Excuses!

I've not been very regular with my posting this last week, but I do have an excuse!

I was quite worried about my health and finally got around to making an appointment with the doctor. Sorry to be personal, but I'd been bleeding at times when I wasn't meant to be, and also had some pain.

Anyway, the short version of the story is, I'm 7 weeks pregnant!

It's all a bit much to take in. It's not that we weren't trying, just that what with one thing and another we'd forgotten about it - amazing but true. It's been over 18 months since we first decided to try for number 4 and I guess we'd given up.

The fact of the pain and bleeding is naturally a concern. These are early days, and I do tend to have "eventful" pregnancies, so all prayers gratefully received.

We told the boys. We've always included our lads from day one as we see it as a family thing and that, even if things don't work out, the children would need to know why we were all sad. Just our personal decision, I know not everyone agrees.

The boys have been great! Samuel says "hello baby" everytime he walks past me, and gives me two hugs and two kisses each time - one for me, one for baby! Joshua and Samuel are very excited - not quite sure why! William has said he wants either a baby sister or a baby puppy (!).

Interestingly, Joshua said "oh William will be put out". I questionned this and he said "well I know Samuel and I were, when William arrived and we weren't the centre of attention anymore". Such insight in one so young! I think actually William will relish not being the bottom of the pile anymore.

So, all change. It's obviously still a worrying time so it is a case of one day at a time. I'm really hoping that the pains will ease, and do not mean I'll have them all the way through, nor that the pregnancy won't hold. I have an irritable uterus, apparently, so all muscle strain, spasms, etc have an overly large effect on me. Also, having IBS, it means the two sets of muscles trigger of spasms in each other. Usually by 7 months I am having strong muscle contractions that can reach labour strength, but as only one set of muscles in involved, not both sets, I just get the pain but no delivery. Though having said that, Joshua was 4 weeks premature.

Sorry for all the detail! But my head is rather full of it all at the moment, as I am sure you'll all understand.

Joshua will be 11 on Monday. I spent the other day sorting all the baby clothes out and can't believe that some of them are now 11 years old! Eek!

Roarke's work have said Joshua can go into work with him and use their Learn Direct study centre to take english and maths, which would be good - something for him to "do" with his Dad.

William is doing well with his numbers, though he seems to have to count up to find the right number, and is a bit slower on recognising the number on its own. He can write a neat 4 - as that's "his" number!

Samuel I am still leaving to his own devices, somewhat, until I can work out the best way to encourage and support him.

Did you see about the Charles Darwin collection going online? I know that not all Christians wish to use his research, but I still personally find a lot of it has value (I just don't draw quite the same conclusions he did!).

And a personal, newly discovered favourite of mine - one of those sites you can get sidetracked into for hours - a site for "The Longest..." Look up the longest of anything recorded (like the longest abbreviation!) at this site with the longest domain name!