New year

Happy New Year!

I am not a big resolution kind of person but I do try to give myself some new goals each year. This year I am going to try to do just a couple of things better:

1. Spend more time playing with my kids
2. Keep up with Quicken
3. Send more snail mail

There you have it. 3 simple, but do-able things.

Back to life!

It seems our family finally has a rhythm again. We have adjusted to 4 kids and now I run errands with the 4 and it seems like it did with 3. No matter how many there are we are always a traveling circus... 3 different acts all in the spotlight and at least 1 clown in the show, all led by their ringleader.

Things are really great in my life and in our family these days. I am happy with my life and have found myself focusing more on my priorities this year and less on spinning my wheels. I have welcomed the dust bunnies for more time to play and know my kids and less time absorbed by the "little" things.

My latest "the kids are in bed what do I need to do item" is reading. Scott got me a kindle for valentine's day and I am spending more and more time on it and less and less time watching my tivo'd shows after the kids are in bed. It's great to spend time reading again. I have so many other hobbies I used to have and miss, but know in time I will have time for them again and long for the circus to return to my life...

I hear the kindle calling...

Classic Texas

Classic pictures in the Texas bluebonnets (complete with Texas size bows). The kids love doing this so much they never want to get back in the car when we're done. There are trampled "mazes" through the flowers and the kids always want to run through the mazes. We were a little frozen taking these, but they turned out pretty good.

Drs, Drs, Drs...

Between well visits for 3, dental visits, and sick kiddo visits we have spent our fair share of time at the dr. office lately. Katelynn will have tonsils/adenoids out in June. Here's to hoping it helps!
Caroline is 7 weeks now and smiling at us all the time. We laid low most of spring break, but did go out to the lake. Here's some pics...



Oh...and did I mention the new dog?? She is sweet. We got her from the SPCA and she is already house broken, etc. and came with the name "Daisy".

Sucked into the vortex...

Known as facebook....Here's another picture of my cutie though! At her 2 week check up she weighed 8 lb, 13 oz. 21 inches. Growing fast!

In love....

She's here

Caroline Elizabeth arrived Friday at 3:13 pm weighing in at 7 lb 11 oz. and 20 inches long. We are home now and all is well.

Pictures later when I'm not so tired. :)

Or maybe not...

200 contractions (or at least it feels like that many) later and I'm still pregnant. No luck with the arrival yet. I think she has decided February sounds like a better month for her. Guess we'll see...

And the date approaches..

Another doctor visit, another day down. :)

Finally a visit with a positive note...She co-operated with all of their "monitoring" and things looked great. I was rewarded with a new number- a 3. I have never been a 3 before getting to the hospital so that is good news. I am telling my friends I am a walking time bomb- just ready to go off at any minute. :)

Lots of contractions this weekend - now I just need some to stick around. The weather is supposed to be really yucky the next 48 hours so you know....that means it has to happen during the messy weather.

Here is my latest....

Niece. Nope- this is not mine. I am still pregnant. :) Eva was born last Thursday to my brother-in -law and sister-in-law. For any of you who have seen my infants- they have NEVER had hair anywhere close to this!!

I had another doctor visit today. I am starting to hate these. Pretty much they confirm that fact that 1. I am pregnant 2. I am still pregnant 3. I am closer to my due date and still pregnant. Ugh... They check you and tell you this "magical" number (one for me right now) that I know means nothing (I have never been past a one with any of my kids) and it can bum you out - like I have some kind of control over it. Ugh...

I am torn anyway-I want her here, but then again- our little family functions pretty well right now- am I really ready to throw in a new addition?? I know it will all be fine and for now I will continue to enjoy my sleep and eat some more cake from my surprise shower on Monday. :)

Another week...

Went for my weekly checkup today. Things look the same. They did a sono (since my last one was 8lb. 11oz) and they "predict" her to only be 6 lbs. That was a bit relieving since I did not want to entertain the thought of a 9 lb. birth. Not much else going on. Go back next Tuesday....

Shower at work was way fun! Lots of diapers and wipes. So thoughtful of my campus. I work with great people. The cake was way cute. I'll have to post a pic. later.

Not much else to say...ready for the joy of pregnancy to end...

37 weeks...

I went in for my 37 week check up today. All is well and nothing exciting to report. Hopefully she will make her grand entrance sooner rather than later since I have enjoyed about as much pregnancy as one person can take. None of my babies have made it all the way to their due date. My first was 2 weeks early and the other 2 were 3 and 4 days early. Here's to hoping....
I need to make it through next Wednesday at least- work has a nice little shower planned for me. So fun!

35,35 ,35

I noticed my pregnancy ticker says I'm 35 weeks with 35 days to go and I turn 35 next week....Let's hit Vegas!!

A week off to rest

We are all off from school this week and what a welcome event. Of course, I have lots of glorious plans for things to "get done" around the house and fun things to do with the kids. Those have already been altered- I just got back from the doctor with my daughter having a nice case of strep throat to start the week off with....let's hope the whole week doesn't go this way!

Pumpkins, pumpkins...

NOT MY BELLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but just how I feel today- big as a pumpkin....about as attractive as one too. It's those lovely days of pregnancy when you feel and look pregnant- nice round face, nice round belly, nice round clothes....ugh....This is a day when I hate my hair (thank you Beth my hairdresser who refused to cut it for me today...she told me she will do nothing but trim until I deliver....no matter how much I beg and plead just like I made her promise me at the beginning of my pregnancy) hate my clothes (just want my nice normal things back) and am tired of being tired!!!

To top it off I am in LOVE with anything sweet. I am trying so hard to eat healthy and keep up with my exercising (so far at 24 weeks I have gained 20 lbs. according to dr.) but anything pumpkin makes me throw that out the window!!

As I sit here tonight, I have pumpkin muffins in the oven. It's the battle of willpower or work it off later....as the buzzer rings I know which one is winning....

The name game...

Oh how I dread the name game....
Why is it SOOOOO hard to find a name that:
1. Both parents agree on
2. Sounds right with our last name
3. Other people like
Ugh....
This has led me to the dreaded book store to look for the "magic" name that works for us. This is always the hardest part for us....okay....labor is not exactly a breeze either but at least there is an epidural for that!!

Suggestions welcome, but probably not taken! :)

weekly smiles

Things to smile about this week....

• Katelynn scored 4 goals at her soccer game last night
• Katelynn has a new name everyday that she insists we give to her sister (none of which we like)
• Katelynn says she refuses to talk to the baby if name her the name we like (still debating...this could make for a very quiet house....)
• Our operation "goodbye spongebob" (aka locking all tv channels) has made our lives SOOO peaceful
• Brent does his homework now without complaining
• Brent shares so and helps with his brother and sister
• Matthew whispers at night when he walks into his own room to go to bed and whispers goodnight (as if not to disturb himself...hehehe)
• Matthew still loves to cuddle
• Picnic at the park in the beautiful weather Sunday night with the kids
• A sweet husband that helps me with the daily routines of keeping up with 3 kids and a very tired wife
• Bitesize chocolate....which will make me frown post baby as I sweat it off...
• Pumpkin anything food season- love it all
• Feeling our new little girl move around all day...what a sweet reminder of what is to come...
  

What a fantastic life...

Big day...

Here are the stats....
I have gained 13 lbs. so far....
I am almost 20 weeks....
The baby is on track for size...
Development looks great....
And the big news everyone is wanting to know.....

We will be welcoming a new girl into our family!!!

We are thrilled!! Our 5 year old daughter is one giant smile about having a sister.

Love my job..

I cannot begin to say how happy I am with my new position at work!! I love my job. Don't get me wrong- it has it's challenges, but I am in such a better place mentally and workload wise than I was last year. I miss being at the same school with my kids, but I love that we actually get home an hour and half earlier this year than I ever did last year.

On a preg. note...I am putting on some nice pounds. Food is my friend again, after being my arch enemy all summer. We go next Monday for the big sono to make sure everything looks healthy...and to find out the gender. We didn't find out with our first two and that was thrilling beyond words. We found out with out last one, and I just want to know with this one too. It's still thrilling, but in a different way.

First day of school

My Second Grader

My Kindergartener

Great day for me too in my new classroom. None of preschoolers cried coming to speech class. That is always a great first day!!!