Wordless Wednesday: Embrace the Mullet

Letters

In February Abiah made a Valentine's Day ornament and wanted to give it to his cousin, Hayden. I thought this would be a great teaching opportunity and decided we would mail it and learn about writing letters and addressing envelopes.

It also turned out to be a great lesson in procrastination since we didn't get to it until the beginning of March. Even though it was on my counter the whole time.

I decided that for the letter I would focus on format and let the spelling and grammar take the backseat for the day. Abiah doesn't have many opportunities to write outside of copy work for school so this gives me a better idea of how he is coming along in other areas.

Plus you never know what funny things kids will say when they just write on their own.

I recently saw a letter I wrote to my grandparents when I was around six. In it I made sure to explain to them that I was a grown up and did NOT like being treated like a kid. Nathan says that letter explains a lot. I have NO idea what he's talking about.

So, I took a picture of Abiah's letter to post here. I have his permission. He's actually really excited that I'm posting it on my blog. I hope he remembers that when he gets older!



A few days after this letter was sent Abiah lost another tooth. He eagerly anticipated a night time visit from the Tooth Fairy. Sadly he had to wait a few days before her arrival. She had a good reason though. She explained the details in the note she left with his dollar. It seems she may have also had a peek at the letter Abiah sent Hayden because there were some eerie similarities.



Since our family is used to Hot Hubby's sometimes random schedule Abiah was very gracious and understanding. Which made the Tooth Fairy relax a little. For now. Abiah's got another loose tooth and the Tooth Fairy is hoping she'll remember to show up on time!

How A Night Or Two Became A Week And A Half

The weekend before last was supposed to be a laid back weekend. Aside from the mile long nesting list I'd compiled we had nothing planned. However, since Hot Hubby has developed an allergic reaction to my to-do lists, we spent the day hanging out at home basking in the laziness of the day.

In the evening I did manage to get one item marked off my list: haircuts for the men folk! Abiah was starting to look too Beiber-ish and Hot Hubby's do that I had convinced him into was failing. It isn't my fault that the back of his hair does exactly what I want it to and the front doesn't cooperate AT ALL!

Abiah was more than pleased to get his hair cut. Hot Hubby put up a bit of a fuss but that may have been because of the momentary mullet I gave him when I first started cutting! (pics to come later!)

Little did we know that while we were innocently going about our normal lives an evil plan was unfolding right under our feet. Well, right outside the front window actually.

After the whacking of hair was completed and everyone had bathed we discovered that the fit had hit the shan. Or rather, the mit had hit the shud. Well, let's face it. Poo by any other name is still poo. In short the Crooked Castle had some septic problems.

Without getting into the nitty-gritty details (eww! sorry!) of that mess here's an overview of what our week-and-a-half ended up looking like:

We decided to abandon the Crooked Castle and headed to the in-laws after church on Sunday to stay the night, maybe two. The in-laws are more than happy to have us. My MIL loves to have us stay with her and my FIL loves that we brought the Xbox. Oh. And he was happy to have us stay, too.

Monday we had the line unplugged but they discovered a crack in the line. Apparently 50 year old pluming pipes made of material older than dinosaurs don't last forever!

The MIL and I spend our days looking after the kid's, nursing a dog recovering from surgery, keeping said kids away from said dog, and trying to carry on with life as normally as possible.

Hot Hubby decides the best course of action is to find the break himself. (ew!) A break in a septic line means you're not just digging in dirt! (EW!)

Wednesday Hot Hubby heads home to find the break. I head to the chiropractor to get a massage and adjustment since I can barely walk. Though my MIL is hospitality all wrapped up in a pretty package, I've turned all "The Queen and the Pea" and have a severe disagreement with the mattresses on her guest beds. I know because I tried them both! My hips thank me.

Friday the kids and I make a date with my mom to go shopping and register for Jackson at Target! We find the perfect homecoming outfit and blanket for him and have a great time with my mom.

Hot Hubby and the FIL come out to the Crooked Castle and dig some more to completely uncover the line. (ew! double ew!)

At this point I've resigned myself to the fact that I probably won't be home again until Monday.

Saturday a call is made to the plumbers. We are told they'll be out Monday. I decide I'll plan to stay until Tuesday.

I enjoy watching my kids dance to Mary, Mary with their Poppi. I wish I had a video camera with me!

Hot Hubby and I have some significant time together to talk about our marriage and work through a few issues. We receive great council and support from both of our parents.

Sunday we receive a call that the line is fixed.

We decide to head home Monday.

We wake up Monday and Amelia has come down with the flu.

I spend Monday and Tuesday on the floor and the couch holding her. My prego hips withstand more torture.

Abiah takes advantage of me being distracted with Amelia and enjoys a few days of too much tv and Xbox.

Hazel takes advantage of me being distracted with Amelia and gets into EVERYTHING!

My MIL chases Hazel throughout the house for me, makes meals and keeps us all in clean clothes. Seriously. The woman is a machine! She does laundry ALL day! My laundry room is IN my living room and I can't keep up with it.

Wednesday morning Amelia was finally able to keep some food down and seemed relatively normal.

Hot Hubby heads back to the Crooked Castle before me and the kids and cleans the house for me. Unexpectedly leaving your house for a week and a half has consequences no pregnant woman wants to deal with. I tried to prepare the house but there's only so much you can do without running water! And I only expected to be gone a night or two!

We all were home by Wednesday afternoon and my comfy bed and I were reacquainted just in time for naps! My hips haven't stopped thanking me.

We are so thankful to be back home but we know we couldn't have gotten through this last week without our families.

It feels insufficient to just say "Thank You" so I promise that if I ever win the lottery I will split my earnings with both of our parents. I think that's the only way I'll ever have enough money to repay you. In the meantime, please accept me bragging on you as a substitution?

Oh, and I apologize to those Oregonians who don't want anymore rain. I'm praying for it right now because a portion of my front yard is covered in dirt mixed with...well, you know.

'Til My Sides Hurt: When Daddy's In Charge

A recent conversation between me and Hot Hubby:

Me: Have the kids eaten lunch yet?

HH: No.

Me: Why not?

HH: Because I'm not hungry yet.

Me: Well... Are they?

HH: Well, your daughter ate a napkin a little while ago so I figured she'll be fine for awhile and the other ones aren't complaining yet...

There's A Reason and A Conclusion

There really is. I know it's been a few weeks since I've posted and every time I come back from a hiatus I promise I'll get better about posting. Every day I have multiple things to blog about, but when it comes time to sit down and blog I can't find it. It being the patience to sort through my thoughts and feelings and put them into articulate sentences and paragraphs.

I'm just entering the eighth month of this pregnancy and for some reason it feels like the tenth month. I didn't get this way with Hazel and only remember feeling this way in the last month and ten days I went over due with Amelia.

From the moment I'm awakened by Hazel slamming her door open and the startled cries of Amelia being rudely awakened I have to force myself to tap into that seemingly invisible well of patience. Though I love my life and my sweet little family, right now most days feel like I've spent an eternity trying to be intentional with them and myself.

So while I sort through these emotions and reserve my energy for my little family, please be patient with me. I have so much that I want to share with you all. I hope to get there soon.

For now I've come to the conclusion that if I let myself stress eat "crap food" every now and then (read: once or twice a week...or day), but am honest with myself about it doesn't count. Especially if I eat well the week of my next check up/weigh in. I've accepted this justification as an acceptable reality in my life...for now.

I'd ask your opinion but I may not like your answer. Feel free to indulge my justification in the comment area below!

Prenatal Update: 28/29 Weeks

A week ago today I went in for my 28 week prenatal appointment. I still can't believe I'm this close to my due date. In most ways these last six months have gone very fast. Jackson and I are doing great.

I received the results from my glucose test and I passed with flying colors. The only concern is my iron levels which, if I remember right, I had to pay attention to with the girls, too. I guess it's a good thing I have a lot of elk in my freezer!

I was worried about my weight because I was suddenly feeling very pregnant. The midwife laughed when I told her that. Up until the last few weeks I kept forgetting I am pregnant. Being so busy with my other three kids has contributed to that memory loss I'm sure. I was relieved when she told me I have gained a total of 11 lbs so far. Since my appointment I have tried to avoid mindless snacking and I am feeling so much better.

My cravings are for "man foods." Lots of meat and potatoes and onions. Why onions? I don't understand that one. I also had a strong craving for a milkshake this week. It seems that most of my cravings are random.

I had a craving for these caramels topped with sea salt that someone told me about. When I went to the store to get them I found out that they only carry them during the Christmas holidays. After wandering around the store to see if I could find anything that could fill its place, I left pouting and disappointed. Then I went to my mom's and complained to her and asked for her caramel recipe. I still don't have the recipe but she did help me make the caramels. And they were scrumptious! I am so her favorite!

I realize that I promised a picture after last month's update and have yet to deliver on that promise. I would jump up and take one now but I am fighting an awful head cold and don't really feel photogenic at the moment.

I can assure you that my tummy is growing. Hazel and Amelia have a very hard time getting comfortable sitting in my lap. Hazel just gives up and will sit next to me. Amelia insist on doing her kitty cat roll and will flop and turn until she feels comfortable. Which usually leaves me in the most uncomfortable and squished position possible. If it was a once a day occurrence I would probably not even notice. But she sits on my lap for about 2 minutes and then gets down to play and is back in about 5 minutes for another round. She needs to be close to her momma. I wonder how this will work when I'm nursing.

Jackson is moving a lot now. I can watch his movement through my shirt. Hot Hubby has had many a shoving match with Jackson already. Usually in the early morning. When I'm trying to sleep.

Hazel and Abiah have both felt him move but Hazel has been very hesitant to hold her hand on my tummy to feel his kicks. I was kind of sad about this for awhile. When I asked her why she didn't want to feel him she said, "I don't want him to kick me!" Word choice matters!

I am definitely nesting. I have a list of projects on the fridge and I am hoping to rope Hot Hubby into working through a few of them this weekend. I realized that I need to go register soon. I completely forgot about that!

I have a few boxes of hand-me-downs from family so we are pretty set for 0-3 month clothes but there are a few bigger items that we need to get before he gets here.

Since he will be in our room for the first few months and then in the same room as his sisters for awhile I don't have a nursery to show you. But you can go here to see the crib set we've chosen. Super cute, huh?

I go back in the last Friday of this month and then I start going in every two weeks! So close!

Funny

While trying to explain the difference between cows, bulls and oxen to Abiah I explain that oxen are male cows that can't have babies.

His response: "Oh, they can't have babies, so that's why they grow horns."

Huh?

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When I took Hazel to go potty she showed me the condensation on the toilet tank with concern. "That's ok. It's just moisture, Hazel," I assured her.

"No, it's not, " she argued.

This went back and forth a few times before she said, "It's water!"

"You're right, " I replied. "Water is moisture."

"No, it's not," she argued again.

"Well, what is water then?"

"It's when we wash our hands and we put some soap, um um um, that's water."

"And what is moisture?"

"It's when there's water in the toilet and we put a bird in there. And then we put soap in there and we mix it round and round. Then we wash it off...That's what that be's"

Oh! Okay...

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When I asked Hazel if she knows what Attentive means she said, "Yes. Its means when we put duckies in the bath tub."

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Hazel woke up the other morning from a bad dream crying and yelling for me. She claimed that the mice bit her and she was pointing to the same "hippo" that Amelia bit the other day.

After assuring her once more that there are no mice in our house, I reminded her that Amelia bit her and told her she had just had a bad dream and would be just fine.

When we came down stairs she informed Abiah that, "Amelia and the mice bit me!"

I reminded her, "No. It was just a bad dream."

"My bad dream bit me!"

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While eating dinner, Hazel was sitting on her legs in her chair. When she moved to put her feet in front of her she complained, "Mom! My feet are buzzing."

Nathan and I explained to her that it was just the blood coming back into her feet.

The next morning after breakfast she came and, putting her foot in my face, said, "Mom. My blood's doing it again!"

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I was wearing a shirt with 3/4 length sleeves. Abiah asked me, "Is your shirt too small or is it supposed to look like that?"

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I asked Hazel if she knows what brave means. "It's when Daddy pushes Uncle Dan in the toilet."

Uncle Dan is a man from church who is over six foot and I think he boasts that he's close to 300lbs. He also happens to work at the county jail. So I guess that would be considered brave. Or stupid!

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Potty talk (or poopoo talk) has been curb for the most part in our house. I rarely have to correct the kids for it right now. Last night I was talking to Amelia about how chubby she is.

Me: "You have a chubby chin!"

Amelia: "Tubby tin!"

Me: "You have chubby cheeks!"

Amelia: "Tubby teeks!"

Me: "Chubby belly!"

Amelia: "Tubby bewy!"

Me: "You have a chubby butt!"

Amelia: "Tubby..." then pointing her finger at me in disapproval, "Poopoo cok, mom!"

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Abiah is still quite perplexed about just how the Doctors are going to get Jackson out of me. The other day during lunch he commented, "Jackson doesn't have a mom."

"Yes, he does," I argued. "I'm his mom!"

"Well, I mean he's not born yet. Which, Mom, I just can't figure it out. Because I've seen your mouth and it's not that big and I know how big Jackson will probably be when he's born and that's the only hole in and out. So I just don't know how he's going to get out of you!"

While stifling laughter and allowing my heart to slow to a regular pace I said, "Well, God made a special way for babies to be born. Mommy will tell you more about it later."

I think it's later. There are too many questions and too many questions coming, I'm sure. We ordered this book series to help us out. Have you had this conversation with your kids? Did you have any books to help out? Tell me how it went!