Neck and Neck

Turns out if you're neck and neck with a giraffe, the giraffe has the upper hand.  Last night I officially lost the race with Autumn, the giraffe at the Greenville zoo.  Yep, she won fair and square and has a super cute baby.  I just felt that after hours of tracking her on the web cam (and I'm sure many hours to come, watching that precious baby giraffe), it was a story worthy or recording on the blog.  Good race, Autumn.  Now it's my turn...right?

The Game of Chess

We went to the beach with a lot of the Buckingham (almost all) clan this past August.  I still have yet to post pictures :(  At any rate, when we got back, Uncle Greg taught John to play chess.  Surprisingly (or maybe not), that little 5-year-old learned the rules in a few short minutes, and had Uncle Greg sweating by the second game.  He actually is able to think a few moves ahead, which is amazing to me.  It won't be long before I don't stand a chance against him.
Eve pulled out the chess board the other day to play with me.  Knowing she has no clue how to play, I asked her what the rules were.  My intent was to figure out how we should play.  Which pieces are mine, which are hers, how we move, how we score points, etc.  Obviously the rules would change throughout the game, if there were any even set to begin with.  To my surprise, she promptly answered, "No spitting.  No kicking."  Family game time in Buckingham Palace gets pretty intense, apparently!  It cracked me up.
On another note, the kids had fall break this Thursday and Friday, and we've had the most beautiful fall weather.  Yesterday was the type day that seems like it's rolling on a sepia-colored reel to reel of perfect family memories.  John had his last soccer game (and Coach Buck, too) of the season.  We came home to carve pumpkins, watched a great Clemson Football win, played outside, and ended the day with a campfire and smores.  Picture perfect.  While I'm anxious to meet our new little boy, it was nice to enjoy a beautiful fall day as a family rather than in the hospital.  We'll meet him soon for sure.

Happy Fall Y'all!

October 19 and the giraffe and I are still neck and neck (seems like she's got the upper hand if that's the metaphor we're going to use). 
We've spent the past few weeks enjoying fall, and pumpkins in particular. Ellie and I got to go with Eve's class to the pumpkin patch last week. It was so much fun! Then, Friday we went to Denver Downs just outside Clemson. It's pricey, but SO MUCH FUN! They have so many fall farm themed activities. John's class went to the pumpkin patch this Wed., but I couldn't make the trip because of a doctor's appointment. I hate I missed it, but he had lots of fun. They've been dying to carve/color their pumpkins, so hopefully when Daddy gets home this afternoon we'll have our carving fest. Fall is such a fun time of year!

 Eve finding the perfect pumpkin

 Found it!  We went to Stewart Farms, the same place we get strawberries.  They do such a fantastic job of making it a fun learning experience for the kids.

 Hayride!

 Ellie really did have fun.  She just didn't want to smile for the picture.

Denver Downs...

 Racing rubber duckies with a water pump.  We could've spent all day here.

 Behind you can see life-sized (for kids) lincoln logs.  It was so fun to see all three work together on a plan to build a house.  They did a really great job of it, too.  We just didn't get any pictures of that because it was really dark when we did it.

That's a HOG.  The animals were lots of fun.  There were baby goats, but we couldn't coax any close enough to pet.

 It's hard enough trying to make your way through a corn maze...much less with 3 kids that all move at different paces, and in different directions!

 Thank goodness we had a map.

 There is a huge "arena" with mountains of hay and rope swings.  It's so fun to climb and swing!

 John really got the hang of it!

 There's also a horse tire swing, which was Eve's favorite.  Had to get a picture of Baby Buck #4.  Look at that big belly! (Off subject, but Eve knows that every time I go to the doctor she measures my belly and listens to the baby's heartbeat.  Lately she's been saying she thinks my belly is big enough for the baby to come out.  I finally pieced together that she thinks that's why the doctor measures my belly...to see when it's big enough for the baby to be born.  Too cute for me to correct.)

 Ellie really enjoyed the toddler playground and playhouse.

 There was a long row of large, round hay bails...three wide, and probably 30 or so long.  Buck and the kids ran along it jumping from bail to bail.  It looked like lots of fun, but probably best that I stayed on the ground with the camera.  John fell into a few holes between the bails.  He didn't get hurt, but we heard, "Ummm, a little help here?" and this is what we saw.  Not intentional, but a convenient little trap. :)

 I told him to make a scared face like he was falling.  This is what we got.  Looks like he's puking up hay.  We eventually helped him out...I promise.

 And Ellie milked the cow.

A beautiful sunset on a beautiful farm.  We had so much fun.  Looking at this, you can't help but love fall.

Racing The Giraffe

Tomorrow I'll reach the 38 week mark.  Even before I got pregnant, I thought 10/11/12 would be a cool birthday.  Well, that day has come and gone, and despite my best efforts, Baby Buck #4 is still riding comfortably in the warmth (and quiet) of my belly.  At this point, I've found it takes me twice as long to do anything away from home.  Not because I'm so big and cumbersome, but because inevitably I'll run into several people that are very sweet to ask how I'm doing, when am I due, do I think I'll go early, etc. etc., and then they typically move into their own birth stories.  I love that people are extra nice to me when I'm pregnant, but it does seem to put me in a time crunch.  I've always found that strangers are extra friendly when I'm pregnant, and I wish we were that friendly to each other all the time.  Somehow a big belly (or a newborn baby) break down a wall.  On the other hand, sometimes a little bit of a wall is more appropriate.  I've also found that strangers have no problem asking inappropriate questions, giving inappropriate advice, or sharing inappropriate stories.  It's funny how those change from one child to the next.  When I was pregnant with John and Eve, I just got the standard, "Congratulations", "Do you know what you're having?", etc.  With Eve, they added, "Oh, a boy and a girl.  That's perfect.  Now  you can stop."  When I was pregnant with Ellie, however, it was uncanny how many people, friends and strangers alike, asked the very same question, "Was it planned?"  Without fail, that's what everyone said to me.  I always thought I should come up with the perfect clever quip, but it never came to me.  For the record, yes, we very much wanted Ellie in our lives, even before we said our vows.  With this pregnancy, again, without fail, friends and strangers have the same question, "Are you done?"  Again, I haven't come up with the perfect response.  I just think it's funny the difference.  The other thing I've heard a lot has struck me as odd.  Several people think they know what you're having just by looking at you.  I've always had people guess with certainty.  This pregnancy, however, every person that has guessed with certainty has said something like, "Oh!  You're having another girl!"  So much so, that it's made me a little nervous about the color of our take-home outfit.
Now, on to the giraffe.  This pregnancy has been the easiest thus far, and still I'm not feeling like I'm "done".  I am, however, so excited and emotionally ready to meet this little man.  It just so happens, at this time, the giraffe at the Greenville Zoo is expecting as well.  They have a live web cam on her to watch.  She's due any day now, and has been pacing a lot, so they say the birth is "imminent".  We've all found ourselves watching the video feed obsessively.  I'm watching because I feel like we're in a race.  Who knows, maybe we'll deliver on the same day.  At any rate, in a few short days or weeks, I'll be holding my sweet baby, and fortunately, unlike the giraffe, he won't be 6 feet tall yet.

Body Art

We had an idea the other evening that we thought would be funny, but turned out being lots of fun.  I let the kids paint my belly.  They absolutely LOVED it, and have been asking ever since when they can do it again.  We did this on the back porch where nobody could see.  I'm not excited about the exposure (I've never really been one to take belly pictures when I'm pregnant) or the unflattering way I'm sitting, but in the interest of preserving fun memories, I've finally decided to throw vanity to the wind and share. 

WARNING:  Large, exposed belly pictures follow.

 The rules were 1)Only paint on Mommy's belly.  2) Everybody only paint in their designated space.  They followed them pretty well.

 It didn't take long for everything to turn a murky, muddy, grey, so we decided to finish it off with the handprints of the artists.

The handprints were the sweetest part, I think.  When all was said and done, and the paint dried, I looked like an elephant.  It was pretty comical.  I was a little surprised at how much they enjoyed this.  A fun little tribute from big brother and sisters for Baby Buck #4.

Halloween Costumes

On our way to the soccer game today the kids were talking about the new baby.  Somehow they must've heard one of us talking about the baby hotdog costume we have that Ellie wore when she was a baby.  I don't know, somehow they know about it and have decided the new baby will wear it (or drown in it).  So in the car Ellie said in her joking voice (she has a voice she uses, that's very different from her typical voice, when she's saying something she thinks is funny.  I wish I could describe it), "The new baby is going to be a hotdog for Halloween.  I'm going to eat him."  It caught us so off guard we couldn't stop laughing.

Soccer

John didn't really want to play soccer this season.  I sort of forced him into it.  Actually, I gave him 4 choices of activities, and he finally settled on soccer.  I think he was mostly concerned about moving up an age group.  When he found out that Buck was the coach, his opinion changed.  He was super excited.  He has done so well!  He's really started to enjoy chasing after the ball, and is putting a lot of effort into it, and having a great time.  He's really improved a good bit as well.

 The Cobras rocked their first game.  I'm not sure they've won one since, but they've played some really tough teams, and are improving and having a great time none-the-less.  Here's Coach Buck at his inaugural game.

 John is really intense when he's playing.  His favorite positions are offense and goalie.

 Nice save!  I'm always worried he's going to bite his tongue off.

I decided to go ahead and post a few pictures today because today, on Buck's birthday, John made at least 3 great saves at goal, and SCORED HIS FIRST GOAL!!!!  I'm a proud mama!

Imaginative Artwork

I just got home from a solo trip to Target (i.e. "me" time) and Buck told me this story...
Eve came downstairs with a rolled up piece of paper and said, "I've got something to show you, Dad."  The paper is colored completely brown.  "It's a picture of me...in the dark...in Mama's belly."  So sweet and creative.  ..."and I'm wearing a diaper...and a dress."

Random Funnies

Lately Ellie has been telling everyone (EVERYONE), "When I grow up, I'm going to be a cheerleader."  Aim high, sweetie.

This morning John was asking that I get something from the grocery story.  I told him I'd put it on my mental list since I hadn't started a list yet.  His response, "But what if you forget?  You're a really good forgetter."  Such a positive swing on brutal honesty (and absolute truth, in his defense).

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Two weekends ago we went to Sky Top Orchard with our friends, the Powells, and Grandma.  The kids climbed just about every tree there, we picked 25 pounds of apples, ate apple cider doughnuts, hayride, playground, etc., etc.  Buck took a ton of fantastic pictures...until we realized that I had forgotten the memory card at home.  So sad.  We had a great time, especially in the trees (even Buck climbed one to get just the right apple...or because he just couldn't resist childhood).  To make up for this epic failure, I'm posting lots of fun pictures of us making apple pie.

 This is by far one of my most-loved kitchen tools, and John and Eve really did well operating it.

 I just couldn't get them to stop eating the already chopped apples.  They really enjoyed the peel-spaghetti, too.

 Such good helpers!

 Fortunately while we were peeling, Ellie was asleep.  Even more fortunately, she woke up just in time to help us finish tasks she's able to do...and really enjoyed.

Can you smell how yummy our pies ended up?  I happen to have an apple cheesecake in the oven now as well.  I'm doing my best to nest...and make good use of TWENTY FIVE POUNDS of apples.

Not To Be Left Out

I realize I haven't mentioned much about Baby Buck #4.  Truth is, there hasn't been much to mention because this has been the easiest pregnancy yet.  Four weeks to go, and I'm still feeling (all things considered) great!  Still moving around relatively well.  Still able to do a few things at the gym a few days a week.  Still able to sort-of tie my shoes.  Still able to walk myself to the bathroom.  It probably helps that the kids entertain themselves more than expecting that from me, but really I can't complain.  Baby has several active times through the day and evening.  Eve was lounging with me watching TV today with her head on my belly and she was excited to get kicked in the head a few times.  They really haven't been patient enough more than once or twice to feel him move around.  Seems to me his movements have been more sporatic and quick than the slow alien movements I remember from the others, but maybe that's just how he's situated.  I keep thinking I can put things off because there's plenty of time, but one good strong Braxton Hix on Saturday helped me realize that 4 weeks isn't long!  Buck got the baby boy clothes from the attic and I opened the bin to wash them today.  I was surprised at my feeling when I opened it.  It wasn't really shock, but almost a reality check to see all that baby boy blue after looking at so much pink for so long.  When I got around to folding everything, it was a fun and sentimental walk down memory lane to see what all John wore SIX YEARS AGO!  I'm really getting excited, and I think the kids are, too.  Now if we can only convince Ellie that it really is a baby boy, not a girl or a kitten.