7 Days, Give or Take

I know its a hopeless thing to base all my anticipation on my due date. My other two have been late, and I don't see any reason why this one would be different. It's just fun having a countdown. I am hot, starting to get uncomfortable, and almost to the point of wishing the labor on myself. ALMOST.
I haven't been sleeping too well, which is unfortunate, but part of the process I guess. Swelling not too bad, my rings are a bit tight, but its due more to the little heat spell than the pregnancy. I am glad for the heat because it finally allows me to wear some of the cute maternity clothes that I had sitting in my closet. (See, there is always a bright side...)
My next doc apt. is Thursday, so I will update then. Dream scenario: started some dilation, and progress definitely apparent. Disappointment scenario: nothing going on, and given the standard advice to walk, eat spicy foods, drink caster oil, go for a bumpy car ride, and have sex. (Yeah right! - to all of the above options.)
I did overhear my husband telling someone today that the number of kids we are having is still open for debate. I can tell that all my talking of this being my last pregnancy and such, has gone in one ear and out the other...And, even if it were an option (which again, I clarify that it is not) I wouldn't think that in the last couple weeks of being pregnant, tired, achy and all around moody, is a great time to bring it up again. Please!

Look at that bump!!!

Two Weeks, and not so Grumpy!

Oh my gosh. The pedicure was like a heaven sent gift! My toe nails look amazing, I got to sit in one of those massage chairs that did wonders for my back, and some lady spent an extra long time rubbing my feet and legs. (I totally don't want her job!) I even saved myself from having to listen to conversations in a different language (are they talking about me? are they talking about my nasty callouses? are they talking about how maybe I am pregnant, but maybe I just ate too many doughnuts at the garage sale last weekend? are they figuring out what to make for dinner???) by tuning out and listening to my new Shawn McDonald album on the good 'ol iPod.
I did forget to wear flip flops (why is it was RAINING?!?) and ended up with a pair of those foam ones they give you. I put them on, and since my shoe size is ginormous, they didn't cover a good 2 inches of my heels on the way out. I also managed to trip while walking right in front of the Starbucks window. That was fun.
But, seriously, my day was awesome thanks to that one 45 minute block of time. Oh, and thanks for all your encouraging comments, my blogger friends.

Two Weeks and Grumpy

I am grumpy today. Woke up grumpy, took my shower grumpy, had a delicious cup of coffee grumpy, glared at the kids grumpy, kick the dog grumpy. Don't know why. I think I need some "me" time, but I hate to ask for it because my hubby has been more than willing to help out around the house lately. He works all day, comes home to a clean kitchen (translation - no dinner is made or will be made anytime soon) and offers to make dinner, clean up the kitchen, and care for the kids. I basically nod yes, turn back to the addictive world of blog stalking, or eBay, and zone out for a bit more. What a life.
Ok, Ang, snap out of it. I have 2 weeks left. I am still not mentally ready. Don't want to go into labor, don't want to deal with pain, don't want to push a baby out, don't want to start the never-ending process of breastfeeding....aaaauuughhh. I am ready to know what this kid is though, so that is the bonus here. Will our family be testosterone driven or estrogen driven. Brynn and I can probably make do with no more girls, but it would be fun to see Rich and Cannon squirm as the female hormones rage on. Can I handle another boy? Brynn and I duck and cover when Cannon picks up a golf ball (why do we have those in the house when NO ONE plays golf around here?) or sharp sided toy. He has consistent inaccuracy with his aim still, but every once in awhile you get pegged with something that comes at you with incredible velocity. And how he manages it all in his sisters dress up high heels is something else...

On another note, I need a pedicure. Thanks Jasmin, I am going today, and will enjoy every second of it!

Tagged!!!

You're It!!

Here's something fun for all to do! (As if we all have the time...)

What I was doing 10 years ago:
Going to SSU, dating Rich, trying to decide what to do with my life. Living in my first little ghetto 400 sq foot converted garage apartment, driving a Honda Accord, and working as much as possible in a deli. Taking weekend trips to Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, camping, spending endless hours watching surf sessions in different places, traveling to Africa, and having a great time!

What I was doing 5 years ago:
Enjoying my 2 years of marriage to Rich, buying a home, and crying because I found out I was pregnant. Working as a teacher for a bunch of rowdy high school kids, and loving it all.

What I was doing 1 year ago:
Getting excited that my time nursing Cannon was almost done. Planning for a great summer of camping, a weekend getaway to Monterey without kids, visiting friends, and enjoying BBQ's. Starting to think about adding another baby to the family. Working on the backyard to kid proof it, and make it beautiful.

What I was doing yesterday:
Hanging out at the doctors office, procrastinating on finishing some projects, failing to take out the chicken to thaw it for dinner, taking a power nap, and going to bible study.

I enjoy:
Working outside in my yard, garage sale-ing, scoring a great deal on something that I can't live without, being with my friends, road trips, summer evenings, and the idea that this baby might be small.

5 TV shows I love:
Lost, Survivor, Heroes, The Office, (I can't think of anything else...)

5 things I hate:
When its so quiet at dinner that you can hear people chew, barf, confrontational people, cleaning the shower or toilets, people that don't find it necessary to RSVP to a party

5 biggest joys in my life:
Christ and the assurance of heaven, Rich, kids, a clean house, and the quiet of an early morning

I tag:
Elissa, Kelly, Jasmin, Kerstin, Melody W., Melody G., Lindsey and Heidi (Basically all my blogger friends...)

Doc Visit and another Ultrasound!

So, today was my 37 week doc visit. Rich got to join me for this one, so that was fun to hear the heartbeat together and talk with the doc. She gave me the good/bad news that the head isn't engaged yet, and that she could move it around from the outside with her hand.

Good news - labor and delivery aren't close, bad news - labor and delivery aren't close.

She doesn't expect this kid will be bigger than the others, but we have had fun surprises like that before. (Brynn was estimated to be low 7lbs, and popped out 8lbs 11ounces, and Cannon was thought to be in the 8 range and popped out 9lbs 1 oz.) What do those docs know anyways...
I am still measuring small - 34 weeks as opposed to 37 weeks- but this mostly has to do with the muscle tone (or lack there of) of my uterus, length of my torso, my height, etc. Just to be sure, the doc ordered yet another ultrasound. Needless to say, we got to see another shot of this kid inside. This now makes 6 ultrasounds for us. 3 regular, and 3 high tech. What fun!
Standard procedure for the high tech ultrasound requires a full bladder, so when my appt this afternoon was 1/2 hour late, I was hurting. They lost me in the paperwork shuffle, and when I could finally talk to the tech, I told her that I was going to have to pee whether she liked it or not.

She let me go, and all was well again.
Baby is confirmed head down, and measures in the 50th percentile. This means in medical jargon that 50% of babies born will weigh more, and 50% will weigh less. It also means in real life that if all goes well, baby #3 might tip the scales at around 8 lbs. (Thank you Lord!) I have a "great pocket of fluid" which is apparently good and puts me out of any danger/high risk pregnancy status. We also got a great profile shot of the kid, and it looks a lot like the other two did. Cute little upturned nose, and gigantic forehead. The hand was also near the head as if giving us a little wave, "See you all in a couple of weeks or so...."

3 Weeks and a Baby Shower

The yummy spread at my shower!

My sister in law threw me an incredible baby shower last Friday night. The food was awesome, the cake delicious, and we all had a great time. I feel so privileged that she has played such a big part in my kids lives.
Funny story:
I didn't want to have kids until I was 30. I figured that was a great age to start popping out the babies. I thought that 2 or 3 kids would do it, and my life would be perfect. Elissa had her first soon after we got married, and asked if I would be a support person for her and her hubby in the delivery room. I was honored, and made myself available to help out in any way possible. I made phone calls, helped with whatever Billy needed, and took pictures and video when necessary. (You can ask her about my incredible video skills...)
Needless to say, the whole experience, although amazing and wonderful to watch, left me even more sure that my children would come later in life, and if possible, not by my own body. It all freaked me out, and looked incredibly painful and not like something I was willing to sign up for.
A few years later, she was pregnant with her second, and again asked me to help out in the delivery room. This time with more specific directions for what I was to do, and not do....namely not video tape the ENTIRE birth process. I again was honored to help out, and did my job well. A few days later I found I was unexpectedly pregnant with our first baby. I was devastated. I was only 25, a good 5 years from my originally planned time of starting a family, and felt that I hadn't had enough "me" time with my husband, or my life. When Rich and I went over to tell their family that I was pregnant, Elissa practically flew off the couch in excitement. I cried out of dismay and devastation, and she cried out of happiness.
She was, and has been a constant support for me throughout my entire mothering process so far. She has given me countless pieces of advice, listened wholeheartedly while I cried on the phone about my kids driving me crazy, and been there for each labor and delivery supporting Rich in anyway that she could. I couldn't ask for a better friend and relative!
Anyways, back to the present - my shower was wonderful, and all the people who attended gifted me with wonderful things for the new baby. Diapers and wipes galore, and even some new toys and outfits for the little one. These last 3 weeks of pregnancy are fast coming to an end. I am still excited to meet the newest member of this family, and I even had a dream last night that it was a boy. I have had a feeling the baby is a girl, up to now. Last night threw me for a loop and now I have no idea, the dream being so real. I have also been studying the ultrasound more lately, and wondering if it tells more than we previously thought. Oh well, a few more weeks of anticipation and wondering. (Its just like Christmas, except that Christmas usually doesn't hurt like Labor does...HA!!!!)

Elissa and I at the shower.

Andre Look-alike Meter

I need some better pics in order to do this right. Way too much fun though!

Andre Look-alike Meter

I had to try this thanks to Lindsey. This is funny!

Happy Anniversary!

Celebrating 7 married years with the man that I love! We escaped to Point Reyes this year. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast for a night, and had a wonderful two days sans kids, dog, nap schedules, etc. It was a wonderful time to spend with each other, and full of time just talking and being a couple. Although we tried not to talk too much about the kids, our conversations were full of laughter and love for the life that we have shared together so far.

Sitting on the porch outside of our room.

I can't believe that I have been so blessed. I never imagined 12 years ago, when I met Rich, that our life would be like this. I knew I was in for it when I fell for a blond hair, blue eyed surfer. I figured that my life would include a lot of time at the ocean, but I never imagined that he would give up beloved surf sessions to spend time with me talking when the waves were calling for him 50 feet away. (Thank goodness we got married in the spring when the surf around here is not very great....)
It was a great getaway, and a wonderful time spent with my man.

He still thinks that I'm beautiful at 9 months pregnant!


Checking the out the ocean, and looking for Elk.

Baby Bump

I'm growing more and more each day. (Or at least it feels like it!) 4 more weeks of the baby bump. I think that this will be the first pregnancy that I will miss when its over. Since I am pretty sure that this is our last, it is a bit bittersweet to be nearing the end of the pregnancy. The end of a part of my life that has been enjoyable up to this point. My pregnancies haven't been too difficult, and although I usually get to the point when I really am ready to get these kids out, I have never had such pain or discomfort that I am miserable.
I can't wait to see this child, but I am reminded that it is always easier to tote around a baby when its inside, than when its outside....
Here is a view of the belly that I get to see everyday.

5 More Weeks

Had another doc appt today. I got to see yet another fuzzy ultrasound of my child. Head is down, 2 arms, 2 legs, ribs, spine etc. all look great. Baby had hiccups, so that was fun to watch. Doctor reassured me that I wouldn't deliver on my due date (good I guess?) since that rarely happens, and I have a tendency to have parasite children who enjoy their host too much to bother being born on time. I am a bit torn about whether I should push for induction or not. I love the idea of letting it happen when it needs to, but if this kid is bigger than the last, I am going to be sad - in more ways that one. I also want a bit of space between Cannon's birthday (May 5th) and this ones birthday (due May 5th). I guess that all will work out perfectly, and I am glad (once again) that I am not in charge of this part of life. Too much stress.

Laundry

I am not a fan of doing laundry. It takes forever, and its a never ending job. Dishes, and the laundry are my least favorite chores. Scratch that - Dishes, laundry and scrubbing toilets are my least favorite jobs. Our washer does a miraculous job of treating our clothes well, saving water (in turn saving us money), and running quietly, but it takes an hour or more to wash 1 load of clothes. Multiply that by 7-8 loads of laundry, and you have yourself a full work day. This is where I get to insert one of those familiar mom comments.

*Sigh* A mothers work is never done....

Cons: takes a long time to do with our high efficiency washing machine
my hired help doesn't wash, fold or put away laundry (HA!)
only mom can seem to wear the same article of clothing twice before its covered in food, dirt, grease, metal shavings or snot

Pros: smell of clean clothes
sense of relief when its done
discovery that Cannon looks good in purple

He looks great in Brynn's jammies!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The 25th is Rich's birthday, and although he doesn't want to celebrate too loudly I know that he won't mind me posting this for all to read. He is an amazing father, an amazing husband, and the best friend that a girl could ever ask to be married to. He constantly provides me with what I need to be the woman that I am today. The kids adore him, and he is more than willing to make a fool out of himself to play the silly games that they love. Happy Birthday babe!

From Brynn: Dear daddy love. You are the bestest daddy in the whole world, and I love you. You are the bestest daddy and you come home from work to push me in the swing. Dear daddy love, I love you. I hope you have a happy birthday, love me.

From Cannon: Hi Daddy. Lookit the ball. Happy Birthday.

Easter Eggs and Bellyaches

We had a great Easter this year as usual. God supplied a beautiful day full of sunshine and warmth. Rich and I invited my parents and the next door neighbor over for a early morning breakfast before church. We shared a meal, got the kids ready, and headed for church. Everyone had the privilege of hearing Rich's brother preach, and he did an amazing job - as usual.
The church put on a massively huge (11,000) egg hunt, and Brynn did well in gathering herself some loot. Cannon plopped himself down and ate a few pieces of candy (wrapper and all) before we could stop him.
We enjoyed an Easter BBQ at my aunt and uncles, and then after a long day, crashed in bed. It was fun, and such a wonderful time. We are so blessed to have the joy of a risen Saviour.

All the cousins posing for the camera

My happy family

The "bunny" and the kids.

6 Week Countdown

6 weeks to go. Sleeping is getting harder, heartburn is hitting hard, and the feelings of panic that surface are more and more real everyday. I am ready in most ways, but I feel like I have so much more that I want to do. Plant some pretty flowers, clean the backyard, get rid of the junk in my garage, get the kids to take a nap when its quiet time, finish my to-do list, see if 3 car seats fit in the back of our trooper (uh-oh), go away on one last vacation with Rich and I..... The list seems daunting and endless. I am super happy that the weather is beautiful, and that spring has arrived so that we can all be outside. On that note, my toes are needing some attention, and since I can't reach them, I think a pedicure is in store...

Little Miss Helpful

Brynn made our bed the other day. A few more years, and some more practice she will be a pro, and I will never have to lift a finger. Rich is already training Cannon to take out the trash and mow the lawns. (So this is why people have kids......)

Easter Eggs

Brynn and I dyed Easter eggs on Thursday. This was her second year of fun, and my second year of stress. I am the mom who hovers, so that I don't have to clean up a counter top full of dye, or wash out massive piles of clothes that have color splatters all over them. I hate it that I hover, but I can't just seem to relax.
Brynn again dyed most of the eggs pink and purple like last year. Obviously she is a fan of the "girly" colors. The ones that cracked and were dyed anyways will be thrown away, but all in all we did a great job. I ended up taking over for her on the 3rd dozen because her attention span couldn't handle it anymore (or maybe I was stressing her out?). I can't wait to make my famous egg white egg salad and eat it for a week!!!

Enjoying the eggs and dye

Could care less about the eggs, but content to play with my old school fisher price barn set.

Singing Sensations!

Ok, so not really singing sensations, but funny none the less. American Idol probably isn't in their future, but I love their little voices, and the reminder to me to "Have Patience".

Stomach Flu

What a day, what a day...
I woke up Wednesday morning with severe abdominal cramps, and waves of nausea that I haven't experienced since month 3 of pregnancy. Figuring that it was the return of hormone induced morning sickness, I just sucked it up and went on with my day. Kids haven't been sick, so I figured that all was well. Dehydrated maybe?
Didn't sleep much wed night, and by early am Thursday I was miserable. We are talking revenge of the stomach flu. Had to run to the bathroom twice before it was even light outside. Bummer for me. Rich left for work, and stumbled out of bed to get the kids some sort of breakfast. I managed to slurp down some cereal with my eyes half closed, and my stomach churning.
I dressed the kids, sent them outside and went for a shower. As I finished my shower, I felt breakfast, and whatever else was left in my system rise. Unfortunately it was the same time as the kids came in to hang out with me in the bathroom. I yelled for both of them to get out as I was leaning over the toilet to barf. Had I not been throwing up (my least favorite thing to do in the world) this scene would have been hilarious.
Me: " OUT OF THE BATHROOM GUYS, MOMMY ISN'T FEELING TOO GOOD....."
Brynn: "Good job mommy, you are making it in the toilet, good job!"
Cannon: "Wha ya doin' Mommy?"
Brynn: " Mommy is throwing up in the potty! Good job Mommy, you are doing great!"
Me: "Please get out of here..."
Cannon: "Trowing up?"
Brynn: "Mommy is doing a great job, she is throwing up in the potty. It's OK mommy, you are doing great."
Me: "please..."

Yeah. Nothing like puking and being encouraged by your 3 year old. Or having your 2 year old with his head in the toilet with you checking out all of the happenings...
Needless to say, I spent the rest of the day curled up on the couch in comfy clothes, trying to sleep with two active kids running around the house. So much fun. What a day, what a day...

Bad Mommy, Belly Pics, and Bedtime Fun

Just thought I would combine all the stuff that happened yesterday in one, easy to read blog entry.
Had a long day of errands, doc appt. (baby is doing perfect, head down, lots of hiccups) I made the move to start dinner when I finally got home. Unfortunately I forgot to thaw my meat, let alone put it in the crock pot, so that meal was a bit botched. Luckily we had a few different random leftovers for dinner. The good news: I didn't have to cook. The bad news: I don't think I have ever put a more unhealthy meal in front of my kids. I mean we are talking everything that should be consumed "in moderation" was on their plates. Hot dog, mac and cheese, french fries with cheese...Luckily I happened to have some tomatoes to round out the color on the plate, but come on...
Mmmmmnnn, dinner!

I felt especially pregnant yesterday. Could be the fact that I can't bend over, or reach my toes, or shave my bikini line without some major maneuvering at this point. I took a couple of shots to show the progress. My doc says that I am measuring small, but I sure don't feel like it. (Don't get your hopes up world, this kid will inevitably pop out huge, and everyone will wonder what the heck happened.)

I got a picture of Rich reading to the kids before bed. They love to have books read to them (especially Brynn) and Rich loves the time that he gets to spend with them. I try not to interfere in this area, and honestly, it gives me a break in the evening and some time to finish up my days work. Just think, in 2 years, there will be one more clinging to his every word...wow.

Nighty Night!!!

Its 9pm, and the kids are in their beds - not sleeping - but in their beds. Tonight's bedtime ritual was especially long and pretty funny. It consisted of a running around naked after the shower, cleaning their room, eating a cookie and drinking some milk as a treat for cleaning their room so well, watching the Muppet's on You Tube, a couple of stories, brushing teeth, and a wrestling session with daddy.

This is one of my favorites, and the tune will stay in your head all day...Enjoy!

The kids are always enthralled with the Muppet's...

9 More Weeks

So I am in the single digits for the pregnancy countdown. (Not that this baby will arrive on the due date, but I am sure that it will be sometime around then.) I tried to get Rich to take some pics of the belly for me to post, but it turned out badly, so we will wait until next week for that.
I have the typical fears, the baby is huge, the baby is ugly, the baby will cry all the time, labor will be horrible with a capital 'H', etc. All of these things are out of my hands, so I try not to dwell on them, or focus on the unknown. The one thing that I can actually take part in controlling is picking out some names for this kid. Rich and I have yet to nail down a girl name, and we are not even close to discussing a name if its a boy. I am at a loss for my procrastination on this one. Usually, I have a few good ideas, and then I mull them over for a couple of months, and finally decide in the last couple of weeks or so. This time, I don't even have the desire to open up the books. Poor kid, already experiencing the 3rd child syndrome. Hope that we find something soon, otherwise it might start to keep me up at night, and that is something that I definitely don't need.

Blessed

We recently bought a book that contains 24 date ideas (12 for the men, 12 for the women) and have committed to try them out and have a few regular date nights for the next couple of weeks before the baby comes. Our first date in a long time was Friday night! I was totally looking forward to it.
Rich apologized at the beginning of the date because he knew that it was going to be a tiny expensive, and we have been working hard to save up some money and budget everything well these last couple of months. When we got home that night, we were amazed at the way that God provided a fun night for us, for next to nothing cost. Our dinner turned out to be less than planned, the event for the evening was going to cost around $30, but ended up being free due to a coupon that I just happened to have in my wallet, and the babysitting cost was nothing, since his parents volunteered to do it.
The next night, we had a long awaited night out with some of our friends at another restaurant. Again, we realized that it was going to cost, but were willing to go because (we love our friends) and we had been so disciplined all month with spending. Our evenings plans included stopping by at a childs' birthday party, and then joining our friends for dinner. Well, turns out the birthday party also included dinner (yummy BBQ) that we ate, so when we arrived at the restaurant later, we bought nothing more than milk for the kids, and a small salad to fill the veggie void.
This morning, it was on my mind to buy a gift for a couple who are in our Young Marrieds group who will be moving out of the state soon. I knew exactly what we were going to give them, but was hesitant to spend the full amount. I started a bit of online investigation, and found the item for 50% of the original cost on good 'ol eBay. I went and told Rich, and we both agreed that it had been an awesome money weekend. It just feels like God was blessing us by allowing us to do money costing activities for a lot less than we expected. I am so grateful for a God who meets needs in ways that are never expected and always perfect. Yippee!

Trailer Mansion

Our friend Ben sent us this picture of a trailer mansion, and I thought it was pretty funny, and actually really cool looking. Blame it on my hippie/farm upbringing, but wouldn't it be fun to stay here for a bit? Maybe a vacation home? I imagine that it is some sort of commune where people all share BBQ responsibilities, and everyone chips in working in the community garden. And, to make it more perfect, is that a pool out front???? I get dibs on the orange and white one.

New Links

I am in the midst of spring cleaning/nesting/collecting and purging junk for my garage sale, and I happened across some magazines that I have not had time to read yet. I put the kids to bed early last night, threw on my ultra soft plush robe and slippers and fell onto the couch to power through them. I found some cool links while I was reading, so I dog-eared the pages to check them out when I had more time. Here are a couple, and I added them to my "Cool Things to Check Out" section as well.

Kids Off The Couch - not quite what it sounds like (although I do wish most days that we didn't own a TV). The website gives an idea/theme for the week, and then several things to do with it. A movie to rent, books to read, activities to do, etc. Most of the movies are rated PG (which is not something that I will allow Brynn to watch at this point) but I thought they could be adapted to work for younger or older kids as well. The archives are full of week themes, and I didn't have a chance to check out more than 3, but they looked fun, and idea inspiring.

Gas Buddy - I am seriously frustrated with the rising costs of EVERYTHING in this county. My grocery bill has increased, my PG & E, water, etc. The only reason why my gas bill is relatively the same is because I don't drive to work, my friends and family all live close by, the church is 2 miles away, and all the kids activities are within walking distance (not that we actually walk...) I would love to say that our gas guzzling SUV is next to be sold on Craigslist, but in all truth I love my car (especially the sunroof) and wouldn't trade it for the world. Anywho, check out Gas Buddy, type in your local zip code, and it will direct you to the cheapest station in your area. The list comes complete with address and dollar amount. You can even contribute to the list if you feel like it. Just thought it might be helpful.

Last but not least - Get Rich Slowly - is a website that has some great all around personal finance info. We just finished looking over our budget last night (a little late start, but better late than never) and were shocked to see how much money we DIDN'T save, and how much money we spent on items that are worthless. I don't agree with all of the site, but there are several categories that helped to answer some questions for me. Although Rich and I are in no debt (besides a house payment) it was cool to get some frugal ideas, some retirement saving advice, and read up on personal finance topics. The author is entertaining, and easy to read, so even I (tend to glaze over when the CPA who does our taxes attempts to explain the refunds to me) was willing to read more.

Alright, back to life in the Andre' house. More pics and stories from the kids coming soon.

Good Morning

This morning, like every morning since Cannon has not been confined to the crib, we were woken up with the sound of our bedroom door being opened, the grunt of two little bodies climbing up on our bed, followed by intentional body slams. Sometimes it's fun, but most of the time it's not. I usually get my hair pulled (thank goodness for short hair), my head bonked, or my belly stepped on (the abuse to the third child has already started). Rich takes the hits better than I, but it's a rough and painful way to be woken up.
Yesterday, I made a conscious effort to try to change my mentality about all the "love" and "affection" that the kids pour onto me. If you are familiar with the 5 Love Languages and you know me, you know that touch is not my way of showing or receiving affection. I am more of a quality time/acts of service girl. Well, because of my "languages preference" I forget that my kids sometimes really need my touch, and my lap to sit on. I was right in the midst of vacuuming and tidying up the house, and I sat down for a minute to rest. Immediately they both climbed on my lap for a quick snuggle. My first impulse was to get back to my tasks so that I could finish my work, and relax in the afternoon while they were sleeping. Suddenly, I had a little prick in my spirit which reminded me that someday they will not want this type of time with me, and I should take advantage of it while it lasted. Someday they will not hold my hand in the parking lot. Someday they will roll their eyes when I ask for a hug or kiss. Someday they will laugh at me, not with me. Someday the first person that they want to see in the morning will not be me...
Maybe it's not so bad to be bombarded, bruised and battered first thing in the morning. I even think I might be able to handle it for a few more years.

Happy Valentines Day

Mommy gets a baking lesson when Brynn demonstrates how cookies should be properly placed on a cookie sheet. It was pretty rough convincing her that they needed to have some space between them. Apparently she knows some top secret baking tips, because convincing her that the standard method was right turned out to be impossible.

Sleeping Habits

Ok, so the transition hasn't been too easy, but I think that it is getting better. They love to share a room, but they(meaning mostly Cannon) definately have some weird sleeping habits.

Where did he go?

Really?

That can't be comfy!

Slightly obsessed with balloons?

Can we say choking hazard? Bad Mommy!!!

Long Awaited Pics of "The Room"

The journey began with green and purple striped walls.

Unfortunately I didn't know to use primer. Apparently it would not have taken 4 coats of white paint if I had used primer...
The yellow goes on the wall...
Then the task of the diamonds... I think we painted 150 or so...What a nightmare, but totally worth it!

Long Awaited

The Room...

Long Awaited Pics of the Room

The final touches....

Yeah Right!

I wish I had a shirt printed up that said, "No, its not a hickey!" and had worn it today. I really needed it, and even though the story is funny, I am getting tired of telling it over and over. SOOOO, for the last time -
Rich and I are inspired to finish a bunch of house projects before the baby comes. I am actually the mastermind, and he is my workhorse in this situation. (He is cheerfully going along with all my ideas though, and for that, I am truly grateful.) Our latest endeavor was our bedroom and bathroom. I wanted to slightly change a few things in the bedroom, and the bathroom needed a new paint job, and some serious updating.
Rich got all prepped for the job, took down the lights, mirror, shower doors, etc. I helped as much as I could, but you know, in my delicate condition...
So we worked all weekend, busted out all the major things, and really finished a lot. I was so proud of us!
Sunday night, we were putting our room back in order, and I moved the lamp that we had been using in the bathroom for light, back onto our nightstand. As I leaned over to plug it in, I accidentally pressed my neck on the BLAZING HOT BULB that had been on for hours while we worked. Oh, the agony! It stung like the dickens, and immediately turned red.
Well, being the trooper that I am, after all, I have survived labor, I went on cleaning and tidying up with tears in my eyes. After the burning and stinging subsided, I even managed to forget about it. We had company over that evening, and I looked truly cute in a tank top and hair pulled back, completely forgetting about the red mark on my neck. After our guests had left, Rich comments, "Nice hickey". I laughed, thinking that it was possibly still red, and irritated looking, but not really taking any initiative to check it out in the mirror.
Next morning I get out of the shower, give myself the once over, and notice that my neck has a full-on burn/red/scabby mark on the neck. Perfectly matching where and what a hickey would look like. Luckily, I didn't have to go anywhere, and could hide the mark with some strategically placed clothing. (Remember, now, my hair is pretty short!)
Well, today, different story. Still red, burned and hickey-ish, I have to survive the world staring at me while at the dentist (getting teeth cleaned - awkward conversation starter), grocery shopping (cashier did a double take), running errands (got the knowing 'wink-wink' from a creepy sales assistant) and picking up the kids at the in-laws (oh gosh, what were you and our son doing?????)
We will see how quickly this little marking will heal, but if it sticks around for more than 1 week, I am going to go crazy!!!! And the worst thing is, that my excuse sounds so lame, people think I am making it all up! "No, its not a hickey, I burned myself on a lamp..." Yeah Right!

Sharing Rooms

In preparation for this new baby, we are putting the kids into one room early so that they are all set into the groove before #3 arrives. It has been an ordeal! First getting the room ready...
then organizing two childrens' toys and books to fit all in one space....
then figuring out how to actually get them to sleep in the beds....
Ok, so we are still working on that one. My kids are tired, cranky and not so much fun to be with as they transition to one room. They love playing together and the fights over toys have not been too outrageous yet, but the sleeping...we have yet to figure out a good system for that.
Pics are coming soon. Still waiting for the bedding to be done...