It has been one heck of a mornin'! Kids missing the bus, headaches, waking a hibernating bear, & feeling slightly solitary when the house is empty but for me! In order to tell you about that, though, I have to explain Yesterday Evening...
Little Miss came home from school with a smile on her face, so I knew she had a good day. I barely had time to ask about it & get a response before she chimed in - "It's time to go swimming!" We came in, took care of school work, & continued to see to other things. About an hour later, we piled up in the truck & headed to my parents' house for dinner & swimming. We were there for hours. By the time we left, Little Miss was worn out. She didn't fall asleep on the way home, but I don't know how she managed to stay awake! As soon as we walked into the house, she brought her stuffed animals to her room & came back for a drink of water & then a potty break. After that, she went straight to bed & passed out.
Ronny & I had eaten good at mom & dad's. We were full after supper, but we got in the pool for a little while & not long after we climbed out, we were hungry again. While I was getting Little Miss into bed, he was chopping bell pepper, onion, & chicken to make fajitas. The kitchen smelled DELICIOUS (& still does). On Monday night, we had ordered "Paul" on VOD, so we turned it on again while we ate. About halfway through, we shut it down, climbed into bed, & talked for a few minutes. I fell asleep easily.
THIS MORNING...
I woke up as soon as the alarm clock started buzzing & turned it off. When I woke her up for school, Little Miss was still so tired from last night. I decided to give her 15 minutes to help wake her up. In the meantime, I went to snuggle in my bed in hopes of losing the headache that was nagging at me. Of course, I would be the one to fall asleep & when I opened my eyes again, exactly 30 minutes had passed since the alarm went off. I rolled out of bed, woke her up again, pulled out a clean pair of socks for her (she did the rest), & we talked about why we were both so sleepy. We've come to the conclusion that bedtime should be moved 15 to 30 minutes earlier. Unfortunately, her bus comes early, so we have to compensate for that.
With full intent of catching the bus in the morning for the first time, she dressed quickly & hurried to the bathroom so I could put her bow in her hair. I was in the middle of brushing it back to put the ponytail holder in when I heard the bus leaving & a neighborhood child crying. Apparently, someone else missed the bus, too. (Poor thing must be kindergarten or first grade, too, because she was really upset about the whole thing. I've learned that older kids usually think it means they get to stay home.) I managed to get the bow in (& it looked cute) & get it all hair-sprayed, & my kid still had time to watch some cartoons while I woke Ronny. He was up & dressed within minutes. . .with little objection to the early hour, thank goodness! He can be a hibernating bear sometimes; if you wake him up too early, you'd best prepare to be growled at. Ha ha. It's hardly ever that bad for me, but if anyone else wakes him, it's a whole different story! I don't blame him, though. He gets only a little more sleep than I do. If not for rough nights due to pregnancy, I'd be fully rested. He, however, would still be tired most of the time.
After we dropped her at school, we came home to spend some time together before he had to leave for work. It didn't give us long, but he was able to drink a few cups of coffee & really wake up before having to go in. This new schedule is working out well for him. He gets more sleep when he's at home; he rests better, because he sleeps during the darkest hours of the night, for a change; and he's even looking healthier. He said the first 10 hours usually go by very quickly. I'm glad to hear that, because it means he doesn't have much time to be bored. He can't stand not having something to do, unless he's asleep or we're just lounging in bed or on the sofa for a day. Even then, he starts getting stiff & starts daydreaming (usually out loud) about hunting & fishing. That's hunting AND fishing... not one or the other.
So...for the rest of the day...it's just me & the baby (& this headache that won't go away). Ah, headaches. My ob/gyn tells me that if my headaches get worse or the Tylenol doesn't take care of them I should go into the ER. The ER tells me I should see my ob/gyn. Vicious cycle, vicious cycle, vicious cycle. I think I'll just take my Tylenol, re-hydrate, curl up in my dark room in my cool bed, close my eyes, & rest. Sleep tends to help almost everything. Almost.
I just can't wait for them to come home. I miss them while they're gone!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
A Heart FULL of Happiness & A Life Full of Love
So the mail came today. And some Dingbat sent me an envelope with nothing in it. lol Of course, I received a separate envelope with TWO letters; one explained just what had happened. I CRACKED UP. It's something I'd probably do, too, Tracy. :-) That letter just topped off a perfectly awesome (however, slightly painful) day.
I'm getting SO EXCITED!!!
We had an ultrasound appointment this morning at 9:30. Last Wednesday, our doctor told us that my belly is measuring 14" from diaphragm to belly-bottom. This means I'm 4" over where we should be! That's all fine & dandy... except that it's why I'm short of breath & have trouble walking at the same pace & distance that even most pregnant women can handle. Because of all these things, the Doc wanted an ultrasound done to check on our little guy.
Our U. tech, Lisa, called me back & we started checking out everything that's been going on with baby. It's too hard to measure him, because of his size (poor baby looked so cramped in there today), but Lisa estimated his weight to be 3lb, 2oz . . . which means he's BIG. We had to move him around a little bit to see everything, but he was a good sport & began to move for us a good bit. After the measurements & weight estimation, she said my due date of November 17 is now pretty much obsolete. He is big enough now that the machine says he should be here on November 9: a full 8-day advance! No wonder I'm so tired & out of breath all the time.
Lisa also did a quick gender verification for us & we were able to see genitalia for the second time. Let's just say you can't miss it. Along with that, she showed us his heartbeat (which looked really good at 140+ bpm while he was resting) & his spine, which looked GREAT. Ronny & I saw his feet, legs, arms, spine, head...
& the best of it all made me cry...
We saw our son's face for the first time.
Above is the first shot we saw. Then... we saw him open his mouth.
He opened & closed his mouth several times... & then he opened his eyes! Ronny grabbed my hand & I immediately started crying. My joy & love exceeded words.
And I don't know how I could have been any happier. Our little boy is as healthy as they can tell, developing well (& quickly), & we were able to see all of that today. My heart is full with a feeling that I can only describe as awe. There isn't a big enough, good enough, strong enough word for what I have. I can only think... "The greatest of these is Love."
P.S. Thank you all for your prayers & encouragement over the past several weeks. I am so happy that I have this news to share with you!
I'm getting SO EXCITED!!!
We had an ultrasound appointment this morning at 9:30. Last Wednesday, our doctor told us that my belly is measuring 14" from diaphragm to belly-bottom. This means I'm 4" over where we should be! That's all fine & dandy... except that it's why I'm short of breath & have trouble walking at the same pace & distance that even most pregnant women can handle. Because of all these things, the Doc wanted an ultrasound done to check on our little guy.
Our U. tech, Lisa, called me back & we started checking out everything that's been going on with baby. It's too hard to measure him, because of his size (poor baby looked so cramped in there today), but Lisa estimated his weight to be 3lb, 2oz . . . which means he's BIG. We had to move him around a little bit to see everything, but he was a good sport & began to move for us a good bit. After the measurements & weight estimation, she said my due date of November 17 is now pretty much obsolete. He is big enough now that the machine says he should be here on November 9: a full 8-day advance! No wonder I'm so tired & out of breath all the time.
Lisa also did a quick gender verification for us & we were able to see genitalia for the second time. Let's just say you can't miss it. Along with that, she showed us his heartbeat (which looked really good at 140+ bpm while he was resting) & his spine, which looked GREAT. Ronny & I saw his feet, legs, arms, spine, head...
& the best of it all made me cry...
We saw our son's face for the first time.
Above is the first shot we saw. Then... we saw him open his mouth.
He opened & closed his mouth several times... & then he opened his eyes! Ronny grabbed my hand & I immediately started crying. My joy & love exceeded words.
And I don't know how I could have been any happier. Our little boy is as healthy as they can tell, developing well (& quickly), & we were able to see all of that today. My heart is full with a feeling that I can only describe as awe. There isn't a big enough, good enough, strong enough word for what I have. I can only think... "The greatest of these is Love."
P.S. Thank you all for your prayers & encouragement over the past several weeks. I am so happy that I have this news to share with you!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Scheduling Conflicts
Things are changing in our house this week. Ronny has started his new work schedule, so he & I are on a new sleep schedule. Unfortunately, our unborn son has yet to catch up. He plays at night, keeping me awake, or waking me not long after I manage to fall asleep. Yesterday, the little stinker slept through the day & started moving around 2:00 this morning! I was glad to know that the movement meant he was still okay, but sleep was uneasy.
I had plenty of energy yesterday & last night, even though I didn't sleep well the night before. I took 2 naps yesterday & managed to get a little bit of the housework done. There's still way too much to do, because everything piled up when I was on bedrest. Ronny took care of a lot of it, but it's hard to work full-time & keep up with the messes of 3 (sometimes 4) people. I'm hoping I can do more & more with this new schedule, once our little guy is settled into being awake & playing more in the mornings & during the day.
As far as new schedules go, Ronny is loving his new hours so far. I'm hoping that doesn't change. He's had several disappointments over the past six months concerning his job & prospective promotions. He is so overdue for a promotion. I'm hoping he gets one soon...just to make him happy. I'm not concerned about the money or rank or anything else. I just want him happy. The more I think about it, that's part of what love is.
I had plenty of energy yesterday & last night, even though I didn't sleep well the night before. I took 2 naps yesterday & managed to get a little bit of the housework done. There's still way too much to do, because everything piled up when I was on bedrest. Ronny took care of a lot of it, but it's hard to work full-time & keep up with the messes of 3 (sometimes 4) people. I'm hoping I can do more & more with this new schedule, once our little guy is settled into being awake & playing more in the mornings & during the day.
As far as new schedules go, Ronny is loving his new hours so far. I'm hoping that doesn't change. He's had several disappointments over the past six months concerning his job & prospective promotions. He is so overdue for a promotion. I'm hoping he gets one soon...just to make him happy. I'm not concerned about the money or rank or anything else. I just want him happy. The more I think about it, that's part of what love is.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
A Star-Studded Night
I absolutely love spending time at home with Ronny & the kids. However, it's just so nice to get away & live in another space for a night or two. His work schedule is so awkward, so odd sometimes, that it makes it hard to really relax at home, even if we're still able to enjoy it. That's why I'm checking the stars (along with http://www.theskyscrapers.org/meteors/) for one night of fun. Thankfully, my parents own several open acres & Ronny owns a truck. I'm expecting I'll be able to get a few blankets & pillows, a picnic basket for drinks & dinner, & a camera, an mp3 player & speakers, then pack up with him & head out to Mama & Daddy's to spend a few hours that night under a beautiful meteor shower. That would be lovely.
And according to the website...I have just long enough to plan it out. The next 2 meteor shows are Octber 8-9 & October 21-22.
I think that's just what we need.
And according to the website...I have just long enough to plan it out. The next 2 meteor shows are Octber 8-9 & October 21-22.
I think that's just what we need.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Changes: Work & Home
It's not easy being sick & pregnant at the same time. I've come down with a cold (or something along the same symptoms) & can't seem to shake it. Sneezing, coughing, waking up in a sweat... I'm fighting this thing, but haven't found anything to help it yet. Our monthly prenatal appointment is tomorrow morning & we should find out how the baby's doing. I'm hoping that this cold, or whatever it is, isn't bothering him as much as it's bothering me. My biggest problems are the all-over body aches & the pain from when I sneeze or cough. He doesn't like either of those much & he lets me know it very quickly.
On a brighter, unrelated note, tonight is supposed to be Ronny's last night shift. Later on this week, he'll be on a late morning-early night schedule. I'm hoping it will work much better for us than the night shift. I don't rest as well when we're trying to sleep all day. The change in times should really help with the kids' activities, too. Overall, the whole family will benefit from this. All we're waiting on now is the raise that he wants so badly. I'm hoping that isn't too far into the future.
I really want to go back to school, but I can't do that right away. There are a few things we have to do, first, but I'm hoping I can get started before Christmas. I don't think that's too much to ask of myself. After all, it's something that I should have completed when I had the chance, instead of waiting 6 years. In the meantime, I'd like to find a way to help support our family. Ronny works hard (& I'm so proud of all that he does for us), but I think it would ease our minds if we knew we were able to save a little more & take care of things a little sooner than we're able to now. We're doing okay, but we both worry anyway.
I can say, however, that we've each been very blessed. I love this man so very much.
He never asks much of me. He wants a neat house, warm meals, clean clothes, & to hold me in bed each night. Lately, he's only been getting the last 2 of the 3. I haven't been able to keep up with the housework or cook many meals. I don't spend much time on my feet at all, because my ankles swell so much. When I do feel like working, I do as much laundry as possible, so that he has everything he needs for work. I would absolutely LOVEto be in the position to hire a maid for about an hour a week until this pregnancy is over, but I know that won't be happening anytime soon! Still, the only problem I have with that is the fact that Ronny suffers. He goes to work on his scheduled days & spends his off-time doing all the housework. He is amazing. He rarely complains (& when he does, I really don't blame him for it, because I know it would aggravate me to be in his position). I just hope & pray that I can take over these responsibilities shortly after the baby is born. He deserves so much better from me.
On a brighter, unrelated note, tonight is supposed to be Ronny's last night shift. Later on this week, he'll be on a late morning-early night schedule. I'm hoping it will work much better for us than the night shift. I don't rest as well when we're trying to sleep all day. The change in times should really help with the kids' activities, too. Overall, the whole family will benefit from this. All we're waiting on now is the raise that he wants so badly. I'm hoping that isn't too far into the future.
I really want to go back to school, but I can't do that right away. There are a few things we have to do, first, but I'm hoping I can get started before Christmas. I don't think that's too much to ask of myself. After all, it's something that I should have completed when I had the chance, instead of waiting 6 years. In the meantime, I'd like to find a way to help support our family. Ronny works hard (& I'm so proud of all that he does for us), but I think it would ease our minds if we knew we were able to save a little more & take care of things a little sooner than we're able to now. We're doing okay, but we both worry anyway.
I can say, however, that we've each been very blessed. I love this man so very much.
He never asks much of me. He wants a neat house, warm meals, clean clothes, & to hold me in bed each night. Lately, he's only been getting the last 2 of the 3. I haven't been able to keep up with the housework or cook many meals. I don't spend much time on my feet at all, because my ankles swell so much. When I do feel like working, I do as much laundry as possible, so that he has everything he needs for work. I would absolutely LOVEto be in the position to hire a maid for about an hour a week until this pregnancy is over, but I know that won't be happening anytime soon! Still, the only problem I have with that is the fact that Ronny suffers. He goes to work on his scheduled days & spends his off-time doing all the housework. He is amazing. He rarely complains (& when he does, I really don't blame him for it, because I know it would aggravate me to be in his position). I just hope & pray that I can take over these responsibilities shortly after the baby is born. He deserves so much better from me.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
One More Cheerio Chaser
I don't know how, but somehow (til now) I've totally missed out on Chasing Cheerios! This mom is amazing! I'm in awe of how she is teaching her children & am looking forward to doing some of these activities with my kids. Not only is this lady creative, but she carries out her teaching strategies in ways that leave me wondering, "How did she ever think of this?"
If you haven't heard of Chasing Cheerios, you've got to check it out. This is the mother/guide/mentor/counselor I aspire to be!
http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/
If you haven't heard of Chasing Cheerios, you've got to check it out. This is the mother/guide/mentor/counselor I aspire to be!
http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/
Friday, August 12, 2011
HOT
Apparently, it's been my word of the day. I try so hard to ignore the discomfort, but it's a heat that feels like it's literally pressing down on my entire body. When I get too warm, the baby pushes to the surface of my belly, tightening everything. I'm guessing it's his way of getting cooler. It's MY way of gettin' HOT! I've done pretty good, though. I haven't complained TOO much.
Ronny & I managed to get some things done today. We now have rent completely taken care of for the month - woo hoo! We managed to eat at Ryan's for lunch, which was a nice treat. I love having lunch/supper with him. The conversation is never boring & we're both usually able to really enjoy the meal. I think it's good for us. After Ryan's, we filled the truck's tank (she was running really low) & then swung by GameStop for a few minutes. He's looking for a PSP so that he'll have something to do during the nights he works & while we're in the hospital for Michael's delivery. We don't have much longer! Our baby boy should be here by November 11!
< >< >Tioga Pawn was open when we went for Ronny's appt with the barber. He's found another gun he wants. (Of course.) :-) I don't mind at all. He asked me about it several time a month or so ago & I finally told him that as long as he keeps the spending under $1K, I don't mind! The only other stipulations are that bills are paid & there is food in the house. He works hard, so I think he really deserves to spoil himself with hunting gear (& just about anything else he really wants). He takes great care of the kids & me. I have no complaints. ♥
The closer it gets to school, the more I want to start on more craft projects. It seems like I have several supplies here, but it's really not that much. Most of what I have is being held until I have the money to buy the rest of the supplies for certain projects. I'm almost out of ribbon, but I don't have the beads I want to add to the hairbows. I'm hoping that Ronny & I can get out Sunday morning & pick up a paper so I can keep an eye on the coupons for craft stuff. I think I'd be able to bring in a little bit of money if I could get some more of the hairbows, pillows, baby blankets, & baby cocoons made! That would be nice! I'd like to save up for an embroidery machine, but a car comes first. With this baby on the way (& our two older kiddos to transport, too), we really need the car (or a cross-over, whichever we find we like more).
We're both getting more & more excited about Michael's arrival. Sometimes, I don't want to wait until November to hold our little boy, but I want him to be healthy & weighty enough that he doesn't have to spend the first several weeks of his life in the hospital. I want to be able to take him home as soon as he & I feel rested enough. Ronny & I have to buckle down on our baby list. We have a lot of purchases to make before this baby gets here!
Well, I've got things to do around the house, so I suppose I'd better get off of here. Bummer. :-) &hearts
Ronny & I managed to get some things done today. We now have rent completely taken care of for the month - woo hoo! We managed to eat at Ryan's for lunch, which was a nice treat. I love having lunch/supper with him. The conversation is never boring & we're both usually able to really enjoy the meal. I think it's good for us. After Ryan's, we filled the truck's tank (she was running really low) & then swung by GameStop for a few minutes. He's looking for a PSP so that he'll have something to do during the nights he works & while we're in the hospital for Michael's delivery. We don't have much longer! Our baby boy should be here by November 11!
< >< >Tioga Pawn was open when we went for Ronny's appt with the barber. He's found another gun he wants. (Of course.) :-) I don't mind at all. He asked me about it several time a month or so ago & I finally told him that as long as he keeps the spending under $1K, I don't mind! The only other stipulations are that bills are paid & there is food in the house. He works hard, so I think he really deserves to spoil himself with hunting gear (& just about anything else he really wants). He takes great care of the kids & me. I have no complaints. ♥
The closer it gets to school, the more I want to start on more craft projects. It seems like I have several supplies here, but it's really not that much. Most of what I have is being held until I have the money to buy the rest of the supplies for certain projects. I'm almost out of ribbon, but I don't have the beads I want to add to the hairbows. I'm hoping that Ronny & I can get out Sunday morning & pick up a paper so I can keep an eye on the coupons for craft stuff. I think I'd be able to bring in a little bit of money if I could get some more of the hairbows, pillows, baby blankets, & baby cocoons made! That would be nice! I'd like to save up for an embroidery machine, but a car comes first. With this baby on the way (& our two older kiddos to transport, too), we really need the car (or a cross-over, whichever we find we like more).
We're both getting more & more excited about Michael's arrival. Sometimes, I don't want to wait until November to hold our little boy, but I want him to be healthy & weighty enough that he doesn't have to spend the first several weeks of his life in the hospital. I want to be able to take him home as soon as he & I feel rested enough. Ronny & I have to buckle down on our baby list. We have a lot of purchases to make before this baby gets here!
Well, I've got things to do around the house, so I suppose I'd better get off of here. Bummer. :-) &hearts
Monday, August 8, 2011
As Summer Fades
As this summer slows down & begins to fade away, Ginny & I are spending our last days "alone" together. We've had a good five year run! lol She starts kindergarten in the next couple weeks. Ronny & I are trying to get everything in order to get married (paperwork has to be organized when he has a day off) & then the baby will be here in November! It's hectic around here, but I'm trying to enjoy the last little bit of time we have together. Life is changing so quickly around us, but we're enjoying it.
I'm looking forward to November. Dealing with nausea on a daily basis is getting harder to do. I can feel the baby getting heavier. He's pushing on nerves in my back, occasionally causing me to lose use of one of my legs. It's uncomfortable, but interesting at the same time. Bad news...if it keeps up as it is, I'll most likely be on bedrest for most of the remainder of the pregnancy. The GOOD news... our little monkey is, by all accounts from the dr's office, a healthy baby boy. He's a strong one! His kicks are surprising & Ronny's learned that already! :-)
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