August report in September

In early August, Edward turned 7 and we had his first birthday party with friends! About a month before, we were chatting about things and I asked him what kind of cake he wanted. In previous years, it's been a dinosaur or snake, so I design a template on my software, print it out and carve the 9x13 cake to look like that thing.

This year he said, "Minnesota," because that was his favorite state that week. I let him think on that for a few weeks and asked him again. Despite the fact that his favorite state had changed to New Mexico or Iowa by then, he still wanted his cake to be Minnesota.

This was the template.

This was the cake. I got some help from a friend in the ward who took a cake decorating class this summer.

Then the little boys assembled! (Three other pairs of brothers came.)

And they fought over who got to eat Lake Superior.

Each family got a gift bag decorated with the states the boys were born in. 

Gift bags included candy bars, glow sticks, and giant adhesive mustaches.

We told our boys they could wear theirs on the airplane (after they got past security, so as not to arouse suspicion). 

We flew through Salt Lake and dropped off the bigger boys with Evan's Mom, and then Evan, Roger, and I flew up to Spokane for a job interview for next year. It went well.

Then we flew down to Boise and joined the elder Allans at the cabin where Edward and Frederick had explored, found bird bones, identified ponderosa pines, and played in the river with appropriate supervision.

We spent a bit of time in Twin Falls and then came home with three weeks to make the biggest decision of our married lives. It took four weeks. Everyone involved was very patient with us. In the end, we felt that anywhere we chose would work out well for us, and we might as well have the added advantage of living near family.

So, next July we'll be moving to Twin Falls, Idaho so Evan can join his Dad's practice.

We're doing well now.

Since last we met...

The Brown's have had a wonderful summer, including our travels to Nauvoo and a visit to Connecticut and Rhode Island to see Mark and Cadence.
After Nauvoo, we had the task of completing our Summer Calendar listing all 42 activities our family desired to accomplish before the summer was over.
We really packed a lot into July and August including new activities like making homemade ice cream and August Fools' Day, and old traditions we've been doing for years like ice cream volcano and shark day.

Hawaii day

D.C. Chinatown

Lake day

Two beach trips

In the midst of all this activity, I determined that I might be pregnant, and a home test confirmed my hunch.  After a few weeks, and without any signs or symptoms of a "healthy" pregnancy, ie. puking, nausea, unusual tiredness, etc.,  I concluded I was having another (4th) miscarriage, and called my midwives to be seen and have that hunch also confirmed.

As I've told some of you, after my 3rd miscarriage I had a blood test done that determined the state of my eggs.  The test found that I had a low number of eggs and the ones I have are poor quality eggs that would result in a 80-90% miscarriage rate.  Basically the fertilized egg never divides properly and terminates itself around 6 weeks.

On July 31st, our 18th anniversary, I saw the midwife, who did the usual blood test, but then, sensing my anxiousness to know, suggested I get an ultrasound that afternoon.  As I waited for my ultrasound appointment by myself (Jason couldn't get off work in time to come with me), I was overcome with emotion, having seen empty uterus pictures before and knowing what lay ahead.  I said a silent prayer to be able to accept the results of this ultrasound.  When the technician came to get me and asked why I was crying, I said, "I already know the result of this procedure."

We began the procedure and almost immediately she announced, "There is a heartbeat!"  At 7-1/2 weeks the fetus, the size of a grain of rice, had a beating blood vessel (not actually a heart at that stage), but I was able to see it and again flooded with emotion.

I've since started feeling nauseated all the time, but thankfully and miraculously--when compared to my other pregnancies--have not throw up at all.  I think my body is too old and tired to puke.

I've since had more tests and another ultrasound and I'm at low risk for chromosome and genetic disorders despite my age.  The new blood tests they can do now to determine chromosome anomalies  can also tell you the gender at 9 weeks!  I am due on the Ides of March and wanted to let everyone know about our miracle pregnancy and baby.

13 weeks, 7 cm, unknown gender

P.S.
This baby and Annmarie will be 17 years apart in age, the same as Mark and me.  This baby will be named "Finito" or "My Parents Are the Geezers Over There".