Pregnancy post

I just realized that this new baby hasn't received much publicity. I guess it's because I don't really like people asking me too many questions about being pregnant, especially as I near the end. I can't say why that is, but for some reason I just don't want to talk about it. I think really I just don't like telling people over and over again "No, I still haven't had the baby." But I am beginning to feel like I am leaving this baby out. I do have some ultra sound pictures but we have a new scanner that I can't figure it out and Nick isn't home so this picture of the both of us will have to do. As you can see the baby is growing nicely. I measured 30cm at my last appointment and I am 30 weeks pregnant so that's perfect. Everything is normal and looks great. My due date is October 31 so I only have about 2 more months before she is here. We do have a name picked out, but again for an unknown reason I don't feel like posting it here. Besides we may change our mind. We have never really been 100% sure until the baby is born.
I reached my all time high weight last month and was quite unhappy about it, but haven't gained any more since then. However I know that I will inevitably cross over into that uncharted territory on the scale. I have (since last month) been very conscious of what I eat and it has paid off (for all you worried people,the baby is still growing, just not me!!) I went with Nick to the gym once and rode a bike for 45 minutes. But even with the resistance set to zero I still had mild contractions the whole time. I figured I shouldn't be doing that right now. I hope anyone interested won't be scared to ask me pregnancy questions now. Ask away, I promise I won't get mad. Just don't call me the week before I'm due and ask if I've had her yet!:)

Aaron can READ!!

Aaron learned to read today. Here's proof.

Both kids had tons of fun at school today. Aaron said it was boring when the teacher was telling them all of the rules but that everything else was fun. They are excited to go back tomorrow!

Kindergarden

My baby went to his first day of Kindergarden today. I remember holding him in the hospital and being excited for the day when I could talk to him. Now he is off in someone else's care preparing to learn to read. Time goes so fast. It really hit me today how grateful I am to have been able to be at home with him through the first 5, almost 6 years of his life. I really haven't missed a thing. Lots of people have asked me if I would cry on the first day and I really didn't think I would, I was mostly just excited for him. Then a few days ago I did cry a few times. He is not a baby any more. He is quite the independent boy.

Charlotte also started pre-school this morning and they were both so excited. We picked out their clothes last night and they woke us up at 6:30 this morning fully ready asking if it was time to go. Charlotte was all smiles and couldn't have cared less when it was time for us to leave

We had to call her back over to say goodbye.

Aaron was a bit more reserved than his sister but he said that he was very excited and only a little bit scared. He went into the classroom without hesitation.

I can't wait to pick them up and find out how their first day was!

Men in Woods II

I just read Preston's blog about a backpacking trip all the guys went on a few weeks ago. I must admit that when ever Nick goes off and does these sort of things it is bittersweet for me. I definitely do want Nick to be able to do the things he enjoys, especially when he works so many more hours a week than the average 40, many of which are without pay. I completely appreciate all that he does for our family so that I can stay home and have all these kids. Especially since he comes from a family of working women and initially he expected that I would go to work too. He really deserves and needs a break sometimes. Now comes the bitter part. I really look forward to the weekends for so many reasons. I do enjoy the extra hand with the kids but mostly I just enjoy his company. An average week day for Nick consists of him leaving the house at 6:45 to be at work by 7am, and then him stumbling home somewhere between 6(on a good day) and 7:30pm. Not to mention the occasional night flights which sometimes brings him home as late as 1 or 2am. (I should stop here and say that we are very grateful for his job and we have decided to stay here for now because this will actually keep him home more often than most beginning pilot jobs, these are just the hoops we have to jump through until he has more hours.) So, needless to say I miss him when he is not around. I look forward all week to spending time with him on the weekend and then I am disappointed if he's not here.

Last weekend he asked me if he could go backpacking over labor day weekend for 3 nights. I didn't say anything but the look on my face must not have been very nice because he immediately started defending himself. I did NOT want him to go. Especially on a holiday, isn't that supposed to be family time? And the fact that I will be 31 weeks pregnant and am soooo tired didn't help his side either. I was really hoping that all of the other wives would protest so I wouldn't be the bad guy, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

Then today when I was reading Preston's blog about their last trip I had a change of heart. How can I look at these pictures and want to deprive him of that. Yes I wish I was able to go with him, but I can't, and I am certainly not going to ask him to stay home. So Preston, thank you for opening my eyes to the importance of guy time. Nick owes you one!!

(These are stolen pictures from the Schwendimen's blog. Their blog is private and I wanted to share some of what changed my mind with you.)

Some pictures from last weekend....

Wipe Out

When we were in the waiting room for my ultrasound appointment the TV was on and showing a preview of the reality show Wipe Out. Aaron was with us and he immediately started laughing uncontrollably. Before long we had the whole waiting room laughing with him. We decided to let him stay up late to watch the real show. Here is a bit of his laughter (though not quite as uncontrolled as it was in the waiting room)

If you haven't seen the show it is basically a bunch of people falling flat on their backs and faces. Perfect 5 year old humor!

(If the music in the background is annoying to you, you can pause it to hear Aaron laugh)

Bows galore

Before I had girls I thought that big bows were ridiculous. When Charlotte was born I only ever put small ones on her head and usually preferred ribbons as she grew more hair. I have definitely come around and now think that bigger bows can be cute if used properly. (though I have seen some that were out of control at church and once even at soccer practice) But this is a bit over the top for me.

But Charlotte was so proud!

....because I look so cute

I saw these questions somewhere and I had to ask my kids too. I asked them each separately so they weren't influenced by each other

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Charlotte: I love you
Aaron: popcorn (no idea)

2. What makes mom happy?
Charlotte: finding something you like
Aaron: cleaning up my room and doing the dishes for you.

3. What makes mom sad?
Charlotte: when I do something bad
Aaron: When I say stupid

4. How does mom make you laugh?
Charlotte: by funny jokes
Aaron: by doing silly silly silly jokes

5. What was mom like as a child?
Charlotte: you liked coloring and reading books and playing with your brothers toys
Aaron: I think you looked like Cece.

6. How old is your mom?
Charlotte: I forgot
Aaron: 18

7. How tall is your mom?
Charlotte: really tall
Aaron: 80

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Charlotte: go to chuckee cheese.....can we go there tonight?
Aaron: take us to the park

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Charlotte: you clean the dishes and do stuff that you want to do
Aaron: pray

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Charlotte: i dont know
Aaron: what does famous mean?

11. What is your mom really good at?
Charlotte: doing dishes
Aaron: washing the dishes

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Charlotte: not doing dishes
Aaron: laundry
(this is interesting to me because the kids always have clean clothes to wear, however there are always dirty dishes in my sink)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Charlotte: watch us
Aaron: watching out for us

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Charlotte: macaroni and cheese
Aaron: macaroni and cheese
(I really am not a big fan)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Charlotte: going to the cannery and the park and the zoo
Aaron: making stuff for me quick

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Charlotte: a drawing
Aaron: Michele

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Charlotte: we do fun stuff and play games
Aaron: we eat ice cream and watch a movie

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Charlotte: we have the same hair and the same skin
Aaron: we both like watching TV and eating ice cream together

19. How are you and your mom different?
Charlotte: we don't have the same skin and don't have the same hair
Aaron: you have spots on your face and I don't (I'm hoping he meant my freckles)

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Charlotte: because you love me very much.
Aaron: because I look so cute.

Quote of the Day

Charlotte, in desperation to find a reason to get out of bed, stood in her door way and asked

"Why is frosting real?"