April 27, On the Farm Day III

It rained and it rained and it rained and it rained and it rained and then it stopped just long enough for the three of us to hop in the car to see the midwife. Speck decided she didn't want to move around much last night or this morning so Chia decided she was going to check with the midwife to make sure the fetal heart rate was up. It wasn't too much later after we called the midwife that Speck decided that she had tortured her mama enough and started moving around. The crazy child had changed positions inside her mother. But Speck is more than fine, her heart is beating well and though she isn't ready to be born tonight we might have a birth here in a week or so. Chia hopes that she comes on a Wednesday as that would give her daddy 12 days off instead of 10 as his 10 days would end on a friday and he'd get that weekend free. But Chia and I both think it'd be cool if she were born on May 1^st too. I supposed that she'll come when she's good and ready, no matter what her mama or her daddy might prefer. Babies are persnickety like that I have noticed.

There was a tornado warning for the area so we decided that we were going to stay put. There was no tornado but a couple of Californian women are not exactly prepared to face even the prospect of a tornado, but we did discuss it. Should we end up having one we've decided that we were going to toss all the clothes on the floor where the is a V in the walls and make a shield against the closest windows with the table on its side. I guess we could also make a tent out of the blankets but I suppose we don't have to worry too much about it.

C and I had fun with our morning chores while Chia was enjoying a hot shower. C has a tendency to help her while she showers and for some reason she doesn't feel as if she needs his help. So he helped me do the breakfast dishes. We had groats for breakfast this morning. Before I took my shower I soaked them in some hot, soapy water so that when I was ready to clean them the pan would be easy to get clean. C and I divided up the work. I washed each dish in the suds, rinsed them off in cool water and held each item over the drying rack. I would then as C if he could put the plate/bowl/cup/whatever into the rack. He took each item and happily helped me lower the item right where I had positioned it. Then I handed him a spoon, showed him where it went and asked if he could put the spoon there. Then I asked him if he could put the spoon with the other one and he put it in the same spot as the other spoon. Then I handed him a fork and asked him if he could put it in with the spoons. And he did. Once we were finished with the dishes we clapped and had a little celebration and then I asked him if he'd like to help me sweep.

His favorite toy has become the green green. Most adults might recognize it as a dust bin that has a long handle so it can be used without bending down or over. But he knows it as the green-green because it's green. He held it still for me while I swept the front area and then once I got the stuff from the floor into the dust bin I asked him if he could throw it away. He took it over to the garbage, lifted it and tried to get the dirt in the garbage but he needed a little help figuring out that he needed to turn it to get it to work properly. Then we swept the small kitchen area and this time he had no problems figuring out that he needed to turn it, he just couldn't quite finagle it enough to get it turned. Then we did more clapped and more praise was had and then when Chia got out of her shower, there was more praise. We had fun. I think I can honestly say that was the most fun cleaning I have ever had.

This afternoon was not without its own amusements. C was unable to go to the playground but a bed and two adults was all the playground he seemed to require. He climbed up and on and over and through and around everything. He wore us out long before he slowed down... even after his nap! Although we all slept for 2 hours and it was heavenly. Sleep has been interesting with all the thunder. But from what I have been told the storm has passed by us and we are due for a few days of sun and heat. Personally I like the thunder and the lightening but it's keeping C awake and with it his mama so they're ready for the sun to come.

I think we're headed back into town tomorrow. It gives us something to do, to be out and about. I hope to take some fun pictures while we're out. I took several fun pics of C and Chia in black and white today, a lot that are just so sweet that it'll make even a hard heart smile. It's pretty hard not to go awwww when you see a two year old boy kissing his mommy's pregnant belly. At least I don't think it is.

Chia has an odd craving for some chicken nuggets so we might hit the golden arches tomorrow and they has internet there so I will most likely be updating this then. I love and miss you all. And that includes my Coopaducks.

EHM

My name is Ein. At least, that's how C says my name. He is quite vocal and not at all shy about coming to me for anything he might want. Chia and I have already seemed to form a routine. Much like a cat, C is a huge help in the kitchen so one of us cooks while the other watches and entertains him while he sits at the table and eats snacks. And with the combined power of 2, both adults are actually able to eat an entire meal.

We arrived at the farm a bit after 3 and unpacked, had a snack and set up shop then we went to the playground by the Farm Store where C got to play around and Chia and I were able to check our mail and do stuff online. Then a little before 6 it was time to head home and get supper ready. I entertained C while Chia cooked some rice and vegetables. I actually ate some, though not all, and finished off the rest of the chicken tenders I had had from an all-nighter place my cousins had taken me to that the local Vanderbilt University students use instead of their library. There was plenty of rice left after dinner and I am sure that we'll have left-overs for dinner tonight.

The sun went down and with it we found ourselves heading towards bed as well. Chia and C had a bath and she enjoyed reveling in hot water while I dried him off and let him run around in his birthday suit. He was fine so long as he was able to check in on his mother during his bath. He's fine being with me but Mama has to be within sight.

It was warm and muggy all day yesterday and about 4 in the morning we had a huge thunder storm that woke everyone. The gloriousness of the storm was amazing though the thunder that boomed overhead made it hard to sleep as did the piercing lightening that was bright enough to see even through closed eyelids. Speck didn't really like the thunder it was that loud. I know I found it hard to sleep but eventually I managed to go back to sleep. I woke up at one point and noticed that it was light outside and I remember thinking, before I drifted off back to sleep, that C would wake up soon as Chia had told me he wakes up when the sun does.

Sure enough, not too much longer, I heard him wake up and with him Chia did. I hadn't planned on getting up so early and had every intention of sleeping in just a little longer. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, had a hard time getting to sleep and I thought I deserved at least another half hour of sleep. C, however, had different ideas about things and stood at the bottom of the stairs saying, “Ein, Ein, Ein, Ein, Ein,” over and over again until I acknowledged him. Once I answered he wished me good morning and I figured that if I didn't get my butt downstairs I'd be subject to him waking me up.

So I brushed my teeth, entertained him while his mother tried to make pancakes off of a finicky burner. Then I took a shower, while she tried to get him ready for the day. I watched him while Chia showered then, once we were all dressed and packed up, we went into Lawerenceburg, TN which is one of the closest towns to The Farm.

We were out the door and on the road by 9 AM... with a toddler. Yes, he got us up that early. We got into town about 10, looked to see what chinese food places there were as she was searching for a place that had Panda in the title but couldn't find any. We stopped off at Wal-Mart, got a few supplies and then we were hungry again and it was about 11 so we had chinese food for lunch. There was a chinese buffet and C had fun eating rice off of chopsticks.

Then it was time to come home. We got back a bit after noon, got resettled and then it was nap time. C is still not yet asleep but his mama is trying to get him to sleep. He was standing at the foot of the stairs calling me, probably to make sure I was still there. So we had a conversation and eventually Chia was able to pull him away.

Once we are up from our nap we'll probably head to the park where we'll play for a while. Chia and I will take turns checking email and watching C. And then, just about when the comp's battery has died and I have taken several dozen pictures that afternoon, well pack C back into his stroller and walk home and get ready for some supper. I have not yet worked on Mark's blanket though as I am reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Part I are birth stories which are meant to combat the horror stories that women hear from women who've had births in hospital settings to show a woman that really, birthing is not a horror, pain-filled traumatic experience but an amazing one-if you do it correctly which is through a natural birth. I read a few of the stories then decided to skip most of them and went onto Part II. Which I am finding an interesting read. So far I'd highly recommend my pregnant friends to read it... okay so I only have 2 pregnant friends and one has already read it-in fact, it's her book.

It's currently 1320 and I don't think C is really wanting a nap as he is fussing. I can hear Chia speaking to him in a low, calm voice and he is responding to it.

As for me, I am ready for that nap. It is cool and breezy and the trees are murmuring gently. I can hear birds singing and calling to each other. I'd feel as if I were camping but I'm in a cabin instead of a tent. I have the windows up here wide open to allow as much as the cool, fresh air in as possible. This is what I love about being in the middle of nowhere, you can't hear the highway, or people in general, unless someone passes by. It almost feels as if you are a million miles from nowhere. The only thing that could make this better is if the cabin had more modern amenities.

As it is, not all the outlets work, which isn't all that big of a deal. The septic is very sensitive and can't handle copious amounts of toilet paper... joy. There's no internet in the cabin, which would be convenient. The Farm, however is huge and there are a lot of possibilities for hiking. I was going to bring a pair of keens but I forgot. Chia can't really hike anyway as the trails are a bit too steep for her.

But still, I am sure that tomorrow morning, instead of going into town, we'll take a nice long walk. Walking is good for all of us.

Until the next time, I love you all

EHM

The Farm

The Farm is in Summertown, TN about an hour and half from Nashville. It is warm and muggy but there is a slight breeze that is cooling things off a bit. About a quarter of a mile from the cabin is the farm store which has wifi. There is also a jungle gym here for children to play on. Tomorrow I hope to have pictures from today.

I have also met and enjoyed the company of my cousins, Caitlin, Meghan and Sean McKeighen. I am not too sure if TN is ready for 4 living and 1 dead McKeighen.

The cabin itself is very rustic and small and smells like it has been closed in and I am hoping that a few days of airing it out will get that stench out. There are two beds, one right next to the front door so you almost run the risk of hitting it when open it. Just inside is the dining table which, amazingly enough, sits 6. There is a very tiny kitchen and the fridge is just outside the kitchen itself. Again I will post pictures tomorrow as I haven't loaded them yet.

I will post more tomorrow. Love to you all,

EHM

At the Airport

Several days ago a good friend skyped me and asked if I couldn't travel to TN to stay with his wife, Chia while she enters the last few weeks of her pregnancy with kiddo #2 at The Farm in Summertown, TN. A week and a plane ticket later, I am sitting at the Sacramento International Aiport (SMF) waiting for my flight which should be boarding here soon.

I was originally scheduled to fly out of American Airlines at 1425 on Easter. I was to fly to Dallas and then, from there, to Nashville where my darling cousins would pick me up and let me crash on their couch for the night. Until I tried to check in this morning and discovered, to my very great dismay, that my flight was canceled. A quick internet search got me the 1800 number for AA and a kind lady got me onto a United flight that would send me to Denver and from there I'd head to Nashville (BNA).

The reason why the flight was canceled is because the crew never checked in. Oops. :) I am sure that they're stuck at another airport and were unable to get here. I doubt that they were unable to get out of their hotel.

So instead of heading to Terminal A I am at gate 36 in Terminal B. Boarding is supposed to commence at 1415 (1 minute from now) and is supposed to depart at 1245 but it looks like we might not be leaving until 1500.

On the way here I was quite anxious, and nervous and there is no reason for it to be honest. I'm staying in the Continental US but my last airplane trip ended in disaster.

I am sure that this time around I am not going to find myself detained.

And here is our plane!!! Yay! I am going to head out. I'll update the blog as frequently as I can.

Love to you all-

EHM