Baby ramblings

I have lots of contractions. This could get me excited until I remember that I had up to 60 a day with the twins for 6 weeks and it obviously meant nothing. And when I sometimes let myself think - hmm, maybe I'll go early like at 37 weeks or something, and then I realize - I didn't even go that early with twins,  so yeah, I better gear up to be in this for the long haul.

Although I did go into my doctor this week and at the end he said, "I want you to rest as much as possible the rest of the time."  I blinked my eyes a few times and sat in confused silence for a minute before I said, "What?" As if trying to confirm that he just told a mother of three little boys who has had a totally normal pregnancy that she should seriously try to rest the duration of her pregnancy. He said, "Why? Are you doing anything that's not restful?"  (Like living my every day life?)  "Um, I went to spin yesterday," I finally said. To which I was given a strict injunction not to spin anymore and not to exercise anymore for that matter. I was a little bugged. I'm all about doing what's healthy for the baby, but there's nothing unhealthy about exercising while you're pregnant and I have no complications. And I've been doing it the whole time and actually attribute my feeling pretty good during this pregnancy to it. When I asked why, he said it was because my cervix was starting to soften and since I'm already having contractions he didn't want me delivering for at least another week or two. I told him I've been having these contractions for 6 weeks and I had them for like 2 months with the twins and still went to almost 38 weeks with them.  He said, "Well, I bet you were doing spin when you were pregnant with them."  Point taken.  I was laying on the couch like a beached whale for months with them. Anyhow, whatever. I decided to swim today rather than go to my usual Friday step class.

So last week I was given last minute notice that we were once again invited to the fancy gala in West Palm Beach this year - when I will be about 38 weeks pregnant.  Lovely. Last year I both had a dress and was skinny when I found out we weren't invited. Seriously? So here I am thinking - I'm going to have to buy an evening gown that can be worn nine months pregnant? Bet I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of that one in the future....
    Besides, where on earth do I find a dress?  When I was complaining about having to be seen out in public that big and pregnant while trying to look composed next to all these other swanky (and skinny) people, I loved my friend's advice - "just go, have a great time....and don't take any pictures."

* Well, since I started writing this post a few days ago, I have found out that we are actually not invited anymore, and believe it or not I was slightly disappointed.  Who knew I would find a cool British designer that actually had some decent maternity gowns?  So just imagine me all dolled up in this (waddling around some swanky event in West Palm Beach).







I also really like this dress, although it maybe wouldn't have been dressy enough for the event and too bad there's no sense in buying it now.

So alas, no importing a cool British dress to drape my largely pregnant self in to wear to a fancy ball.


In other news, I did manage to see the, er, lovely inner city hospital where I will be delivering (the one upon first seeing where Ryan was working I immediately said, "We are never having children here."  Then I followed that statement with - "and when you come home at night you drop your clothes at the door and head straight for the shower.") But I actually don't think it will be so bad.  I asked the nurse about it while we were there and she said if I was a resident's wife I would get a private room.  Well, that's better than my first delivery.  And she said I might even get a suite.  And hey, I figure if you're the only white baby in the hospital it's probably pretty hard for someone to steal off with your baby, right? Anyway, I have heard though that it's a very skilled facility, so if there's something wrong with your baby, that's where you want to be.  If you want a glass of water though, get it yourself.

And now I'm just getting a bit anxious about the disposition of this child.  I would say I hope for an easy baby, but I've never had one of those, so I don't plan on it. And my life never works along those "should happen" lines, so I will plan on another colicky child since at least it's not twins.  For a while I was thinking this baby wasn't as active in the womb as my others and was taking that to hopefully mean he would be a mellow child. I was basing that on the fact that I knew even before the twins were born that Phoenix was going to be my trouble maker. He was always more crazy and active in the womb and I've pretty much been one step behind him since then. But since Christmas this child has proven me wrong and now seems to be the craziest child I've had in the womb yet.  I'm surprised people don't worry that I'm having epileptic fits with how much my body shakes while I'm just sitting there.

Having watched my neighbor's baby a couple of times now, I realize our house is a bit hazardous for babies. Objects fly, bodies fling, and really, I'm going to have to have lots of safety zones to keep this child from getting clobbered. I'm not even sure a play yard would do the trick since I have no doubt numerous dangerous objects would manage to make their way in.  So I'm also back to accumulating baby restraining devices since we gave everything away last time for the sake of my sanity since we have no space here so I would have been living on top of two swings, two bouncy seats, etc.

Enough random and disconnected thoughts for now. Time for a nap before the crazies all wake up.

Random thoughts while the hubby is away

My husband is away for the weekend at a cataract conference.  There are lots of reasons this is bad for me.
A. He left me alone with an entire thing of flan that one of his patients brought him. I never considered myself a real flan fan, but this stuff is good.  Realizing my days of not caring how many calories I'm taking in are numbered, I also pulled out a jar of Nutella that I happened to spy hiding in my cupboards.  (I'm sure I was hiding it from myself. At least it worked for a while.) I seem take in lots of comfort food when the hubby leaves me by myself with the kids.
B. I can't ever manage to go to bed at a decent hour when he's not home. I don't know why this is, but I always stay up later when he's gone and can't force myself into bed. Then I'm mad that I got so little sleep when he was gone when really I should be taking advantage of the lack of all the flopping and twitching next to me in bed and actually get a good night's sleep.
    But perhaps it's because when he's home, he's always on the computer at nights, so when he's gone I finally get a turn.  So I've been looking at baby names for hours now.  I never ask for opinions on names since I may name my child that and I'll probably remember what you said about it (case in point:  first child, gender unknown. Mom keeps sending me lists of names. Finally tell her she can stop sending names since we've decided if it's a girl it's Audrey, if it's a boy it's Cash.  Reply email:  "Then I will pray for a girl.")
    So since familiarity breeds acceptance, back at Christmas I started mentioning to the family that we like the name Diesel.  So I will mention it again since it is still on the list.  :)   And by the way, yes, it is a fuel.  And yes it is an engine. I am aware. 
   But, it was so named after it's inventor, Rudolf Diesel, so it is first of all a surname (like all the rest of our kids names), and an increasingly popular first name in the U.S. and especially in Germany, Belgium and Australia.  (Although I'm not really sure how big the population in Australia is, so saying it's the 118th most popular boy's name may mean there are like, 5 kids with that name.) And yes, I've also heard it's a dogs name. But Max is the number one dog's name in the U.S. too, and do people say that to everyone that names their child Max? 
    But we also like Keaton, and Anderson, and Crosby, and who knows what else.  I guess I should say I like a lot of names. Ryan isn't much for agreement or suggestion which puts us at quite the standstill most of the time, but he has admitted he likes Diesel and Keaton, which is why I will mention them again so your brain can familiarize itself just in case.  :)  Phoenix and Cash sit in the car arguing back and forth over it.  Cash: "Keaton."  Phoenix: "NO. Diesel." Cash: "NO. Keaton."  Phoenix: "NO. Baby Diesel."  I never knew they would be so opinionated.

Back to my list.
C.  It would be prudent if Ryan was home so we could go car shopping.  No, we will no longer fit in the Xterra, sad as it is.  But yes, we will finally become a 2-car family again which will be nice.  I do have dreams though that I'm at the hospital and panicking that we don't have a car to come home in. And since everyone asks, we will probably get a Honda Odyssey.  With a DVD player if I get my way.
D. I have been sick.  And am 35 weeks pregnant, did I mention that?
E. I am uncomfortable and tired. And have 3 kids to take care of. And am still 35 weeks pregnant.
F. My house is dirty and I am, once again 35 weeks pregnant and will not be bending my big bootie over anytime soon to scrub the floors that haven't been cleaned since, oh, before I left for Christmas....  (I did make Ryan get me a Groupon for housecleaning for Christmas - I just called to get an appointment and they said they were booked until March!?!  Blast.)

So alas, I sit here to the melodious sounds of a child who has been screaming bloody murder in his bed for the last hour, contemplating hitting church alone again tomorrow, watching alien movements taking over my abdomen (seriously this kid shakes the bed at night he moves so wildly)....and wondering how soon the hubby will return.

Christmas catch-up

I feel so behind!  Like how I had a goal to get some baby books finished for the twins before this next baby comes along. (Like three years wasn't long enough to be able to get some scrapbooking done?) Looks like that won't happen. Just like I just don't have the time for blogging so much anymore.  Which is why I am now just trying to finish up Christmas.

Some brotherly love on Christmas eve.

 There were a lot of fun moments this Christmas since they're all at such fun ages. Like watching them all grab their stockings to set them out for Santa and spontaneously run around yelling "trick or treat!" to everyone.  Or finding the plate of treats for Santa empty before everyone even went to bed...and then finding all the empty candy wrappers in their stockings.  :)

Let me mention my next comment on this photo - Cash.  We've had to have multiple discussions in our house that just because your tongue is long enough that you can pick your nose with it doesn't mean you should. Blech. He's a constant slobber face.

Lots of fun and excitement Christmas morning. Games, hot wheels, remote control trains, a scooter, and Cash got a Leapster so now he can hang with the big kids all playing their electronic devices.

 

 

Getting in some snow time and more cousin fun.

 

Watching Ryan carry both twins back up the hill was the point where I thought, phew, good thing I'm big and pregnant and can't go sledding.

All squished in the front seat rying to warm up. 

 

The hockey game.

I really had no idea my kids would be so enthralled going to a sporting event since we've never taken them to one, but they still keep asking to go back.

I loved looking over one night to see Cash cozying right up to his cousin.

Good times.

Now time to move on and think about the next things in life. Like having a baby.

Christmas pictures

Of course there were also many fantastic moments over the holidays.  Number one for my kids had to be hanging out with cousins.  I loved seeing Cash like this on a different cousin every time I turned around.  And then hearing in his sweetest little voice, "Can I have a turn??  Can I play with your iphone?"  Luckily he got a Leapster for Christmas so he could join in the male cousin sit-next-to-each-other-and-play-our-various-electronic-devices bonding.

He even attempted his first sleepover with the cousins (didn't last of course):

The boys loved visiting temple square. (And of course I love all the bodies to help keep track of them. :)

 

 

All great until it started snowing and my Miami-bred child was beside himself.




















Everyone was in love with nickelcade.

And it's really fun climbing up the skee-ball game to put your balls in. Until your twin throws one overhand and gives you a goose egg in the head. 











The best Christmas Eve surprise was answering a knock at the door to find dad finally making it there just in time for Santa.

 

Although not everyone could quite happy up for Santa.  :)

 

Super happy with the remote control Thomas trains Santa brought.

 

Mom and I worked up a new duet for the program this year.

Cash sang "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" with the actions he learned from school, and Phoenix played and sang a lovely rendition of "Jingle Bells".

So much fun with the family!!

Guess I'll have to post more pictures later to finish the trip since I haven't even made it to Christmas day yet.

Christmas

Let's start with the minuses, shall we?  Like our bank account after Christmas, for one.  Or like Phoenix erasing my mom's hard drive on Christmas eve.  Yes, that's right. I have no idea how a two year-old erases and completely re-formats a computer, since I'm sure I have no idea how to do that.  It's not like there's some big flashing button that says ERASE ME somewhere.  And I had used the computer only moments before, turned around to finish my phone conversation, and looked back to see Phoenix sitting there in front of a really funky screen that said ATTEMPTING SYSTEM RECOVERY.  That was the point where my stomach dropped and I immediately contemplated what moment during the Christmas festivities would be the best to tell your mother that you just lost everything on her computer.  Especially knowing that she had been working on a 200+ page life history of her aunt, numerous family history files.... and she had no computer backup. 

I guess the other minuses would be the amount of sickness that got passed around over Christmas, staying up all night with kids that couldn't breathe and finally calling my pediatrician at 2am and begging her to call in some steroids or something, and more of me getting sick and throwing up while extremely pregnant.  Although that didn't seem to result in any more minuses on the scale, and instead I seemed to gain an average of 2 lbs a week over my three-plus week stint there.  Yikes, I hope that sure doesn't keep up. I did manage to lose a good deal of my field of vision as pertaining to the lower half of my body, and my discomfort increased about 10 fold.  Which made me realize if I had been scared to fly out by myself with three kids pregnant, I was terrified to fly back even more pregnant, this time with all of us totally sick and hacking up a lung, having to wake the kids up four hours earlier than they were used to waking up to get to our flight, and then realizing we had TWO layovers on the way home.  Yes, we endured a good many tantrums on the plane. Yes people stared at our hacking brood in disgust silently praying they didn't have to sit by us. Yes, I finally just shut my eyes and ignored everything while everyone craned around to see who was throwing an absolute fit the whole descent since my child wanted nothing but to play with the seat tray in front of him and to get "OUT!!!!!"  And yes I again just stood there and watched and waited when the other twin lay on the jetway off the plane in complete tantrum-y meltdown so I just scooted his flailing body over so at least everyone could walk past us on their way off the plane.  I'm sure it was an amusing sight for everyone passing all of us, all our gear, my big belly, and my flopping child.  And I'm sure it reassured those praying passengers that didn't end up by us that their prayers had been answered.  But yes, I was rather grateful for the miracle of Benadryl that had at least made the first few hours of the flight more tolerable.

So yes, the computer in the shop explains the lack of holiday blogging. We tried our best to get it all figured out before we left. Ryan said it was taking 10 years off his life trying to put her computer back together and I spent my "restful" holiday up until 1am every night looking one by one through the 50,000 items that were recovered (most of them junk). Thankfully most of my mom's documents were recovered, except not all of the family history stuff and never the final draft of the life history in all it's glory.  :(   Some previous drafts in good form, and probably the latest mingled in with a corrupted and funky version of itself.  So sorry about that.

Oh, and we'll be looking for a good deal on a DVD player to send you since Phoenix probably broke that at your house too.  Um, happy holidays!  Bet you can't wait for us to come next year!