Zombies

I've had this zit on my chin for quite a few days and tried really hard not to play with it and make it worse. I was successful for 2-3 days, but it just wasn't going away, so then of course I had to squeeze at it a few times, and then it gets all crusty/scabby. 

On the way home from taking the boys to school this morning, I started picking at (can't stand the crusty stuff on my face either) and then it was bleeding. Haha! When I parked the car, Sterling was getting mad at me for not getting him out. (He's seriously the worst backseat driver! He's always yelling at me to go if I'm stopped.) As I was dabbing up the blood, I got him out and showed him my "owie". He looks at it and then worriedly asked me if the zombie ate me. Hahaha! I think he's played too much Minecraft and talked zombies too much with his brothers. Cracked me up! 

Here's a selfie he took of himself at Costco on Tuesday. The little stinker! 

Blogging Much!?!

Matt and I were just texting after he sent me a post from our blog and how he missed me blogging, as it was such a great family journal. I told him I missed it too, and that I just need to do it again, especially feeling no pressure that anyone will read it, as it's been like 3.5 years since I've blogged. So now that I can probably blog from my phone, I'm just gonna start sharing our moments on it. I can't think I'll ever go back and make up the years I missed, but maybe slowly I could do that too? Start with the most recent and work back through the hazy memories? No, Shaila, you'll just put pressure on yourself and then feel overwhelmed and then not post at all! Okay, see how I ramble, I write too much and that's also why I stopped blogging, I'm just too wordy, but it doesn't make sense. Haha! Okay, here we go!

First Day of School-2012

Today is the first day of school for Malcolm and Quinn. They were excited and had a hard time going to sleep last night, so of course they all slept in and I had to wake them up, when all summer they've been waking me up at that time. Winston even slept until 7:15am, which he thinks it's great waking up at 6am, even though he's still tired. 

Yesterday we were able to go to the school and meet their teachers and drop off school supplies. They were pretty excited. 

Quinn coloring his name tag.

Quinn by his desk. He got to pick where to sit, and he picked a desk where no one else was at yet. 

Quinn with his teacher Mrs. Leech. She's just a temp teacher until January as Quinn's teacher Mrs. Silbernagel just had a baby. I'm glad Quinn is an easy going kid and probably won't be bothered by the two different teachers. I didn't want to seem like a freak by taking 20 pictures, so I just took one, and didn't notice Quinn's eyes were closed. Go figure!

Malcolm with Mrs. Taylor. She was his 2nd grade teacher too, and she got moved up to 3rd grade. He was excited, and thankfully we really liked her, so we're happy too.

"Hey Winston"...huh? Winston thought he had to go to school too. He goes to their school for speech, and so he thought he needed school supplies and to take his bag, which he had to get a bag just like his big brothers.

Mrs. Taylor took a picture of Malcolm, and then wanted a picture with the other boys. Sterling was asleep in his car seat, so one is missing. Just love how Winston is looking at me in this one.

I've followed my sister-in-law Mel's tradition of "initial" pancakes on the first day of school. So today was that special day to get them, and of course you have to put chocolate chips in them, and then we topped them with lots of syrup and whipped cream. I also made them hot chocolate...got to send them off on a sugar high the first day. Haha!

Real boys wear pink!
Q is for Quinn!

Quinn posed all by himself.

Looking too old!

M is for Malcolm!

3rd grade really!?!

I can't help put post 50 pictures of all their cute expressions. 

Then sleepy Winston woke up and needed his pancake too. He doesn't like chocolate chips in his, so he missed out.

How cute is he looking all grown up!

1st Grader

I'm getting a glimpse of a teenager.

He posed himself. :)

The big 3rd grade! I remember being in 3rd grade like it was yesterday.

Brothers!

Quinn had to pose like Malcolm too.

Off for their first day, Malcolm says "rock on"!

Seeing my handsome boys this morning looking more and more grown up, I felt like I had a little glimpse into what they will look like as teenagers. I don't want them to grow up! I hope it's a great year for them!

I really don't feel ready for a new year of school. I get tired of school just as much as my kids. Haha! I do love not having all the extra mess from them and that no fighting is happening. But I miss them despite how badly I wish I could have constant peace and quiet.

Sweet Baby Talk

Quinn baby talking to Sterling says, "Someday you're gonna grow up and be a good dad, huh. You're gonna teach your kids to choose the right." So sweet!

Pumping Pecs

Malcolm just came down the stairs all excited, "Mom, I just figured out how to pump my pecs!" He's excited to show his dad (he learned from his dad's example). Oh the things boys are excited for, so unlike girls. Then him and Quinn proceeded to practice it in the mirror with shirts off.

Even though I have much to catch up on the blog, this was total blog worthy and I did not want to forget his exciting, and my comical, moment.

36 Weeks

36 weeks, and 4 weeks since I last posted. Man does time fly, and my belly shows it's grown in that time too.

I went to the doctor yesterday, and it was the first appointment that Matt was able to go with me. It's been really weird to not have him there until now, as with the others, he was there for the majority of the appointments. Apparently medical school keeps you busy for some reason. I can't imagine why. ;)

I'm not sure Matt was totally impressed with my Dr, but I like her well enough, and I trust that she'll bring my baby into this world. I'm also not sure Matt was totally impressed with my weight. Haha! Seriously, I wish I could have taken a picture of how big his eyes got. In reality, I'm pretty sure this is the most I've ever weighed in pregnancy, though by some miracle I can't ever recall my previous pregnancies weight. It has been hard for me to know that, and I feel like I've put weight on my face more then I ever did before either. Even though you're pregnant, you still don't like gaining weight and feel so gross and fat. I foresee struggling more with getting this weight off then any other pregnancy, and I'm not looking forward to that. I'm just old now!

I had my group B Strep swab yesterday, so that meant that she was also able to check me and see if my body is starting to do anything. Not one thing yet, not dilated at all. With Winston I didn't dilate until a week prior to his due date, and it was only to a 1. But we did set an induction 1 week early, as she's out of town for a week just after that, so she's scheduling me for June 25th (I'll be 39 weeks that day). I really don't want to be induced again, it's horrible, but I also want this baby born ASAP so we can get on with summer and whatever that means for Matt having a job and such. I'm still thinking I'll try some natural induction prior to, as the labor is so much easier natural then with pitocin. I want to get out walking again, as I was good for a while, and then it got too rainy again. Since it's rainy this week, I hope to get out Monday and start walking at the boys school while they play at the playground. Thanks for the idea Mom! I want to feel those contractions!

At my appointment, we also talked about my "birth plan" which is really nothing at all, I've never had one, as how can you know what's going to happen. The only thing I ever say, is no episiotomy, but since I never even tear, I really don't have to worry about it. I also just said, that depending on if I go in labor naturally, or with pitocin, I'd like to labor as long as I can without getting my epidural. If I have pitocin, I know it very likely won't be long, so much more intense and painful that way.

I've been feeling pretty great, besides just tired. I'm not really uncomfortable at all, achy here and there occasionally, but I really can't believe I only have a few weeks left. For some reason, last week, I was really retaining water, when I've never retained in any other pregnancy, but this week I've seemed fine. It was annoying to retain water and didn't feel good, so I tried to take it easy the last part of the week, as I was busy and on my feet at the beginning of the week.

So, if I'm being induced on June 25th, that means I only have about 2.5 weeks until I should have a baby. That seems almost way too soon, though I want baby boy here. I have NOTHING done though. I have had all these big plans in my head since last week, but still not one thing accomplished. In fact, I feel like my house is more of a disaster then ever. In my mind I feel like I want to "nest" but have yet to take action. I need to get my bedroom back in order, as it has gotten out of control, then I'd like to clean everything. I also need to catch back up on laundry, which is hard when I have clean clothes that are still sitting baskets too, though folded. Then, I need to get everything ready to have a baby live in this house. I decided I want to put Winston back in with Malcolm and Quinn, so I want to go through all the toys and get rid of a lot, then rearrange a little to add Winston's bed in there too. I was going to keep Winston in his own room and the baby have his own room too, but a few months ago, Matt's parents brought our full size bed back to us, which they've been storing and using for about 5 years, and I just can't seem to figure out how to put the baby in the same room with the full size bed, it's just too squished. So then I need to get all the baby furniture out of the garage and in the babies room and then wash all the baby clothes and put them away. Sheesh, I better get busy. But can I just say, I'm really not excited to pull out all the baby clothes. I think it may be that it's the 4th boy, and they've been used so many times, I'm tired of them, just like I get tired of my own clothes.

I will stop my pregnancy rambling and get on to cleaning now, maybe, hopefully, if the kids will only be good. :)

P.S. I would still love any name suggestions! PLEASE! I'm waiting for something to just scream, "THAT'S IT!"

32 Weeks

I can not believe that it has been 6 weeks since I have posted anything, or even taken a picture of myself. In fact, in my photo folder for April, there are only folders for "food" and "camera", I didn't take one picture of my family, and their was only a few pictures in the other folders as is. So sad. I didn't post about our 3D ultrasound at 29 weeks either.

So here I am at 32 weeks! I"M HUGE! 

I love when I get down to the single digit countdown, so only 8 weeks to go. Maybe only 7 weeks, since my Dr wants to induce me a week early, as she'll be going out of town. But 6 weeks would be really awesome since I'm hoping to start some natural induction stuff just after 38 weeks. :) 

I really do feel bigger this time then any other. Not just my stomach, but also in my face and just my whole body. But I guess that's what I get when I start out weighing more then ever. Blah! :) I've been walking the last 3 weeks or so, which at least makes me feel like I'm combating something, but I've only been able to go about 3x a week due to rain and such, but it's better then nothing. 

This baby boy just feels much bigger then any of the other boys. I feel like he's already filling up every inch of my belly, very high and very low, so I hope he's not going to be too big when he comes out. I love little babies, so they stay little longer. 

I've been feeling pretty good myself, other then feeling tired again, and some days I feel like I could just sleep. I was struggling with pains from my pelvic hernias, which then caused varicose veins down my right leg, especially behind my knee. The pressure and pain would be so bad some days, I didn't feel like I could be on my feet for too long. I started wearing some footless tights to help relieve some of the pressure and it really helped. The last week or more, I haven't even been wearing my tights, and for some reason, my hernias aren't protruding, and my veins haven't been hurting me. Yay! I'm hoping that keeps up, because I felt so hot with so many layers going on, and with summer upon us, less is more!

I've been going to my Dr appt every two weeks for a while now, and I love when it gets to this point. Before I know it, it'll be every week. The end is fast approaching, especially when I think about the boys almost being done with school for the year. I'm anxious to get the nursery set up, yet I don't know how I'm going to do it with a full size bed in there too. So far, I just go in their and "arrange" things in my head. :)

So at 29 weeks, I had a 3D ultrasound. I was so excited since I've never had any with my other kids. Well, baby boy did not cooperate. Apparently he really likes his hands by his face, and he was sleeping the whole time, so he didn't move and change position a lot, unlike the last ultrasound. His head was down with his face pointing toward the left side of my body, all his extremities on the left side as well, and his bum, straight at the top of my stomach. 

I can very much feel those little hands that like to be by his face all the time. They are always moving right to the inside of my hip. One day he must have been pushing them out, because I couldn't even bend over he had them wedge over so far. :) I love it though. I love to feel him always moving and pushing. I miss feeling the baby move so much after I deliver, so I just want to treasure it now. 

We got a good profile picture at the ultrasound, which looks just the same as the 20 weeks. We also got a disc with some of the 3D "videos", but it looks like just a blob with his hands in his face. You can make out his nose and mouth in most of them, and see him opening his mouth and swallowing. Pretty cool, but still hard to make out. 

Our little (big?) peanut at 29 weeks. 

26 Weeks

26 weeks and 1 day! 

I've been terrible and didn't take a picture for two weeks, and I'm just posting the picture I took last weeks, as I never got around to posting. Between being sick, and traveling and being busy, I didn't get pictures taken for 23 and 24 weeks. But oh well I guess. With Winston's pregnancy, once I started taking pictures, I never missed a week and took them right on the same day every week.

Since I didn't post for a few weeks, I didn't post after my last OB appt, and today I just went in for another one. So I should post what my Dr told me after the ultrasound. The baby measured 11 days early in the ultrasound, and according to the ultrasound the due date should be June 21st. My doctor didn't want to move the due date for various reasons, like, babies can have growth spurts like children, and she'd feel more comfortable inducing early knowing my ultrasound said I was earlier. Then she got realizing that she would be out of town on July 2nd and would be leaving prior to that for her sisters wedding. So she said she'd like to induce me on like June 26th, as she's leaving town the next day. So I'm thinking, since I hate being induced and tried doing a natural induction with Winston (which I think worked), maybe I should try the natural induction again around the due date the ultrasound said. :)

Other then that, the baby is pretty active and the boys still love him already and can't wait for him to get here. I've been dealing with this back pain in my tail bone I had with Winston and had physical therapy for, but my insurance doesn't cover physical therapy this time.

My doctor starts seeing her patients every two weeks at 28 weeks, so since I'm already 26 weeks, she wants me to just start coming in every two weeks from now! Wow, that's crazy and I always love when it gets to this point and it feels like its counting down to the end.

I need name suggestions if any are willing to share!

As I took the pictures, the boys were amazed by my remote and had to take turns using it. Then they each started getting in the pictures with me, but beware, Malcolm and Quinn's hair is not styled, they were combed down with water in the morning, but with Quinn you wouldn't know.

Malcolm wanted a picture kissing my belly, but I liked this one better.

Then Malcolm and Quinn.

And finally all the boys with their momma. Winston was showing his muscles and making faces for each picture. I sure do love these boys and can't wait to add one more boy to love!

25 Weeks

25 Weeks and 3 days. :)

I never got around to posting this picture. I didn't even take it until halfway through the week, but I'll post it now for for the fact that it's been a few weeks since I took a pic.

22 Weeks

22 weeks...another week, another belly shot, and not much to report. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, and I always look forward to my OB doctor appointments. If you look closely too, you can see that I just woke up from a nap and have lines on my arm. :)

I keep having big plans to update my blog with other things, besides just my belly, but it never gets done. I guess editing one picture is much easier then a dozen or so. I sometimes miss my obsessive blogging days!