Saturday, December 27, 2008

What Were We Thinking??

Most people who find themselves with a weekend with no kids would go to a movie, hang out with friends, maybe even work on a little project.
Apparently Lynn and I have some sort of deep desire to overwork ourselves. We recently finished remodeling the house I lived in before we were married. It took us over a year and a half, but we did a LOT of work. When you consider soccer games every Saturday and 3 jobs between the 2 of us...2 kids, 2 pregnancies and a new baby in the mix, I'd say we got a lot done in a very short amount of time.

I was very glad to be done with that house, and even more thrilled to hear Lynn say that the house we're living in really doesn't need that much work. Some paint. A new fence. New carpet. Maybe some cabinets. Not much at all really.
But there's something you need to know about my dear husband. He can do anything...and he's a perfectionist who's not afraid to work. That can be a bad combination. Now, you must understand, I'm not complaining. I myself do not mind work. I thrive on projects. I love to acccomplish things. I truly believe that Lynn and I were made for each other! It would be really bad if he were lazy...I know this from experience.
BUT there is no such thing as a small project in our house. One of my first impressions of Lynn was his tendency to overachieve.
We had just started dating and Bryce and Evyn were going to be at their dad's house for the weekend. So, I mentioned that I wanted to repaint the bathroom in my house. I was teaching at the time, so I got off work an hour before he did. I told him I was going to rest and he could let himself in and wake me up so we could start painting. He didn't wake me up, but the sound of walls being knocked down did! He decided that instead of just painting, we should really remodel the whole bathroom. So, that's what we did. It looked awesome when we got finished, but it was completely unplanned. And that began our journey together down the road of Nothing Minimal.
Remember a couple of paragraphs ago when I mentioned that we would have minimal work to do on this house. Yeah, right! We had planned on painting the outside of the house today after painting the hallway because the kids would be at grandma's house. Sounds easy...
We live in Lubbock, and that means high winds. So, painting outside was not an option. We have plenty we could have done after painting the hallway this morning. However, somehow, we decided to redo tile in the kitchen(which was not on our list, by the way!). That turned into, 'we might as well redo the tile in the bathrooms, too'. And of course, 'we can't leave out the entry way'.
I can't put all the blame on my dear husband! As soon as we talked about tile, I got excited. Most women would be excited to have new tile in her kitchen. But what really made my heart flip was the idea of using an air chisel. I'm not kidding! If you've never used one, you should try it. You may find you have a new hobby. Or you may just realize how weird I am...as if you didn't already know. As a matter of fact, the strangest gift Lynn has ever gotten me was a new air compressor for the purpose of using the air chisel. It's a gift I loved and appreciated, and will never forget.
In case you've never had the opportunity to use one of these fun gadgets, when you put new tile in, you have to first take old tile out. To do this, you use a really loud, strong tool that's like a tiny little jack hammer. It pounds away at the tile and grout until it all breaks up and flies everywhere. Fun! Fun!
I'm not really sure why I like it so much. Maybe because it is just difficult enough to feel like I've accomplished something. I was thinking of how much my sister likes to pick at things. How we used to get in trouble for tearing up the concrete on the back porch. To this day I enjoy peeling things that really aren't supposed to be peeled...like someone's wallpaper or the bark off of a poor defensless tree. It may be a big reason why I like it. It's like picking with lots of power! Not to mention it sounds like a motorcycle running in your house. Very loud!
Plus, you get to destroy something on purpose. Little shards of concrete fly around you at incredible speeds. Of course, it also creates a fine dust out of an entire floor. It's like someone takes that dust and throws it in the air to see where it will land. wee!
I'll tell you where it lands: the couch, the coffee maker, the counters, dishes in the cabinets, every surface in your clean, previously dust-free house. The big plastic sheet that you hang to prevent the floating dust really doesn't keep it out of the rest of the house. I had forgotten about that part when I got so excited about my tiny little power tool.
At 8 months pregnant, it's hard enough to breathe without dirt constricting every airway in your face. So, even though I made trips outside every few minutes to get fresh air, I started to feel a little light-headed. And that leaves my poor husband to finish ripping out tile, while I sit comfortably in bed, blogging away.

Thursday, December 25, 2008


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Merry Christmas

I hope everyone's having a wonderful Christmas! I don't have a lot to say this morning. My wonderful husband got me a cute little pink netbook for Christmas. I'm sitting here doing nothing, so I thought I would put it to good use. I don't have any pictures on it yet to share. I've been planning to share the pictures of the cupcakes I made for Bryce's school Christmas party and the recent kids' pictures. I have the time but not the pictures. Always works that way, I guess.
Merry Christmas to all!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Lesson in Etiquette

I've mentioned before that people think they have the right to say anything and everything to a pregnant woman. I can forgive elderly men for some of their comments--like the one who told me today that "by February, I'll be as big as a barn." Lynn says I should have told him that by today, he is as dumb as a jack___. And Lynn probably would have actually said it!
I can even forgive close friends for the things they might say. I'm not really the sensitive type in my old age, and close friends know this . You can say just about anything, and I can take it. I was actually amazed at an acquaintance today, however. I know her in passing only. She is about my age with 3 boys of her own, all fairly young. She stopped and stared in disbelief as she said, "What have you been eating!?!"
Had I been your normal pregnant woman, I probably would have burst into tears. It's hard enough to walk out of the house and face the world when you feel so...awkwardly large. We don't really need someone announcing our size as if we've set out on a mission to be "as big as a barn". Of course, Lynn suggested that I say, "what have YOU been eating?" Instead I just looked at her with this shocked and yet ever so polite grin and said, "I know, I'm huge, right?"
Now for the lesson. Don't say anything to a pregnant woman about her size. Don't say she's smaller than the last time she was pregnant. Don't say she looks "pregnant today". I hear that one all the time. Don't ask when the baby's due and then act like someone has struck you with an idiot stick when she tells you an answer farther off than you expected. And PLEASE don't lean in and whisper in her ear how beautiful she is when your wife is 2 feet away wondering what you're saying. CREEPY!
Don't be surprised if you touch her belly and she randomly touches your butt. We're crazy like that! (but we have an excuse--hormones)
As a general rule, if you wouldn't say or do it to someone who's not pregnant, don't say or do it to someone who is.
If you do, you may find your comments on some hormonal pregnant woman's blog. It's been known to happen.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Yucky, Smelly, Horrible, No Good Hopsital Births

Well, I've been reprimanded for not updating anyone on this "hospital birth" thing. Not a big deal, really, so I kind of forgot. It's strange how different this pregnancy is emotionally. Not that I don't care, but when it's your 4th and so close to the previous birth, it's not the only thing I think about. You know how your first pregnancy is like the biggest deal and on your mind 24/7. Then with the second, you are excited, but you only check in once a week to see how big the baby is. The third becomes a fun thing to talk and think about, but it's really like old news. Because of that, I assume no one else really cares to hear about this 4th one. I'm not regularly updating anyone on how big the baby is or every time she kicks. I even gave up asking Lynn what he thought about names until I really liked one.
It is really nice to not already be "wishing this baby would just get out of my body!" It's actually so close to the last birth that I'm not too excited about the pain that I can still feel when I think about it.
All that said...letting everyone in on the birth plan seemed like a waste of the readers' time. Apparently I was wrong.
So, here's the latest. I loved the doctor (that I was pressured into seeing) so much that Lynn thought I should think about a hospital birth. I thought about it, and prayed about it. I was going back and forth. Then I had the privilege of sitting next to a very nice couple at Lynn's Christmas party Monday night who had recently birthed in the hospital I would be birthing in. I took that opportunity to ask some questions about how "involved" the nurses are in the whole process. And by involvement, I mean sticking their noses in my business and taking my baby away to do meaningless tests and coming in every 30 minutes to wake me up to check me when I am perfectly fine and just need rest!!
Now this couple is very sweet and was very helpful. They rang praises about the wonderful nurses who only took the baby away for an hour and a half and were very calm in an emergency situation (due to her induction and epidural which was suggested), and were very knowledgeable about everything.
I will not be having a hospital birth.
My baby and I will be much safer at home, and if for some reason, something does go wrong, I will have a doctor who knows me and expects me to birth in the hospital. I am almost certain he won't be hearing from me until after the baby is safely born at home...and I need a birth certificate.
OK, Mother, now I have updated you all! :-)

Friday, December 5, 2008

Newest Discovery

Ok, so the doctor wasn't too bad. We are actually considering a hospital birth. I know, don't freak out! That will be another blog entry, though.
For now, I just need to tell those of you have been asking...and asking...
It's a girl! The doctor said he would buy me a steak if the baby comes out with a penis. He followed with, "I won't be buying you a steak. That's a girl!" So, he's pretty sure. The sonogram looks to me like a laughing frog on his back floating down a river. But apparently, he saw a baby girl, so that's what we're going with.
I asked Lynn if he ever thought he would have 3 girls. He replied, "no, and I always felt sorry for the poor saps who do!" Deep down I know he's happy about all the estrogen in the house. Bryce won't admit it, but I know he's not really that disappointed. And Evyn is just happy to know. I'm very excited that we get to keep all the pink. Zoey's just in for the shock of her jealous little life.
Now we can start thinking of names, since we haven't even started that process...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

2 Months Later


Wow! I had no idea so much time had passed since the last update. Sadly, despite my busy-ness, I really don't have much to show for the time I've been away from the wonderful world of blogging. (It's been so long, I forgot how to sign in!)
Zoey turned one! I attempted my first fondant cake all by myself. The real first was for Lynn's parents' 40th anniversary party, but I had Lynn's help on that one. They both turned out ok, but Zoey's ended up a leaning tower by the next day, and it took me SIX hours just to decorate it! It may be my last. As fun as it was to design, I would say the actual act of decorating was more of a frustration than anything.
Cake aside, the celebration was successful. Her birthday landed on black Friday this year, so we opted for celebrating on Thanksgiving. She got lots of cute clothes and toys. I have to say, the favorite was the red Radio Flyer Sports Coupe. It has a radio with different types of music, blinkers, a key that turns, a removable gas cap and, of course, a horn. Her feet can either hang down so she can "drive" herself, or she can rest them on a ledge so Dad can speed around the house at dangerous levels. Fun for all! We have video to prove it.

Bryce continues to lose teeth and is doing well in karate--2 completely unrelated events. I'm just not sure what other updates there are on him.

Evyn had a solo in the Christmas program at her school, but it turned into a duet. She seemed just fine singing in front of her teacher, but then when it was time to sing in front of everybody, she got a little scared. Plus, there is apparently a boy in her class who won't stop singing while she sings, so they just decided to let them both sing. I'm excited to see how that goes.

We've been focusing on caring about others this Christmas season. That's a tough concept for my kids...
So far, we've experienced hunger, thirst and homelessness. One night, all we had for dinner was a tiny bowl of rice. We talked about how some kids only get that tiny bowl all day...maybe. We went without water for a meal, and talked about other things we use water for, and take for granted. Tonight, we spent 5 minutes outside in the cold and talked about the feelings someone might have if they were out there all night, every night. Then we got to come inside to a warm fire, hot cocoa and Christmas music. I think they are starting to understand just how blessed we are. Bryce has decided to give a pair of gloves to someone who needs them since he has 2 pair. Evyn expressed her desire to "give someone some milk if they come up and ask for it." and to "give some kids some water from a well" Close enough. My favorite night was when we turned off the electricity. What was supposed to be a lesson in how-fortunate-we-are-to-have-electricity turned into a precious evening of family time as we played by candlelight.
This is only the beginning of our nightly lessons. I'm really glad we've started it, and I look forward to the lasting impact it will have on us all.

I have decided, with Lynn's prompting, to go to an actual doctor before this baby is born. For those of you who don't know, I fired the midwife a long time ago, and am planning to have this baby without a professional attending. I'm really excited about it, as is everyone else involved. (At least I tell myself they are.) However, Lynn wanted me to have an actual prenatal visit for peace of mind. My appointment is tomorrow. I won't go into how difficult it was to find a doctor who would take a 30 week pregnant woman with no prior prenatal care. I finally found one, though. I probably won't sleep tonight because I am so stinkin' nervous!! I don't like doctors anyway, but here I am going to one who won't be delivering my baby, but doesn't know it! And I'm sure he is wondering why I haven't had prenatal care thus far. Not looking forward to his questions and/or accusations...
I'm not at all worried about the baby's health. I'm sure it's perfectly fine. It's the doctor's response to my situation I dread.
I'll hope for the best. Maybe he won't be typical.

This has been a wide range of topics, eh? Maybe I will come back to update before the baby's born!