Fourteen Weeks

The Baby: Little Sprout is developing quite the talent for making faces, which is sure to be a benefit for the youngest of four. :) The little one can now squint, frown, grimace, and even suck its thumb. Growing like a weed, Little Sprout is now the size of a lemon, measuring 3 1/2 inches long. Although the size of a lemon, the baby is starting to feel like a soft peach with the fuzzy lanugo that is covering its body. Liver, spleen, and kidneys should be working well by now.

Me: Busy, busy, busy! I am trying to balance the demands of the kids and the work of packing and getting ready for a 2-week road trip with the demands of the growing baby and a body that needs rest. As for cravings, I constantly want salty and savory foods - nachos, fish and chips, pizza, crackers and cream cheese, hard-boiled eggs, etc. Sweet things still often make me sick.

The Belly: I think this is the week that it really "popped" out. I am much more conscious of my belly jutting out :) and and it is already doing its job of catching dropped food. Haha!

The Siblings: The Beast never forgets to frequently give the baby some love with hugs, kisses, and sweet words. He seems constantly aware of the fact that there really is a baby in Momma's tummy, and as a result he is much gentler with me. Unfortunately, he has also decided that he is Momma's favorite "baby" and constantly wants to climb in my lap, lie down like an infant, and pretend to drink from a bottle. Hmmm. I guess we'll have to work on that.

But for now, I must continue packing and cleaning. I will be taking a 2-week vacation from the blog and from normal life to have fun with the family on a road trip to Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio. Yes, we are taking the kids with us. And yes, I said fun. I'll let you know if I change my mind on that! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Popsicle Party

more wordless fun at 5 Minutes for Mom...

Mommy Guilt ?

Running errands is not my favorite way to spend my day. And when I have the wonderful privilege of taking along three children (who cannot get along for just one second, thank you very much!), well, it just falls further and further down my list of least favorite things to do. Especially when those adorable children all initiate that whiny tone of voice and complain about everything - including but not limited to: my feet hurt, I'm tired of this store, why can't we get some candy, I want to look at the toys, she's looking at me, this is so boring...

So. When I do have to accomplish this most unpleasant task, afterwards I often feel the van pulling into a Starbucks drive-thru, as if led by some invisible magnet. Having survived an hour or two of whining and fighting, I most certainly deserve a reward, and most often I prefer my reward to be full of sugar and caffeine. We then head home with momma a much happier and calmer person, which is really good for everyone all around.

Recently, a friend asked me if I felt guilty about doing that. "Doing what?" I wondered, trying to decide what new slice of mommy guilt to add to my already burgeoning pie. "You know," she said. "Buying a drink for yourself and not getting the kids anything." Honestly, I had never thought about it. But now, the question was out there, and I considered it.

And here's my take: absolutely no! I think moms should be able to enjoy many treats that don't have to be shared with the offspring. (anyone else wait until their kids go to bed so that they can eat their favorite ice cream?!) Just because Momma is getting a treat, it certainly doesn't mean the kids all need (or deserve) a treat too. Beyond that, as a conscientious parent, I definitely will not reward whining or squabbling with a treat. My final reason? Starbucks is way too expensive to treat all the kids! *

What do you think? Should I feel guilty for not treating my kids when I treat myself?

*disclaimer: I have been known to very occasionally get a couple of chocolate milks with whipped cream for charming and deserving children on a trip to my favorite coffee shop. I am not a total ogre. :)

Seven

Seven.

Seven years ago I said "I do" to my Nerd.

Seven years ago I wore the biggest dress I had ever seen and felt like a princess.

Seven years ago I made the promise "til death do us part" and I meant it.

Seven years ago the Nerd and I set out on a cross-country road trip that doubled as our honeymoon. We started off our marriage by staying the night in various hotel rooms and sight-seeing along the way, buying silly little trinkets as souvenirs and taking pictures of everything.

Seven years ago I became an Oregonian by transplant.

And, in those seven years, we have:

*moved three times

*had three babies and conceived number four

*discovered our favorite TV shows to watch together

*discovered what shows we most certainly could NOT watch together and still live in relative marital bliss

*tried countless Chinese restaurants in search of the elusive "perfect" Asian food

*laughed together (many times at the Nerd's strange sense of humor)

*cried together (okay, I cried and he awkwardly patted me on the back and said I was beautiful)

*took separate vacations (well that's a story for another post!)

But most of all, we have learned that it's true - you DO fall in love more and more each year. The love between you is deeper, more committed, and more solid than before. That's not to say it wasn't hard-earned! We have also learned that marriage is indeed hard work, and if you don't "stay on the job", problems will crop up more quickly than you ever would have imagined.

Happy Seventh Anniversary, Babe! Apparently the traditional gifts for the big 7 are wool or copper, but I guess we'll do with dinner ordered in from Chevy's and a funny-but-slightly-ridiculous movie (after the kids are in bed of course). I love you more than chocolate cake and ice cream and think you're one incredibly sexy and wonderful husband! ;) Here's to at least seven more!

Thirteen Weeks

The Baby: Little Sprout is now ready for the criminal justice system, as fingerprints are now formed on the little fingertips. Thankfully its little body is starting to catch up to its head size; this family is not ready for a bobble-head child. At almost three inches long, Little Sprout is now the size of a medium shrimp. :)

Me: I have been super tired this past week. On Monday, I started getting some serious side cramps, which freaked me out a bit. I found out that these side cramps are common in the beginning of the second trimester, usually signifying that the muscles and ligaments are stretching out to make room for the growing uterus. Unfortunately since then, anytime I do any kind of physical labor (laundry, a lot of walking or going up and down stairs, chasing kids, etc), the cramps return, and I am forced to sit and rest until they subside. Of course, with three kiddos ages 5 and under, it's difficult to take the time to rest; but I am trying to be careful.

The Belly: I am still not convinced it looks like a pregnant belly yet. I just feel big. But hubby assures me that even people that don't know I am pregnant would be able to tell now.

The Siblings: Last week, Grandma purchased Little Sprout's first gift - a super-soft blanket in a rich brown and decorated with jungle animals. The kids love it - they take turns snuggling with it and laying it on my tummy to "help keep the baby warm." The Beast is especially sweet - he will share his candy and special treats with me so that I can give it to the baby. :) He has also decided that we ought to name the baby Lowly. Yeah. That's definitely not on the list. :)

Well, I'm off to conquer a bowl of Southern Chocolate Pie ice cream. Priorities, priorities...

A BIG Thank You!

We celebrated the Beast's last day of school on Thursday. We celebrated six teachers that have the amazing capabilities to bring out the best in our children. The Beast helped me choose papers to make these notebooks for his teachers as end-of-the-year gifts.

We simply bought notebooks at the dollar store and covered them in coordinating scrapbook paper. (The Beast really liked the bright colors of these sock-monkey themed papers). I used a Sharpie to write each teacher's name in a fun font. (the heartbreaker font at dafont.com was inspiration). Then we tied them up with white grosgrain ribbon bows and colorful pencils.

It seemed it was the least I could do for these incredible teachers. Those of you that knew the Beast before he was diagnosed and before he began this special education program would be able to testify how much progress and change has occurred in our little man over the year. I will forever be grateful to these people whose talents were used to help the Beast in ways that I, even as his mom, could not. It never seems enough to say thank you - but, a BIG thanks to all of his teachers. Mr. Scott, Teacher Jan, Teacher Bobby, Teacher Mary Jo, Teacher Chris, and Miss Maggy - we love you!

Beyond the teachers, the class itself was an incredible experience this year. My Beast finally has friends - ones that run up to him, grab him firmly by the hand, and proudly introduce him as "my friend David." Each child in the class has a special, fun personality, and I am looking forward to the playdates this summer with the Beast's favorite people. I have been able to develop amazing friendships with the parents of these special kids. One in particular has been such a blessing and wonderful friend throughout the school year. She has watched my kids when I was sick, picked up the Beast and taken him to school when I needed it, but most of all she loves my kids, especially my Davey.

So here I am at the end of the school year, trying to process my emotions about it all. The Beast comes over to me and initiates a long conversation about the baby, keeping eye contact with me the entire time. Summer break for him is actually quite short - just the month of June in fact - and he will be returning to his class in the beginning of July. Then Mr. Scott (his favorite teacher) calls. Budget cuts have been made, and a lot of reshuffling in the system has taken place. While David will still get to be with most of his teachers and classmates, unfortunately Mr. Scott is being moved to another class. I must admit, I cry when I hear the news. (I am sure preggo hormones are a part of that!) From the moment Davey and Mr. Scott met, they have had a special connection. Davey measures his days by "when's the next time I get to see Mr. Scott?" We have benefitted so much from Mr. Scott as parents - he even has come by our house to help us work out solutions to problems we were having with David at home. I don't know how to tell David that he will have a new teacher and that he will not be seeing Mr. Scott every week anymore.

However, I am trying hard to be grateful that he has so many good teachers and that he is able to continue in this fabulous program. I know that with that kind of help, our Beast's future is bright. I praise God every day that we get to be part of this community!

Homemade Granola Bars

For snack time, invariably my kiddos will choose granola bars. They love the ones with mini chocolate chips in them and scarf them down like cookies. Between my own kids and the one I watch each afternoon, we can finish off a box of ten in two days. And at $2.50 a box, that gets to be quite a pricey snack!

So, I decided to attempt making my own granola bars. With our long road trip coming up soon, I figured it would be very beneficial to have lots and lots of granola bars on hand for the munchies. I found this easy and yummy recipe at Kitchen Stewardship, one of my favorite cooking blogs.

When the Beast learned I was making granola bars, he quickly volunteered to help. He especially enjoyed adding the honey and then mashing the whole mixture into the pan as firmly as his muscles would let him.

Of course, we decided on mini chocolate chips as our add-ins. The coconut and sunflower seeds sound delish, but unfortunately I would be the only one eating the bars if I used those ingredients. The Drama Queen also assisted in making a batch of bars.

By following the recipe and putting it into two 8x8 pans instead of the 13x9 pan, we were able to cut 24 bars. Then came the taste test. Amazing! Sweet, thick, and absolutely granola-y, everyone enjoyed our first attempt at making granola bars. I made them a week ago, and they are still as fresh as ever. The Nerd grabs one for breakfast on his way out the door, and the kids all clamor for them at snack time. In my opinion, these are a lot more filling and tasty than the store-bought kind. Best of all, I know exactly what ingredients are in each bar. And since it looks like there are not that many bars left, it looks like we will be making these again soon. ;)

Twelve Weeks

Woohoo! I am officially at the end of my first trimester. :)

The Baby: Little Sprout is doing well with a heart rate of 166 beats a minute. Now the size of a lime, the little one is starting to make sucking movements with its mouth, and all of the reflexes are beginning to work. Little Sprout had a first photo session today. :)

I saw this picture and fell in love. Again. I am always amazed at how much love I have to give all the littles in my life.

Me: I am doing fantastic! Morning sickness is quickly fading out of the picture, and to be honest, I am breathing a big sigh of relief that the first trimester is over. I am trying not to worry over picking up big objects (i.e. The Beast) or doing more strenuous tasks. I am also trying to get to the gym at least three or four times a week, so as to justify the giant bowl of ice cream I had last night. Or the nachos I had at 1:00 in the morning a few days ago. Or. . . well, you get the picture.

Siblings: They still seem excited at the idea of a new little one entering our lives come Christmas time. I am thankful for a grandma who can come by and watch them so I can go to doctors' appointments without terrorizing the ob-gyn's office. The Beast asked me yesterday if he could talk to the baby. He rubbed my belly, saying, "Hi, baby!. You are so cute!" Then he looked up at me and said, "Your turn, Momma! Say hi to the french fries!" as he lifted up his shirt.

The Plans: Since it is officially garage sale season around here, I am on the lookout for a baby swing and/or bouncy seat for Little Sprout as well as some other necessary baby items. As soon as we find out the gender of Little Sprout, I will be piling up the clothes, blankets, bibs, etc. as well.

And that's it for this week. I am looking forward to moving into the second trimester! :)