Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with their family!

Here are some pictures of me with the boys

at their Thanksgiving Feasts at school!

This one was not happy about putting on big brother's pilgrim costume!

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" Philipians 1:3

Cook a little longer!

No, I'm not talking about our Thanksgiving turkey! I'm talking about our little caboose that needs to cook a little longer! Because I had some concerns about "cramping" and called Tuesday morning - the dr. requested I just come in and get checked out before the holiday! I wasn't really prepared to go in nor was I concerned but because my babies always want to come early (the two boys came at 37 and 38 weeks which was great!) they wanted to see me.

I still wasn't concerned and really just excited that they would check me - curious to see if anything was happening! Well, they hooked me up to a monitor and I was to push a button every time I felt the baby move, hiccup, kick, etc. and I literally could have just held the button down the ENTIRE time! The baby was constantly moving so they said I had no problem with fetal activity! But I had two contractions while on the monitor for 15 minutes. She checked me and I was 1 cm and 30% effaced. I was told to go home, take a warm bath and get off my feet for the next three days. Friday I will be 36 weeks and she said if I went into labor now, they wouldn't stop it but they'd rather me go another one or two weeks. Well, me too! I don't want this baby to come too early!

But you think "resting" will be so easy - something you even crave for a dr. to tell you! But it's not actually all that great when you aren't supposed to get off your feet! My mom came over this morning and took the boys to get haircuts and dropped numero uno at a friends house to play and helped with little man. I just feel so quilty laying here! I feel bad when my little man is crying when he goes to take a nap...is he thinking "mommy's home but why isn't she coming up here to put me down?" I was so worried about it, I did actually get off the couch to go upstairs and comfort him....sweet boy!

While they were gone this morning I was thinking about how much I've been saying I'm so ready to have this baby but then I immediately wonder am I REALLY READY? It's crazy with the two we have now!!! But while it's going to be crazy, I know I'm ready, His timing is perfect and we are overly blessed. I saw this cute phrase in the Uppercase Living catalog that said:

Grant me patience to deal with my blessings

I might be ordering that soon!

Also, today I get this email from my husband (many of you have probably seen it before so I won't post the entire thing) but it's listing things to be thankful for such as:

I AM THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT's HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE .

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

You get the point and then he sends me another email almost immediately that says "A couple were missing" and I'm thinking it's just another part of the forwarded email but he has actually written his own two things to be thankful for:

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY SCREAMING KIDS:
Because I've been blessed enough to be called Daddy


I AM THANKFUL FOR MY WIFE WHO CAN'T HAVE DINNER READY AND CLEAN THE HOUSE:
Because we've been blessed enough to create another life

I couldn't love him any more...

Changing of the Guards

We clearly have one baby around here - although sometimes the 4 year old likes to act like he is. I can say this statement with confidence considering I am the baby of four - the baby gets special treatment, in other words....it gets "babied" but it is now time to change the guards because we need to make room for a new baby.

Getting this point across to our two year old is another challenge!

This is the kid who we moved into a big boy bed - he went back into his crib on night three because he got out probably 15 times between the hours of 1:00 and 3:00 - so he's still there happy as a lark!

This is the kid who we consistently (major emphasis on that word) potty trained for over 2 months (yes, you read that right) and he pooped his pants consistently (again emphasis on that word!) every day - sometimes twice a day!

This is the kid who loved his paci so much (he calls it "baby" if that gives you any indication of the love between them!) that he got down to one and it was totally wripped all the way around except for one side was still hanging on. I was in fear that he'd chew the remainder off and choke on it in the middle of the night so I snipped it. So much so that I couldn't even believe there was enough to hold between his teeth - what did he do? Picked it up, put it in his mouth and never did a double take!

(How gross it that?)

So yesterday when I literally had lost the "baby" (aka paci) I really did look everywhere! Because I need him to nap and obviously he doesn't react to change very well - especially the kind of change that requires him to be a big boy! Well, I couldn't find it and I was not a happy pregnant person walking all over this house, down to the car, back up looking for this stupid thing! So today was the day - we are done with baby and I just told him "i'm sorry sweetie - I really can't find it".

The crying (screaming really) lasted about 30 minutes and finally the quiet lasted about 30 minutes as well before the screaming started again. A nap that lasts 30 minutes is no nap! But at night-time, he cried a little bit and went on to sleep - woke up at 1:40 asking for baby but again went right back down.

So this morning, I was talking to Aunt Mine on the phone and she's saying "you need to find that thing before he does and tell numero uno if he finds it, to please bring it to you - not to give it to little man" Well, too late...here comes numero uno exclaiming "guess what we found? We found little man's paci and I gave it back to him!!!" Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

He had it and chewed on it for a few hours and then daddy snatched it out of his mouth and threw it to me....It's been "gone" ever since and yes, we had to mourn the loss of baby all over again with the crying and the screaming but naptime lasted for 3 hours! I had to WAKE him up so it's getting better! Hopefully tonight will be as good too.


So today was a monumental day for our baby who doesn't understand that his days of being the "baby" are limited. He's going to be a wonderful big brother but I'm sure it won't be an easy transition but I just pray that he'll always know (that both big brothers will) that they will always be mommy's baby.

Here are pictures of the NEW baby's coming home outfits -

baby boy outfit -

it's hard to tell but it has a tiny Christmas plaid piping around the collar, sleeves and down the front

baby girl outfit

not a great picture but it's a flannel gown that buttons down the front with little holly leaves

Sweet Pea Photo cards 15% off!!!

To redeem this great offer - visit my website at: http://noteworthystyle.myspstore.com/

1 month to go!!!

When we first out we were expecting a "Christmas" baby - the boys were so excited! Especially the four year old who really understands we have a new baby on the way! So now when we see Christmas decorations out, he'll say "our baby coming soon!" But one day, it was clearly evident that he'd had an epiphany as he said to me "mommy, you can't have your baby on CHRISTMAS DAY!!!" The light bulb came on that if mommy is having a baby on Christmas day then that means she won't be home for Christmas! He was not okay with that and to tell you the truth, neither was I! I know it's just for one year but I don't want to miss Christmas morning with my precious boys. So my doctor has assured me that he will induce me at 39 weeks on December 19th (if i make it that long!) so we are looking at one month from today (at the longest!) WOW!

I have small burts of motivation like today I put up four loads of laundry and it literally took me hours!!! The four loads of laundry was due to the usual procrastination that I've been feeling - I'll lay here on the sofa and think of all the things I should and could be doing but it doesn't happen! Yesterday, I even dropped the kids off at preschool and came home and slept for the three hours - definitely had other things to do but it was wonderful (of course in the pj's)!

So the countdown is officially on and as I sit here having more frequent braxton hicks and feeling this baby's sweet hiccups - I can't help but wonder what this little addition will bring to our family, will it be a boy or a girl, will it be an easy baby like numero uno or a colicky crankster like little man was, what will it's name be? (no, we still can't come up with a boy name!)

Will definitely post pics of the nursery when # 3 comes home because it will look so different when the girl or boy bedding is in the crib and when the girl or boy artwork is hung. So we'll keep you posted!!!

Is this normal?

So my last blog was about my various splurges (good and bad) during this pregnancy. And these pajamas have turned out to be so comfortable that it was hard to find a time where I'd be out of them long enough to "handwash" and let dry flat for two days (which seemed like an eternity). But I did finally break down and wash them and the night that I had to go without them was back to my old jcrew nonmaternity pants and some random maternity tshirt - which had been fine in the past! Well, it wasn't fine anymore! The pants were falling down, the shirt rising up and when I got up to go to the bathroom at 3 am - I even mumbled to my husband "i miss my pajamas...."as I was climbing back into bed. So the next night I was putting them on and I didn't even care that they were still a little damp!!!! I don't know that it was normal to be that excited about one pair of pajamas but I was happy as a lark!

My mom said "I want to see them" to which I replied "oh, you will because I don't plan on getting out of them anytime soon!!!" I get dressed each morning to do my motherly duties of carpool, preschool, etc. but I'm counting down the minutes until I can get home and change into my pj's - how sad that my husband sees me in them when he leaves in the morning and returns home to find me in yes....my pj's!

I'm just glad to have found this one comfort that is going to get me through these last few weeks of this pregnancy....so if you stop by in the late afternoon - don't be surprised if I answer the door in my pj's!

When to splurge and when not to splurge

So we have a new president and quite honestly, I'm just tired of talking about the election, hearing about the election and even worrying about the election- just ready to move on.

I am now 32 weeks and 5 days in my pregnancy (so they told me today at the doctor) and our sweet little one is head down! Yeah! This was very exciting news to us as our little man (#2) was NOT head down and was in breech position causing the doctor to turn him at 36 weeks. Luckily, he stayed head down and was born two weeks later but not without a lot of worry!

I decided to splurge on two things this pregnancy - one a definite must have and one definitely not worth the money!

For one, I never had a pregnancy through the fall and winter so I splurged this time and bought a pair of "designer" jeans (the brand is called Paige)

Anyway, they have been nothing but a constant pain in the butt since I got them. At first they were constantly falling down so I got them altered. It didn't matter so I took them back in and they told me it was too early in my pregnancy so they may still be a little big and that I needed to buy this belly band to hold them up so I did.....no help whatsoever. Now not only are the jeans falling down still (and I consider myself at the end....I mean, how much larger are my HIPS going to get?) but now the belly band is riding up - it's all around uncomfortable. Usually I don't tell the price of things because I don't care but if you spend $200 (I'm embarrassed to even type it!!!) then you should want to SLEEP in those jeans, they should be so comfortable!!!! They should be taking you out, buying dinner and waking up beside you in the morning! So take it for what it's worth - I would rather have 3 pairs of my GAP maternity jeans to my one pair of Paige jeans.

On the other hand, I bought these FABULOUS pajamas from Ann Taylor Loft - who knew they carried maternity? But they aren't even Ann Taylor brand - they are a brand called Olian and this is definitely another splurge for me. With the other two pregnancies, I would just buy larger pj's that weren't even maternity and they never fit right leaving me uncomfortable when I had visitors, awkward with nursing and you know how you already don't feel all that pretty! WELL....I tried these pj's on in Ann Taylor and I'm afraid I won't ever want to take them off! Concerned friends and family are going to be telling me to get out of the pj's when my baby is 5 months old!!!! I was going to save them for the hospital and for when I come home but the other night as my current pants and shirt I was sleeping in was so uncomfortable, falling down, riding up - you get the picture - I figured why not enjoy these pajamas now??? And that is exactly what I'm doing - they are SO comfy! So again, take it for what it's worth - definitely a splurge worth investing in especially when you want to feel halfway decent about yourself at the end of your pregnancy and when you bring that little one home.

We are so ready to bring this little one home!!!!

Halloween 2008

Halloween took on a new form this year for many reasons:

1. We weren't "allowed" to attend our neighborhood party which we usually go to. It includes a hay ride, hot dogs, chips and even some homemade macaroni and cheese. But this year, we did not pay our homeowner's dues (which are optional) because everytime we were going to attend a party (and take our $75 dollar check) I was basically in the bed or throwing up sick from this pregnancy. Needless to say, I asked the appropriate person about it a month or so ago and she said we would still have to pay our dues of $75 but she wouldn't charge us a late fee....whatever. So since we only had this one more party, we thought it was ridiculous to pay $75 for some hotdogs so I offered to even bring something or pay a little bit OR even not eat dinner and just let our boys ride the hayride....all suggestions were turned down because the board members had talked it over and it really wouldn't be fair to the members that had paid their dues. Forget the fact that the girl whose house it's at had 9 of her closest friends and family crash the party along with another neighbor who brought another couple who doesn't even live here (Did they pay THEIR dues?) That is just the "social" amount of dues - don't even get me started on the pool dues if you wanted to join the pool ($450) that is the size of our bathtub...literally. Thank goodness they are optional. It all worked itself out because of reason #2.

2. Our Papa Jim had a stroke on Thursday so he was in the hospital over Halloween (and still is). He had some sort of wierd episode where he couldn't speak, mouth drawn up, couldn't raise his arms or legs so nana called 911 and gave him 2 aspirin which turned out to have saved his life. By Thursday night, he had drastically declined losing speech and most memory - not being able to tell you the month we're in or his birthday. BUT they caught it just in time before he had a massive stroke and he's expected to make a full recovery - his speech is still a little off but improving everyday! His carotid artery was 70% blocked and so he'll be on a blood thinner for the next 6 weeks and then they'll do surgery to "unclog" his blockage. All this to say, my children have spent every halloween with Nana and Papa Jim. We've always gotten pictures with them in their costumes and this year couldn't be any different, hospital or no hospital!

3. Just one more note....can I please tell you how lazy kids are today? I had some groups trick or treating at my door while their ride waited at the street to DRIVE them to the next house...WHAT? You don't even deserve candy.....I had to say it!

Hope everyone's Halloween was wonderful - now on to November!