Thursday, December 31, 2009

Six months down...three to go!

We are in somewhat of a denial that there are less than 12 weeks left in this pregnancy.


I'm not completely sure where 2009 went. Between the birthdays, activities, work, weddings, weekend trips, and watching two children grow, my belly has found the time to expand greatly in what seems like the blink of an eye. We know that March is just around the corner!



This pregnancy is going just fine so far.



Um, well, actually, let me take that back and be quite honest with you: this has been the toughest one yet. I absolutely loved being pregnant with our first...I'll dare say I missed it after she was born. I felt great the entire time and bounced back quickly after she was born.


Number Two was slightly different, probably because he was a 10-pound Butterball who made my back ache like crazy and gave me crazy leg cramps and nerve pain down my leg. Even though he was two pounds heavier and two inches longer than our first, his labor and birth were BY FAR easier and more manageable. (I attribute a lot of that to where I had him, which is where I'll go again with this one...more on that in a later post, since there are lots of varying opinions on it.) ;o)

Now, with Number Three, things are just...different. I ache often, have stronger Braxton Hicks contractions, have difficulty sleeping, and feel quite large for being 6 months pregnant. The looks and comments are daily and include things like, "When are you due? Oh...oh my..." and "Are you sure there's only one in there?" and "Did you calculate your due date right?" My daily mood can usually be summed up as irritable/tired/not fun to live with.



Oh, how I hate to complain, especially since being pregnant is truly a gift from the Lord and should be taken no other way! Please don't get me wrong...we are downright excited for March to come and to meet this little boy or girl (nope, not finding out...not even getting an ultrasound this time).

We know it will be a time of challenge, but we also know that this child will be loved like crazy and adored by his/her big brother and sister. But if you want to know the truth on my current status, there it is above. I'm a tired crazy pregnant lady who is really, really, really looking forward to March. :o) Will I miss being pregnant? Probably, especially since this might be the last one. But I'm realizing that my short stature and small frame wear out quickly, and having bigger than average babies can take its toll on me.

So, there you have it. Six months down, three to go, and feeling large and in charge. :o) Thanks for reading my ramblings and actually liking me throughout the past six months!

Happy New Year to you and yours, and may it be a blessed one!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas Day - the recap

Merry Christmas (a few days late) to you! Oh, how our day was great! Here's the run-down:



Mr. Caedon cried on and off throughout the night, probably due to the four teeth he's cutting.




My phone alarm went off at 6:15am so I could prep the newly-thawed bread dough for cinnamon rolls, then go back to bed and bake them later.





I heard the crying, footsteps, and commotion...and instantly knew what I'd meet back in bed: Hubby, a little boy and his bear, AND a little girl. At 6:30am. On Christmas morning. Still dark out. *sigh* We attempted to make everyone go back to sleep for at least an hour. It turned into an hour of whispers, laughing, and pretend sleep. While not the best kind of sleep, it was still the funnest kind.




We headed downstairs at 7:30am to make coffee, throw cinnamon buns in the oven, get the camera ready, and start the gift-opening. Hubby read Jesus' birth to us from the Bible (our annual tradition), and the opening commenced. The kiddos loved the fleece blankets we made for them (tie & knot blankets, not sewing machine...very easy!), Danae loved every Hello Kitty item we put in her stocking, and Caedon has been carrying around his new dinosaur like it's attached to him. A small Christmas, but that's what we like!










Next up: Grandma and Grandpa's house (Hubby's parents) to see everyone and open gifts there.



















The kids lasted until 12 or so, then the crying and eye-rubbing began. We headed home for lunch and an afternoon of kid-naps while Hubby and I packed for our trip to NJ to Nana and Papa's house (my parents). I thought about making an awesome Christmas dinner, but when the idea hit us to have Chinese food (just like the Parker's in A Christmas Story), we quickly changed plans and ordered out. Oh, how awesome to just enjoy take-out and watch a movie on Christmas night! We played, laughed, enjoyed food, and played with princess toys, motorcycles, and trucks.





Next: An early Saturday morning departure for NJ. The kids were up at 6:30am (crazy, I know!), so we ate, packed up the car, and were out the door by 7:30am, arriving in time to wake up most of the house. Danae is in love with her cousins, Meagan and Madison, so waking them up was pure joy for her. Saturday brought games, food/snacks, naps, and a visit with my cousin and her family. Her daughter is two days younger than Caedon, so it's fun to see them interact and play (or hit each other...whatever!). :o) At night we did a Secret Santa exchange and a White Elephant exchange, laughing at the crazy things that people brought.




Now I'm sitting here, after a night of continual child-waking, feeling quite exhausted and wondering where 2009 went! It seems that the years go by quicker as you get older!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Our Happy Snow Angels

This past weekend we experienced our first major snowfall of 2009: somewhere around 9 or 10 inches total. (It looks like more because our WONDERFUL neighbor plowed for us.)



(the view from our back deck)



While our children love to look at the snow, playing in it doesn't seem to come naturally. Oh, yes...they (well, Danae) wanted to get those snowsuits and boots on, don all the usual cold-weather apparel, and get outside. I wanted them out there, too...makes for longer afternoon naps. ;o)




They tried to play with toys and attempted to enjoy the Winter Wonderland.




BUT, once their noses start running, or snow gets in a sleeve, or the hands feel even the slightest twinge of cold, the crying/whining/screaming starts, producing frozen tears and colder faces.



Danae didn't mind it too much. Her limit was about 20-30 minutes...then she'd start the breakdown.







Caedon, on the other hand...well, let's just say getting the snowsuit on was a miracle in and of itself.



He cried. He threw himself on the ground. He got outside and kept an "I'm so annoyed" look on his little face if we wasn't being held or pulled in the sled.



Most likely it was the temperature. Or the feeling of cold snow. Or the chapped cheeks.


Or maybe it was the fact that his new snowsuit is at Nana and Papa's in NJ, so we shoved him into Danae's old 24-month size pink snowsuit, complete with Dora the Explorer boots. Here he is, looking somewhat happy for a second or two, but probably thinking that this Mama-lady is crazy for putting a boy in a pink snowsuit that was too snug.




Yeah, that was probably it.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

How to make your 16-month-old baby look like a 2 year old

I love little boys with curly hair.


Yes, my little man's hair was getting a bit long-ish, and even though Hubby kept pointing out the "mullet look" that was forming, I was trying to hold my ground and NEVER get this kid a haircut.


On Saturday night, I gave in, and the clippers came out.


There he is, reddish curly hair and all.



Big sister, acting as the Barber's Helper.

His little hand on Daddy's knee...it kills me!



Afterward:

Instantly changed from my 16-month-old baby to looking like a tough 2 year old. I must say, he does look rather handsome with a buzzed head, and I'll take him either way! :o)

Monday, December 14, 2009

5 Months...again, late

Here you go, folks...some belly shots for your entertainment. These were taken when I was about a week past 5 months along. But still...they count.





I've been feeling quite large in the belly lately. I don't know what it is, but they say that the belly does get bigger with each pregnancy. And this one is no exception.

Just for fun, we compared my 5-month current belly with those from my previous two pregnancies. Even though I am measuring right on track and not any bigger than the number of weeks I'm at right now, we definitely noticed a size difference.

Of course, it doesn't help when a certain little 4-year-old Princess tells me yesterday, completely out of the blue, "Mommy, you weigh a ton!" When asked what that meant, she said, "Well, that means you have a big number." Ah, yes...out of the mouths of babes.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Charlie's Soap: We Have a Winner!

Thanks so much to all of you who entered the Charlie's Soap giveaway! I would have LOVED to win this one myself!



We now have a winner! Using a True Random Number Generator, the lucky winner is...




Ashley Elaine! (comment #13)



Congrats to Ashley!



And keeps your eyes peeled for more giveaways in 2010!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Variety is the spice of life

It's amazing how the blog reflects the week I've been having...the mode that I'm feeling stuck in...the "funk" that has developed...



Between a root canal and a chipped tooth, a prenatal appointment, four dentist appointments, desperately trying to find babysitters, breaking up fights, (Yes, they fight! And it's usually the younger trying to take down the older!), bad puppy behavior (as in, a dozen Buckeyes in the belly of a whale Princess Lucy), finishing Christmas cards, Board meetings, church meetings, two holiday events, gymnastics class, Hubby's church class, learning tons of new stuff at work for a change in position (more on that later), figuring out Christmas gifts, forgetting and missing a writing deadline...the "to-do" list from the past seven days could go on!


And on


And on


I'm usually pretty good at pacing myself. You know, sticking to the daily list that I put together and knocking off the tasks. But not this past week. Without my list, my outside world and my inner world have been utter chaos. Full of "funk". Blah.


So every time I tried to escape and write a post, the words wouldn't come out. They were stuck inside, mixed up with things like "general ledger", "accrued depreciation", "How much of a tournament refund do I owe you?", "Why does the dog smell so bad???", and "Don't bite your big sister's behind ever again!"


Don't get me wrong...I love variety. I thoroughly enjoy the many different hats I get to wear each week, and I know it's a true blessing that I can have such variety and flexibility. But I also know I will have weeks where 40 more things are thrown in, and it all becomes a jumbled mess.


So for now, as I wade through the swamp, know that I'm around, alive, kickin', and getting a larger belly by the minute. ;o) I haven't given up on you, oh blog...but taking the one-year-old football player's sock out of the toilet and body off of his sister's screaming head must come first.