Preggers VI: 24 Weeks

24 Weeks with Baby Number 6

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.

24 Weeks with Hunter

How far along?  24 weeks, 3 days

How I am feeling? 

I'm feeling well.  Everyone is healthy at the moment (Praise God!) and we had a great week following Tracey's birthday.  I have done some cleaning and tidying (and purging of toys) both on the main floor and our basement, and the house is starting to feel more tidy and organized than it has been since the Christmas tree arrived.  Oddly, as I'm organizing things, I am starting to think about getting ready for the baby... which feels early... but it also feels like it is something easy to get done because then its done -- better early than late!

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 most of the time... nights do not feel long enough.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  Yes, I predict the baby is a boy or a girl.  I really have no idea which this baby is, and I don't have a hope either -- I will be so happy with a son or a daughter... and I will have little twangs of sadness over it not being the opposite because either one would be so perfect for our family.  Thankfully, this is entirely in the Lord's hands and He knows exactly what sibling will complete our family.

Baby Nicknames: Baby.

 

  Best moment this week:  Caroline felt the baby move, and then suddenly I had three other children with hands on my belly hoping to feel the baby move.  That was pretty cool.  Hubby snapped a picture.

Food cravings:  Yes.  I crave food.

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  Addallee has felt them although I think she thought it was a little weird, and Caroline has felt them.

Labor Signs:  Not yet, thankfully.

 

Missing:  Nothing at the moment.

 

General Attitude:  I've really been treasuring doing things as a family.  We try to go swimming as a family once a week, and the kids and I cleaned the basement this week, and then I let them have a special project as a reward for their hard work cleaning the basement.  Hubby and I have been working as a team, and life just feels like a true blessing right now as I draw closer to the start of my third trimester.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  Well... something is coming down the pike, but I'm not going to say what it is.  Stay tuned for an announcement though.

Milestones: The baby being 24 weeks is a milestone, because this is when a baby is considered viable -- although one would never want to deliver a baby this early, babies can survive when born this early.  Its just another milestone crossed off the list, and hopefully, and prayerfully the baby will stay put for another 15 or so weeks.

 

Not The Boss

 Our little Lee Lee is age three and one her way to three-and-a-half.  Because of that, she frequently tests the limits, boundaries, and rules of our home and our parenting.

Because she is our fourth child of five... truthfully, I am guilty of not always having the follow-through with her that I had with her older siblings... so last week I made a point to work on that.

I reminder her that Mama is the boss, Mama and Daddy are in charge, and when we ask her to do something, we only say it once and she is expected to obey -- otherwise there is a consequence for disobeying what Mama and Daddy ask.

She did well with my buckling down, and after a few trials where she wanted to know if I really meant it this time, she quickly became our sweet, relatively obedient little girl again.

One night, between dinner and dessert, she was given two choices of what she could do, and she wanted to to do her own thing.  After a little back and forth, she and I went up to get in pajamas, and she was having some really big emotions.

She didn't throw a tantrum... but she was crying, and then she just took a deep breath and said, "Mama.  It is so hard not to be the boss."

I was so proud of her ability to put that frustrating into words... it is so hard not to be the boss when you are a little one.

She went on to explain to me that she's just not big enough yet and so she's not the boss, but it is so hard to wait to be big to be the boss.

I love that little girls so much!

Barre Workouts

 I have been doing a really great low-impact workout the past two weeks called Barre Blend -- it is a lot of dance and ballet and work at a bar (but French is Barre - because it is based on ballet).

I am NOT a dancer... but WOW, these workouts are hard.

As my barre, I've been using a step ladder... Hunter LOVES when he is awake during my workouts because he uses that time to practice his climbing -- three steps up and three steps down for 30 minutes.

I even caught on our camera when I was doing leg lifts and he was doing leg lifts at the same time.

1000 Words

 1000 Words

Tracey's Birthday

 On Tracey's 7th Birthday, she requested that we go to church that morning, go to brunch after church, open presents, and have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and birthday pie instead of cake.

And that's just what we did.

Preggers VI: 23 Weeks

I'm currently 23 Weeks with Baby Number 6, and I feel like the pregnancy is flying by... but I also feel like I'm still a long way from the finish line.

23 Weeks with Baby Number 6

 

23 Weeks with Tracey 

22 Weeks with the twins

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

23 weeks with Hunter

How far along?  23 weeks, 5 days

How I am feeling? Well... a little tired.  We had Tracey's birthday and birthday party this weekend and it was tiring.  Thankfully, it was a wonderful birthday celebration for her -- and the laundry will wait, but I'm just feeling a little tired after the exciting weekend.

 

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

 

Sleep:  Not as well as past weeks... I'm not sure why, just not sleeping as soundly as I have been.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  I am very excited for either a baby boy or baby girl to join our family.

Baby Nicknames:  All of the children call the baby, "Baby" and talk to him/her on a very regular basis

 

  Best moment this week:  Tracey's birthday and birthday party.  It was really fun hosting an outdoor ranch party and horse trolley ride for her and some of her friends from school.  Definitely best part of the week.

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

 

Movements:  Yes, and I love them.  They're getting stronger so hopefully the kiddos will be able to feel them soon.

Labor Signs:  Not yet, thankfully.

Missing:  My back itches a lot in this pregnancy.  Thankfully, Hubby is there to scratch my back... but I miss my back not being so itchy.

 

General Attitude: Chugging along... gratefully the kids are healthier, and back in school, and trying to keep my nose to the grindstone while keeping the house somewhat in order.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  Getting some piles of laundry put away.  I know, my life is glamorous!

Milestones: I now have a 7 year old!  That's a big milestone!

Tracey's Birthday Party

 Tracey turned seven on Sunday, and we had a small birthday party for her on Saturday with some school friends.

We invited eight friends for some outdoor ranch fun and a horse-drawn trolley ride.  Six friends came, plus one of Howard and Caroline's friends, plus Lee Lee (Hunter stayed home) and it was really a nice-sized party.

We woke up to a few inches of snow on the ground (after no snowfall since New Years) and it snowed off and on all morning... and off and on throughout the party.  It was so much fun and the snow just made it more memorable for the kids.  We told them that they were tough Colorado kids and they huddled under blankets and winter hoods.

It really was a great time.

Happy 7th Birthday Tracey Ann!

 Our first-born child, our beautiful, imaginative, creative, executive Tracey Ann is seven years old today!

This little girl is such a leader to her herd of younger siblings.  She lives to make the rules, star in the show, direct the play, and manage the others.  Thankfully, her younger siblings pretty much think the sun rises and sets on Tracey, so it all works itself out most of the time.

Tracey loves Bible stories and has such a heart for learning about Jesus.

Tracey loves art, animals, and babies.  She loves school, swimming, music, and friends.

Tracey has a style all her own.  She loves accessories, nail polish, makeup, hair bows, and "hair chalk".  When she accentuates an outfit, she is not trying to look like a princess -- she is trying to look like a rock star.

Any time she gets her hands on my phone, I can be sure that 10-15 Tracey selfies with pouty lips or stylish eyes will be waiting for me on my camera roll.

Tracey has such a special relationship with each of her siblings -- she and Howard are incredibly alike.  Howard is her competitor and the two alternate between loving the same games and playing really well together and bickering like crazy or Howard doing anything to pester Tracey.

Tracey and Caroline have their moments of playing for intricate games of house or restaurant or joining forces against Howard, and times of peacefully seeking their own interests and giving each other space.

Tracey and Lee Lee have a very distinct big sister/little sister relationship.  Tracey plays gentler with Addallee than she does with Caroline and Howard and she looks out for Lee Lee in a very loving and protective way.

And finally Tracey adores Hunter.  She loves that he is her baby brother.  She takes great pride in helping with him in a way that her other siblings cannot because they are not old enough yet.  She loves to make him smile and laugh and is very proud when she can make him happy.

With one more baby on the way, I am very glad that Tracey has set such an example as the oldest in our family, that we love younger siblings.  Never once in her life has she even hinted at resenting or disliking being a part of such a large family.  She has even been known to look at my out of the blue and thank me for all her brothers and sisters.

Happy Happy Birthday, Tracey Ann!  I love you like crazy and I can't wait to see what God has in store for you at age 7!

Fire Pit

 Hubby bought our family a new fire pit for Christmas... in fact, it was pretty funny because it was hidden in our trailer because it was a surprise to me too.  Hubby opened up the trailer and unloaded it... and loaded up our old fire place/pit.  It caused QUITE a racket.

I immediately thought that I hoped Hubby didn't wake up the kids... the neighbors immediately texted me and asked if we were okay -- they were afraid someone was breaking into our house.  LOL.

I texted back that it must be Santa -- "out on the lawn there arose such a clatter".

All that to say, a few nights ago, we tried the fire pit for the first time.  It works... sort of.  We never needed lighter fluid with the old fire place.  Hopefully the problem was the wood and next time the fire will take off a little better.

Hubby and Howard went out to light the fire, and then came back inside for a few minutes.  Then five or so minutes later, Hubby asked Howard how the fire was doing, and Howard looked out the window and said, "Its gone!"

Half a bottle of lighter fluid, and some very impressed children later, the kids were able to roast marshmallows.

For your info -- we highly recommend the marshmallows with a Hershey's kiss inside.  All the taste of a s'more with MUCH less mess!!!

Little Boy

 Don't let his short legs and his wobbly walk fool you... this little boy really is well into toddler antics.  He has let me know this week in no uncertain terms that he is no longer a baby but a full blow little boy who wants to get into everything.

A few days ago, I was sorting laundry in the basement when Howard called me upstairs.  I told him I was sorting laundry and I would be up in a few minutes and he calmly, but emphatically suggested I come upstairs now.

I went upstairs to find Hunter standing on the top step of a three-step step ladder.  The step ladder was in the kitchen, and the kitchen gate was closed when I went down to the basement... but at some point of the few minutes I was downstairs, the gate was left open and Hunter was thrilled to show off his climbing skills.

The next day, as I was getting the twins ready for school, I found him determined to load nerf darts in Howard's nerf gun.  Just last week, he was eating the nerf darts, but now he knows exactly where they belong and apparently he is determined to give his big brother strong competition in a fun nerf war.