August 24th, 2009 Today I had my monthly check-up. We’re to the 8th month. With 8 weeks to go. And for the next month I’ll go every 2 weeks. Then starting at week 36 I’ll be going each week.
Still sick. The doctor offered Prilosec or a prescription, but really with all the side effects I just opted to stay with Zantac. It’s keeping the throwing up to about once a month or once every two months and the nauseau is kept to tolerable.
This child is so active it’s ridiculous – after him scaring me for the first half of the pregnancy. When I mentioned that recently to Matt, he said, “Maybe he was healed up.” Indeed. Maybe all those prayers were heard. He is definitely entertaining us now – we can watch him from across the room, we’ve even been known to stack the little ones’ blocks on my belly to see how long it takes this little one to knock them off or to put a cup with a little water to see it slosh.
The results from the Fifth Disease lab work came back with good news. The tested to see if I had ever been exposed to it. Positive. And if I had been exposed recently. Negative. This is good news because I am now immune to it.
The Braxton-Hicks contractions are still here, but not rockin’ me too hard just yet. They are directly related to my water intake (or lack thereof, rather), if I’ve been on my feet too long, or if I’ve been sitting too long. And they aren’t taking my breath away just yet.
I only gained 2 pounds this month. I really think that’s due to the sickness. When I weigh being sick with just hungry, I opt for hungry. And since Matt started his diet, my snacking mirrors his more – steamed green beans vs. a bowl of cereal or chips. That 2 pound gain brings me to a total of 19 pounds for the pregnancy so far.
I am still measuring large for my stats. So my doctor ordered another ultrasound at our next appointment (in two weeks) just to check on him (and me). Thrilled to get to see him again, just praying that all is well (and that he’s just a little bit bigger boy – much like MyMiddlest was).
Today Matt took off again and went with me (mainly to watch the kiddos for me), while in town we did our grocery trip. I’m there. I’m to the place that I can still take big trips into town with them all by myself, but as far as “getting something done” such as groceries, I’m just through. Too many pee breaks for me, too long on my feet, too much lifting, too much contracting, too much putting away by myself.
I’m nesting. I just am. Yes, even the fifth time around, when I know better. When I know that whether I fix it perfectly or not, he’ll still come and when he gets here I won’t care nearly as much anymore. I lay awake at night thinking about how to get everything organized and stress about not having enough places to put everything. Ugh. I hate it. I’ve gotten my haircut probably for the last time until after he arrives. I just trimmed all the kids’ hair again. And, yes, it went much better than last time. I even cut Chikezie The Dog’s hair. It will be the last trim of the season for him. Not so with the kids, but at least theirs is done for the next month. I’ve made arrangements for the kids for when the time comes. I will begin washing the new one’s clothes and putting them away soon. I’ll also begin fixing the room for him (and me) soon. I know it has to be soon, because in addition to the nesting, I’m getting more and more tired.
Overall, all’s well. Praying that he’s just a little big and that he stays put until it’s time.
Thankful that so much is good.
August 21st, 2009 Okay guys. Non-social me is trying to join all the parties. Well, a few of them anyway. I’ve changed a bunch of stuff on my sidebar over there.
And now I want your feedback. Because I want you to be as comfortable here as you would be sitting on my lived-in played-on front porch drinking sweet tea with me.
 Come sit awhile. Here’s the rundown. I joined Twitter. I feel even stupider now. No idea what I’m doing over there. And I get really set in my ways. I like things just-so and I feel like Twitter is a not-so-good version of Facebook. But I’ll give it a try. We’ll see. I put a little “Follow Me” button up there at the top while it’s fresh and new, but will eventually move it down the list.
I pulled just three of my categories – the three that I thought non-JoyfulChaos followers, but random drop-ins might want to see more of: Central Arkansas Showcase, Parenting, and Recipes – and linked the whole category with pictures. Now I just have to figure out how to make those categories into lists and offer feeds on them. But I’m working on it. Is there anything you’d want to see more of over there? Less of? Would it be easier worded differently?
Although there is a category list down there, you can actually find a better list on that little menu just under the header picture titled “Archives” – it has the full list and you can subscribe to just one category if you don’t really want to see what else I have to say.
There’s a linky button down there too. Copy and paste that code in your sidebar widgets and you’ll send some love my way. Let me know if you have a linky button and I’ll share the love for you too.
Speaking of subscribing – I don’t know much about this either, because I don’t currently use them for other people, but hear that I should. There’s an email option – just enter your email, hit send and you’ll receive updates when I post. (That is right? Right?) Are my feeds working for you? Melissa told me that I only have partial posts and that I don’t have a direct link to my blog. I would love to fix that, but don’t even really know how to do that. Suggestions? Feels like I should offer the comments feed on the posts, but again, not so sure how to do that. Do any of you subscribe to my feeds, email linky thing? Is this useful?
I also joined Networked Blogs through Facebook. I really like this, but you have to be on Facebook, right? And if you’re not, then, really, you should be. That’s all I’m saying about that. But my little networked blogs linky thing looks empty and sad. If you have a blog, follow me, and are on Facebook (that’s a lot of ifs – maybe that’s the problem) then link me up and I’ll do the same for you.
I also have The Blog Frog down there at the very bottom. It even has a forum. But it also looks sad and lonely. Keep it, promote it, get rid of it? Just don’t know.
Too much? Easier to find me? Are you connected through any of these things? Have they helped you? Or does it just make my page look cluttered? Because, you know, all these things matter oh-so-much to me.
Y’all give me some feedback. Is there something you remember from times gone by that you’d like to see there, something you don’t think is useful? Something you’ve seen somewhere else or that you personally use that you’d like to see added? And while I’m being a people-pleaser you can go ahead and tell me if there’s anything you want to see more of in my posts, as well. I aim to please. I never know. Like, I’ve been wondering whether anyone cares about the recipes section and trying to decide if I should abandon ship on this one, but then a friend told me just the other day that she tried the meatloaf – I had no idea – I’ll definitely keep truckin’ along. Just let me know because I like having you around. And if you ever find yourself in central Arkansas give us a call and we’ll sit together on that messy comfy porch… and chat. About kids and blogs, of course.
August 20th, 2009 2009-2010 School Year
 2009-2010 Class Picture  TheOldest 3rd Grade  TheMiddlest 1st Grade  ThePrincess Pre-K  BigMan Preschool
August 18th, 2009 In North Little Rock, Arkansas, just down the road from McCain Mall, Starbucks, and all the other good shopping is a quiet, beautiful little place.
 View of The Old Mill from one of the foot bridges The Old Mill is gorgeous. It may just be the most beautifully kept landscaping I’ve seen around here.
 Some of the beautifully kept grounds But for parents with lots of little ones, let me say, you should either have an extra helping hand, an immobile baby that you can wear (strollers are nearly impossible), and only one toddler in tow. There are lots of narrow, high places that children can fall from, there is water all around, and flowers you’ll not want the kiddos picking. There’s not a playground. All of this will keep you on your parenting toes.
But there are lots of upsides.
It’s free, peaceful, and have I mentioned, beautiful?
 The Old Mill Fountain It’s a great place to stop off for a picnic if you’re having a busy day in the city. There are some picnic tables and they do have a nice fairly flat grassy place just as you come in to let your little crawlers down on the ground.
There is a fenced in area that your olders can climb up.
 The area my kids liked climbing up A mini-amphitheater that your middles can run and jump on – all to get that energy out.
 A place to burn energy! It’s wonderful for photo opportunities.
 All my kiddos with their sweet Daddy It’s a good place to learn a little history, some botany, and to relax. You can see it in the opening scene of Gone With The Wind.
 The history of The Old Mill Oh, and for the really important stuff, there is a public potty on the premises!
We, somehow, didn’t get a picture of the actual millstone in the building, but this is a great place to bring home a visual understanding of the verse “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:5-7
 Where the actual millstone is located We loved it and will be going back. We took some of our favorite pictures lately there. You can see them here, here, and here.
Here is The Old Mill’s location on Google Maps to make it easier to find.
August 17th, 2009 I’m sick of looking at that bowl of granola. But I got no alone time that I’m completely on my thinkin’ game to write something worthy of your attention. So, how ’bout some randomness for this Monday morn’?
I’m tired. Yeah, like I need a cup of coffee, but also, and more noteworthy, like, “I’m this tired now? I have 2 months left of this pregnancy” tired.
I can’t make it through the night sleeping anymore. And it’s no longer just my children’s faults. My body is sore in one position, has to pee in another, and just generally too pregnant to sleep.
My youngest son has a huge tattoo of a rose on his chest. That shows when I put him in dress shirts that button up. And that now refuses to wash off.
 My Biker Babe Oh, and he steals my toothbrush.
I actually walked through the grocery store asking my children what they wanted for meals this week. And then bought nearly everything they pointed to. My hubby’s on a diet, and I ain’t cookin’ whole frugal meals that they barely eat (in the name of training them to eat whatever is served) for only them and me (read: me) at this point in my life. So, sick of children refusing to eat an.y.thing I cook – I took them shopping.
The pregnancy has about zapped my creativeness. And energy. And ability to hold onto anything. And happy part of my brain. And ability to walk like anything other than a duck. Or a penguin.
When my husband went to the grocery store with me the other day and the check-out teenager started our chatting with “And you’re having another one?” My husband quipped, “Yeah, at least she knows who the dad is.” To which the teenager would not be outdone – “That’s you, right? You’ll know for sure when this one comes out.”
Oh, yeah, and speaking of crazy people and lots of children.. My husband had to have a sit-down with our oldest the other day when he wanted to know what Daddy had said to me to make me cry. It’s time he’s reminded once again, how insane Mama gets when she has a baby in her belly. And Daddy finished with, “One day you’ll know. You’ll be married – she’ll have a baby in her belly. Then you’ll understand.”
|
If you find me helpful, encouraging, for just plum entertainin' and want to give a little I'd be ever so appreciative. All donations will go for school books, field trips, clothes, bills, or the occasional chocolate chip. The donation is through PayPal; safe, secure, and takes all major credit cards. Thank you so very much in advance.
|
|
