Things I learned in 2012

I'm trying to think of life as a big lesson to be learned. 

Like God is constantly refining me...

like I am under construction.

Hence, the name of this blog.

Anyways....  here's a list of lessons I've learned over the past year:

• VO5 Styling Creme when applied liberally to wet hair (especially in front) will make my hair look like a greasy mess....even though I washed it less than an hour prior.  Using this product again is ill-advised.

• I can count to 28 (well, 32) proficiently.  However, sometimes God counts better.

• I can survive heartbreak.  And it's ok for me to occasionally get a wee bit weepy about it still.

• Before spraying "hairspray" on my hair- after taking the time to curl it all perfectly- it is helpful to read the bottle of "straight smooth hair serum" before using it as hairspray.  Failure to do so will result in very very flat hair.

• Knuckles and cheese graters don't mix.

• I can get into this whole "girl thing."  And I can enjoy it.  :)

• Forgiveness is something we need to do because God commands us to.  Regardless of whether they ask for it or not.

• Apologizing is a sign of maturity, integrity, and good character. 

• Sometimes you just need to let go of old friendships to make room for new ones.  Being sad makes you human, moving on makes you wonderful.

• It is possible to survive natural childbirth - regardless of whether it was in my birth plan or not.

• The United States of America has chosen that they would rather have socialist policies rather than personal liberties.  I need to learn how to deal with that.

• I have not been told "I want what you have" since we started building the new side of the house.  Funny...everyone wanted what we had when we lived in a little sh*thole of a house, and didn't care what other people thought of it.  Apparently, contentment should be the new American dream.

• Some people are part of the problem, others are part of the solution.  It's important to figure out who is in which category quickly.

• Respect needs to be earned.

• Sometimes (oftentimes) the amount of generosity from others will still astound me.

• Politicians lie.

• There is spiritual warfare going on right now.  And if you're someone I love, be prepared to hear about how much God loves you - regardless of whether you want to hear it or not.  The fact of the matter is, if I love you, I want to see you in Heaven.  It would be more rude and hateful for me NOT to tell you about God's love for you.

• Shellac manicures make me feel pretty.

• Parts of my personality (ooohhhh, like my out-spoken-ness) often considered my worst trait can be something that others love about me.  I love those people.

• I am blessed.

Thursday, Tursday.....Ramblings

1.  I missed my Tuesday Ten because, well....yesterday was Christmas.  Dave would say something like "no excuses," but really....I totally forgot that yesterday was Tuesday.  Today actually feels like a Monday.  But, I digress....

Note:  This post has been three days coming.  I started it on Wednesday...then came back to it yesterday (and changed the name), then working on it again today.  But I'm not changing the name.  Call me lazy...or honest...or whatever. 


2.  We had a FANTASTIC Christmas.  On the 23rd, we celebrated with D's family.  Breakfast for dinner meant pajamas for attire.  The boys loved it, and I enjoyed being comfortable.  (Note: Dave and I did not show up in our regular pj's....as a public service.  But yoga pants and sweats were just as nice.)  We all got to meet our new nephew, Finn.  He is 4 weeks older than Baby L....and about 10 pounds heavier.  :)

3.  The picture (below) has great significance.  First, it's the oldest and youngest grandchild on Dave's side.  Second, the outfit that Baby L. is wearing is a hand-me-down from Emily.  This is the outfit that Dave and I picked out as a present for Emily on our second date.  She was a new addition to the family when we first started dating, and he was eager to get her a cute Christmas gift...but was totally inept in a clothing store.  So, we went to Old Navy, and I picked out an outfit (complete with hat and booties to match, but Baby L. is not wearing them here).  Dave followed me around that store like a lost puppy.  He was sooooo cute.  This is also the outfit that clued Dave's sister, Marianne, that I was on the scene.  She knew her brother well enough to know that only a woman would accessorize.  :)

Full circle?  Yes, I think so.  :)



4.  Last Friday, we had another ER visit.  One cough from C. on the monitor was all Dave and I needed to JUMP into action.  11:30pm...we were both already sawing logs....I heard one bark and yelled, "DAVE!"  I ran to get C, he started the nebulizer.  Ten minutes into the treatment, his ribs were still retracting and nostrils flaring...he still wasn't talking...so, to the ER we all went.  This is officially our sixth ER visit with C...and the first time I've ever been able to see and talk to a respiratory therapist.  Good news:  this is the type of asthma he should outgrow.  Bad news:  not until he's 11 or 12.  Sigh.  Can I just say how much I HATE it when my boy can't breathe?!?!?  Enough to warrant the use of the word "hate."  Gr.  We have an appointment scheduled with the Dr. to talk about preventative measures with medicines.  In addition, Dave and I spent the entire day on the 24th de-allergy-ing the boys' room.  This includes stripping their beds down to one blanket and ONE stuffed animal.  Tears were shed...but they recovered quickly.  If this means my babe can breathe better....I'm all about it.


5. Due to the early Christmas celebration with D's family, we had the evening of the 24th off.  So, we made our way to church.  I embraced the whole girl-thing and put Baby L. in a special occasion dress complete with tights and mary jane type shoes.  Yep...I think I could get used to that.  :)  It's also the first time D. eldered at church where I had all three kids to myself.  We all survived, without tears- by them or by me.  So, I think I did ok #thankyouverymuch.  I must say that I LOVED worshipping on Christmas Eve.  In the past, our celebration schedule never really fit into the church schedule...(which, honestly, is the opposite of what it should be, right?).  I loved the carols, I loved the packed pews, I loved the message, I loved the warmth in the sanctuary.  Perhaps we'll need to make the family celebrations accommodate church going forward.

6.  We went to my parent's house on Christmas afternoon/evening.  King crab legs and prime rib.  My most favorite meal ever.  A. was the first one done eating, and then waited (impatiently) for the rest of us to finish so we could open presents.  This is where I had to tell him the story about my childhood where we could only open our gift from Santa and our stocking while my dad worked all the live long day.  THEN we had to wait for grandma's to arrive...THEN we had to wait until everyone was finished eating dinner...yes...this story officially made me an old-lady.  (A, when I was your age....[insert tale of woe here.]).  Sigh.

6.  C. was everybody's helper in opening gifts.  I don't think my dad opened one of his gift's himself.  C. was so happy to help.  It was sweet.

7.  The following picture is so sweet.  My mom and her only granddaughter.  :)  Love this pic!

8.  I have a baby that doesn't want to nap for more than 20 minutes.  This is terribly frustrating.  I'm not getting much done.

9.  I had all these grand plans to be "the awesome mom" during Christmas break.  I even purchased SCRIP (gift certificates) for movies and a few restaurants as surprises for the boys.  I lined up play dates on top of play dates.  I had big plans, I tell ya.  Then...a few play dates fizzled out...C. had an asthma attack....the brakes on my van broke (which are being fixed right now)...and a few friends got sick.  So, we're hunkered down until NYE.  My "the awesome mom" thoughts have given way to sock sorting, medical bill negotiations, and flu shot appointments.  How's that for a 360 degree turn?!?! 

10.  The following pictures is one of my favorites from Christmas Day.  Present carnage on the floor, cashed out baby on my lap.  See that baby acne on her face?!?!?  We'd avoided it for soooo long only to be hit HARD by it now.  Any ideas on how to fix it?

From our house to yours....

Merry Christmas!!!

Wednesday Ramblings

• I'm home tonight.  Trying to beat this cold I've got going on.  A. has his Christmas service tonight for school.  I'm missing it.  However, I've left strict instructions with the husby on recording it for me.  AND, there's a sweet fellow mom there who is sending me media pics of A. all spiffed up in his suit.  (Which he picked out for tonight- much to my chagrin...I had to iron.).

• Due to my state of snottiness...I'm really glad I made the treats for MOPS, neighbors and teachers earlier in the week- before I was contaminated.

• I've heard that the stomach flu is going around our school.  Again.  Oh joy.  Where is that bubble for my family?!?!?

• It needs to be said:  It cost us $800 to have A. in hospital bills.  $5000 to have C.  And now we're estimating that our bills for baby L. will come dangerously close to $10,000.  Why?  Obamacare.  ZERO for profit insurance companies now carry maternity coverage.  This is because the Obamacare legislation is mandating they cover so many other things, but not maternity.  So, they all dropped it.  Those of us who are self-employed have to either private pay the whole lot or go on the doles (Medicaid).  We are not dole-type people.  So....we start paying.

• I am ready for Christmas.  But I need to get over this cold- so I don't get everyone else sick...and I can hold my new nephew Finn!

• I'm sitting in front of a half-folded MOUNTAIN of laundry.  I have no ambitions to fold it tonight. Zero.  And I'm ok with that.

• My dear friend, Melody, and her family are preparing to spend the holidays in Latvia helping at a day center there.  Please join me in praying for safe travels and for lots of sharing of God's love!

• That's all I have for tonight.  I'm going to go sneeze in bed.  :)

Truth

We can all ask

Why?

But, really...there is no answer to this question.


People want to know if he was mentally ill.

The answer to this is a resounding YES. 

No one in their right mind would do this.





People have asked me how I'm handling this with my boys.

They are nine and five.




My answer?

I am telling them the truth.

I'm not concealing it from them.

Yes, I am tayloring my conversations to what I know they can handle.

However, I want them to hear it from me first.

I want them to know that I will always tell them the truth.

That they can trust me and their father.

That, no matter what they're feeling, they can work it out with us.

I don't want them to hear it from friends and wonder

 "why did they hide this from me?"

And I want to direct their attention to something positive in all this madness.

Mr. Roger's mother once told him to "watch for helpers."

Yes, there was one evil person, but there are MANY helpers.

Helpers God put there to help everyone and show His love.

In the midst of darkness, there is Light.

I'm choosing to focus my eyes on that Light.


Light will always overcome darkness.

That is the Truth I'm choosing to focus on.

5QF

I have Chex Mix baking in my oven.

'nuf said.

1. If you bake during the holidays, what is your favorite thing to make?

Chex Mix.  The house smells so buttery and good.  Mmmmm.

I'd make these raspberry merange thingy's....but my mom makes those, so I don't have to.  But they are SOOOOO good!

2. Present giving: Gift bag vs wrapped box?

I like wrapped boxes.  Gift bags are cool for showers and such, but I always like to package things up neatly.  It just feels more Christmas-y to me.

3. What do you keep your thermostat on during the winter/summer in your house?

I want to say 64 winter and 76 in summer...I think.  I can't really remember for certain. 

4. When thinking of your "Christmas to-do list" what percentage "done" are you?

Shopping is done, crafting is at 40%, wrapping is a 20%, shipping is at 0%, cards are at 50%.

5. Do you do the "Elf on a Shelf"? If so, is your Elf naughty and what shenanigans has he gotten into?

No.  That thing gives me the creeps.


This is also where I could get on a little soap box and talk about how the kids have to be good because the Elf sees all, and he'll report to Santa if they've been bad or good....and I could talk about how the kiddos should want to be good all the time because that's what God would want....and I could talk about Santa not being real, etc. etc. etc....but I won't.  :)

12/12/03-12/12/12

Nine years ago, I received the best title ever:  Mom.

I can't believe it's been NINE years!

How quickly life goes by...

in a blink we went from the picture above

to this:

 (below)

Happy Birthday to my sweet, caring, sensitive, sports fanatic boy.

So glad God gave me you.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for you.  :)

Tuesday Ten

1.  I'm hoping I actually get to 10- I kept baby L. up way to late last night, and she was a nightmare getting to sleep.  HOWEVER, once she did get to sleep (10:30 instead of 8), she slept straight through until 5:30 (instead of waking up at her usual 2am).  Awesomeness....HOWEVER, she's being a beast for naps this morning.

2.  Tomorrow is A's birthday.  Yep, 12-12-12 will be his 9th birthday.  I'm knee deep in reindeer cookies.  Although his class size is small at school, he wants to bring treats to Cadets tomorrow night.  For 50 kids.  Seriously.

3.  I had to laugh at myself this morning.  What I THOUGHT was hair spray in an aerosol can (and have been using as such for 1 year!) is actually a sleek/straight/smooth serum.  So, I'd spend an hour (ok...20 minutes) curling my hair and spray that baby up only to have it fall flat before I got to my destination.  I've been like "what is UP with my hair?!?!?  it won't hold a curl!!!"  Oh yeah....READ THE CAN!

4.  I picked up our Christmas cards at Costco yesterday.  And the dude forgot to give me envelopes.  So, now I get to run back to Costco today.  Have I ever mentioned how inconvenient these little stops are with a newborn?!?!?

5.  This week is our CRAZY Christmas/birthday week.  We have something every night until next week.  Every.single.night.  We started this craziness last weekend.  It's making me tired just thinking about it.  So...a week from today- my Tuesday Ten may look like this:  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

6.  My heart is hurting for some friends of mine.  They are struggling right now.  Everytime I see them, I can see the stress written on their faces.  These are people I cherish.  Will you please keep them in your prayers?

7.  Ally has another ear infection.  And I need to get her some heart worm pills.  Pet Meds.com here I come!

8.  I am within reach of my pre-baby weight.  Like one good low carb week away from pre-baby weight.  (which won't happen until after Christmas- just being honest here!).  But, the wonderful gift of childbirth has reformulated where everything gets distributed.  So, clothes are ill-fitting and not comfy at all.  This is frustrating.

9.  My postaprtum check up went well last week.  Car door to car door was 24 minutes.  I love that OB.  Even though he has the personality of a neurologist, he's thorough and fast.  I dig that.  Funny:  there's a paper filled out for every complication in childbirth.  The nurse was going over my chart and kept saying "oh my!" every time she turned the page and read about the complications we had.  She said "oh my" four times.  SOOOOOO glad we're on the other side of that!!!

10.  We FINALLY have pictures hanging on the walls in our rooms!  I have some walls to decorate in our room, but baby L's nursery is FINALLY all done!  Whoot!  Pictures to come later.  :)

Mt first post partum 5QF!

Can you believe that baby L. is already 6 weeks old?  Fastest (and yet, slowest) 6 weeks ever! 

You know what that means, though?  Yep....6 week post partum check up for me. 


Oh.joy.



Ugh.

But, then I'm done with "all that" for an entire year.

Baby L. had about 4 nights where she was sleeping 8 hours a night.  Then, 2 nights ago, it abruptly came to an end.  I'm thinking that she wasn't getting enough calories during the day to give her enough all night- because she's CHUGGING during the late night feed. 

I know eventually I will sleep well again.  I know this.  So....I'm going to be patient while she grows.  She's such a little peanut!

Ok...questions:


1. How many times have you moved and do you have any tips?


I moved from my parent's house into my husband's house when we got married.  And then from our old house into the Love Shack.  (and a few times within the Love Shack when we built....but I don't think that counts). 

I really have no tips.  Other than to get rid of a lot of your crap BEFORE packing it.  I'm still uncovering boxes (YES- 7 YEARS LATER!!!)  and thinking "why the heck did I keep that?!?!".

PURGE!!!


2. Do you have a budget for the holidays, or just keep sliding the credit card and have a heart attack in Jan?

For those that know me, this answer will not come as any surprise.

BUDGET BABY!!!!

No heart attacks in Jan.

Oh...and guess what our budget for the ENTIRE Christmas season is?!?!?!

$400

Yep.  That's it.

Including Christmas cards.

Not only do we have an arseload of medical bills coming in to worry about, but D and I have always felt that the commercialism of the holiday really ruins the real meaning behind it all.  And commercialism really drives us nuts any other day of the year, so why make an exception for Christmas?!?!?

That said, my love language is gift giving.  I do enjoy gifting people I love and care about.  I'm also figuring out that it's in my boys' love language as well.  So, we do gift give to family members and friends...but within the budget.  Or with homemade gifts.  The boys get a stocking and 2 presents from us- and that's more than enough, we think.

(This is where I could tell you about D going all "crazy daddy", but I don't have his permission yet...so I'll just wait on that one).


3. What is the one medical thing you avoid like the plague?

UGH...the DENTIST!  GAH!  Makes me want to puke just thinking of it.

I loathe the dentist.

Dental appointments bring out the horrible side of me.  I get very mean to them.  I hate hate hate going.

Yeah....it's a bad aversion.

I need to make an appointment, though.  I'm about a year overdue.  Grrrrrr.



4. What your least favorite Christmas song?

Feliz Navidad.

Only my mom will get why this song really wants me to jab ice picks in my ear drums...but there's a reason behind it.

Long story made really short:

Grandma
back seat of mini-van
5 hour trip to Wisconsin
she sang it over. and over. and over. and over.
and she smelled of blue hair.


5. This Christmas are you spending more, less or about the same? Why?

We've had the same Christmas budget for the past 3 years now.  Again...I hate that commercialism is so tied into this holiday.  Let's get back to grass roots, baby!

Top Ten. Lots of pictures

I cannot guarantee that I will make it on my computer tomorrow...so I'm posting a Tuesday Ten on Monday night.  Cause I'm kinda a rebel that way.

And thanks, Mama M. for the idea to get around Bloggers nasty photo space constraints by using my Flikr stream!  I may just abandon blogger all together if this continues...but for now, while I weigh options, this shall do.  :)

Here's some pics:


1.  This is one of my favorite pics of baby L.  I took this in hope that it would be in the birth announcement, but if you look closely, she is actually a tad out of focus, and the blanket it in focus.  Grrrr.  It's still a sweet shot, though.  (And, the birth announcements turned out SWEET thanks to a fantastic graphic designer, Michelle).




2.  Poppa Hoppa and grandma Hoppa came over to celebrate D's birthday (which was actually Thanksgiving day, but we were with my family that day, so we got to do 2 celebrations!).  I love the look on my father-in-law's face here.  Sheer bliss and adoration.  What a sweet moment for Baby L. to look back on.


3.  A. loves to hold Baby L.  He is a doting big brother, and loves being a part of her life.  He doesn't even get rattled when she's fussy.  Big brother awesomeness.  :)




4.  Thanksgiving Day.  Sweet potato casserole.  This is my favorite dish of all time.  I seriously think I could eat it every day and be totally content.  My mom kinda torched the marshmallows.  She wanted to pull them off and redo it, but we started scooping before she could (in an effort to let her know we didn't care about some charcoal).  It was still really really good.  Crispy and good.  Mmmmmm.  Now I want some sweet potato casserole.





5.  Another cute shot that made it into the birth announcement.  I love her face here...it makes me smile. :)




6.  Go Blue.




7.  Another sweet Grandpa picture.  This is my dad on Thanksgiving Day with his "mouse." 
( His nickname for his only granddaughter).  Again....look at the love on his face!  GAH!  I love grandpas.  :)




8.  Hunting weekend.  I FINALLY made it to see my "grandparents" (sometimes water IS thicker than blood- this is one of those times).  So, baby L. FINALLY got to meet her great grandparents.  I hadn't seen them in almost a year- since pregnancy and nursing home smells DON'T mix for me.  They had changed so much, but were the same old souls that I love and adore so much.  Grandma was LOVING the chance to hold L, but quickly gave her up- since L was REALLY fussy. 





9.  Thanksgiving morning.  D. taught our boys and the neighbor kid how to play Capture the Flag.  C. decided to "dress up" for the part by wearing karate pants, Batman mask and dog tags. 

Hard core, C., hard core.




10.  One of my favorite shots of my THREE kids.  Seriously...I have THREE kids!  (sometimes it's hard for even me to believe).  And again, Go Blue!

A post of malarky

This is a random post to end all random posts.  Because I feel as though I should post something...it has been almost a week since my last post.

• I had all these awesome pictures to share with you, but apparently, blogger says I'm out of space.  Which is funny- because when I click on "add more space," it says I'm only using 77% of available space.  Hmmmmm....  And, no, I'm not going to spend money for more space.  So, until I figure out a way around it- no pictures, you will get.

• I had an awesome Thanksgiving.  Almost everything at the table was gf, and I had a FANTASTIC and desperately needed looooooooooong nap afterward.

• No, Baby L does not sleep great.  Yes, I am tired.  And I'm still working.  And I have two other kids to take care of and love on.  And I am overextended.  But, I'm working on that.

• Thanks to cyber Monday, I have a nice dent in my Christmas shopping done.  I'm hoping to put a bigger dent in that very soon.

• There is a horrible stomach bug going around my basic geographic area.  I'm freaked out by it.  I think it should be illegal for people (entire households, really) with newborns to get a stomach bug....or any bug for that matter.  Isn't having a newborn enough?!?!?

• We are having our family pictures taken this weekend.  I'm excited to see my friend, Stephenie, again...but also looking forward to getting some updated family pics now that Baby L is in the picture.  (Yes, pun totally intended :)

• I know that there are certain people in this world that think breastfeeding is the ONLY way to go with infants.  And there are some people who try to help and offer pointers.  Believe me, I have called THREE different lactation consultants....I have pumped, I have taken herbal supplements (which, turns out I am allergic to!!!), I have nursed her every hour, I have had a beer, I have sat under a hot shower....yep....I'm doing it.  And I'm still not making enough milk to support my little baby girl.  So, I'm supplementing.  Some judgers are just going to have to get over it.

• I have three thank you notes to write before I'm done with thank you notes from L's birth.  Three.  You'd think I could sit and just write them out, eh?  Nope....I'm procrastinating.  For what reason, I don't know.  Slackers unite!

• I'm desperate to get baby L. on a schedule!  I hate never knowing what the day will bring, and when I can run errands, chill out, or take a nap.  I need schedules.  Unfortunately, with an itty bitty baby....there are no predictable time tables- yet.

• Funny story:  I called today to get a refill on C's Albuterol Nebulizer prescription.  The nurse called back and stated that there is NO record of C having a nebulizer prescribed in his chart (which he has had since 18 months old, and has had at least 2 refills prescribed to him by his Dr.- as well as 3 ER visits all with MORE albuterol prescriptions).  So....it's going to take 2 business days to get our refill- since it's not in his chart.  HOWEVER, while I was on the phone, the friendly little nurse reminded me that C was due for an asthma checkup.  Ummmm, wha?  You have him due for an asthma check up because it's severe enough to be seen often in the office, BUT they have NO RECORD of the medicine we use to treat his asthma?!?!?!  Seriously? 

• Anyway, here's your random post.  I'm off to bed.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

And if you see my husband today, be sure to also wish him a very Happy Birthday!


Happy Thanksgiving to you!!!

Ten on Tuesday- Thanksgiving week

1.  C. is sick now.  A. brought a cold into the house, and Dave and I have been waiting for it to get passed.  A. started getting better, and we *thought* we were home free....then C. starts coughing...and wheezing...and ugh.  Thankfully, Dave had really tuned ears the other night and heard the start of an asthma attack over the monitor.  He grabbed C and we got some neb treatments and steam room time before it got too bad.  (After getting our $1300 bill for C's last asthma/ croup attack, we were grateful we didn't have to call 911 or go to the ER again!!!).  Thankfully, he had a good night last night, and we'll be moving him back up to his own bed tonight.  :)

2.  Unfortunately, Baby L. is now stuffy, and refuses to sleep on her back.  Well, she'll sleep, but then she chokes on her snot.  So, I'm either holding her, or she's in her car seat propped up.  Ugh...I hate cold and flu season.

3.  I have ZERO plans for going Christmas shopping this weekend.

4.  I have ZERO Christmas presents purchased.  I have NO IDEA when I'll be able to go shopping.  Most days, I'm just happy to get a shower.

5.  Do you think my Dr. will notice if I choose not to make a post partum appointment?  I just really don't want anyone fiddling around "down there."  It makes me ornery to think about.  I know, I know....given the horrible birthing experience, I know I need to go get checked out.  Thankfully, the Dr. that delivered Baby L also delivered C.  My post partum appointment with him was 18 minutes.  That's EIGHTEEN minutes from the time I got out of my car to the time I got back in my car.  Fastest check up ever.  At least there's that.

6.  Dave and I have a quickly filling calendar for this month and next.  Seriously....it's getting jammed.  I just realized that I haven't set any time aside for celebrating A's birthday.  Mom guilt:  it's a b*tch.

7.  I'm swearing.  Or implying swear words.  This is indicative that I need a nap.  Desperately.

8.  I got a hair cut.  I went to a new place since my regular lady is now at a salon I refuse to go to.  I'm usually a crab when other people besides my regular lady touches my hair...but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, and now have about 4" less of hair.

9.  I still cannot find half of my before-pregnancy clothes.  I have no idea where to look now.  But I know I'm missing at least 5 pairs of jeans and all (except for 4) of my everyday shirts.  I'm frustrated by this.

10.  Weigh in over the weekend!  I have 7 pounds left before I'm at pre-pregnancy weight!  Whoot!

5QF

Happy Friday to everyone!

Happy husband-free weekend to you deer-hunter widows.  Yep...I'm one of them.  Perhaps I get wife of the year award for being so fine with my husband leaving me at less than 3 weeks post partum?!?!?  Or...perhaps I just get a diaper full of sh*t.  Either way, I'm hoping my main man has a nice relaxing weekend and comes home well rested and rejuvenated.  Really, I'm ok with single parenting it for a few days.  Dave only takes time for himself once a year, and this weekend is it.  So, I'm glad he was still planning on going.

Plus, I have an awesome mom who is willing to help her daughter out for the weekend!  So, I won't be alone.


In a late night/ early morning epiphany, I realized that I am horribly over-extended.  I have too many balls in the air, and I lay awake trying to figure out how not to drop any of them. 

And my conclusion to this problem?

Drop them.

Yep...I'm letting balls drop.

I'm giving up a few things in order to make room for other things that need my attention/ are less time consuming.

The fact that I'm still working and I have a newborn isn't helping my stress level....but hopefully after a weekend of work-focused time, I will be able to turn over some completed audits and unhand some uncompleted audits.  That way I can rest and figure out a schedule with the baby before I head back to work after the first of the year (which is our BUSY season...so I'll be jumping into the fire).

So, anyway...that's my week in a nutshell.  Let's answer some questions:

1.  What snacks/ drinks do you bring to the movies?

I bring my own in.  I'm not about to take out a mortgage on the house just for some popcorn.  So, the boys and I will head to the store and they pick out a box of movie theater candy for $1 (note:  the SAME box in the theater is $ 4.25!!!!).  Then we bring in water bottles for drinks.  Thank goodness for big purses.

Do I feel guilty?  No, no I do not.



2.  What is one food you ever refuse to try?

Lamb Fries.

I cannot stomach knowing that I'd be eating a sheep's you-know-whats fried up.  Nope, not for me.


3.  What is your favorite nail polish color?

Well...I don't know what the colors are called exactly, but I saw this on Pintrest, and I loved it.

Source: Uploaded by user via Sandy on Pinterest

4.  What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

Chillin' with my family.  In a cozy house.  And taking a nap.  :)


5.  What are your least favorite words in the English language? 

I dislike slang words...such as "ain't"...but the word that just grates on me is a derogatory word:

Starts with "C" and ends in "unt."  I hate that word with a passion. 

Hospital Pics

My beautiful friend, Stephenie, came to see me at the hospital.

Stephenie is a photographer.

She brought her camera.

She took some pictures.

She's awesome.

Love.

10 on Tuesday

1.  My phone died.  An awful death.  And I promise I didn't drop it.  However, I just finished a painful 24 hours without a phone...and I had to give my phone up without transferring contacts.  So, now I have a new phone...but no contacts.  So, if we text- and you have me in your contacts, please shoot me a text with your name in it so I can save your number.  Please and thank you.

2.  I'm slowly figuring out foods that baby L. doesn't agree with.  One of them is chocolate.  How is this my daughter?!?!?!?

3.  She is also not a real fan of the swing.  But loves the bouncy seat.  She is the exact opposite of her brothers.

4.  She loves music - just like C.

5.  I still need a haircut.

6.  I am seeing a TON of housekeeping things that need to be done in our house....but lack the time and give-a-darn to do them.  :)  Why aren't housekeepers free?

7.  My new phone has a few newer features that my old phone didn't have.  Is it sad that I'm so excited about being able to change the font on my texts?  Yes, yes it is.

8.  I had a HUGE master list of all the gifts we've received over the past 2 1/2 months.  I was going to use this list to write thank you notes from.  Whaddya know- when I finally go to write them, the list is gone.  So far, I think I'm doing a pretty good job at remembering who I need to write a note to.  Even with baby brain!

9.  My poor dog is in desperate need of attention.  She's eating my blankets in the living room. Yes, eating.  Big holes.

10.  I (heart) nap time.  :)

Counting Blessings 136-145

136.  For a baby that woke up once last night....at 3:30am....after sleeping for 6 hours straight.

137.  For the loss of our power yesterday (all darn day!) because it gave me the ability to catch up on some long-long-overdue thank you notes.

138.  Candlelight dinners.  Although, soup by candlelight is a tad messy.

139.  Red Starburst.

140.  For healing.  Over 2 weeks post partum, and I'm starting to feel a tad more like myself again.  Hooray!

141.  For weight gain.  Not for me...for baby L.  At her 2 week weight check, she has surpassed her birth weight, and is almost out of her Newborn sized clothing.  Hooray for healthy babies!

142.  For fun packages that arrive on my doorstep.  Apparently, girl clothes are fun to buy.  :)

143.  For 3M Command Strips.  Makes decorating the bedrooms (i.e. nursery) easier than bugging my husband all day to put holes in the walls. (pictures coming soon!)

144.  For fitting into my black church pants- when I was 3" away from buttoning them last week!  Happy Dance!!!

145.  For my husband who still volunteers to bring the boys to school in the mornings.  Love him.

Ten on Tursday (because I missed Tuesday, and the "h" sounds funny)

1.  I've received a text from a worried friend that I haven't posted in a while....wondering if we were ok.  We're all ok.  I'm just chest deep in the land of the sleep deprived/trying to figure out a schedule with busy life/ just surviving.  The blog has fallen lower on the priority list.  Which is sad, because this is my creative outlet.  I'm hoping to get back on the horse sooner than later. 

2.  Baby L. has sporadic nights where she'll sleep 7-8 hours straight.  I love those nights for purely selfish reasons...but knowing that she's such a little peanut worries me that I should wake her and fill her little belly.  Am I just being a worried mom- and should not look a gift-horse in the mouth?  Not sure.  She has a weight check on Friday...I guess that will be my answer.

3.  I'm embracing this whole "pink" thing.  And I must admit, I'm loving it!

4.  I'm wearing pre-pregnancy jeans today!  HAPPY DAY!  (To be honest, they were fat jeans before...but whatev.)  No elastic is NO ELASTIC.

5.  I need a hair cut.

6.  I need to start Christmas shopping.

7.  L. is crying, so all you get is seven. 

Happy Halloween!

From Mommy's Little Pumpkin:

From my brood:

From my girlie little dinosaur:

From my Incredible kid:

And from my Heisman winner:

The big announcement- SHE'S HERE!!

Well, baby girl is here!  All my bemoaning about still being pregnant is now a thing of the past.

She's here!

Most of you who know us personally already know there was some drama associated with her birth.  Many of you are asking for all the details....so I thought I'd blog about it, and if I remember any other details, I can come back and update as memory serves (which I'm not holding as likely).  But this way, you're all in the know....if you want to be.

Wednesday night I actually had come contractions.  Around 7pm, they came on fast- 11 minutes apart.  All in front.  I'd been a back-labor girl up until this point in my life, so I was actually wondering if it was the real thing.  Anyway, I started walking around the house, squatting here and there to move her down a bit. Then, at 9pm....they just stopped.  Nada.  So, I went to bed at 10...but couldn't sleep.

Again, at 2am they started again.  This time 13 minutes apart.  This continued until 4am...and again- stopped.  Like I could sleep after that.

Thursday went along like any other day- I fit in a 45 minute nap since I didn't sleep a wink the night before.  I was exhausted.

I was supposed to call the Dr. on Thursday to set up induction on Saturday morning.  When I called, I asked the nurse if I could be in early labor, and if I needed to even worry about induction.  Once going through my list of symptoms, she decided I needed to be seen (of course).  So, I went in, he checked me...Wednesday's antics pushed me from a 3 to a 3.5.  He tried to strip more of my membranes, but since she was still so high, he didn't get far.  He set up an induction plan for Saturday morning and wished me luck.

We ate dinner- I had left over eggplant Parmesan.  It was soooo good.  Shortly after that, cramps started up again.  My MOPS consignment sale pre-shop was literally up the road, so I went for a walk.  By the time I walked up the hill home, I know that my cramps were turning "productive."  So, I gave Dave the "head's up" and started making sure everything was set for the next day- boys lunches packed, my bag packed, etc.

By 10:30, we called Matt to come over and stay with the boys.  I finished packing.  We were at the hospital by 11:15, admitted at 5cm by 11:30.

It was a BUSY night.  I got the last triage curtain, and I got the last L&D room- and that was only because my nurse ROCKED and rushed me through admitting so I could get it before the next incoming laborer.  (Who was waiting in the hallway!)

Knowing it was busy, I requested an epidural right away.  I didn't want anything standing between me and the land of relaxation.  I was tired already from not sleeping the night before....I was REALLY looking forward to that nap.

By 12:30, I was 6cm, my blood work had been completed, and the epidural ordered.

1am, Dr. H. came in to do my epidural.  I was so happy to see him.    Once I felt that catheter go in, I started counting down the contractions until my nap:   4.........3..........2.............1.......

He gave me an original bolus to get everything going, and then hooked up the pump.  He hung around for 5 minutes, until I smiled at him and thanked him profusely....and he went on his way.

The resident came in and broke my water.  Baby girl was still sitting so high, now that I was comfortable, they wanted to get this show on the road.  I did too!  My baby girl was coming!



Then....about 20 minutes later, my whole world changed.

I started feeling pain.

Cramping at first.....then I felt pain shooting down my left femur.  I tried self-medicating with the "happy button."  I could feel it enter my back (dang, that stuff is COLD), but never received any pain relief.  I alerted my nurse who jumped on paging Dr. H.  He comes in 15 minutes (15 LONG minutes) later and tried another bolus directly into the catheter.

Nothing.

As a matter of fact, the pain is now unbearable, I am shaking up a storm, and starting to cry.

He tried yet another bolus.

Nothing.

And now I can feel everything. 

EVERYTHING.

Oh, the pain!

But now, instead of just the front labor cramping, I now felt her head land directly on my pelvic bone, and the back labor started.

So, labor was front AND back.

And was shooting down both legs.

I was begging for help.

Seriously....begging.

Dr. H came back in, and I literally said yelled, "Dr. H- HELP ME!!!!  PLEASE!!!!!"

The nurse decided to check me....

I was complete.

My body was ready to push.

My pain threshold was not.

The resident said, "Chances are by the time we get you another epidural, you will have had the baby 5 minutes ago...."

I said yelled, "I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS WITHOUT DRUGS!  I'M TOO TIRED!  IT HURTS TOO MUCH!  I HATE THIS!  I WANT DRUGS!"

So, being the people pleaser I am....I started to try to push.  My body took over, really....there was no way I wasn't going to be able to push. 

But at that moment in time, the eggplant Parmesan I ate for dinner was wrecking havoc on my heartburn levels, and I started dry heaving.   I never stopped dry heaving.

This is the point where many things go hazy for me.  My brain checked out.  A few of my friends said I went into shock....I believe that.  I was out.  I do have a few memories, but Dave has really had to piece together the rest.  Here's what I do remember:

The Dr. came in to deliver, and the birthing lights went on.  I BEGGED him for help.  My nurse told him that I hit "exhaustion level" about an hour prior.  She informed him that the baby was posterior, but they couldn't figure out where the fontanel was to turn her the correct way.  They all said I had strong pushes, but she wasn't descending. (darn pelvic bone!)

I started to hyper ventilate between dry heaving and pushing against my will...I cried, "I CAN'T BREATHE!" 

My Dr. calmly said, "If you're talking, your breathing....let's push."

I started to say "I CAN'T DO THIS!"

My Dr. calmly said, "Now, that's not a very positive attitude."

Most of you would probably call him a big jerk for those comments - but God seriously knew the kind of Dr. I needed.  If he had coddled me, I would have totally gone from wreck to overboard. 

This way, I knew I had to suck it up....

At some point, another 5 people entered the room, and they were all talking to me.  I don't remember them entering, and I didn't hear a word they said.  I was dry heaving and pushing...and kind of breathing....and dealing with horrible heartburn.  And a shit-load of pain.


At one point, I stopped, and BEGGED the Dr. to help me get her out.

She wasn't descending.  I was spent.

He asked, "Do you want me to use forceps?"

My response:

"GET HER OUT!!!!!"

Forceps went in, and she was turned.

I grabbed both side rails- my body was shaking so hard that I was afraid I was going to shake off the bed. 


I felt Dave wrap his strong calloused hand around mine and squeeze hard.  He actually squeezed so hard, it hurt me.  But this was the only way he could connect with me...so I let him squeeze. 

It was that moment that could actually FEEL that my husband was praying for me.  I felt his prayer.  If I wasn't in so much pain (and dry heaving), I would have dissolved into a pile of tears.

At that point, the Dr. grabbed my attention with a stern voice and told me that I had to push to deliver her with the next contraction- no matter what.  He said, "Push HARD."

Yeah...you know that "ring of fire?"  I totally thought homeboy had a blowtorch down there.

That's all I remember of that moment.  The blow torch.

At 3:58 am, Baby L. was born.

Dave said they put her on my belly.  I don't remember that. 


They quickly gave him the scissors to cut the cord.

She was purple.

She wasn't moving.

She wasn't breathing.

They whisked her over to the isolette where they started working on her.

The room was quiet.

It took me a minute to realize that there was an absence of cry in the room.

"Why isn't she crying?" I asked.

"She needs some help, they're working on here now."  My Dr. calmly said.

Dave left my side, and stood in the background watching them work on her trying to give me reassuring smiles and nods.

They bagged her, suctioned her....I'm not sure what else. 

Her first apgar score was 3.

It was about 5-8 minutes before I heard my daughter cry.

It was a tired, weak cry...but it was a cry.

I said a prayer of Thanksgiving.

They kept suctioning her for a while and took some vitals- I kept dry heaving.

I told my Dr. I felt like I was about to loose consciousness, and needed some anti-nausea meds.

They were concerned because of the level of blood I was loosing- it was uncontrolled.

And by this time, my heartburn had become the most hideous air-trapped gas pain in my upper abdomen- trapped right under my rib cage.  It was so distended that I looked like I was about to give birth to twins.  Anyone touching my stomach made me gasp, shake and SCREAM.  There was so much pain.

The baby started to pink up- her second apgar score went up to 8.  But she was still having issues regulating her body temperature.  So, no bath for her yet.  They bundled her up and told Dave to hold her close.  I was so weak, I was afraid to hold her.  I thought I was going to drop her.

Dave asked me if I wanted to call our parents, and I declined.  I was exhausted, and wasn't able to hold a conversation.  I could barely understand what he was saying.  So, he called the parents....and I dry heaved.

My hemorrhaging continued for the next 2 1/2 hours.  Their prodding on my stomach continued too.  Oh, the pain!  At that point, the resident came in and decided to stick her hand "up there" and scrape for clots herself.  I cannot describe how badly I wanted to kick her in the face.  (Those of you that know me know I am not a violent person....but it did hurt THAT bad).

My skin tone had turned gray, and the Dr. was legitimately worried about me at that point.  I was given phenergen for the nausea - and probably to shut me up too....cause it did allow me to rest a tad.  But the gas pains were so strong, I couldn't fully relax.

It wasn't until after I got into my postpartum room that a new resident came in and diagnosed me with bad gas and put me on a GI cocktail that I actually had hope of healing fully.  The pain was so great, it broke through Motrin 800, 2 vicodins, and partially broke through IV Dilaudid.  Who knew gas could be THAT painful?!?!!?

Once in the postpartum room, they took the baby to the nursery to warm.  She still wasn't holding her body temp, and her original blood counts were off.  They wanted to check those again as well.  So, they drugged me up, took her away, and Dave went home to shower and change.  My pain levels and subsequent accelerated heart rate and high blood pressure earned me a one-on-one nurse for the afternoon.  Awesome.

Thanks to the IV dilaudid, I was able to get up out of bed late Friday night and walk some laps.  That was marginally helping the gas...so I just kept moving as much as I could.

Baby Girl got a hold of her body temp and regulated it like a champ by the late afternoon.  Her blood sugars held steady, and her ph must have returned to normal, because we didn't hear anything about it since delivery.  She does have a heart murmur - from a hole which normally closes at birth when babies take their first breath, but since there wasn't a first breath, it didn't close.  So, now we watch it and see if it will close on its own - which it should in time.

I sent the baby to the nursery for the night and asked for a good night of sleep.  The nurse promised to only wake me for pain management....which they were keeping a strict regiment of to keep me moving.  I slept so hard that night.

The next day was amazingly better- so much so that I got up, took a full shower, blew my hair dry, and applied make-up.  My day nurse had to double check that I was the same post-partum mom she saw the day before.  She said that the difference was amazing.  The Dr. came in to do rounds, and offered me early release.

Get that!  From dealing with a potential extended stay less than 24 hours later- to early release?  YES!  Prayer works and God is so good!

So, Saturday night, D and I took baby L. home!

So...here she is!

Baby L.

6 lb. 11 oz.

18 inches long.

Both of us are home, recovering.

Hearts are full of love.

God is soo good.

Tuesday Update

• No, I haven't had this baby yet.  She's very happy and content to be in there.  This pisses me off.  I have been cramping for the last week, and trying everything short of castor oil to induce labor....and yet, I show no signs of progressing toward labor.  I do have some dilation and effacing....so there's that....but it's been the same for the past 3 weeks.

• On the plus side, my blood pressure is back down to 108/62.  Happy.

• And on an even nicer side, I have had zero weight gain for the past 3 weeks- even though my swelling is up considerably in my legs - still the scale remains unchanged.  This is my glimmer of happiness at my Dr. visits.

• I have had a sinus headache for the past ohhhhh 34 weeks.  The only thing that relieves the pain is ibuprofen.  I cannot take it right now because it will shut the baby's kidneys down.  I really hate these headaches - and they make me a bit stabby.  One more reason to look forward to baby girl coming out.

• I posted this as my Facebook status yesterday:  "Trust me....when there's something to tell/ announce, we'll let ya know. I promise."  Which solicited snarky comments from my brother and sister-in-law.  Funny....I was the most amused by their comments.  Then my brother called last night to rub more salt in the wound - but I just ended up laughing the entire conversation...and ended it with an " I love you."  He's good for something.  :)

• I hate feeling like I'm being watched all the time.  I know that there are people waiting for baby updates.  While I'm sooo grateful for their care, love, and willingness to help, I can't help but feel like I'm holding everybody up.  I hate that.  It's making me ornery.  I know that copious amounts of pain are in my near future, and I am not a fan of pain.  It's almost like having a root canal on the calendar.  You know that whole day is going to suck...and you're going to be in a LOT of pain...but afterward there will be much celebration and no more pain.  Again....I'm not a fan of pain.  I just want to get that part over and done with.  I want to meet my daughter, and get on with living regular life!!!

• I'm struggling today.  I'm not normally an overly-emotional person, and totally accept responsibility for being crazy-whack hormonal..... If you could keep me in your prayers, I'd appreciate it.  Thanks!

Counting Blessings 121-135

Sunday rolls around again....time for me to get rich.

By counting my blessings.

Instead of sitting here lamenting that I'm still pregnant...and not carrying around a sweet baby....


I'm going to be grateful for:

121.  UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN victory over MSU yesterday!  Woohhoo!  Go Blue!

122.  My Tigers making it to the world series.  :)

123.  Carpeting....new carpeting.

124.  Our new bedroom- with new bedding- that gives everything a fresh "new" feeling. 

125.  A great night of sleep.  (i.e. only waking twice to use the bathroom)

126.  A husband who understands that his wife is just a wee bit too snarky at this stage of pregnancy to be appropriate in church when people ask "No baby yet?" and encourages her to stay home.

127.  Having all my tags printed, pinned and taped for our upcoming MOPS Consignment Sale.  (Although I have no clue how I'll get my items there if I'm in the hospital!  Jump off that bridge when I come to it, right?)

128.  For having the baby's room ready for her.  When she FINALLY decides to arrive.  (well, except for wall hangings...but those will come soon enough).

129.  For a pretty fall day- which will hopefully encourage me to get out and walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

130.  For a fun birthday celebration with my in-laws last night - with great conversation about politics...and a great view of the football game.  :)

131.  For the ability to sew and be crafty.  Which has saved us hundreds in dollars on window treatments.

132.  For gluten free pumpkin donuts.  It's the small things in life, really.

133.  For a husband who remembers to change the laundry from the washer to the dryer when I forget.

134.  For a nice neighbor boy who plays relatively well with both my boys.

135.  For decaf pumpkin spice coffee.  Again....small things.  :)

5QF- 40 weeks today edition

Baby Girl has until the stroke of midnight tonight to be considered "on time."

I have nothing more to say about this.

Let's answer some questions, shall we?

1. Where do you hide junk when people come over?

I usually pile it somewhere.  I'm a pile-er.  Mostly papers, some folders, sometimes other things...but I pile them up, and put them somewhere out of range.  It's usually on the mud-room counter or something.


2. Do political ads help you decide who you are going to vote for?

As far as people to vote for, absolutely not.  I research my candidates, and I stay firm to my morals - no 90 second ad full of fancy talk and empty promises is going to change that. 

Now- if you're talking about proposals....while the ads don't influence my vote (I am a BIG researcher and cause/effect thinker), it does get me thinking about each side of the issue, the reason the proposal is on the ballot in the first place, and what would happen if it passed/ failed.  Which, in turn, just makes me research all the more.


3. What's your favorite holiday party to host?

We really haven't hosted many holiday parties.  When we first moved into the Love Shack, a friend of mine (at the time) was really belittling of our house.  She made many comments about the way it smelled (musty) and how claustrophobic she felt in our house....which made me very self-conscious of having anybody over.  So, we just never hosted.  Anything.  Last year, with the addition in livable condition, we hosted our small group Christmas party- and that was a lot of fun.  Anything Christmas related is a good time.  I guess it's time to get back in the hostessing game, eh?

4. You go to an island with your husband and can only take one personal item. What is it?

My pillow.  I loooooooove my pillow.

5. If you found out your spouse was a Dexter style serial killer (only kills people to save others) would you rat?

I don't really know what a Dexter-style serial killer is....so I really don't feel qualified to answer this question. 

Maybe?

How's that for a political answer.


Happy Weekend, everybody!

GO TIGERS!

Because I was working on a *heavy* post, but it's not ready, and now I'm burnt out and have nothing worth while to say....

Source: someecards.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: someecards.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: someecards.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: humortrain.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Sandy on Pinterest

Source: someecards.com via Sandy on Pinterest

Go TIGERS!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  My boys, the Tigers, play tonight.  My main main, Justin Verlander, is scheduled to be on the mound.  Here's hoping for a victory!

2.  I'm officially 3 days away from my due date.  If this were the boys' pregnancies, I would have delivered both by now.  This is the longest I've ever carried a baby.  I'm ready to be done.  However, my Dr. appointment today showed no signs of progress from the past 2 weeks.  And slightly elevated blood pressure....which could have been attributed to the nasty headache I've been unable to shake all day....but they'll keep an eye on it.

3.  They told me to make an appointment for next Monday.  Fairly confident they'd see me again.  I almost cried.

4.  And I still have a headache. 

5.  You know you're old when:  your body reacts to incoming high/low pressure systems entering your geographic area.

6.  I can't wait to be able to take ibuprofen again!!!  It seems like the only thing that eases headache pain for me.

7.  The painter is officially done in our house- for now.  He came back yesterday to re-hang all the bedroom and closet doors.  On Friday, we'll see carpeting!  Then, we can officially start moving into our two new bedrooms. 

8.  In the meantime, I've got a few crafts to work on (home decor crafts) and cleaning up my work audit inventory.  I'd like to go into labor without overdue audits.

9.  We're at the point when we call people that they're expecting a baby announcement.  Last night, I called my in-laws and they BOTH picked up the phone at the same time.  As soon as I told them it wasn't related to baby at all, my mother-in-law promptly hung up.  I found this humorous.  :)

10.  Today is Boss' Day!  I got to talk to my boss today- which isn't something I normally get to do- since we are both busy with work, and most of the time (at least, with her) no news is good news.  We just chit-chatted and talked about my work plans for after baby and plans for cleaning up my existing inventory.  She's a really nice lady- and I'm happy to be working for a company with some integrity in the management!

Just some pregnancy observations

• The superhuman nesting power only lasts so long.  And then you're left with a super clean house, and no baby.  And then, 12 seconds later, your kids walk in the door and mess it all up.  So, now you have a semi-clean house, no baby, and no energy.

• When you're close to your due date, and you go to church on a Sunday morning, you will have approximately no less than 26 conversations about your upcoming delivery.  (Yeah....I was kinda counting....) These will include, "How are you doing?  Feel like crying yet?"  "Wow....you're OUT there."  "Hey....try this......(insert tactic to ensue delivery)."  "Man...you look miserable."  "What, no baby yet?"  And my personal favorite, "Whoa!  I didn't recognize you from behind!  Your butt is still the same, but that belly is crazy huge!" 

• I realized that if this was A's pregnancy, I'd be in labor right now. 

• If it were C's pregnancy, we would have been home for 4 days already.  Sigh.

• It doesn't matter how many things you try to naturally induce childbirth....if that baby isn't ready, she's just not ready.  And I've tried *almost* everything.

• A good night of sleep is sometimes better than going into labor during the night.  Waking up refreshed is such a blessing.

• I'm expecting our van to break down on the way to the hospital.  Yep....I am.

• I am aware that I will probably be wearing some maternity clothes for the first few weeks of baby girl's life....but I'm sooo happy to be packing some of it away!

• I cannot get organized enough.

• I'm excited to get carpet installed on Friday so we can start moving things into baby girl's and our room.  This is getting me so giddy!!! 

• I still have Thank you notes to write.

• It's amazing some of the "suggestions" that people are giving me for baby girl's name.  My response is always, "wow...that's close!"  It doesn't matter if their suggestion is Suzy or Eunice....my response is always the same.....and their response to my response makes me laugh out loud.  :)

• Dave has been invited to no less than 4 "fun" functions last weekend and this week.  He's declined because we just don't know when I'll go into labor.  I told him to go....because as soon as he goes, I'll start contracting.  But he declines....and here I sit- still pregnant!  (I blame him, really- hehe)

• With that logic in my head, I'm starting to make social plans of my own.  Babysitter for my boys so I can go to MOPS, coffee dates, birthday celebrations....because as soon as that calendar is full....I'll go, right?

• I can't be pregnant forever, right?  RIGHT?!?!?!?!?

Counting Blessings 101-120

101.    The TIGERS WON LAST NIGHT!!!!

102.  I'm also thankful that I didn't stroke out when Valverde was pitching.

103.  Yummy orange juice (without pulp).

104.  I'm thankful that I can say "go find some church clothes, please."  and both boys know how to find appropriate attire and dress accordingly.  Without my having to help- at all.

105.  Cheap family film festival movies.  The boys and I went to see Madagascar 3 yesterday for a grand total of $3.99.

106.  Carpeting - that gets delivered on Friday.  (yes, my actual due date).

107.  Sweet and sour chicken.  Best homemade Chinese dinner recipe ever.  Yes, I made it (again) last night.  Soooooo good.

108.  For organization - and my ability to channel Stephenie.  :)

109.  For a good night's sleep.  And waking up refreshed.

110.  For gazelle intensity focus yesterday helping me get through the audit report goal I set for myself.  Hoping that continues through today.

111.  For our small group - that kicks off this afternoon.

112.  For a sweet smelling, shiny, and soft clean dog (nesting at it's best).

113.  For an organized and clean mud room.  (nesting at it's best).

114.  For a husband who will scrub the shower because I can't breathe in those nasty fumes from the hard water cleaner (nesting at it's best).

115.  For completed ironing.  (nesting at it's best).

116.  For my shark floor steamer and our Bona hard wood floor cleaner - and the fact that they saved my back from mayhem.  (nesting at it's best).

117.  For the possibility of a nap on this rainy fall day.

118.  For back rubs.

119.  Belly laughs....and the happy feeling you get long after a good long laugh.

120.  For every bump and hiccup from baby girl.  Even though I'm SO READY to be done being pregnant - I'm in the final days of my pregnancy career.  This is a feeling I will never feel again, so I want to enjoy every last one.

5QF- 39 week edition

GAH!  One week left before my actual due date.  However, if it were my pregnancy with C, I would be coming home from the hospital today....so it's hard not to think of baby girl as being "late." 

On a totally unrelated note....the commute this morning to and from school made me a bit....stabby.  Seriously, I think it was "idiot driver day."  I cannot tell you how many almost accidents I saw- angels in Heaven were working overtime to keep people from dying, I'm tellin' ya!  I will admit I had about 40 swear words (or combination there of) running through my head...but I didn't utter a single one.  For someone who looses her (already loose grip on) the verbal filter during pregnancy...well, it was a modern-day miracle.

In case you were one of the crazies out there on the road, I'd like to provide you a refresher...or a tutorial for not killing me and mine on the road in the morning:

1.  Turn lanes are there for a reason.  Turning.  If you are indeed turning, coming to a full and complete stop in the driving lane (and THEN turning into the turn lane) is ill-advised.

2.  20-30 feet is NOT enough room to turn in front of an oncoming car.  ESPECIALLY if you are driving a semi-truck.  Yes, that happened.

3.  If you do not have the right of way, please don't keep backing into oncoming traffic thinking everyone will stop for you.  You DO NOT have the right of way!!!  People are turning into the gas station, and you are 2 inches from my bumper...and I have a semi behind me.  I cannot back up.  Stop moving.

4.  If you are in the far right lane, please don't make a left hand turn.  There are FIVE lanes here, people.

5.  Get off your phone.  Stop reading your ipad.  I thought you were drunk.  Yes, your driving was that bad.

6.  Driving with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake is just plain dumb.  And a great way to end up with my rusted front end up your arse.  You do NOT need to tap your brake every 5 seconds.... forward motion in the driving lane- that's the name of the game.

7.  If you choose to drive 10 mph below the speed limit, I'd advise you to move into the far right lane.

Ok...thank you for listening....I'm feeling less.....stabby.  :)  You're such a great friend to let me air out my grievances.  :)

Shall we answer some questions?



1. Did you have any homecoming traditions?

Yep.  Avoid homecoming.  :)

I really don't get into going back to college or high school for that jazz.  It's fine for some people, and for those that were all "up in the scene" back then, it may be neat to revisit their glory days...but I'm just not that person.

Meh....to each their own.

2. Do you ask your spouse before spending money?

If it fits into the envelopes, nope.  That's precisely WHY we have envelopes!

If it's a large expenditure that's not budgeted, yep...we have conversations about it.

For example:  my DSLR camera, his larger tools, cars, computers, furniture, etc.

3. If you could be famous for something what would it be?

Ha- my quick tongue.  Blunt honesty.  That's already what I'm known for...so, why not be famous for it?

4. Have you ever seriously thought you were going crazy?

Yep, most days!  Ha!

Kinda like, "have me committed" crazy?  No, not really.  If I ever feel like my emotions are getting out of control, a nice long prayer is always good to refresh the issue.

I will say, though....that I was on quite a downward spiral a while ago.  It was in our second year of marriage.  I had recently had a miscarriage, and was totally jacked up on fertility meds.  There was management change over at work, and they were messing around with my territory.  I was horribly insecure, emotional, and just totally jacked up on hormones.    To top that off, 4 of my friends announced pregnancies within 2 weeks of my original due date- and then one of them (my best friend- at the time) couldn't understand why I wasn't GUSHING all over her and her big news.  I think that's the closest I've ever come to really "going crazy."


5. How do you eat your steak? Burger? (as in, well done, medium, still moo-ing...)

Mmmmmmm, steak.  I like Ribeye Delmonico or and nice T-bone.  Medium.  Still pink in the middle. 

And if it's done just right, I will pick up the bone and eat meat off of it.  Sexy, I know....but that meat is so tender right off the bone.  Oh my yum!