Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday... I love this picture of Tracey and Caroline taken in the morning sometime last school year.  They look so sweet.

 

Preggers V: 25 Weeks

25 weeks, Baby Number 5

back home in good 'ole Rifle, CO

and one more because Tracey wanted to take a picture of me looking sassy or stylish or something...

 

 

25 Weeks with Tracey 

25 Weeks with the twins!

No documentation of 25 weeks with Addallee, but here's 21 weeks.

How far along?  25 weeks, 4 days

How I am feeling? So much better and back in the swing of things.  Also very motivated to tackle back-to-school projects.  Hubby called me his "little nester" yesterday but I'm not sure if its nesting or just back-to-school motivation.  Either way, I'm rearranging rooms and cleaning out toys and clothes like there is no tomorrow.

How big is the baby?  The size of a head of cauliflower... 13.5 inches long, 1.46 pounds

Sleep: Sleep is amazing.  I love sleep.  I also love our own bed.

Boy/Girl Predictions:  No predictions, but I did show Tracey a big package of boy baby clothes that used to be Howard's and when she saw the cute little blue, green, and camo clothes, she suddenly said she hoped it was a boy so we could use all these clothes.

Baby Nicknames: Baby.

 

  Best moment this week:  This has been a great week, but the best moment pregnancy-wise was probably last week when I had my first prenatal chiropractic appointment and then had an ultrasound a few hours later.  At my 20 week ultrasound, they couldn't see all the views of the baby's heart that they wanted to to make sure the heart was developing properly.  This time, they had no trouble at all and saw everything they needed to see.  The word "perfect" was used more than once in describing the heart, which was such wonderful news.  Praise God!

They gave me an ultrasound picture where the baby is looking right at the ultrasound.  You can see the little eye and cheek and mouth... just a sweet little baby face looking right at you.

Food cravings: I am loving avocados at the moment.

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:  Nothing that I can think of.  This has been a great week.

 

General Attitude: Loving the motivation to do projects and just enjoying the precious last few days of summer before my kiddos are back in school.

 What I am looking forward to this week:  The projects I want to have done... but other than that I'm not sure.  We've had some friends over this week, which has been nice, and I've started back to work a little.

Milestones: Perhaps the "nesting" milestone.

 

Final Days

We're in the final days of summer around here, and as crazy as our crew is, I am cherishing these last days where my wonderful four are doing everything together.  Things will be different when Tracey goes to kindergarten... in thirteen days.

 

Sisters

I'm not entirely sure that my girls look alike... but I definitely dress them in similar styles at the same ages.  We love hand-me-downs and I do the same hairstyles.

 

World Breastfeeding Week

Every August I realize through Facebook and Instagram that apparently World Breastfeeding Week is going on.

 Photo by Simply Blessings Photography

 

I was able to breastfeed all of my children until near or beyond their first birthdays, and it was great.

That being said, I've never really felt the need for World Breastfeeding Week.  I scored one free photo shoot last year with Lee Lee and myself because I was a breastfeeding mother (not the one pictured) but other than that, the week is just like any other.

That being said, many women take the chance this week to share their success with breastfeeding.  They share their pride with sticking with it and breastfeeding for some length of time.  They share their struggles but determination to do what was best for their baby and how amazing the triumph feels.  Then, in the next sentence they add a disclaimer that any way you feed your baby is okay as long as you baby is fed.

You know, during Black History Month, I don't spend the month stating how great the Whites in History are.  I have no problem with acknowledging those who are Black and have done great things in history without needing to pacify other races during that month.

When friends of mine cross the finish line for a triathlon, or marathon, they write on social media about how hard the training was and how much support they received from their family and how amazing the victory feels.  They don't they say, "But if you play tennis, you're still a good athlete," or "Don't feel bad if you can't run a marathon, as long as you're healthy you should feel good too."  No.  These athletes have worked incredibly hard for something, and they are taking a minute to acknowledge their hard work and dedication on a day of victory.

Breastfeeding should be no different.  If there's going to be a World Breastfeeding Week, then women would be allowed to take a minute to acknowledge the hard work and dedication and pain and determination to stick with breastfeeding.  They should be allowed to thank the people who supported them and helped make this possible.  They should be allowed to celebrate the victory without pacifying anyone else.

Well done, Breastfeeding Mamas!  Keep up the great work.

 Photo by Simply Blessings Photography

 

1000 Words

1000 Words

 

Michigan to Colorado Part 2

On the third morning of our trip from Michigan to Colorado, we took the kids to Mount Rushmore.

 

After that, we had our last night in a hotel just outside of Denver, at a hotel with a water slide!  The kids loved it!  It wasn't Great Wolf Lodge or anything... just a great water slide in a hotel that we got to enjoy as a family.

On the last morning of our trip home, we took the kids to breakfast and then we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park.  We came upon a heard of elk lounging in the sun right next to the road, which was fun.

 

There are elk behind us in these next two pictures

We arrived home late Sunday night with terrific memories of an amazing summer.