Ready For Baby?!

So, I think I am as ready as can be for this baby. I'm certainly ready to stop gaining weight and get back to running. I have never felt like I've "nested" during the final days of pregnancy because I always like to have things cleaned and organized. But if I did nest, it would have been the last few days. As I was putting Christmas things away, I did find myself cleaning out a few cabinets along the way. My floors, shower, frig, microwave etc. are all clean, laundry is done and I am caught up on my blogging (not my scrapbooking but that will never happen). My sister brought me a birthing gown yesterday as she returned home from Farmington, made by my mother (it is super cute), but other than that, I haven't packed a hospital bag. Of course, there will be plenty of time once labor has begun because I am NOT rushing to the hospital. We don't have a name, but again, plenty of time to discuss that during labor. We haven't decided where we are going to put the baby and what to do with Hannah (she is still in the crib). But I figure we have time since the baby will be in our room for the first little while. Though we don't know the gender, I have boy and girl clothes already that are easy enough to get to. My mom asked if I had gotten everything out and washed it. I said why would I want to do to that. Everything was clean when I put it away, why spend the time washing everything again (my OCD is not nearly as bad as hers). We would really like to have the baby this year! Our insurance deductible is going up next year and Lily had her ACL replaced today, so it would be nice to be able to pay one deductible for the two. I know that would be a huge stress relief for Chuck! In addition he has this week off for vacation and the next week forced time off with no pay, so he's around. So, could we please please please catch a break? It seems like after the many emotional struggles and financial inconveniences over the last several years, we are due!

More Christmas Pics

I can never get the pictures arranged the way I want to when I post, so here are a few more...

H after emptying her stocking...notice how everything is in piles...scary for this age

her new shoes...it makes me a little nervous when she walks around in those shoes and no shirt

Charity, Kwan and the kids (watching Forces of Nature)

Christmas 2009

It was a quiet Christmas around here this year. On Christmas Eve, we went to our annual neighborhood potluck. Then Chuck and the kids watched Mr. Kruegger's Christmas while I made cinnamon rolls, which we ate some of just before bed. Once the kids were in bed, Daddy Santa had to spend 3+ hours assembling H's gift while Mommy Santa went to bed. Both kids actually stayed quiet all night and didn't get up too early. I was worried C would come out while Daddy Santa was assembling, but he did not. (He has gotten back in the habit of coming to get me just about every night.) Santa brought H a kitchen, which I know both kids will enjoy and actually play with, and C got a red tanker truck. C enjoyed opening his gifts but H didn't really care. Both the tanker and the kitchen were big hits and C is also really enjoying a Forces of Nature video my sister gave him. H got a baby doll and some high heel play shoes (which will not be worn out of the house, we've already played that game) which were the big hits for her. We just hung out and played the rest of the day. Charity and Kwan come over for dinner and instead of the traditional Christmas feast, we had lasagna, bread, salad and brownies with ice cream for dessert.

family photo

I think our kids are so gorgeous!

H's new kitchen

I actually got a good picture of C!

C got H a panda bear. And there is a story behind why. He had asked for one, which my mom found and bought while here over Thanksgiving, but he found it in my room, so he got it. Since then, those kids have fought over that panda bear! A couple days after C got his, I took H to get one but she wanted a doggie instead. When C found out that she got a new dog, he had to have something too. He didn't understand I was doing this for him. At first I refused, but after days of whining, I gave in. So, on his Christmas list was a gecko, so we found a gecko and bought it for him. We are all even right? Wrong, H still wanted C's panda. So, that is what she got for Christmas from him. I have not seen them fight over the panda since, but I haven't really seen them play with them either.

watching Forces of Nature (H is at a stage where she likes to have her clothes off. She gets that from her dad).

Pre-Christmas Fun

Lily and Emma had their Christmas choir concert, which we all went to. However, after about an hour of C and H treating me like a jungle gym, I had had enough and took them home. The choir performed two nights, with Lily having a solo one night and Emma the other. Unfortunately for me, Emma's solo was so late in the program, that we had already gone.

I love this picture, but it also makes me very sad. I can't help but think about all the heartache we've (especially Chuck) experienced over the last several years and how much of the girls lives we have not been able to be a part of.

C and H hosted a "cookie and a craft" activity with some of their closest friends. We made reindeer candycanes and decorated sugar cookies (The kids went to town on the sprinkles. I don't think they understand the meaning of the word sprinkle). It was total choas, but a success. I tried to get C to give me a nice smile, but after a couple of attempts, I got this picture and decided it was one I should post because it really captures his personality.

H almost always has a "cheese" smile for me.

We went to see the Temple lights and nativity scenes from around the world with our friends the Herrera's. We had some good rain that day, so it felt a little more like Christmas than usual.

We went to see Santa (per C's request) at Bass Pro Shop, where the photos were free.

Hannah would only get close enough to get the candy cane.

C did tell Santa from a distance exactly what he wanted (a red tanker truck with outriggers) and was finally convinced to stand in front of him for a picture.

Charity and Kwan took the kids to see a display of gingerbread houses, giving Chuck and I an opportunity to go out to lunch.

We took a trip to the zoo with one of Chuck's last vacation days. The kids enjoy going to the zoo, but as they have gotten older and more independent, it has been hard for me to do on my own.

Although H can go down the slide by herself, she still hesitates, so C sometimes takes her. It is too cute!

Emma turns 16!

Yes, I know it is hard to believe. Emma turned 16 on the 19th of this month. She and Lily were able to come over for dinner to celebrate. She requested breakfast for dinner and mint chocolate ice cream pie. She had asked for and was given a pair of green converse sneakers. (I had the same ones when I was in high school. I wonder how much they cost then compared to now.) Happy 16th Birthday Emma.

A Glorious Weekend!

A glorious weekend for me is being without my kids. I glorious weekend for Chuck is being in the woods with the kids. And they seem to like it too. So last weekend Chuck took C and H camping. They left Fri. afternoon and come home late Sun. afternoon. Of course, I worry about them the whole time, but Chuck said it was a perfect trip. It wasn't too cold and the kids got along well. I spent the weekend getting ready for Christmas, cleaning the house, running errands, getting a pedicure, going out to lunch with a friend, etc. I even got a little bit of scrapbooking done. That will be the last weekend I'll have to myself for a while.

Does this baby make me look fat?

Directly the answer is no, it's the fat that makes me look fat. But indirectly the answer is yes, since it's because of the baby I'm getting so fat. I've gotten so fat/heavy in fact, I've had to give up running. Last week, I ran a mile and just couldn't handle the shin pain. The frustrating part is that I feel fine after a couple miles, but it's torture to get there. But I have to admit, my back doesn't feel quite out of whack and my butt pain is a little better, but not much, since I've stopped running. I'm walking instead of running and still teaching all my classes, as well as practicing yoga and lifting weights. I have been experiencing some heart burn, but other than that, I can't complain. I'm feeling pretty good. BUT I can complain about all the comments. In the last couple weeks, I've been told, "It looks like you're not going to make it." and "You look like you're about ready." What do those comments mean anyway?! And of course, the oh so popular, "It looks like you're about to pop.", "You're getting too big." and "It looks like you have twins in there." I'm getting to the point where I'm about to become a recluse or hit someone. Anway...the baby is very active and allowed me to not put on any weight since my last appointment! I'm 36+ weeks, so it's probably time to start the guessing game, birth date, weight and gender. Send me your guesses. You might win a prize. Just a little FYI to help in your guessing, my due date is the first week of January. I don't believe in scheduling inductions or c-sections. C was 8 days past his due/guess date and was 7lb 7oz. H was 11 days past her guess date and was 8lb 13 oz. I have felt virtually the same with all pregnancies and have put on the same amount of weight. Oh, and we are open to suggestions for names also. Serious ones though! We have many girl names but not many boy names and we'd like the boy names to start with C.

Hannah Grace

Here are some cute pictures of my beautiful Hannah Grace

Here she had put all her jewelry on and was way too cute!

She loves to play the shape builder game on my Ipod.

I always put C to bed first and he keeps his light on for a while to "read". So now H wants to keep her light on. This night she insisted on taking a memory card game to bed. After being in bed for a while, I went to check on her and she had placed all the cards on her pillow and was putting them back in the box. After a while, she did fall asleep with the light on. Notice the box of cards in her left hand.

It's a little hard to tell, but here, H had put a baby in her PJ's just like Mommy.

I came in from my morning work out and there was H sitting on the couch waiting for me in the dark. C would have been there too, but he wasn't up yet.