Sleepless... Again

Wow, where to begin? My last entry was a month ago, and it feels even longer. Rather than trying to make up all that ground, let me just start with a brief catching up. Son number one returned to college the weekend of the 20th. The rest of the crowd went back to school on the 24th. Everyone is doing really well. My kindergartner (son #3) is really flourishing despite some initial concerns from his teacher last year. I didn't even take him to class the first day of school for fear he would throw a tantrum or melt down. Instead I cowered in the carpool lane leaving his sisters to do the dirty work and drove home firmly convinced I would receive a panicked phone call from the school to come and get him at once. On the contrary, he brushed off his sisters, walked in the classroom alone and never looked back.
The two year-old (son #4)loves preschool unlike his predecessor. He is social and has fun and is begging to go to school even on his days off, much to my delight.
So, I got everyone started back to school including incorporating a new volleyball practice/game schedule for daughter #2 and sat back to await the arrival of #8. Okay, I didn't exactly "sit". I spent a lot of time running around (uniform store) and going to the gym. Thank goodness I was "in shape" for this pregnancy, because I was to the point where it was all I could do to walk upright. I had to go to the doctor twice a week for "non-stress" tests where I basically laid on a table attached to a heart monitor (for the baby's heartbeat) and recorded how many times the baby moved. I was increasing miserable, especially at night. I couldn't get comfortable to sleep and when I did, I would awaken more often than not, with a killer case of heartburn.
Right before Labor Day weekend, I started having some mild contractions and lots of pelvic pressure which led me to hope I was going into labor. We called my mom-in-law to come down and stay with the kids "just in case." No such luck. Labor Day came and went with NO LABOR.
The doctors decided to induce, so on Thursday the 10th, I reported to the hospital at 6am, was hooked to the I.V. drip about 7:15 and at 10:06 am, baby #8 arrived. It's a BOY proving that God really does know best. I truly love my daughters, but for a number of reasons, mainly ages of the other kids, I REALLY hoped and prayed for a boy. It was a fairly easy delivery as my husband keeps reminding me, but I am still a little wiped out. I do have to say that going to the gym has really made a tremendous difference in my recovery though. I am miles ahead of where I would usually be at this point. Hubby and I actually got out and went for a brisk walk yesterday afternoon. My greatest difficulty was not the walk as much as having to leave the baby with his sisters. (They tend to fight over him!)
Anyway, we still have to get the baby's a.m. and p.m. schedules swapped, but that will come in time. Otherwise, I am weary, but pretty happy and feeling very blessed... Again.