I don't blog much anymore. (Newsflash!) I feel guilty when I spend time blogging and there's housework staring at me or kids needing to be fed, changed, wiped or whipped. (Just kidding on the whipped part...you can tell by the way my kids act that they don't see much of that!) And I can't have the hubs come home from work, look around and say "Ummmm, so how was YOUR day? What did you DO today?" I at least have to make it LOOK like I slaved a little bit.
So why am I blogging right now? One might think by the previous statement that my house is clean and kids whipped! ...I mean WIPED, WIPED! You'd be wrong. I am blogging from the laundry room. Yep, laptop set up on the ironing board and I'm folding and washing and drying between thoughts. BA-DA-BING! MULTITASKING! I figured, I do my best thinking, reflecting and talking to myself in my laundry room so why not set up the computer and write it while I work. So here goes...maybe the lent bunnies won't eat the innards of my computer.
When I pick the girls up from school...YES, I'm moving on to a new thought. Keep up!...they both come running to the car, hop in and start shouting things about their day at me before the sliding door has closed. It's so sweet that they want to tell me about their day without me having to ask. And it's a bit of a competition between them to see who gets to talk first. They both start and then one usually knows she was a half second later starting so she shuts up and glares at the other till their done with their story.
Emma was first yesterday to tell me her exciting news. "Mom! Guess what! You know my goooood friend Gracie H?" (There's several "Gracies" in her class so they go by last initials.) "Guess what she GAVE me today!" She holds up a previously wadded up but now unfolded, Christmas printed napkin. "Her napkin!!" My stomach did a flip in disgust and I wanted to scream "Ahhh, throw that down!" but she had already been holding it for some time, damage was done and she was so thrilled by it, I had to act as if it was a priceless gift. "So Emma, WHYYYY did Gracie H. give you her napkin today?" "I don't know, she's just a really good friend Mom." Mmm hmmm I say. Thinking to myself, just as soon as she's not looking, that CLEARLY USED napkin is going to go missing! Ick!
Emma paused for a second so Taylor jumped in. In her most preppy, matter of fact, you are NOT going to believe this, voice she says "MOM! Guess what!" (They like to start their stories out like that...gives them a little more suspense!) I say back to her in that same OMGosh voice "What?!" "The book fair is coming to our school next week!! And I only need eight dollars!" Me: "Only eight dollars, huh?" ...as I'm thinking, that eight dollars becomes sixteen because there are two that are going to need EQUAL, EQUAL I TELL YOU!, amounts to spend. "Yes, because I found two books and they're only four dollars each! Can you believe I only want to spend eight dollars?!!" (shaking her head in disbelief.) "What can I say, I'm just a cheap steak!" (That wasn't a typo.) I didn't correct her...I'm thinking I might need to hear that one again some time. :)
Forgot to add in there...the whole time the girls are excitedly raving about whatever it was that happened at school that day, Addison is screaming "Me too! Me too! Me too, Mommy! Me too!" And she doesn't stop until I say "You too, Addi?!" Then she laughs and screams "YEAH!!!"
Well, the dryer just stopped and I need this ironing board for a folding table, so...that is all!
the view from here...
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Coupons Coupons Coupons!!! Love Love Love!!!
I absolutely LOVE getting a great deal on the things I buy. Whether it be groceries, clothing, shoes, groceries, baby items, household items, groceries or groceries, doesn't matter; it THRILLS me to be able to get them on sale or discounted!
Just this weekend, I came across quite a few websites that have info on current sales and coupons you can print from your home printer and deals you can get online! I put the list of my favorite of those websites here on my blog to share with you. Many of the coupon sites will allow you to print more than one coupon so that you can use both (if your store permits) or use one now and save one for later. I found that with most of the coupons, I was able to print them twice.
You can become a fan of many of these websites on Facebook and keep up with new deals and coupon info through your newsfeed page. Some give you the option to subscribe to their site and they will email you with new coupons and deals that become available!
My biggest bargain I scored today was from Coldwater Creek! Through the Hip 2 Save website, I found a great deal on a pleated scarf! They are on sale for $4.99 and Hip 2 Save provided a discount code you can enter at checkout for an additional 25% off. After my tax and shipping my grand total was $4.09!!!! After purchasing this so cute pink scarf (also available in other colors) I decided $4.09 is SO cheap I should've bought two! So I went back to the site, figuring that it wouldn't let me use the discount code twice, and I put another scarf of a different color into my shopping cart. It DID allow me to use the code again so I got ANOTHER so cute scarf, again for just $4.09!
I haven't decided exactly what I'll do with my scarves yet...keep them for myself (depending on just how cutesie they are), use them as stocking (or Easter basket) stuffers for Taylor and Emma, or give them as a gift next Christmas. Doesn't matter...for $8.19 total, they're a steal! :) Here are pictures of my new bargain babies:
AREN'T THEY JUST TOO CUTE?!!!
If you now need yourself a bargain scarf, here's the link and the discount code you can use to order yours from Coldwater Creek! (They also come in gray and a darker blue) DON'T FORGET: Use the code WHH8520 at checkout to take an additional 25% off!
If you like Old Navy deals as well, Hip 2 Save also tells you how to get Old Navy coupons (10% off your entire purchase and 15% off your entire purchase through 3/4/10) by clicking on certain links in their ad. You have to read the instructions closely though so that you click on the right things...it's a little tricky but if I could do it, I'm sure you can too!
If you know of any other coupon or bargain websites that I didn't list, let me know! I'd love to check them out and add them to my list!
Happy Shopping!!! (is there really any other kind?! Well, maybe swimsuit shopping, but other than that?!)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday ramblings: My attempt to postpone the housework just a little longer.
Well, it's a Monday! Got most of my to-do's checked off of my list. Except for anything to do with cleaning up our pigsty that was totally trashed over the cold, rainy, we can't go outside so we're stuck in here together, weekend. I'm completely avoiding it, however I think I'm going to HAVE to tackle the kitchen soon...something in there smells like the movie theater and we've not popped any "movie theater butter" popcorn lately. Weird! (...and scary!)
Went to the grocery store this morning with Addison after dropping the other two off at school. Seems like just about every time she and I are at the grocery store, there's some sort of major ordeal with her. Either she throws up all over herself, the cart and me and we have to abandon ship and leave. Or she is mad about something and is screaming, squirming and kicking the whole way through the store (have I mentioned she's got a bit of a temper???) with her mother rushing down the isles, grabbing the necessities, glaring and DARING anyone to look at us funny or comment on her fit. Today, thankfully, our deal was not a big one. We dealt and made it through our shopping list, all hair still in tact. About halfway through our trip she looks down at her bottom, starts lifting one leg, grabbing at her diaper and saying "Meh-meh, meh-meh, meh-meh." (That's her words for "Mama," or "Hey you, get me that," or "I want what you have," or just a general response to any question. Vocab is not one of her many talents right now.) Her diaper had leaked and soaked her bottom and down part of one leg. So I did what any good mother would do...I completely ignored it and finished the chore at hand-getting through that grocery list. What did you think I would do...take her to the restrooms and change her? Noooo way! I figured she was better off sitting in her own pee for a little while rather than going into one of those germ infested stink bombs we call public restrooms.
I have another doctor's appointment again this week. Those things just keep coming faster and faster! It's a "nothing" appointment. One where I'll go in and he'll say "You good?" and I'll say "I'm good" and then he'll say "Good, see ya in two weeks." And I'll say, "Really, two weeks? Crap, are we getting that close already?" Not that I'm not anxious to meet our little Macy, I just know she's a WHOLE LOT easier to take care of right where she is right now! Oh, yes, her name is going to be Macy I guess. Can you hear the "I like it alright but not just overly enthused about it" tone in my words? Nathan named her. He said since I named the other three and since he had to go through the "procedure" of making sure we have no more children, he gets the privilege this time and it was either Macy or Bella so I should be thankful that it's Macy! No middle name decided on yet though. I also have to do that glucose test this time too...drink the nasty sweet "oh it tastes like sprite if you get the lemon-lime flavor bull" stuff, then wait an hour and have blood drawn to check for gestational diabetes. So I decided that maybe we should go ahead and while we're waiting during that hour, have one of the 3D ultrasounds done. I called today and as it turns out, you have to be 28 weeks before they'll do it. I'll be 27 and 3 days...apparently those extra 4 days makes a difference to the scheduling receptionist. I tried to explain how since I'd be there anyway, how much more convenient it would be to do it then....nope, no luck in swaying her. So I'm going to go back on March 3rd, 5 days later and have it done then. In those 5 days, the baby will have grown & developed substantially and will be able to look at us, smile and wave, giving us much better pictures of her. I'm not put out by the receptionists inflexibility or anything.
On a more serious note, I have to ask you to all say a little prayer for us. Nathan and I are considering not sending our girls to public school next year. I've had this overwhelming notion for several months now that maybe I should home school them. Any of you that know me very well know this is extremely "left field" for me! I have never thought I would, should or could home school. I loved my job teaching in public school and always thought my children would be a part of a great public school system, just as Nathan and I were. But the fact is, times are changing and things are just not the same as when we were in school. There have also been some other little issues and concerns I've had lately that have also contributed to us considering it. I am extremely fearful but at the same time I know that if God is calling me to do this, he'll provide the means. So I'm just going to keep praying about it and researching it for now and hopefully we'll know for sure soon what we're going to do.
Well, car loop line's-a-callin' so till next time... :)
Went to the grocery store this morning with Addison after dropping the other two off at school. Seems like just about every time she and I are at the grocery store, there's some sort of major ordeal with her. Either she throws up all over herself, the cart and me and we have to abandon ship and leave. Or she is mad about something and is screaming, squirming and kicking the whole way through the store (have I mentioned she's got a bit of a temper???) with her mother rushing down the isles, grabbing the necessities, glaring and DARING anyone to look at us funny or comment on her fit. Today, thankfully, our deal was not a big one. We dealt and made it through our shopping list, all hair still in tact. About halfway through our trip she looks down at her bottom, starts lifting one leg, grabbing at her diaper and saying "Meh-meh, meh-meh, meh-meh." (That's her words for "Mama," or "Hey you, get me that," or "I want what you have," or just a general response to any question. Vocab is not one of her many talents right now.) Her diaper had leaked and soaked her bottom and down part of one leg. So I did what any good mother would do...I completely ignored it and finished the chore at hand-getting through that grocery list. What did you think I would do...take her to the restrooms and change her? Noooo way! I figured she was better off sitting in her own pee for a little while rather than going into one of those germ infested stink bombs we call public restrooms.
I have another doctor's appointment again this week. Those things just keep coming faster and faster! It's a "nothing" appointment. One where I'll go in and he'll say "You good?" and I'll say "I'm good" and then he'll say "Good, see ya in two weeks." And I'll say, "Really, two weeks? Crap, are we getting that close already?" Not that I'm not anxious to meet our little Macy, I just know she's a WHOLE LOT easier to take care of right where she is right now! Oh, yes, her name is going to be Macy I guess. Can you hear the "I like it alright but not just overly enthused about it" tone in my words? Nathan named her. He said since I named the other three and since he had to go through the "procedure" of making sure we have no more children, he gets the privilege this time and it was either Macy or Bella so I should be thankful that it's Macy! No middle name decided on yet though. I also have to do that glucose test this time too...drink the nasty sweet "oh it tastes like sprite if you get the lemon-lime flavor bull" stuff, then wait an hour and have blood drawn to check for gestational diabetes. So I decided that maybe we should go ahead and while we're waiting during that hour, have one of the 3D ultrasounds done. I called today and as it turns out, you have to be 28 weeks before they'll do it. I'll be 27 and 3 days...apparently those extra 4 days makes a difference to the scheduling receptionist. I tried to explain how since I'd be there anyway, how much more convenient it would be to do it then....nope, no luck in swaying her. So I'm going to go back on March 3rd, 5 days later and have it done then. In those 5 days, the baby will have grown & developed substantially and will be able to look at us, smile and wave, giving us much better pictures of her. I'm not put out by the receptionists inflexibility or anything.
On a more serious note, I have to ask you to all say a little prayer for us. Nathan and I are considering not sending our girls to public school next year. I've had this overwhelming notion for several months now that maybe I should home school them. Any of you that know me very well know this is extremely "left field" for me! I have never thought I would, should or could home school. I loved my job teaching in public school and always thought my children would be a part of a great public school system, just as Nathan and I were. But the fact is, times are changing and things are just not the same as when we were in school. There have also been some other little issues and concerns I've had lately that have also contributed to us considering it. I am extremely fearful but at the same time I know that if God is calling me to do this, he'll provide the means. So I'm just going to keep praying about it and researching it for now and hopefully we'll know for sure soon what we're going to do.
Well, car loop line's-a-callin' so till next time... :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
It's A Girl! ...AGAIN! :)
Most of you have probably already heard via facebook...but for those that have not...my ultrasound at my last doctor's appointment showed that we, in fact, WERE incorrect last time in thinking I was carrying a boy. He is actually a SHE, again. Our doctor was quite sure based on the ultrasound tech's pictures that it is a girl. Before he came into the room to see me, he'd already viewed my ultrasound pics with the tech. He came in smiling and shaking his hung head and said "Man! I really thought you were getting a boy this time but I guess I was just hoping too much for you and trying to see something that wasn't actually there. I'm sorry!" I laughed and told him it was no big deal, we were totally fine with another girl. (Me probably more so than Nathan-but he'd never show it.) I explained to him that it had only been like a year and a half ago that we were buying a new PINK car seat and everything else pink, preparing for Addison, so all of her baby things that we still have are practically new. I told him it was good because we are already prepared for this baby...not much to do or buy to get things ready for her arrival. Which really is a blessing considering how busy I stay with the other three girls. Now I don't have to worry about going out shopping for all new blue baby things. Which, I probably WILL go out shopping some, but it'll be for the fun stuff...outfits and such!
Schools here had been canceled due to the cold temperatures on the day of my ultrasound so I had to take all three girls with me to the appointment. Nathan met us there to watch the girls for me. I expected that they could all come into the ultrasound room with me but once they called me back, they told me no children under age 8 were allowed in. :( A bummer because that also meant that Nathan couldn't come in either. So after it was over, I gathered my new pictures of her and went out to break the news to Nathan. Bless his heart, Addison, and probably Emma too, was giving him fits in the waiting room so he had to take all three of them out into the hallway and walk them around. He was just about at his wits end when I found him to tell him he was getting yet another daughter. I fully expected him to be really let down and disappointed. I mean, who wouldn't be, if they were in his shoes.
So I say, "Well, we were wrong last time, it's another girl...I'm SO SORRY!" All he said was "No way, are you serious? Well, that's okay, another girl will be good. At least we're already prepared for her. Oh my gosh, FOUR GIRLS! WOW! HA HA!"
He was so good about it all...as he has been every time with everything...finding out about our third and this fourth pregnancy...as I was falling apart and worried, he was confident and happy and comforting to me. He is so good! And such a great daddy to his girls. I guess that's why God saw fit to bless us with another girl.
So anyway, that's it. Another girl is on her way to our home. And boy is she coming fast! I have a hard time keeping up with how many weeks along I am. Thankfully, "there's an app for that!" I checked my "what to expect..." app on my phone this morning and I am 21 weeks and two days. Only 18 weeks, five days left to go. I guess being busy with everything else, I've not had time to dwell on the days passing by and every time I check that app on my phone I'm astonished at the "weeks remaining" number. It's dwindling down so quickly. Not that I'm not ready to meet her and have her here to hold, but I know from experience, she is so much easier to care for right where she is! :)
One more thing that Nathan did say that day before we left the doctor's office: "We're going to have to rethink that name Eden Elise. I really don't like it. At all!" Shoot! I thought it was really pretty. So we may be back to the drawing board for names. Unless I can keep saying it to him often and it grows on him enough for him to say, okay. :) But name suggestions are always welcome! So if you have any baby girl names you can share, bring 'em on!
Schools here had been canceled due to the cold temperatures on the day of my ultrasound so I had to take all three girls with me to the appointment. Nathan met us there to watch the girls for me. I expected that they could all come into the ultrasound room with me but once they called me back, they told me no children under age 8 were allowed in. :( A bummer because that also meant that Nathan couldn't come in either. So after it was over, I gathered my new pictures of her and went out to break the news to Nathan. Bless his heart, Addison, and probably Emma too, was giving him fits in the waiting room so he had to take all three of them out into the hallway and walk them around. He was just about at his wits end when I found him to tell him he was getting yet another daughter. I fully expected him to be really let down and disappointed. I mean, who wouldn't be, if they were in his shoes.
So I say, "Well, we were wrong last time, it's another girl...I'm SO SORRY!" All he said was "No way, are you serious? Well, that's okay, another girl will be good. At least we're already prepared for her. Oh my gosh, FOUR GIRLS! WOW! HA HA!"
He was so good about it all...as he has been every time with everything...finding out about our third and this fourth pregnancy...as I was falling apart and worried, he was confident and happy and comforting to me. He is so good! And such a great daddy to his girls. I guess that's why God saw fit to bless us with another girl.
So anyway, that's it. Another girl is on her way to our home. And boy is she coming fast! I have a hard time keeping up with how many weeks along I am. Thankfully, "there's an app for that!" I checked my "what to expect..." app on my phone this morning and I am 21 weeks and two days. Only 18 weeks, five days left to go. I guess being busy with everything else, I've not had time to dwell on the days passing by and every time I check that app on my phone I'm astonished at the "weeks remaining" number. It's dwindling down so quickly. Not that I'm not ready to meet her and have her here to hold, but I know from experience, she is so much easier to care for right where she is! :)
One more thing that Nathan did say that day before we left the doctor's office: "We're going to have to rethink that name Eden Elise. I really don't like it. At all!" Shoot! I thought it was really pretty. So we may be back to the drawing board for names. Unless I can keep saying it to him often and it grows on him enough for him to say, okay. :) But name suggestions are always welcome! So if you have any baby girl names you can share, bring 'em on!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
I'm not napping (or facebooking-at the moment), I'm blogging!
No, you're not dreaming, I am actually blogging! Something I hardly EVER do anymore because when I do have the time to do it, I usually decide that a nap is more important to me at that moment. (It's also partially Facebook's fault!)
Thankfully I have regained some of my energy and stamina back now that I'm in the second phase of baby bearing. The first 14 weeks or so were pretty rough, thus no blogs during that time. My knuckles drug the ground from morning till night. I was in bed EVERY night by 8 pm and spent most of the day consuming the box of saltines and drinking ginger ale. Two wonderful God-sends to have on hand during the first three months of pregnancy! I am twenty weeks now, as of yesterday. And boy, is this time flying by! I guess the other three are keeping me so busy I don't have time to think about adding another baby to our household. I also think it's partially a God thing too...he is protecting me by keeping my mind busy and not thinking about adding a FOURTH child to this already busy household!
At my last doctor's appointment I was at 16 weeks and he attempted to see if he could tell the gender of the baby with a small ultrasound machine he has in his exam room. The best we could tell it looked like a boy. What we were seeing hadn't looked like any of our girl's ultrasounds! However, we had never had an ultrasound that early before either. The doctor seemed to think what we were seeing were BOY parts. I go back tomorrow for my 20 week ultrasound that will be done by an ultrasound tech on a good machine that will show more detail and can be zoomed in. So I'm positively sure she will tell us that the last ultrasound machine's resolution was just too low and we, in fact, are having another girl, (Eden Elise) NOT a boy. Then I will be more at ease knowing that I'm all set for having a baby girl. Since it was only about a year and a half ago that we bought a brand new car seat, stroller, etc...ALL pink, of course! Not to mention all the other PINK baby items we have! Pretty much everything is pink. I love pink and girly! And it is so much fun to shop for pink and girly things! However, if it IS a boy, I'm going to try to console myself with the fact that I will at least still get to shop...not pink and girly, which is all I know, but blue and boyish. (Whatever that is!) :)
Nathan is "sort of excited" (as he says) that it's a boy. He's looking forward to not so much PINK, I think. He has decided that HE should be the one who names this boy since (he claims!) I named all the girls. He is pretty set on the name Noah Graham. At first I didn't really like it at all but the name Noah is growing on me. Every time I hear it I think of the "Noah" in the book & movie The Notebook, and boy wasn't he dreamy?! McDreamy and a little McSteamy too! :)
Okay, enough about baby stuff...
Christmas this year was great! For the first time since we moved to Florida, we were able to have Santa and our family Christmas here at our house. The girls were excited that Santa came to their house, even though he had to come just a few days earlier than the normal Christmas morning. It worked out well that way. We were able to have Santa and open gifts with each other and were still able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Meme & Nana. The girls got way too many new things, as usual. It's hard not to overdo it this time of year. And I justify it to myself in that during the year, other than birthdays, I don't buy them toys and things, just clothes/shoes as needed. (and sometimes MORE than needed...)
I actually saw the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve this year. First time in a few years, I think, that I've actually been able to stay awake for it. I was fast asleep ten minutes later however. But hey, I made it! I didn't make any resolutions this year. I figure, I'm barely keeping my head above water so to speak as it is, Its probably best to just stick with getting through each day, getting my housework and childwork done. I think by the end of the day if everyone is fed, clothed in clean clothes, has a relatively clean place to live and are somewhat happy, I'm doing good. And adding something new to my "to-do" list or "to-be" list is just asking for a meltdown!
A quick update on the kids...
Taylor is growing up SO fast! She just turned 8 about a month ago. She is still doing well in school and enjoys it. We are hoping to get her started back in piano soon. Nathan's aunt is giving us her piano and we're really excited about that! Now if Nathan can just figure out a way to get it here to our house and unloaded. We didn't know how heavy pianos are! I'm hoping we'll have it here soon so that Taylor can get back into it. Taylor continues to be a huge help to me with her sisters. Or at least with Addison. She takes really good care of her when I need her to. And she is also a big help with housework too...a lot of times without even having to be asked, she'll just go get the broom and start sweeping the kitchen or dusting. The night before her birthday I had decided that the ends of her hair really needed to be trimmed. So after her shower I got ready to trim it. She has been asking for a while to have her hair cut up to her shoulders, which would've been about 4 inches or more off of it and I didn't want her cutting it. On this night, she played on my soft side and told me that for her birthday she really wanted to look pretty and would I pleeeeeease cut it up to her shoulders. So, I cut off about 3 1/2 inches, I was too afraid to do more. It was just below her shoulders. And it did look really cute. I was nervous about it but really liked it that length once it was done. She was thrilled with it. Naturally, only being fair, I had to cut Emma's a little bit too-what little bit she has. She loved hers too. We'd never seen so much prissing around and swinging of hair as was done that night!
Emma too is growing up fast! She'll turn 5 in a couple weeks. She is still a tiny little energetic thing with a huge imagination. She is hilarious. She makes us laugh, and scratch our heads in wonderment, every day. She absolutely LOVES school and hates holidays when she has to be out of school. She is learning so quickly too. She has started reading already and can add small numbers too. She can write and tell you how to write numbers all the way up to 100. She can also tell time on a digital clock. All of these things she has learned without my help, and MUCH to my surprise! Especially the telling time thing...one day she came into the kitchen where I was and said really sassy like "MOM! It's 5:28, when is supper going to be ready?!" I glanced at the clock and it was 5:28. Another day, she had asked me to show her how to do math. So I gave her some basic addition problems and showed her how to do them by drawing dots & counting them. I did the first one for her and then left her with it. When I came back, she had added all of the problems correctly without using any dots or making any other marks than the answer. She told me she just used her fingers to count them up instead of drawing those dots. She still very much lives in her own little world and hardly notices what's going on outside of her world. She is oblivious to things (outside of Emmaville) most of the time.
Addison turned a year old on Oct. 30th. It's so hard to believe she is already a year old! It doesn't seem possible. She is walking and going all over the place. She got a new wagon that has seats in it for Christmas and she loves it. She will sit in that wagon, in the living room or her bedroom, with her books or toys for half an hour or longer! It's GREAT! :) She is really sweet most of time. She can't say much...Mama, Gah-Gah (for Dada), Bye-Bye, and Buh (for book or bird or anything else that begins with B). She can be a little feisty at times and has developed quite a temper. And she has learned how to take out her anger on her sisters, if they're the source of it, by slapping at their faces or pulling their hair. She is VERY dramatic! Even more so than the other two girls, if you can believe that! When Nathan or I have to tell her no or get on to her for something, she opens her mouth so wide and just cries and cries! And sometimes she'll fall down into the floor like she's hurt and lay there and cry. It's funny to us now but won't be for long I'm sure. She is still a good sleeper and goes to sleep on her own every night. She goes to bed at 8:00 when the other two do and doesn't get up until around 7:00 or 7:30. We've been very fortunate in that area!
It's been really cold here in Oklahoma for the last couple of months. And I mean REALLY cold. We got about 4 or 5 inches of snow here on Christmas Eve. We had already left town before it started but when we got home were pleasantly surprised that it was all still on the ground. Emma and Addison had never seen snow before. Taylor and Emma played in it for two days and loved it. It still hasn't all melted yet. Our entire front yard is still completely covered and hasn't melted hardly at all. The back yard is about half covered. Tonight we are expecting to get more snow and are supposed to have bitterly cold temps from tomorrow through the weekend. The low on Friday morning is 1 degree! THAT'S ONE DEGREE! It would be kind of nice is they'd cancel school for Thursday and Friday since it is going to be so very cold that way we wouldn't have to get out in it. Wait a minute....what am I saying?!!
Okay, that's enough for today...until next time, which I have no idea when that will be but maybe tomorrow so that I can tell you we're having a girl! ...or for sure that it's a boy...stay warm! :)
Thankfully I have regained some of my energy and stamina back now that I'm in the second phase of baby bearing. The first 14 weeks or so were pretty rough, thus no blogs during that time. My knuckles drug the ground from morning till night. I was in bed EVERY night by 8 pm and spent most of the day consuming the box of saltines and drinking ginger ale. Two wonderful God-sends to have on hand during the first three months of pregnancy! I am twenty weeks now, as of yesterday. And boy, is this time flying by! I guess the other three are keeping me so busy I don't have time to think about adding another baby to our household. I also think it's partially a God thing too...he is protecting me by keeping my mind busy and not thinking about adding a FOURTH child to this already busy household!
At my last doctor's appointment I was at 16 weeks and he attempted to see if he could tell the gender of the baby with a small ultrasound machine he has in his exam room. The best we could tell it looked like a boy. What we were seeing hadn't looked like any of our girl's ultrasounds! However, we had never had an ultrasound that early before either. The doctor seemed to think what we were seeing were BOY parts. I go back tomorrow for my 20 week ultrasound that will be done by an ultrasound tech on a good machine that will show more detail and can be zoomed in. So I'm positively sure she will tell us that the last ultrasound machine's resolution was just too low and we, in fact, are having another girl, (Eden Elise) NOT a boy. Then I will be more at ease knowing that I'm all set for having a baby girl. Since it was only about a year and a half ago that we bought a brand new car seat, stroller, etc...ALL pink, of course! Not to mention all the other PINK baby items we have! Pretty much everything is pink. I love pink and girly! And it is so much fun to shop for pink and girly things! However, if it IS a boy, I'm going to try to console myself with the fact that I will at least still get to shop...not pink and girly, which is all I know, but blue and boyish. (Whatever that is!) :)
Nathan is "sort of excited" (as he says) that it's a boy. He's looking forward to not so much PINK, I think. He has decided that HE should be the one who names this boy since (he claims!) I named all the girls. He is pretty set on the name Noah Graham. At first I didn't really like it at all but the name Noah is growing on me. Every time I hear it I think of the "Noah" in the book & movie The Notebook, and boy wasn't he dreamy?! McDreamy and a little McSteamy too! :)
Okay, enough about baby stuff...
Christmas this year was great! For the first time since we moved to Florida, we were able to have Santa and our family Christmas here at our house. The girls were excited that Santa came to their house, even though he had to come just a few days earlier than the normal Christmas morning. It worked out well that way. We were able to have Santa and open gifts with each other and were still able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Meme & Nana. The girls got way too many new things, as usual. It's hard not to overdo it this time of year. And I justify it to myself in that during the year, other than birthdays, I don't buy them toys and things, just clothes/shoes as needed. (and sometimes MORE than needed...)
I actually saw the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve this year. First time in a few years, I think, that I've actually been able to stay awake for it. I was fast asleep ten minutes later however. But hey, I made it! I didn't make any resolutions this year. I figure, I'm barely keeping my head above water so to speak as it is, Its probably best to just stick with getting through each day, getting my housework and childwork done. I think by the end of the day if everyone is fed, clothed in clean clothes, has a relatively clean place to live and are somewhat happy, I'm doing good. And adding something new to my "to-do" list or "to-be" list is just asking for a meltdown!
A quick update on the kids...
Taylor is growing up SO fast! She just turned 8 about a month ago. She is still doing well in school and enjoys it. We are hoping to get her started back in piano soon. Nathan's aunt is giving us her piano and we're really excited about that! Now if Nathan can just figure out a way to get it here to our house and unloaded. We didn't know how heavy pianos are! I'm hoping we'll have it here soon so that Taylor can get back into it. Taylor continues to be a huge help to me with her sisters. Or at least with Addison. She takes really good care of her when I need her to. And she is also a big help with housework too...a lot of times without even having to be asked, she'll just go get the broom and start sweeping the kitchen or dusting. The night before her birthday I had decided that the ends of her hair really needed to be trimmed. So after her shower I got ready to trim it. She has been asking for a while to have her hair cut up to her shoulders, which would've been about 4 inches or more off of it and I didn't want her cutting it. On this night, she played on my soft side and told me that for her birthday she really wanted to look pretty and would I pleeeeeease cut it up to her shoulders. So, I cut off about 3 1/2 inches, I was too afraid to do more. It was just below her shoulders. And it did look really cute. I was nervous about it but really liked it that length once it was done. She was thrilled with it. Naturally, only being fair, I had to cut Emma's a little bit too-what little bit she has. She loved hers too. We'd never seen so much prissing around and swinging of hair as was done that night!
Emma too is growing up fast! She'll turn 5 in a couple weeks. She is still a tiny little energetic thing with a huge imagination. She is hilarious. She makes us laugh, and scratch our heads in wonderment, every day. She absolutely LOVES school and hates holidays when she has to be out of school. She is learning so quickly too. She has started reading already and can add small numbers too. She can write and tell you how to write numbers all the way up to 100. She can also tell time on a digital clock. All of these things she has learned without my help, and MUCH to my surprise! Especially the telling time thing...one day she came into the kitchen where I was and said really sassy like "MOM! It's 5:28, when is supper going to be ready?!" I glanced at the clock and it was 5:28. Another day, she had asked me to show her how to do math. So I gave her some basic addition problems and showed her how to do them by drawing dots & counting them. I did the first one for her and then left her with it. When I came back, she had added all of the problems correctly without using any dots or making any other marks than the answer. She told me she just used her fingers to count them up instead of drawing those dots. She still very much lives in her own little world and hardly notices what's going on outside of her world. She is oblivious to things (outside of Emmaville) most of the time.
Addison turned a year old on Oct. 30th. It's so hard to believe she is already a year old! It doesn't seem possible. She is walking and going all over the place. She got a new wagon that has seats in it for Christmas and she loves it. She will sit in that wagon, in the living room or her bedroom, with her books or toys for half an hour or longer! It's GREAT! :) She is really sweet most of time. She can't say much...Mama, Gah-Gah (for Dada), Bye-Bye, and Buh (for book or bird or anything else that begins with B). She can be a little feisty at times and has developed quite a temper. And she has learned how to take out her anger on her sisters, if they're the source of it, by slapping at their faces or pulling their hair. She is VERY dramatic! Even more so than the other two girls, if you can believe that! When Nathan or I have to tell her no or get on to her for something, she opens her mouth so wide and just cries and cries! And sometimes she'll fall down into the floor like she's hurt and lay there and cry. It's funny to us now but won't be for long I'm sure. She is still a good sleeper and goes to sleep on her own every night. She goes to bed at 8:00 when the other two do and doesn't get up until around 7:00 or 7:30. We've been very fortunate in that area!
It's been really cold here in Oklahoma for the last couple of months. And I mean REALLY cold. We got about 4 or 5 inches of snow here on Christmas Eve. We had already left town before it started but when we got home were pleasantly surprised that it was all still on the ground. Emma and Addison had never seen snow before. Taylor and Emma played in it for two days and loved it. It still hasn't all melted yet. Our entire front yard is still completely covered and hasn't melted hardly at all. The back yard is about half covered. Tonight we are expecting to get more snow and are supposed to have bitterly cold temps from tomorrow through the weekend. The low on Friday morning is 1 degree! THAT'S ONE DEGREE! It would be kind of nice is they'd cancel school for Thursday and Friday since it is going to be so very cold that way we wouldn't have to get out in it. Wait a minute....what am I saying?!!
Okay, that's enough for today...until next time, which I have no idea when that will be but maybe tomorrow so that I can tell you we're having a girl! ...or for sure that it's a boy...stay warm! :)
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Perspectives of a Drama Mama by Julie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.