Ticking Time Bomb

Ah.  There is so much to catch up on: the last SC visitors; our move across the country; the first night in our new little house; the fix-its, replace-its, and ignore-its lists; the Queen B extravaganza girls get away; Frandsen family reunion fun; the Fourth of July; Jonny's new job...and oh so much to prepare for.

But first: here I am.  Me, my baby belly and Beyonce(s).   

This baby.  Oh baby. This big baby boy.  I don't know if he'll be as big as he feels, but he has certainly grown his way into the far corners of my stomach.  He looks every bit as basketball-shaped as my other boys, and perhaps even more so.  And I know he's getting quite uncomfortable.  Maybe even as uncomfortable as I am.  Many of his movements feel like little stretches, pushing at my tummy from two ends.  His day is drawing near.

I'm excited for him to come.  I don't quite feel ready for him to come. But, I learned after having Aaron that I will never really be ready for a new baby.  That new little life brings so many surprises and challenges and blessings for which I can never fully prepare.  Some days I feel like I can take on the world with three kids in tow.  Some days I'm tempted to burry my face in a pillow.  But all in all, I know that this little man is supposed to be in our home.  God and Jonny will help me be equal to the task.

Last week reminded me--yet again--that this is the case. Aaron was dizzy for two days. Poor dude.  I'm so helpless whenever it happens.  I can't fix it.  I can't trade him for my (relative) health.  It's even difficult to comfort him sometimes (he doesn't like being touched/moved).  And then there's JJ and his sweet ability to go with the flow--yet I want to provide meaningful activities for him during the day.  It's frustrating.  Some dizzy days I feel rather paralyzed. 

Aaron's vertigo spell lasted well into the following day.  I had an OB appointment, so I loaded up the boys and the stroller and headed to the hospital with the Ipad ready to entertain while I was checked.  On my way, I called Dr. Shelton (cochlear specialist) to beg and cry--literally, I cried--for an appointment that day.  They took pitty on me and we got in.  We waited around all morning and they saw us after lunch.  Dr. Shelton beleives his vertigo spells are part of his manifestation of LVA.  He's probably losing vestibular function with each event.  He's probably lost a lot of it already.  There is "hope" that at some point these spells will phase out when he looses all his inner ear blance function, and by then we can hope that he's compensated well in other areas.  Obviously he already has.  He's a trooper.  It's good that's he is young.

By Wednesday Aaron was ready for 24th celebrations.  We paraded, swam, ate Navajo tacos in the park, danced in the rain and kept our kids up until 1030 to see the spectacular fireworks at the Clyde's home.  My favorite part of the day was just being with Jonny.  He keeps me steady.

Thursday-Saturday JJ took his turn being sick with a fever, and then the main line backed up...so I spent that day scooping dirty water out of the shower basin in the basement, watching the drain like a paranoid hawk, and calling companies to find the best price and solution to our gross problem.  We had it fixed on Saturday and they put a camera down the drain.  It's not as bad as it could be.  In fact, some rootx might keep the clogs at bay for a while.  All we need is four more years. :)

Sunday was our day to talk in church--yay! We all prepared well.  Even JJ had his turn at the michrophone to say "Our Frandsen family rules are..." and he finished the task with a smile.  Aaron wrote his own talk about Making peace in our home.  Jonny and I both prepared to fill the rest of the time, but much to our surprise there were two other adult speakers there.  So sad Jonny only had three minutes by the time I was done.  I should have cut mine shorter, even though Jonny told me not to.  Oh well.  He was thrilled to have such a short go at the pulpil, at least.

We love Sunday afternoons, and so do the kiddos.  It is wonderful to be near family again.  We spent our time eating delicious food, visiting grandma and laughing with my siblings.  We have such good family.

So--here's to another week!  I am a "ticking time bomb" as Kara put it, and I think she's correct.  I should probably pack a hospital bag and buy some diapers this week.  Yep.  That's on the list.  As well as catching up on my family journaling for last couple of months...and a plethora of other things.  Hopefully our health will hold up and the drains will keep running so I can really buckle down and get ready for this big baby boy.  I certainly ready for his little slice of heaven.