Legos

I guess I didn't know the power of the Lego! Gator got Legos for Christmas and he has played hours and hours of Legos... They are actually kind of relaxing and fun for this mommy because they are like a 3D puzzle. So fun!!!

Snuggle

Isn't she so sweet while she snoozes? She hopped in bed with me this morning and we snuggled a little late:)

Aaaaannnnnndddd. I am still pregnant

I went to the Doc today... we are dialated to maybe a 1 and 50%. I had a nonstress test and the strep test. Everything is looking good and baby is head down and looking healthy. I could stand to not be pregnant anymore.. I also want a healthy baby and delivery so I will be patient. However, if one more person asks me if there is more than one baby in here or am I measuring big, I may just have a melt down on them. I may also tell them the advice that is still very good.
The three things you can always tell a pregnant gal....
1. You look great!
2. Can I get ya chair?
3. Would you care for a cookie?
 I can garantee that most pregnant gals will like you a lot... Even if you say these three things EVERY time you see them....

On a funny note, Gator had a friend over yesterday and took one look at my giant belly and said.
"Hey, I know you are gonna lay a baby, I can tell cause your belly is roundy like it"

Yesterday we went to see the lights at Thanksgiving Point with Grandma and Grandpa C, Aunt Preslee and Averee, Uncle Marcus and Aunt Lisa, Arlington and Wells.... Then to dinner at JCW's I love their onion rings.... Things like that really set the Christmas mood.

Daddy has been trying really hard to finish up Gators big boy room down stairs... I am still going to post a few pictures when I finally can think about it....

The potty train left the station for a while last week... AAAAAhhhhh! After the car accident situation...(oh I posted that on FB, I will post the story here sometime) anyway, I wasn't in the car to hear that she needed to use the potty and she had a huge accident that resulted in a whole week of accidents.... Then this week she has been a whole bunch better. I found out she watched one of us blow out a match... Who knew... Now before I get nasty comments about how dangerous this can be... I know alright! I took the matches out of the bathroom and I am the only one who strikes them. She gets to blow one out if she goes potty. I am going to parenting (bad place) but..... If it works?????? Now she is back on track... Okay I can do this.
I knew it couldn't be as easy as it started out.... It's been two days accident free.... Love it!

 

VIP

Ry was the VIP in school. For a week the kids get to display a poster of pictures. Then on Friday the family gets to come and tell the whole second grade how great our kid is... Ry had prepped daddy and I on all the stories she wanted told. She also wanted me to bring the tortoise. Well, we ended up telling a completely different story... Daddy came up with a great one that all the kids loved and laughed at. 

Ry gets to read the back of her poster. This explains all about her.
 

Then I told the story. When Ry was little she couldn't pronounce her SP sounds... So sometimes her words sounded cute and funny. If she saw something scary she would say it looked FOOKY and if she saw something pretty it was so Farkely.... The kids LOVED when I finally told them that our favorite thing to hear her say was Funge-bob Fuare pants....
All the kids laughed and laughed.
 

Dad was the photographer, Grandma also came to support our little VIP and help with Gator and Munch. 

Lips

Sometimes I forget to record everyday things because I am so used to experiencing them. Then the phase or moment passes and I find I miss these silly little moments. Every morning after the older kids leave for school Munchie and I jump into a shower and work on getting dressed and ready for the day. While I am doing something about my face, Munch puts on her lips. This is a slow and methodical process for her. This is her own tube of bright red lipstick. It has to be bright enough to be visible now. She was once content with chap stick but now we need a pop of color.
 

 She sits on top of the counter close enough to see the details of the process in the mirror. 

She also adjusts her head to make sure that she is getting max coverage. 

Sometimes she gets a little mess. I have to grab her a tissue. At this point I am nearly finished with things myself.
 

Finally checks are in order.
 

A little dab more, just for good measure!
 

And perfection! I usually have to fight off her insistence that she do my lips as well. I prefer more neutral colors and so usually decline her offer.
 

Christmas shopping with mini Divas!!!!

Remind me to never take Munchie to the mall... She loves all the shops with hats, purses, and anything that sparkles.... It took me ten minutes to release her death grip on a Hello Kitty purse at Claire's. My girls are totally into that kind of stuff. I always wanted girls that tended to be a little more tomboy-ish. Well, they know how to get dirty, they just really love themselves some bling and pink too!

What happens when I let Gator play????

Hey takes about fifty photos of himself. Or just random shots of nothing.

Lets create some memories

Every year I have the kids add to the ornaments on the Christmas tree. They each have a little stash of ornaments that they have chosen and collected over the years. It is not Festival of trees standard. It is more Charlie Brown standard. I love it and one day each child will be able to take their ornaments to their homes and families. Some of the ornaments on our tree are home made. When daddy and I were too poor to buy fancy things. A few represent our honey moon spot, the place where daddy served his mission and some that came from various trips together. It is a modge podge of memories. This year we decided to make our ornaments rather than pick one at the store. I didn't know it was going to be such a hit with this crowd.  

Munchie was thrilled to get her hands on the salt dough. Being who she is she tried the nasty stuff. YUCK! 

Gator was very good at getting it thin.
 

This is something right up this creative girls alley!
 

once dry we would be able to paint... It took forever to let them dry. I even baked them for four hours and they still weren't all the way dry.
 

When painting was finally under way, each kids kept saying they loved painting. 

clearly a win for the year!
 

The potty training diaries

So I decided on Monday that we would begin the potty training of Munchie... Which, like I have said before is all selfish and not wonderful of me at all...I have a really hard time letting 2 be in diapers at the same time. I also believe that it is more potty training of the parents than it is the child. I read lots of books, asked for tons of advice and read all about tips and tricks on Pintrest... I know that my kids are all or nothing kids and so I had to commit to it. Monday started out a little rocky. Munch had 3 accidents, one wasn't really fair because she went outside and I got side tracked preparing dinner. I couldn't see her to ask if she needed to use the restroom. Tuesday she didn't have any accidents... She also wouldn't let herself have a BM.... Wednesday she had one accident and we followed the run back and forth from the accident sight to the toilet all the while saying... Poopy belongs in the potty, poopy belongs in the potty..... Ten times... She giggled as we ran back and forth... Wednesday she has stayed dry all day... Thursday she stayed dry all day.. Friday she even woke up clean and dry. Saturday still no issues and today even at church she did great!!! I love the free potty training app from Signing Time... Rachel actually sings a song and calls. You can add stickers to the chart on the App, it's awesome... I love to see her little booty clad in pannies (panties) as she calls them... She is hilarious after I use the restroom.... "yeah mommy!!! potty mommy!!!" so many of the books say that modeling behaviors is one way little children learn quicker... She has taken her baby to the potty a ton.... I am so proud of her. She is such a smart little girl and I can tell that she loves to please those she loves.... I realize that potty training at 25 months is early, most countries other than the states potty train early... The cost of diapers is outrageous for them. I also realize that there will most likely be some regression when baby girl gets here.... AND that we are technically not potty trained until we are night trained as well. I think staying dry through naps these last couple of days means she can do it... My life may not be glamorous, but it is so fullfilling and many may not feel like potty training ranks right up there with life achievements... Munchie would beg to differ. This is a HUGE deal to her and I couldn't be more proud! I think having children sure does put a new persective on things... Before it was all about me, finding myself, being a better person... Now it is about so much more. Life is so much better when I am not existing for me, it is to love unconditionally these four and a half people in my life, teaching them and trying hard to still be me but to the best of my ability. Someone once said that the more children you have the more room in your heart to love, and the less time for yourself.. So while I carve out a few minutes each day for personal prayer, meditation and self betterment.. I can't wait to fill the rest of my day doing things for these big and little people I love!!

Almost done growing this baby!!! My body is speaking to me loud and clear when it says "this should be good!" I have had 8 pregnancies and 4 will result in live births.. With fertility treatments, this time gestational diabetes, and my need for a thrombectomy which was only a humiliating bandage. I really think we are full!! I hated seeing the 'down there doctor' who wasn't the kind I was used to. I almost cried when they told me that the surgery they perform is usually done while the patient is sleeping. Because of my pregnancy it was too risky. So with a little local and my fanny in the air we did the procedure. I told everyone I would be brave, I did not promise I wouldn't cry. I managed to not cry, but shake all over from the adrenalin and then had some incredible contractions from the pain... I made it home fine and felt great until the local wore off. Then it all hurt so bad I wanted to chew my arm off... I thought they might give me something for the pain but I guess I forgot to ask... So, I tried some things I thought would help. A bath, some Tylenol, and finally iced myself!!! Whew, I have been in pain before..... that was pretty unreal.. It took days to recover and for me to finally be able to walk without difficulty. I try not to complain because my little son has been through quite a bit in his life and still smiles, laughs and plays. I figure I could take a page from his book. Besides, I am pretty sure that I signed up for all of this when I begged and pleaded to be a mother:). The 'down there doctor' turned out to be very nice and he even had a sense of humor. I need that in a doctor. He giggled every time I said "my bootie" and I giggled every time he referred to my "buttock" he also made me laugh that each side was its own buttock therefor I had two very nice buttocks!!! That whole business isn't so completely embarrassing, just slightly.

Ry and Gator had parent teacher and both are doing well in school. Gator needs a little more assistance but we are determined to work really hard with him. He also loves to please, always wanting to know if it is the right thing. He will get it! He is really great with numbers and problem solving. Ry continues to excel. She is doing great in French and reading. She loves art and really loves math.. That is so different from me!
Daddy is so busy at work. When owening your business that is a good thing.. He does it all for us!