It’s been a fun, beautiful, busy week for the Rumleys. And I’m thankful for that! Busyness has been much better than sitting around waiting for Jaden to make an appearance!
I’m currently five days “overdue,” and waiting! Grace was actually our earliest baby, and she was five days late. Caleb was nine days late, and Ava was eight days late. So, I won’t really be frustrated/impatient until Day Ten arrives!
Speaking of Day Ten – our doctor won’t induce until I’m at least ten days overdue, but I’d definitely prefer to go naturally (even if it’s a later date than I anticipated). I wonder how long they’ll let me go before insisting on an induction? I’m sure we’ll discuss that at my appointment next Tuesday (if I haven’t had the baby by then).
Well, I really got on here to share some pictures from our fun week. On Monday, the kids and I played outside for a while. That’s where the picture of sweet Ava came from.
On Tuesday, we were blessed to visit Frederik Meijer Gardens with our friends, the Perrys. I’ve only been there twice, once for a spring banquet my freshman year of college, and another time for a fundraiser banquet when I was pregnant for Caleb (I think). So, I never knew that there is a fun children’s area at the Gardens! There’s a big tree fort and a maze. But the two favorites for our kids were the sand area and the water area. (Thankfully, they were far enough separated to not have a large “mud area” in between!) 
So, I give you, The Sand Pit:
Grace loved playing in the sand! (Poor girl always has her hair in her face! Any good tips for keeping an active little girl’s fine hair out of her eyes?)
One of the two cutest little boys in the whole world.
I wanted to post a picture of Ava with her friend Megan, but I didn’t get a good one. But there’s a cute one on Kathy’s blog! It was so funny to see how opposite Ava and Megan were in the sand. Megan cried if the sand even touched her. (She likes to be clean!) And Ava was content to sit and wallow in the sand! HA!
Now, I didn’t plan on the kids doing water activities at the Gardens. So, they were not wearing water-appropriate attire. But why spoil the fun? We were going straight home afterward, so I figured they’d survive in soggy clothes. I had no idea just how soaking wet they’d be!
So I give you The Wettest Water Area Ever:
Ava LOVED the water, even more than the sand!
The water area was in the shape of the Great Lakes, and there were lots of little boats to play with. It reminded me of the lazy river at Michigan’s Adventure, and I wanted to lie in it.
On Wednesday evening, we didn’t have church because Family Night ended last week and Lifeline prayer meetings don’t start until June 3 (be there!). So, since it was incredibly warm (i.e. roasting hot for this pregnant lady!), we pulled out the kids’ slip-and-slide. Fun was had by all!
Grace in her new swimsuit. She helped pick it out, and at first I thought she was too old for the ruffles on the back…but then I thought, “Why not let my baby be young for as long as possible?!” I do think she’s pretty adorable in this suit, anyway.
Ava is such a brave girl! She loves to play right along with the big kids!
Caleb’s gotten much braver this year, too! Last year he was much more timid about the slip-and-slide, but this year he really had fun!
On to Thursday…
Our wonderful neighbor/friend Michele invited us to accompany her and her daughter Ellie to the farm down the road for Dairy Discovery for the local preschool playgroup.
While everyone arrived, the kids enjoyed playing at the little playground area.
Then we took a fun tour of the farm – the milking parlor, the hospital parlor, the big barn where the cows live, and the barn that houses the calves. This is how Caleb walked around pretty much the whole time. Apparently, he didn’t like the smell. HA!
In the calf barn, Grace got to feed one of the calves a bottle of water! How fun!
After the tours, we headed to a barn with some kids’ activities and had pizza. Then we went on a hayride, and headed back home! We were exhausted and HOT when we got back, but it was a fun morning!
If you made it all the way to the end, GOOD JOB! You can take a deep breath now. We’re pretty much done. All we’re doing now is anticipating a great weekend and a baby sometime soon! Maybe our next post will be to tell you we’re in labor! Keep your eyes peeled!
What fun pictures! What a brave Momma (taking kids ANYWHERE being so pregnant). When Zachary heard you went to the cow barn, he thought you should go to the maternity ward and have the baby. I didn’t think you should have a baby in a barn, but then Jesus was born in one – why not Jaden?
Thanks for all the uploading – you ARE amazing!
PS: Where’s the video of Lacey on the slip-n-slide – I think you forgot that one!
Elyse says: “Ava’s face was so cute in that first water picture. It’s kind of weird that Ava’s friend, Megan, is afraid of sand and getting dirty. In case you didn’t notice, I really like playing in the sand. I think that is my longest comment yet. Loveyoubye.”
Looks like you guys are having fun! Can’t wait for news of Jaden! We were hoping to make it for a visit before Micah arrives, but it looks like we are going to hold off. Somehow in the next 9 weeks we have to find a place to move, move, get settled in, and have a baby (hopefully in that order!). So, we are going to stick close to home! But we will be visiting once Micah is about a week old! We miss you all! Hope the weekend is a great one and that you have lots of fun family time!
I LOVE long hair, but I thought of a suggestion. All the hair dressers say to trim little girls hair and it will grow faster and thicker. Just a thought! Also, the Pebbles look works too.