And now an injured toe.

Thick glass Pyrex dishes are heavy.

Especially when filled to the brim with chicken.

And heavy things dropped from several feet in the air hurt when they land on toes.

And so after a poor night's sleep from a throbbing, swollen, purple toe, Bethany is getting the Very Big Toe x-rayed this morning to see if she can garner bragging rights and call it an Officially Broken Very Big Toe.

Meanwhile, Bethany's plethora of premature contractions are no longer painful, and they are no longer constant whenever she moves, thanks to 1. God (God alone can heal all this--we're seriously grateful), 2. all of you who were praying for us (thank you so, so much), and 3. mountains of sacrifice by Bethany's mom and dad, who have kept Luke entertained while Bethany splats on the couch. Splatting on the couch makes her feel awfully good. And the baby is still in there (thanking God once again), but his/her movements are much less frantically wild (thanking God, yep), so we think this is helping the contractions settle down.

Now we can pray for the Very Big Toe.


Last post was a dull text-only version. So here are some belated pictures! We were soooo happy that Liz was able to come out for a weekend and join up with the rest of the Cinco Chicas (roommates from Bethany's wild bachelorette days) (wild = the wild life of a perfectionist, work-absorbed elementary-school teacher) in Mt. Shasta to witness the beautiful wedding of Miss Harmony! Now Mrs. Bubba Seuss. Actually, Dr. Bubba Seuss. Dr. Seuss. Love it.


The roommates forced a picture of the juxtaposed feet: Bethany's cowboy-boots, Harmony's not-cowboy-boots. It was coooold, and Bethany even pulled out the waffle-knit long johns for the occasion. With cowboy boots and long johns, enhanced by a big pregnant gut, she has never felt more glamorous. Oh, and she changed on the side of the road after the 3.5-hour drive. Now we're talking reeeeally glamorous.


Slowly easing Luke into the idea of a sibling, we have his new carseat in the car now. He let Shealyn sit in it once (just once). He is very proud of himself in that seat. "Big boy," he says. He is actually getting veeeery excited about the baby coming. Lots of chatter about this new little one, all with grins and giggles.


Bethany was treated to a visit by Haley this past weekend! Luke spent a bit of time investigating her.


And then Luke decided he had a crush on Haley. He warmed right up and showed off like crazy, bus tricks and all. Then he gave her demonstrations on how all his toys worked and asked Mom to leave the room. Well, well!


Farewell shots. First a tutorial on a pregnant lady's bellybutton. (NOT Bethany's favorite part of pregnancy.)


A beautiful break from the couch: Haley and Bethany spent 2.5 hours lounging on a padded bench in Cafe Bernardo. Ahh. (Well, Haley had the wooden chair. Bethany had the padding.) (Sorry, Haley.) Nothing like a friend you've had for twenty years.


And a trip to Placerville to spend a few hours with J.D. and Robyn, and 5-month-old Jeremiah! (Not in the photo, as he is one of those Perfect Babies who actually sleeps. And even if he doesn't, he's happy.) (How boring would that be???)


Bethany took a big adventure off their sofa for a family photo, in a dire attempt to get a good picture for Christmas cards. Alas. This was the best we got. Look at Luke. A frightened baby monkey.


I see your bellybutton! And it's much cuter than your mom's!


Aha! A "walnut ball"! (His favorite "toy" these days.)




"Luke, where's the baby?"


Luke liked the baby until the baby knocked over his tower. Then he cried. Later in the night when we talked about Jeremiah, Luke said, "Boom!" and did a fake cry. Yes, Luke. He knocked over your tower and you cried. Already carrying a grudge.


Splat.


Now for another baby: Sienabug! Holding her daddy's finger.


And asleep in her daddy's hand.


More baby action: Luke with his very own baby (Bethany's childhood babydoll, Joseppe) (we know, we know, very weird name for a doll; you have our permission to laugh) and his very own cousin.


Luke likes to take his baby everywhere. He generally takes very good of Joseppe.

He even gave Joseppe his first immunization. He used a pine needle for the medical procedure. Luke poked the sharp end of the pine needle into Joseppe's thigh and said authoritatively, "Boom!" Then Luke reassured Joseppe with "Done!" and bribed him with a reward: "Dum dum!"

When we give Luke snacks, he often offers the food to Joseppe first.

And he is always faithful to put Joseppe down for naps. Even in the middle of a bike path, face smashed into the asphalt.

Once he figured Joseppe was hungry and put Joseppe's face down in a pile of sticky, probably poisonous, tree-berries, calling out happily, "Num!"

Luke is not always faithful to take care of his baby, however; the other day as Bethany sprawled on her parents' couch she heard her mom say, "Luke, you can't jump on the baby!"

Another time: "Oh no, don't throw the baby!"

And last night Luke placed his baby down on the floor, hopped on his bus, backed up to gain momentum, and charged forth while shouting "Bump! Bump!" to go run over his baby.

(Speed bumps are really exciting for him these days. Or any bumps anywhere, for that matter--like thumping over rocks in his stroller. We just need to teach him that babies are not appropriate speed bumps. How horrifying.)

(We're also teaching him not to crash into Mommy's Very Big Toe. He only stepped on it twice today...)