All Truckered Out

Clement seemed amply engaged by his book so I went in to the other room to change Peter's diaper.  Mid change I happened to notice how quiet things had gotten.  I put on Peter's diaper cover and held off on the clothes to go check on Clement.  Here's what I discovered:

If only it were that easy tonight.  Despite the slightly slurred proposition from Clement this evening as we returned from our day out of doors, "I think my body is telling me I need a nap." He is currently the last son standing. Clement is in a weird in between phase that he could probably still use a nap but if I don't catch him at precisely the right time it takes him an hour to actually close his eyes.  Truth be told we've all been thrown for a loop with the move to the new house.  With the move we also transitioned Clement to a big boy bed, although some nights he prefers the floor.  This wouldn't be such a biggie until he insists that mommy or daddy joins him there at 3am.  Oh well, it gives us the opportunity to reminisce of our younger years and to be in solidarity with those youth ministers out there that spend nights on gymnasium floors or primitive campsites for mission trips and/or retreats.  Hooray for redemptive suffering.

As evident by the background of most of these pictures we were still at Spangler and I am ridiculously behind on blog updates.  Below are Luke and Augustine NOT on their first day of school.  Luke was aggravated this evening about the distance home that is ever so slightly farther than what we had to our old house and pointed out that there are only 3 things about our new house he likes.
1. our bigger yard 2. our friends in our neighborhood and 3. the playroom .

Admittedly there are some things I miss about Spangler too- like being able to clean the place top to bottom in the matter of ninety minutes or so.  The bus transportation is the other.  Being in Plain Local they bussed both Luke AND Augustine as a preschooler.  No such luck with Canton City.  Consequently, on the days Augustine goes to school three days a week we must drop off and pick-up eliminating one of Augustine's favorite things about school (the bus ride).  If all goes well he'll be able to join in the fun next year as a kindergartener which I've got to get crackin' on because technically he misses the cutoff by 5 days.  Here's to contacting the principal and setting up a screening/assessment.

Luke thoroughly enjoys school and is tuckered out by the end of the day as well.  He is quite fond of his teacher, Mrs. Zenobi, who he recently invited over to our house for homemade pizza and drew a wonderful picture of with her colorful necklace on one of his worksheets about his friends.  He was selected to be part of a speech class at the beginning of the year to work on his "c", "k" and "g" sounds which have improved greatly.  He rang a red bell like mad at the Christmas concert where mommy, daddy, grandma and grandpa Schafer were all quite impressed by the musical showcase of all the children at the school between the bells, chimes, percussion and rhythmic motions.  As parents we are losing the edge as Luke cracks the code in our spelling communications across the table.  At home he's not so fond of sitting down to read books all the time but his reading is coming along as he continues to expand his sight word recognition.

Augustine likes to brag that he doesn't do any work.  He just plays ;-).  He has a different teacher than Luke had for preschool and no written homework like Luke had on a weekly basis. He can give Luke a run for his money though as we go through letter recognition and flashcards.  Despite the frequent wailings of Clement, "I want to go to school!" he is stuck at home with mommy and Peter.  We sing and dance a lot during the day and play monster truck in the basement while folding laundry. He likes to wear Pete's intramural hockey helmet and instruct me on how to help assemble the monster truck (the folding table).  He is the driver of course.

Don't let these pictures fool you as Peter dates only two and a half months.  He's been crawling and pulling himself up on things since Thanksgiving and will stand on his own briefly when concentrating on something else in his hands.  The more spacious house is another tricky part with a  mobile infant around exploring every nook and cranny.  Naturally he watches his big brothers like a hawk and giggles as Clement uses him as a bass drum despite mommy's protests.  He refuses to sit still for a diaper change and has two bottom teeth that broke through late December that will likely be joined by others on the bottom soon.

Enjoy some other random photos of summer shenanigans at the Akron Zoo and in Massillon for a polka jam session.

Cha-ching!

They say pride cometh before the fall, but I couldn't resist. 

All four taking a snooze simultaneously! 

Now, the question is, can mommy complete her workout and shower before they awaken???? Hopefully, I'll update you again later along with those other pending posts in my draft line-up.

Calling all Guessers of Peter's Successors

I have a follow up ultrasound for IV tomorrow so I figured I might as well allow the official guessing game to commence.  Plus, then I don't need to report the likely increase on the scale to the public forum ;-). 

 

On Friday, I'll officially be at the 37 week mark.  Tomorrow's ultrasound is a follow-up concerning a pocket of fluid they observed near IV's right kidney.  They don't know that the pocket is a precursor for any particular condition or necessarily need to be concerned but if it hasn't been absorbed by the baby at this point they'll request that we follow-up with the pediatrician once IV is born.  So say a little prayer that any extraneous fluid pockets are absorbed and that everything looks good with mommy and babe for the upcoming appearance on the main stage.

 

In general the pregnancy has gone well.  The first trimester was very exhausting and I had lots of nausea but thankfully never actually "tossed my cookies" until somewhere around 31 weeks but I think that was more a result of a stomach bug going around.  I had been participating in a Majestic Francis Cheek Transformation challenge and made great progress over the course of the summer and got down lower than my pre-pregnancy weight with Luke- woohoo! 

 

Weight gain was minimal through the first trimester but the winter months were pretty rough- less daylight, less time outside, harder to stick with a workout schedule with holidays and work, and the chill which adds to the appeal of those lovely comfort foods like potatoes, homemade bread, creamy macaroni and cheese, carbs, carbs, and more carbs- and of course chocolate.  Total weight gain is 38lbs as of my last appointment on March 28th.  This falls within the normal range as far as my docs are concerned but I've found it a bit overwhelming and am looking forward to holding a "healthy" baby in my arms in more ways than one and enjoying the hustle bustle of a busy household and opportunities to take regular family strolls around the neighborhood or to the park to enjoy the weather and the wonderful season of fresh fruits and veggies coming soon.  Oh.  And sandals...right now the task of socks and shoes spring forth sounds similar to the cries of souls in purgatory.

 

Here are the obligatory pregnancy pics:

 

IV - 25wks 2 days

 At the initial ultrasound (@21 weeks) they couldn't get a good view of the "outflow of the heart".  With each child the list seems to get longer and longer of what they measure, examine and track.  Consequently,  I usually end up having another opportunity to ask questions and learn something new.  For example,  when they said outflow of the heart I envisioned that they were looking to get a similar "picture" of when they add the color to the fuzzy black and white image to show the blood flow through the umbilical cord. Turns out in utero the baby has holes in his/her heart to allow for the effective transport of blood where the actual valves will later develop. This initial ultrasound was also where they noticed the pocket of fluid.  The first ultrasound they noted that IV's femur was measuring slightly large but not enough to change my due date. Everything looked good at the follow-up ultrasound regarding the outflows of the heart a few weeks later.  The pocket of fluid grew slightly but this was to be expected as the kidney grew and the pocket was still under 10mm in diameter which apparently is the point where they get more concerned. This time it was the baby's belly that was measuring on the larger side.  I joked with Pete that it would be pretty funny if it turns out that we have a girl on our hands and she measures bigger than all her brothers.

IV- 31 weeks, 3 days
 

Gosh I look tired in these photos-  I guess it doesn't help that they were typically taken at the end of the day once we got the boys settled in bed for the night.



 

IV- 35 weeks

 If you want points of comparison- check out the photos from Let the Games Begin highlighting my pregnancy with Clement but also showing some photos of my pregnancies with Luke and Augustine.

At my appointment on March 28th they had me do an extra blood draw to check on my platelet count.  The midwife noticed during the tummy check that teeny red spots dotted my belly.  Interestingly, Luke had asked about the little red dots about a week earlier to which I explained that I was getting all stretched out and they were parts where the blood vessels were visible.  Apparently extra or easy bruising can be an indication of a condition called ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura during pregnancy).  I never heard back from the doctor which typically means I'm in the clear. 

Noteworthy notions:

• Official due date is Friday, April 29th (Pete plans to attend a conference in Chicago April 17th-20th)
•  I have been experiencing contractions as of late but nothing too intense or worth timing.  Here's hoping that my body's getting the hang of this birthing thing and I don't need Pitocin
• I find myself craving salt, and salted butter especially not so much that I eat them straight up but certainly take the opportunity to dress-up those noodles or toast or waffles with such additives
•  I do also especially enjoy the meat and found myself craving ice cream even in the cold winter months which is strange for me (perhaps I've been hanging out with them Schafers too much :-)
•  I have itchy heels and have described IVs movements more as rolls or wide sweeping movements as opposed to kicks and punches. Prominent limbs or extremities seem to protrude from my belly and IV tends to run a heel or knee or something along the right side of my body from hip to midline which makes me think of my college days in anatomy lab  and the use of a blunt dissection probe to separating layers of tissue or viscera.

  

  Finish the Frame

In my attempts to "keep it even" I'll copy the ground rules for the contest from what we used for the previous pregnancy.

Provide us with some mild entertainment to offset the anticipation and angst of when this little booger is going to arrive!

I'm providing some pictorial evidence and written testimony for those that prefer to make informed guesses or draw reasonable conclusions.  However, all responses, regardless of color, race, gender, religion, age, randomness, or silliness will be considered.   On the other hand - the UPPER hand- remember that this is a family based forum and that we are talking about a human here.  A little PERSON.  A vulnerable child imbued with and deserving of dignity and respect from the moment of conception.  Now that we've established the rules and regulations, here's what we need from you.  Please submit your guesses in the comments or reply to the email in which I sent the link to the blog.  Depending on your mode of submission you may have to include your name (especially if you want to receive a prize).

Your guess should include:
A.) Baby's name (first and middle)
B.) Boy? or Girl? (Let's face it folks, given the names and trends of the times it's not as easy to distinguish male/female based on name choice)
C.) Proposed birthdate
D.) Weight and Length
E.) Any other tidbits, advice, or anecdotes you choose to add.

I've included a variety of photos of the Schafer boys three below to scroll through as you seek inspiration, gather your thoughts, and devise your strategy. Mostly a selection of my favorites that I failed to share in the blogger world during 2015.


The Schafer Boys meet the newest Schafer Boy- July 2014

Dad's Little Heroes- shirts compliments of cousin Mel



Spoon Shenanigans around Easter of 2015 I think



Hail Mary...

PUNCTTS!



Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2015- Christmas Card worthy credits to Grandma Schafer

Making our gingerbread house a home

To Ya!

Christmas Eve morning

The angelic big brothers yesterday

Truth be told...

 

Other points to ponder:

I. Prior to Clement's birth, Grandma Schafer was doing some spring cleaning and passed along some fish figurines she found in her basement which apparently belonged to Pete's grandmother. The set included the blue "mommy fish" and the three offspring. Luke was quite concerned over the absence of a daddy fish and I thought it might be fun to utilize the artifacts to decorate our bathroom and be representative of our family. Consequently, I ordered a mold to make the daddy fish. In the process I had ordered some other molds of fish/sea creatures but none that are exactly like the children in the original set. In the early months of 2016 we had an incident which caused one of the little fish to fall and crack beyond repair. Do we add variety to our ocean scene using some of the other molds to fashion a creature for IV and to replace the casualty? Or do we ditch the décor altogether and go for a different motif?

II.  Pete suggested holding a secondary contest.  For anyone who is interested...submit your guess of "What you think Uncle Joe is going to guess"  To be considered for a prize you must, obviously, submit your "Guess of Uncle Joe's Guess"  before Uncle Joe submits his guess.  Ready.  Set.   Go!!!!

 

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and support throughout this pregnancy.  Congratulations to my cousin Jessica who had her second son today.  (Even though I'm a little jealous since your due date was after mine ;-)  Happy holding and a speedy recovery as you all get settled.

 

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

 

St. Gerard Majella...Pray for us.

Doot. DOOT. Do-do-do-doot!

AL-VINNNNN!!!!!! 

This little loon keeps us on our toes these days. My favorite most recent quote was delivered a couple weeks ago when I was in the kitchen and said, "Whoops!  Sorry IV." as I bumped my belly into the counter. (We call the baby "I" "V" as in the Roman numeral for four but hadn't really explained it thoroughly to the boys) Augustine from the table says, "iBaby is getting so big and is ready to pop right out of there!"  Signs of the times I suppose. Here's to Apple's next cutting edge technology, ehhhh?!

Augustine wears his soccer jersey every other day.  It's starting to come apart a bit under the one armpit.  Lucky for me it's striped and I've considered sewing in additional panels on each side.  I blame the bishop. The Most Reverend George Murry commented after a Mass for Life at North Canton St. Paul, "Nice jersey.  I have one just like it.  It's my favorite team."  What three year old wouldn't be impressed by the attention of the kind, stately man that carries a staff and wears a cool hat?

The scarf, made by one of my students at Mother of God School in Gaithersburg, Maryland was a shorter lived trend, but Augustine does also gravitate toward striped socks that go up his legs and he calls soccer socks.

 
Since the end of the autumn season, he's also been quite enthusiastic about his footie pajamas.  For about ten nights straight he would exclaim, "My footie PJs!.  They don't need socks! Or a shirt! or Pants! Just underwear!"  Luke, the gallant older brother, during the switchover one evening said proudly, "You know what A-dust-tin?!?  When I grow up I'm going to invent footie PJs that already have the underwear in them too."

Luke wasn't so fond of the footie pajamas when he was a 3T and so Augustine has more than one set that are in great condition.  He's dubbed one pair his ice-skating pjs because the treads on the feet have worn off and he can slip slide around on certain floor surfaces.

Now that I've shared with you some of Augustine's most recent costumes we might as well take a time warp back to Halloween of 2014.  We dressed the boys up as the famous trio. And Pete fit the bill of Dave Seville.

 

I picked up the necessary colors in fleece and went to work without a pattern of any sort.  I made things up as I went along.  All went well except perhaps my attempts to make a turtleneck type look.  Luke was the guinea pig and there was some viewpoints, shrieking and ripping one might have found akin to giving birth.

Having invested such time and effort, though, we took every opportunity to celebrate the zany holiday.  We went to Boo at the Zoo in Akron, took Uncle Stevie and Aunt Sarah up on their invitation to explore their neighborhood and enjoy some great food and games complete with smoking punch bowl at their house afterward, and we paraded through the residence halls at Walsh University with a fierce football player, jovial banana, and an Incredible family that has since expanded.

Amidst the busy season of Augustine's birthday and Luke's feast day and crazy busy advising time at work, Halloween of 2015 snuck up on us. Although I was slated to manufacture likenesses of Curious George and company I simply threw in the towel and thanked the Lord for the warmer weather.  This meant Alvin and the Chipmunks made another appearance needing less bulky layers beneath to survive the festivities.  We ventured through Aunt Lisa's stomping grounds where Clement played up the Theodore role running from one house to the next devouring his treats along the way.  Grandma Angie also took the trio to a Halloween party at my cousin's place where they earned a prize for the get-up.

I'd best get my act together for this year as IV is added to the bunch and the costumes may not withstand the added inches and activities of their former wearers.

Any suggestions for famous foursomes?

Farewell Friend and Special Guests

In early February (of  this very same year!) we bid farewell to Domestique.  She served me well through the second half of college and nobly accepted her duties in Maryland after Pete's Ford Focus went kaput. Wild and crazy kids we were as we embarked on a greyhound bus trip with itty bitty Luke for our 1 year anniversary to retrieve the sparkly Saturn from storage at my parents'.

She survived many a stressors including a young adult mission trip to New Orleans which resulted in a broken windshield, christening by our firstborn's urine during an emergency diaper change, an attack by the vacuum cleaner leaving a bite out of the front passenger seat, and years of service as we resumed residency on Spangler road racking up a total of 143 thousand plus miles.

 Diagnostics in early February suggested we pour some $1300 into the old girl.  Although the hope was to have paid off the van before adding another car payment we decided  that we'd much rather use the $1300 toward a new car payment than into the beloved machine that may or may not make it through another year.  Besides, with Pete's lengthy commute, something more reliable was more than worth it in exchange for my peace of mind with our fourth child on the way.

I won't go into specifics, but it's interesting to note the different approaches that Pete and I took toward car shopping.  Pete is NOT a fan.  After some internet research and bantering, Pete took a personal day, we called in reinforcements and we took one last ride in Domestique on our way to the dealership to test drive a Chevy Cruze.  The Cruze was nice but I felt uncomfortable making such a large purchase without at least comparing it to another car.  We knew we wanted something that would get good gas mileage and didn't need for it to fit the whole family but I wanted to get a look at the next size up Chevy model.  The dealership in North Canton didn't have any Malibus on the lot so we were escorted by our salesperson Glenn in the back seat of one of the Cruzes we test drove to the partner dealership in Stow.  Pete and I both agreed on multiple accounts that we liked the 2013 Malibu better than the Cruze.

Meet Seaborg:

Despite multiple trips to the BMV to get everything switched over, the failed attempt to take advantage of the so-called free car washes at the dealership, and the ridiculous amounts of *FINAL NOTICE* junk mail to renew the warrantee we are quite happy with the acquisition.

Other events of note include a very recent visit from cousin Sarah who graciously gave up an afternoon of her college spring break to color eggs with the boys and humored them with some outside time playing baseball and riding scooters in the backyard as well.

 We've also welcomed Luke's preschool class pet into our home for the duration of the spring break.  Bob H.E. Williams has settled in a place of honor on our mantle.

 I'm okay with fish but not particularly open to other pet possibilities.  I'm not sure Pete's all that accepting of even fish having commented yesterday at dinner when Luke excitedly explained that we would have to feed the beta each day, "Hey Luke, maybe you could play with Bob using that new fishing pole Uncle Stevie got you for your birthday!"