bedrest

I am 35 weeks along in the pregnancy. I'm in preterm labor. Nothing too serious... just constant contractions, dilation, and the loss of my cervical plug. This has happened in my three previous labors around 37 weeks-- (usually about 24 hours before my water breaks.) I realize that 35 weeks is far enough along that the baby will survive, but I REALLY don't want a small baby-- and I REALLY don't want him to spend the first few days/weeks of his life in the NICU. Everyday I stay pregnant is a success. I am going to do whatever I can to keep him inside until he's big enough and healthy enough to meet us.

So, I am on bedrest for the next couple of weeks. I've had to cancel everything on the schedule. No Halloween parties, book club, field trips, baby shower, co-ops, etc. And I am perfectly okay with that. I won't be exercising in the mornings, having sex, running errands, being Sister Friendly at church, making fancy dinners, decorating the nursery, wearing a bra or cleaning my house. I am a little bummed that I won't be able to check off the long list of things I want to do before the baby comes. But everything can wait..

I will, however, be doing lots of good things-- like homeschooling, reading, having a daily bubble bath, sewing, watching movies, playing games, taking afternoon naps and enjoying my little family. I have an awesome husband who totally knows how to throw together a quick dinner and doesn't mind a few dishes in the sink. My kids could not be more cooperative. They clean their messes, do homework without complaint and quickly grab me the things I need-- not to mention give me the freedom to take long baths/afternoon naps! I truly feel blessed and I am going to enjoy this time to LAY LOW and CHILL OUT. What a great excuse to be lazy!

Isn't it amazing how badly we want to do things when we can't? I didn't realize how MUCH I wanted to exercise in the morning until it wasn't an option. A few weeks ago, the thought of sitting on the couch for hours at a time would seem like vacation! But now that it's mandatory, I find myself completely frustrated. I guess the grass really is greener somewhere else. I've had several conversations with moms who are pregnant longer than 40 weeks--- and I know that's annoying in it's own right. But NOT being able to do the things you want to before the baby is born isn't very much fun either. I am just very grateful it's only going to be a couple of weeks... HOW on Earth do mothers go on bed rest for longer than that?? And how terribly sad is it that it's supposed to be 84 degrees today in Vegas? Such a great day for an adventure outside. Oh well.

Anyway, that's the pregnancy status for now. I suppose I will be updating my blog frequently with the amount of down time I currently have. I am thinking about making Zack a baby book before the next is born... something to keep me busy and feeling less guilty about him not having his own book. The majority of his life is documented on the blog, anyway. It shouldn't be hard to pull it together. My big dilemma is deciding whether I should go digital and hard bound or cutesy/scrapbooky like his older brothers. Both are time consuming, but time is what I have... if I play my cards right and this baby doesn't come before we're all ready.

Speaking of playing cards, Go Fish has been dealt and my name is being summoned to the bunk-bed-fort. We're taking a break from reading Fabelhaven to play a few games. It's incredible how excited your kids can get when you tell them that we are officially having a pajama party for two weeks!!


ps. I repainted the boys' bedroom. This used to be the navy blue Star Wars room... I will post better pictures later (like, maybe after they make their beds...)

action verbs take 2

Lame that I am doing a new post with Luke's worksheet from yesterday.... but as I was about to throw it away, I thought it would only be fair to scan Luke's in as well. I don't want him to look back and think I favored Ben. So, here it is. Now, I can feel okay about shredding it....


If anything, this paper proves what a great alien artist Zack is at age 3-- and how annoying it can be when he doodles on "serious" school work. My favorite is the alien inside the alien-- with two sets of arms and only one pair of legs.. pretty creative.

action verbs

I need to document several schooling stories, but I have a bubble bath waiting for me- so a quick scan in of a worksheet will have to do for now.

Today we were reviewing ACTION VERBS and I think my boys were a little bored. While filling out a worksheet, I heard them giggling like crazy. They were supposed to write one action verb in each blank, but this is what Ben handed in. Luke's was creative too, but Zack ended up coloring aliens all over it and it's too messy to scan in...


Just because they happen to LOVE potty humor (and are sometimes quite violent) doesn't mean they aren't sweet kids. While emptying the dishwasher, Ben asked if he needed to unload the silverware. He was basically doing Zack's job anyway, so I said I would do the silverware. Ben sighed and said, "Well, there's no reason for YOU to have to do it!" and quickly finished it by himself. I truly do enjoy having the boys I do.... potty mouths or not.

pregnant woman faints gets published...

Awkward Family Photos is publishing a book with Random House next year.. and my pregnant fainting picture will be in it. (That is, if I ever get the ENTIRE family to sign release forms-- what a task!)

Anyway, today they posted the fainting picture on their website www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com. I am determined to get famous-- somehow...

ps. My Scottish friend Amelia should get all the credit. I didn't even know about this website before she came along...

10 cents per kid

Last night while Aaron was playing tennis and I was folding mounds of laundry (and watching Little Women upstairs) my boys were having a "movie theater party" downstairs.

I knew something was up when I saw Luke empty his piggy bank. A minute later, Zack asked what job he could do to earn 10 cents. I had him put away ten piles of folded clothes. He was thrilled about his dime and ran downstairs. A bit later, he needed a quarter. I handed it over just because his face was so cute. And because I ripped him off earlier with the penny per pile of clothes.

I came down about an hour later to a dark room. I found two kids asleep on the couch and another with a bowl full of popcorn and a pocket full of change. These were the signs taped to the front of two couch cushions...



Apparently, Ben had cleaned the "movie theater" while they were collecting their money, so he thought it was a good idea to charge them 3 cents for every toy they brought into the room. I also made him vacuum up the popcorn after the movie-- because when you own a theater, sometimes you have to do the dirty work.