IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?! Another boy! This completes my collection of tiny men (Chad not included in the "tiny men" part). Oh my, he's a cutie...a real fox if I do say so myself. We are so blessed to have prayed for this little one and now we are able to see and touch this amazing miracle!

Jackson David Heinecke - 9 lbs., 1 oz -- 8:52 am, Oct. 30.

This is his daddy. (I think he's a fox too!) His big brothers are pretty taken by him and can't wait to bring him home. I'm looking forward to settling in to life with FOUR guys in the house. At least this way I'll still maintain my Queen status in the house since there are no other gals.

Come see him - you'll fall in love with him like we have. (But we're keeping him so don't ask to take him home :)

He has asked to have an active part in this blog so be on the lookout for his 2 cents in the coming weeks.

Tate is Moving Up in the Ranks!

Putting the kids to bed the other night I asked them again if they were excited about the new baby.

"YES!" Tate energetically said. "This is like the biggest day of my life!"

"How so?" I asked him.

"Because now I get to be a big brother!" and his smile went from ear to ear.

Unfortunately the new baby won't be ready to take over his chores for a quite a while but at least he is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Only 4 days until Tate's big promotion!

When you were a kid, what do you remember as the biggest day of your life?

Baby is Running Out of Womb

With less than a week to go as a "pod" I can safely say this baby has run out of space on the inside. Like a little ninja it kicks each day trying to find a way out but to no avail. (I think it's just kicking in the wrong direction - turn 90 degrees and it would definitely make a difference!!)

I've reached the point where people look at me and do that smirky-smile thing with their head tilted to one side when asking, "How much longer?" or complete strangers make that face like they're about to be hit by a flying object when they walk past you -- (it's a squinty-eyed grimace). If anyone dares to talk about my ever increasing profile they are certainly quick to follow up with "But listen, you look great." Listen, I'm not buying it...especially when they take it a step too far and add "...really!" -- which, in my opinion, just negates any flattery I may have been suckered into believing.

Still, baby keeps us entertained at night when it does flips and kicks toward the right side of my body. The same tricks every night still mesmerize an awe struck crowd of 4 at our house.

The clock is ticking. With every 72-hour day that finally passes we're one step closer to a big adventure! Maybe it will be tonight - full moon -- I hope so because baby is quickly running out of womb!

Interview with Nick and Tate

Q. What are you most looking forward to with the baby?
TATE: "Getting to see what it is and getting to be a big brother."
NICK: "Entertaining it and getting to play with it -- watching it grow up."

Q. What are your least looking forward to?
NICK: "diapers"
TATE: "POOP!"

Q. Do you want a brother or sister?
NICK: "brother"
TATE: "brother but I know it's going to be a sister."

Q. Who do you think the baby will look like?
NICK: "Mom and Chad fused"
TATE: "kind of like Chad"

Q. Who will the baby act like and in what way?
NICK: "Chad - smart, funny, athletic"
TATE: "Ethan - he won't be able to walk at first and he'll look like him."

Q. What will the baby learn from you growing up?
NICK: "manners"
TATE: "how to be active and how to dance"

Q. What will you do if this baby pesters you?
NICK: "ignore it"
TATE: "pester it back!"

Q. What will you do if the baby cries too much?
NICK: "try to put it to sleep"
TATE: "play outside more"

Q. Will you share your dirt bike with the little brother or sister?
NICK: "NO"
TATE: "NO"

A Little Dirt [Bike] Won't Hurt You

Sunday afternoon I was planning to do a little "before baby" shopping for some last minute items and the guys were going to ride dirt bikes. They invited me to go with them and realizing our "foursome" time is coming to a close, I went. Chad carried a chair to the top of one of the dirt trail hills and I spent the afternoon taking pictures as they topped the hill. Each time a rider came over the hill, a puff of red dirt showered me. I really didn't mind because I loved watching the three of them have fun. Now I have the fever and want some kind of motorized something! Maybe a 4-wheeler with a sidecar for Tiny Heinecke? Okay, okay, maybe Grandmommy or Mimi can babysit while I go get dirty with the boys... Here are some pics of our Sunday fun.

It's Official!

Well, we're finally on the doc's calendar for October 30, 8:30am! That is less than three weeks away so I guess there's no turning back now!

Once it finally got scheduled with the hospital I found myself a little freaked out. We are having a baby... not a ten-year old who knows how to deactivate the house alarm and make his own lunch in a time crunch...not an eight year old who knows how to take a shower and put on clean underwear without being asked...a BABY.

I'm excited about a lot of things -- mainly seeing Chad with a little person who will look at him as his (or her) hero, protector, and diaper changer (ha/ha) -- He's going to be a great "Daddy." (He's already a great Dad.)

So, only 20 days until we know if it's a HE Heinecke or a SHE Heinecke...

Brain Freeze

I can't think of anything new to post that doesn't revolve around food today.

Message Received

"I don't know HOW you guys do this!" That was Nick's response after his turn at grocery shopping. (See last post.)

Given $100, he went $52.23 over the budget. I'll admit I didn't actually set him up for success by adding detergent, toilet paper and a roast dinner to the list...but still, even if I had increased his allowance by $30-$40 he wouldn't have made it.

It was fun to watch him choose the cheapest (and tasteless) spaghetti sauce, juice and the roughest toilet paper made in America. He imposed a ban on all soda and deli-sliced cheese. He did, however, allow Tate and I to choose one item not on the list as a "treat." I selected some granola bars. Tate picked popsicles (from the two Nick identified as his "choices.") He did a great job of balancing needs and wants and making some allowances for the people he loved. In the end he was a bit humbled by the total bill. Leaving the store with his shoulders dragging the ground he said, "I'll never pay off this debt." (He thought any $$ shortage had to come from his future allowance...which would have only taken him 17 weeks to pay!)

We canceled his debt and gently reminded them of their "This is ridiculous" comment. Then we kept the scam going all weekend by eating at home and just enjoying a simple, relaxing weekend, free of any costly entertainment or outings. I think it was a lesson worth the extra $50 from my checking account!