Ben is 17 today. Here is the story of his birth:

A week before his due date, my doctor thought it prudent to look inside my huge belly, via ultrasound, to find out just how big that baby was. His brother had been a whopper, and so Ben was expected to be as well. I was relieved that they were thinking of inducing him a week early, especially after the u/s tech said he was measuring "off the charts." She estimated his weight to be about 9-1/2 lbs. She was a pound off...

I was admitted into the hospital on Wednesday, April 29th, and given a medicine to start the process. By morning nothing much was happening, so they started a pitocin drip. Ben was born at 2:42, weighing 10.7 lbs! He was so big and healthy, with a full head of thick black hair. He was simply perfect. David and I were so happy to finally meet him, as realize that he and Josh would be playmates, being only 2 years apart. I remember the nurses measuring his head, looking at one another in surprise, and re-measuring it. Though he was 4 oz larger than Josh, he wasn't as painful to pass. Ben, however, was more upset about the whole thing than Josh had been, crying off and on for four hours before falling asleep.

Other than a short hospitalization for jaundice, Ben proved to be a faily easy newborn. He was a "clingy" older baby, though, usually found on my hip. Though he was heavy, I enjoyed toting him around, and even help him for whole naps sometimes. Thinking he was my last, I did coddle him a bit.

Happy birthday, Ben. It seems it was only yesterday I carried you around, while you sucked your thumb and twisted my hair.

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In other news here are some pics of life around here -




My birthday present from David, a Willow Creek figurine called "Tenderness." I love it - it reminds me of all my babies and the precious moments I shared with them at that age. It was a total surprise. I had told David I liked it, but never guessed he'd get it for me. (He doesn't like these figurines, as they are "vague and faceless." I like them for just those reasons - I can see myself or my loved ones into them. Also they are affordable ;)







Just the guys hanging out - Josh with Cozzy.








Praveen sent Sarah a dozen roses yesterday, just because...











Even at the grown-up age of seven, Noah still holds my hand to cross streets, etc. I cherish these moments.

Mommy powers

David and I were just finishing up watching Little Dorrit when a small voice spoke up from around the corner of the kitchen, "I can't sleep. I tried everything, but I can't sleep." It was Noah, and at 10:20pm, he was frustrated that he couldn't get to sleep, though he knew he should. (Noah likes to do "the right thing" and often feels bad for not meeting our expectations, though we aren't hard on him. It's just his way.)

So I sent him back up to his bed, suggesting he read a book. Soon, I was up there with him, trying to figure out how to get him to fall asleep. "I'll read you a book!" I said, and he replied, "That always works - you have Mommy powers. I always go to sleep when you read to me." So we read Raggedy Ann and the Kite, and he did nod off. Reading a child to sleep is one of life's sweetest gifts. It doesn't happen a lot, as I'm a mom who usually tucks kids in and lets them drop off on their own. But sometimes it does happen. I've had this happen a few times with Noah, but I can't remember it happening with the older kids. I think they were all sleepier than he, having played with one another all day. They rarely had a hard time dropping off once I had tucked them in, sometimes with a single story, sometimes not. (I have the same habit with Noah.)

During the story, we had a little conversation about dads, and how I always tried to please my dad, but was often naughty for my mom. I explained to Noah that when my daddy was home, he was all kisses and fun. Of course, my mom was also affectionate with me, but she spent so much more time with me, and I was more apt to act up for her. Noah quickly surmised this information, "I think you were good for your dad because he wasn't home a lot." Out of the mouths of babes.

I assured him that I did get to see my dad a lot when I was a child, but not as much as my mom, and then we began to talk about children whose fathers are overseas in the war. Noah told me about a little boy in his school who had fallen to tears during recess one day. Noah guessed that his father was in the Navy, and he was right. The little boy was surprised, and they began to talk. Noah told me, "I just knew his father was in the Navy. I just knew. Sometimes I just know things." Perhaps, like me, Noah is a good guesser. I also feel odd that I often know something I have no reason to. I always chalked it up to chance. This puts me to thinking I should pick some numbers for the next big lottery.

Josh was due today...

...but he decided to hang out for another week, and get fatter. By the time I had him, he weighed 10 lbs! I remember this night though. I had hoped he'd arrive on time, but something happened that overwhelmed me, and I was glad he didn't. After I put the girls to bed, my neighbor came over and told me that she had just seen our cat, Ripples, dead on the road in front of the house. I was devastated, and cried and cried. I couldn't go out and look. David was out for some reason, and when he came in, I told him, and he went out and took care of it. I was wiped out the next day from crying and sadness.
A week later, Joshie arrived, and I was good and ready. Sometimes I wondered if God allowed Ripples to leave our home before Josh came because she was going to hurt him in some way.

Peanut Butter Eggs!

Noah and I made peanutbutter Easter eggs today. We used a modified version of my sister, Wendy's, recipe. (I use less sugar) Here's the recipe:

PB Eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
28-oz jar creamy peanutbutter
2 lbs 10x sugar
oil
water
3 lbs melting milk chocolate

Blend butter, pb, and sugar, drizzling oil and water, alternately, to bind until you have a filling that can be formed into eggs, but not mushy. (This mixture just fits into my KitchenAid mixer bowl, but I have to scrape it, and force the mix back down at times.) Form into eggs, about 2"x 1-1/2" or whatever size you prefer. Lay out on cookie sheet with sides, laying wax paper between layers. Freeze egg forms for a couple hours.
Melt chocolate in double boiler or glass pyrex bowl over pot of hot water, stirring often. Keep heat just high enough to simmer water. Meanwhile, spread wax paper on counter beside stove. I also use the wax-papered sheet I froze the eggs on, as I use them up. Dip eggs in melted chocolate with tongs, let extra drip off, and place on wax paper. Don't leave eggs in melted chocolate too long or they'll go soft. After first dipping, trim extra chocolate off hardened eggs and re-melt. Spoon more chocolate, about a teaspoon, over each egg, to double-coat. Let cool and harden. Store in fridge - if they last that long! Makes 50 2" eggs.

I've found that my dishwasher washes all the chocolate off the pots, etc.

Now let's see how we made them! (For fun, see if you find Cosmo in a couple pics.)

First we rolled them.

Then we popped the pb forms into the freezer and went to the park. Here's Noah on his new KettCar.

We came home a couple hours later, chopped and melted the milk chocolate, and dipped the eggs!

And here the are! Let the joy begin!

My little Oriole

Today was opening day for T-ball in our little town. Noah was up to bat once, and his Uncle Steve caught it, but I was fetching blankets from the car, and didn't :( This was because the wind was so fierce it nearly blew some of the smaller players away! (Noah's hat really went with the wind.) After the game we had hot dogs - what else?

Last is a picture of Noah with Uncle Steve.

Connections

When Noah and I play our cellos together, something magical happens: we connect in a unique way. Even if we're just doing scales, it's wonderful! I'm so glad I took up the cello.

I remember having a similar connection with the big kids when we played Heart and Soul together. Music grings families together. More parents should join in on the fun!

I am also connecting with my college kids now that I'm in college too. Here I am with Sarah.