Baby Euphoria

I still can't sleep. I am just too in love with Simon. I nurse him all the time because I love it. My milk is in and my boobs are no longer saggy, just huge. He is a little jaundiced, but not too bad. I don't let anyone else hold him too often, but I let Olaf last night:



The children adore him and want to be near him. Josiah keeps saying "He's so cute" over and over and over... Grace keeps saying "I am so happy we have another baby!" Camille is in love and just wants to hold him. Caleb is the only one that isn't as interested, but that is okay.

I had two visitors in the hospital. Krista and her mom, Miss Mike, came for a few minutes. I am not a big fan of visitors when the baby comes (in the hospital or at home). Mostly because of germs/sicknesses. But they were so kind to come and stay just a few minutes. Miss Mike prayed for all of us which was very kind. Krista brought me a this, which is too adorable.

The birth went great. My water broke at 3:30 am Friday as I was rolling over in bed. I got up and took a quick shower to wash the grease out of my hair:) We arrived at the hospital around 4:30. Asked for my IV so I could get an epidural even though my contractions weren't bad at all. Got an epidural around 7:00 am but it only took on my right side. I felt everything on my left side. They came back and tried to back the catheter out a little which seemed to work at first. However, as labor progressed I felt my left side again. I asked a nurse to check me because I was deciding whether or not to have the epidural reinserted. They were getting painful. She checked me at 11:00 and said, "Oh dear! His head is right here!" They had to call the doctor so we waited about half an hour for him to show up. Two contractions later, Simon was born. The nursing staff was fabulous for the full 24 hours. They left us alone for at least two hours after Simon's birth. It was just Olaf, Simon and me in the delivery room. When they transferred us to the Mom/Baby ward, they were just as respectful. They only came in about every three or four hours to check Simon and myself. The OB came in early Saturday morning and discharged me. Within minutes of my discharge, Simon's doctor came in a discharged him. We had to wait a full 24 hours though to do his PKU test. Exactly at 11:40 on Saturday, they did his PKU and we were headed home.

Olaf is having a bad stomach day today. He is in a lot of pain. The medicine is not working. I have no idea what is wrong with him, but it scares me.

May 4, 2007

We welcomed Simon into the world! He was born at 11:40 am, weighed 8 pounds 6.7 ounces, and was 22 inches long. I haven't slept for, oh three days now, so I am exhausted. He is nursing well and my milk is already coming in. He is the only baby that weighed more when he left the hospital (24 hours later) than when he was born. Hee hee. My water burst (and I do mean BURST) as I rolled over in bed Friday morning at 3:30 am. I was so happy to know that he was finally going to come out:)

Update on Olaf's abdominal pain

After examining Olaf and hearing his symptoms, the nurse practioner called in the doctor. Good for her! The doctor listed off several things that it could be which included cancer. Ah, lovely. For now they are doing a blood test for H. Pylori and treating him with Protonix and Alinia in case it is Giardia (which it isn't in my opinion). They scheduled an endoscopy for July 9th and if that is ok then they will do a ultrasound of his gallbladder. I get to worry until then.

I had to pick Caleb up from school this morning. He has pink eye. Thankfully the pediatrician's office called in some eye drops for him without seeing him. He should be able to go back to school tomorrow morning. Olaf put him on the bus this morning so I didn't even see his eye. I didn't get to sleep until about 5:00 am, so when the school called at 8:00 I was sound asleep. Now I am pretty miserable just from not sleeping. I need a nap, but that won't happen with Caleb at home.

I'm so ready to meet Simon. I wish he were as eager to meet me.

Still here...unfortunately

Happy Birthday to my brother, CJ! He is 38 years old today...I think. He never updates his blog, but at least you can see a photo of him there.

Ricki Lake did a documentary on homebirth that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. It's called The Business of Being Born. I really would love to see it if it ever comes out on DVD. She had her first son at the hospital with the normal interventions and then had her second son at home. I have been doing a lot of surfing at homebirth sites (and unassisted birth sites) just in case this baby makes a quick appearance.

Olaf has a doctor's appointment for his stomach pain tomorrow. I am happy about that. It is with a nurse practitioner though and I really don't trust their judgment. Hey, I'm cynical. What can I say? I am not a sheeple. (That's a cross between a sheep who follows blindly, and people) There are very few doctors that I fully trust. I have yet to find one RN that I think is more competent than myself. (Yes, I am a bit proud and narcissistic by nature)

Have a great evening.

Cervical Dilation and such...

If you don't want to read about my cervix, then just close the window right now.

After doing some web research, buying sterile gloves and lubricating jelly, Olaf has learned how to check my cervix for dilation. Pretty cool if you ask me. He checked me on Saturday and said I was 2 cm. He checked me this afternoon and said I am 4 cm. Woo Hoo! He said it is so cool to feel the baby's head right there. He can feel the pulse through his soft spot. We have those stacking cup toys and Olaf can tell me how many cm the opening is just with his fingers, so I know he is fairly accurate on my cervix:) I wonder if labor will go fast once it starts, or will my water break again before I have a contraction? Only time will tell I suppose.

I bought the cutest signature tag from Susie's Graphics. I will change my tag on every post when I have Simon. Here is a preview:



She also did my pregnant sig tag that is on the blog right now. All of her signature tags are adorable. Go check them out.

We decided to eat at Steak and Shake today. The ulterior motive is that it always gives me diarrhea and I am hoping that will put me in labor. Hee hee. I actually took a nap this afternoon which is just weird for me. I usually don't like to nap, but I was tired. Olaf took care of the children and kept them quiet. It was very nice.

Hope y'all had a great weekend.

Nothing, nada, zip

Nothing new to report. No contractions, no nothing. I really was hoping for an April baby, but who knows??

The bad thing is, the person that would normally watch the children if I should go into labor cannot do it this weekend (She won't be available until Monday). My back up person cannot do it from this evening until Sunday morning. It's not like we have any family that we can call on. So, I have made back up, back up plans and hope it all works out. It would be so much easier if I would just give birth at home. Maybe Charity can come over and help me. You really don't need anything special to give birth at home. Just some chux pads and some shoelaces to tie the umbilical cord. (I can just see some of your faces right now and I am laughing!)

I'll keep you posted...

He's coming

I had contractions every three minutes for over four hours last night. Lots of bloody show this morning. I think I will have an April baby versus a May baby! Keep me in your prayers.

2 cm and counting...

I had my OB appointment today. She checked me and said I was 2 cms but can stretch to 3. Now, I know that means absolutely nothing in the long run. However, I am hoping that with the increased braxton hicks contractions and the loss of some mucous, it will be sooner rather than later. Don't take my hope away:)

I'd love, love, love to have the baby Friday. That way we can be home on Saturday and not have to worry about anyone else getting Caleb ready for school. I am such a worrier that I am certain no one can get him ready correctly and have him outside on time for his bus.

Caleb had Special Olympics today. It is the first year that we have missed it. He came home with 2 second place ribbons and 1 third place ribbon. We'll go next year. I can barely waddle along now with this back pain I have had the past two days.

Lazy Monday

I didn't sleep well last night. Mostly because any position I am in hurts. Left side hurts. Right side hurts. Sitting up doesn't hurt but I cannot sleep. Kind of sounds like a Dr. Seuss book.

Left side hurts,
right side hurts,
hurt, hurt, hurt,
Earkle Mcfert.

I finally fell asleep after I put Caleb on the bus (about 6:50) and then slept in until 10:00. It is fabulous having an eleven year old who can tend to her siblings.

Caleb's IEP meeting is tomorrow afternoon, then Camille has a piano recital. Olaf is going to take Camille, and I am going to stay home with the other children. He will video tape it for me though.

I love watching House of Babies on Discovery Health. I wish we had a free standing birth center in Georgia. It is so much more fun to watch natural unmedicated births than to watch A Baby Story on TLC. That is not to say that I won't have an epidural, because I probably will. I had my natural unmedicated birth at home with Grace. It was painful, but I loved being home. The pushing was much harder for me unmedicated than with an epidural. I didn't want to push past that unbelievable pain when the head slips under the pelvic bone. I screamed like a mad woman. Totally NOT serene at all. It's all caught on video and I have never, not even once, had an inkling to watch it. Maybe I should so I can make up my mind if I want to try it at home again, or head to the hospital. If we give birth at home there will be no cord blood banking though. The midwives that deliver at home in the state of Georgia are all lay midwives. They are not certified nurse midwives that you see in the doctor's office. They are not considered medical personnel at all. Just women helping women give birth.

I like this quote

To laugh often and love much
To win respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty
To find the best in others
To leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition

To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Stomach virus round two

Caleb woke up Thursday night with a vicious stomach bug. I'll spare you the details, but just keep in mind he is mentally challenged and Olaf and I cleaned up our fair share of bodily excrements. Blech. Now we are waiting to see if anyone else comes down with it.

And just for fun (and because we figured out how to use the scanner):



Simon at 12 weeks gestation.




Simon at almost 20 weeks gestation. Notice the arm by the head:)

And for Simon now, look at the post below.

Simon 37 weeks

His face is smashed against me, so it looks like his nose is smushed. Kind of like when you smash your face against a window. He still has his arm in front of him. He likes his hands near his face.

Lookie, lookie!

First of all, see what my dear friend, Mari, sent me. I got it in the mail today. Thank you so much. It is gorgeous and oh so soft. I can't wait to wrap it around Simon.



Second of all, Simon moved head down. I think he did it yesterday because I noticed that my belly looked like it dropped. We have never figured out how to use our scanner or I would show you his ultrasound picture. If we can figure out how to use it, I will post a picture of him. He has peach fuzz for hair and a wide nose.

Now I am off to take a walk with my family on this fine April evening.

My opinion

I am coming out of the closet with this post. I fear all my evangelical friends are going to disown me, but this is my blog and my opinion.

I just watched Jesus Camp and it made me cry. Not a happy cry, like isn't that great that these children are growing up in this Christian environment...no, not that kind of cry at all. I am so sad. I cannot express my thoughts well. I have never been a writer so it is very hard for me to relay why watching those children at this camp made my heart ache. Rent it and let me know how it affects you. If you have already seen it, leave a comment with your thoughts.

Only 48%???

You Are 48% Cynical

Yes, you are cynical, but more than anything, you're a realist. You see what's screwed up in the world, but you also take time to remember what's right.

How Cynical Are You?

Nothing special...

I just took Camille to her final piano lesson. She has a recital next Tuesday evening and then we are taking a break, maybe a permanent break, from piano. She doesn't like it anyway. The piano teacher had to convince her to play in the recital. She told me she didn't want to do it and I wasn't going to make her. Now she says she will play in the recital, so that will be her swan song.

Ella has been put on thyroid medicine. They also gave us a pain killer to give her once a day. I think it really did make a difference last night. She seemed a bit more perky. At least the thyroid medicine isn't expensive. Hopefully it will help her a little.

Simon is still not head down. I am convinced he will not turn at this point. At least I get an ultrasound this Thursday. It will be fun to see him. I am looking forward to having him in our home.

Camille is waiting for the computer so she can play Toontown. I guess I should go eat some lunch.

My Little Man

We bought this suit at Kohl's today for about $6.00. It was on clearance for $8.00 and I had an extra 30% off coupon. It is the first time he has ever worn a tie. Isn't he the most handsome four year old you have ever seen?

My Shower

Here is a link to my shower pictures. They are public right now which means anyone can view them, however in a few days I will switch them over to private so they can only be viewed by the contacts on my "list." I just wanted to give everyone a chance to look before I switched them to private. They are mostly of my friends that came, but I put a few of me (aka whale) on there. I cannot stand to look at pictures of me. I seriously need to lose weight.

The shower was fabulous. Charity did a lovely job hosting. The food was great, the company was better. I got TWO Bumbo Seats. Everyone there introduced themselves and then told how they knew me and said something that they appreciated about me. It was like hearing your own eulogy. I wanted them to go around a second time, but they didn't:) Almost without fail, they all said "what you see is what you get" but in different words. It's true. I don't play games with people. That is why you either like me or hate me. There is usually no middle ground. Miss Mike did a devotion and then we ate cake and opened presents.

Now I am tired. I need to take off make-up, write thank you cards, and have a piece of cake. Not at the same time. Have a great weekend!

Showers for my shower

Well, tomorrow night is my baby shower and some strong thunderstorms are supposed to move through as well. So there will be showers at my shower. Charity is giving it at her home and there are about 18 adults and some children coming. I really didn't expect that many people and I feel bad about all those people crowding into her home.

Olaf took Ella Jones Boney to the vet this afternoon. He said she wasn't going to die anytime soon and didn't recommend putting her down yet. They did do blood work and based on the results from that, he can give us a clearer picture of her overall health. We will know something next week. She just looks like she is in so much pain. Here is a picture Camille took today thinking it would be her last.



She is very stiff and has trouble moving her head. Her eyes just look like she is in pain. She still eats and drinks. She is still able to get outside (albeit slow) to go potty. She coughs a lot. And snores really loud. And her gas is worse than rotten eggs. She will be 10 on the 4th of July.

Deacon got his bath and shave today. I take him to the groomer about every 8 weeks. He is half peke and half shitzu, so he gets long shaggy hair that grows over his eyes. I don't like all the shedding, so I take him in for a shave. After these two dogs die, I VOW here and now to never, EVER, own a dog again. Only cats. Cats are so much easier to take care of. I don't get so attached to cats either. I mean, they are fine and cuddly, but they have a personality and really don't "need" an owner. The have an attitude.

OK, dinner is home. Zaxby's Chicken Salad Sandwich. YUM!

Cough, cough, hack, hack

That is how I sound all day. Then I wheeze and gurgle to top it all off. I had insomnia last night too. I was awake until 4:00 am. Now that just stinks.

My dog, Ella, isn't doing too good. I think her time here on earth is short. I am not sure what the problem is, but she will yelp for no reason whatsoever. I think it's time for the big needle and doggie heaven.

My baby shower this this Saturday night. That should be fun. Hopefully noone will mind that I am coughing all over them. I hope I am not contagious, but I don't know for sure. Maybe I should wear a mask. What do you think Charity? I think I may take my girls with me, but I am not certain. We'll see... I know I need to wear some make-up though as I want pictures.

I have eaten more than my fair share of minature Snickers since Easter Sunday. You know those little tiny square ones? I eat like four at a time, then forget I have already eaten four and have four more an hour later. I go through about 16 a day! Honestly. I'll be glad when they are gone. My children don't like the Snickers, but they like the Milky Way and Three Muskateers that came in the same bag. Guess who gets the Snickers?

I got Grace's first grade books today. It brought back memories of doing first grade with Camille. Camille has been doing school with Olaf for a few weeks now. Our relationship is MUCH better:) He has her reading an American History book that was written in 1888. It is called "A History of the United States and its People" by Edward Eggleston. We have old history books that we bought off Ebay a long time ago. It is inscribed with very fancy penmanship with the owner's name and date. It says: Fred Richardson. South Livingston. March 20th, 1894.

Tonight is LOST. Woo Hoo! I wonder what Juliette is up to?

Better...

Grace was better after 24 hours. I am thankful for that. Last night Josiah woke up at 11:30 pm with stomach cramps so we moved him up to our bed. He never threw up and seems just fine this morning. So far, so good. It has officially been 48 hours since Grace started puking, so maybe...hopefully...we are safe.

My friend, Stephanie, sent me the cutest onesies. She hand embroidered them. She also created notepads with our family's name on them. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness my friend.


I haven't posted any pictures of the girl's room now that it is finished.



Yes, Josiah still sleeps with them. He doesn't want to sleep with Caleb. We are hoping that once we get the girl's old room painted blue and have a lot of Thomas the Tank Engine stuff in there, he'll want to move...but I doubt it. He loves Camille too much. He has outgrown his toddler bed, but what can I do? I am not moving another twin in there and letting him think he can share their room forever.

Olaf did get the furniture moved into the family room. I haven't taken a picture yet, but it looks fine. Our next project is to clean out all of the toys and junk from the girl's old room. Not an easy task...

I am coughing and wheezing horribly again. I really want a CT Scan on my lungs after this baby comes. I have been coughing non-stop since December. I am scared that it is something horrible of course.

I had an OB appointment yesterday. Baby is still oblique so she scheduled an ultrasound for next Thursday. If he doesn't move head down, and depending on where the cord is, we may have to schedule a C-Section. That is my worst fear. I am praying he engages in my pelvis soon. And for all of you expecting photos of Simon once he is born...just a heads up. I have really ugly babies. It is true. They look like aliens. You do not have to say "He is so cute" because, quite honestly, I know that he probably will not be. A blessing? Absolutely! Cute? Ummm...no. Once my babies fatten up a bit, then they start to get cute.

I wrote too soon

Grace started puking at 1:00 pm. You know how much I love the stomach virus... I was hoping it was just too much chocolate from her Easter basket, but no such luck. She is now in the midst of vomiting every half hour and I am not looking forward to doing it myself in the next day or two. Blech.

Happy Easter

It's been a great morning so far. The children got their Easter baskets with new Bibles (a new devotional for Camille), found a TON of candy Easter eggs that Papa hid, and had a pancake and bacon breakfast.

We really need to move the furniture into the basement. It should have been done yesterday but it took ALL DAY (literally over 8 hours) for Olaf to paint the doors. I have no idea why. I wish I weren't pregnant so I could get down there and do it myself. The problem is there are so many heavy boxes to move out of the way before you can get to the furniture. In my mind I would just move the boxes and push out the furniture, but in Olaf's mind it isn't that simple. He has to rearrange another part of the storage area so he can put the boxes that need to be moved into the area he just rearranged. Then he will have to sweep, and possibly mop, the concrete floor before he can push the couch into the living area. At that time he will have to vacuum and wash the couch before putting on the slip cover that we bought for it. The cover will take him exactly three hours to put on because every seam will have to be perfectly aligned before he tries to figure out a way to keep it in place. This will require a trip to Lowe's in order to buy upholstery pins only to remember that today is Easter Sunday and Lowe's isn't open. Because he HAS to do the pins before he can progress any further, the day will end with the couch being pushed back into storage and waiting for next weekend. All in all, he will spend 8 hours to move the couch out only to push it back in. You would think after nineteen years of marriage this wouldn't bother me anymore. Heh...not so.

Thankful Thursday

1. I am so thankful for the health of my family. Especially after seeing this.

2. A husband who loves me.

3. A finished basement.

4. A baby almost born.

5. A God whose mercies are new every morning.

6. Homeschooling DVD's.

7. Ice to chew.

8. The Office is on tonight. And it's a new episode to boot.

9. Cloth diapers and baby cologne.

10. Jasmine and Vanilla Hand Soap from Bath and Body Works.

11. Gracie who tries to read everything now. And when she can't she says, "Mom what does I-N-C-O-R-P-O-R-A-T-E-D spell?"

12. Dog Groomers.

13. Tide detergent.

Carpet is IN!

The carpet is in and the new TV is up! No furniture has been moved yet, but that will probably happen this weekend. Woo Hoo! There were three installers, one of them spoke English. Olaf had to come home from work because there was a screw up with the measurements and they wanted to put in an extra seam. That'll learn him for going into work when he should be home overseeing projects.

I am going to go to a chiropractor this Thursday. I am hoping that an adjustment may help move the baby into a birthing position. He is still transverse.

My children are all getting so big. I look at Josiah and am amazed at how much he has grown and what a little boy he is. He is getting more handsome everyday. He is very tall with very big feet. You know how you look at a puppy and can tell it's going to be huge by the paws? That is Josiah. He is skin and bones, but he has some huge feet!

No carpet

Of course, there had to be a screw up in the carpet appointment. They are coming tomorrow instead of today. Oh well...

This week is Spring Break for Caleb. Tomorrow I am going to keep track of how often he asks me to eat. Just for fun:0) I wish there were year round school for children with special needs. He loves to go and be entertained. Being home is so boring for him because my life cannot revolve around him alone. I am not the mom who has planned activites and outings. I am a homebody that doesn't like to take my children anywhere because I fear the stomach virus and any other germ that may make us sick.

How much of a germophobe am I?

• Hand sanitizer in my purse and van.
  
• Anti bacterial wipes in my purse and van.
  
• I will not use my hands to open a public door. Only my hip.
  
• Before I use a grocery cart I go to the Lysol aisle and completely spray the entire cart down. To get to said aisle, I cover my hands with my sleeves or a coat so as not to touch it.
  
• I wash my hands more than you do.
  
• I spray Lysol on my own toilets everyday.
  
• Lord help the child that gets the stomch virus at our home. They are quarantined to my bedroom and bathroom and not allowed out!
  
• The stomach virus is only spread through poo and puke. So, if you have the stomach virus you have ingested someone else's poo or vomit. Now that, my friends, is just nasty.
  

Can you say nesting?

Yes, he is vacuuming under the bed. Yes, I asked him to. Less than six weeks until Simon gets here.

Breastfeeding Photo

I found this photo over at Welcome to my brain. Isn't is fabulous? Go check out her website. I just found it today and I already added her to my blogroll.

Kind of ranty...be warned.

I did something last night that I have never done before. I wrote a letter with no intention of sending it. I wrote it just to get all my feelings out and say mean things. I didn't try to edit my thoughts, I just wrote what came to me. Even if it meant saying "I hate you!" Of course, I will never send the letter...but it did feel good to just sit and type and get all of that junk out.

I haven't watched LOST yet, so don't tell me about it. Olaf needed to get to bed earlier than 11:30. We have it on DVR and will probably watch it Friday because tonight there are FIVE episodes of The Office on. That will be fun for us.

Next week is Spring Break for Caleb. Yes, he just had a week off for "mid-winter break" but these children get so much time off in public school.

Olaf has been doing school with Camille to help me out until next school year. I get so frustrated and that doesn't help her at all. I am looking forward to those DVD's next year. I know there are other homeschoolers out there who think I should lighten up etc. I even had one woman say that I am not homeschooling "God's way" because it doesn't matter if she can do algebra in the long run. I happen to disagree. It does matter if she can eventually do algebra. No, that isn't the most important part of her life. That, of course, is her relationship with God. However, you still need to function in this world and have some sort of education no matter how "Christian" you are. And to say something like "you are not homeschooling God's way" seems pretty self righteous to me. I'll find her when I get to heaven just to see the shock on her face that I actually made it.
(And btw, this is not the person I wrote the "hate" letter to! That person is actually a family member.) I wish everyone who professes to believe in Jesus and be born again by His blood would just allow the Holy Spirit to do His work. Yes, we are here to encourage one another to good works. We are here to help each other when we see a brother or sister in Christ living a life of blatant sin. But the fact remains that I am accountable to Christ alone. Not anyone else. I have an audience of One and I will stand before Him by myself to give an account for my actions. I am so happy that I will be able to say, "By Your grace alone, and the blood of Christ, do I stand here. I do not deserve to see a Holy God." I cannot imagine being so proud as to say "I cannot believe you let HER in! She didn't even homeschool Your way!" The reason people do not come to Christ is because Christians can't even get along. So much bickering, back biting, holier than thou attitudes. It saddens me. OK, I am ending my rant now.

Update

Well, I took Gracie to the ENT doctor on Monday with me. She is on Zyrtec for her allergies and breathing treatments because she was wheezing in her lungs. Dr. Heindle prescribed Xopenex instead of plain old albuterol. He said it shouldn't make her hyper and it hasn't. She has been fine. And, praise the Lord, she didn't cough a lot last night either. The down side to Xopenex is that it is very expensive. I had to pay $50 for the copay! I also had to buy a nebulizer which was another $34. Her Histussin HC was $10. The doctor gave me samples of Zyrtec, so at least I didn't have to pay for that.

Today I went to an ABeka meeting to buy Gracie's books for next year and to order the DVD program for Camille. We watched a sample DVD of 6th grade and I think Camille will really enjoy it. The teachers are upbeat and fun. I think she will do well with that. She will definitely be getting a more rounded education and that is crucial right now as she transitions into middle school. I am thinking that we may go with accredited program when she starts high school and let ABeka take care of all the grading and record keeping for me. They gave me $125 off for a first time enrollment, so the cost of the year long program was $850. Grace's books were about $80.00 so I came out ahead!

Almost there

Olaf stayed up until midnight painting the basement. It is a gorgeous color that reminds me of a jamoca milkshake from Arby's.



Now, he just needs to put the hardwood floor in the entry way (to the back door) before the carpet guys come. That shouldn't take very long at all...hopefully.

Grace has been coughing all night long since Thursday. I am convinced it is allergies. Her throat is scratchy, her eyes are red and watery, and the cough is much worse at night. I gave her the last dose of Histussin HC last night and it finally quieted her cough for a few hours. I need some more, so I am taking her with me to my follow-up appointment today with the ENT doctor. I am hoping he will look at her instead of me and prescribe some. They only prescribe these tiny bottles of narcotic cough meds because they are afraid the parents are using it instead of the children. Hydocodone is the same stuff in Vicodin, so a lot of drug addicts out there steal their children's medicine.

I was up all night last night. I went to bed at midnight with Olaf, then was up every hour using the potty. Grace started coughing really bad at 4:00 am so I went in to give her more cough medicine. Stayed awake until I had to get Caleb on the bus at 7:00 am. I went back to bed and slept off and on for a few more hours until someone knocked on the door. It was a flower delivery guy. I got a beautiful boquet from Olaf and the note read, "I hope you got to sleep in." Funny how the flower delivery guy woke me up! LOL!



The backside of the bouquet has lillies and tulips. It is very fragrant.

As I get closer to giving birth, Simon's movements are starting to hurt me. I mean, I grab my belly and yell "OUCH!" I am not sure what he is hitting that makes it hurt so bad. Bowels? Bladder? Who knows... I do know that I have hemorrhoids. Now that is a lovely picture to leave you with.

When you think your house is messy

Just go take a look here. You 'll feel better in no time.

How fun!

After I posted yesterday about our Disney trip, I got to thinking... I thought it would be a great idea to invite Olaf's brother, his wife, and their little girl to come with us. I mean, there is plenty of room in the house we rented and I have never met my niece before. So, I wrote a quick e-mail inviting them (really not expecting them to accept) but guess what?? They said they would love to come. I am so excited. This is the first time we have ever done anything as an extended family. We upgraded to a bigger house so we could both have a master suite. They offered to pay the difference. This house has a jacuzzi too. That will be nice after a long day at the Magic Kingdom! That is, if I can get up the gumption to put on a swimsuit in front of them. I am really self conscience of all my fat. It doesn't help that my sister-in-law is gorgeous and skinny. Must find a very, very, very modest swimsuit with shorts built in down to my knees.

I am super excited!

I just made our reservation for our Disney World accommodations. We are staying here. I spoke with the owner of the home, Paulette, who seems so kind. I will be in Disney World for my 40th birthday and that just makes me happy. They also are letting us use a crib, stroller, and wheelchair (for Caleb) at no additional cost. That will be nice. We won't have to pack ours or rent them in the park. We are also going to dine with Cinderella on my birthday. I am more excited about that than the children. Simon will be almost six months old when we go which seems like a great age to me. He'll be on a semi schedule, sleeping through the night (hopefully), still nursing for 90% of his nutrition, and not yet crawling. Now pray the weather isn't too hot. Anyone want to go along to be a babysitter for a night or two while Olaf and I go see Cirque or do some wine tasting at Epcot? There is an extra bedroom in that house...

I am going out to dinner tonight with my friend, Misty. I haven't seen her since the last time we went out to dinner about 5 months ago. That is when she told me she was pregnant too. She is about seven weeks behind me and is having a boy too. I can't wait to see if she is showing or not. It's her first baby and I didn't show until about 23 weeks or so with my first one. We are having Mexican. Yum!

Oh what a beautiful morning...

Olaf actually got the bedroom in the basement painted yesterday! Two coats of primer, one coat of paint, and Voila!



The guy from Lowe's came and measured the basement for carpet today, so in a few weeks we should be moving in:) The next thing is a security system. No one is moving into that bedroom before Mama makes sure it is safe. There are more pictures on my Flickr account, but you have to be a contact in order to see them. Make sure you sign in, or you won't see all of the pictures. We are going to let the children go down there with Sharpies or paint and let them draw on the cement floor before we carpet it. That should be fun for them!

Let's see...not much else to talk about. It's a typical Monday. I cleaned this morning because the house gets trashed over the weekend. I called my friend, Melissa, to see if she can start cleaning for me again every other week. I am anxiously awaiting her return call. She used to clean for me, but when Olaf took the 20% pay cut, I had to fire her! "YOU'RE FIRED!" Anyway...she would come every other week and mop, dust, vacuum, and clean my bathrooms. It was heaven! Yes, I did clean the bathrooms on the off week, but I never dusted or mopped on the off week. So, with the new baby coming and in anticipation of Olaf's raise when Delta comes out of bankruptcy, I am SO hiring her back.

Caleb had his first baseball game of the season this morning and boy howdy was it cold! It's lovely outside right now, but at 9:00 am it was freezing. I spent 99% of the game in the van. He looks cute in his new Wisconsin Badger uniform. I need to download the pictures.

Olaf is downstairs caulking the baseboards. When he gets done with that we will put on a few coats of primer. Maybe we can start painting (with color) tomorrow. It depends on how long it takes Olaf to caulk. I am guessing (since it is Olaf and not a normal human being) about two or three hours. Yes, you read right.

My back is starting to hurt. I guess my bones and such are starting to relax in preparation for the birth. I should go get adjusted at the chiropracter, but I just haven't yet. I want to make sure my pelvis is lined up and everything before I go into labor. Need to make a note to myself...

Did I mention that my friend, Charity, (see picture below) is giving me a baby shower? It is April 14th at her house. How nice is that?? I know most of my friends went in together and bought me this. I needed one. I really want one of these too. My friend bought one for her baby and I am hoping I can borrow it for Simon when the time comes. I don't care that hers is pink!

Enjoy your weekend!

The basement is finished

Two weeks and it's done. Can you believe it? I need to take some pictures, but it looks great down there. I cannot wait until it is painted and carpeted and usable.

Olaf is doing pretty good with his implant. He is on Vicodin which helps a lot. We'll see how he feels tomorrow, but right now he seems okay.

My visit was fun today! Dana and her girls are super sweet and very easy to talk to. We had a fabulous lunch of baked potatoes, salad, and fruit salad. The children had mac-n-cheese and pb&j sandwiches. The children all got along splendidly and we only had two accidents that produced blood. Olivia bit her tounge and Ian bumped his mouth trying to get on the trampoline. Here is a picture of Charity, Dana, and Claire:



I am 32 weeks pregnant today. Eight more weeks until I get to meet my baby boy. I am looking forward to it.

Well, I think the basement may be finished today. If not today then tomorrow at the latest. How exciting! Then Olaf will paint and we will order our carpet to be installed. It will take about two weeks for the carpet to come in though. It really did take him 2 weeks to finish the basement. I thought it would take longer than that.

Olaf gets his implant tomorrow. It's the metal piece that goes into his bone, not the tooth itself. That has to heal for a few months before they put in another abuttment (I think that is what it is called) and then they will attach the tooth. He has about another 6-8 months before he will actually have a tooth in his head. He also took Friday off because he expects to be in some pain. We have some Vicadin here if he needs it though.

My friend, Dana, is stopping by tomorrow on her way to Tennesee. She will have her three girls and her two dogs with her. I have never met Dana in real life and am looking forward to it. I met her through Women at Home a couple of years ago. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 23. That was 10 years ago. Charity is coming with her four children to meet Dana too. Charity is on wah with us. So tomorrow I will be fixing lunch for 9 children and three adults. I will post pictures as soon as I can!

Happy 11th Birthday Camille

This was taken yesterday when we ate her ice cream pie from Bruster's. She had a blast at Butts Mill Farm with Molly and Olaf. They played minature golf, played on giant slides and an obstacle course, went on a hayride, drove a go-kart, and rode horses. She wants to go back in the summer when the swimming hole is open. Today she wants to spend the day as a family going to The Avenue. It's like an upscale outdoor mall. She opened her presents from Olaf and myself today. We bought her this for her birthday. We wanted to buy her something "gold" for her golden birthday. So we bought a white gold necklace with her birthstone in it. She likes it. We also bought her nine books (yes nine) which she will have read in about 12 days. Honestly. We got her the new Nancy Drew computer game and a basket full of shower products. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMILLE!!!

Too dumb to think of a title...

My husband wasn't feeling well today so he took the day off. It was nice having him home. The basement guy was sick today too, so nothing got done today. Hmmm, I wonder if the basement guy has been kissing Olaf?

Molly just got here (around 8 pm) to spend the night with Camille. Grace and Josiah are just as excited as Camille that she is here. I think I will take Caleb, Grace, and Josiah out tomorrow to buy Cami a birthday present while she is at Butts Mill Farm. The children love buying gifts for their siblings.

My friend, Misty, just found out that she is having a baby boy. They have tried to get pregnant for a long time, so this baby is a super huge blessing from God. I mean, all children are (blessings)...but when you have to wait for God's timing...it's even more incredible. I know all about that:) My womb certainly opens in God's time, not mine.

Just for fun...here are a few blogs that I like to read. Let me know what you think:

Antique Mommy
Confessions of a Pioneer Woman
The Lactivist Breastfeeding Blog
The Shepherd's Journey

Boring Wednesday

Not much to report, but for the sake of those of you who come to my blog on a daily basis, I'll post something.

Camille turns eleven this Sunday. She is having Molly spend the night Friday (a first for us as we do not allow our children to spend the night away from us; therefore we never invite anyone over here either) and then Olaf is taking them to Butts Mill Farm on Saturday. They are going to go on a trail ride which she is super excited about. She hasn't been on a horse in a long, long, long, time. We will spend the day together as a family on Sunday. She will open her presents then. She only has three to open, but I think she will be pleased. We bought her an extra special gift this year since it is her "golden" birthday. She is turning 11 on the 11th...thus the "golden" part:)

Everything is going well in the basement. It shouldn't be long now and Olaf will be painting. Probably next weekend. Hopefully next weekend. I need to go and look at carpet. I don't want Olaf to pick it out without me. Maybe we can do that on Sunday before we go out to eat wherever Camille chooses for her birthday dinner. I already know she is going to choose Longhorn. She loves their chicken tenders.

I have been really lazy this pregnancy. I haven't even kept my house clean. I guess I don't have that nesting instinct. I think I would have it if someone else would come do everything I wanted them to. I know I can talk Olaf into mopping for me, so hopefully that will happen soon. My weight gain has been really good. I have only gained 12 pounds and I will be 31 weeks tomorrow. I am hoping it comes off fast....plus some.

Please pray for my friend, Resie. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and started chemo today. Her father is also battling bone cancer after having prostate cancer about 8 years ago. And don't forget Karen, who continues to do well. She was diagnosed almost TWO years ago with stage 4 breast cancer. God is good! Karen will celebrate her 36th birthday on the 14th of this month. May the Lord give her MANY more years here on this earth to see her children and grandchildren.

I ordered new bedding for the girls. They wanted this one, but it was way too expensive. Camille was going to get the "cool" one and Grace was going to get the "hot." It would have been really cute, but we just cannot afford that. The settled for the cheap bedding and I was happy.

My niece turned one yesterday. She is so cute. I haven't seen her in real life, and probably never will unless they come visit us, but she sure is cute. She is a great blend between Scott and Frances. (Olaf's brother and his wife) She looks more Italian (Frances) than German (Scott) but she is still a good mix between them. I love the drool coming out of her mouth and those little teeth popping through... I cannot wait to have Simon:)

Josiah's Check Up

Since I don't have a baby book for this poor child, I need to record this information here...

Josiah had his four year old well visit today. He was 43.25 inches tall (which is very tall for a 4 year old) and weighs 41 pounds. The doctor and the nurse commented on how incredibly tall he is. I guess he is going to be a big one:) He already wears the same size shoe as Grace (size 13) and she is 19 months older than he. He got his first ever vaccination (a tetanus shot) and didn't even cry. He was a very brave boy. He didn't cry when they pricked his finger for the iron test either. He was very proud of himself but not as proud as his Mama. He did have protein in his urine, so I need to take in another sample first thing Thursday morning. I am hoping it was just because he wasn't hydrated, but we'll see. I should have brought the camera, but I forgot. This was his first well visit since he was a baby. I tend not to go every year since we don't vaccinate on the doctor's schedule. I think his last well visit was when he was 18 months.

The basement is looking good. They put the mud on the drywall and started to install one window today. Tomorrow I am assuming they will do the other two windows and put another coat of mud on the drywall. They haven't hung any doors yet. I am guessing they will be done by the end of this week or early next week. Then Olaf will paint and we will have the carpet put down. I bought some slip covers for the old couch and love seat that we will be using down there. We need to buy a new TV, but other than that it will be furnished with odds and ends. Well, we need to buy some storage type stuff/shelving too for toys and the closets. I am just hoping we can keep on budget. I am just thrilled that we will have more room. I mean, my heart does a happy dance when I think of it:)

I updated the baby blog today and posted a photo. Camille took it for me. I feel huge. Face it, I am huge. However, not as huge as this woman.

Callaway Today

It was so, so, so, nice to have a family day. Olaf has been working on the basement for months (cleaning and such) so today we all went to Callaway and just had fun. Well, until Olaf started having weird neurological issues and we had to leave. That man is a walking mess when it comes to his health. Anyway...we had fun!

All that was done in the basement on Friday was the heating and air was put in. We paid Rick half of what we owe him, the other half is due upon completion. I had never written a $7,000 check before. It was kind of fun.

I am SO putting this on a T-Shirt

It's coming along

For just two days of work in the basement...it is really coming along.


Day One



Day Two

I have many more pictures on Flickr but you have to be marked as a friend in order to see them. I do have photos that are "public" that everyone can see, but most of my photos are set to private. I have over 800 photos on Flickr, so if you want to see them sign up for a free account and then let me know. I will add you as a friend and then you'll be privvy to all the pictures of my children:)

Wonder of wonders....

miracles of miracles...(are you singing yet?) I love the soundtrack for Fiddler on the Roof but that's beside the point. The miracle is the basment guy is finally here. He said he would be here between 8-9 am so me, being the prompt person that I am, assumed he would be here between 8 and 9 am. I guess between 8 and 9 am in contractor time is "whenever I get there, lady." Although they are here, I have yet to hear a pound, or a saw, or any sort of noise besides voices. I will post pictures as they progress through the construction. It should be fun to see how fast it comes together.

I found a free program online for spelling words. It's for grades 1-5. Camille loves it. The children still have to write the words on paper, but there are games and tests as well. You can customize each lesson with your own words or use their lists. Check it out. I also use Enchanted Learning a lot for Grace and Josiah.

Cami has piano lessons today. Thankfully it is only 6 minutes from my house and the lesson is only half an hour. We do not own a piano but we do have a large keyboard that she practices on. She really doesn't like piano, but I am going to make her take lessons for at least two years to get the basics down. I want her to know how to read music just in case she ever wants to pick up another instrument in the future.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I had a big scare this morning. Every morning Olaf e-mails me from his pager to tell me he has arrived safely to work. Well, there was no e-mail this morning. So, I paged him but the page never arrived at his pager. (You can tell that online) So, I called his office. No answer. By now I am flipping out thinking he had an accident on the road. So, I call the only other Delta phone number I can remember which is his old shop that he was in before he made foreman. Thankfully a voice I recognized answered the phone and I asked him to go see if Olaf was in. Needless to say, when Olaf called me I was crying. I really thought the man was dead. It turns out his pager died and he hadn't even made it in his office yet when I called. He was out talking to one of his lead mechanics.

Monday...need I say more?

Well, the basement guy delievered the materials and that was it. He will start tomorrow morning. Of course, Olaf gets to go to work and I am the one that will hear all the pounding, drilling, sawing and other noises all day long. I do not know how I am supposed to homeschool in all of the noise. Speaking of homeschool...

I am having a hard time with Camille. I am frustrated with homeschooling and thisclose to putting her in public school next year. I think I may try the ABeka DVD's and see if it alleviates some of my frustration. I am not sure what I am going to do, but I have to do something.

I loathe our new healthcare plan. I know I should be thankful to have health insurance. Really, I am. However, we used to have an HMO which meant I didn't get the bill for anything. Now, I get bills from EVERYONE. Labs, hospitals, doctors, you name it... I cannot pay them until the insurance company pays them first which means I get NUMEROUS bills from each place all with different amounts. It is so frustrating.

Caleb went back to school today. He was excited about that and so was I!

The baby is still transverse in my tummy. I wonder if the little guy will ever flip to head down? It's fun carrying him this way though because he tickles me. I will be 30 weeks on Thursday. Slowly but surely I am getting there. I am so ready to meet him.

We went to the mall yesterday and bought the littles some new pj's. They love them. Aren't they cute?

Weekend Happenings

What is going on today? Well...

Ordered a plant for a friend's grandbaby that died of sids on Thursday. How completely sad. He was three months old. Don't click on the link if you are pregnant or have a newborn.

I am listening to Luther and cleaning the house.

Olaf is getting the rest of the "donate" stuff out of the basement and then will apply the radon sealant today.

Rick, the basement guy, was sick yesterday and so they didn't go get the materials. They will do that Monday morning. However, the family went to Lowe's yesterday and bought the door and windows for the basement.

Picked up Camille's friend, Molly. They are all playing outside.

ooooo...the CD just changed and now Barry is on:)

Look what my friend made?

My friend, Stacey, made this blanket and hat for Simon. Isn't is gorgeous? I love the colors. She is so talented.



Do you see the dots on one side of the blanket but not on the other? She has skills.




And look at this little hat! How precious...

Thank you so much, Stacey! What a blessing.

The "basement guy" aka Rick will start on Monday. He and Olaf are going to Lowe's tomorrow afternoon to purchase all the supplies. After much nagging and threatening on my part, Olaf has agreed to put in a separate heating and air unit down there. You see, I cannot stand the heat. At all. In the summer my thermostat is set on 72 degrees. I am not willing to compromise that by putting the burden of cooling another 750 square feet in the basement. As for the heat, I could really care less. In the winter our thermostat is no higher than 65. If you are cold, put on a coat:)

I have an appointment with my midwife this afternoon. It is a gorgeous day and the children are playing outside. It is supposed to reach 70 degrees. They are outside in their shorts. I am a bit worried about Josiah though. He cannot run or play very long before he says his legs are tired and he needs to rest. He has a well visit March 5th so I will ask the pediatrician about it then. Speaking of pediatricians, Camille had her tailbone x-rayed yesterday along with x-rays for scoliosis. Her tailbone has been hurting for over two months now.

I need to get going and do something productive. Have a great Thursday!

ENT

I went to the ear, nose, throat doctor yesterday and he did a nasoscope to look in my throat. I was a bit worried that I would vomit, but it wasn't that bad at all. He said my wheezing and hoarseness may be due to acid reflux and told me to take 150 mg Xantac twice a day for a month to see if it helps. He told me that everything else in my throat looked normal. That was good news. I really like my ENT doctor. He is fabulous. Anyone that goes to him really likes him. He is the rare doctor that takes time to listen, has a great bedside manner, and is genuinely kind. Three of my children have had tubes done by him and I completely trust him unlike most other doctors I see.

Everyone did school today. Even Josiah. He likes to color some worksheets that I have with nuumbers on them. Camille had a spelling test and missed four words. She also did all of her usual stuff. Gracie did some math, phonics, and writing. She is learning some new special sounds and she enjoys the flashcards that we do to memorize them. The weather is nice outside so they played for awhile out there as well. Fresh air is good for them:)

Olaf went to the dump yesterday. We are almost there. It shouldn't be too much longer before the guy can start framing the basement. YeeHaw! It will be so nice to have some place for all these toys. We have miles of Thomas tracks. All types too. Wood, plastic, take along...you name it.

Caleb only asked me to eat about 20 times today. Less than normal.

We went grocery shopping at WalMart as a family today. I don't like doing that as we spend more money that way. But everyone wanted to go, so we went.

Caleb is home from school all this week for mid-winter break. He is not happy about it either. He keeps asking if he can ride the bus tomorrow and I keep telling him no. Then he gets mad and cries. I wish school were year round for him. It sure would make my life much easier.

We found another contractor for the basement. He came recommended by a family on my homeschool group. He seems like a real nice guy and he is less expensive than the other contractor that we had. He does all the work except carpet and painting. He said it will take him about two weeks to finish it. How exciting is that? Olaf still has to remove some trash and then seal the walls and floor with radon sealant. After that, he can start. I am excited about having more room. Olaf is home tomorrow for President's Day. He will be hauling garbage out of the basement and taking it to the dump. (Provided the dump is open tomorrow)

Kevin Bacon

I found this site and thought it was a fabulous idea. Kevin Bacon started it to get people to give to different charities of their choice. I chose Fraxa because it funds research for Fragile X Syndrome. As you all know, my son has Fragile X. While I am not certain that there will ever be a "cure" there may eventually be medications that can help with the mental impairment. So, I put my link in the sidebar. Maybe when Simon is born you will consider giving a small gift to Fraxa instead of sending a card to me.

An Observation

If you can listen to the song "Dance With my Father" by Luther Vandross without crying, you are not human. I have heard it so many times and I still cry at the end when he says, "I pray for her even more than me." Gets me everytime!

On a lighter note, my husband is SO funny. Last night we stayed up late to watch LOST (yes, we are dumb) so it was about 11:30 when we were getting into bed. Olaf gets up at 5:00, so I knew he was going to be tired today. Anyway, as I turned off the lamp music started playing. I was thinking something was going wrong with the clock radio until I heard BARRY WHITE start singing "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe." I started laughing so, so, so hard. My husband bought me the CD for Valentine's but didn't say anything to me. He knew I would crack up if he played it as we were going to bed...you know the whole romantic Barry White love songs. Once in awhile that man really makes me laugh hard.

I just finished cleaning the bathroom listening to Luther and Barry. The fumes from the mildew spray that I spray the shower curtain with are really getting to me. I usually use X-14 for the curtain (and that stuff is potent as it is) but I bought Lysol Mold and Mildew this time and it is killing me.

I did school with the girls this morning and now they are watching Flicka on DVD. We are still behind as far as the "school year" is concerned. Oh well, I guess I'll just school them all year this time. That's the great thing about homeschooing, eh?

Alrighty then, have a great day!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I love Valentine's Day! I don't know why, but it's one of my favorite holidays. I guess because not too much is expected and when you actually get a nice card or a gift, it is appreciated. My children and husband all made me Valentine's cards. They are very sweet. The children bought me Happy in Bloom which came with a free gift from Clinique. Gotta love free gifts! The free gift was a cosmetic bag filled with 2 shades of lipgloss, 2 shades of lipstick, eye make-up remover, and a moisurizer for the face. FAB! Olaf also bought me two POUNDS of See's Bordeaux and a Luther Vandross CD. Love me some Lutha! For the children we bought 10 mylar heart shaped balloons and tied them around See's chocolates. For Olaf we made a 12X12 photo memory book at Shutterfly.com. He loved it. He cried when he looked through it. I think you can see it online here. To all my friends who visit this blog everyday, thank you for caring about me and have a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day! Muah!

Getting old

Last night I had to use Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream on my face. I have a couple of dry patches on my face as well as lots of wrinkles. Heavy sigh. I am getting old people. I am also getting gray hair. It's happening fast too. They come out of nowhere!

I am taking Cami to the doctor this afternoon. Her tailbone has been hurting for 6-8 weeks now. I am sure it is just bruised, but since it has been so long I felt it was time for a doctor to tell me it's just bruised.

I went to Charity's baby shower yesterday. A lot of friends from her church went in together and bought her a glider and an ottoman. It was very nice. I ate a lot which is always fun.

Olaf got a call from his aunt in Germany yesterday. She has lung cancer and decided that she just cannot handle the chemo. She was very thin and frail to begin with and now she only weighs about 75 pounds and she is about 5'6". She is single, lives alone, and has no one to help her. I am assuming Germany has some sort of nurse or hospice that comes in daily, but I am not even certain of that. Her time here on earth is probably very short, so please pray for her. I am not sure if Olaf is planning a trip to see her, but it needs to be done soon if he is.

Did you know there is a magazine for breast cancer survivors? I think that is fabulous. You cannot subscribe to it, but you can still purchase it online.

No implant and bed rest

Olaf didn't have his dentist appointment yesterday. He has a cold with some sinus pressure and they didn't want to drill into his bone like that. It is rescheduled for March. And it's a good thing too...

Last night a contraction woke me up. My uterus felt hard all night long. Everytime I got out of bed this morning I had major braxton hicks contractions. So I called the labor and delivery nurse who told me to drink a lot of water and take it easy today. That is what I have been doing and I am feeling better now. I am not having contractions every time I stand up now. I am just thankful that Olaf has been able to take care of the children today. He wouldn't have been able to do that if he had his implant yesterday.

So, back to the bed I go watching all the fun stuff that I don't get to watch unless I'm by myself. Like E! True Hollywood Story and The Discovery Health Channel. Have a great weekend.

Gotta love Ben!

Ben has to be my favorite character in LOST. He is a fabulous actor. I don't like the new time slot though. It is too late for Olaf to be up. We will have to record it in the future. Survivor Fiji starts tonight. I think I will record that as well and watch The Office instead.

I think I am officially in my third trimester now. I am 27 weeks today. I love looking at my ticker and seeing less than a 100 days to go. He'll be here soon. I am really appreciating all the sleep right now. I wake up every morning and just thank the Lord because I know that in three more months I won't be sleeping at all. His name is still Simon. I think it's going to stick.

Olaf cleaned both of the bathrooms for me yesterday. I don't mind cleaning the bathrooms, but bending over the tub is hard for me now. I actually get in the tub and scrub it that way, but I get so winded. It's pathetic. I had to teach him how to clean the toilet my way though. I'm sure his way would have sufficed, but he gladly put on the rubber gloves and scrubbed it out by hand instead of with a brush. Yes, I scrub that thing by hand. Using Soft Scrub with Bleach. I love the smell of bleach. It makes me feel like my whole house is clean. I even use Dawn dishwashing soap with bleach.

Olaf gets his metal implant into his jaw bone tomorrow (for his tooth implant). Then it has to heal for several months before they can actually put the tooth on. I am sure he will be in major pain this weekend. I'm also sure the doctor will give him some good pain medication. I guess it will be a lazy weekend around our home. I am so ready for him to have a tooth in his head. His fake tooth looks... fake. It doesn't even sit straight with the other one. He also lisps really bad when it is in. I hope his implant looks natural when it's all said and done. It should for the thousands that we are spending.

School Shopping

Olaf took the day off today so we could visit two middle schools to see which one would best suit Caleb's needs next year. They were like night and day. Honestly. I am so thrilled with the school we have chosen for next year. The teacher was fantastic and the class will be a perfect fit for Caleb.

We also went out to eat at Cracker Barrel this morning. Josiah ate an entire pancake. I had two eggs over medium mixed up with hashbrowns. It was yummy.

The contractor that we hired for the basement decided he doesn't want to do it afterall. That's just fantastic. I am not sure if it will get finished now or not.

The children are making Valentine's at the kitchen table. They are having fun. Josiah loves glue sticks. Mama doesn't like cleaning gluestick off the table, but that's another story.

I picked up my records from the OB office today. I was thinking of switching OB's but I think I have decided against that. I am pretty certain that I will stay where I am and deliver here in our local podunk hospital. There are a lot of factors in that decision, but mostly because I really like my current midwife. Not to mention the proximity of the hospital.

LOST is back tonight. I am looking forard to seeing it again. Survivor Fiji starts tomorrow. It's time for television again. Amazing Race, American Idol, Lost, The Office, and Survivor. That's a show almost every night of the week. Crazy. I never used to watch much TV, but those reality shows get me everytime. Sucker.

I don't remember

I honestly do not remember feeling this worn out during my other pregnancies. I went to WalMart yesterday to do some grocery shopping and I honestly thought about just quitting and going home about halfway through. I am tired, out of breath, and feel run down. I'm not sure if it's because I am old, fat, or if I really am sick with some sort of terminal illness. (you knew I had to throw that in there)

My sinuses are still hurting. My upper teeth hurt now as well. YUCK!

My mother and I recently got into an arguement in which I hung up on her. It seems my Aunt visited my website and printed out a few pages for her to read. She was thinking that Mom may like to see how I was feeling and how the children were doing in school etc. Well, my mom could care less about that kind of stuff. She saw the post where I mentioned that I ran away the summer before my senior year in high school and called to REAM me a new butthole. You see, my mother has very selective memory. Only her memories are true and everyone else can just stick it where the sun don't shine. So, when the venom began spewing...I hung up. I cannot imagine having a normal relationship with her. I hope I can give my children something a thousand times better.

The children are watching "Open Season" behind me. I rented it from Blockbuster yesterday. I hope it is suitable. What a good mom I am letting them watch it without me previewing it first:)

I really cannot believe this

I am getting another cold/sinus infection. My left sinus cavity hurts, my upper teeth on my left side hurt, my left eyeball hurts, and when I blow my nose (or cough) the left side of my head feels like it is going to explode! Olaf bought Zicam for me and I am going to try that. I don't want to be sick again. I'm not over my bronchitis yet. When will it end? I just want to cry.

Olaf is going to work on the basement this weekend. He really wants to get it all cleaned out so he can start putting down the radon sealant. Hopefully the guys will start finishing it in the next month. He hired two men that work at Delta full time. They will work 3-7 pm a few nights a week and every other weekend. They estimate it will take about a month to finish the basement. I'm not looking forward to the noise and the construction, but it will be nice to have a family room down there. The noise level in this little house can get unbelievable!

I don't think I'll be on this weekend, so have a good one.

I love Thursdays

It is so sad when you look forward to a day of the week because of a television show. Tonight is The Office. I look forward to sitting down with Olaf and laughing for half an hour. I love that show.

On another baby note, I am currently high bidder on this. Love it! Yes, it is expensive, but it retails for $92. We'll see if I win it.

I am trying to get the school year finished before the baby comes, but I don't think that is going to happen. Olaf is going to have to help me. That is all there is to it. Grace is reading well though. She just learned how to read words that have two vowels in them. This is in her current reader:

Jane will make a cake.
Jane will bake the cake.
Jane will take the cake to Miss Dale.

I'm happy with that. She needs to learn a lot more before Kindergarten is finished like special sounds and such. I hoping I can rush through them as she catches on fast.

Camille needs to work on history. Olaf can do that with her though. Next year she will be in the 6th grade and I am going to put her in a co-op class one day a week. She needs some socialization. It will be fun for her to get away for a couple of hours and learn something at the same time.

Have a great weekend if I'm not on here before then:)

My lungs sound better

That is the good thing. My chest X-Ray said that I have several calcified granulomata on my lungs though. I'm not supposed to worry. HA! They do not know me. I will have another chest X-Ray after the baby comes to see if anything has changed. Until then, I worry...

Just wanted to post an update. Go Google calcified granulomata and leave me a comment saying I am fine. (BTW-I have already read every article online about it! I have never had any lung infection that I am aware of, so I am convinced that I have been misdiagnosed)

Chest X-Ray

Yesterday I was feeling so horrible that I went in for a chest X-Ray. The nurse called today and said the preliminary results were normal. I go in tomorrow afternoon to see the midwife for a recheck. I am still making a lot of noise when I exhale, so I am not sure what is up with all of that.

Today I had to take Caleb to the doctor for his Medicaid paperwork. Every single year I have to jump through a million hoops to continue with his Medicaid waiver. You would not believe all the paperwork that is required. The doctor has to fill out three forms, I have to fill out about three or four and include all kinds of documentation. It is nice to have though. Medicaid picks up whatever our primary insurance does not. So, instead of paying the $100 per month for his seizure medicine (that is our co-pay by the way. His medicine is about $500 per month) we don't have to pay anything because medicaid will pick up the rest. Medicaid also picks up the normal co-pay for doctor's appointments and such as well. When he turns 18 then he will go on a different type of Medicaid and I don't think I will have to reapply every year.

Baby is still transverse. I think we have named him. If you don't read my Baby Blog, his name (as of now anyway) is Simon Perry Jorek. There is a character in the movie Nanny McPhee with the name of Simon. He is such a cute little boy too. I think that is what triggered the name in our minds...(a long time ago) Of course, it's Biblical. Simon Peter among others. The bad thing is it means "to be heard" which really isn't a great thing to name a baby. I am sure we'll get the question, "Did you name him after Simon Cowell?" Ummm...no!

Saturday

I think my cough is getting a little better, but my wheezing/crackling/gurgling continues. It really scares me. I wake up at 3:30 am and listen to myself breathe and I lie there and worry. I wonder what it could possibly be and why it isn't going away. Worry, worry, worry...

Today I bought a used Baby Bjorn carrier for $10. It's an older model, but it will do. I also washed more layette stuff and organized it all in a drawer. I am all set minus some receiving blankets. I have no idea what I did with all my other blankets. My friend, Cheri, pointed out these diaper bags on Ebay to me. How adorable! The funny thing is, she lives near me. Just a few towns over. Oh, and I got this in the mail today! I love it. I bought this pattern. I also bought my very first Bravado nursing bra. It's fine, but I think my bras are more conducive to nursing.

I saw my friend, Karen, and her family Friday night at the local pizza place. She is back on chemo and it makes her feel worn out. But she looked really good. It was nice just saying hello and talking for a minute or two. Keep praying for her and her family as they walk through this battle with cancer.

I posted a picture of myself over at the baby blog.

Have a great weekend!

Z-Pack...finally

I went to my regularly scheduled OB appointment today for my glucose test. (Blech!) The midwife listened to my lungs and said, "You sound awful!" She called in some antibiotics and I am going back for a recheck of my lungs next Wednesday. All of this a day after my Primary Care Doctor said all was fine. Who knows?? I haven't gained any weight for 8 or 9 weeks, but the baby is growing fine. My uterus was measuring 26 weeks (I am 25 tomorrow) so she wasn't concerned about the weight. The heartbeat was fine and he was lying transverse like he always does.

We were able to go to Olive Garden yesterday for lunch! Caleb didn't have a fever when he woke up and wanted to go to school. It's just hard to enjoy your food when you are sick.

All the children are sick. They are coughing. Especially Josiah. I am going to give him some cough medicine tonight even though he is going to fight me tooth and nail.

Tagged - Six weird things

My Down Under friend, Sonia, tagged me. I have to tell six weird things about me, then tag six people.

1. I drink lemon juice straight from the concentrated bottle. I add a little salt to it though.

2. I really don't like to kiss. Anyone.

3. I crave a strong, cold beer (Sam Adams Lager is fabulous) in my second trimester of pregnancy. So far, I have only given in to two temptations this pregnancy.

4. I am a self proclaimed hypochondriac-but y'all knew that one.

5. I am in the parade scene in the movie Animal House. You can't really see me though. I was 10 years old.

6. I ran away from my mother's house in Oregon the summer before my senior year to go live with my dad in Washington. I traveled by Greyhound Bus all by myself with only the clothes on my back.

OK, I tag:

Misty
CJ
Camille
Dawn
Stephanie
Holly

Happy Anniversary to me!

Caleb came home from school with a fever and cold symptoms. That means he will stay home from school tomorrow. That means no Olive Garden for us. I should be thankful that Olaf has the day off to help with everything and not be so selfish.

Coughing and wheezing

This is so not fun! I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 9:45. I know this man is going to think I am utterly crazy because I was in there a little over a week ago thinking I was dying of pancreatic cancer. Now it's lung cancer. Oh boy, I am a mess!

Tomorrow is my nineteenth wedding anniversary. Olaf is taking the day off so I can go to the doctor and the chiropractor. We may go out to lunch at the Olive Garden with the children while Caleb is at school. Caleb doesn't do well around pasta. He is very sensory defensive and will vomit if he sees someone slurp spaghetti. I'm not chancing ruining a meal at Olive Garden with vomit.

We looked at a lovely new home that I would very much like to buy. The problem is trying to get this one ready to sell. That would take SO much work. ::Heavy sigh::

Favor to ask

I am sure most have you have heard about the hostile take over bid from US Airways for Delta Airlines. Of course, this would be awful for my family and for Delta in general. Not to mention the consumers. Would you please take a minute to go sign this petition? This is why it is imperative that you sign now:

Next week a group of employees from every division and from across the system along with retirees and pilots will be going to Washington, D.C. We will be visiting key members of the Senate to let them know why the hostile takeover by USAirways is bad for employees, retirees, customers and the communities we serve. We will announce how many signatures we gathered on our e-petition to Keep Delta My Delta. Also, Jerry and Doug Parker are scheduled to testify next week before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

All, dozens of Delta employees and retirees along with the Board Council will be storming Washington, DC, next week to make a major push for Congress' support of Delta against US Airways' hostile takeover attempt. We were successful with pension legislation and we plan to be successful here, too.

As part of the campaign, we are will be having a media event to announce the total number of signatories to the Keep Delta My Delta petition. We have purposely withheld the total count so as not to pre-empt the event.

I can reveal that to date we are short of our goal. So I am asking that you make one last conscious push to make sure you, your friends, family, and Delta supporters go to the KeepDeltaMyDelta.org site and sign the petition. Every signature counts now more than ever.

Thank you SO much!

Catch Up

Well, yesterday Grace wakes up vomiting. If you know me at all, you know how much I fear vomiting. I can watch others vomit and take care of them, but the thought of ME vomiting scares me to death. I am hoping I don't catch it. She seems fine now which I am grateful for.

Josiah has had hives on his face, arms, and legs for three days now. We have no idea what is causing them so he is on a constant dose of Benadryl. Nothing is new in his diet or in our laundry detergent. The Benadryl helps a little, but not a lot. They don't seem to bother him too much.

We have a cold snap right now. It finally feels like winter. It went from 72 degrees to 45 degrees in one day. I love the colder weather, but it doesn't last long down here.

I got on the scale this morning. I am back down to 6 pounds total weight gain. I was up to 8 at one point. I don't know why my body isn't putting on any weight. I haven't gained in over a month. I am 24 weeks pregnant today. The baby is still nameless:)

Did anyone watch American Idol the past few nights? I love the beginning of the season where all the bad singers audition. It cracks me up.

Back Pain

Something is wrong with my back! It's not the typical low backache that one gets when they are preggo. It's up high, like under my right shoulder, and it wakes me up every stinkin' night. Being the good hypochondriac that I am (are we starting to see a theme?) I went to the doctor convinced I was dying of some sort of cancer. He said, "It's a backache Mrs. Jorek." Oh, how I hope he shows up at my funeral and recants.

Baby still doesn't have a definite name. I blogged a bit about it at the Baby Jorek Blog.

Camille is already planning her birthday. It isn't until March 11, but she has decided that she wants to go here with her best friend. I think Olaf will take just the two of them. I would take them but I cannot get on a horse pregnant. She still loves horses so much. She wants to take riding lessons again, but I am not so sure that I am ready to be dragging the other children to lessons. Maybe in the fall.

Swelling already

Last night my left foot and ankle were slightly swollen. Say it isn't so! It is WAY too early for that. This morning my hands felt a bit swollen as well. So I did what any hypochondriac would do. I went to Eckerd to buy a blood pressure cuff. Then I went to the big machine that takes your blood pressure and took mine four times. It started high (I had just walked in from the parking lot and was out of breath...sad) but by the fourth time, it was normal. Olaf is going to check it this evening with new cuff I bought too. Not that my hypochondria isn't bad on its own, I have Josiah adding to the mix. He said to me today, "Mom, when the baby is born it is going to be very sick." I asked him how he knew that and he said, "Well, I just know it." Thank you Josiah. You made my day. I really hate being a hypochondriac. It is awful to live this way. I wish there was a pill to make it all go away. I pray and pray and pray and pray. I try to take every wrong thought captive to the obedience of the Lord. And as I am trying to think on Whatsoever things are true, my head is ruminating on sickness, cancer, diseases, death and the after effects on my family. It's not limited to me either. I fear one of the children or Olaf dying as well. It's awful I tell you.

Do you know how much I dislike grammar? Teaching Camille grammar is so hard for me. I don't even understand it. We are working on pronouns which, in and of themselves, is not a hard concept. But classifying them and such...who cares? If you can recognize a pronoun then I say GOOD FOR YOU! On the other hand, I love math as long as it isn't spacial. I really don't like geometry, but I like algebra. When she gets beyond Algebra 2 I will have to send her to a coop math class or something. That is too advanced for me.

My brother called me last night. We talk about twice a year. It's always fun to catch up with him. We talked for over an hour about parenting teenagers. He has four teens right now. Let's just say that after talking to him I am so glad I homeschool:)

Yet another tornado warning

Two days ago a tornado touched down about 15 miles away from my house. It did significant damage to people's homes, but thankfully noone was hurt. And here I sit in yet another tornado warning. Yes, we took shelter in the basement as instructed, but it has moved far enough away that we are safe now. I feel like I am in Kansas.

We went to Lowe's today and looked at the different types of drop ceiling tiles that can go in a basement. Since we really don't know anything about finishing a basement, it was futile. Even Olaf admitted that he had no idea what he was looking at. Thank God for contractors.

We also went and looked at a home that is for sale. It is a lovely home with 5 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. The landscaping is gorgeous and the lot is the best in the neighborhood. The price was great as well. It just wasn't big enough for me to be motivated to prepare my house to sell. Just the thought of getting this house ready is overwhelming! So, finishing the basement is still the best option at this point. We got one estimate today. $15,000 for everything. There is no way the finished basement will add $15,000 to the value of our home, but that is just something we have to deal with. If this is going to be our "forever" home (and I am totally fine with that) then we'll just have to eat the cost.

I am hungry. I think I am going to have a bowl of cereal.

Finishing the basement

We have had one man come out so far to look at our basement. I think Olaf has two more coming out so he can compare prices. It looks like we will be finishing one huge playroom/family area that is about 635 sq. feet and a bedroom that is 138 sq. feet. He will be putting three windows in as well. We don't have the actual cost estimate yet. He is working on that right now. I am just so excited at the prospect of having more room. I pray it all works out.

We had a tornado warning this morning. The rain was coming down HARD. So glad nothing came of it.

Remember last week or so when I was feeling really sick? I am certain I had a full blown sinus infection because my upper teeth on my left side were killing me. Kind of like when you have a bad cavity. Anyway, I really should have gone on antibiotics, but I didn't. Now...and this is really gross...I am blowing the infection out of my left nostril. If I say more than that you WILL vomit. Moral of the story; if you get a sinus infection go to the doctor.

Charity had her baby!

My friend Charity had her baby this morning. A BIG healthy baby girl. She woke up at 1:15 am and had the baby at 2:27 am. This was a planned homebirth and the midwife got there 15 minutes before the baby was born. Here are the stats:

Claire Elyse
9 pounds 4 ounces
22 inches
Born at 2:27 am January 3, 2007

Congratulations to the whole family!!

2007

In 2007, I resolve to have a baby. That resolution I will certainly keep!:0) Other than that, I resolve not to make resolutions that I know I will never keep. How's that for honest?

Today (just for fun) I went and registered at Target and Babies R Us. Basically I did it to get any coupons that may come with the deal, but I got nothing today. Bummer. It also isn't a lot of fun to take four children with you when you register. Thankfully, Olaf took the kiddos and let me walk around. We bought a new mattress for the bassinet and another bassinet sheet. At Target I bought some onesies and little pants that were on clearance. It will be hot here when the baby comes, so he really won't need more than that. I think I am all set with the layette now between Target and Kohls. You can look at my registries online if you want to.

Olaf and I were discussing the possibility of finishing one room down in the basement. A big huge playroom/family room where the children can store their toys and such. I think he is going to call some contractors for some estimates. I would love, love, love that. Our house is fairly small and any added space would be fabulous.

Olaf goes back to work tomorrow. Caleb goes back to school on Thursday. I need to start school with the girls again too. Hopefully we can get their school year finished before the baby comes. Hopefully:)