Summer is in full swing.
It's hot. Too hot for my liking, but the kids don't seem to mind. We've already gone camping twice, gone for a ride on the Heber Creeper, to a family reunion (sort of... guy was sick for the whole thing...), played and played and played with cousins, had several game nights with family and friends, gone hiking a few times, made bread, cookies, and eaten otter pops, kids have played in the sprinklers and danced in the rain (somewhat to my chagrin). It's officially summer.
It's getting harder to get our oldest to fall asleep at his regular bedtime (7pm) since its so light out. Most days he's worn himself out and falls asleep quickly. Other times I realize he's awake an hour or more after he was tucked in. I, myself, find it hard to sleep the whole night between the heat, charlie horses, and a squirming baby inside. Though he has truly been my calmest baby, we're hitting the point where 1) I can't wait to meet him and 2) to sleep when he does! Speaking of baby, we've had some eventful dr. visits. Moreso than any of our other children. My OB did several extra ultrasounds over the course of various visits and was concerned about my fluid levels and that this baby looked small. After sending us to a perinatologist (aka a really expensive ultrasound and a consultation with a specialized baby dr) they agreed that yes, my fluid was low, but the baby actually looks BIG. Hmm. We'll see who is right on their measuring when he comes. We're now doing twice-weekly visits featuring ultrasounds and non-stress tests to watch fluid levels. My prediction? That he will be somewhat like my first two babies and that at one of these appointments they'll announce I'm out and I'm having the baby that day. Since King is in love with surprises (sarcasm), I'm sure we'll love that surprise one of these visits. Really, I wish I could/would just go into labor on my own, but that isn't looking probable at this rate.
Other highlights of the summer include weddings! Lots and lots of weddings. One close friend, one sibling, and one cousin are all set to be married (or recently have been) before this baby comes. The summer also marks King's and my anniverserary! Seven years folks! Seven years! Random studies say that those who make it through seven years have a significantly decreased chance of becoming divorced. While that was never in the plans, I guess we can party even more now that the "hardest" part is over. Really, it hasn't been that hard. Adjustments? Sure. Hard? Hardly.
The oldest two keep coming up with witty and hilarious things to say, but my prego mind can't remember them, and I haven't clued in and started writing them down as they come. One of these days...
Millaker's vocabulary is increasing by leaps and bounds. That doesn't mean that her words sound very different or that we understand all she is saying, but she IS attempting words and jabbers like a bird at times. She still thinks she rules the roost and lets ANYONE know when they are NOT doing what she would like. We're working on that...
Other than that- life is ... well, life. It is good. We are doing great. We've got a countdown chain (by number of weeks!) till this baby comes and its getting might short. You'll most likely hear more from us then.
Over and out.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Time Capsule
A questionare came home from church so they could spotlight different children each week. It was a HOOT to ask kids questions. I tried to quote them as accurately as possible. Then I quickly typed them up so I'd have SOME sort of record of their fun personalities at this age. I added Millaker's favorites.
Here it goes.
As of June, 2013:
Here it goes.
As of June, 2013:
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
You know you're a parent when:
Sleeping in is anything past 7 am.
Nap time is nigh to sacred.
Drool ceases to bother you.
You celebrate normal poop.
Nap time is nigh to sacred.
Drool ceases to bother you.
You celebrate normal poop.
Self confessions and a whole bunch of thoughts on improvement.
Watch out. I'm feeling long-winded.
A few months ago I hit a giant, terrific rut. Not just in blogging (though my obvious lack of posts and recording would be a great indicator of that!), but in life. I felt like I hadn't just dropped one or two balls I was trying to keep in the air. I had dropped them all.
It's wasn't life's fault. Truly.
Certainly, I was trying to be careful with this pregnancy so as not to lose the baby. Sure, King had is yearly "busy season." But I really, really dropped everything. Exercise? Out the window. Visiting Teaching (visiting a friend with a friend)? What's that? Callings? At a bare minimum. Talking to and caring about friends? I have friends? See my point. I wasn't at a good place. Normally this is me post-baby. But here I was 3-5 months pregnant (it felt like the rut lasted that long!) being all gloom and doom. I could put on a happy face for most people, but my poor husband and kids were getting my worst side.
And yet I had so many good things in my life! I just didn't see them!
For instance: I've got a five year old that spends nearly as much time moving, jumping, leaping, questioning, wondering, drawing, head-standing, cartwheeling, and bruising his poor shins as five other human beings.
I've got a three year old with a DRIVE to be a helper. She is always trying to help someone do a chore, or get something for Millaker, or help her babies, or get something for me, or force unwanted mothering on Millaker, or talk about the baby to come, all while on a very, very gut-lurching emotional rollercoaster.
I've got a one and a half year old that has turned into the eighth world wonder and is a force to be reckoned with. When she likes the food in front of her she can out-eat the average adult. When she doesn't she is akin to the tornado that just passed through Oklahoma. She has a personality full of spitfire and ONE DAY will learn to say yes instead of "NO!" to every offer of help. She loves to pick a person for the day and that person, and that person ALONE can help her. Don't even bother offering if it's not your day, minute, hour. The people who sit on the pew behind us at church can attest to her very-healthy lungs if you don't comply.
So what was my problem?
I'm not sure.
But there's was/is light at the end of the tunnel.
We're moving forward.
We're doing. We're changing. We're making goals. We're planning budgets, looking forward, raising expectations, setting better routines, filling down-time with positive things, tweaking eating habits, trying to give up so many of those gosh-darn-great chocolate chips that taunt me from the freezer. We're making strides. Baby strides. But movement and improvement feel good.
Here's some things I have been thinking about, setting goals about, and learning about. In no particular order.
1) I have a temper. The world knows this. I know this. And unfortunately, my kids know this. This is GOING to change. It doesn't not matter who I inherited it from, who I learned it from, or what life instances bring this out- it doesn't change that I have a bad habit of losing my cool.
I'm going to kick this bad habit.
I've been reading lots and lots of things. Some have been read over and over. One of my current favorite reads has turned into my personal challenge. It's called the Orange Rhino challenge. In a nutshell: I can be upset about things, kids, whining, lack of follow-through, arguing, things out of my control, and messes can still frustrate me, but I CAN NOT RAISE MY VOICE! At least not at my children. They are my best, my most important audience and they deserve my best. Not my left-overs. This is going to be a form of my accountability. Those I am foremost accountable (my children) already know about mom's goal and know they are allowed to nicely say to me, "Orange Rhino!" when I look like I am building up steam. King can say whatever he wants as long as he reminds me I have a goal and it is bigger than myself.
2) People are more important than things.
Duh.
But some of us are slower learners. This is directly tied to my first point. In the words of someone much more eloquent than I, "People are always the priority. I get bogged down in different things going on in my life, but at the end of the day, how i treat others is the most important." Well said.
On that note- people, and friends, are one of my greatest blessings. I need to stop forgetting that.
3) Work, hard work, productivity, and a sense of accomplishment mean a lot. To me at least. It genuinely makes me a happier person. I am learning this more and more- every single day- and it becomes more obvious to me the older I get. I don't think this is just a coincidence- or just me though. I think this is an eternal principle. I think God designed us this way- so we would work to improve ourselves and eventually become like Him. It takes the shape of so many things: improvement in our homes, our talents, or desires, how we fill our time etc.
Take for example this morning. Some days I feel like I've conquered the world by 10 am. Today was one of those days. We'd eaten a healthy breakfast, cleaned up, swept, started bread, made yogurt, gotten kids dressed and ready, gotten ME dressed and ready, said prayers, put the "baby" down for a nap, read the news, looked at the weather, checked what had to get done today, spray-painted yet ANOTHER coat of "frost" on the front window than an anonymous three year old destroyed, and had the oldest practice the piano. Whala! Mind you- that is not the norm. Some days all I've done by 10 am is fed children and sent King rushing out the door. But days where I WORK. WORK HARD. WORK on important, meaningful things, and work on my goals- make me feel WONDERFUL. Tackling these new projects (cloth diapers, baking bread, making yogurt, home repairs, attitude improvement, better quality time with kids) seems like a mouthful, armful, and all-around too much when I SAY them. But DOING them is proving to be far more possible than I would have ever imagined. And they are proving therapeutic.
4) Lots of time-fillers are a waste of time.
I love my computer. And if I'm not careful I spend WAY too much time on it. Sure, some things are productive: the budget, recording memories, working for Power of Moms. And some things are not. The more time I eliminate from in front of a screen (ANY screen) and spend reading, teaching, playing with my children comes back to me with HUGE dividends. Books, too, are nice- but not at the expense of time with my kids. I've made myself a chart/checklist full of things that HAVE to get done every day and things I need to do WITH my kids every day. The list looks long (but I love lists). But it is helping! My list includes things I'd probably do anyway (get dressed, tidy main areas, water plants, read scriptures) and a few I'd rather not do (ahem: exercise). My list to do with my kids makes me focus on ALL their needs: book time, jobs, play time, quiet time, one-on-one time, goal time, practicing etc. It's been a GREAT refocus-er for me and I love it. There are so many "best" things to be filling my time with- not just "good things." Exercise (though my measly one-mile-jog three times a week may or may not count), visiting with friends, time with my kids, focusing on goals, taking bites out of big projects, making good meals, helping others... THESE are good time fillers that leave me feeling fulfilled instead of leaving me feeling like I've wasted my time.
5) Music is great. Great, great, great. It has been a huge mood-setter for me and my kids in the morning. I've complied a few cd's. One lovingly called the morning cd with upbeat, great music to start us off on the right foot for the day. We play this while we work on morning dishes together. The other called my "Mom" music. It's a little "pick-me-up" for when I'm starting to lose momentum or think challenges are overwhelming.
So that, my friends, is me. I know and anticipate there will be other ruts in my life. I am expecting some sort of a slump come mid-August when the baby arrives. But having learned more about myself from my previous three babies, and having the knowledge that a slump is probably on its way- I feel better prepared. I've got a separate list (really) to help me prep myself and my family for this- including things to get the oldest ready for Kindergarten and Chinese Immersion (more on that later), and for transitions to having another baby. I feel like this learning period, as rough as it has felt, has helped me feel better prepared for future ruts by giving me insights into myself. What makes me feel better, what helps my family, and what is most important.
Wish me luck. I'm on to tackle bigger and better things.
Happy un-rutting to any of you who may or may-not have felt the same way.
A few months ago I hit a giant, terrific rut. Not just in blogging (though my obvious lack of posts and recording would be a great indicator of that!), but in life. I felt like I hadn't just dropped one or two balls I was trying to keep in the air. I had dropped them all.
It's wasn't life's fault. Truly.
Certainly, I was trying to be careful with this pregnancy so as not to lose the baby. Sure, King had is yearly "busy season." But I really, really dropped everything. Exercise? Out the window. Visiting Teaching (visiting a friend with a friend)? What's that? Callings? At a bare minimum. Talking to and caring about friends? I have friends? See my point. I wasn't at a good place. Normally this is me post-baby. But here I was 3-5 months pregnant (it felt like the rut lasted that long!) being all gloom and doom. I could put on a happy face for most people, but my poor husband and kids were getting my worst side.
And yet I had so many good things in my life! I just didn't see them!
For instance: I've got a five year old that spends nearly as much time moving, jumping, leaping, questioning, wondering, drawing, head-standing, cartwheeling, and bruising his poor shins as five other human beings.
I've got a three year old with a DRIVE to be a helper. She is always trying to help someone do a chore, or get something for Millaker, or help her babies, or get something for me, or force unwanted mothering on Millaker, or talk about the baby to come, all while on a very, very gut-lurching emotional rollercoaster.
I've got a one and a half year old that has turned into the eighth world wonder and is a force to be reckoned with. When she likes the food in front of her she can out-eat the average adult. When she doesn't she is akin to the tornado that just passed through Oklahoma. She has a personality full of spitfire and ONE DAY will learn to say yes instead of "NO!" to every offer of help. She loves to pick a person for the day and that person, and that person ALONE can help her. Don't even bother offering if it's not your day, minute, hour. The people who sit on the pew behind us at church can attest to her very-healthy lungs if you don't comply.
So what was my problem?
I'm not sure.
But there's was/is light at the end of the tunnel.
We're moving forward.
We're doing. We're changing. We're making goals. We're planning budgets, looking forward, raising expectations, setting better routines, filling down-time with positive things, tweaking eating habits, trying to give up so many of those gosh-darn-great chocolate chips that taunt me from the freezer. We're making strides. Baby strides. But movement and improvement feel good.
Here's some things I have been thinking about, setting goals about, and learning about. In no particular order.
1) I have a temper. The world knows this. I know this. And unfortunately, my kids know this. This is GOING to change. It doesn't not matter who I inherited it from, who I learned it from, or what life instances bring this out- it doesn't change that I have a bad habit of losing my cool.
I'm going to kick this bad habit.
I've been reading lots and lots of things. Some have been read over and over. One of my current favorite reads has turned into my personal challenge. It's called the Orange Rhino challenge. In a nutshell: I can be upset about things, kids, whining, lack of follow-through, arguing, things out of my control, and messes can still frustrate me, but I CAN NOT RAISE MY VOICE! At least not at my children. They are my best, my most important audience and they deserve my best. Not my left-overs. This is going to be a form of my accountability. Those I am foremost accountable (my children) already know about mom's goal and know they are allowed to nicely say to me, "Orange Rhino!" when I look like I am building up steam. King can say whatever he wants as long as he reminds me I have a goal and it is bigger than myself.
2) People are more important than things.
Duh.
But some of us are slower learners. This is directly tied to my first point. In the words of someone much more eloquent than I, "People are always the priority. I get bogged down in different things going on in my life, but at the end of the day, how i treat others is the most important." Well said.
On that note- people, and friends, are one of my greatest blessings. I need to stop forgetting that.
3) Work, hard work, productivity, and a sense of accomplishment mean a lot. To me at least. It genuinely makes me a happier person. I am learning this more and more- every single day- and it becomes more obvious to me the older I get. I don't think this is just a coincidence- or just me though. I think this is an eternal principle. I think God designed us this way- so we would work to improve ourselves and eventually become like Him. It takes the shape of so many things: improvement in our homes, our talents, or desires, how we fill our time etc.
Take for example this morning. Some days I feel like I've conquered the world by 10 am. Today was one of those days. We'd eaten a healthy breakfast, cleaned up, swept, started bread, made yogurt, gotten kids dressed and ready, gotten ME dressed and ready, said prayers, put the "baby" down for a nap, read the news, looked at the weather, checked what had to get done today, spray-painted yet ANOTHER coat of "frost" on the front window than an anonymous three year old destroyed, and had the oldest practice the piano. Whala! Mind you- that is not the norm. Some days all I've done by 10 am is fed children and sent King rushing out the door. But days where I WORK. WORK HARD. WORK on important, meaningful things, and work on my goals- make me feel WONDERFUL. Tackling these new projects (cloth diapers, baking bread, making yogurt, home repairs, attitude improvement, better quality time with kids) seems like a mouthful, armful, and all-around too much when I SAY them. But DOING them is proving to be far more possible than I would have ever imagined. And they are proving therapeutic.
4) Lots of time-fillers are a waste of time.
I love my computer. And if I'm not careful I spend WAY too much time on it. Sure, some things are productive: the budget, recording memories, working for Power of Moms. And some things are not. The more time I eliminate from in front of a screen (ANY screen) and spend reading, teaching, playing with my children comes back to me with HUGE dividends. Books, too, are nice- but not at the expense of time with my kids. I've made myself a chart/checklist full of things that HAVE to get done every day and things I need to do WITH my kids every day. The list looks long (but I love lists). But it is helping! My list includes things I'd probably do anyway (get dressed, tidy main areas, water plants, read scriptures) and a few I'd rather not do (ahem: exercise). My list to do with my kids makes me focus on ALL their needs: book time, jobs, play time, quiet time, one-on-one time, goal time, practicing etc. It's been a GREAT refocus-er for me and I love it. There are so many "best" things to be filling my time with- not just "good things." Exercise (though my measly one-mile-jog three times a week may or may not count), visiting with friends, time with my kids, focusing on goals, taking bites out of big projects, making good meals, helping others... THESE are good time fillers that leave me feeling fulfilled instead of leaving me feeling like I've wasted my time.
5) Music is great. Great, great, great. It has been a huge mood-setter for me and my kids in the morning. I've complied a few cd's. One lovingly called the morning cd with upbeat, great music to start us off on the right foot for the day. We play this while we work on morning dishes together. The other called my "Mom" music. It's a little "pick-me-up" for when I'm starting to lose momentum or think challenges are overwhelming.
So that, my friends, is me. I know and anticipate there will be other ruts in my life. I am expecting some sort of a slump come mid-August when the baby arrives. But having learned more about myself from my previous three babies, and having the knowledge that a slump is probably on its way- I feel better prepared. I've got a separate list (really) to help me prep myself and my family for this- including things to get the oldest ready for Kindergarten and Chinese Immersion (more on that later), and for transitions to having another baby. I feel like this learning period, as rough as it has felt, has helped me feel better prepared for future ruts by giving me insights into myself. What makes me feel better, what helps my family, and what is most important.
Wish me luck. I'm on to tackle bigger and better things.
Happy un-rutting to any of you who may or may-not have felt the same way.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Name of the Game
It seems that this blog never gets caught up. Either its sick kids, sick parents, sick kids, extra activities, extra trips, sick kids, or life in general. That's the name of the game in motherhood isn't it?
So although I wish I had documented some of this earlier, the mantra, "better-late-than-never" is holding true. I want SOME documentation, whether it me one month late, or three of my children and the everyday goodness of our lives right now.
So. If you hate pictures and non-sensical, not-necesarrily-in-order updates... skip this post.
If you don't, by all means, read on.
And for my children (who may or may not read these silly updates of themselves one day): I love you.
For starters, Guy turned F.I.V.E. A while ago. But, BOY, was he pleased to hit that number.
There must be something magical about five. Some days he tells me, "Five-year-olds do that, or Five-year-olds don't do that!" It's cute, except when he said that about drawing on the wall... and it turned out that it WAS him. Too bad I was too mad to take a picture of it, because he really is becoming QUITE the artist! He can't wait to start kindergarten. I think he'll love it!
Our sweet Eddie gets bigger and more helpful by the day! She LOVES to mother her little sister (who, by the way, hates it) and always wants to help! She gets quite put out when she can't help or do something! She asks FREQUENTLY, if not daily, when the baby is coming and when the end of summer is! She tells me all the rules we've already gone over. "I won't carry the baby- only mom and dad! I can hold the baby if you help me! We don't touch babies faces or they could get our germs!" She will be a ROCKIN helper- I tell you!! Looking back through pictures, I don't have much of her lately. I'll have to change that...
Millaker is a wonder- or a tornado- and oh, so very cute. I have a love-hate relationship with the stage she is at right now. I love that she tries new things, explores, plays more on her own, and is jabbering away, but I hate that I can't understand WHAT it is she wants and can NOT keep her out of mischief for even ten minutes! Here she is putting on King's tie. She wore it as an accessory for a while while she tore apart his drawers. She is oh, so very, very, very cute. If not compliant. :D
Here's proof. She's taken the cushions off the kitchen bench and is walking back and forth with a delightful grin on her face. If you could see the floor you'd see the MASSIVE pile of books and toys mixed in with the cushions she's brought along for the ride.
King is wonderful- although I also do not have many pictures of him! He is a HUGE help when he gets home from work. The kids LOVE to play, play, play with him and are quite put out if there isn't "sufficient" play time with dad before bedtime.
He is a HUGE supporter of all my random, new projects. This month's include starting to make bread, cloth diapers, homemade yogurt, and nesting like crazy. Poor guy. The bonus is he gets hot bread. I tell you, there is nothing quite so lovely as bread that isn't a rock, that tastes GOOD.
So although I wish I had documented some of this earlier, the mantra, "better-late-than-never" is holding true. I want SOME documentation, whether it me one month late, or three of my children and the everyday goodness of our lives right now.
So. If you hate pictures and non-sensical, not-necesarrily-in-order updates... skip this post.
If you don't, by all means, read on.
And for my children (who may or may not read these silly updates of themselves one day): I love you.
For starters, Guy turned F.I.V.E. A while ago. But, BOY, was he pleased to hit that number.
There must be something magical about five. Some days he tells me, "Five-year-olds do that, or Five-year-olds don't do that!" It's cute, except when he said that about drawing on the wall... and it turned out that it WAS him. Too bad I was too mad to take a picture of it, because he really is becoming QUITE the artist! He can't wait to start kindergarten. I think he'll love it!
Our sweet Eddie gets bigger and more helpful by the day! She LOVES to mother her little sister (who, by the way, hates it) and always wants to help! She gets quite put out when she can't help or do something! She asks FREQUENTLY, if not daily, when the baby is coming and when the end of summer is! She tells me all the rules we've already gone over. "I won't carry the baby- only mom and dad! I can hold the baby if you help me! We don't touch babies faces or they could get our germs!" She will be a ROCKIN helper- I tell you!! Looking back through pictures, I don't have much of her lately. I'll have to change that...
`
Millaker is a wonder- or a tornado- and oh, so very cute. I have a love-hate relationship with the stage she is at right now. I love that she tries new things, explores, plays more on her own, and is jabbering away, but I hate that I can't understand WHAT it is she wants and can NOT keep her out of mischief for even ten minutes! Here she is putting on King's tie. She wore it as an accessory for a while while she tore apart his drawers. She is oh, so very, very, very cute. If not compliant. :D
King is wonderful- although I also do not have many pictures of him! He is a HUGE help when he gets home from work. The kids LOVE to play, play, play with him and are quite put out if there isn't "sufficient" play time with dad before bedtime.
A few bonus pictures.
These kids were being crazy- but its one of my favorite pictures. Yes, that is a dog kennel all four of them managed to squeeze into.
Don't ask.
And finally, SPRING is here!! And it is lovely!! I'll be forever grateful to the previous homeowners who planted a pluthera of perrenials! Bless you!! I love all the color in the spring!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Four for Four and Evening the Score
My "luck" (mother's intuition?) still holds. I told King that after the ultrasound Friday he and Guy would either be seriously outnumbered, or the ranks would be even. True to my intuition, we're evening the score. Boy, girl, girl, BOY.
Brother and Daddy are the most excited I think.
Brother and Daddy are the most excited I think.
Monday, February 18, 2013
For the Love
Eddie has a bear. She has affectionately named it, "Baby Bear." It goes with her all around the house and waits patiently inside the door for us when we have to leave. Occasionally he is even snuck into the car...
I digress.
Eddie LOVES Baby Bear.
"Mom! Help me dress Baby Bear?!"
"Mom! Baby Bear wants to watch us eat!"
etc.
The other day, Eddie and Guy were playing in the basement when I heard a scream. A "I'm hurt" scream. Guy loudly called up that Eddie had fallen off the toy horse. As I went to meet her half way she came yelling!
"Where are you hurting?"
"Baby Bear! Baby Bear hurt his face!"
?
"What?"
"Baby Bear hurt his face! When I fell off the horse!"
"Oh. I'm sorry, Baby Bear. Are you hurt, Eddie?"
"No."
Instantly the tears were off and she hopped back downstairs to play.
... uh.... I'm glad you have empathy?
I digress.
Eddie LOVES Baby Bear.
"Mom! Help me dress Baby Bear?!"
"Mom! Baby Bear wants to watch us eat!"
etc.
The other day, Eddie and Guy were playing in the basement when I heard a scream. A "I'm hurt" scream. Guy loudly called up that Eddie had fallen off the toy horse. As I went to meet her half way she came yelling!
"Where are you hurting?"
"Baby Bear! Baby Bear hurt his face!"
?
"What?"
"Baby Bear hurt his face! When I fell off the horse!"
"Oh. I'm sorry, Baby Bear. Are you hurt, Eddie?"
"No."
Instantly the tears were off and she hopped back downstairs to play.
... uh.... I'm glad you have empathy?
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
We live in a great neighborhood
This story has the potential to get confusing without using any names. I'll do my best.
We've been housing King's Dad's car while he went on a trip. Call us the local airport shuttle. That's not a big deal. The difficulty came when on Sunday night, his dad called to say they had landed, and could we pick them up?
Sure thing.
Oh, wait. It's snowed. Again.
Doesn't sound like a big deal. But our shovel is broken- its been well used this year, and of course, we'd run out of ice melt. It being Sunday (night) and all- we're not headed to the store till Monday. So King tries to gun it out. Backwards. On snow. Up a sloped driveway (yes, it slopes towards the street). And can't get it out. There's ice under the snow. He tried for a few minutes to no avail. Don't worry, he did the logical thing and took our car to pick up his dad. On his way out he called me and asked that I find a nice neighbor with some ice melt so we could get the car out.
Here's the tricky part.
First I call neighbor #1 right across the street. Very kind. Always helpful. No ice-melt, just rock salt. "No problem!" I tell them. "There's others I can call. Don't worry about it."
Then I call neighbor #2. Right in the middle of the phone call as I'm rambling this long story out (and sounding very much like an idiot), someone knocks on my door. It's neighbor #1. He worried about it. In his hand is a bucket of rock salt. I stumble out a jumbled, "Oh, nevermind. We've got it covered," and head outside with neighbor #1. We put some rock salt down, tried to shovel- unsuccessfully- and decided to wait and see what good the salt had done when King got home.
I go inside.
The phone rings. It's neighbor #2. The husband this time. "Hey, the wife said you called. Something about a car being stuck. I have a truck and a tow strap, and a four-wheeler with a mini plow. Let me come over and see how I can help." GREAT! AWESOME! (Because, really - I think we're going to need that truck and tow strap!)
I go outside to meet neighbor #2. Neighbors #1 AND #2 show up simultaneously.
Neighbor #1: "Hey, I just went up to Neighbor #3. He has a snow blower. He's coming down to help."
Just then, neighbor #3 walks down the street with a snow blower.
Immediately after, King pulls up.
I have three neighbors, a bucket of rock salt, a snow blower, and a four-wheeler with a plow ready at my command. Feeling sheepish, I try to explain I had only TRIED to call one... but was grateful for the help!
So they got to work!
Neighbor #1 put down more salt. Neighbor #3 cleared the entire (very large) driveway with his snow blower so they could give the car a running start up the sloped driveway. Neighbor #2 used his mini plow and cleared the mountain of snow left from the snow plow on the street that barred the exit.
Vwala. Mission accomplished. Car freed.
And then Neighbor #2 looked at the sorry state of our other driveway (with our car in it), had us move our van, and cleared that one as well.
Thank you. Thank you. You kind people.
We live in a great neighborhood.
We've been housing King's Dad's car while he went on a trip. Call us the local airport shuttle. That's not a big deal. The difficulty came when on Sunday night, his dad called to say they had landed, and could we pick them up?
Sure thing.
Oh, wait. It's snowed. Again.
Doesn't sound like a big deal. But our shovel is broken- its been well used this year, and of course, we'd run out of ice melt. It being Sunday (night) and all- we're not headed to the store till Monday. So King tries to gun it out. Backwards. On snow. Up a sloped driveway (yes, it slopes towards the street). And can't get it out. There's ice under the snow. He tried for a few minutes to no avail. Don't worry, he did the logical thing and took our car to pick up his dad. On his way out he called me and asked that I find a nice neighbor with some ice melt so we could get the car out.
Here's the tricky part.
First I call neighbor #1 right across the street. Very kind. Always helpful. No ice-melt, just rock salt. "No problem!" I tell them. "There's others I can call. Don't worry about it."
Then I call neighbor #2. Right in the middle of the phone call as I'm rambling this long story out (and sounding very much like an idiot), someone knocks on my door. It's neighbor #1. He worried about it. In his hand is a bucket of rock salt. I stumble out a jumbled, "Oh, nevermind. We've got it covered," and head outside with neighbor #1. We put some rock salt down, tried to shovel- unsuccessfully- and decided to wait and see what good the salt had done when King got home.
I go inside.
The phone rings. It's neighbor #2. The husband this time. "Hey, the wife said you called. Something about a car being stuck. I have a truck and a tow strap, and a four-wheeler with a mini plow. Let me come over and see how I can help." GREAT! AWESOME! (Because, really - I think we're going to need that truck and tow strap!)
I go outside to meet neighbor #2. Neighbors #1 AND #2 show up simultaneously.
Neighbor #1: "Hey, I just went up to Neighbor #3. He has a snow blower. He's coming down to help."
Just then, neighbor #3 walks down the street with a snow blower.
Immediately after, King pulls up.
I have three neighbors, a bucket of rock salt, a snow blower, and a four-wheeler with a plow ready at my command. Feeling sheepish, I try to explain I had only TRIED to call one... but was grateful for the help!
So they got to work!
Neighbor #1 put down more salt. Neighbor #3 cleared the entire (very large) driveway with his snow blower so they could give the car a running start up the sloped driveway. Neighbor #2 used his mini plow and cleared the mountain of snow left from the snow plow on the street that barred the exit.
Vwala. Mission accomplished. Car freed.
And then Neighbor #2 looked at the sorry state of our other driveway (with our car in it), had us move our van, and cleared that one as well.
Thank you. Thank you. You kind people.
We live in a great neighborhood.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Winding Roads
I have always hated (excuse the harsh word) the first few months of pregnancy when you feel sick, very sick, and yet have to put on a bright face for the whole world so they won't "know." I get the secrecy. I get the worry that something will go wrong. But my brain reasons that if people "knew" they would be so much more understanding of your 7th trip to the bathroom during your visit, and your queasy pale face, or your sudden need to "take a nap" instead of volunteer to clean out the fridge when you are supposed to be helping someone with a dire need (yes- that has happened before!). They wouldn't wonder why you've suddenly turned into a cop-out that seems to continually be making excuses for oneself. Having all that said. This time around (by way of announcement for many of you)- I wanted to tell people JUST BECAUSE. No! For once I was NOT throwing up. For once I was NOT having to cop-out of any remotely-smelly activity. No, for ONCE I was feeling GREAT! I just wanted to TELL! To have people know. Why pretend? I was finally excited! Secrecy for some things is not a big deal for me. Birthday gifts are a cinch (for everyone but King- he always seems to want to buy whatever I've just hidden away for him). But babies? Oh, can I please tell someone?! Usually I have one or two I tell on the sly so I can DISCUSS this baby with! It turns into my sanity and I love it. With baby 4 we spread the news in quite the different manner. Some family was told because we could no longer go on the ubber-fun family vacation planned for this fall. Some family found out because I erroneously posted our new-years goals on the fridge and one family member announced, "What does this goal mean? Exercise all the way throughout this pregnancy?" Awkward, pregnant (get it) pause. "What do you think it means?" And after that- what was the point in not telling the REST of the family. So I delivered the newly-taken-long-awaited-updated-family-photos to my mom and told her it was too bad they'd be outdated so soon, as in about six and half months.
Fast forward about a week after that last conversation. My breezy, easy, pregnancy took a turn down a different road. It got a bit bumpy. I got a bit scared. Why did I tell people already?! Oh yeah, because I stink at NOT telling people. SURELY nothing could go wrong because I strongly felt like this baby was supposed to come sooner than we had originally "planned" and I'd struggled with the decision for MONTHS. When I'd finally had some peace about it- baby came! So SURELY- things would be fine. After a frantic call to the dr. and an unexpected visit. The baby WAS fine. There was that lovely, strong heartbeat. Strong. There were still problems though. No, I wasn't on "bedrest." But there were plenty of no's. NO stairs. NO carrying or lifting things more than 20 lbs. Ahem. Remember? My 14 month old is ATLEAST 25 lbs! NO. NO over-doing things. Take it easy. Lets do some blood work. If things go well, my body may heal. Rest is not a guarantee of that- just makes it more likely. If my body does NOT heal, this had potential to be a very. long. pregnancy.
If you asked King or my parents what that meant: I was banished to the couch. That doesn't sound so bad for someone who LOVES to read and doesn't get much of a chance these days.
But what about my kids?! My baby (Millaker)? How was I supposed to lift her in and out of her crib for naps? How was I supposed to get her in her high-chair (King's idea is to put it on the floor... there will be a lot more sweeping going on)? How am I supposed to put her in her carseat? How do I pick her up and hold her when she is sad? How on earth do I get he OFF the table (or insert other furnature here) when she climbs up CONSTANTLY. For crying out loud- on top of the temple is her FAVORITE place to be! Hmm..... How, how, how?
The older ones can manage fine. I usually don't pick them up anyhow and they can climb up beside me. They can be coerced from my perch on the couch with relatively few mishaps.
The initial solution was for the kids and I to take a mini vacation down to my parents. There I would have extra family around to help the baby and other kids if needed and I could take it easy. King made me promise to DO NOTHING. (Reminding him I wasn't REALLY on bedrest didn't help.)
Things seemed to be going well. It was a bit awkward to order family around like servants when I FELT fine. I did not hurt and there were no outward manifestations that anything was wrong. That changed quickly. The day after the dr. visit I got a call. The dr. said my progesterone levels were low- not dangerously so- just low. He wanted to start me on a twice-a-day-suppliment. Ok. No problem. Good idea. I'm game for anything that keeps this baby safe.
Let me define progesterone for you: nasty pregnancy side-effects in a bottle.
Side effects: DROWSY as all get out. Slightly loopy. Slightly dizzy if you get up too fast. Need to SLEEP. A bit queasy. Stomach aches sometimes. What a delight to take. I VERY quickly learned to take the first pill first thing in the morning so the side-effects would wear off as quickly as possible. The second was taken right before bed so I could sleep through all the discomfort.
My dad unexpectedly was offered a new/better position at work and began working full time. This started my hunt for round the clock babysitters. I'm not sure if they were for me or Millaker, but I needed someone there if Millie was awake! That led to an unexpected, somewhat akward call to an old friend I hadn't seen in YEARS. "Hi! You live close! We wanted to get together sometime right? (We really did!) Could that happen this week? In the morning? And could you help me with my baby?" There are few times I've felt more foolish.
And so my road continued.
The second week I moved my perch to my own house. Again, I arranged for round-the-clock help in hopes that two weeks of being REALLY GOOD would mean six more months of normal activity. Thankfully the side-effects of the progesterone lessened as time went on. I'm not sure if its because my levels were raising and there was a smaller gap between my current levels and the levels a pill put me on, or if I was just lucky. Either way- I was greatful! There was that one day I forgot to take my medicine the night before... and my friend had to REALLY watch the kids while I slept off the side-effects for hours the next morning!
With just a few days left to go before I get checked again, I have hope.
King was able to give me a Priesthood blessing a few days ago. It didn't offer the specific blessings I was hoping for: that everything would turn out perfectly and we'd live happily ever after. But it brought peace. Promised strength. Promised my feelings would be what they needed to be at appropriate times so I'd know what to do. I haven't yet figured out the implications of that- but I feel calm, hopeful, and feel that all will be well. Hopefully there is a better prognosis in a few days. Hopefully I am healing. Hopefully this couch-trip will end shortly. But mostly, hopefully the baby is well. As a great friend put it, "How does your gut feel?" Again. I feel at peace. Part of me clings to the "this is meant to be. This baby is meant to come." While another part of me recognizes that that might not be the real plan. That a much harder lesson might be in store for me. But I feel at peace. Things for now are going well, even if I'm not getting as much reading done as I'd like, or my stuffed elephant project looks like a six year old sewed it, and even if I feel foolish asking for help when I FEEL capable. I am grateful for the family and friends who have so generously offered their time and help.
I'll keep you posted on this winding road.
UPDATE:
We went to the dr. this morning and there is a healthy, wriggling, moving baby with a good heartbeat inside! Let normal life resume!! I can pick up Millaker, climb the stairs, vacuum my house (because its in DIRE need), etc etc. I just need to not jump back in too fast. Ease in. Be a tad cautious.
You got it doc!
Next visit? Gender!
Fast forward about a week after that last conversation. My breezy, easy, pregnancy took a turn down a different road. It got a bit bumpy. I got a bit scared. Why did I tell people already?! Oh yeah, because I stink at NOT telling people. SURELY nothing could go wrong because I strongly felt like this baby was supposed to come sooner than we had originally "planned" and I'd struggled with the decision for MONTHS. When I'd finally had some peace about it- baby came! So SURELY- things would be fine. After a frantic call to the dr. and an unexpected visit. The baby WAS fine. There was that lovely, strong heartbeat. Strong. There were still problems though. No, I wasn't on "bedrest." But there were plenty of no's. NO stairs. NO carrying or lifting things more than 20 lbs. Ahem. Remember? My 14 month old is ATLEAST 25 lbs! NO. NO over-doing things. Take it easy. Lets do some blood work. If things go well, my body may heal. Rest is not a guarantee of that- just makes it more likely. If my body does NOT heal, this had potential to be a very. long. pregnancy.
If you asked King or my parents what that meant: I was banished to the couch. That doesn't sound so bad for someone who LOVES to read and doesn't get much of a chance these days.
But what about my kids?! My baby (Millaker)? How was I supposed to lift her in and out of her crib for naps? How was I supposed to get her in her high-chair (King's idea is to put it on the floor... there will be a lot more sweeping going on)? How am I supposed to put her in her carseat? How do I pick her up and hold her when she is sad? How on earth do I get he OFF the table (or insert other furnature here) when she climbs up CONSTANTLY. For crying out loud- on top of the temple is her FAVORITE place to be! Hmm..... How, how, how?
The older ones can manage fine. I usually don't pick them up anyhow and they can climb up beside me. They can be coerced from my perch on the couch with relatively few mishaps.
The initial solution was for the kids and I to take a mini vacation down to my parents. There I would have extra family around to help the baby and other kids if needed and I could take it easy. King made me promise to DO NOTHING. (Reminding him I wasn't REALLY on bedrest didn't help.)
Things seemed to be going well. It was a bit awkward to order family around like servants when I FELT fine. I did not hurt and there were no outward manifestations that anything was wrong. That changed quickly. The day after the dr. visit I got a call. The dr. said my progesterone levels were low- not dangerously so- just low. He wanted to start me on a twice-a-day-suppliment. Ok. No problem. Good idea. I'm game for anything that keeps this baby safe.
Let me define progesterone for you: nasty pregnancy side-effects in a bottle.
Side effects: DROWSY as all get out. Slightly loopy. Slightly dizzy if you get up too fast. Need to SLEEP. A bit queasy. Stomach aches sometimes. What a delight to take. I VERY quickly learned to take the first pill first thing in the morning so the side-effects would wear off as quickly as possible. The second was taken right before bed so I could sleep through all the discomfort.
My dad unexpectedly was offered a new/better position at work and began working full time. This started my hunt for round the clock babysitters. I'm not sure if they were for me or Millaker, but I needed someone there if Millie was awake! That led to an unexpected, somewhat akward call to an old friend I hadn't seen in YEARS. "Hi! You live close! We wanted to get together sometime right? (We really did!) Could that happen this week? In the morning? And could you help me with my baby?" There are few times I've felt more foolish.
And so my road continued.
The second week I moved my perch to my own house. Again, I arranged for round-the-clock help in hopes that two weeks of being REALLY GOOD would mean six more months of normal activity. Thankfully the side-effects of the progesterone lessened as time went on. I'm not sure if its because my levels were raising and there was a smaller gap between my current levels and the levels a pill put me on, or if I was just lucky. Either way- I was greatful! There was that one day I forgot to take my medicine the night before... and my friend had to REALLY watch the kids while I slept off the side-effects for hours the next morning!
With just a few days left to go before I get checked again, I have hope.
King was able to give me a Priesthood blessing a few days ago. It didn't offer the specific blessings I was hoping for: that everything would turn out perfectly and we'd live happily ever after. But it brought peace. Promised strength. Promised my feelings would be what they needed to be at appropriate times so I'd know what to do. I haven't yet figured out the implications of that- but I feel calm, hopeful, and feel that all will be well. Hopefully there is a better prognosis in a few days. Hopefully I am healing. Hopefully this couch-trip will end shortly. But mostly, hopefully the baby is well. As a great friend put it, "How does your gut feel?" Again. I feel at peace. Part of me clings to the "this is meant to be. This baby is meant to come." While another part of me recognizes that that might not be the real plan. That a much harder lesson might be in store for me. But I feel at peace. Things for now are going well, even if I'm not getting as much reading done as I'd like, or my stuffed elephant project looks like a six year old sewed it, and even if I feel foolish asking for help when I FEEL capable. I am grateful for the family and friends who have so generously offered their time and help.
I'll keep you posted on this winding road.
UPDATE:
We went to the dr. this morning and there is a healthy, wriggling, moving baby with a good heartbeat inside! Let normal life resume!! I can pick up Millaker, climb the stairs, vacuum my house (because its in DIRE need), etc etc. I just need to not jump back in too fast. Ease in. Be a tad cautious.
You got it doc!
Next visit? Gender!
From the Mouths of Babes
This was written months ago- right after the said conversation happened.
I've waited months and months to post it (for obvious reasons).
Without further adieu:
Eddie didn't know King and I have been discussing- as in last night discussing- our family. The size, the timing, the pros and cons of having kids close together, my sanity etc. She couldn't have known. She was sleeping.
Yet this morning she climbed on my lap with a library book and said, "We don't have enough kids." I wasn't paying attention. She said it louder. "We don't have enough kids!"
"What?"
"WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KIDS!"
"Oh, we don't- do we?"
"No."
"You think we should have more kids?"
"Yes."
"When should we have more kids in our family?"
"Thursday."
"Would you like a little brother or a little sister?"
"A little brother." Does she know I think our next baby will be a boy? Does she know how heavy this has been weighing on my mind?
I guess so.
Does she know there were STONG promptings for baby 3 (Millaker) regarding her need to come to this earth THEN! NOW! Probably not. Does she know there were simmilar (yet less severe) promptings for this baby. Along the lines of, "Your timing isn't right." That seemed like an open-ended prompting. Especially since I thought my current plan about timing was Perfect. Capital P Perfect. Probably not. But someone else new and needed I needed all the reassurance/confirmation/persuasion I could get.
I've waited months and months to post it (for obvious reasons).
Without further adieu:
Eddie didn't know King and I have been discussing- as in last night discussing- our family. The size, the timing, the pros and cons of having kids close together, my sanity etc. She couldn't have known. She was sleeping.
Yet this morning she climbed on my lap with a library book and said, "We don't have enough kids." I wasn't paying attention. She said it louder. "We don't have enough kids!"
"What?"
"WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KIDS!"
"Oh, we don't- do we?"
"No."
"You think we should have more kids?"
"Yes."
"When should we have more kids in our family?"
"Thursday."
"Would you like a little brother or a little sister?"
"A little brother." Does she know I think our next baby will be a boy? Does she know how heavy this has been weighing on my mind?
I guess so.
Does she know there were STONG promptings for baby 3 (Millaker) regarding her need to come to this earth THEN! NOW! Probably not. Does she know there were simmilar (yet less severe) promptings for this baby. Along the lines of, "Your timing isn't right." That seemed like an open-ended prompting. Especially since I thought my current plan about timing was Perfect. Capital P Perfect. Probably not. But someone else new and needed I needed all the reassurance/confirmation/persuasion I could get.
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