Family

Well Hubby officially starts work today at his new job... an hour away from our home.

I saw this picture the other day and I found it very convicting and applicable to where I am standing looking at this upcoming year.

Hubby and I have already made the decision that I won't be teaching at our local college this fall, but we are making the hard decision for me to step back from my leadership role at church.  This is particularly difficult because I don't know who is going to step in to the role but both Hubby and I know that my family needs more from me this fall.

 

 

Preggers V: 24 Weeks

24 weeks, Baby Number 5

in Badlands National Park, South Dakota

24 Weeks with Tracey 

24 Weeks with the twins- first update in our own home!

No documentation of 24 weeks with Addallee, but here's 21 weeks.

How far along?  24 weeks, 2 days

How I am feeling? Well, still sick, unfortunately.  I have this lingering cough and it is just doing a number on me.  I'm not sure how much the pregnancy is impacting my recovery, but I feel worse now than I did last week -- although that could be because last week I was in Michigan, with my parents' help and now I'm back in Colorado with less help.

How big is the baby?  The size of an ear of corn or as big as a cantaloupe... 11.8 inches long, 1 1/4 pounds

Sleep: Sleep is amazing.  I love sleep.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  Yes, I predict the baby is a boy or a girl.  Although, I don't think I mentioned in my last post that when we were in Michigan, I had a very vivid dream that the baby was a girl, but now one would tell me she was a girl.  The nurses went ahead and dressed her in pink with frills and put her hair in pigtails.  So I'm looking at this frilly, very girly baby, and I look at Hubby (in my dream), and I say, "Just tell me," to which Hubby replied (in my dream), "I just can't say it."

That was a funny dream.

Baby Nicknames: Baby.

 

  Best moment this week:  The four day road trip cross country with our little crew.  We had so much fun trekking from Michigan, across Lake Michigan, through Wisconsin and Minnesota and exploring some fun national parks, monuments and tourist traps in South Dakota and Colorado on our way home.  This really was a wonderful summer.

Food cravings:  Yes.  I crave food.

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  The twins are still trying to feel them, but I'm noticing them more and more throughout the day, not just at night.

Labor Signs:  Not yet, thankfully.

 

Missing:  Lungs that don't cough.  Coughing fits are awful and even worse when pregnant.

 

General Attitude: Trying to focus on getting better because I'm definitely operating at half speed or less... which is hard for my family.  Things really run most smoothly when I am top of my game.  So trying to do what I can this week to keep our trains moving while prioritizing rest and health.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  The Garfield County Fair is going on this week, which our children always enjoy, and I'm just trying to savor these final weeks before the kids are back in school and I'm back to work full time.  I have projects I want to get done, and I want to enjoy the time with the kids while its still summer.

Milestones: I've officially reached the stage where I have to ask people to slow down a little bit when we're walking together.  Usually I set a very brisk pace... but now I can tell I'm slowing down because I feel like other people are rushing ahead.

 

1000 Words

1000 Words

 

Learning

Learning from the best...

Legos!

While in Michigan, Grammie and I took the kids to a Lego exhibit at the local museum.  Here are just a few pictures...

 

Cutie Pie

What a cutie pie!

In humidity, this little girl's hair has the most adorable natural curls.

 

Headbands...

I slept late a few days ago and awoke to find that my wonderful mother had started breakfast for my girls.  My mom knows that I always pull the girls hair back before breakfast so that food does not get in their hair.

So my mom grabbed three of her own clothe headbands and there were three headband girls at the breakfast table.

 

Chicago

Last weekend, we spent Saturday in Chicago and took our kiddos to the Shedd Aquarium.

Here are some pictures from our day there.

 

Preggers V: 22 & 23 Weeks

I've been feelin guilty for being a week behind with my pregnancy posts... but in looking back for comparison pictures from Tracey, the Twins, and Lee Lee -- turns out around 22 weeks is when I seem to consistently have a hard time posting my pregnancy update.  With the twins, I skipped 23 weeks, and with Lee Lee I skipped from 21 weeks to 31 weeks.  Wow, Major Fail!

23 weeks, 2 days Baby Number 5

here is a picture from 23 Weeks from the Chicago Aquiarium

and 22 Weeks in Michigan

 

23 Weeks with Tracey 

22 Weeks with the Tracey

22 Weeks with the twins

No documentation of 22 or 23 weeks with Addallee, but here's 21 weeks.

How far along?  23 weeks, 2 days

How I am feeling? Better than I was last week.  I came down with a cold right as we arrived in Michigan and that was no fun last week.  Especially hard was trying to stay away from medicine.  Branson was a lot of fun, but I could tell the constant swimming was a workout -- I usually felt like jello by the end of the day.  A few aches and pains... usually in my lower back by the end of the day but nothing major.

 

How big is the baby?  The size of a grapefruit... 11.3 inches long, 1.10 pounds

 

Sleep:  I'm sleeping well despite not being home in my own bed.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  I'm not making any claims but it very fun to hear our family discuss the likelihood of boy or girl predictions.

Baby Nicknames: Tracey mentioned the other day that we should name the baby "Violet" if its a girl.  Just yesterday, my mom mentioned something about their friend, "Buzz" and Howard immediately responded to that name -- that he knows a "Buzz" -- meaning "Buzz Lightyear" from ToyStory 4.  So now we're starting to talk about a nickname of "Buzz" for the baby if it's a boy.  That would be pretty awesome, in my opinion.  First, Middle and Last name... but nicknamed "Buzz" straight out of the womb.

 

  Best moment this week:  Branson was great -- some really great times with family, but my favorites probably involved the resort water slide and swimming with my kiddos off the boat.  Its always great watching the kids with their cousins.  Best moments in Michigan have been swimming, or maybe going to the zoo.

Food cravings:  Protein!  I get really hungry for protein.

 

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  Tracey finally felt the kicks for herself, but Howard and Caroline have not yet -- they've tried but either the baby stops moving, or they can't feel the movements that are happening.

Labor Signs:  Not yet, thankfully.

Missing:  Addallee keeps climbing out of her cribs... so I'm missing easier bedtimes.

 

General Attitude: Enjoying time away from Colorado, with family and staying off of email and facebook as much as possible.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  Last week in Michigan and a great trip home through several National Parks.

Milestones: Tracey feeling the baby move was a cool milestone.

Old Age Face App

I've seen so many people posting the "old faces" of themselves through an app showing how they might, potentially, hypothetically look in another 50-60 years.  My guess it the software probably works something like the hypothetical children two people can generate.

Some people say how they are horrified by the future, some people can't wait to grow old together, and some people are thrilled with their future crown of silver hair.

Myself, I lost family members very young.  

My sister died at 39.  Her husband died at 44.  They never had any children.

 My maternal grandmother died at 37.  She left behind four children.

Both scenarios are tragic.

Growing old is a privilege not extended to all.

I am happy to wait and pray that I actually am privileged enough to grow old in order to see my own face and body in 50-60 years.  No app necessary.

In the meantime... this is funny.  

 

Girl, Girl, Boy...

Girl

Girl

Boy

 

Reality

I bought the kids new pajamas yesterday from Once Upon a Child and I surprised them with them last night before bedtime.

After they chose which pair they wanted to wear to bed and got dressed, I asked them to stand at the foot of the bed so I could get a picture of them in the new pjs.

The idea was that they would stand still and maybe say, "Cheese" or "Yay!"

Then, the reality of all four of them dancing around in their new pajamas each singing the different song affiliated with each of their respective pajama characters was so funny, I just settled for some pictures of reality... four overjoyed children way too excited about their new pajamas to stand still.

 

Sights of Pure Michigan

We've been in Michigan since Sunday night, but I've been fighting a cold/cough, and our Sweet Caroline got her first ever ear infection requiring a trip to the local Pediatrician's office and ear drops and antibiotics... so we're not off to the best start, but still having fun.

Here are just a few pictures from our first few days here.