:

Today our little one weighs almost two pounds.
"Time is passing quickly."
Today is week 26. Meaning the end of my sixth month. Meaning, my third trimester begins next week.
Meaning "it won't be long until your baby is born."

Gulp. Anybody have a paper bag I can breath into?

Nov 1st and a belly

Today is Nov. 1st and I am at 25 weeks and going strong with a full belly. Mom can attest to the fact that her daughter is with child... she even felt the little guy/gal kick around. I think someone's happy to know grandma has come for a visit :)

My next doctor's appointment is one week away where I will be given the usual glucose test (yummy), along with some minor pokes and prodes.

Shades of green and yellow are appearing in the guest room, soon-to-be baby room. I've never seen such teeny tiny socks! Thank you Trisha. We have many to thank. Thank you all!

The 6th Month

I will continue to refer to our little one as Baby, with a neutral tone in my words because the mystery remains a mystery. At our 22nd-week ultrasound, I fooled myself into thinking we may hear a hint at the sex of our baby. No such thing. The staff at our hospital remain ethically bound and morally sound--my respect increases with each visit.

The doctor was unable to check the heart as he/she was holding an arm across his/her chest in a self-hugging way. The doctor rubbed my tummy and gave it small little pushes, lovingly scolding our baby. Finally she turned to us saying, "Everyone deserves a little pat on the back" and giving our Little One one gentle pat, he/she moved his/her arm and the check-up was completed.

The picture is the start of my 6th month, or to be precise, 23rd week. My mom visits in 8 days and will most likely be bribed into some back massaging. I'm able to do most things, though Ben's a little worried about the day I lean over and don't come back, but instead tumble forward in slow motion, off-balanced by my tummy. I believe there was some laughter involved in this new worry of his. Hummm...

Belly Button Business

I'm half-way there... this is my 20th week which means my belly button, among other things, is starting to have a mind of its own. I just noticed this today with my friend Andi and we giggled about it like two teenagers. My hips and joints and back muscles are adjusting to the little life inside, and I not only look pregnant, I am also beginning to feel pregnant, more and more every day. Baby S. certainly reminds me almost daily that the smallest packages are the biggest miracles of all.

You Belong

Dear One,

You belong to Jesus. This is first and foremost.

This is the theme I learned from an early age. My own parent's, your grandma/pa Crawford, not only instilled this truth in my life, but they showed me by example that they really did believe that I belonged to Jesus. I don't know what it is that they learned so early in parenthood about holding my brother, Nathan and I with these open hands. Maybe a realization of the fragility and tenderness of life? Your grandpa Crawford lost both his parent's in a car accident when he was only 13 years old. And your grandma Crawford's parent's loved the Lord with an incredible love that rubbed off everyone they met. These may have been their own life-training influences that was rubbed off on Nate and I. We knew well that we belonged.

In months time you will be given face-t0-face to Ben and I. In return, we will teach you that while you're our first-born, you firstly belong to Jesus.