Tomorrow!

And I can not wait.  Honestly I have cried every time I think about it today.  I have been pretty emotional lately.  But I am pregnant and due any day.  I have a pretty dang good reason.

So this will be my last blog post until the baby comes.  I have no idea how people blog on a regular basis.  So the last couple days have brought us a cleaner carpet, of which I forgot to get an after pic.

My dad and step mom were awesome and really helped me yesterday by moving all our furniture out of the living and dining area and steam cleaned the carpet for us.  Grace supervised.

They also took our van in to address a recall.  Went back in the evening to pick it up and move our furniture back on the now cleaner and even softer carpet!

We thought this was a pretty cool sign!

And then I was able to lay down on Jonathan's bed with these two little one's.  Listening to music on Pandora, staring out at the blue sky.  For the record, I love the feet there.

After our nap I got up to make dinner.  I had to throw the chicken out because it reeked.  The sell by date was the 15th and it was only the 13th.  So plan B was spaghetti and Caleb kept asking if it was ready yet?  

Now?

Now?

 Finally it was but I realized we did not have anywere to eat it so Caleb said, "Hold on I have an idea."  While I was dishing out the bowls to cool I heard him doing something and he fixed our table with chairs.  That almost 8 year old boy never ceases to amaze me. 

This morning Johnny woke up first like he always does but he asked me whose birthday was next.

I told him the order of our family's birthdays.  Daddy's is last but Jonathan wanted to make Welcome Home Happy Birthday drawings for daddy when he comes home tomorrow.

The flash blinded him but his cuteness overwhelmed me.  That thought process first thing in the morning made me realize he is growing up fast.  And he is super thoughtful too.  We will do the drawings tomorrow.  

I had a doctors appointment today and baby is doing well.  We played outside when we got home.  Caleb came in to play a video game and I noticed it was quiet outside.  Turns out they were only digging to China.

Took a nap, had to throw out more chicken (this time I ruined it), dinner was saved by my mother, got some cute pics, stopped on the side of the road for a pee break,

got back home, pj's, and Tinkerbell, The Lost Treasure is wrapping up.  

So is this pregnancy.  My husband's time away from us too.  

3 More Days!!!

Monday was Monday.

That basket is still there, just a little roughed up because we picked at it and today is Tuesday.

I will do it tomorrow.

Sunday night was awful and Monday was recover day.  I took a three hour nap, played around on the computer and stared at that basket a few times.  I needed an extra day so I took it and the kids did more puzzles, watched tv, etc etc.

I did get to talk to my bestie for a good hour last night and the kids were able to Skype with daddy before bed.

Much better today and actually had energy back.  So I cut my fabric for the baby's wrap.

And then there were two!

Grace had to have her daily foot bath

I washed the last of those cute baby things.  Did another load to add to the already overflowing basket that I will put away tomorrow.  Boring chores and the house was finally, mostly cleaned up after the extended weekend.

Printed off pictures to color including Mandalas and lined up the next couple days of  light school work.

Found this when we got back from the store...

Some of you may get this some of you may not.  That is Marissa's bed.  She likes it. a lot.  But she knows she can not "play" with it while I am home.  I vacuumed this morning but she stayed away from it.  We played a lot with her this morning but still... 

The kids played outside while I made salmon, broccoli, mashed potatoes, and strawberry shortcake(yup again) and only the best guacamole ever to eat while I cooked.  Even the strawberry shortcake can't knock this garlic/onion breath away.  But I have tomorrow to finish it off and then two more days til my husband comes home.

While they were playing outside Caleb broke his stick.  He came inside to show me but was actually happy about it.  

"Look mommy!  I made two sticks!"

I love his perspective.  Maybe that is what God means by child like faith.  Choosing to see the best of things instead of the worst.  

But of course, I picked up on that^^ after I said, "You mean it broke?"  He looked at his sticks and said with a downcast voice, "Yeah".

SMH!

Thankfully I realized what I just did and grabbed my camera.  I told him I liked his perspective better and to hold up his two sticks!  I told him that makes me proud and we will send the picture to his daddy because he will be proud too.

Grace wanted to take a shower with me and to have her hair in ponytails which is a first ever.

And the boys are having their bath.

We are still awaiting the precious moment this baby decides it is time!  Hopefully at least three more days.

The weekend

is usually when we get to spend the most time with Chuck.  This weekend we made the best of it.

Saturday was more puzzles and dominos!  After of course Grace was magically transformed into a Princess.

 "I do it again Mommy!"

"Ant I do it again Mommy!"

But you don't need more pics of that.  Yes, she did do it again.

Meanwhile the boys played nicely in their room, until I went in to snap a pic.  Naturally they were arguing as soon as I walked in the room.  Yup, the 4 year old has the almost 8 year old pinned in the corner.  This tells me the truth.  His older brother is not playing fair.  

The closet door broke again and I can not fix it myself.  I tried.  I failed.  It is on Chuck's honey wish-list.  We do not call it a Honey Do-list.  It is too demanding.  Chuck came up with the idea of calling it a wish list so I obliged.  Usually everything gets done on it within a couple weeks.  So Honey Wish-List it is.  (snickers to herself)

We had lunch shortly after this pic and then headed off to Choi Kwang Do class for Caleb.  I chit chatted with another mom pretty much the entire time so I did not get any pics whatsoever.  We high-tailed it back home just in time for Caleb to put on some nicer clothes and off he and Johnny went with Grandad and Henriette to the Alliance Theater.  They were engrossed for an hour with the tale of Charlotte's web.

Meanwhile, at home base, I had a very upset crying little girl who did not understand why she was not going with them too.  So I did what any sensible, loving mom would do.

Cookie

After cookie, 

in bed :)  

Thin Mints are deceiving.  They do not make you thin!

We then took a nap.

We woke up about an hour later starving.  I decided since the boys were not back yet Grace and I would go out to eat.  I had been wanting to try an Irish Tavern in our town so we got up and left.  We walked in and sat down only to turn back around.  Despite the no smoking sign at the front door, it reeked of stale cigarette smoke.  What music do you think should be playing in an Irish Tavern?  Well, they thought rap music would be appropriate.  The only Irish thing on their menu was corned beef and mashed potatoes.   

So we walked right out.

Thankfully our town is small so we walked up the ally to see where else we could grab a bite.  There were two places.  An Italian restaurant that I was not in the mood for or a Louisiana Grill.  We put Grace's name on the list and proceeded to waddle walk up the narrow sidewalk.  Just as we got past the small crowd also waiting for the only decent meal on our town strip, we got the call the boys were 30 minutes away from home.  Turned in the buzzer and waddled walked back to the van.  *sigh*

If my daughter did not agree with me that the first one was stinky and the second one was too long a wait she surely would have acted like a 2 year old.  But she didn't.  She calmly said, "We tried mommy" as we made our way back down the ally.

My two year old's perspective made me wonder where in her brain, her two year old brain, did she process that experience like that.  I was so proud of her and left speechless.  Proof right there that God uses the weak to confound the strong.  I felt the love of our Father in her wisdom and comforting.  I then was looking forward to another night with my little blessings.  

I did not have much time to take pics the rest of the night because I made dinner, cleaned up after dinner, and sat my happy butt down to work on my turtle shell.  Only to have to go lay down, only to get back up and put everyone to bed.  I was beat.

Oh, forgot to add these pics of some things my mother blessed us with when she was over.

My first ever Thirty-one bag!  And I love paper :)

Cute, cute, cute!

Thank you mom!

*Sunday*

I forgot about Daylight Savings time and was shocked that at 10:30 I finally realized that it was 11:30.

You can tell Grace's favorite jammies by now...

and her favorite thing to do lately.  Caleb helped her a bit with this new one and a few hours later she was doing it by herself.

A few pics of the girls:

See my toes?  I keep looking at them.  And with that I have this renewed gratitude that rises up with in me, like a refreshing drink to my soul.  A reminder of how far our family has come.  That is a whole post in and of itself for another day.

But I did think about it while folding clothes and listened to this song at least 5 times...

If you are offended by God then do not click and if you do click you have to listen to the whole song.

Let's see, today I scooped poop in the backyard.  I actually had to convince Jonathan to give me the shovel and that I would get it done "Super fast".  We opened the windows and I allowed them to do whatever they wanted.  Through out the day they watched Netflix shows, played the N64, some on the PS3, went outside, played blocks, yes puzzles, shuffle around and repeat.  I played World of Warcraft with my husband.  I almost cried because it felt like he was right here and not 400 miles away.  Jonathan peed in the yard.  I can see the window from my bedroom and I caught him.  Thankfully he came inside a few minutes later for the other end.  To those of you who know me, you know this is a great accomplishment !

We ate when we were hungry, I peed 20 times, kept the kitchen clean, well mostly clean, and helped when I was needed.  I did some laundry but 

I will put it away tomorrow.

After our blueberry or banana pancake dinner(depending on which child you were) we had baths.

Just because:

and...

We love those towels.  And I get to buy a new one!

Patiently waiting the arrival of another little one to confound the strong and make this world a better, brighter place!

Oooh!  I just got a picture made just for me while proofreading.

by: Jonathan

Day 5

wiped me out, in a good way.

I also learned a couple lessons...

• Do not shave with a brand new razor just before a pedicure.  Especially when you have trouble reaching your ankles.  
• My maternity dress makes me look like a walking time bomb.  If you wear something similar, you will hear every pregnant woman comment in the book.  From twins? to When are you due? to the funky eye. 
• There are two types of strangers you can encounter when very pregnant.  The ones that will stare at your belly as you approach, meet eye contact and smile with a nod.  And then there are the ones that will stare at your belly as you approach, meet eye contact and immediately look at the ground or straight ahead, as if they were just caught doing something wrong. 

And my oldest son confessed that he has had weed.  The conversation happened just after we left the bank.  

See?  The teller said I looked like I could use one too.

Notice the mystery flavored dum dum wrapped in purple.  That was the one Caleb picked.  He decided to smell it and could not figure out what flavor it was.  He was not going to put it in his mouth until the quandary was decided.  He asked me to smell it and it smelled like grass.  The kind that you mow.  I have no idea why, maybe because I am pregnant.  I smell Este Lauder Pleasures in my home from time to time and I do not wear it.  I smell onion rings from time to time and have not had one near me at all.  So, I just laugh and say eat it.  He tries it and I wish I was not in the car still so I could have taken a picture because his face was priceless.  We end up deciding it was a cream soda flavored and then it was quiet.  

I was about to reach for the volume control when Caleb says, "Ya know mom, I have had weed."  You can imagine my shock.  

Me:"Um,You mean you have tasted grass"

Caleb: "No I have tasted weed"

Me, laughing: "What do you mean you have tasted weed?"

Caleb: "I have pulled a weed out with my mouth, in the backyard"

Me: "Okay, did you like it"

Caleb: "Well, I didn't eat it"

Me:" Well what did you do with it?"

Caleb:" I spit it out and pulled the next one out with my teeth. "

Me: (to my self)  My kid just told me he weeded my backyard with his teeth.  What do you say?  

Me: "Okay, well thank you" 

And I turn the music back on...

This is how I found Grace this morning while I was supervising Jonathan wiping his butt in the other bathroom.

In the afternoon, my mom came and watched the kids so I could get the first pedicure while full term pregnant ever.  First pedicure in probably a good number of years.  (I have a little kit that I do them myself at home so don't picture hobbit feet, Pul-eeese)

Anywho, we couldn't afford it when I was expecting Caleb.  Afterall, he was born 4 days after I graduated with an Associates Degree.  We lived in WV for Jonathan's birth and for whatever crazy reason a basic pedicure up there is at least $40.  I was not about to pay that.  I was going to get one with Grace but the day before, seriously the dang day before my appointment, my husband was laid off.  So, this pedicure was a huge deal to me!

Afterward, I strolled through Target getting some allergy medicine for the boys, printer paper, etc.  I learned the lesson about two different types of people.  And I decided that we need a Red Card.  Oh, and I got asked twice, "Is this your first?"  I just smile and say, "Nope, fourth!"  People are always shocked and I love it.  I even thought to myself, next time I am going to say that it is my 8th.  Just for giggles....

Stopped by Publix and got dinner/dessert/ and more milk.

Turkey Burgers

Strawberry Shortcake

Dominos and Puzzles instead of a movie.

 

And I now have all 6 Pentagons to make the shell

Day 5 done.  One week til Daddy comes home and still patiently awaiting the arrival of Heafer Baby #4

Day 4

Had my 39 week appointment today and saw Baby boy's scrotum.  Yup.  Head still down, lots of fluid, and still a boy.  I brought my yarn and only waited 10 minutes.  We had Dunkin Donuts afterward because I bribed my children to get dressed, teeth/hair brushed while I took a shower this morning.  Hey, it worked.

The girls got their baths today :)

They love riding in the car...

  

It was nice outside when we got home so the kids played outside while I made dinner:

They were not thrilled with me asking them to stop building a "camp" to take a pic.

They were great big helpers:  I wondered why Grace came inside and grabbed a plastic bag from under the kitchen sink.  

And if you pay close attention you will notice the bath water is pink.  That is a brand new bottle of princess shampoo/conditioner dumped out in the water.  They were thoughtful and filled it half way back up with water.  But I will not need to use soap on those two for a month.

That is what I get for looking at FB while they are playing in the tub.

Dinner was brought to us in part by Zataran's Cheesy Jambalya boxed, yes boxed, mix and by mommy adding turkey sausage, garbanzo beans and corn.

Then came another movie night.  Yup, tonight was The Great Mouse Detective.  

Not sure what is so funny or scary about the beginning of that movie but those pics are too funny to only share one!

And I am sure this turtle thingy is going to be way too big but as long as his little face can peak out, it will be cute right?

And Jewel (black dog) just started snoring :)

...patiently awaiting the arrival of our newest member