Thanks for noticing

Yesterday the neighborhood gang came to see if Warren could play. Olivia took Brig to the door to show him off to the friends. One friend (bless his little heart) looked from the baby to my stomach a few times (clearly confused) then asked, "Are you having another baby?"

I thought that perhaps my ample (milk-filled) chest would make my tummy at least appear smaller, but I was obviously mistaken.

On the bright side, this has spared me any heartache that might have occurred if I had begun browsing my closet in search for the next smaller size a bit prematurely. It is obviously not the time for that--so thank you, dear sweet neighbor boy. Thank you.

He has a special glow...and a tail

When the pediatrician came to check on Brigham Friday morning he said that Brig had a slight case of jaundice. He recommended that we take a biliblanket home with us. When he found out we weren't checking out until evening, he said he wanted Brig under the lights at the hospital to give it a jump start (the hospital lights are much more powerful than the biliblanket). Friday was a lonely day. He was under the lights all day except for feedings. I went down to the nursery a few times to see him. He looked so sweet with his goggles and looked comfy.


I was grateful that his case wasn't severe enough to have to keep him in the suitcase at home. It would have been torture not to be able to hold him! He has had the biliblanket since Friday night. It is slightly annoying to have him tethered to a machine, but much better than the alternative. Here is a glimpse of his special glow (the light is on a pad that stays on his back and connects to his "tail"--the cord)


Here are some more photos from his first few days:

Getting ready to go home:

Evidence of his calming effect:

Brig's birth story

Here is Brigham's birth story according to his mom.

Tuesday night Darin and I went on a date. We went out to eat, then shopping for some baby stuff. It was so much fun to have so much alone time with him. Getting ready for bed I was so excited knowing that this was really happening in the morning. I didn't sleep well because of the anticipation. At 3:00 am I was awakened with a few strong contractions. They continued for the next couple of hours, and I woke up for good at 5:00 am to get my mind off of things. At 5:30 Darin called the hospital and that's when we found out that there were no rooms available for elective inductions. I was fine about it at this point, especially since I was contracting on my own.

The morning went on, and I went about business as usual. Contractions continued all throughout the day, but were very sporadic (anywhere between 5-15 minutes apart) and never fell into a consistent pattern. I thought for sure it was a repeat of Sunday's false alarm, so I continued to wait for word from the hospital. The doctor called me at about 1:00 pm to tell me that if I wanted to come to a different hospital they could fit me in, but my insurance didn't cover that hospital so it was more waiting. I tried to nap, but the contractions were still strong enough that I had to get up to breathe through them (still not consistent at all). The 3:45 phone call (that told me not to come in unless I was in labor) did me in. I was so tired and emotional. I had gone as far as I thought I could go, and now I was being asked to go a little bit further. I missed my kids. I called my sister where my kids were staying and told her the update through tears. She asked if I was still having contractions and I said 'yes'. She encouraged me to just go get checked to see if the contractions were doing anything. I was hesitant. My other sister called and strongly encouraged me to go to the hospital. My parents, who were on their way to Las Vegas, called and strongly encouraged me to go to the hospital. I finally decided we should go, but was hesitant, knowing that if I hadn't made progress that I would have to be institutionalized for insanity.

We went to get checked and the nurse said, "You're at a 7". I was in shock! It was definitely not a typical "what to expect when you're in labor" story. The contractions were still 5-15 minutes apart. I knew then that I had a quick decision to make. I have been geared up to do this with no medication for this whole pregnancy, and now it was time to decide for sure. A little disclaimer here: I am not anti-epidural. I have had two very successful births with epidurals, and they were happy experiences. I do not have a "soap box" attitude about this. This was purely a case of conquering fears for me. My two experiences of natural (meaning un-medicated) childbirth were accidental and somewhat intense, and I wanted to prove to myself that my body could do this on purpose, and without fear. I knew that I didn't have much longer, so I decided to go for it without an epidural. Our nurse was heaven-sent! She was wonderfully supportive and kind. The doctor came in to check me, and said that I was more like a 6 instead of the 7 that the first nurse initially said. He broke my water, started pitocin to get things more regular, then left. It took every ounce of concentration I had to make it through the contractions after the water was broken and the pitocin started. The intensity increased, and after a while I began to doubt my decision. I was listening to relaxing music, had heating pads on my lower back, and Darin massaged my arm and head during every contraction. I was handling it o.k. and felt a lot of pressure, so I asked to be checked again. Still at a 6. Another half hour went by and the pressure increased to the point that my concentration was easily broken and I began to thrash around the bed in order to find a comfortable position. Darin's support was just what I needed. He kept saying "You're doing great. You can totally do this". I asked to be checked again. Still at a 6. I knew I needed to change positions in order to stay in control, so I asked for the birthing ball (exercise ball). I also felt like I needed to empty my bladder, so Darin helped me to the bathroom while the nurse went to get the ball. I sat on the toilet for about 30 seconds, trying to relax enough to let my bladder do it's thing. It was then that I realized that it wasn't my bladder that needed to be emptied. It was my uterus. He was coming! I looked at Darin and said, "He's coming." Darin went out and pushed the nurse button. She came in and said, "You can make it to the bed, right?" I said, "Yes", and made my way to the bed to be checked again. I still had doubts in the back of my head, knowing that I was only a 6 one minute before, but I was glad I listened to my instincts because when she checked me she nodded and said, "We're ready". Apparently walking to the bathroom and sitting in the squat position for a few seconds provided the gravity he needed to be ready to come. She paged the Dr. and got the room ready. The doctor came within 2 minutes, and baby Brigham made his quick appearance within 2 contractions. I was so relieved to finally have him here!!! Darin went with the baby over to get cleaned up, and while I was getting stitched up I looked over to see my perfect little boy. That moment has always been so surreal to me. I was incredibly grateful to have him here and healthy. My fear of childbirth is gone. Even with how quickly the actual birth happened, it wasn't scary or intense. I couldn't have done it without the support I received from Darin and the nurse. It was the perfect team to keep me in control.

My sweet boy was worth every emotional moment, every false alarm, every stretch mark, every sleepless night, and all the uncertainty. I knew he would be. Sometimes the end of pregnancy can mess with a girl's head! He is such a calm baby, and the perfect addition to our family.

Two hours after his birth the other kids came to meet him. I will never forget that evening. I had been missing them, and it was so good to see our family all together. I think this has been emotional for them as well. After I told them that he was for sure coming on Sunday, I'm sure this has been the longest week ever--one of waiting and wondering. One of the most tender moments happened with our Warren. Darin picked him up and gave him a big hug. Warren gave a long, strong hug and I saw his face reflected in the mirror. He looked sad, and when Darin put him down I asked him if he was sad. He started to cry and said, "I'm crying about the baby". I assumed it was something to do with a sibling not letting him hold Brig, but he shook his head 'no'. I said, "Are you just happy that he's here?" He nodded "yes" and ran to me and hugged me while he cried. It was such a sweet moment, and I realized how emotional this must have been for them.

Brig is such a sweet, calm baby and we are very grateful to have him here.

Long awaited baby Briggy

This is a follow up to the update from yesterday.

Yes, baby Briggy is truly here. He is healthy and so cute. His sister and brothers love him to death. They each had to have probably 10 turns holding him last night. And I have to admit so did I.

I gave the statistical report last night so I will just post a few pictures.

Baby Briggy right after he was born

Briggy with his brothers and sister

Our Family

No Room in the Inn

It's a busy baby day. We called the hospital early this morning and they said I was 5th on the list. They said they would call in a couple of hours to tell us when to come in. That was 10 hours ago.

**Update (3:45pm) I just got a call from the doctor. He said if I go into labor on my own to come on in. Otherwise, they are still too full to induce me today.

****New Update. (12:19am) We have a new baby boy, Brigham. He was born at 7:21pm. He weighs 8lbs 9oz and is 21in long. He is healthy and super cute. Deanne did a wonderful job and is the toughest woman I know. She is a little tired but doing great.

So you are probably wondering what happened after we were told that there was no room in the inn. Well we were a little discouraged after the news. But with a little coaxing from Deanne's parents we decided that it would be a good idea to go to the Hospital to have Deanne checked. She had been having strong contractions for about 13 hrs today we decided that it would be good to check and see how things were looking.

On arriving at the hospital at 5:30pm the nurse checked Deanne and she was at a 7. She was admitted and the Dr. called. He came broke her water and gave her a little pitosin. With Deanne's history of quick happenings after her water is broken she decided to go with her original plan and have the baby without an epidural. The baby was born at 7:21pm.

We are so thankful and blessed that all went well and that Deanne and baby Brigham are safe and healthy.

Twas the night before childbirth...

I just want to document some of my thoughts on this last day of pregnancy (mostly so I remember). (This is the longest post in blog history, but it has been therapeutic to write.) It has been an interesting few days, and it seems surreal that I really will be in a hospital within a day to meet my son.

At the beginning of this pregnancy I knew that I wanted to take a childbirth class. I know it may sound odd to take a class for a fifth child, but I had some intense memories relating to childbirth, and I wanted to feel at ease this time around. Darin and I started the class in my 5th month, and I loved it. I felt like my fears were gone, and I looked forward only with anticipation to delivery. I have a renewed sense of awe at the human body and its abilities. I have had 4 babies, and 4 very different birth experiences so I never know what to tell people when they ask if I come early, late, fast, slow, etc. The answer to all of the above is "yes". I have gone into labor (early) twice on my own and been induced (late) twice. I have had two babies without medication (not by choice) and two with epidurals. My babies keep me (and everyone else) guessing. I have felt for a few months now that I don't want to be induced this time. I have wanted to let things happen naturally and have the chance to put everything I learned in my class to practice.

I felt like this one was coming early. I started having pre-labor symptoms beginning at 37 weeks, and started to adjust my due date mentally. (The ultrasound measurements said the due date was the 14th, so that only helped my mind make the adjustment.) After I was still pregnant at my 38 week appointment and my 39 week appointment, I began to feel silly that I had thought he was coming early--and making others believe it, too. As discussed with my doctor, I had until my due date (the 22nd) before induction was imminent. He didn't want me to go too far past my due date because of the potential risk of delivering a big baby. I felt like the 22nd was my deadline to do this the way I had envisioned. To avoid induction with pitocin I began having my massage therapist start acupressure, I took some herbs that are supposed to soften the cervix, and as the week progressed I had a few sessions of acupuncture (I did my research to make sure this was all safe, and I can attest to the fact that you can't make your body go into labor with theses methods unless it's ready). I refuse to drink castor oil, but if you look on the internet about ways to help nature move along, chances are I've tried it.

Here is the recap of the last few days:

Saturday: Mostly a normal day. I put the baby swing together and did the usual housework. That evening Darin and I went to the adult session of Stake Conference. During the meeting I had several contractions that were beginning to feel like the real thing. I tried to ignore it, and carried on like normal. That night I had lots of contractions that woke me up.

Sunday aka Roller Coaster day: I couldn't sleep anymore so I woke up for good at 5am. I started a load of laundry, folded a load that had been waiting to be folded from the day before, took a bath, and read. Contractions continued. Nothing regular, but they kept coming. The kids and I made breakfast in bed for Darin at around 8am, then opened presents (Cologne, a hat, favorite treats and one on one dates from each of the kids). We got ready for Stake Conference and headed out the door just before 10. Contractions continued. The last hour of conference they began to get pretty regular (about 10 minutes apart). We came home, had a yummy Father's Day dinner (steak, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and apple crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert). Contractions continued, and began to take a lot more concentration to get through. At this point they were about 7 minutes apart, and not letting up. I knew for sure this was it. I was so excited! Father's Day and the first day of summer would be such a cool birthday (and it was Olivia's guess for when he was coming), and going into labor during the day made for easy childcare arrangements. I didn't hesitate at all to call my parents' house to put them on alert--after all, I had been having contractions that were becoming longer, stronger, and closer together for several hours. I have had 4 babies, and I know what a contraction feels like. I also know what the real thing is, and this was it for sure. We had made arrangements to meet my family at a concert in the park (unless something else drastic happened before then) to celebrate Father's Day. We planned to leave our kids with someone in my family when it was time to head to the hospital. I had my bag packed in the back of the van just in case. Then, on the way over to the park, the contractions stopped. Cold turkey. We showed up at the park, and that's when the roller coaster went from the highest high to the lowest low. I was trying to be fine, but I wasn't. I held it together until my dad came over, put his hands on my shoulders and asked how I was doing. I started to cry. Exhaustion + Hormones = Tears. Lots of tears. I haven't slept well for several weeks, and I went from just knowing I was in labor to feeling like I don't know what I'm talking about in a matter of a few minutes. I felt silly for telling people that this was definitely not a false alarm only for it to turn out to be a false alarm. We headed home, and I asked Darin to give me a blessing. I cried all the way through that, then got pajamas on, ready to escape. As everyone else was getting ready for bed we got a phone call from my sister. She said she was on her way to pick up the kids to sleep at her house. I thought it was unnecessary, but I helped the kids get ready anyway. It turned out to be the best thing for them to be gone. It let me explore my thoughts and have a good chance to rest without any other responsibilities. Darin and I watched a movie (that I dozed through), and when I headed up to bed I saw that the clock read 12:22 am. The waterworks started up again. I'm not sure exactly why, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the fact that the deadline had officially arrived and I had failed (silly, I know). I sobbed for several minutes, then fell asleep.

Monday: Again, I had several contractions that woke me up during the night. I woke up early, had a bath, ate breakfast, then tried to go back to sleep. I was pleasantly surprised to find Darin still home when I woke up for the second time. He said he was working from home (made much easier with no kids around), and I asked if he would take phone calls for me. I was feeling very un-social, somewhat unstable, and didn't want to talk about having a baby. Even though I was feeling un-social, I still felt loved knowing that my family and friends were checking on me. Darin and I went to lunch together, then headed to my doctor's appointment. I was still emotionally very fragile, and I didn't know how I was going to react if he told me I was still dilated to a 1. Fortunately there was a change (I was a 3), so I at least knew that the contractions I had been having all weekend did something and that I wasn't completely crazy. That's when we set the date for Wednesday. I still don't want to be induced, but I feel at peace about it. As much as I would love for him to come on his own, I am physically and emotionally spent.

Darin and I went to my sister's house to have dinner with the kids, and they all wanted to sleep over another night. I was happy to let them, and grateful that they were having fun with new (meaning different) toys and spending time with cousins (my brother's kids are staying with my parents for the week, and Jodi and her kids met my kids at the swimming pool). After the kids were settled, Darin and I went on a long walk around the temple. I figured it would either help things progress or make me tired enough to have a good night's sleep. It definitely made me tired, and I had the best sleep I've had in a long, long time. It's amazing how sleep can give you perspective.

Tuesday: Darin has taken the rest of the week off, and it has been so fun to just hang out with him. We have had two days to ourselves to do whatever. I miss my kids, but I know they wouldn't be having much fun here with me in my current state. It's crazy to think that I only have one more night as a pregnant person. I think I'm still hesitant to believe it's really happening. The rest of this birth story will continue tomorrow (and hopefully be MUCH shorter)

Another Update

No baby yet.

Induction is scheduled for Wednesday.

We'll weather the weather whatever the weather...whether we like it or not

This summer's weather hasn't been very summer-like so far. The kids don't seem to mind. We have had lots of overcast park days, plenty of fun indoor activities, and a few moments of sunshine. I am actually grateful for the cooler weather, as I have an internal heating element.

The newest activity in our neck of the woods is kickball in the cul-de-sac. The weather doesn't seem to affect this game at all. Last weekend the kids were out playing kickball when it started to rain pretty hard. David came in drenched a while later due to a puddle jumping episode. We changed his clothes, expecting to see the other kids close behind. Their game of kickball continued. Darin, David and I went outside to the front step to watch. The air smelled so fresh and the sound of the rain was therapeutic.

I'm sure we'll have plenty of hot summer days ahead. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the fresh rain smell and the wet, sweaty kid smell (or at least tolerate it).

Isn't it about...time?

My kids have a warped sense of time. When it is time to leave an event I give them a "time" warning (usually 2 minutes, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes, although I'm not sure what's magical about those time increments). After my head's up that it's about time to leave I get carried away chatting (shocking, I know) and it ends up being much longer than the warning. This warped sense of time was illustrated beautifully Sunday night. We went to my parents' house and I gave the usual "2 minute warning". A couple of minutes later my sister came out to the porch laughing. She had seen my boys inside and said, "I think your parents are ready to leave."

Their response?

"I know. She said we're leaving in 2 minutes so we're going to watch a movie."


Speaking of time...I had my doctor's appointment yesterday. I feel a renewed sense of confidence in my doctor. After checking my progress (there wasn't any...still at a 1, still 75% effaced) he sat down with us and discussed options. He asked how I was feeling, gave his opinion, and then we made a plan together. The plan is to wait it out this week and see if this little guy will make his appearance on his own. If not, I will see the doctor again on Monday and set a date for induction. I am having my own warped sense of time. These past few weeks have felt like their own trimester...the waiting, the wondering, the anticipation. But now I know that within 6 days I will either have a baby in my arms or I will know for sure when it will happen. I can do anything for 6 days, right?

Ward Campout

The Ward Campout is an event the kids look forward to every year (we enjoy it, too). This year we decided not to sleep over--much to the kids' dismay--but we still had a great time. In fact, I think the only thing we missed out on was the sleepless, uncomfortable night. We headed up Friday night for dinner, playing with friends, a program and s'mores. And what would the campout be without sno-cones? The Johnson's are so kind to offer their services. It makes the experience complete!

Waiting for sno-cones

Playing in the water

Tiki-Punch drunk

Liv and Lily


I'm not sure what I said, but it was really funny...

S'mores...serious business.

All day Friday David asked everyone he saw if they were going to the Ward Campout. He would come inside and tell me who in the neighborhood was coming. Then, when we were sitting around the campfire Friday night about ready to go home he said, "Hey Mom, is this the Ward Campout?"
We headed home and it immediately started to rain (downpour). I was grateful we had made the decision to go home.
We enjoyed a sound sleep in our own beds. David came in to our bed in the middle of the night, and I woke up this morning to the sound of him laughing. I looked over and he was still asleep. His own laughter woke him up and I asked him if he had a funny dream. He said, "Yes. The cat was riding a scooter and Livvy and Lily were laughing." It painted a funny picture in my head, and I laughed, too.
We woke the other kids up and headed back up to the campsite. We had a yummy breakfast, then did lots more playing and visiting with friends (Liv was off playing with the older kids. She did come back later to join in the football/frisbee festivities.)

An update (or two) from the doctor

The doctor who has delivered all of my babies is currently on a church service mission. I saw him twice this pregnancy before it was time to find a new doctor. I was bummed (but happy for him). The doctors who took his place in his absence are fine doctors, but I had grown to love going to a single practice doctor, so I began my search for a new doctor. I called around, asked for recommendations, and finally decided on my current doctor. I love his office. His staff is amazing, helpful and kind, (and probably loyal, thrifty and brave, too) and I have never waited more than 5 minutes in the waiting room. He is one of the nicest men you will ever meet.

However, my last two appointments have left me wondering if I am really going to a single practice doctor's office. Here is a rundown of my last two appointments. See if you can spot the inconsistencies:

37 weeks: Dilated to a 1, 75% effaced, baby at -1 station. His comment was, "That's good progress for 37 weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if I got a call from the hospital this week saying you were there." He also said that due to my history of delivering big babies he wanted to induce me about a week early, which would be around the 14th. (My official due date is the 22nd.)

I didn't put much stock into his statement about possibly going into labor this week. I know there are lots of women who walk around dilated to much more than a 1 for weeks. I have never delivered this early before, so I didn't think this time would be any different. I admit that the mind game did come in to play this weekend, when I started to have LOTS of pre-labor symptoms. I spent the majority of Saturday morning google searching my symptoms. (Does anyone else do that?) I found out what I already knew--that the symptoms I was having could mean the baby was coming the next day or in a couple of weeks. I even started timing contractions on Sunday because they were starting to feel consistent. When I got up and went about my day, they stopped. I thought for sure they had to be doing something to help me progress. My appointment was Monday..

38 weeks: Dilated to a 1, 75% effaced, baby up higher than he was last week. I admit that I was shocked! I have had 4 babies, so I'm fairly confident I know what a contraction feels like. They haven't been the hard "this is it!" contractions, but I have felt a lot of definite tightening, lots of pressure, lower back pain, and cramping. Apparently these episodes have helped me go backward in progress. His comment? "If I were a gambling man, I would bet I'll see you again next week." and "Your due date is the 22nd, so as that nears we'll think about setting a date for induction. I don't want to see you go too far past your due date."

Um...remember last week when I was probably going to deliver at any time and we were going to induce a week early? I'm not sure what brought about his change of heart, but as he left the room I looked at Darin and laughed! A lot of people have asked why I didn't question the discrepancies. The reason is that I am happier with option #2. I really don't want to be induced this time, and am fine to wait until the baby decides he's ready to come. In fact, it has helped me immensely to ignore the tightening/pressure/cramping that is still happening. I will know when it's the real thing, and in the meantime I can go about my day, not worrying about every little ache or practice contraction. The only thing I'm feeling sheepish about is the fact that after my 37 week appointment when I found out that I was going to have the baby around the 14th, I started to tell people when I was due based on that date instead of my original due date (my mistake), and now people are going to think I'm overdue if I make it to my due date. The important thing is that I know he will come out eventually. It's very exciting to think that it could be any time, but also reassuring to know that even if he stays inside me until my due date or a couple of days later, it's still not that far away! I feel like I am having my very own Internet dating experience. I am madly in love with this stranger that I have never met face to face. I spend a lot of time daydreaming about what he will look like, what it will feel like to hold him in my arms, and wondering how our first meeting will take place. I shave my legs every day just in case that happens to be the day we finally meet, and the thought of him keeps me up at night (the fact that he is sitting directly on my bladder may have something to do with that, too). It makes me giddy thinking that I will soon be holding my little guy.

As anxious as I am to have him join our family, I really want to make it to my appointment next Monday. I have been wondering what the doctor could say this week. It could make for some very interesting wagers. Anyone want in?

In other news, my heart jumped today as I reached for the milk. I wait for this milestone every pregnancy, and it's here!

I know I'm not the only one who does this. I saw the same thing on a friend's blog when she was pregnant, and I was so glad to know I wasn't the only one who starts to look at the date on the milk as pregnancy comes to a close. It will be so exciting to see which expires first--my pregnancy or the milk in my fridge.
I have been trying to stay distracted and laugh a lot. I like to laugh. Helping me tremendously has been this clip from YouTube. I came across it during my Saturday morning google search. I don't know if it's funny to me because I'm about to give birth or if it's just funny because it's funny. You be the judge. This woman was given medication before the epidural to take the edge off, and instead of relaxing her and making her calm, it made her a little loopy.

A Milestone?

When I found out I was pregnant last fall, my brain did a fast forward to now. I thought of all the things that would happen between then and now.

Halloween (check)
Thanksgiving (check)
Christmas (check)
Soccer season (check)
School ends (check)
David being potty trained so I only have one in diapers (not so much)

I am not the most patient potty-trainer. I have learned a little more with each child, and am finally to the point where I know that if a kid's not ready, it will only be torture for both parent and child. I took him to the store several months ago to let him choose big boy undies, and Santa helped our efforts by bringing a big boy potty for Christmas. Anytime anyone mentions going on the potty his response is, "No. It's too scary". I got special potty treats and I gave him a treat one day for simply sitting on his little potty. I know that if I would have taken the time to really make it my focus he would be potty trained by now. There are lots of books about potty training, and lots of fail-proof ways to make it happen. The problem? I didn't care enough to make it a priority. I may be accused of being lazy, but I have taken the Little Bo Peep approach to potty training (Leave them alone, and they'll come home; or...potty train themselves). It helps my sanity. I don't love to change big boy diapers, but I like cleaning up accidents even less. So that's how it has turned out for us.

Then...

the other night I sent the kids upstairs to get pajamas on. After a few minutes we heard Warren yell, "David's sitting on the big potty!" Warren sent David downstairs to show us on the downstairs toilet. We went in to see the big event, but David didn't want to be seen. Every time someone would peek in to see him he would yell, "Just go watch your shows!" (we were watching t.v.). He insisted on getting on the toilet by himself, and listening to that was entertainment in and of itself. After a couple of minutes, he came out of the bathroom completely naked and excitedly yelled, "Hey guys! Come and see my little brown thing!!!"

Sure enough. A little brown thing.

The good news? He definitely knows how to go potty.
The not so good news? He has only wanted to do it one other time in the four days since.

I'm sticking to my approach since our new little guy will be here before we know it, and I will be taking a two day vacation in the hospital, which equals a slight change in schedule. I have hope that very soon we will be purchasing only one size of diapers.

One Woman Show

I am currently starring in my own one woman show. I play the following characters (some may be familiar, but some are new):

Happy
Grumpy
Sneezy (I just commented on a blog about how this season hasn't been too bad with my allergies. I spoke about a day too soon)
Laughy
Weepy
Puffy (I can actually feel the extra effort it takes to smile, and my fake wedding ring that is a couple of sizes too big is now cutting off circulation)
Sleepy
Tossy
Turny

I play each part really well, and try to mix it up to keep my show interesting. My kids have tickets for daily admission including backstage passes (those lucky ducks). My show will continue, but it will be changing within the next couple of weeks. Some of the characters will be replaced. For example, Sleepy will remain, but the roles of Tossy and Turny will be played by Feeder, Burper and Changer. Puffy will hopefully leave the show for good and will be played temporarily by Bread-Doughy and eventually Six-Packy (yeah right!).

Stay tuned!