Catching Up

Okay, so I know I was supposed to be better about posting, but I guess...I lied. Sorry. Anyway, things are going well. The baby is doing fine, I am sore. I swear, I feel like if I bend over...well, you get the idea. The doctor says the baby has dropped lower but still has room to flip around. He also said I do not have to come back for 2 weeks. I have also made the decision that the girls will be at the hospital for the delivery (in the waiting room) and get to see the baby right after he is born, but they will then come home to stay with my mom. I had no idea how much this "problem" was bothering me until I solved it. Alyssa was insisting that everyone stay at the hospital for the entire duration and for some reason it did not occur to me to tell her no. She stayed with us when Gwen was born and she did very well. But Gwen has a different personality and I think Gwen will do much better at home. Having their own beds to sleep in and some sort of a normal schedule should help with any potential freak outs. Although Alyssa is not so happy with the staying at home part, she is very excited about staying with my mother. The kids have never spent the night away from me. Yes, Alyssa is six, NO she has NEVER spent the night away from me. She has tried to spend the night at her Granny and Poppa's (next door) and was home by 9pm. Although some people see this as unusual, I am very comfortable with having kids who can't sleep without me in the same house. I'm not sure how I would feel sleeping without them. This birth will be a new adventure for all of us!!

My aunts threw me a baby shower last weekend and it was very nice. I got so much stuff and we had a great time. The girls at work gave me a shower too and I got more stuff. All the new things helped me to get motivated to clean out the baby's room and it looks almost like a baby room now. There are still some piles of donation and "where does this go?" stuff, but the changing table is out, the bed is made and you can see the dresser. Technically, if I had the baby tomorrow (if only), he would have somewhere to sleep and get a diaper change...and he would have clean clothes!! I'm not sure he would ask for more!

The girls have been somewhat trapped in the house because of rain, but we needed it so badly it was worth it. Gwen has discovered computer games and she is addicted. She loves her Jumpstart Toddler and we just bought her a Dora the Explorer game. Alyssa was already a game nut so any excuse to play more and she is down with it. The other day I bought her The Learning Company's Arthur's First Grade Learning System and she loves it! I am actually impressed with how well she has done. I thought it might offer some difficult math or phonics that she would get frustrated with, but she is blazing through with flying colors. We have been reading her Magic Tree House selections from the library and she is loving those, of course. I really can't say enough about the benefits of reading aloud to kids. I have seen her comprehension level improve and her vocabulary. She could listen to me read aloud all day and Gwen will listen to a story anytime you offer. Gwen enjoys read aloud time also.

We still have Black, the puppy. He has not proved to be the "chewer" Casey was, but he does chew. A couple weeks ago we noticed he was not anywhere on the property so we thought he must have wandered down the road. We started looking and we ended up pretty far from the house in a small neighborhood down the road. He was running with a pack of loose dogs and was fully aware that he was lost. He whined the whole run to me and then sat very still in Gwen's lap on the way home. He has not left the property again. I think he was thoroughly freaked out when we found him. I think he will become a good dog. Max has become less hostile towards him and I am hoping that means he will "mentor" him. Max is a fabulous guard dog and a great dog, in general.

Well, I guess that concludes my update. I'm sure there are many other things I can't think of right now, but I think we are lucky I got this done! Everyone have a great weekend~

Light at the end of the tunnel...

Ahhh...yesterday was the last day of gymnastics for 3 weeks! We have been way overscheduled the past few weeks and it was killing me. This week has been very crazy with 2 days of gymnastics, doctor's appointment and co-op. I can not wait until Gwen can take a gymnastics class that is at the same time as Alyssa's class! But...that means 3 years old AND potty trained...HA, Gwen is making it very clear that she does not have time to stop and GO to the potty, when she can just GO potty!! Anyway, we have co-op today and tomorrow is unscheduled (shhh...don't say it too loud!).

We went to the library yesterday and Alyssa found the Magic Tree House book section. Ultimately, we checked out 4 of them and she is thrilled to report that there are A LOT more!! She loves this series of books and I have decided to put off Treasure Island, our next read aloud, to allow her some Magic Tree House time. We have decided to keep watching birds as an ongoing Science project because we find it so interesting. I am considering keeping a type of chart on what types of birds we are seeing as the seasons change. I am trying to work out a chart that would remain fun and not become a "task", if at any time Alyssa sees something as a task, you can mark it off your list of things she would want to do! I think she could be the poster child for schooling at home. Gwen, on the other hand, notices EVERY school we pass and begs to go there. Alyssa keeps trying to convince her that she does not want to go there but the big slides and lots of kids keep Gwen from even hearing Alyssa's voice.

The doctor's appointment went well and the baby and I are doing fine. I go back on the 21st and then the appointments are weekly. It is hard for me to believe that it is almost time, don't get me wrong, I am ready for delivery, but my house is not so ready. The baby's room is still quite the storage closet and everytime I think I am going to GET IT DONE, I don't. No real excuse, just not motivated. Surely, I will become that way...soon. Lucky for me the baby won't care if his room is a bit cluttered with other people's extras!

Monday begins the Spring Break period for public schools here so there will be no co-op...the ENTIRE week is unplanned!!! No appointments, no classes, NOTHING! We probably won't even know how to get back into the daily school schedule. The next week is when weekly doctor's appointments begin and co-op resumes. I am looking forward to being home more, maybe that will motivate me to get things ready, and STAY on a school schedule.

Everyone have a great day!