Countdown to baby brother!

Sean and I put these together for the kids today. They are so excited for the arrival of the baby, and with me being so sick, we thought this would be a great way for the kids to keep track of the pregnancy progress. The note says:

Welcome baby brother!
Directions: Eat one (1)
candy per day. When
the bottle is finished,
baby brother will be here!

Baby Watch

Interested in pregnancy? Read about being

10 weeks pregnant, 20 weeks pregnant,

30 weeks pregnant and 40 weeks pregnant.

Yikes, it spread!

I don't think I overdid the caffine, but it was the weekend, I was alone with the kids, and I did eat a banana chocolate chip muffin.

Yes, this is my eye!!!

So for the last 2 days I have been really sick. I have thrown up harder than I have in a couple of years. Today, I broke a blood vessel in my eye! Apparently it is not that uncommon, and can happen when you sneeze, but it is still the weirdest thing I have seen! Yikes! BTW--It doesn't hurt, I can't even feel it, but it sure is ugly!

I hate to admit it, BUT....

So last night at 2:00 I was struggling with yet another migraine, thinking that I must be the only person in the world doing this at this time, thinking "I am a pretty weird person", so I was thinking about many of my weird quirks, and thought it might be fun to add up, so: here goes:

1. Costco hamburger is really lean---I kind of like meat with a little more fat in it. It is easier to make small when making spaghetti and tacos, and the meatloaf is not so dry.
2. Yes, I have eaten a whole pie: took 3 days, but I did it all by myself.
3. I love the smell of the soap at hospitals. It reminds me of having my babies.
4. I write dates on a calendar, and then never look at it again.
5. I don't really like to talk on the phone: I think I have phone ADD, I can't pay attention to the other person.
6. I have never liked to run, NEVER! But sometimes my body aches to run.
7. I don't like candy with peanuts.
8. I have pulled a hair from my forehead that was about 6 inches! I swear it totally grew overnight.
9. I make the best cream soups (potatoe bacon cheddar, and clam chowder), but my broth soups are terrible.
10. I have pretended to not smell my stinky baby in an effort to get out of changing a messy diaper, and yes I have pretended to be asleep to avoid cleaning vomit in the middle of the night.
11. I fold laundry REALLY good---I am truly amazing!
12. I try to get to the best of my kids candy before they see it after trick or treating, Nate and Jaron have caught on, but I may have another year to get away with it with Emily.
13. If we get a plate of goodies (like from neighbors) and the kids don't know I will hide them and eat them myself.
14. I despise cleaning toliets!
15. My 5th grader reads way better than me......has for a few years now.
16. I have written my 3rd graders math answers and gotten them wrong.
17. I have been caught adjusting my pantyhose in the hall of the church by the entire bishopric, and all I could do is laugh.
18. I have tied my toddlers shoes on the wrong foot without noticing. When it was noticed, I blamed it on them.
19. I love a bargain, it is hard to pass up the bargain even when I want something else WAY more!!!
20. Usually when I eat at Buddys I am in a rebellious mood: I know that it will make me sick and stinky, but I just don't care!

Okay, I feel quite exposed, but I wanted to say it when I was willing to admit to my issues. If you ask me about it later, I may still deny it.

Jarons Award

Tonight was Parent Teacher Confrences. I am so proud of both boys. They are doing so great, and they are good kids to boot!
Jarons teachers remarked that he is so good that they never have to worry about where to seat him, that he is good wherever he is. Of course I am beaming with pride. On they way home he says to me "Mom, do you know why I am so quiet in class?" "Because you are a good boy," I reply. "No." He said. "I am trying to get the award for being shyest in class!"
All I can say is I am speechless. Should you discourage a kid from his goals? Hmm.

A Charlie Eye

As you may know we are the proud owners of a cocker spaniel. His name is Charlie. (The kids call him Charles for short--haha) He is a pest, but we do really love him.
We have been Golden Retriever owners in the past, and I have to say that aside from being large, and all that accompanies that, they are quite easy animals to own.
Cockers are pretty easy too.
We may not be premier pet owners, because first of all we are kid owners, so while he is not a pampered show dog, I think he knows he is loved, and a part of our family.
Apparently cockers are supposed to be shaved on top and curly on the bottom. Well, Charlie is curley everywhere, including the callic on top of his head. Cockers should be pretty easily recognized as such, but I am constantly asked "What kind of dog his he?" When I say cocker, I hear things like "Really?!? I have had cockers my whole life, and I have never seen one that looks like him."
While we haven't had ear problems, because of his floppy ears, they tend to get ear infections quite often, so you should hold them strait out or on top of his head so that they can get air. CRAZY!
The other huge issue with cockers is that they have 3 (yes 3) eyelids. Often this 3rd eyelid, which make tears, with pop out creating a cherry eye.
Last month while Sean was gone for 2 weeks, Charlie developed Cherry Eye. When I called the vet, they said it is purely a cosmetic issue, but to bring him right in for $400 surgery--ya right! So I found out on the internet that you could massage it in. I tried and Nate tried to no avail. By the time Sean got home it had been out too long, so now he had a permant Cherry Eye.
It is not quite as obvious now, but at first it was so red you could see it from afar. Charlie had gotten loose and loves to visit the neighbors, so he went down to visit the Hancocks. They are so sweet to Charlie. The oldest girl said to Emily "What happened to his eye?"
Emily replied so matter of factly "OH, HE'S GOT A CHARLIE EYE!!!"

ChiaObama

I don't know why this is so funny to me. If you watch the commercials they say that they have combined 2 great American Icons.

REALLY?????

Are you kidding me?????

I am not an Obama fan, but is it really an honor to be immortalized by a Chia Plant?

Oh well, I get a hoot out of it each time I see the commercial.

Ultrasound

Wednesday morning we were able to have the BIG ultrasound. We were so excited to find out if we were adding a little boy or a little girl to our family. The boys were all in agreement that they wanted a boy. Emily and I finally agreed on something, and that was that we wanted a little girl. There are several babies due in the ward around the same time, of those I knew that the Hardys had Luke, Ellis' are having a boy, and Ramseys are having a little girl.
Over 3 years ago I figured that we were finished having babies, so I gathered all my boy clothes that Jaron had grown out of, and everything Emily had outgrown, bedding, blankets, toys, and carseats, and filled my garage and invited over everyone I could think of who may have use for anything, and said "take what you can use!"
A couple weeks ago I was with Anne looking at her cute little girl clothes, so I came home and dug thru my keepsake bin and found that I had in fact a few girl clothes left. That got me thinking, "Oh, I remember when Emily wore this: It would be so fun to have another little girl."
A week or two prior to this I had a dream that we were having a boy, but I figured "I am only right about half the time, so maybe it will be a girl." I know that sounds funny, of course I would only be right 50% of the time: It is either a boy or a girl, but I really have been right. Nate and Emily I knew what they were, I was wrong about Jaron, I had convinced myself that he would be a girl.
We were going thru the ultrasound, and at first she couldn't see the gender because the baby's legs were up over the head with the feet crossed. Then later when she checked, the legs were closed tightly and tucked under the bum. We really thought that we would go thruout the pregnancy without knowing, but then the tech said "Okay, try to go to the bathroom, and the baby may move positions."
Then as soon as she put the little monitor back on my belly she said "This baby is a BOY!" "Yep, nobody could talk me out of that, he is definatly a boy!" Sean and I both smiled, and Emily said, "No, I don't want another brother, I want a sister!" We laughed, because she was tired and grumpy, and we reassured her that she will love him when he comes. "The only way I want a brother is if we name him Lucas!", she said. Needless to say it was a long ride home for her.
As the afternoon wore on she got more and more used to it. When the boys got home the first thing they said is "Is it a boy or a girl?" Sean and I had blown up blue balloons with a blue "It's a boy" sign that we put in thier room. We let them go in to get the news. We asked the kids what we should name the baby. Jaron said "Max." Nathan said Ethan. Emily said Travis-----What??? I thought you wanted Lucas! No, now she wants Travis! Girls--So emotional!!!
So we are thrilled that we are being blessed with a boy! Now, to find a name......

Life in general

It has been a kind of crazy life! I have been quite sick with this pregnancy, and I was thinking, man, it has been almost a year since I have felt well! Last year I was dealing with hitting my head and migraines, and now I am dealing with pregnancy and migraines.
I fear that I am not handling my trials very well. Unfortunatly I have had to depend on Sean and Nate a lot for household responsibilities. To top it off, I have not been able to make it to all church meetings for a few months, and any for a few weeks!
It is crazy, the kids are back in school again. Summer just flew by. I did not go camping with the family, and the family only got to go once.
The economy has slowed down fairly dramatically. We have taken mandatory time off of work, and are currently laid off and on an on call basis. This pay period will not be too bad, as Sean was gone 12 days, home 2, and gone 4 more, that brings its own challenges, but we are greatful for the work. Other times, you may only get 1 day in 2 weeks, so you just make the most of what there is to offer.
Luckily, Sean was able to train for the bus garage, so when he is not on call for the AVCenter, he can be available for the bus garage. He is such a wonderful hardworking man. I really love and appreciate all he does for me and the kids. I must have done something good in heaven to deserve him!
Nate is loving his new teacher and classmates. I think he likes being the big man on campus. That is good, because next year is Jr. High! YIKES!! He of course is cruising thru the lessons, but luckily he is doing well socially which is every mothers desire.
Jaron is in a great class. His biggest complaint is that he is "girl-locked" meaning his desk is surrounded by girls! I figure if any body can deal with that it is him. (He is kind of a ladies man!--he is so cute!)
Emily has been my little buddy. She loves playing game cube, jumping off the deck onto the tramp, and when I am sick, she brings me water and crackers! When I get my migraines, I cannot watch the kids, so I bring them inside, and if it is just her with me, I have her come in my room and watch TV while I wait for it to pass. She is such a sweetheart! I cannot imagine life without her or her brothers or Sean. I do feel truly blessed.
She got to start a new preschool this year. It is taught by the mothers, and it is just kids in the neighborhood. It is a lot of fun. I will end up teaching 5 weeks (10 times) this year. It is a lot of work to keep 7 4 and 5 year olds happy, but it is good. I totally could not do it everyday, unless I got a boatload of extra energy!
We get to find out the sex of the baby tomorrow! We are thrilled. Emily and I are hoping for a girl, and the boys are hoping for a boy! I know that when we find out it will be like we always wanted a (whatever it is!) .

Our names we are thinking are:

Girl
Brynlee
Rhylan
McKenna
Laurel
Lauren

Boy
Jonah
Jonas
Elijah
Ethan

We thought Nate would be an Andrew or Hunter. On the way to the hospital we were talking about names and thought, those don't seem quite right. Then we came up with Nathan.
We were pretty sure Jaron would be Jaron, but we also liked Jacob and Joshua.
Emily was going to be Rebekkah or Elizabeth. When I think of a Rebekkah, I think of a beautiful girl with black hair. We knew she would be beautiful, but with Sean and I, we also knew she would not have black hair. For Elizabeth, my aunt Lani chimed in and said, "Oh no, she will be teased and called Lizzie Gordon! I had not heard the saying Lizzie Borden about a girl who killed her parents, but I figure life is too tough, why add one more thing to be teased about! PLUS what parent wants to risk it! haha Just kidding! When she came to us so sweet and delicate, we knew she needed a name to match. While we had an Emily in the family, we went ahead with the name anyway--little would we know that 4 years later we would be neighbors! My grandma Phelps was so excited: "You named her after my mother! I always loved that name!" I was surprized, luckily my response was "YES!"
I guess to make a long story short, 2 of the 3 names of our kids were not even on the list until we were at the hospital, so while we do have a list, the baby still could be named anything!
Well this has been fun, but I am starting to feel the beginnings of my next headache! Shoot!

Being the mom

One thing I love most about being the mom is hearing the funny things that kids say. I know that Jaron has probably been working on this recent one for a few months, but just now got the idea perfected......
Yesterday we were talking and he said "Mom, I am going to be a bounty hunter when I grow up." (Yes, I admit I occasionally watch "Dog, the bounty Hunter".) "When I am a Bounty Hunter, I am going to wear my hair like Taylors (Bret"s son, our nephew, Taylor has the typical teenage boy shag cut) so that it kind of flips up all around. And I am going to have a little bit of hair here (he points to his chin). And I am going to wear tennis shoes, and gold chains, and leather and stuff!
I had to smile because I know that he has been observing details to see what is cool. Not exactly every mothers dream, but it did bring a pretty good laugh!