It's Gettin' Hot in Here....

Oh man, we're melting... Our air went out this evening. Luckily we made it through the heat of the day before it decided to die. Jon and the boys went to the Fort Worth Stockyards to watch this and Chloe and I were gonna get Chinese and rent a movie. Not long after the boys left I noticed the house was kinda warm. Normally I keep the thermostat at 74 and Jon likes it at 76. Well, I am pregnant and ALWAYS hot so I win. When I went to check things out I noticed it was 76 in the house, I instantly start accusing Jon (under my breath of course) of trying to burn me up. I adjust it to 74 and go about my evening. After 30 minutes it was still hot. So, I go outside and the compressor is silent. Not good. The temperature in our house starts to rise by one degree every 15 minutes. Pretty soon it's at 82 and I start to cry. What? I am a baby and I admit it. I can do without cable, the internet, and even my cell phone. But, take away my air conditioning and I go downhill- quick. Luckily I remember we own a decent sized room a/c unit that my father in law had borrowed when his air went out. So, I call Jon and relate the bad news- pretty soon my doorbell is ringing and it's my fairy god father in law with our air conditioner. Chloe and I went about our evening as planned. We splurged and got PF Changs to go and let me tell ya the air in my van was heavenly. I almost considered sleeping in there... We drank our weight in ice water, sponged ourselves with wet wash cloths and dipped our feet in the pool. I even took a cold bath WITH a fan on me the entire time. Now, we are trying to get comfy and it ain't easy. It's 3 in the morning and no one is asleep, we're just too hot. Even with the portable a/c. Chandler opted to stay with a friend and we have the other three kiddos and the cat hunkered down on air mattresses and pallets in our room. We currently have 2 oscillating fans, the ceiling fan and the a/c running. We're down to a balmy 80 degrees. Cross your fingers the repairman shows up and that it's an affordable fix.

Sonogram Pics

Today I went in for a 7 month sonogram. Mainly because the old sonogram technician at my doctor's office spent 2 minutes total on my 20 week scan. Which they tried to charge me $350 for! And, to top it all off- she wasn't able to get a good look at his face. So, I complained to my doctor and he wiped the charge off of my bill and scheduled today's longer more in depth sono, with the new and improved technician- for free. The little stinker hid his face for the entire time until she had me lay on my side and boom there he was. I immediately got tears in my eyes, I guess because seeing his little sweet face made it seem more real. As if the tap dancing on my bladder and kicking me in the ribs weren't indicators enough.... I must have asked her a hundred times if he looked ok and she assured me everything was wonderful. Of course I am skeptical and will remain so until he's born. If that ever happens. Seriously his head looks so big I am more afraid than ever! Afraid he won't fit! I need some reassurance here. Does his head (in the profile shot) look abnormally large or am I being a worrywart?

baby face


an arm and a foot


profile


P.S. Jon insists that he has ginormous lips and a nose piercing already.

Shooting the breeze...

Just a little chatter for the heck of it.

I tried the new KFC grilled chicken. Not bad just not good. I kept thinking I was eating roasted chicken like Boston Market, but it had this weird grilled flavor. I probably won't get it again.

The baby's bedding came in the mail yesterday. OH MY GOSH! It is soooo adorable, more so than the pictures online could ever show. And, the quality is amazing. It is seeming more and more real that a baby is coming. I am NERVOUS! But, once I get a car seat/stroller system, I am ready, sorta... He just needs to "bake" for 80 more days. Wow, that's not long!

I am seriously developing a weird "crush" on the pedicure man. They must have taught him right in pedicure school. Put it this way- I think my eyes rolled back in my head when he rubbed my feet tonight. He could definitely give Jon a few pointers when it comes to foot rubs. I offered him the boy's new bedroom if he would move in and be there when I'm in labor. He turned me down...

Hayden cracks me up. Just this week alone I almost blacked both of his eyes, just because a cute kid is punchable in my opinion. The other day Hunter was lifting his arm to show me his sunburn and Hayden said "ooh Hunter yuck. You have HAIR under your armpits, gross!" And then this little conversation: "Mom, who made everything in the world?" Me: "God did sweetie." "No he didn't, because everything we have says Made in China."

Speaking of Hayden. Apparently his flossing and brushing need to be supervised. He has been complaining of a toothache so we headed to the dentist yesterday and he has 3 small cavities in ONE tooth. Grand total to fix it: $823.52!

Add that to the $1300 fine I got for the time my dogs escaped, the $160 ticket I just got, my $4200 hospital bill, and $5000 for a new a/c unit and I may need to borrow some money. Only kidding. But, yikes! I am more than a little stressed...

Speaking of stress- the constant nausea is getting OLD. Can it be possible that I am gonna have morning sickness my entire pregnancy? It's sure looking that way. I am nauseous all the time and it stinks. Really. Nothing I have tried works. Any advice? I have read about vitamin B6 and Unisom together and then there's Zofran but it's expensive. The phenergan does nothing. Any tips would be much appreciated.

And, that's all for now. I really want to do a giveaway for my 600th post (which I surpassed 9 posts ago) but I'm lazy. Soon, I promise...Anyway, have a great weekend!

Just say NO to chores!

Today is "chore day" around here. Ok, everyday I have chores, but the bulk of them I do on Mondays and I perform maintenance the rest of the week. Honestly it seems as if it's never clean but whatever... to me it seems as if all I do is clean! Which brings me to this post. What chores or housework do you despise and dare I ask if there are any that you enjoy? Me, I have a few that I really hate and none that I enjoy. I enjoy being able to sit back and appreciate my hard work. So, here's the ones I despise:

emptying the dishwasher
washing pots and pans (I have no problem washing the dishes, just not the pans!)
mopping
folding clothes and my biggest nemesis: pairing up socks
scrubbing the shower
knocking down cobwebs
baseboards, blah!
the litterbox, enough said
cleaning out the fridge

Ok, after typing that list it looks like I do nothing when I clean. I assure you I do, it's just that I pawn the above on my family as much as possible and do the fun stuff like toilets, the microwave, and making beds... Not really. But, I am interested to hear about your dreaded chores.

Special Delivery

Every year (in late Spring/early Summer) that we have lived here a momma and daddy bird have built a nest and laid their eggs on the ceiling of my porch. The first year I would knock down their nest each day in it's early stages, but they were far too persistent for me. I finally left them alone and they had babies and pooped everywhere, then they were gone. The next couple of years my cat did the babies in, which was really sad. Last year they started a nest and never laid eggs. And, of course this year they are back. Maybe it's the hormonal side of me, but I couldn't bring myself to knock down the nest. Tonight I was sweeping the porch and putting down a new doormat when I saw the cutest thing. Three little baby birds with their beaks wide open trying to catch gnats and mosquitoes while their momma watched, cautious but undoubtedly full of pride. Anyway, being a sentimental dork- I took a picture. Then that stankin' bird swooped down and tried to peck me! But, for the sake of "art" and nature, here's a photo:

P.S. excuse my half painted porch! We are waiting for the birds to leave...

Is it just me?

Am I the only one who doesn't feel like blogging much lately? It sure seems as if there's something in the blogging waters... Just curious! Are you a blogger? Are you updating frequently? And, if not- why? I know for me that I am enjoying the beginning of Summer with my kids. I have been reading books and trying to feather my nest for this baby. Plus, Facebook seems to be my drug of choice lately...

The Great and Crappy Weekend

So, I guess I've intrigued you long enough. Basically my husband and kids had a big BMX race in San Antonio this weekend. I decided I would tag along for part of it, but not until I had seen my sister Amy, her hubby Jesse, and baby Jonah. I was gonna shop my heart out in San Marcos at the outlets with Amy all day Saturday and then meet up with my family Saturday evening in San Antonio. Shopping was GREAT! I got a gorgeous red purse and wallet from Fossil for over half off, 4 pillow shams from Pottery Barn for $1.97 each(!), a top from Motherhood, and a super cute stuffed elephant for the baby. There was not near enough time to hit every store and it was 98 degrees! After shopping I was trying to decide where to stay- Amy's house, where I would have a nice air conditioned guest room all to myself or the RV with my family and 5 of our neighbors... Hmmm, seemed like an easy choice until Chloe called me in misery with a migraine. She needed her Mommy. So, I headed to San Antonio armed with children's Tylenol, a Milky Way bar for energy, and some awesome body wash. At the very least I could get a shower in the RV, right? Wrong! When I got there I discovered that the kids broke the shower knobs and my husband forgot to fill the water tank anyway... I sat on the lumpy "bed" in the recreational vehicle and cried. Fast forward to Sunday's happenings: I took a much needed "spit bath" in the bathroom at Whataburger, watched my family race a total of 5 minutes which took 8 hours to accomplish, babysat the neighbor's kids, and got one heck of a nasty sunburn. WOW!Such fun! When it was all said and done I was more than ready to go home. So, I packed Hunter into the van with me and headed for Ft. Worth. After a brief stop to have dinner with Amy and co. I hauled some boo-tay. I was less than 40 miles from home when Deputy Dog pulled me over and gave me a ticket for going 78 in a 70. I was in total disbelief. I even pulled the I'm pregnant and I have to pee card, and it obviously didn't work. So... needless to say there was some great moments and some crappy moments. I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Amy and her family- Jonah is sooo freaking cute (I forgot to take pics, oops), shopping was awesome as always, I loved being with my husband and kids, and had some really good talks with Hunter- which lately is rare. The crappy stuff sucked, but oh well. I'll live, it's just gonna cost me a pretty penny. The ticket, the broken shower knobs, curtain and rod in the RV, lightbulbs with plastic burned onto them (don't ask) and the latch to the RV door. I also learned a lesson (I sure hope Jon did too): don't offer your neighbor and his kids the use of your RV. I don't care how big it is, 2 families are too much for one vehicle. Anyway, that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger right?

Hello and Goodbye!

We made it through another school year! And, boy am I ever glad. I am so not that mom who loves when her kids are in school. The more they are with me the better. Well, as long as they are behaving. I've been home with them for almost 8 years and I definitely love Summer Break! This one will be especially bittersweet for me. In just three short months Chandler will be a SENIOR, Hunter will be in 8th, Chloe will be in 7th, and Hayden will be a 2nd grader!! And, 2 weeks after school starts I will be due to have this baby. Seriously it seems like yesterday that they were running in and out, dragging kids over to eat all of our popsicles, and leaving the sprinkler on forever while they made mud pies. I can't believe they are such big kids already. Their childhood is flying by way too fast. This year I am going to enjoy every lazy moment with them since they will soon be sharing their mom with another family member. It's not that we're not excited about the baby, we sooo are! It's that for so many years it's been the 6 of us. Life with a baby is gonna be interesting, chaotic, blessed, fun, lovely, scary- you name it! Plus, in all honesty- I am not sure they get what's coming.... Anyway, I made a list of things I love about Summer and things I won't miss at all!

Hello

lounging by the pool
sleeping past 6:30
watermelon for breakfast
ice cream for dinner
moonlit swims
cooking and eating on the patio
coconut scented sunscreen
sundresses
pedicures and pretty sandals
having my babies home with me


Goodbye

homework
uniforms
making sack lunches
getting up early
car pool
PTA meetings
school lunches (Chan's worst nightmare)
TAKS tests
being home alone
constantly being on a schedule and in a rush

I'm SO excited...

and I just can't hide it! Tonight I persuaded Jon to head back to the baby store with me as I saw a groovy crib and dresser/changer on clearance and I really, really wanted it. There was only one of each item left (in the whole world...?) so time was of the essence. Of course being the lucky lady I am- the one crib was showing as SOLD on their computer by the time we got there. So, the girl said she could sell me the floor sample for 10% off. But, I felt it should be lower than that even... I asked for a manager so I could work on my bargaining. I was hoping for an even larger percentage off. Anyway- a few bats of the eyelashes later and VOILA he gave us the floor sample for 20% off and it's in amazing shape!!! I am super duper happy, as I have never owned a brand new matching set, let alone a changer! I have always changed diapers on the couch or my bed. Anyway- I just had to tell someone! We pick up the crib tomorrow and the other piece should be in next Thursday, woo hoo! Here they are:

dresser/changer (obviously we won't be using pink)


crib (again, we won't be using pink sheets)


the bedding (that I need to hurry up and order)


P.S. we spent a teeny bit over $400, which was way less than the $700 normal price! I think it's a darn good deal!!

Greedy Much?

Yesterday Jon and I went to do our baby registry. I was excited simply because I got to make a wish list and Jon was excited because he got to scan stuff with the little gun. I have registered with each baby and each time I register I feel SO greedy. Like, I want this blanket and this toy, etc. Even though I know it's all in fun and it is helpful to follow a registry when you buy a gift- I just can't help but feel like a brat! And just to add to my greediness, I told Jon that since this was our LAST baby and I have nothing baby left from the other kids, I wanted to splurge. I have never had a nursery to decorate, as my kids have all shared a room with me or a sibling. But, this time I will have Chan's old room to make into a nursery and I am already planning everything from cribs to paint to toys. To say I'm excited would be putting it mildly... until I saw how much baby stuff costs!! Hello- $89 activity mats! $300 car seats! $15 bottles of baby detergent! Things have changed since I had Hayden and are light years different from 1992 when Chandler was born. Oh my goodness! It's pretty funny the products that are out there that these stores make you think have to have. Like a wipe warmer. I know a warm wipe probably feels better than a cold one, but I bet a cold wipe feels better than warm poop! Or a Diaper Genie. I thought you just threw the soiled ones away... And then there's baby monitors. I know they are convenient especially if you are far away from baby, but it is possible to live without one. I don't know about you but my babies had some seriously strong lungs. Jon and I were laughing as we were scanning those very same "non-essential essentials" mentioned above at what our mothers and grandmothers coped with. I know alot of the stuff makes things go a little smoother, but my mom used cloth diapers with 8 of 9 children and we all lived to tell the tale! I guess it's just shocking to me how spoiled we modern folks are! And although it would be really nice to get all the goodies I saw at the store, surely I can survive without them...

99 days!

Well, I am officially in my third trimester! Woo Hoo! Par-tay! Ok, maybe just a small party. I can't believe I am down to 99 days until my due date. In some ways it's gone by so slow, but in others it's like "whoa, you're life is gonna be getting even more chaotic and it's gonna happen before you know it and there ain't a darn thing you can do about it!" Anyway, here are some of the things going on in my life related to "my delicate condition":

I am still terrified of childbirth and I am not sure why... Oh yes I do, the old watermelon through a hole the size of a lemon analogy. Which, to me isn't as painful as back labor. And, I know because A) I felt every inch of Hayden come out and B) my epidural stopped working. Lovely huh? I am going to try my hardest to have this baby completely natural. Simply because I have so much scar tissue that an epidural needle won't go in, AT ALL. Somebody hold me...

My nausea is absolutely horrible. Like the worst it's ever been. I am quite sure it's because baby boy is growing fast and crowding my stomach which causes heartburn which aggravates my ulcer. I have been prescribed nausea and heartburn medicine but I hate drugging up my kid at such a young age. So, I'll suffer through. Judging by the scale, I ain't suffering too much...but, today has been especially brutal. I have had: jelly toast, peanut butter toast, wheat thins, and lots of water. Yuck! I think I'm gonna freaking starve!

He is moving like crazy, which is simply amazing! Just this past week he started moving higher up, past my belly button. Before he was squirming and kicking in my lower tummy. He must have had one heck of a growth spurt! And, the hiccups. Neverending hiccups. It's like he's down there throwing back a few cold ones or something. I am a little sad that I will never experience the feeling of a baby again after he is born. Ok, I say that now and I may be lying. If my husband doesn't hurry up and make an appointment for the males only nip and tuck doctor, I may have another uh-oh. And, we don't want that. Love me some babies, but this baby factory is closing up shop in 99 days!

We have finally started shopping and painting for our total home makeover. If this week goes as planned, I will have my big boys moved into their teenage boy pad next weekend. Then I can start on Hayden, Chloe, and baby boy's room. Hayden is getting this bed and baby boy is getting this bedding. We are doing Chloe's room in monarch butterflies, and this picture is being bought by me tomorrow. And, not to be outdone, I am re-doing their bathroom as well and here's my design inspiration. Whew, can you tell I am starting to get the urge to nest? And, just for the record, it was very sad to paint over my cool home theatre decorations. I even had one wall with our names painted like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and that one hit me hard. Darn hormones.

Which brings me to the heat... could it be any more hot and sticky? I went to field day and a birthday party the last couple of days and I thought I was gonna die. It's bad enough when you're out in the heat but it seems like the minute you get home you are useless. It just drains me, like I have been run over. And, all I did was sit, watch, and drink cold water. But, it felt like I was the one running relays and smacking a pinata. Both days I drove home with my a/c on full blast, one vent on my face and the other up my sundress. I also stopped for a water and a cherry Coke at Sonic. Then I walked in the door, laid under the fan and fell asleep. Because I can.

In other news, yes I have a name for him and no I won't tell. Yet. I am also going to get a 3D ultrasound soon, which I am super excited about! I can't stop wondering what he looks like. I mean, I think about it all the time. Which I am sure is pretty normal. So... I guess that's it for now. I am so looking forward to my glucose test next week and before you know it, weekly OB visits to see if I'm dilated. Thrilling.


P.S. #1 Don't be alarmed if you see a mysterious black and white creature floating in our pool. That's not Shamu, it's me, in a fabulous black maternity swimsuit no less... I fully plan on living out back as soon as the algae is cleared up. My dogs decided they would chew the wires on our $250 chlorinator thing-a-ma-jiggy. So, as soon as it's fixed- CANNONBALL!

P.S. #2 I just realized I used the "word" ain't twice in this post... oops!