Author: Melissa

Well, things are looking up over here in our house.

This morning I was finding it hard to get up off the floor of the bathroom. (Where I was trying to get poor Grace to throw up in the potty instead of everywhere else.) Not just because I was pregnant and I’m finding it hard to get up in general these days. But because I felt like I’d been chewed up and spit out by life. Ugh.

But, things have progressed nicely today. Grace hasn’t been sick again, Ellie is showing zero signs of being sick. I was able to take a nap to make up for my 4 hours of sleep last night. A friend who is a real live caterer is bringing us dinner tonight. (Yum!) And I just got back from an excellent appointment with the doctor. And its 60 degrees outside.

Bump is doing beautifully. He is ready to go! The doctor is confident that even if he is born today, he will be in good shape. Such a relief. I’m only one centimeter dilated, which good news. The more I am now, the less work I’ll have to do later, right? And they are going to try and take me off this medicine for a few days. The doctor’s theory is that laying down is what is helping me not have the baby yet. The medicine is what is making me feel so incredibly lousy. (I’ve basically had morning sickness again, can barely keep food down and have therefore lost 6 pounds in the past week. Not good.) So hopefully, I’ll be feeling better soon, although still needing to take it really easy.
She also told me that I can once again be on my feet for a couple hours a day, although preferably not all at one time. HEAVEN! Laying down all the time is driving me completely nuts so at least this way, I can run a quick errand or get a pedicure or something to break up the mind-numbingness of laying around my house 24-7.

All that to say, I’m feeling much better! Last night was rough. I was laying in Grace’s bed as she cried and all I could pray was “Help us, God.” I didn’t even know how to go further than that. I was positively overwhelmed.  But thankfully, today panned out much better than I had even imagined. Now we’re just praying that the stomach bug is truly over and we’re not just at the eye of the storm!

Now we have the stomach bug in our house. Seriously. As if we need more chaos around here.

Ugh.

Pray for me!

Since my life has shrunk to the size of my house. Which seems to be getting smaller every day. Not to mention dirtier!! Ugh! You should see the girl’s room. It has positively exploded.
As bored as I am of laying around on my side 22 hours a day, I think my kids are having a rougher time than I am. They really understand that Mama has to rest for the baby, but they are used to an active Mom who plays with them and takes them places. They are just so incredibly bored. They want to play games, go sledding, do crafts and bake cookies. They are dying to “go somewhere fun” and I just can’t take them. Grace was in tears yesterday because she wanted her friend to come over for a playdate. I feel so bad constantly telling them, “Mommy can’t. She has to lay down.”
Husband is taking them somewhere fun tomorrow – probably the aquarium – and we’ve decided to sign them up for the extended day program at school. So two days a week, they’ll stay at school all day. Its expensive, but these kids are going nuts. Which is driving me nuts. (Which isn’t helping anything.) Hopefully this will help a bit. Its only about 18 more days of this. Then I can get out of bed.
Course, then I’ll probably have a baby. But at this level of uncomfortableness, I’m looking forward to it!
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How awesome is it that just as I’m laying on the couch stressing about what we’re going to have for dinner, a friend from Bible Study calls me and asks if she could please bring us dinner? Divine intervention, that is!
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I need book and movie recommendations, people. Stat. Nothing deep or depressing. If I want that, I’ll watch CNN.
I seem to be on a Johnny Depp kick, since I watched Pirates of the Carribean yesterday and today I watched Chocolat. (Sigh. Love that movie!) Maybe I’ll rent Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I’ve been wanting to see that ever since I read that book this summer.
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As promised, although late, here is a picture of Ellie’s new bunk beds that she got for her birthday. (This is at her party.) We got them online from SimplyBunkBeds.com… which I highly recommend. They were hundreds of dollars cheaper than anywhere else we found and they ship for free! These are really nice beds – not cheap-o Ikea-type, see:

So I’m taking a shower this morning, my first shower since Monday (gross, I know), and suddenly there is a loud banging on the door.
“Mom! Mommy!!! Mooooommmm!!!!!”
I jump out of the shower, shampoo still in my hair and fling open the door.
“What’s wrong? What is it?”
“What letter does blankey start with?”

I seriously shut the door in her face.

“I’m going to carry the baby around and feed him raisins and yogurt and chocolate candy!! I’ll be such a big helper!!”

Yeah. That’s what you think.

As I come downstairs wearing a big oxford maternity shirt: “Mom! You look just like our favorite cooking lady!!” Um, thanks. I’d rather look like this cooking lady, though.

Please pray for this family. Beth just lost the twin boys she was carrying.
I’ve never even met her, but my heart is breaking for this family and I can’t stop crying.

Well, besides the phone ringing off the hook, I’m getting a lot of rest.  Seriously, isn’t this the American dream?  Lounging around like a couch potato? Ugh. It is driving me crazy. My fingers are twitching to clean the messy house and get things done. I hate that “What did you do today?” consists of “one load of laundry that I never folded and heated up leftovers for dinner.” That is totally not me.

Oh well. Its only three weeks…  Only three weeks… Only three weeks… I’m feeling okay, but antsy. Labor has stopped with this medicine I’m on, I’m only having the occasional contraction. This medicine makes me dizzy, nauseous, shaky and bit flaky. (Um, more than usual, I mean. Ahem.) The medicine actually makes me want to lay down, so I guess that’s good.

I’m convinced that daytime tv has reached an all-time low. Oh, to have Tivo!! I need to attack our Netflix queue and get some new movies out here! Any movie or book recommendations?

Anyway, we are overwhelmed with help being offered everywhere we turn, which is just so encouraging. Even though we’re in good shape right now, it is so nice to know there is help waiting in the wings!

But I spent this morning in the hospital.
I’m fine, Bump is fine.
We had a little pre-term labor scare, but everything has been stopped and we’re okay. I’m on this awful medication for the next 3-4 weeks that makes my heart race, makes me nauseous and jittery. And I have to rest as much as possible. But the doctor is confident that Bump will make it to 36 weeks without a problem. I have a “irritable uterus” which is Funny. Apparently I am so moody that even my internal organs are irritable. Oh, my lucky husband 😉
Anyway, I’m okay. Resting lots and clearing my schedule as much as I can. Husband is no longer traveling in the nick of time! We’re just happy that the baby checked out perfectly fine and is healthy and strong! That’s all I care about at this point. Just want to meet my baby boy! (Hopefully not quite yet, though!)
So brace yourselves for lots of “I’m sooooooo bored” posts as I lay around on my left side for the next 4 weeks. I’m already antsy and I’ve only been home from the hospital for 6 hours!

I see so much of myself in you. Not just because you look almost exactly like my childhood photos. But so many things you do – even in things I don’t remember teaching you. The way you love pink and all things girly. The way you sort your M&Ms at eat only one color at a time. The way you love jewelry and try to convince me to let you wear mine. The way you hate to wear shoes. The way you hate having anything done to your hair. The way you love to help me cook and bake. The way you adore your daddy. Even the way you love the beach.

I love how sweet you are. How you thank me for vacuuming your bedroom or washing your clothes. The way you come up to me and give me a hug around the leg and a kiss. They way you try to cheer me up by being silly when you see I’m upset about something. The way you play with my hair while telling me I’m pretty. The way you love to crawl into bed and snuggle up to my side. Then you pat my face and whisper “I love you.” I love taking you out for coffee and listening to you tell me about what’s on your mind. I love listening to you sing. I love listening to you pray.

You are such a sweet big sister to Gracie. And I love how excited you are for your baby brother to arrive. The way you talk about all the things you want to teach him and places you want to take him. The way you say, “I just can’t wait to hold him and give him a big kiss.” You are going to be so wonderful to him and I cannot wait to watch you see him for the first time.

As much as I am happy for you to be five and as much as I love watching you grow up, it makes me a little sad. Because the chubby-cheeked baby is gone and this remarkably tall little girl has replaced her. Because this year will mark your starting school, getting on that big school bus all by yourself as I stand on the sidewalk watching it carry you to a world I can only be a small part of. Because I know the struggles of growing up that you must face, that I can’t protect you from.

We’ve come a long way from this:

I’m so thankful to be your mama. And I can’t even begin to imagine what this next year will bring. I’m excited to see all the new thing you learn this year, excited to see you grow. I’m excited to keep seeing you grow into your own little person. And I can’t wait to see you react to all this next year is going to bring.

I’m stuck at home today, since Ellie’s new bed will be delivered sometime between 12:01am and 11:59pm. Actually, they were a tad more specific than that, but I am still not leaving just in case! I can’t wait to get it all set up – I’ll post pictures soon! And of all my other nesting-type projects since I also finished our bathroom and bedroom this week. I’ll have to do a big photo shoot… Naturally, I probably don’t have any “before” pictures, since I never think that far ahead, but I’ll look and see what I can find!
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We’ve been getting ready for Ellie’s birthday party, which we will be hosting at our house on Saturday afternoon. My mom is arriving today and my sisters tomorrow, so we’ll have a full house this weekend. The kids are super, dooper excited and have big plans for the 48 hours their aunties will be here. I hope they weren’t planning on sleeping at all.
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Husband arrives home on Friday.  Yay!! This was his last trip for awhile. He’s been gone a LOT these past two months and we are so excited that he will be home for awhile. We certainly missed him being around! Of course, I’ll have to start cooking again. I am trying to plan the menu for this weekend and I’m stuck on “frozen pizza” and “chicken nuggets” and other daddy’s gone meals. Might need to lay on the couch and watch a little Food Network to get inspired. Hard work, but somebody has to do it 😉
Speaking of the Husband, he just got a Blackberry from work. I am totally not jealous. (which is totally not true) Not only is it now super easy to get in touch with him, but it is just so fun to play with!! I want one!!! Only in pink!
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New pregnancy craving: soda. Not from a can or bottle. Fountain soda. In a paper cup with ice and a straw, like from McDonalds. Heaven. I wish I had some right now.
I’m totally over the whole ice cream craving, although I still can inhale Chex Mix like you would not believe and could eat Mexican food every single meal, every single day. I’m amazed that I’ve only gained 27 pounds so far. Because, seriously, if you added up  the weight of the bags of Chex Mix alone, I’m sure they weighed at least twice that.