A better week!

This week was definitely an improvement from last week! We all seem to be feeling better, though Ezekiel woke up with a fresh cold this morning. My ear is much better, though my hearing has not been restored. I'm seeing an ENT next week to see what is going on in there. We have been keeping busy with preschool, time at the gym and just hanging out. Jason worked all week, but starting today, he is on VACATION!! YAHOO! That means he will be home for the next 2 months! Great. I've included a few pictures just for fun...
OH -and baby #3 is still growing and doing great. I've always said my due date is March 8th, though officially by the ultrasound it is March 14th. So...I guess its somewhere between then...or maybe later! Who knows! Everyone keeps telling me how LOW I am...and how I must be due any day. I'll just keep bouncing on my yoga ball and see what happens...

Ezekiel found this crown this morning and was walking around the house singing a song he made up about being Lord of Kings.
Of course they both wanted to wear it...
Messing around this afternoon
My haircut from last weekend...for those who care :-)

Have a great weekend.

A bad week...

(WARNING: whiny post to follow...)
The boys have been coughing and with a cold for a few weeks now. Just normal stuff that passes around from kid to kid - probably thanks to Gavin's preschool class. I already shared in my snoring post that I have a cold, but Jason was struck with illness this week too! SO...on top of me not feeling great and being largely pregnant (which makes life feel that much harder), Jason was sick in bed with the flu Wed and Thurs. Thursday night I went to bed with a weird earache and I had a fleeting thought that I might be getting an ear infection. Well, after a horrible night of not sleeping much and counting down the hours until I could go to the Dr, I found out I had a raging ear infection. I got my antibiotic and went to my OB dr. appt. I was really hoping my first dose of antibiotic would help me feel better, but of course it doesn't! It takes at least 24 hours to start...Unfortunately that means I've been in major pain all day. What makes it worse is this afternoon I laid down to try and take a nap and my eardrum ruptured. That hurts A LOT. SO...we've had a bad week...and I've had a bad day. I did have the thought "it could be worse." And it could! I could still have a hurt back, the kids could be throwing up, my ear infection could have happened on one of the days Jason was sick in bed with a fever....etc. OR - I could be in labor right now. That would be horrible! For the last few days I've been (wishful) thinking that it would be great if this baby was early...even 2 or 3 weeks early. But today I'm hoping for another week or so to get better.
On to something more uplifting...Dr. appt was great. I had an ultrasound to get an approximate on the size of the baby...and he/she measured around 6 1/2 lbs. Great! So that means that its probably not going to be a 9 lb-er...most likely a lb or 2 smaller. I like that! Everything else was great...
And now I'm going to enjoy Mother's Market for dinner, which my husband has just brought home! YuM!
*and sorry for the whining...

True Confessions

It all began with Carey Scott. I was in elementary school and she was one of my good friends. I was invited to spend the night at her house on a Friday night and upon wakening on Saturday morning, Carey informed me that I had snored and woken her up. I was mortified. Something about snoring is ugly, embarassing, and ungirly. The worst part is I remember her telling other people about it at school.
As an 8th grader, I got my tonsils and adnoids removed, and I think that helped but how would I know? I slept alone in my bedroom. Nobody to tell me what I was doing while I was asleep. I remember even in high school trying to stay awake until the other girls had gone to sleep if I was at a sleepover so I wouldn't get caught snoring....
Getting married presented a problem...someone to witness my embarassing affliction! Jason discovered that when I slept on my stomach, I didn't snore. So, if I kept him awake, he would just tell me to roll over and I would stop. Two situations where this does not solve the problem. Number 1 - when I have a cold. But really, who doesn't snore when they have a cold? Number 2 - pregnancy...I can't sleep on my stomach!
Why am I even telling you all this? Because I am currently with child and with cold...meaning bad situation on the snoring front. The last few nights I have been paranoid that I am keeping Jason up. I even slept on the couch 2 nights ago for part of the night because I was so stressed each time I was close to falling asleep that I was going to be noisy.
I know there are afflictions that could be worse, but I really hate that I snore.

My cute boys in their $1 sunglasses from Target. The first day, Gavin wore his the whole afternoon and evening and daily after that. Ezekiel's broke a few days ago and unfortantely we left Gavin's at a restaurant on Sunday. I'll have to buy him another pair - he loved them!

One funny story I share with you to show how lame I am at times. Or maybe I could blame it on pregnancy. So Sunday was the day I had signed up to bring another new mom a meal. I realized Sunday afternoon that I did not have her phone number to ask what a good time was and I also could not find my MOPS book, so I didn't have really anyone else to call for that information either! I decided to just show up around 6pm, since that is a good guess at dinnertime. I made my homemade lasagna, a salad, some crusty bread (did not make that!) and brownies. We packed the kids in the car and put the address into our GPS for directions. As we pulled up to the house, Jason asked if I was sure this was the right house. Of course I was sure! It was strange that it was so dark, though. I was really bummed to find out that indeed the dark house was seemingly unoccupied. So I had to resort to leaving my meal on the porch which I wasn't that thrilled about. Why wouldn't they be home? Especially knowing they had a meal being delivered?? Weird. We got home and I was still sort of disappointed. I got on my email and for some reason thought I should double check the address. 3507. Wait....the address was 3507? But I dropped the food off at 3505. Yes. I had written down the wrong address. DANG!!!!!!!!! I emailed the sister-in-law of the woman I had delivered to and hoped she would get the email that night. She did not...but it turns out the mistaken house had put the food in the fridge and brought it over Monday morning asking if they had been expecting a meal the night before. New Mom emailed me and said they had enjoyed it Monday night.....I guess all was not lost, but how lame did I feel?? (super ridiculously lame)
Today was the big day for Ezekiel and the Dentist. I had some apprehension about this visit since twice a day Ezekiel cries while I brush his teeth. Our nightly flossing is not a good experience either. Shockingly, he tolerated the cleaning just fine. He kept telling me he was done, but he didn't cry or freak out, as I expected. He let the dentist examine him and we got the clean bill of health.
On the nesting front I have not done as much lately since Jason was off for a few days and that seems to deter my frantic cleaning. Last night I cleaned out our pantry cupboards and organized it, throwing out some food that had expired in 2006! Thats embarrasing! Then today I cleaned out and vacuumed the car and the outside of the washer and dryer. No big plans for tonight...maybe more on Ezekiel's baby book? Which I have not gotten past his birth. Shoot. Oh well.

V-Day

My mom and I were talking earlier today how Valentine's Day isn't that big of a deal to us. Its more of a "hallmark holiday" if you ask me. Created to make money for the retailers. Jason and I never make that big of a deal of it. I did have fun making little gift bags for the boys with toys and a little bit of candy...just because its so fun for me to see them excited about getting little things (like $1 sunglasses!). And of course I made a gift bag with a few little things for Jason...but nothing sensational.
I was also telling my mom earlier how I was feeling much more organized...didn't have much more to do on my "nesting list." Not that I have found new projects, but I have found much to busy myself with today: cleaned out our bathroom cupboard, vacuumed, mopped, cleaned the baseboards, doorjams and doors with the Magic Eraser, cleaned our table and chairs with the magic eraser, cleaned out another cupboard in the hall and the "coloring" cabinet, cleaned about half the mirrors in the house...and now I will dust the living room before making dinner. Great. No wonder my right hand is cramping from holding the magic eraser. I love it. (target brand is much cheaper)
cheers.

A while back, I blogged complaining about our healthcare system. I talked about how great it would be to live in France and have free healthcare. Just yesterday, I realized I really take our healthcare for granted. I needed to take Ezekiel in to the Dr. and got in within an hour of calling. Then when we got home, the boys and I walked (well, I walked, Ezekiel rode in the stroller and Gavin rode his scooter) to CVS to get some prescriptions. We waited our 15 minutes and I was distracted as the pharmacy worker rang up the medication. She told me the total and I pulled out my debit card, ready to slide it when the number she spoke sliced through my distracted mind. $178.28. WHAT? I put my card down and asked her why it was so expensive. She got the pharmacist and he explained the single dose albuterol medication...yeah, yeah, yeah. I need to know why this medication is $120!! He had no idea and I mentioned that usually my prescriptions are $10. "Oh you have insurance??" Umm....yes. "Here is my card...I have been here before, why am I not in the system"...etc. etc. etc. Anyways. It was all sorted out and I paid my $30 and left. This experience left me grateful for our health insurance! I so take that for granted. What if I was a single mom who had a job as a waitress and I didn't have insurance, but my son needed breathing treatments? I would have to pay hundreds of dollars to keep my child breathing easily. Wow.

On another highway of thought completely, I have been convicted of how impatient I can be with the boys. Today my goal was to be patient. In all situations. In my tone of voice. Even when I am running late. See for me, I am impatient because of my own carelessness. I am running late and the kids are not moving as fast as I want them to, so I get irritated and start using a very impatient tone of voice. I hear myself saying: "come on Gavin! get in your seat - we're late! We have to go, Ezekiel - hurry!" Not in a sweet voice but in a voice that says GET YOUR ASS MOVING! Just being honest here. So I'm really working on it. Today was a great day. I gave us more time to do everything and I didn't rush the kids. Who cares if it takes them 8 minutes to get into their seats in the car. If I plan for it, its no big deal.

Nesting

I laughed when, pregnant with Gavin, I was obsessively reading pregnancy and parenting magazines and learned about "nesting." I had big doubts I would ever experience that. Surprise, surprise!
I can't remember the specifics of my "nesting" with my previous pregnancies...but I have "to do" lists I have saved from the end of each of those pregnancies. With this baby, I have literally done nothing to prepare (except perhaps emotionally). Lying in bed a few weeks ago, I started to panic slightly. My mom encouraged me to make a list, which I did. On that list are things which I could have cared less about 2 months ago. Why does it matter if the cupboards in the hall are organized? I don't know. I just have to do it.
Today I went to Target and bought several things I have been telling Jason I need...newborn diapers, nursing pads, toiletries for the hospital...yes, they were necessary TODAY! Not that I need them today, but I will have everything organized mentally so I don't have to be anxious about when I am going to get them. Does that make sense?
I keep thinking I need to pack my bag for the hospital. Why? I don't know. Because when I am in labor, its not like I'm going to experience the first contraction and have to speed to the hospital! I'll probably have a whole day to "enjoy" contractions and wish I had something productive to do....like pack my bag. Oh well. If this organizing and pre-planning helps relieve some anxiety, thats what I'll do.
Jason asked me(with a baffled look on his face) what I was doing this afternoon when I got home from Target and was sitting at the table surrounded by scrapbooking materials. "I'm finishing Ezekiel's baby book"....which I actually started today too. My goal was to finish it before this baby comes and it quite possibly would have been a better decision to start this project sooner, but I still have a month...plenty of time!

Fun with Tape

A few nights ago, Jason and Gavin had "fun with tape..." I was laughing so hard I was crying as I took these pictures...

Yesterday was "one of those days" when I woke up in a slightly sour mood and the whole day seemed a little bit difficult for me. Ezekiel had been up for a few hours the night before and was EXTREMELY whiny, and Gavin was also tired and not really cooperating. I saw several tantrums from each child and was close to throwing a tantrum myself. After naps we went to the gym and I only got to work out for 25 minutes because I got called to pick up Ezekiel. I got to the room expecting to see my child red-faced and hyperventilating from his crying. Maybe my confusion was evident as I looked from Ezekiel (smiling and sitting sweetly on a bench) to the "babysitter." She said he was missing me. Hmmm...Next time - he can just miss me. If he's not crying hysterically or unconscious, don't call me. Just kidding. It was fine...sort of.

Below is a funny picture to me - when I vacuum and Gavin is playing on the computer, he puts the speaker up to his ear so he can still hear it. It kind of cracks me up.
The great thing about the end of the day yesterday is that Jason knew I had a hard day after debriefing on the phone on his way home and he surprised me with Golden Spoon when he got home:-) Just what I needed!!

the countdown

As I contemplate the fact that I am only going to be pregnant just over a month longer...I feel a mix of emotions. My initial reaction is one of joy. As noble as it would be to soley have joy over the face to face meeting of this child inside me, I have to admit that I am selfishly joyful. Joyful that I will not be lugging this weight in front of me any longer, joyful that I will be able to bend over comfortably once again, joyful that I will be back to running in no time and joyful that my clothes will no longer need stretchy waistbands. The other source of joy, of course, is meeting our child. I have loved the process of anticipating whether this child is a boy or a girl. I am so happy we decided to have it be a surprise at delivery! So many questions float through my waking thoughts...Will this baby look just like the boys...with plump cheeks and tiny, narrow blue eyes? What will this labor be like? Will I have another 9+ lb baby? How will the boys react? Will we have a name if its a boy(seriously...)? And what if its a girl??????
So yes, most of me is very excited at this ending of a chapter in my (our) life. We do not plan on having any more kids, so as long as that is God's plan too, this is the last time I will be pregnant. The other tiny part of me is sad this will be the last time I will experience the miracle of watching a life form inside me. Of feeling the tiny movements, then stronger kicks, then the twisting and turning that feels like my insides are being pushed to their limits. However, I have been so blessed to be able to get pregnant, to have healthy children and carry them to term...I do not want to take that for granted.
On this quiet night with Jason out and the boys asleep, I will take an extra minute to enjoy the twisting and turning inside me, knowing that though I may be uncomfortable and wishing for my tiny resident to finish his/her residency...there will be a time when I wistfully remember these times and wish I had enjoyed them more.

Cavities, Kenya and Kristen

This pictures cracks me up. Dan took it last week when we had dinner at the Prince's and its so funny because Gavin looks like he's ready to attack.
I have encountered an area that is lacking education among mothers of young children and decided to expose my own ignorance by sharing. About 2 years ago when I went to the dentist for a check-up, I inquired when I should bring my own kids. They told me when they turn 4 years old. SO...this past week, I took Gavin in. Confident that we would get the clean bill of dental health since we have been brushing his teeth for as long as I can remember, have limited juice consumption and Gavin did not sleep with a bottle in his mouth or anything....I was SHOCKED to find out he had cavities. Yes. My 4-year-old has cavities. Wednesday afternoon I really had to deal with feelings of being a bad mother. Might sound lame, but I figured that at his young age, it had to be my fault that he had cavities. Something I was or wasn't doing. It was also embarrasing to me to admit. On Friday, we saw a Pediatric Dentist who did a couple of the fillings. I asked her many questions and wanted to get the info out there....first of all, she said they like to see kids when they are 1! ONE! WOW...I was misinformed! At the age of 2 they want to see them and try and do x-rays and cleaning. Depending on the cooperation of the child, they at least do a visual exam to see if there are any obvious problems. (That means that yes, I'm taking Ezekiel in - in a few weeks...not sure how thats going to go...) And lastly, we moms (or dads) should start flossing our kids teeth as soon as they have 2 teeth touching!!! WOW...I had no idea. Gavin has cavities because we have not been flossing his teeth. Thats it. The dentist said he has very healthy teeth, but the bacteria that causes cavities travels from tooth to tooth and if you do not floss (or brush, I guess), the bacteria will just spread. SO...now that you are informed...take your kids to the dentist! Its better to know and be proactive than ignore it and hope for the best.
Changing gears, on Monday, my father-in-law Dan is embarking on an amazing adventure to Kenya! You can keep updated on his trip on his blog which is: www.danbloghog.blogspot.com
The following link shows more information about what is going on in Kenya:
http://community.wr.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=865&srcid=865
Dan has been waiting on the Lord the past few months to see what his next life assignment is and it is really cool to see how God is going to use Dan to help World Relief in their efforts in Kenya. Another cool thing is that my dad is also going to Africa at the end of February for 2 weeks. Another part of Africa - and I will post more on that later. Weird that for a week or so both my father and father-in-law will be in Africa....
And finally...last night I attended a baby shower for a friend and enjoyed being part of a great surprise. Kristen flew in yesterday and shocked Jen by "emerging" as we were having a discussion about when we would see Kristen again. It was a fun shower and great to see Kristen. The boys and I will be spending the day with her tomorrow, which we are all looking forward to!
And now off I go...for today we are seeing the Veggie Tales movie (The Pirates who Don't do Anything)...Gavin's treat for doing so well at the dentist, going to my Grandpa's 80th Birthday party and then my neice's 1st birthday party. A full party day. Enjoy your weekend!