I guess Dustin got sick and tired of hearing me complain about all the work I had at the office. Because he volunteered to go home early from UPS tonight so that I could come down and get some work done! Yeah!!!
But...I had to take a quick break and give everyone the update from today's appointment!!!
I lost 3.5 pounds. Yikes, huh? Dr. Hocking kind of gave me the "shameful" eye and asked if I was feeling okay. I told her yes, but that I had a lot going on right now. So she didn't give me too much grief.
My blood pressure is creeping up. Big shock, right?
I have a little swelling but when she found out I was still wearing heels every day to work...she brushed that off as well.
And as far as my "check" went...there's no news there either. So...this one may hang on until March 16th yet!!!
On to next week's appointment....
In good times and bad.
Happy tears. Sad tears. Scared tears. Stress tears. Hormonal tears.
Take your pick...I've cried all types this week. I'm sure between the stresses of tax season and being eight and a half months pregnant I'm a little more sensitive than usual. Mmmmmm....yeah...a little.
But last week was killer.
It pretty much exploded Wednesday morning. That's when Dad called. Usually a call early in the morning signifies something happened. Typically it's not good. This call was no exception.
My Grandmother had a massive stroke. Her left side was completely paralyzed and was left unable to speak.
I lost it. Every possible thought ran through my mind - from random to stupid. Dad reminded me of how glad I am that we went out there in November, I thought about how scared she must be, I was mad at myself because I didn't get the Valentine's Day cards out to the great-grandparents like I had wanted to, I was scared that if, God forbid, something worse happened I wouldn't be able to travel, I thought about how my Grandfather's Alzheimer's may be affected by it all as well as a million other things.
All while my sister-in-law was in labor with her first child.
I was pretty much worthless and unable to concentrate at work. Constantly checking emails, voicemails, text messages looking for the latest update on Grandma and Gretchen.
I left work around 3:50 and rode up to Cedar Falls with Larry and Toni so that I could be one of the first to see the new addition to the family. And while I was physically and emotionally exhausted...as soon as I saw baby Reagan I forgot about everything else.
Then Thursday.
Almost exactly one year after Dustin's burn accident he was down in the Emergency Room with another hand injury.
I kid you not.
He cut his hand open and needed stitches.
Thankfully, he had arranged to have the night off from UPS so that we could all drive up to Cedar Falls and the he and the kids could meet Reagan. Unfortunately, Lauren came down with ANOTHER rash!!
So after exchanging several phone calls with her pediatrician and getting referred to an allergist we decided that maybe it wouldn't be the best to bring Lauren close to a newborn.
However, after breaking that news to Josh he took after his mother and broke down in tears. SO...we decided to head up and take turns watching Lauren in the waiting room.
And I'm so glad we did!
Josh was in awe of Reagan and loved how she held on to his finger. She completely won him over once she farted on him twice. And then she started to cry...and he hid.
On a side note...holding a baby when you are as pregnant as I am...is not very easy. Not to mention that my child is already preparing himself/herself to fend off his/her older siblings and spent most of the time kicking his/her cousin in the butt.
Then I spent most of the weekend in the office and found myself back at Monday and wondering when this chaos will all end.
Our daycare provider did send me some cute photos of Lauren this week. She was playing dress up and insisted on wearing the leather motorcycle jacket all morning.
This was also the first day that Baby Megan was at daycare. And after much studying...Lauren was not sure what to think of her.
Yeah...I think we may be in for it.
Baby Update: 37 weeks
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
I have another appointment tomorrow and I'll be sure to post an update tomorrow!!
Take your pick...I've cried all types this week. I'm sure between the stresses of tax season and being eight and a half months pregnant I'm a little more sensitive than usual. Mmmmmm....yeah...a little.
But last week was killer.
It pretty much exploded Wednesday morning. That's when Dad called. Usually a call early in the morning signifies something happened. Typically it's not good. This call was no exception.
My Grandmother had a massive stroke. Her left side was completely paralyzed and was left unable to speak.
I lost it. Every possible thought ran through my mind - from random to stupid. Dad reminded me of how glad I am that we went out there in November, I thought about how scared she must be, I was mad at myself because I didn't get the Valentine's Day cards out to the great-grandparents like I had wanted to, I was scared that if, God forbid, something worse happened I wouldn't be able to travel, I thought about how my Grandfather's Alzheimer's may be affected by it all as well as a million other things.
All while my sister-in-law was in labor with her first child.
I was pretty much worthless and unable to concentrate at work. Constantly checking emails, voicemails, text messages looking for the latest update on Grandma and Gretchen.
I left work around 3:50 and rode up to Cedar Falls with Larry and Toni so that I could be one of the first to see the new addition to the family. And while I was physically and emotionally exhausted...as soon as I saw baby Reagan I forgot about everything else.
Then Thursday.
Almost exactly one year after Dustin's burn accident he was down in the Emergency Room with another hand injury.
I kid you not.
He cut his hand open and needed stitches.
Thankfully, he had arranged to have the night off from UPS so that we could all drive up to Cedar Falls and the he and the kids could meet Reagan. Unfortunately, Lauren came down with ANOTHER rash!!
So after exchanging several phone calls with her pediatrician and getting referred to an allergist we decided that maybe it wouldn't be the best to bring Lauren close to a newborn.
However, after breaking that news to Josh he took after his mother and broke down in tears. SO...we decided to head up and take turns watching Lauren in the waiting room.
And I'm so glad we did!
Josh was in awe of Reagan and loved how she held on to his finger. She completely won him over once she farted on him twice. And then she started to cry...and he hid.
On a side note...holding a baby when you are as pregnant as I am...is not very easy. Not to mention that my child is already preparing himself/herself to fend off his/her older siblings and spent most of the time kicking his/her cousin in the butt.
Then I spent most of the weekend in the office and found myself back at Monday and wondering when this chaos will all end.
Our daycare provider did send me some cute photos of Lauren this week. She was playing dress up and insisted on wearing the leather motorcycle jacket all morning.
This was also the first day that Baby Megan was at daycare. And after much studying...Lauren was not sure what to think of her.
Yeah...I think we may be in for it.
Baby Update: 37 weeks
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.
Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.
I have another appointment tomorrow and I'll be sure to post an update tomorrow!!
Perfection
We hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day! I was at work by 3 am and as you can tell from my previous post...did not have a great start to the day.
However, it got better once I got home. All I knew about our date was that we had reservations somewhere in Iowa City.
So after I took a quick shower and got ready we took the kids over to Larry & Toni's. I had suggested that maybe we should bring their pajamas so that if we got home late and they fell asleep in the car on the way home, it would be easier to transport them. Little did I know...they would end up sleeping there!!!
We headed off to Iowa City for dinner. Honestly, I don't think anyone can truly understand the beautiful sound of silence unless you have children. Dustin drove and I read the paper...in silence. I don't think we even spoke until around the Swisher exit. Some may say that sounds weird...to me it sounds like heaven!
We ended up eating at this great Vietnamese restaurant. Dustin knew the owner/chef from work and wanted me to see the place. The food was delicious!!! And again...to be able to dine at our own pace was nothing short of beautiful.
As we chatted during dinner I asked if we were going to stop at the mall as long as we were down in Iowa City. He said we didn't have time. I looked at him confused.
He said, "Well, I got us a room at the Holiday Inn in Cedar Rapids. All I wanted to give you for Valentine's Day was a good night's sleep. So, I packed your bag as well as the kids' swimming suits. And mom's going to bring them out so they can go swimming."
I bawled. Right there...in the middle of the restaurant. I'm sure the other patrons thought he was giving me awful news but honestly...it was the most thoughtful, perfect gift he's ever given me.
He knew that the last time we went to a hotel by ourselves I was miserable by about 7:00 because I missed the kids. So he thought it would be perfect for me to get a visit from them for awhile and then get to send them off for the night. Well, he was dead on. Because as much as I appreciate the silence in the car and the ability to eat a meal without being interrupted...after awhile it just feels like something's missing.
So we got to the hotel and checked in. I walked into the room and found roses and the sweetest card ever. And guess what happened...I bawled.
Then the kids showed up ready to swim...and swim did they!!
Josh really got to show off all of his new swimming skills and I was so proud to see him comfortable in the water. What a difference a year makes! This was the same pool he almost drowned in a year ago!!!!
By the time they left I was exhausted. So they went back to Grandma's and mom and dad slept...until 8:30!!!! It was glorious!
And then it was back to reality.
Things are crazy at work (big surprise) and in less than four weeks we'll have a new baby in our house...so things are kind of crazy at home, too.
But...we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new niece/nephew/cousin!!! Any day now!!!
Baby Update: 36 weeks
Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
However, it got better once I got home. All I knew about our date was that we had reservations somewhere in Iowa City.
So after I took a quick shower and got ready we took the kids over to Larry & Toni's. I had suggested that maybe we should bring their pajamas so that if we got home late and they fell asleep in the car on the way home, it would be easier to transport them. Little did I know...they would end up sleeping there!!!
We headed off to Iowa City for dinner. Honestly, I don't think anyone can truly understand the beautiful sound of silence unless you have children. Dustin drove and I read the paper...in silence. I don't think we even spoke until around the Swisher exit. Some may say that sounds weird...to me it sounds like heaven!
We ended up eating at this great Vietnamese restaurant. Dustin knew the owner/chef from work and wanted me to see the place. The food was delicious!!! And again...to be able to dine at our own pace was nothing short of beautiful.
As we chatted during dinner I asked if we were going to stop at the mall as long as we were down in Iowa City. He said we didn't have time. I looked at him confused.
He said, "Well, I got us a room at the Holiday Inn in Cedar Rapids. All I wanted to give you for Valentine's Day was a good night's sleep. So, I packed your bag as well as the kids' swimming suits. And mom's going to bring them out so they can go swimming."
I bawled. Right there...in the middle of the restaurant. I'm sure the other patrons thought he was giving me awful news but honestly...it was the most thoughtful, perfect gift he's ever given me.
He knew that the last time we went to a hotel by ourselves I was miserable by about 7:00 because I missed the kids. So he thought it would be perfect for me to get a visit from them for awhile and then get to send them off for the night. Well, he was dead on. Because as much as I appreciate the silence in the car and the ability to eat a meal without being interrupted...after awhile it just feels like something's missing.
So we got to the hotel and checked in. I walked into the room and found roses and the sweetest card ever. And guess what happened...I bawled.
Then the kids showed up ready to swim...and swim did they!!
Josh really got to show off all of his new swimming skills and I was so proud to see him comfortable in the water. What a difference a year makes! This was the same pool he almost drowned in a year ago!!!!
By the time they left I was exhausted. So they went back to Grandma's and mom and dad slept...until 8:30!!!! It was glorious!
And then it was back to reality.
Things are crazy at work (big surprise) and in less than four weeks we'll have a new baby in our house...so things are kind of crazy at home, too.
But...we're anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new niece/nephew/cousin!!! Any day now!!!
Baby Update: 36 weeks
Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
Therapy Fund
I'm sitting here at work and having a bad day. So I figured I'd take a break and blog.
You'd think that if you put in seven and half hours by 10:30 am you would feel like you've accomplished something or at least been productive. However, that is not the case today. Every client file I've touched this morning has turned to crap and I can't get anything finished. For someone who thrives off the feeling of completion this is very frustrating.
Anyway, I thought I'd share a few funny kid stories from the past few weeks that I haven't told you about.
Josh #1
Josh was coming down with a cold on Thursday and was pretty worn out from the week. I came down to the family room and he was laying on the floor watching TV. The dog ran over to him, assuming that he wanted to play, and he batted her away and told her to leave him alone.
Since Mattie is either deaf or dumb, she did not listen to him. Finally, he grabbed her collar and said, "Mattie!! Stop it!!! I have issues today!!!"
OMG. I about died. I say that all the time!!
Josh #2
Last night I helped the kids make Valentine's Day cards for Dustin. We got out the arts and crafts kit and they worked diligently on their cards. Then Josh offered up some of his Valentine's Day candy from school and taped a few pieces of candy on each of their cards.
So this morning I called the house and asked Josh if they had given Dustin their cards yet.
Josh: No, Dad forgot to get you a card so we're going right now.
Me: Uh...no, sweety. Did YOU give Daddy his cards?
Josh: Oh...yeah.
Me: Did he like them?
Josh: Yes, mom. But I KNEW he would.
Me: Well, I'm glad.
Josh: Oh...mom?
Me: Yes.
Josh: I wasn't supposed to tell you that Daddy forgot a card for you.
Me: It's okay, sweety. I figured he did.
Lauren #1
Since last weekend's Dora fiasco I figured I should really start working with Lauren on how to say, "Daddy".
So yesterday on the way to Jaime's I kept asking her to say it.
Me: Lauren, say, "Daddy".
Lauren: No.
Me: Lauren, say, "Daaa-dddyyy".
Lauren: **smile** No.
Me: Lauren, come on, honey. Can't you say, "Daddy?"
Lauren: No, mommy. Papa.
Me: OH!!! Papa!!! Do you want to call Daddy, "Papa" instead?
Lauren: Papa.
Me: Yay, Lauren!!!
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Yeah...I should have known better. I brought that one on myself.
Josh #3
Josh has been taking swimming lessons and Wednesday was the last lesson for this session.
I anxiously called him right after they were over to see if he passed this level.
Me: Josh? So?
Josh: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
Josh: I PASSED!!!
OMG...I could "hear" the smile on his face. It was the sweetest thing ever. He was so proud!!! He got a ribbon and everything and he's officially an "Eel" now!!! I swear...it's moments like that I wish I could just bottle up for safe keeping.
You'd think that if you put in seven and half hours by 10:30 am you would feel like you've accomplished something or at least been productive. However, that is not the case today. Every client file I've touched this morning has turned to crap and I can't get anything finished. For someone who thrives off the feeling of completion this is very frustrating.
Anyway, I thought I'd share a few funny kid stories from the past few weeks that I haven't told you about.
Josh #1
Josh was coming down with a cold on Thursday and was pretty worn out from the week. I came down to the family room and he was laying on the floor watching TV. The dog ran over to him, assuming that he wanted to play, and he batted her away and told her to leave him alone.
Since Mattie is either deaf or dumb, she did not listen to him. Finally, he grabbed her collar and said, "Mattie!! Stop it!!! I have issues today!!!"
OMG. I about died. I say that all the time!!
Josh #2
Last night I helped the kids make Valentine's Day cards for Dustin. We got out the arts and crafts kit and they worked diligently on their cards. Then Josh offered up some of his Valentine's Day candy from school and taped a few pieces of candy on each of their cards.
So this morning I called the house and asked Josh if they had given Dustin their cards yet.
Josh: No, Dad forgot to get you a card so we're going right now.
Me: Uh...no, sweety. Did YOU give Daddy his cards?
Josh: Oh...yeah.
Me: Did he like them?
Josh: Yes, mom. But I KNEW he would.
Me: Well, I'm glad.
Josh: Oh...mom?
Me: Yes.
Josh: I wasn't supposed to tell you that Daddy forgot a card for you.
Me: It's okay, sweety. I figured he did.
Lauren #1
Since last weekend's Dora fiasco I figured I should really start working with Lauren on how to say, "Daddy".
So yesterday on the way to Jaime's I kept asking her to say it.
Me: Lauren, say, "Daddy".
Lauren: No.
Me: Lauren, say, "Daaa-dddyyy".
Lauren: **smile** No.
Me: Lauren, come on, honey. Can't you say, "Daddy?"
Lauren: No, mommy. Papa.
Me: OH!!! Papa!!! Do you want to call Daddy, "Papa" instead?
Lauren: Papa.
Me: Yay, Lauren!!!
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Lauren: Papa.
Yeah...I should have known better. I brought that one on myself.
Josh #3
Josh has been taking swimming lessons and Wednesday was the last lesson for this session.
I anxiously called him right after they were over to see if he passed this level.
Me: Josh? So?
Josh: Mom?
Me: Yeah?
Josh: I PASSED!!!
OMG...I could "hear" the smile on his face. It was the sweetest thing ever. He was so proud!!! He got a ribbon and everything and he's officially an "Eel" now!!! I swear...it's moments like that I wish I could just bottle up for safe keeping.
Appointment Update
These appointments get so boring towards the end.
I was up 1/2 pound (thanks to a large piece of pepperoni pizza for lunch - grrrr!), my blood pressure is great and baby's heartbeat was 150.
I passed on getting checked for dilation and effacement because honestly...it doesn't really matter to me. I mean, they're just going to cut me open anyway and why go through the "joy" when I don't really need to.
She said she would check me next time...whether I liked it or not. **snarl**
She did tell me that she doesn't really expect me to make it to March 16th since I went so early with Lauren. **double snarl** And that even though my water broke with Lauren, I don't have any more than the average 10% chance of my water breaking again. Most likely I'll just go into labor.
My primary OB isn't the one scheduled to do the c-section that Monday because she's on-call all weekend. SO...it would be kind of nice to end up going a few days early so that she can end up delivering at least one of my children.
But...I guess that's not really going to be up to me. :-)
I was up 1/2 pound (thanks to a large piece of pepperoni pizza for lunch - grrrr!), my blood pressure is great and baby's heartbeat was 150.
I passed on getting checked for dilation and effacement because honestly...it doesn't really matter to me. I mean, they're just going to cut me open anyway and why go through the "joy" when I don't really need to.
She said she would check me next time...whether I liked it or not. **snarl**
She did tell me that she doesn't really expect me to make it to March 16th since I went so early with Lauren. **double snarl** And that even though my water broke with Lauren, I don't have any more than the average 10% chance of my water breaking again. Most likely I'll just go into labor.
My primary OB isn't the one scheduled to do the c-section that Monday because she's on-call all weekend. SO...it would be kind of nice to end up going a few days early so that she can end up delivering at least one of my children.
But...I guess that's not really going to be up to me. :-)
A stranger in my house
I have no idea who this man is that comes into my house and calls himself, "Dustin". He looks like my husband, he sounds like my husband, he works the same hours as my husband...but something is different.
Either that...or it really IS my husband and he's just preparing to tell me some awful news. Like...he really hasn't been working nights at UPS...he's been spending time with his new family - his other wife's name is Marcia and he has two kids with her, Chris and Hayden. OR maybe I'm dying of some rare disease and no one's told me yet. Wait...maybe they have told me but the disease affects my memory and I just don't REMEMBER that I'm dying. I have no idea what the reason for the change is...but if I really am dying please don't tell me and let me enjoy these last few moments with my new husband.
I'm sure you are all dying to know exactly WHAT he has been up to...so let me tell you. First, he emptied the dishwasher on his own on Friday. Then again twice on Saturday...and again twice on Sunday. Now that might not sound like much...but trust me...that's like two years of dishes for him.
Then, Saturday he didn't call me at the office to ask me what he should make for breakfast. He took care of it all on his own!!! By the time I looked at the clock around 9:00 I had convinced myself that they had all died of carbon monoxide poisoning and was ready to call 911. In five years of working Saturdays while having children he has NEVER not called me. Totally threw me off.
THEN the biggest shocker of all. In fourteen years of being together he has NEVER done the following: planned a date for us. Saturday afternoon he says, "I am taking you out for Valentine's Day." I was like, "Uh...okay? I think the last time we went out on Valentine's day you were 16 and I was 75 pounds lighter." He says, "I'll take care of everything. I'll find someone to watch the kids and I'm taking you to Iowa City." I will admit...I got lightheaded. The room started spinning and I felt my blood pressure drop. I have no idea what has gotten into him...but I'm lovin' it! I guess this is where the phrase "sweep her off her feet" comes from.
As if that wasn't enough on Sunday, he cleaned, sorted laundry, FOLDED laundry, finished painting the nursery and cleaned up from supper.
By Sunday night I thought I was drunk with delusion. This morning I woke up rested, the children were in a good mood and my house was clean. It was totally surreal.
Now tonight he surprised us and got home from UPS at 5:30!!!! We spent the entire night playing Go Fish with the kids and sitting around laughing. By the time we came up to bed it took me a few minutes to realize he made our bed and changed the sheets.
Honestly, any one of these incidents alone would have made me smile. But having them one after another...well, I am overwhelmed with appreciation and those fuzzy feelings you get when you are genuinely happy.
It was a good weekend. Period.
With three Valentine's Day parties coming up this week I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and put all our Valentine's together on the off chance Aunt Gretchen goes into labor this week.
So Sunday morning we sat down and Josh wrote his name on all 40+ Valentines.
While we were working on Lauren's cards Dustin realized she was saying, "Dora". I have no idea how she knows Dora. She doesn't even watch TV and even when she does watch it, Josh has it on Spongebob Squarepants. Either way it was adorable and Dustin was devastated because she is now saying, "Dora" before "Daddy".
I don't know what kills me more about that video...Lauren saying, "Dora" or Josh yelling, "Dude!" like me. Too funny.
In the afternoon Josh went to a movie with Grandma Cathy and when he returned he finished addressing all of his cards and Lauren snagged as many suckers as she could find.
Well, I'm off to bed...in my nice, new, clean sheets.
Baby Update: 35 weeks
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow and I will try and post an update again tomorrow night.
Either that...or it really IS my husband and he's just preparing to tell me some awful news. Like...he really hasn't been working nights at UPS...he's been spending time with his new family - his other wife's name is Marcia and he has two kids with her, Chris and Hayden. OR maybe I'm dying of some rare disease and no one's told me yet. Wait...maybe they have told me but the disease affects my memory and I just don't REMEMBER that I'm dying. I have no idea what the reason for the change is...but if I really am dying please don't tell me and let me enjoy these last few moments with my new husband.
I'm sure you are all dying to know exactly WHAT he has been up to...so let me tell you. First, he emptied the dishwasher on his own on Friday. Then again twice on Saturday...and again twice on Sunday. Now that might not sound like much...but trust me...that's like two years of dishes for him.
Then, Saturday he didn't call me at the office to ask me what he should make for breakfast. He took care of it all on his own!!! By the time I looked at the clock around 9:00 I had convinced myself that they had all died of carbon monoxide poisoning and was ready to call 911. In five years of working Saturdays while having children he has NEVER not called me. Totally threw me off.
THEN the biggest shocker of all. In fourteen years of being together he has NEVER done the following: planned a date for us. Saturday afternoon he says, "I am taking you out for Valentine's Day." I was like, "Uh...okay? I think the last time we went out on Valentine's day you were 16 and I was 75 pounds lighter." He says, "I'll take care of everything. I'll find someone to watch the kids and I'm taking you to Iowa City." I will admit...I got lightheaded. The room started spinning and I felt my blood pressure drop. I have no idea what has gotten into him...but I'm lovin' it! I guess this is where the phrase "sweep her off her feet" comes from.
As if that wasn't enough on Sunday, he cleaned, sorted laundry, FOLDED laundry, finished painting the nursery and cleaned up from supper.
By Sunday night I thought I was drunk with delusion. This morning I woke up rested, the children were in a good mood and my house was clean. It was totally surreal.
Now tonight he surprised us and got home from UPS at 5:30!!!! We spent the entire night playing Go Fish with the kids and sitting around laughing. By the time we came up to bed it took me a few minutes to realize he made our bed and changed the sheets.
Honestly, any one of these incidents alone would have made me smile. But having them one after another...well, I am overwhelmed with appreciation and those fuzzy feelings you get when you are genuinely happy.
It was a good weekend. Period.
With three Valentine's Day parties coming up this week I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and put all our Valentine's together on the off chance Aunt Gretchen goes into labor this week.
So Sunday morning we sat down and Josh wrote his name on all 40+ Valentines.
While we were working on Lauren's cards Dustin realized she was saying, "Dora". I have no idea how she knows Dora. She doesn't even watch TV and even when she does watch it, Josh has it on Spongebob Squarepants. Either way it was adorable and Dustin was devastated because she is now saying, "Dora" before "Daddy".
I don't know what kills me more about that video...Lauren saying, "Dora" or Josh yelling, "Dude!" like me. Too funny.
In the afternoon Josh went to a movie with Grandma Cathy and when he returned he finished addressing all of his cards and Lauren snagged as many suckers as she could find.
Well, I'm off to bed...in my nice, new, clean sheets.
Baby Update: 35 weeks
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow and I will try and post an update again tomorrow night.
Death Becomes Her
Last Thursday night Dustin called at his usual "break time" and asked the normal evening questions (i.e. How's the night going? Are the kids being good? What did you do for supper?). It wasn't until I realized I heard his car radio in the background that I figured out he was heading home. He'd already thrown up three times at work and was sent home sick.
So I banished him to the family room and set him up on the futon and put the kids to bed. I woke up Friday at my usual time and felt a little "off". I got ready and as the morning went on each task exhausted me and I felt worse. I went down to wake Josh up and check on Dustin and Joshie said, "Mommy, I puked twice last night. Right here....and right here."
I threw his bedspread in the washing machine and drug myself up the stairs to get Lauren bundled up. By the time I got to Jaime's I knew I was done for.
I was really early for work so I went down to the office and quick finished up some 1099's before the entire staff arrived and headed back home. I walked in the house and Josh was lying on the couch half asleep. He asked for some Ginger Ale. I got a glass, found a straw...and ran upstairs because it was officially my turn to be sick.
The next 24 hours were pretty much a blur. I remember waking up to change my sheets because Josh threw up on Dustin's side of the bed and giving Josh a bath. I remember waking up to call mom and ask her to pick up and keep Lauren for the night. And I remember waking up enough to see if I was really dead...or if it just felt that way.
We were each still moving slower than normal on Sunday but at least the vomiting had stopped. This was ONE NASTY VIRUS!!!
Poor Joshie had to miss a birthday party on Saturday that he had been looking forward to for weeks. He was so upset...and at 5...there really isn't anything to comfort you from the disappointment of missing a birthday party. So Dustin did his best to be "sick buddies" and they pretty much hung out all weekend in the basement.
Thankfully, Lauren did not catch it. And, thanks to my mother...I could recover without having to take care of an energetic toddler.
However, I did come to a few realization from the whole ordeal:
1) The flu is the worst.
2) The flu, while you are 34 weeks pregnant, makes everything more messy.
3) Watching a five year-old get sick makes a mom's heart ache.
4) Listening to a grown man whine after three days makes you want to vomit again.
5) It is no wonder God chose women to bear children.
6) Dogs will eat puke.
7) Lysol cannot entirely get the smell of vomit out of the air.
8) When a child has the flu...they don't care if you have it, too.
9) Eating Jell-o, oyster crackers and steamed rice for three days is a great way to lose weight.
10) It is possible to feel like someone has run over your body with a Mack Truck without ACTUALLY being run over.
You'd think after a weekend like that I would be thankful to be among the living today, but alas...I was not.
It was a really bad day at work and I swear the kids can sense when I've had a bad day because it's like they conspire to see how long it takes before I break down. Tonight...we didn't even get into the garage before their conspiracy worked.
You'd think after making their mother cry they would have some sense of remorse and give it a rest. But, no. It continued all night and right now I'm typing this blog with my head on a pillow because I am exhausted in every sense of the word.
My one cute story from tonight:
While I was working in the kitchen tonight, Josh was telling me about the "dangerous" paint he was using in art today and told me that his art teacher kept talking about dead things, too.
Confused, I kept asking him what he was talking about. By the time we got down to specifics we were both frustrated with each other and sort of yelling.
Me: What was your art teacher talking about dead things for?
Josh: Well, ya know...dead things. She kept talking about all the dangerous colors we were using.
Me: Josh...I don't get what you are talking about at all.
Josh: MOM! I was using yellow!!
Me: Josh...yellow is not dangerous. Seriously!
Josh: MOOOMMMM!!! You know that stuff you squeeze and it drips out.
Me: You mean, dye?
Josh: Well, no it's dead stuff.
Me: **laughing** No, Josh it's called dye.
Josh: **looking at me like I'm crazy**
Me: There are words that sound the same but mean something entirely different. Like you know what a bear is, right? GRRRRRRR!!!!
Josh: Yeah? **giggles**
Me: Well, that's not the same thing as your sister running around bare naked.
Josh: Ewwww, Lauren's naked!!!!
Me: No, Josh...FOCUS!
Me: Do you see what I'm saying? Your teacher was not talking about dead stuff...she was talking about dye.
Josh: It was yellow, mom.
Me: I got that much, Josh.
Baby Update: 34 weeks
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
So I banished him to the family room and set him up on the futon and put the kids to bed. I woke up Friday at my usual time and felt a little "off". I got ready and as the morning went on each task exhausted me and I felt worse. I went down to wake Josh up and check on Dustin and Joshie said, "Mommy, I puked twice last night. Right here....and right here."
I threw his bedspread in the washing machine and drug myself up the stairs to get Lauren bundled up. By the time I got to Jaime's I knew I was done for.
I was really early for work so I went down to the office and quick finished up some 1099's before the entire staff arrived and headed back home. I walked in the house and Josh was lying on the couch half asleep. He asked for some Ginger Ale. I got a glass, found a straw...and ran upstairs because it was officially my turn to be sick.
The next 24 hours were pretty much a blur. I remember waking up to change my sheets because Josh threw up on Dustin's side of the bed and giving Josh a bath. I remember waking up to call mom and ask her to pick up and keep Lauren for the night. And I remember waking up enough to see if I was really dead...or if it just felt that way.
We were each still moving slower than normal on Sunday but at least the vomiting had stopped. This was ONE NASTY VIRUS!!!
Poor Joshie had to miss a birthday party on Saturday that he had been looking forward to for weeks. He was so upset...and at 5...there really isn't anything to comfort you from the disappointment of missing a birthday party. So Dustin did his best to be "sick buddies" and they pretty much hung out all weekend in the basement.
Thankfully, Lauren did not catch it. And, thanks to my mother...I could recover without having to take care of an energetic toddler.
However, I did come to a few realization from the whole ordeal:
1) The flu is the worst.
2) The flu, while you are 34 weeks pregnant, makes everything more messy.
3) Watching a five year-old get sick makes a mom's heart ache.
4) Listening to a grown man whine after three days makes you want to vomit again.
5) It is no wonder God chose women to bear children.
6) Dogs will eat puke.
7) Lysol cannot entirely get the smell of vomit out of the air.
8) When a child has the flu...they don't care if you have it, too.
9) Eating Jell-o, oyster crackers and steamed rice for three days is a great way to lose weight.
10) It is possible to feel like someone has run over your body with a Mack Truck without ACTUALLY being run over.
You'd think after a weekend like that I would be thankful to be among the living today, but alas...I was not.
It was a really bad day at work and I swear the kids can sense when I've had a bad day because it's like they conspire to see how long it takes before I break down. Tonight...we didn't even get into the garage before their conspiracy worked.
You'd think after making their mother cry they would have some sense of remorse and give it a rest. But, no. It continued all night and right now I'm typing this blog with my head on a pillow because I am exhausted in every sense of the word.
My one cute story from tonight:
While I was working in the kitchen tonight, Josh was telling me about the "dangerous" paint he was using in art today and told me that his art teacher kept talking about dead things, too.
Confused, I kept asking him what he was talking about. By the time we got down to specifics we were both frustrated with each other and sort of yelling.
Me: What was your art teacher talking about dead things for?
Josh: Well, ya know...dead things. She kept talking about all the dangerous colors we were using.
Me: Josh...I don't get what you are talking about at all.
Josh: MOM! I was using yellow!!
Me: Josh...yellow is not dangerous. Seriously!
Josh: MOOOMMMM!!! You know that stuff you squeeze and it drips out.
Me: You mean, dye?
Josh: Well, no it's dead stuff.
Me: **laughing** No, Josh it's called dye.
Josh: **looking at me like I'm crazy**
Me: There are words that sound the same but mean something entirely different. Like you know what a bear is, right? GRRRRRRR!!!!
Josh: Yeah? **giggles**
Me: Well, that's not the same thing as your sister running around bare naked.
Josh: Ewwww, Lauren's naked!!!!
Me: No, Josh...FOCUS!
Me: Do you see what I'm saying? Your teacher was not talking about dead stuff...she was talking about dye.
Josh: It was yellow, mom.
Me: I got that much, Josh.
Baby Update: 34 weeks
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
