A quick update with the full story later once I am home and get pictures off our camera and onto our computer.
Anne was born August 30 @ 8:26pm. She is 9lbs 2oz and 21 inches long. We are currently evacuated in Irving, Texas(in the same hotel where we sat out Hurricane Rita). My mom has my other children.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
what are YOU doing to prepare for Gustav?
A VBAC + a hurricane we are probably going to have to evacuate from = me in a hospital room hooked up to liquid contractions as we speak.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Pest Control....
....and this is not a cutesy title referring to annoying children. Nope. We are talking about the real deal. As in a cockroach woke me up by scurrying over my leg. Yep....If this preggo belly weren't in my way I might gnaw my own leg off to get rid of the icky feeling. Husband doesn't understand. He is in fact a little annoyed that I have not just rolled over and gone back to sleep(are you serious dude...can you say, scene of the crime? I think I have ptsd), and even more annoyed that I will not turn off the light(yeah right...if I turn off the light...they will come and get me!). I think I have compromised nicely by not insisting that he burn our bed...right now. I'll let him wait until after 6am.
Lest you think I am overreacting...this is not my first roach this season. In fact, I have had to kill at least 2 roaches a day for over a week now...one of which came to my notice when it ended up on my arm as I walked thru a dark curtained doorway. WE SPRAYED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO! It has worked every other year, what roaches managed to get thru were always one twitch away from dying when we found them. Have the roaches mutated? Do we have the MRSA among roaches living in our house? And seriously, what insane pioneer rolled thru this area of Texas long ago and thought, "Roaches...check, fire ants...check, insane heat and humidity....check, mold. snakes. alligators. swamps. hurricanes...check, check, check. This looks like a GREAT place to raise a family!" Seriously. Cause now a whole lot of my friends and family live here, and it makes it that much harder to move to someplace sane.
Lest you think I am overreacting...this is not my first roach this season. In fact, I have had to kill at least 2 roaches a day for over a week now...one of which came to my notice when it ended up on my arm as I walked thru a dark curtained doorway. WE SPRAYED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO! It has worked every other year, what roaches managed to get thru were always one twitch away from dying when we found them. Have the roaches mutated? Do we have the MRSA among roaches living in our house? And seriously, what insane pioneer rolled thru this area of Texas long ago and thought, "Roaches...check, fire ants...check, insane heat and humidity....check, mold. snakes. alligators. swamps. hurricanes...check, check, check. This looks like a GREAT place to raise a family!" Seriously. Cause now a whole lot of my friends and family live here, and it makes it that much harder to move to someplace sane.
Monday, August 25, 2008
my blessings...
We are in the home stretch now. Less than 2 weeks. Once we get thru tube surgery for Atticus tomorrow I will be ready to have this baby. Now I will admit, I am not the bubbly glowing pregnant woman featured in the parenting magazines. I am crabby, hormonal, paranoid, and increasingly outspoken. I can get full out spitting mad in less than a second...poor Kenneth! Well, I had an interesting experience yesterday. I met a older gentleman who changed my world view for a few seconds and helped me remember a happier, less hormonal time. For starters this is the soundtrack of my day which usually includes....well, a LOT of this:
"WOW, they must keep you busy!"
"Are you ready for this new baby?"(concerned look)
"Holy Guacamole! Is it twins again?"
"You're taking a break after this right?"
"How do you do it?
"Are you doing okay...really?"
"Don't you know what causes that?"
"If anyone can do it, it is you...I know I sure couldn't!"
...and many other variations of the same themes. Now let me be quick to point out that these comments and questions do not bother me. I do not want anyone to feel bad for asking these questions. I appreciate that people care about me enough to ask and are really interested in my response. But I will say....it does make me tired. For example, "wow, they must keep you busy!" is usually said when I have one or both twins on a hip with my extremely pregnant belly sticking out...And I have flashbacks to that morning chasing them all around for an hour and a half before church trying(futile hope) to get to church ten minutes early like the bishop asked(I could totally do it if my kids would cooperate and not do things like throw up on the clothes I laid out the night before...or blow out of their diapers so badly that they need another bath) and managing to make it(once again) barely before the sacrament...and I respond, "Yeah, they sure do keep me busy!" And I feel a little more tired.
Anyway, yesterday we visited some good people who knew Kenneth growing up. I was introduced for the first time to Grandpa, an older man who due to health problems is living with the family. Immediately when we walked in he was beside himself with excitement to see Kenneth again(I think the last time he had seen him Kenneth was 11). Then he saw our children...this was his response, "Are these your children Kenneth? Oh my goodness! They are so beautiful!" looking at me, "What a lucky woman you are! These kids are blessings! Y'all do good work!" turning to his daughter, "Aren't these some good looking kids!" Noticing I am pregnant and cackling with delight, "And you are going to have another one! That's wonderful! Kenneth you lucky dog!..." and on and on and on. And all of it sincere and heartfelt. His goal while we were there was for our kids to get comfortable enough around him to sit on his lap and play with him...and guess what? It worked! I have never seen Jane sit that long on a "strangers" lap. And his adoration of our family and approval of our decision to have children never. stopped. When we walked out of their house last night, I felt so much love for my family. I was sooooo proud of my beautiful kids and so glad that we made the decision to have them. I felt rejuvenated. Even as I type this I have tears in my eyes remembering the peaceful feeling that gentleman left me with.
Thank you sir. I needed that!
"WOW, they must keep you busy!"
"Are you ready for this new baby?"(concerned look)
"Holy Guacamole! Is it twins again?"
"You're taking a break after this right?"
"How do you do it?
"Are you doing okay...really?"
"Don't you know what causes that?"
"If anyone can do it, it is you...I know I sure couldn't!"
...and many other variations of the same themes. Now let me be quick to point out that these comments and questions do not bother me. I do not want anyone to feel bad for asking these questions. I appreciate that people care about me enough to ask and are really interested in my response. But I will say....it does make me tired. For example, "wow, they must keep you busy!" is usually said when I have one or both twins on a hip with my extremely pregnant belly sticking out...And I have flashbacks to that morning chasing them all around for an hour and a half before church trying(futile hope) to get to church ten minutes early like the bishop asked(I could totally do it if my kids would cooperate and not do things like throw up on the clothes I laid out the night before...or blow out of their diapers so badly that they need another bath) and managing to make it(once again) barely before the sacrament...and I respond, "Yeah, they sure do keep me busy!" And I feel a little more tired.
Anyway, yesterday we visited some good people who knew Kenneth growing up. I was introduced for the first time to Grandpa, an older man who due to health problems is living with the family. Immediately when we walked in he was beside himself with excitement to see Kenneth again(I think the last time he had seen him Kenneth was 11). Then he saw our children...this was his response, "Are these your children Kenneth? Oh my goodness! They are so beautiful!" looking at me, "What a lucky woman you are! These kids are blessings! Y'all do good work!" turning to his daughter, "Aren't these some good looking kids!" Noticing I am pregnant and cackling with delight, "And you are going to have another one! That's wonderful! Kenneth you lucky dog!..." and on and on and on. And all of it sincere and heartfelt. His goal while we were there was for our kids to get comfortable enough around him to sit on his lap and play with him...and guess what? It worked! I have never seen Jane sit that long on a "strangers" lap. And his adoration of our family and approval of our decision to have children never. stopped. When we walked out of their house last night, I felt so much love for my family. I was sooooo proud of my beautiful kids and so glad that we made the decision to have them. I felt rejuvenated. Even as I type this I have tears in my eyes remembering the peaceful feeling that gentleman left me with.
Thank you sir. I needed that!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
poop happens...
For Jane it was on the floor(luckily on the tile...*counting blessings*) and for Atticus it was in the bathtub(also easier to clean up than a lot of other places)...all within a 20 minute period. We are just steam rolling thru the developmental milestones today! Gavin's contribution? Creating chaos at every opportunity and screaming "NO," in his most defiant manner when I ask him to stop. Good times.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Birthday fever....
Gavin's got it bad. Up until a couple weeks ago if you asked Gavin how old he was he would look at you blankly. Call me a bad mom, whatever, I have slightly neglected that part of his education(shoot, if my sister-in-law Crystal hadn't sent him a birthday package last year I would have completely forgotten....and I won't even tell you how long it took me to figure out why she sent the package...a package covered in birthday themed stickers...talk about a duh moment). Then out the blue he is going on and on about 'birfday cake,' and how he wants his 'birfday.' The twins birthday was the first test of his new birthday love. I made the cakes during the afternoon naps. When he woke up there was no more putting him off. He ran back and forth to Grandma's house telling everyone about the birthday cakes and wanting to know when we would have the party. FINALLY daddy came home and it was time. Unfortunately for Gavin some of the other celebrators where not as prompt as he would have liked...Seriously, he was vibrating from head to toe at this point from sheer delight. So we made him in charge of "reminding" the late comers...."Gavin go tell Aunt Laurie it is time for birthday cake..."
Laurie's account:
hears knocking...and then the door being thrown open:
G: "Wah-wy...WHA-WY(Laurie). IT'S TIME FOR BIRFDAY CAKE...COME ON!" and the messenger sprints back to the cakes...leaving the door wide open.
Needless to say, I don't think forgetting his birthday is an option this year.
You can see why he got so excited, eh?
The twins designated candle blowers. Thanks Gavin and Ella!
Laurie's account:
hears knocking...and then the door being thrown open:
G: "Wah-wy...WHA-WY(Laurie). IT'S TIME FOR BIRFDAY CAKE...COME ON!" and the messenger sprints back to the cakes...leaving the door wide open.
Needless to say, I don't think forgetting his birthday is an option this year.
You can see why he got so excited, eh?
The twins designated candle blowers. Thanks Gavin and Ella!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
One year ago...
Me...one year ago!
Me today(blech!)
One year ago:
Today:
Happy Birthday Babies! Can't imagine my life without you!
update...
As of this mornings OB appointment the baby is head down. Hooray! Jane was a determined little breech baby and liked to wiggle her toes on my bladder. I am scheduled to be induced(trying for a vbac) on September 5th. Can't wait to meet this one. Have no idea what we are going to name it...feel free to leave suggestions(btw, I think it is a boy).
Also, Atticus is getting tubes put in his ears on the 27th of this month....just to make things a little more exciting. I am very grateful that they are able to do it so quickly and before this next kid is born.
Also, Atticus is getting tubes put in his ears on the 27th of this month....just to make things a little more exciting. I am very grateful that they are able to do it so quickly and before this next kid is born.
note to self...
...when making sure alarm is set for next day, also make sure correct time zone is set as well. First born son's fascination with the beeping buttons and light up screen can make life tricky. Even if it says 6:30am as the alarm time set, if the clock is on California time that puts you getting up at 8:30am....
luckily the twins don't get hungry according to the alarm clock. Kenneth got to work on time.
luckily the twins don't get hungry according to the alarm clock. Kenneth got to work on time.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
morning...
wake up....time? 12am. trip to the bathroom and then to the fridge for a BIG drink of water. Feel like my throat is on vacation in the desert. back to bed
wake up...2am. bathroom. water(seriously, a vicious cycle). bed
wake up...4am. bathroom. water. bed
wake up...6am. bathroom(but no flushing....clue your house is too small? you can't flush the toilet at certain times for fear of waking the kids up.) water. bed
beep. beep. beep. beep. 6:45 alarm goes off....on my side of the bed. Blurgh! hit snooze and poke Kenneth(who the alarm is actually for....great system eh? wake me up so I can wake him up...)
hit snooze.
hit snooze.
7 am phone rings...answer it. Kenneth(still sleeping) needs to be ready for his ride to work early. Cattle prod him out of bed. Climb back in bed and pretend like sleep is still an option.
Quit pretending. Husband makes as much noise as a herd of elephants and turns lights on. Hear kids waking up. Pray that they will go back to sleep(ha!)...THAT happens soooo often at 7:20am.
Kenneth mentions something about an ant invasion and I hear him spraying something. He leaves.
As always...as soon as he leaves, the kids are AWAKE! Ready for the day.
I pretend like I don't hear them and head (yet again) towards the bathroom...as I walk past their door I smell poop...always a good sign.
Grab the twins and start the diaper changing wrestling match. this involves pinning one to the ground and trying to change the diaper while trying to keep the other one from grabbing poop. Why are they NOT interested in getting their own diaper changed(and will put up resistance worthing of a presidential medal of honor) ...but are fascinated and "helpful" when it comes to somebody else's diaper. Don't. touch. THAT!
Gavin decides that this is the time he needs to sit on my lap and have me read him a book. Really? REALLY? Do you realize that I almost inadvertently covered your face with poop. Poor kid. only 7:30 and mommy is already crabby and claustrophobic.
Finally get all 3 diapers changed. Sit on the floor and have a 3 baby dog pile accumulate on my lap. I feel like screaming. I never want to be touched again.(I neither scream nor throw children...there might have been some hysterical laughter. hmmmm)
7:50 am dog pile has cleared out. I am sitting on the floor contemplating whether or not I should ever stand up again. Atticus walks by with some of last nights dinner from the floor under the high chairs....CRUD! I remember Kenneth's comment about an ant invasion and realize that I am going to have to get up.
Offend the twins by shooing them away from the high chairs(rude I know...that is like their first breakfast every morning, whatever they dropped on the floor the evening before). Finally end up locking them and Gavin in their room as none of them understand the concept of "stay away from there or you will be covered in ants." Cause sure enough there are a lot of ants under the high chairs(most dead...thanks honey). I am officially off the twins Christmas card list...nothing offends them more than closing a door in their face.
sometime after 8(lose track of time for the next little bit). frantically cleaning, sweeping, and spraying for bugs. All to the soundtrack of door pounding and weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Gavin lets everyone out. Dang that kid being able to open doors. Still a little too soon, but with some sweet moves on my part get all the ants and crud in a bag and out the door.
Twins start following me around and whining. Oh yeah....everybody still wants breakfast.
Cook eggs. The twins see me working with recognizable food products...start screaming. That reeeallly helps guys. Eggs are cooking much faster now. Gavin starts asking for cookies...and climbing on the counter to get some. Get. down. NOW! Have a twin on each leg.
I grab an apple while the eggs are cooking. Some child creates a disturbance and I set down the apple on the counter to handle the situation. When I get back my apple is gone. Gavin is eating it. Jane and Atticus are both chewing on pieces of it. They are triple teaming me...the little con artists. Oh well, at least he shared, eh?
Eggs done. Hallelujah!
Everybody eats. In theory 6 eggs should feed us all(daddy's not even home)....Ha! Even when I add a cup of rice to the mix I never get more than 2 bites.
All the eggs are gone. Twins start following me around and whining. Atticus is particularly diligent.
I tune them out.
Atticus grabs my leg and shrieks in an un-ignorable register.
Fine.
9:20am. Chuck the twins in bed. Chase Gavin out of the room(why won't he play in there when I want him too?)
turn on Blues Clues for Gavin.
finish dishes. rotate laundry. eat rest of cookies.
Blog. Pick at least 6 ants off my person while I type.
I'm tired. All in favor of today being over at 10:30am? AYE!
wake up...2am. bathroom. water(seriously, a vicious cycle). bed
wake up...4am. bathroom. water. bed
wake up...6am. bathroom(but no flushing....clue your house is too small? you can't flush the toilet at certain times for fear of waking the kids up.) water. bed
beep. beep. beep. beep. 6:45 alarm goes off....on my side of the bed. Blurgh! hit snooze and poke Kenneth(who the alarm is actually for....great system eh? wake me up so I can wake him up...)
hit snooze.
hit snooze.
7 am phone rings...answer it. Kenneth(still sleeping) needs to be ready for his ride to work early. Cattle prod him out of bed. Climb back in bed and pretend like sleep is still an option.
Quit pretending. Husband makes as much noise as a herd of elephants and turns lights on. Hear kids waking up. Pray that they will go back to sleep(ha!)...THAT happens soooo often at 7:20am.
Kenneth mentions something about an ant invasion and I hear him spraying something. He leaves.
As always...as soon as he leaves, the kids are AWAKE! Ready for the day.
I pretend like I don't hear them and head (yet again) towards the bathroom...as I walk past their door I smell poop...always a good sign.
Grab the twins and start the diaper changing wrestling match. this involves pinning one to the ground and trying to change the diaper while trying to keep the other one from grabbing poop. Why are they NOT interested in getting their own diaper changed(and will put up resistance worthing of a presidential medal of honor) ...but are fascinated and "helpful" when it comes to somebody else's diaper. Don't. touch. THAT!
Gavin decides that this is the time he needs to sit on my lap and have me read him a book. Really? REALLY? Do you realize that I almost inadvertently covered your face with poop. Poor kid. only 7:30 and mommy is already crabby and claustrophobic.
Finally get all 3 diapers changed. Sit on the floor and have a 3 baby dog pile accumulate on my lap. I feel like screaming. I never want to be touched again.(I neither scream nor throw children...there might have been some hysterical laughter. hmmmm)
7:50 am dog pile has cleared out. I am sitting on the floor contemplating whether or not I should ever stand up again. Atticus walks by with some of last nights dinner from the floor under the high chairs....CRUD! I remember Kenneth's comment about an ant invasion and realize that I am going to have to get up.
Offend the twins by shooing them away from the high chairs(rude I know...that is like their first breakfast every morning, whatever they dropped on the floor the evening before). Finally end up locking them and Gavin in their room as none of them understand the concept of "stay away from there or you will be covered in ants." Cause sure enough there are a lot of ants under the high chairs(most dead...thanks honey). I am officially off the twins Christmas card list...nothing offends them more than closing a door in their face.
sometime after 8(lose track of time for the next little bit). frantically cleaning, sweeping, and spraying for bugs. All to the soundtrack of door pounding and weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
Gavin lets everyone out. Dang that kid being able to open doors. Still a little too soon, but with some sweet moves on my part get all the ants and crud in a bag and out the door.
Twins start following me around and whining. Oh yeah....everybody still wants breakfast.
Cook eggs. The twins see me working with recognizable food products...start screaming. That reeeallly helps guys. Eggs are cooking much faster now. Gavin starts asking for cookies...and climbing on the counter to get some. Get. down. NOW! Have a twin on each leg.
I grab an apple while the eggs are cooking. Some child creates a disturbance and I set down the apple on the counter to handle the situation. When I get back my apple is gone. Gavin is eating it. Jane and Atticus are both chewing on pieces of it. They are triple teaming me...the little con artists. Oh well, at least he shared, eh?
Eggs done. Hallelujah!
Everybody eats. In theory 6 eggs should feed us all(daddy's not even home)....Ha! Even when I add a cup of rice to the mix I never get more than 2 bites.
All the eggs are gone. Twins start following me around and whining. Atticus is particularly diligent.
I tune them out.
Atticus grabs my leg and shrieks in an un-ignorable register.
Fine.
9:20am. Chuck the twins in bed. Chase Gavin out of the room(why won't he play in there when I want him too?)
turn on Blues Clues for Gavin.
finish dishes. rotate laundry. eat rest of cookies.
Blog. Pick at least 6 ants off my person while I type.
I'm tired. All in favor of today being over at 10:30am? AYE!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
new talents and tricks etc.
Gavin's new talent...locking mommy out of the house. And then screaming at the top of his lungs..."Help me! Help me Momma! Let me out!" Grrrrrr. Luckily, even in my latest window locking obsession a window large enough for big ole me was unlocked.
Jane...if you look at her you must want to chase her. At least that is what she thinks. Make eye contact with the girl and she shrieks in delight and takes off laughing. She also does this when she steals Atticus' toys now. Shriek with the fun of it and then run and hide behind mommy while Atticus barrels along after her.
Atticus...that boy was built to snuggle. He is the fluffiest of all of my children and also very much a mommas boy. Sunday I was sick and in bed all day. By the afternoon Kenneth had HAD IT with the kids and Atticus was screaming in his bed(his blue scream...wherein his whole body becomes blue...pretty impressive...it will be more impressive if he ever makes himself pass out from it). Finally I had Kenneth bring him to me. He was only in a diaper and as soon as he hit my shoulder he snuggled in hiccuping and rubbing his snotty nose on me. And he just stayed there all warm and snuggly against my chest. I hope I remember that feeling forever.
Jane...if you look at her you must want to chase her. At least that is what she thinks. Make eye contact with the girl and she shrieks in delight and takes off laughing. She also does this when she steals Atticus' toys now. Shriek with the fun of it and then run and hide behind mommy while Atticus barrels along after her.
Atticus...that boy was built to snuggle. He is the fluffiest of all of my children and also very much a mommas boy. Sunday I was sick and in bed all day. By the afternoon Kenneth had HAD IT with the kids and Atticus was screaming in his bed(his blue scream...wherein his whole body becomes blue...pretty impressive...it will be more impressive if he ever makes himself pass out from it). Finally I had Kenneth bring him to me. He was only in a diaper and as soon as he hit my shoulder he snuggled in hiccuping and rubbing his snotty nose on me. And he just stayed there all warm and snuggly against my chest. I hope I remember that feeling forever.
Monday, August 4, 2008
what NOT to say....
...as your wife is falling asleep:
Kenneth: "It's been a long time since I've seen a brown recluse...."
Me: "What!?(instantly awake with pounding heart) When did you see a brown recluse? Why do you say that?"
Kenneth: "No, I haven't seen one lately... that is what I meant...it has been a long time since I've seen a brown recluse."
Me: "Why on earth would you say that right now?"
Kenneth: "I don't know. It just came to my mind."
...Cause if you do happen to start this conversation late at night when your wife is going to sleep, there is a very real possibility that she is going to make you go check all of your children for spiders.
Kenneth: "It's been a long time since I've seen a brown recluse...."
Me: "What!?(instantly awake with pounding heart) When did you see a brown recluse? Why do you say that?"
Kenneth: "No, I haven't seen one lately... that is what I meant...it has been a long time since I've seen a brown recluse."
Me: "Why on earth would you say that right now?"
Kenneth: "I don't know. It just came to my mind."
...Cause if you do happen to start this conversation late at night when your wife is going to sleep, there is a very real possibility that she is going to make you go check all of your children for spiders.
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