Wednesday, December 28, 2011

3 Month Update

Miss Lillie is growing like a weed! I have no idea how much she weighs or how long she is I just know she is getting longer and heavier. She is wearing 3-6 month clothes. She is also losing her hair except for the long twig in the front on top. She was born with that. She is definitely going to have her Daddy's hair.
Today we took the big kids to the dentist and she was so good! This is a rarity! Our appointment was at 10:00am (prime nap time) so I expected a meltdown. she just happily sat in her car seat and didn't even fuss once! In all honesty though, we were only there a grand total of about 30 minutes. I love the kids dentists these days. Instead of having to wait on one to finish in order for the next to go back, they have two dental assistants and do the kids simultaneously! Love it!
We then went to Wal-mart to get another Wii remote and she went to sleep in the cart just as pretty as you please! Slept throughout the Wal-mart visit, the car ride to Starbucks and then home and sat for another 30 minutes or so while we ate lunch! I love that girl so when she is low maintenance!
Anyway back to what i am loving at 3 months...I love how you want to hold onto my shirt while you nurse. I think it is funny how you get so impatient (furious) when you are hungry and will open your mouth and kind of wait on me while I am gaining access to the milk supply. :) I love the little dimples on the backs of your hands. I love your big eyes and how you will sometimes try to "talk" to us. You are able to turn yourself in a circle and can arch your back and "travel" too.
You laughed for the first time on Tuesday, December 13 and Daddy even heard it for the first time too. This was also the morning your poop changed over to more conventional baby poop and not breastfed baby poop. ie no more mustard colored seedy dirty diapers. You started sleeping through the night on November 17th. This was the first night Daddy was gone to San Antonio to AAEP. We had a 30 minute cry it out session that night, a 20 minute one the next night and by the third night I just laid you down, you went to sleep, and I saw you next at 6 am the next day! Love it! You still have to cry it out many nights unless i nurse you till you fall asleep. Not 100% ideal since they say if you have to nurse to fall asleep, if you wake up during the night, you will need to nurse to fall back to sleep. So far it hasn't been a problem but i wish I could put you in bed sleepy and you wouldn't scream!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Halloween 2011

Well, Halloween 2011 didn't go exactly as I had hoped since I had not one, not two, but three sick kids on Halloween! Madalynn and Jack missed school with the remains of a stomach bug and colds/bronchitis. Poor Lillie Claire didn't escape the sickness either. She started being sick at about 3 or 4 that afternoon.
Madalynn and Jack recovered enough for Jeremy to take them trick-or-treating that evening though.

We always go to the Moreheads neighborhood since we live out by ourselves and would have to spend the two allotted hours of trick-or-treating just driving around. We did usually stop by Calumet to see Bill and Linda but, of course, we didn't do that this year. Sweet Mr. Bill bought the kids each a sack full of candy anyway.
Jack was a race car driver and Madalynn was a queen.

I didn't worry with a costume for Lillie. She had a very cute outfit to wear, but since she was sick no one got to see it.

Jeremy and the kids took a quick trip around the block and came on back home since Madalynn wasn't feeling well again.
She has come to the door during the night and before bed pretty much every night this week and said she thought she was going to puke. I don't understand it. I don't think she is sick, but has some super amped up gag reflex. That and the ability or inability as it were, to not stop thinking about throwing up. Jack on the other hand, barely talks about it even when he is sick as a dog.
As I said, poor Miss Lillie was sick too.She rarely spits up to amount to anything, but Monday night was different. I had called the pediatrician earlier in the afternoon because I had the feeling she was getting sick. They recommended giving her 2 oz of pedialyte every other feeding. She took 2 oz. at about 5:30pm, and went to sleep. I fed her again about 8 and later she spit all that up. I fed her some pedialyte after that but she promptly spit that up too. So before I knew it, it was midnight and she hadn't kept anything down since 5:30. So I called the UK Pediatric Triage and asked what I needed to do. The nurse that answered was super nice. So after speaking to her, I ended up staying up till 2 am because they recommended alternating between feeding her just a half an ounce of pedialyte, then nursing for just a few minutes every 15 minutes for the next two hours. I did and she was able to keep the food down so I was glad to do it. It is very scary having a tiny baby sick like that. Neither of the other kids was ever that sick that little.
Lillie Claire also turned 6 weeks old on Monday! I can't believe how big she is getting!!!

Let's hope next year we actually get to carry her trick-or-treating!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Well, I keep thinking I will get into a groove and have a routine...well not yet. I now have a 7 year old, a newly 5 year old and a 6 week old today.
Lillie Claire is getting a little more used to life on the outside every day. She doesn't have to be held 24/7 anymore. Her upset stomach has resolved itself for the most part. Nursing has gone great. She usually only gets up once a night now. She will fall asleep in the car seat, the swing, sometimes the playpen or the changing table. My only real complaint is that she doesn't want to go to sleep at night like at the normal going to sleep time. I am pretty sure I let her get too tired, but it is hard to put her to bed early when you have older kids running around and when the girls share a room. So I end up nursing her and trying to put her to bed, she goes to sleep for a few minutes, then is back up and we do it all over again. Last night I attempted to let her "cry it out" for a while. She was fed, dry, warm so I let her cry it out in the crib for a while. Well, as soon as we turned off the TV, that wasn't going to work since the girls room is right next door to ours. So I took her to the swing downstairs, I didn't turn it on though. I have a trip to Tennessee in less than two weeks so I am trying to avoid needing a swing, since I won't have one while I am there. She cried for a little while, fell asleep for about 30 minutes, then woke back up around midnight and I went down and fed her again. I put her in the crib and she slept until about 5 am.
In the meantime, I had another kid wake up puking. Joy! I have slept on the couch at least 3 nights in the last 4. I was majorly sick about 2 am Saturday morning. Then Jack was sick Saturday and then Madalynn had it about 2 am this morning. I am holding out hope that Lillie and Jeremy don't get it. I think the big kids are well enough now to go trick-or-treating although the thought did cross my mind to just offer to buy them a bag of candy and call it good. I am sure they would not go for that.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Day One

I had originally been scheduled for an induction on September 13th, but since I wasn't overdue- the insurance called the doctor's office back and said they would not cover it. So I was scheduled for an induction the day after my due date. My doctor and I discussed it at my last doctor's appointment on September 14th.
Last Monday, September 19, I had been told by my OBGYN that I would  be induced at 6am. She told me to  be sure and call Labor and Delivery before we left the house to make sure they hadn't gotten behind during the night before. So I did. I told them my name and asked if it was still good to come on in. They said yes. So I get ready and pack up the last minute stuff, and get Jeremy up. We finish getting ready and take everything downstairs. I ate my piece of toast, which is all I could have. We ran to McDonald's and got Jeremy some breakfast. We then headed off to the hospital.
We get there (about 15 mintues late) and parked the car. We go up to Labor and Delivery on the 2nd floor and go to check in. Well, the lady at the desk says she doesn't have my paperwork. Not a good sign. So she calls L & D and tells us a charge nurse will come down and talk to us. All I could think was this is not going well. So a lady comes down and talks to us and says they don't have us on the schedule for the 19th. We weren't scheduled until the 26th!!! I wanted to cry. We reemphasized that I had been told by Dr. Fuson to be there at 6am on the 19th. So they call her and she says she will drive on in to her office and get the paperwork and we can wait in the waiting room! So there we are sitting in the waiting room with all our stuff: suitcase, pillow, purse, camera case, laptop case, everything. Luckilly, there was only one other family in there. So we sit until almost 8 am.
Finally someone comes out and Dr. Fuson has found where they had it handwritten that I was scheduled for the 19th, but both the hospital and the office had it down for the 26th. We finally get to go to a room and I get changed and answer all the questions for the paperwork. They do the IV, and we get the pitocin going. Around 10 am, the nurse checks me and I am a 4. I had been a 3 for weeks, so I was hoping for faster progress.
Nothing much happens until about lunchtime. I can feel the contractions slightly, but nothing major.  When Dr. Fuson came back around 12:30 I was still only dilated to a 4. She broke my water and man did things get going then! My nurse asked me if I wanted to go  ahead and get the ball rolling for an epidural. I said yes, I guess, because who wants to take a chance on the anaesthesiologist getting tied up and getting in major pain before you can get the drugs? Not me. So I say yes, let's go ahead. They had to run a bag and a half of fluids, well by the time that happened I was already in pain. The anaesthesiologist gets there and everyone assures me he gives really good ones that last a long time. Sounds like a plan to me. By the time he gets done I am having major contractions. It seems to take forever for it to kick in. My legs slowly get numb but by the time it fully takes effect, I am about 20 minutes away from giving birth. I don't know how much more painful it would have been, but let's just say I experienced the most pain I have ever been in in my life! To make things better, there was a lady giving birth naturally down the hall and was screaming bloody murder. I was trying to breath deep or whatever you are supposed to do. Like I know! I never planned on needing to know anything about Lamaze. I now know you can't take a deep breath when having a contraction.
So finally the nurse says she wants to check me again. She does and says I am complete. So they get the bed ready and she asks me to push once. I do and she immediately says I'll call Dr. Fuson. Dr. Fuson comes in and I push once and start to push and she tells me to stop and I look down and can see Miss Lillie Claire making her appearance. So after major pain, an epidural that almost didn't take in time, and exactly 2 1/2 pushes my little girl was born!

Lillie was born at 2:43 pm, she weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and was 20 inches long.

Our smallest baby!

Needless to say, since the anisteiologist had bumped up my epidural I was good and numb for a long time. I think that is why we got to stay in the LDR room so long. We didnt' move to a regular room until almost 5 pm. I got there and got situated. They now leave the baby in the room almost all the time. She even got a bath in my room. I got to eat supper. It was so good! That's how you know you are hungry. Later that night the kids and Lonnie and Peggy came up to see the new baby.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

This is it...

Tonight is the last night as a family of 4. It makes me teary eyed just thinking about it. Tomorrow we will meet our newest daughter. I am supposed to be induced at 6 am tomorrow morning.
I am excited and nervous too. Every mom knows you can have a healthy pregnancy and that really only takes care of part of it. You want to have a healthy delivery and a healthy baby too. One never knows what the future will bring. I look forward to meeting her and seeing how our older kids take to this new family member.
Jack seems very excited. He got out one of Lillie's burp cloths the other day and wanted me to show him how to do it. Then again tonight he got it out and was walking around showing Lonnie, Peggy, and Jeremy how to place the burp cloth on your shoulder.
Madalynn on the other hand, is telling everyone that after this baby she is "retiring". i.e. I don't want any more siblings. I am not sure why she isn't crazy about this. She seemed excited when I first told her. She wanted a sister and that what we ended up having. She has said that she doesn't want the baby to have blond hair, because she would be jealous since Madalynn thinks blond hair is the prettiest. I hope she improves. I tried to assure her tonight that she would always be our first daughter and she would always be special. No one can ever take her place. I hope she does OK.
Of course this is sale month in Lexington. So my husband isn't crazy about having to miss work for this. I wish the timing was better. I haven't even asked if he is just going to miss work, I am afraid of what the answer might be. Another reason I really hope I don't need a c-section! When Jack was born, a good friend of Jeremy's dad came up to be here when Jack was born. Well, he ended up having an appendicitis and having to have emergency surgery that led to complications. So Jeremy spent a good deal of time checking on him. I  almost feel like I was in the hospital by myself. It wasn't Jeremy's fault, he was tring to be a good guy. I am not one who likes to be alone in a strange place like that. I hope this time is different.
Jeremy's grandparents are here to stay with the kids. That is a good thing about being induced and knowing when you are going to have a baby... you can plan better. I have written notes and left reminders everywhere. I hope everyone goes to school the days they are supposed to and Madalynn  gets to school with lunch and snack and homework.
Jeremy's mother and grandmother will be here on Wednesday and I hope Lonnie and Peggy are leaving on Thursday. I had a really bad experience with Lonnie, Peggy, and Martha visiting when Madalynn was born. Their 'help" was me cooking supper for extra people. Being confined in my bedroom. Having people barging in my bedroom and bathroom when I was nursing. They cooked breakfast for themselves and if there wasn't anything left when I got up, oh well. They finally did laundry and some vacuuming the last day of their visit. So pardon me if "help" feels more like more work.
I hope everything goes well tomorrow.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Gripes, gripes, and complaints

Well, as my third and final pregnancy draws to a close. ( Induction 6am Monday! If they aren't busy.) I'd like to reiterate all the aches and pains that this gestational episode has brought me.
First we will start with the "normal" complaints.
Heartburn
Sleeplessness (at least at night)
Achy back
Swollen feet and hands
General Discomfort
I can handle all of these. I have had them all before. Now for the list of the ailments that made their debut this third time around.
* Hips that feel like they are going to come out of their sockets. As in during my third month, I could barely go from standing to sitting, sitting to standing, and getting in and out of the car was torture. I have days where they still bother me, but at least I'm not hobbling around like a 90 year old with a broken hip.
*General digestive illness- as in I still have days or parts of days where nothing agrees with my stomach. Not cereal, not applesauce, not anything. Weird. I also spend a lot of time in the restroom. I might feel nauseous after I eat or it might  be that everything is so unappealing that I don't want to eat anything, even though I may be lightheaded from hunger.  Thus why I have only gained 23 lbs. to this point. I gained 35 with Madalynn and 40 with Jack.
* Feeling like I am going to fall/pass out. I don't know what the deal is. I can be fine, as in not feeling hungry one minute, and feel like all the blood has drained from my body the next. Not sure why. I had to take the lovely 3 hour gestational diabetes test and it came out normal, so not sure what the problem is.
* Being so miserable physically. I have never gained so little weight during pregnancy. Now take that with a grain of salt, because let's face it, I weighed more than I should have when I began this odyssey. I have also never felt like I was so unable to move around like wanted or needed to. I feel like I literally have a basketball, a large basketball, sewn to my middle that prevents me from sitting up, bending over, crossing my legs normally, getting any kind of comfortable, etc.
*Never have I waited so anxiously for a baby to arrive! I have been ready for her for a good solid month now. I mean really ready. Room ready, clothes ready, diapers, everything. I am ready to move on to the next stage of life and see how it is going to be with 3 kids. I am also ready to get back to my "normal" life. I miss being able to do what I want in the yard and at the farm. The only slight benefit this pregnancy has had is that I don't have to clean out the litter box. I say slight, because the only time my husband cleans it out is when the stench is so bad that you need a good 45 minutes to air out the garage after opening the door in the morning, prior to actually walking through there to get to the car. The last time he cleaned it out, he only left the litter that filtered through the "litter saving bag". Did I mention he doesn't clean it often, so let's just say there isn't alot of litter left.

When I got pregnant this time, I said "I don't want to be miserable, but when it is over I want to be glad it is over." Well, guess what? I have gotten my wish.

Friday, August 26, 2011

First Day of School 2011

Well, we finally went back to school on August 17th!

I had a boy who was very excited and a girl that wasn't! That is quite the switch! Usually it is the opposite.
Jack could not have been more excited about going to his new preschool.

Madalynn would have preferred to just drop out at this point. She isn't crazy about her new teacher mainly because she loved her teacher from last year so much!

I have to say, I think 2nd grade may be more of a struggle for her than anything has been before.
She still doesn't really want to go to class in the mornings. The days Jack has school, I walk them in and she really doesn't want me to leave.

No tears thank goodness, but she is definitely not happy. I sure hope it improves! She has also turned into a somewhat reluctant reader..I am shocked. I don't know what happened. I never had to ask or make her read last year and this year I have already had to start requiring her to read at least 2 books or two chapters a day. No off to a good start.
Jack on the other hand can't wait to get to school on Mondays and Wednesdays! Dropping him off is easy because he goes right in and just starts playing away. I have already received a compliment on his good manners and behavior from his teacher!
I hope Mady settles in and that Jack continues to enjoy his school this year!
I also hope to eventually have some time to do what I want to do on those two mornings. So far I have done nothing but run errands and go to doctor's appointments. Come on Lillie Claire!

Yard Sale

We finally sold our big house in town back in June!

It was on the market for years! Literally! I hated owning it and not being able to live in it. Plus the deadbeats that had rented it from us and paid the rent only half the time work at Madalynn's school, so seeing them made me see red! So we didn't get what we wanted for it, but at least we aren't still making mortgage payments on a house that is sitting empty.

So anyway, before we sold it the kids and I had a yard sale over there. It was a success! We lived in town for a few months one other time and Jenna and I had a yard sale. It is great! Tons of traffic and since people are already out scoping out yard sales in the neighborhoods, you don't have to spend money on advertising! I just made a couple of neon yellow signs and put them up at intersections and ta-da the people showed up.

We did it the weekend after Madalynn got out of school this summer. We held the sale on Friday and Saturday. On Friday we had a great turnout and sold a ton of the stuff. So much so I felt bad on Saturday because we had nothing but the junk's junk left. We actually had very few come by on Saturday so we packed it up early and left about 10 am. I took two big carloads to Goodwill. We did really well considering I didn't have anything worth anything to begin with. I will miss having access to a great yard sale location next time!

And Her Name Is...

We have a name for our newest daughter now...


Lillie Claire

Jeremy really liked Lillie. It grew on me and I really didn't have anything else that my heart was set on so we went with that. I picked that spelling since I had a great-grandmother whose name was Lillie. I liked the sound of Claire with Lillie and would really like to call her a double name. I have a really cute onesie with her full name on it to help encourage the use of both names!


I had already bought big brother and big sister shirts for Jack and Madalynn a while back, but at that time we didn't have a name for her yet.



Super cute! Can't wait until she is here and we get to use them!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Jeremy's Father's Day 2011

I know this is really late, but that's how I usually do things.
I had the idea of what I wanted to do for Jeremy for Father's Day months before the day, I just am not so good at the follow through. I had saved many of his old rodeo/ horse show t-shirts from his high school and college days for years. I had even looked up how to make the t-shirt quilt  and bought the other materials I would need. I (back when I first thought of doing this) was going to attempt to make a quilt out of them myself. Well, many years and two - almost three kids later I came to my senses and realized that would never happen. Even if it did, I was sure the results would not be up to my perfectionist standards.
I had seen an advertisement for Campus Quilts in the back of a magazine. They had been featured on several news and talk shows like the Today show and Rachel Ray's show. So I figured they did quality work and it wouldn't be some type of scam. I contacted them and got a packet of information the week before Father's Day. I picked all the shirts I wanted to use and figured out the size quilt I needed.

I got them all laid out and figured out what color backing and sashing I needed and sent it all off.
I got it back a couple of weeks after Father's Day, but unfortunately he is used to that. I think he really appreciated it. We now keep it on our bed. I had a quilt that my grandmother made on there, but I really needed to take it off and preserve it for the kiddos when I am dead and gone.
I think it turned out so well! I am very happy with the quality and look of the quilt. Now we can look at it and reminisce about the good old days!
I did order him a Reese's Peanut Butter Blizzard cake and we met him for lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse on the actual day of Father's Day. Plus he wanted a post hole digger for his tractor and he ordered that and I went and picked it up a few weeks before Father's Day, so he wasn't too deprived!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

A Few Things I Won't Miss

As I type this I am about 6 weeks away from my supposed due date. That is, if the date is correct. I have measured 4 weeks ahead twice! So who knows! I may have a baby in the middle of August or the middle of September.
Jeremy and the kids are in Tennessee for the weekend. I decided to stay home and use this as "me" time. That is if you can call working like a dog me time. I have done all kinds of errands, laundry, put up the crib, found all the baby stuff, cleaned the girls room, hung the curtains in Mady and Jack's rooms (after 3 years!), cooked a batch of vegetable soup, cleaned out all the junk drawers, got the bassinet ready, hauled off all the recycling, cleaned out the garage and touched up all the scuffs on the walls. So instead of sleeping more like I thought I would, I have slept less, but I have gotten a lot accomplished.
Tonight as I suffered through terrible heartburn, and tried to reach around this belly to paint my toenails I thought of all the things I won't miss after being pregnant.
I won't miss the aforementioned heartburn. I won't miss the insomnia, thus why I am writing this at 1:30 am. I won't miss trying to roll around this big belly to get up or do anything. I won't miss getting up to go to the bathroom 58 times a night. I won't miss having a belly button that was once an "innie" that is now a major "outie". I won't miss swollen feet and hands. I won't miss not drinking caffeine. I won't miss the feeling of someone trying to kick their way out of my cervix.
I will miss the wonder of knowing I have a baby growing inside me; of creating something where there was nothing. I will miss feeling kicks and hiccups and later full blown rolls and flips. I will miss hearing your heartbeat at the doctor's office. I will miss seeing glimpses of you at my ultrasound appointments.  I will miss watching my belly grow and knowing you are growing too.
I'd do it all again and I can't wait to meet you Lillie Claire!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Cutest Baseball Player in the World


We just finished up a six week t-ball league with the YMCA. I wasn't sure how much Jack would enjoy it since he had never played before and really didn't even know the rules for baseball. He did pretty well though.


It was just the kind of organized sports we can handle. It was only for 6 weeks and we had practice and a game one day a week. We even lucked out most of the 6 weeks and didn't have terribly hot weather. He really enjoyed himself especially as he practiced and got better at hitting and catching. We may even do it again sometime. I knew with Jeremy's work load/schedule and it being hot weather and the kids being used to going out to the farm alot that we weren't the kind of family to be out at the ballpark 3-4 nights per week. This was perfect.


He was on the Braves team, so we now have a Braves ball cap.It was the only southern ball team he could have been on. The others were the Blue Jays, the Cubs, and the Reds. He also got a t-shirt with his number on it. (Lucky #7!)


I also bought him some baseball pants. I had to go back and buy a belt so he could keep them up. The first time he tried them on, I turned them loose and they hit the floor. (He doesn't get his hips from his mother!) Shorts would have been cooler, but he fell and scratched himself up the first time around the bases.Plus he just looked so cute in them!

He had really nice coaches. He technically had one coach but a couple of other guys helped too. His coach had never coached before but did a really great job with all the kids. We had a couple that were handfuls. Jack did a much better job of paying attention than he did when he played soccer. So maybe this is more of his thing.


All in all, it was a really fun experience and I was actually sad when it was over!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Last MONTHLY OB Appointment

Today I went to the doctor for what I didn't realize until I saw the doctor, was my last monthly appointment! Scary! That means it is getting closer! I had to do the glucose test, go back down to the doctor, go back to the lab and have blood work done, and then back up to the doctor's office to get my RhoGam shot.
So I go to the lab and get to drink that orange glucose drink. Gross! I have always heard everyone talk about how awful it tasted and had been very lucky up until this point. I could swear that with Madalynn and Jack it tasted like orange coke. I could honestly swear that it had carbonation. It wasn't a big deal at all. Today...that was a different story. It was NASTY! But I got it down. Then I went back up to my doctor's office to see the doctor. My blood pressure was 114/70, I have only gained 14 lbs so far, and the baby's heart rate was 133-134. I didn't realize that I would have to start seeing the doctor every two weeks but she said since I was almost 30 weeks, I needed to. I hope Jeremy can keep the kids for my next appointment and he is off the day of the following appointment so maybe I can make it until they go back to school before I have to go too often. After I saw the doctor I still had some time before they could draw my blood so I waited down in the lab. Got the blood drawn and then back up to the doctor's office. This was another experience that I don't remember being quite so bad. I have had RhoGam shots with both my other pregnancies, and don't remember it hurting any more than any shot in the hip ever does. Today it burned like crazy. My hip was achy all afternoon and is still a little sore. I have said to myself that I hoped this pregnancy would make me glad it was over and this was my last. Well, today I had two experiences that I am glad I don't have to do again.
When I finally got done at the doctor's office it was over 12 hours since I had anything to eat. That's a long time for a normal person much less a pregnant woman. So since I had been craving Olive Garden I called and ordered something to go. While that was getting ready I ran in Penney's to get myself a fake wedding ring. My hands are too swollen to wear my real one. I also ran in Motherhood Maternity to grab a couple of tank tops. I am trying to get a little sun when I can and two of the ones I bought a month ago are wayyyy too big. Then I rushed home and picked up the kids from my neighbor and got to actually eat something!
I ate so much, but it was soo good.Olive Garden's salad and seafood Alfredo is delicious!!  I felt yucky the rest of the day. I guess between eating too much, the long day, and the aching hip I did myself in. We stayed home from church and I just laid around.
If the chance of rain isn't too great tomorrow, I might venture out to the water park. The kids have been begging and summer will soon be over. So we may do that after swimming lessons.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Our 4th of July 2011

We had a good 4th this year. Ours actually started the day before because we did our fireworks show Sunday night. Jeremy had finally bought some fireworks after Jack had begged me for weeks to buy some. Needless to say the horses and cows were not fans. When we started the first fireworks up in the arena, there were 2 cows inside. Needless to say, they couldn't find the out gate fast enough! The next day the kids slept late - Jack until almost 10 and Madalynn until 10:30! I think that is the latest she has ever slept in her life! We have done away with Jack's nap and we have been working a lot at the farm and coming in late. When they finally got up, ate breakfast and got dressed, we headed to Kroger to get what I needed to fix a couple of things for supper. We had been invited to the Moreheads for dinner. On the way into the store we  couldn't help but notice that they were cooking ribs outside and they smelled wonderful! Jeremy loves ribs, so I bought a rack to bring home. Jeremy didn't have to work all day, so he came home about 12:30 and ate his ribs and then took the kids off to the farm. I had to bake the Best Chocolate Sheet Cake and a BLT salad to take to the Moreheads that night. Once I finished those things, cleaned the kitchen, and loaded the dishwasher, I headed to the farm too. Jeremy and the kids had ridden horses while I was at home so I headed up to where we were building a fence. We are fencing off the back wheat field so that the cows will stay off it and give the grass a chance to grow. I can't say that I help all that much since I can't lift anything and Jeremy is a much better tractor driver than I am. So I mainly stretched the string to line up posts and sighting down the fence line to try and make sure he dug the holes in line with the other posts. I get to see him some anyway. :)
We left hurriedly after 5 pm and I rushed home to get a quick shower and get myself and the kids ready for the Moreheads. By the time the boys got home and I got everyone ready, we were only 15-20 minutes late. Pretty good for us.
We had a good supper and drove home watching everyone shooting off fireworks. It was a good day!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

I thought summer was supposed to be LESS busy?!?

Well the kids have been out of school for a few weeks and although we don't usually have to get up early, I feel like all we have done is run, run, run!
Last week for example, I think we may have been at home Monday. Tuesday, we drove to Hamburg and ran errands. We went to Super Cuts so that I could get my hair cut. The kids behaved very well while we were there. We ran to Target and then to Dick's Sporting Goods to get all Jack's stuff for t-ball. Then on to Meijer for groceries. On Wednesday, we went to the dry cleaners, Dollar Tree, the farm, Kohl's, Lowe's, and the car wash. That night we went to church.  On Thursday, we had to go to Lexington again for Jack a recheck for strep and Madalynn a check-up. We went to a consignment store, Ladybug Landing; and returned some things to Motherhood Maternity. I got the kids some lunch at the mall at Chick-Fil-A, but ended up getting it to go since apparently the air conditioning isn't working in that end of the building. I ran through Scholotsky's for my lunch and then headed home. Friday, we went to Kroger and Walmart. Saturday I told the kids we could just have a lazy day! We got up late and just did things around the house. I painted a little Cozy Coupe that was given to us for Madalynn and it had been used by two boys and had sat out in the West Texas sun for years at that point. (It looks really good now! I was surprised!) I tilled a little in the garden to plant some late corn. I swept out the garage. I went back later in the afternoon and actually planted the corn and watered the garden. I also found time to do a few loads of laundry, paint my toenails, and wax my eyebrows. So not exactly a lazy day, but at least a day at home.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Field Day 2011

Madalynn only has 10 more days of 1st grade left! I can't believe it. This year has just flown by. She has loved her teacher this year. Well, the school had their field day on Thursday of last week. Since they have a no siblings policy, I couldn't help which ended up being a blessing in disguise. They also had an art show which was really neat.
The kids and I ran the dog to the vet to get spayed before school. Then we dropped M off at school, before going to get groceries at Kroger. We dropped the groceries off at home and then headed back to town for some of field day. It was only 80 something degrees and mostly overcast but it was HOT!



We stayed for about an hour and watched Mady's class for about an hour. Jack even got to jump in the inflatables for a few minutes too.


When I had all of the heat I could stand, Jack and went in to see the Art Show. We saw most of the things that Madalynn had done.




Then we headed home to cool off, eat lunch, and take a nap!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

The Best Day

Now as I begin this, I want to fully acknowledge that my life is good. I have lots of good days. I live in the greatest nation in the world, I can worship where and when I want, and my husband works to allow me to have my dream job. Here it comes...but, I don't have what I call a lot of great days. I mean I guess not many grownups do. After all, regardless of our jobs, we work all day, everyday. We have to clean, cook, and manage our kids activities.
Sunday, May 8, 2011 (Mother's Day) was different. It was a truly great day. It was my best Mother's Day ever and the best day I have had in years I think. The night before my crew went shopping for my Mother's Day gifts. I can see how having bigger kids really improves the results. They went to Tractor Supply and bought me some earrings that I love. That was Jack's shopping location of choice. He had told me earlier in the week that he was going to go shopping for me at Tractor Supply and asked what I wanted. I said maybe something to put in the yard as a decoration. He didn't seem to like that and assured me that he would get me something "shiny". They also visited the floral department at Kroger. Some might snub their nose at flowers from Kroger, but remember in Kentucky a Kroger does the roses for the Kentucky Derby. I don't think they are known for shabby work! ;) I had wanted a corsage for church so bad, but didn't want to come out and ask Jeremy for that. He got me one last year and I loved it. Well, he came through again this year.

They also got me a flower arrangement of lilies. (This may or may not be a plug for Jeremy's little girl name choice.) Both kids had made things at school for me too.

So anyway, I got up Sunday morning and got to open all this loveliness. I cooked pancakes and sausage the morning before and made plenty for leftovers, so I didn't have to cook. The kids and I went to church, came home, ate lunch, and then did our usual nap. Jeremy got home earlier than usual and offered to take us out to dinner for Chinese. Then we went to the farm and Jeremy put Madalynn and I to work bush hogging the paddocks in the front of the farm while he and Jack worked elsewhere. It was fun, although I had never done it before. I didn't tear anything up and only missed a few spots! We all came home, took baths, and fell into  bed. Honestly, I can't really tell you what made it such an awesome day, but it was.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

OB Visit #4

Well, I had my 4th OB visit on May 4th, 2011. It had been scheduled for May 11, but at my previous visit they moved it up a week. I began the visit with an ultrasound to see what we were having! Unfortunately, since it is breeding season Jeremy wasn't able to come with me. His mornings are especially busy and since I don't have a babysitter, I have to do all my visits while Jack is at school. So anyway, I go in for the ultrasound and everything looks good. They look at all the baby's vital organs before they tell you the sex. I was so worried that something would be wrong with the baby, much more nervous  than I have ever been before. Well, the technician didn't get all the way zoomed in on the parts we were looking at and I could tell what it was. I thought "that's not a boy; that's a girl!" I think I might have been laying there with my mouth hanging open. Jeremy and I were both sure this was another boy. I was sick this time just like with Jack. I thought it was a boy too once it started moving  because it wasn't the delicate, gentle movements like with Madalynn. It felt like a strong movement from the very first time I felt it move, which was how it felt with Jack. So we were surprised to say the least!
Jeremy forgot about the visit so I finally texted him around noon and told him to call me. He said "I told you last night it was a boy." I said yes you did.Then I said, "Well, guess what?"He said what and I said "You were wrong!" When he said "Its a girl?" you could literally hear the the surprise in his voice.
When the kids got home from school, after a stop at McDonald's for milkshakes, I set up the video camera and got ready to tell the kids. I already had a little girl dress and I had bought some boy onesies. So I put the dress in a little gift bag and let the kids pull it out to see what we were having.
Jack was disappointed, he had wanted a brother. Madalynn was over the moon! She had assured me from the get-go that " she wished on a star for a sister and in the morning, it told her it was true!"

Another coincidence with our girls. When we were living in Texas, we found out what Madalynn was in October. Well, rose bushes aren't usually blooming in the fall, but that rose bush was full of pink roses the week we found out she was a girl. This time around we had another rose bush in the backyard with... you guessed it- pink roses!

Everything else was good. The blood draws I had done previously, all looked good. My blood pressure was 110/70. I had gained 4 1/2 lbs. (Yuck!) The baby's heartrate was 143. My next visit is June 1 so I have to get started finding a babysitter soon! After all, we have 2 weeks of school left before summer break!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Easter 2011

Our Easter this year was about like it usually is. It's usually just the kids and I since Jeremy is so busy at work.
I cooked a good lunch for us to eat after church. I made fudge pie and lemon icebox pie on Saturday so that was already done. I also made the sweet potato casserole and cooked it on Saturday so that all I had to do was warm it up on Sunday. I always buy a ham that just really needs to be warmed and the glaze put on it. I had baked my dressing and the ham that morning. I also had cooked french toast and breakfast casserole on Saturday morning so we had  good breakfast leftovers on Sunday as well. I wanted us all to be good and full since it would take longer to get lunch on the table than it normally does. If we ever build a house I am definitely going to have two ovens! It seems that the meals you cook on the holidays always consist of things that all need to be cooked in the oven.
So we got up Sunday morning, saw what the Easter bunny brought and ate our breakfast.


Then I got the kids all dressed up in their new Easter outfits. I spent more than I usually do on Madalynn's dress, but I have a feeling this baby is a boy and so my days of having anyone to wear cute smocked dresses is about over. I found Jack a cute little linen-looking vest and dress pants that came with a white shirt with light blue checks and an orange and blue striped tie. It all came together and matched Madalynn's dress that was also blue. Jack loves a tie. Last year he had the first one ever and would say "It makes me look handsome!" I have to say I agree. They both looked so sweet.

So we go to church and then came home and changed into other clothes and I finished lunch. I had to make the homemade macaroni and cheese and bake the rolls. As well as warm up the sweet potatoes, ham, and dressing. It was really good! Then we took the traditional Sunday afternoon nap.
All it does around here is rain, but that afternoon we even got a break in the weather and were able to hunt Easter eggs outside.I was afraid we would have to do it indoors.
Overall it was a good day although we always wish Jeremy could spend it with us. Next year we'll have another little cutie to celebrate Easter with!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

OB Visit #3

I went for my third OB visit today. I have gained more weight since the last visit than I care to mention! Puke! I was proud of the fact that I had lost weight between my first and second visit. The whole not feeling like everything there is to eat will make you throw up has pros and cons. So I feel better, but the numbers are increasing. My blood pressure was good and even though they told me what it was twice, I still have no recollection of what either nurse said. The baby's heartbeat was 141. The biggest news was they moved up the ultrasound date to find out boy or girl from May 11 to May 4! Something about them wanting to do it right at 20 weeks. That is fine, I thought it was neat for it to be on the 11th because that is our 15th wedding anniversary. So we will know pink or blue a week early! I am still hoping against hope for girl. Especially when I look at the cute smocked Christmas dress or the cute little Halloween outfit hanging in the closet. Madalynn is convinced it is a girl since she wished on a star for it to be a girl! Jack wants a boy to "hang out with him." Jeremy thinks boy since I was sick this time and last time and last time resulted in Jackson. I think he may be right, but I can hope for a few more weeks!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Spring Break 2011

Well, we returned from the big Spring Break in Tennessee last Friday. We had planned to leave on Monday of last week, but a huge storm front stretching from southwest of Tennessee all the way up here moving in the exact direction I needed to travel changed that. We decided to ride out the storms at our house rather than a ditch somewhere along the way. It was a good call. Several towns along our path sustained lots of trees down and power lines down. One town didn't get power back until about 3 days later.

We left going down on Tuesday morning and had pretty weather the entire time we were there! I wasn't prepared for how sunny and warm it would be. I took mostly long sleeved shirts and packed no sunscreen. Afterall, we left cold rainy Kentucky where the high hadn't been above 40 degrees in weeks! So my kids wore the few short sleeved shirts I took with us and the boy got a pretty bad sunburn on his face. The kids had a ball though.

Madalynn got to go do "errands" with Granny Peggy. That is code for going to any small town store (Fred's, Dollar General, Piggly Wiggly) and getting to buy stuff. They came home with makeup, a diary, Fruity Pebbles, and gum on one trip. Madalynn's Aunt Beth took her and her little girl Ryan to Chickasaw State Park one day for a picnic. Madalynn and I spent one night at Jenna's new house. They have everything finished and got a bed for the room upstairs for us. At least partly for us, anyway. We had supper at Bell's Drive-In (Their chocolate shakes are the best in the world!) one night and dinner at Jenna's house the last night we were there.

The boy was more interested in riding various horse and buggy/wagon combinations to the church playground up the road. He and Pa Lonnie try to spend every minute together. They both got to do what they wanted and loved every minute!

I had a really good visit with my Aunt Patsy and looked through a bunch of old pictures. I got to eat lunch with my sister one day too. We had an uneventful drive down and back which is always a relief. I always worry about car trouble and flat tires and what-ifs. All in all it was a good visit, short but good.

Friday, April 1, 2011

February- March Catch-up

Alright, time to finally catch this blog up! After all, it is supposed to be a journal for our family. I'd like for it to be a more complete story. Instead of a story with entire months missing. So here goes a catch up of epic proportions.

My last post was before I had a 7 year old daughter! We did it up big this year, or at least big for us. We began the day with donuts at a local donut shop! (I asked her what she wanted for breakfast if she could have anything, thinking it would be something I would cook. Wrong! What can I say, my girl likes to eat out.)

 It wasn't so bad though. It is within sight of her school, so it didn't take a lot of extra time. I dropped her off  and then went to make cupcakes to take to school later that afternoon.

Then that night I cooked her favorite for her birthday supper..."pink macaroni and cheese". Which is actually called Five Cheese Penne, but she's called it Pink Macaroni and Cheese since she was about 3, so why correct her now? We opened presents and then had ice cream cake.



Then two days later we had the big birthday bash at Bounce U!




This time they let us use one jump room for 45 minutes and then go to another room we'd never been in before for the other 45 minutes.


It was great! Jack even got in on the fun.


Two years ago, she and a friend with the exact same birthday had a joint birthday party there and he was terrified! Someone had to hold him the entire time! I guess it was the sound of the air compressors that keep everything blown up.

 Some kids got so tired that they had to stop and take a break!
We had a Hello Kitty theme for this party.

I should have done pizza as well as cake, since it ended up being during lunch, but I was trying to be thrifty and honestly didn't think about it till it was too late.
She got a lot of crafty type of gifts which is just what she likes.


 We swung by Qdoba (our favorite) on the way home and then Mama went home and crashed!

I forgot to mention that we had soccer and gymnastics that morning and of course this same day was picture day and we had to be there 30 minutes early.




So this made for a long day and very tired kids that night. The kids had a great time, which is what is important.

In other big news,  we will be having one more! It is due September 18. I wanted one born in the summer so that I wouldn't have to drag it out to take bigger people to school and expose it to numerous germs, but oh well. I am excited. I would love another girl to dress up in all Mady's sweet little things, but I have a feeling it is a boy. I wasn't sick with M, I was until the 4 month mark with J, and I have been sick this time. So, I am still hopeful, but based on prior experience, not so sure I'll get my wish. I have the sweetest little smocked Christmas dress and another little Halloween outfit that I would love for a little one to get to wear. If it's not a she, some lucky person will be the recipient of those gifts!
I have been to the doctor twice. I was very nauseous every day till about a month ago. I didn't have morning sickness so much as all day nausea and major nausea from 4-8 pm. We have been to Wednesday night church so few times that I am totally ashamed! What makes it worse is I teach preschool with a lady that has been Jack's Wednesday night teacher this past quarter. She sees me on Tuesdays, but never on Wednesday nights! I know she thinks I am a total slacker. This is just one of the times it would be great to have a spouse who attended church or at least a church that was close enough to drop the kids off and then come back and pick them up. Not that that is even a good idea in this day and age!
Anyway, the nausea kept me from gaining a ton of weight and looking majorly pregnant with my third. I even lost 3 pounds between my 1st and 2nd visit. Alas, food isn't so disgusting to me anymore. Now I just have occasional days of nausea, instead of every day.

Madalynn also had her first slumber party! (The kids call them sleepovers, but I like slumber party better. Having attended several in my life, I know there is much more partying going on than sleeping!) She had a great time!

Both kids have been sick since my last post. Madalynn with just a fever and general yuckiness. Jack with full blown strep throat. He missed almost a week of school and we both missed a day of Building Blocks preschool.

Now we all seem to be on the mend, if we could just get rid of this cold weather. As I was uploading pictures, I heard sleet hitting the windows! We have spring break next week and we are ready for Spring Break weather!