November project

Callie had to "disguise a turkey" for her November class project a few weeks ago. She had fun with it. I had fun helping her.
(click on the image for a closer look at what she wrote)

Update

Avery is feeling better, finally, and Callie had a great day at school despite her scraped hands. I managed to give both girls baths tonight and got them in bed only 20 minutes late, which is good considering we didn't get home from a Daisy Scouts meeting until 7:40pm.

Also? I am Callie's troop's Cookie Mom. Which means I will have boxes and boxes of cookies in my house come January. And I will still be pregnant. And probably still craving sweets. I am in big trouble.

My morning so far

(Just for the record, today is actually Wednesday, the 18th, and it's 8:30am or so. I have my Blog set to Eastern Time, I think)

So. Yeah. Avery woke up and said she didn't feel good. Sorry, I didn't really believe her because last time she said this she was bouncing off the walls, saying, "I don't feel good! I don't feel good!" But when she came into the living room still complaining, and walking very slowly, and laying on the floor in the doorway of her room instead of on her bed, I figured maybe it was real.

She threw up twice before we even left for school.

I bundled her (it's finally cool outside today) in the stroller and Callie and I walked the "long" way on the sidewalk to the school. The good thing is I actually planned ahead and we got to school early enough for Callie to play before the bell rang to line up. I watched Callie for a minute or two and then was involved in a very detailed conversation with her classmate about his mom's jogging stroller that is "just like my stroller, only different". Then the bell rang and all the kids playing made a run for their class lines. And there's Callie, on the ground, crying.

THIS is the reason she has never gone to play before school (besides the fact that we usually don't have enough time). Another mom got to her and picked her up as I was walking over and the mom told me she got knocked over in the mad dash to line up. Figures. I carried a crying Callie with scraped hands over to her line and left her sniffling and puffy-eyed to walk into class with her classmates. *sigh*

And of course it started raining on the way home. Which wasn't really a big deal because I had my umbrella and a towel to cover the stroller so Avery wouldn't get wet. But it's not that easy to steer a stroller one-handed. Praise God it is cool this morning because I actually enjoyed walking back home. It was nice to not be hot and sweaty by the time I made back to the house.

Now Avery is sleeping on the floor with her towel beside her, just in case she throws up again. She hasn't yet but I'm sure she's not done yet. Wednesdays are usually pretty busy for us with Avery's gymnastics class and Daisy Scouts but we won't be doing gymnastics today. Looks like we're in for a long day of TV watching. Pretty much what I need right now.

Avery-isms

tomorrow today-- what she means is tomorrow. Not sure why she tacks on that "today" part at the end

fridger-- refrigerator (I LOVE this one, and we do not correct her. She'll learn the correct pronunciation soon enough)

Avery is deep into imaginary friends right now. Sarah and Emily (and sometimes Anna) are her imaginary friends and do everything she does. Avery also pretends she goes to school, has a teacher that is really fun, and even has a boy in her class with pink hair. Every single bit of it is pretend. Callie never went through this stage to this extent, so it's all new to me. I know it's normal but it still fascinates me to hear the stories she creates that involve Sarah and Emily and sometimes Anna. She has a great imagination.

Costumes and the park

I have this virus lately. It's called Too Lazy To Get The Pictures Off My Camera So They Just Sit There For Weeks virus. It's gotten pretty bad lately, I must say. BUT! Tonight I will at least get some of them off the camera and onto the blog.

A while ago the girls were outside with friends without me. I wandered outside after a little bit and found all the kids dressed up in a neighbor's old Halloween costumes.

Is this Iron Man? Flash Gordon? I have no idea. Wait, maybe it's just Callie showing me her "muscles". Heh.


Avery became a cow for oh, 3.2579 seconds. Just long enough for me to snap this picture.


GAH! Elmo's eating Callie!

I'm probably the only one who thinks that's funny.


GAH! Elmo's STILL trying to eat Callie!

You know you want to laugh.
-----

On November 6th, the elementary kids had the day off from school. A friend and I ventured to a park we'd never been to before. Something you should know about Japanese parks: they are not new. They are usually made out of wood. Splintery wood with metal poles and slides and things that would never pass Play Ground Inspection in the States. I already know this, and yet I'm still surprised every time I go to a park and discover splintery wood and metal poles and slides. I'll get it eventually.

This hamster wheel thing was pretty cool. Although the holes in the net were too big and Callie's legs kept falling through. She made it all the way through the whole tube, though, even the loop.

There was also a big, wide, red slide. It was on a bit of an incline with rocky ground underneath. The sides were plenty tall enough, in my opinion, but probably should have been taller considering what was underneath the slide and the potential for little girls to fall off.

See where Avery is on the slide? Okay. Now just imagine her being over towards her left, near that side of the slide. And she's not sliding down, but in fact bent over, climbing up the slide. Now imagine her flying over the edge of the slide and hanging on for dear life with ONE HAND while I panic and freak out and inch my way down to her and try to pull her up with one hand while I'm holding onto the slide with the other so I won't go sliding down the rest of the way. Yeah. NOT a good idea for that much adrenaline to be running through a pregnant lady's body. I did pull her up, calmed her down, slid down the rest of the way, and promptly sat my shaky behind down in a seat so I could calm myself down. She was fine the rest of the time and I didn't have too many contractions from all the excitement so it was a win-win situation, right?

I won't be going back there any time soon.

A boy means BROTHER

The girls know we're having trouble coming up with a name for this kiddo. I realize I still have 19 weeks before he makes his debut (assuming he waits that long) so we have time. But still. They are trying so hard to help.

Tonight I heard them giggling in the play room while I was working on Christmas presents. Later Callie came out with a piece of paper and announced: These are the names that Avery came up with for the baby.

I said, "Okay, let's hear them."

She rattled off the list. I have to type it out exactly the way Callie spelled the names because it is hilarious. She tried. She really did.

Avery's list of possible names for the baby:
Ava, Lea, Imersin [Emerson], Caliegh (with a long a), Bell, and Miney Mouse [Minnie Mouse].

Uh. Avery? FYI: the baby is a BOY. Just so you know.

Repeat

I've been having contractions off and on since Monday. They aren't painful, aren't regular, and aren't alarming enough to warrant a trip to Labor and Delivery (no more ER for me, I'm past 20wks now). I did talk to my doctor about them and she told me what I already know: STOP what I'm doing. Drink lots and lots and lots of water until my teeth are floating. Rest for an hour. If they go away, fine. If they continue into one every 10 minutes, that's NOT fine and I have to get checked out.

I've never had more than 3 in an hour so I'm good there. But you know I was plagued by early contractions while pregnant with Callie. This pregnancy is different, I know, but the situation surrounding this whole pregnancy is eerily similar to the situation when I got pregnant with Callie. Who knows if I'll go early with this one. Let's hope not, because wow was it ever great to go a whole 40 weeks (plus 5 days) with Avery. It's hard having to slow down so much already, at just 5 months pregnant. I have two kids! How in the world can I slow down? If I have to, I will, of course. But that doesn't mean I want to. As long as I keep drinking water and resting when I can, or at least sitting down when I can, that will help.

And I hope this baby won't be a repeat of Callie. She was cute and all being so teeny tiny but I can do without all the complications she had at birth thankyouverymuch. The full 40 weeks is my goal.

Our own play ground

Our neighbors (who are also friends, isn't it great how that works?) joined together and we all bought a play set for our 6 kids. Josh bought it when he was on a TDY in the States and brought it back on a plane he was flying back here. It wasn't my idea, but dude. It was a GREAT idea. J thought of it, suggested it, and I was all wish I'd thought of that and ta-da! the kids have a place to play. Before we just had trampolines; ours without a net, and J's with a net. We'd bring out our kickballs every now and then but the kids just seemed to get bored very easily. Even with our little clubhouse thing that we brought with us from FL, the girls would tire of it very quickly. Then, we got this:

We even put the girls' old baby swing in the middle so the two youngest kids could swing safely. The kids love having their own swings. I love it because I can watch the kids play through my windows if I can't go outside immediately. And then our neighbor behind us bought this from a yard sale:

Suddenly we have our very own play ground, complete with play house, picnic table, tree swing, and a huge yard to play baseball or kickball or whatever other game we want to play. Our yard has the swingset and trampolines. B's yard has the tree swing, play house, picnic table, and level ground to play games.

Lately there has been some talk of building a ramp between our yard and B's yard, so the kids can ride their bikes and pull their wagons down the hill, over the ditch, and into our yard. Also: a zipline. Oh, and a little hobbit house dug out of a hillside under a tree. How cool would that be if we could actually DO it?

I am telling you we moved into the best house EVER.

The baby stuff

It's been almost a week since I posted anything! I can't believe how much I've neglected this blog, especially since I used to post all the time while we were in the States. You'd think I was pregnant or something.

I do have pregnancy brain, really. I can't remember anything unless it is written on my calendar. And even then I have to remember to look at the calendar to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing on that day. It's annoying. But apparently all of the brain cells that make me a functioning human being are being used by this baby boy that's growing in me. Fine by me; as long as I get my brain back after he's born. Which probably won't happen...I'll be mama to THREE kids! Halp.

I have been scouring the yard sale ads this week, trying to find gently used clothes for the baby. I have gotten a good head start on a lot of clothes but there are many, many things we still need. And I haven't gone crazy at the BX or anything, either. Although I did order some things from Old Navy, I couldn't resist. But not much, I promise! Josh just rolls his eyes when I tell him I bought more stuff. At least when I spend $20 I'm getting 8-10 outfits from yard sales. Without stains! Can't beat that.

We are having a hard time coming up with a name for this kiddo. There are several names that I like that Josh doesn't, but then he doesn't come up with any suggestions or alternatives. So now my goal in the next 4 months is to find a name he doesn't completely hate. And then use it over and over and over until it grows on him and he actually likes it (that's what I did with Avery's name and guess what? IT WORKED. But don't tell him that.) So instead of being serious we've been throwing out names that we'd never use. Names that aren't bad for other people, just not something we would use ourselves, like Larry. Callie told me, "For some reason, I just keep coming back to the name Larry." Josh and I both told her we are NOT naming this kid Larry. She still suggests it, in true 6yr old fashion. Another one: Obadiah. Yeah. No. Zepheniah? NOPE. We've still got time, I know, but it's killing me that we can't agree on a name yet. Soon, I hope. Or this kid might be going by Hey, you.

The ultrasound

We had our ultrasound appointment today. After 30 minutes of measurements and picture-taking for the doctor, Josh and the girls were allowed into the room. That whole thing is another post in itself with Josh and the girls not allowed in the ultrasound room until AFTER everything is done. All I have to say is the Navy, it is not smart. And that's putting it nicely.

So after all the measurements, the girls and Josh joined me in the room. The technician went through a couple things (baby's head, legs) and got right to the whole point of why we were there (besides, you know, making sure the baby is growing on target): the sex of the baby.

The baby did not cooperate at first. She tried and tried to get a clear picture but couldn't, so we instead looked at the baby's spine, the feet, arms, face, stuff like that. Then she went back to the other end of the baby.

And finally, after lots of pressing to get a clear picture, we heard this as she pointed to the screen: This is a leg, this is a leg, and this? Is NOT a leg.

Crazy! We're having a boy.

I mean we're having a boy, we're having a boy, WE'RE HAVING A BOY!!!!!