Baby questions

Now that most everyone has called or emailed, Facebooked or texted me, I will fill you in on the details.

Is this planned?
Well much in the same way most of our babies got here, yes and no. We talked about evening the numbers, and we usually get preggers around the first birthday of the previous one, but for lack of being TMI, we neither plan nor prevent our babies. It took 2 years to get Tristan here, and afterwards we decided to "let them come." I have had 10 pregnancies, including this one, 7 of which have gone full term and everything looks like this too will be a healthy and BIG baby. After Laney (#5) we thought we'd be done, at least for a while, and I did have an IUD but low and behold around her first birthday I got pregnant with Laurel and had to remove it. I was glad for it anyway because I had nothing but problems from day 1 like heavy bleeding, cramping, headaches and general bloating. It did not sit well with me.

How are you feeling?
Nauseous, tired, pretty much par for the course. I can tell you that more than any other pregnancy I am T.I.R.E.D. I just want to sleep. All. of. the. time. I don't really have food aversions but certain things sound better than others. I definitely want protein: eggs, hamburger, steak, beef jerky, hot dogs.... My first appointment is not until next week when I will be almost 13 weeks, so Josh and I took a sneak peak last week. The baby measure BIG and true to Stubblefield form is VERY active. Other than that I feel really good. I am busy and that keeps my mind of feeling sick. My blood pressure and weight gain is all good.

What do the kids think?
Tristan of course knew and asked me weeks ago. I swear that child has a sixth sense for pregnant women. I told him to keep it quiet until we knew things were ok. We told the kids after our peak. They are soooo excited. Half think Girl to follow our pattern of BGGBGGB...G, but the other half are hoping for a boy to even out the ranks.

MORE?
Oh my gosh, you know me, I'd love to have a dozen or so. I'd love to adopt some. But I am 35 just a week after my due date. I am sort of feeling like this is our last. Josh says it is. But, he said no more after 5, 6, 7....we really just take it one baby at a time :o)

Are you crazy?
I love this question. Umm, yeah, just a little bit :o) But, I always wanted a big family and I have one and I love it.

EDD April 16, 2014

School Pictures

 Tristan, 11 years, 6th grade

 Melina, 10 years, 5th grade

 Ciomara, 8 years, 3rd grade

Asher, 6 years, 1st grade

Let's see who actually reads this blog....

Coming to our doorstep April 2014!

Stormy

I am using the new computer! It is fabulous! But, I don't have an external cd rom so I cannot upload the kids' new school pictures until probably this weekend! Sorry. And life has been so crazy that I have only taken a few pics and you can view them on Facebook.

We had a major, but quick storm blow in on Thursday. It uprooted trees, blew off siding and shingles, took people's trampolines and tossed them like beach balls. The storm rolled in just after Tristan got home and right before my elementary kids get on the bus to come home. Needless to say, they had to stay at school one extra hour. First the sky turned dark, then the winds and finally the rains picked up. They said winds were in excess on 70 mph and they would have declared it a tornado, except there was no rotation. Tristan ran outside to get the plastic pool before it blew away and that's when we saw the big trees in the farm behind us snap and crash down. I immediately told everyone to go to the basement. I ran through the house securing windows and doors and by the time I got down there it was pretty much over! We feel very blessed to have gone through the storm with absolutely no damage. The trees bent in the wind, but nothing snapped, the yard was tossed up a bit, but the playground and trampoline stayed put, and the roof and siding handled it like a champ! Really feel like it was a tender mercy from God, seeing as how everyone around us lost shingles, trampolines and trees. And really grateful for the timing, as the kids were not driving in the bus, but instead stayed safe just inside the school doors.

In other news, my friend Rachel Matlock and her husband and kids came over Saturday while Josh was at Little Philmont for Scouting and helped me pull up my garden and finish my harvest. Thanks to their hard work, we were able to get several buckets of tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, and carrots! And now all I have to do is add some fertilizer for new year and let it winter!

A wicked headache happened upon me Sunday after Church, so much so that all I could do was lay down. I didn't get a single thing on my list for Sunday accomplished, so I am super busy today, blog included. Again, hoping to have pictures and other exciting events soon!

Just waiting....

There is a Dr. Seuss book that says sometimes you'll find yourself just waiting...waiting to come or go, waiting for rain, or it to snow, or something like that! That's how I feel right now. I mean we are busy in between, but I have been noticeable absent from blogger because I am waiting for a new computer. You see ours is really, really old and we were dragging our feet for a new one and well, now the old one is losing it, seriously, it howls every time we try to use it. So it has been decommissioned for one week and finally today we bought the new one, but it will take us a few days to get set up, so in the meantime I am updating from the laptop, which is also super old and has trouble running a lot of programs. Part of the problem around here is that we generally keep things until they break so that they cannot be fixed no more, but that means our 9 year old computer needs to be upgraded now and so does the even older laptop! Oh well.
For this reason I don't have any new pictures. And I really don't have any new info. Things have been the same with piano, swimming, horses, gymnastics, school, and church. Josh did get released from the Venture scouts/Teacher's Quorum, only to be called to be the Scout Committee Chair! I am still busy with Visiting Teaching stuff and when everything gets reorganized maybe I'll be back to Cub Scout Pack Trainer. We have had a lot of changes in the wards, so things are a little out of sorts in all the departments lately.
I took a break from the Y and I am just on call. It has been nice to not have to be anywhere since I have had sick kiddos for the last month. Just yesterday, when I thought we were on the upswing, Nigel had a blow-out and after clean-up, preceded to vomit all over himself and he kitchen floor!
The weather has turned cooler. I love the Fall. The colors, sweaters, boots, pumpkins....I am not excited for snow but I am excited to have some reading days snuggled up with warm cocoa, a good book and the fireplace.
Speaking of which: on my to do list this week besides the computer is to pull up the garden and till it, update scrapbooks, reorganize the office and go through our ever-disastrous art cabinet! No more waiting! Too much to do!

First Day of Preschool Laney and Laurie 2013

Our little girlies started preschool after Labor Day. Delaney is in the 4-year-old Mon, Wed, Fri morning class 9-12 and Laurie is in the Monday ONLY 2 year old class, 930-1130 am just to give her her "own" school. They both were so excited for school to start and cried every day the big kids went and they couldn't go. They love it! No tears from these girlies! Just off to class. Laney has the same teachers as last year, whom she adores! But, she misses her friend Emma (who moved to Hawaii!). Laurie has our neighbor from down the street and another lady we knew before too. The Y preschool is awesome! I realized this year that next year (when Nigel goes to 2-year-olds) will be our 10th anniversary of consistently being at the Y preschool! Crazy!

Delaney loves to "pose" for her picture

Laurel tried posing too, but she had a hard time actually looking at the camera!

 Which TOTALLY reminds me when 2 other little girlies started preschool in 2007 (Mel was in 4 year old M,W.F and Mara attended Mon only 2 year old):

I have been THAT Mom

An interesting conversation with a friend about our daughters got me to thinking just how often I have judged other Mothers over their ability to handle their children, or their choices in parenting. It is all too easy. I have a friend *Kristine, who is a bit older but much wiser than I. When I first met her she had 7. I had 3. I used to think "Why does she let her 2 year old go outside ahead of her by himself!" "Why does she let her kids play outside while she is napping?" This list could go on and on.

I was THAT Mom. I lacked children and experience. I was quick to judge the mom in the store with the flailing toddler and question why she just didn't leave. I was THAT Mom who said I would never let me baby eat food off the floor, or let my child scream during Church, or I would be such a great Mom that my children would follow me around the store and not hide in the clothing racks!

Well, guess what!? I am now THAT MOM. I am imperfect and I have imperfect children. I have to chuckle when I see judgemental looks when I carry a screaming baby to the checkout at the store, or I walk out of Sacrament totally overwhelmed by the ravenous toddler and the nursing baby. I am THAT MOM who lets my kids play outside while I (heaven forbid) get some much needed shut-eye. I am THAT MOM who pops the binky in my mouth and hands it back to the baby!

I have more children, more experience, and more wisdom. I am sorry for all those times I judged too harshly and I wish I could go back and correct them. However, what's done is done, and I think I am a better Mother because of it. I have compassion for those new, young, single or busy Moms. I have empathy. I have been there. I know what you are going thru, and please try not to judge me when I feed my kid pop at Costco!

(And for those of you with 1 or 2, or perhaps, 6 or 7 perfect children. I am sorry you will never experience the joy of being THAT MOM!)