Baby 44: It's a Heavy One

Lamb is such a sweet little girl, I love taking care of her.  Most of the time, I pick her up and she hugs me as tight as her little hands will let her and hides in my hair.  Even though I know eventually she will have her independence, I like feeling needed when they're young like this.

Of course, teaching her to walk is difficult.  She doesn't like being far away from me...but we manage.

Shelby has gotten to where she cooks dinner for us.  I love it, even though at first there was a lot of mac 'n' cheese...it's her favorite dish.  I don't understand it...I mean, she wants to learn all about the art of creating delicious, flavorful dishes and her favorite is mac 'n' cheese?  Something you can make in a microwave...there's something wrong with this picture.  

Of course, she's also extremely dramatic.  Just this morning, she tries to express the "unfairness" of not having a laptop...all her friends do, she needs to do homework, blah, blah...uh-huh.  I have recently implemented a rule about computers in bedrooms...which include laptops.  We have a family computer and that's all we need.

Lamb learns all her skills so fast, I am able to age her up quickly.  I must say that she is absolutely beautiful.  She looks a lot like her dad, but I think she looks a bit like my sister, her Aunt Lila.  She gains the Family-Oriented trait, but she is still very timid and shy.

Shelby cooks egg rolls for dinner.  I can certainly get used to this.  I talk to the kids about how I would appreciate some help in the garden...hmm, I may as well be talking to walls.

Then everyone gets up and leaves the dirty dishes for me.  Well, that's just great.  Also, the freakin' paparazzi keeps showing up on our back porch.  Look, I get it, they need to make a living, but can't they do it from the bushes or something?  Standing over my family while we eat is just not cool...

After dinner, I get a call from Evie to go to the new night club, Jolt.  The manager there also asks me if I would like to hang out and dance for a few hours (for a compensation, of course).  It's a new place and my endorsement would really help them out.  I'm happy to do it.  Butterfly Acres isn't really known for their nightlife.  I would like to have a place to go that isn't a sports bar.

It's a pretty cool place...and I catch this bouncer looking at me and sneaking smiles occasionally...hmm...maybe it's time to get my groove back...

He finally comes and talks to me.
"Are you Hadley Reed from the papers?  The one that's having 100 babies?" He asks.

He seems so excited, I am flattered, "Why yes..." *bat eyelashes, flip hair*

"O.M.G.!  I knew it was you!  My name is Patrick...Patrick Bland.  This might seem weird, but I would love it if you would use me as one of your fathers." he says.
Hmph.  Kind of thought he was looking for a date...

Me: Well, I don't usually do the baby-making the old fashioned way...

Patrick: Oh...no...I don't want to sleep with you.  I figure I can just you know...give you a specimen...
Me: Ummm, I don't know...like, just handing me a cup?
Patrick: *laughs* Well, no, at the clinic, silly.  Don't get me wrong, you are a gorgeous woman...and for having 43 kids...I mean, damn, girl!  I just don't play for that team, if ya' get me.
Me: Ohhh...yeah.  I gotcha.
Patrick: So you'd want to use me?
Me: Um, sure...as long as you don't mind doing a test for STD's at the clinic...

Patrick: Consider it done.

So Patrick and I come to the terms and the next day go and get everything done...it's simple as that...and I'm hopefully pregnant.

The next couple nights, it's prom night.  Sam wears a very casual outfit, while Sonny pulls on his white mafia suit.  

Shelby looks beautiful, as usual.

We've been working on Lamb's shyness...she even brought home a little friend.  They work on their homework together.

Casey goes next door to play with the little girl there.  I certainly hope they're getting along...and with all the kids preoccupied, I get to relax.

Of course, that is until John decides he wants to call...AGAIN.  Ugh!

John: Hadley, don't hang up...
Me: John...how many times do I have to say this.  Leave. Me. Alone. 

John: But you don't understand...
Me: No, you don't understand, John.  I don't want to have anything to do with you.  That's it.  It's over.

Me: ...and quite frankly, if you ever call me again, I might be tempted to put out a restraining order against you.

*he's silent for a minute*

John: Look, I don't want you back or anything, I just need to talk to you.  It's important.

Me: Go take a flying leap off a cliff, John.  I don't care if you want to give me a million simoleons.  I don't want to see you again, clear?
John: Hadley, I'm serious, I need to talk to you.
Me: So am I...LEAVE ME ALONE!
I hang up on him.  Ugh!  Why does he always have to irritate the hell out of me?

After the prom, Shelby, Sam, and Sonny are hungry...

So they hit up The Bistro.  They look so gorgeous...Sam even changed into his tux at the prom!

They ate dinner, then came home and went straight to bed.

The next day, I start showing.  So I am definitely pregnant!

Check out these prom pics!  Here's Sam's and Shelby's...



...and here's Sonny's.  He always has to be the original one.



It's the weekend and I want nothing more than to hang out with my kids...well, at least Casey and Lamb are up for it.  The older kids are still asleep...Casey is telling me a ghost story...and man, is it scary!



Lamb looks scared too!



She keeps jumping out of her skin!



Casey loves the attention.  She uses all the sinister voices and creepy laughs.  She's a really great story teller.



She makes it seem so real!



After Casey finishes her story, I go to work out in the garden.  Lamb is still very attached to me, so she plays in the sprinkler while I work.
Me: Now, don't trample my produce, baby.
Lamb: I won't mama...this water tickles...
I love listening to her giggling...so I just let her go.



Of course...John calls again...
John: Hadley, I don't care if you don't want to talk to me, I need to talk to you.



Me: You are out of your freakin' mind...there's no way in hell I would see you.
John: Don't make me come over there...



Me: You know what, John...feel free...cuz Daddy just gave me his shotgun...I've been meaning to get some target practice in.
John: You wouldn't...
Me: Try.  Me.
I hang up on him again...what is this, the third time?



It's Casey's birthday!  Isn't she beautiful?  She still has that fire in her eyes.  She wears her hair the same way she did as a child and she's more tomboyish than her sisters.  She's become a vehicle enthusiast, so she wants my car really bad.



That night is a pretty eventful evening.  I can't help but think about John and what he could possibly want.



Another paparazzo shows up in our back yard while we're eating dinner.  I try to reason with her, but she's so excited to see me, she won't shut up for two seconds.



I give her an autograph and send her on her way.  Then I go inside and raid the fridge.  I've been really, really hungry during this pregnancy...unfortunately, I think it's starting to get to my hips...my jumper isn't fitting right anymore.



The next morning, I have gained more weight and I can't fit into my jumper at all...so it's a long t-shirt and sweats for me.



But for some reason, I can't stop eating.  I don't know if it's being back in my hometown or not...or if maybe the stress of John not wanting to leave me alone is getting to me...but I just want to eat all the time.



And when I'm not eating, I'm sitting on my butt.  I get no exercise...



I meet Mama for lunch and she is shocked when she sees me.  Mama's always been on the heavy side, but from the looks of it, I have surpassed her...Lord help me, how did this happen?



Mama: Baby, you do need to be careful...carrying that much weight on you while you are pregnant isn't good for you.
Me: I know, Mama.  I don't know what happened, but I do feel a lot worse than I normally do when I'm pregnant.  I'm tired, it's hard for me to get around, I have to do something.
Mama: Well, why don't you go see your brother at the hospital to make sure everything is ok.



So Mama and I finish eating and I go to the hospital.  As soon as I get in there, the nurse sits me down, takes my blood pressure and tries to find a vein to do some blood work.  It's hard to find.
Me: Sorry, I think since I've put on some weight lately, my veins are hard to find.
Nurse: Well, they can't hide for long...I've got a big needle!
*gulp*  Dang!  Aren't medical professionals supposed to be more reassuring than that?



I did notice that a lot of the people I dealt with treated me a little differently...and I wonder if it's because I have some extra weight on me.  First of all, they found it hard to believe I was really pregnant...the nurse wanted to do a pregnancy test.  When it came back positive, she seemed surprised.  Then the tech that did my ultrasound told me I was having a baby and a chicken bone.  I was literally in tears by the time my brother came in to see me.
Turns out I do have high blood pressure, which they're going to have to monitor closely for the rest of my pregnancy.  Keaton also cautioned me that if I want to continue the challenge, I have to get the weight off.



Well, turns out the rest of my pregnancy doesn't last long.  I go into labor the next morning.



Labor was more difficult, but at the end of it, I welcome Baby 44: Steve Reed!