Is this the last one?

Everytime we announce a new pregnancy, we get this expected question:

So then...is this the last one?

We have been getting this question ever since I was expecting #4.  I'm very used to this question.

You should all know that the very worst time to ask me this question is in my first trimester!  when I'm feeling so yucky that I don't even like to get out of bed!  when all I want to do is eat because that's the only thing that eases the nausea! when none of my clothes fit, and I feel so frumpy during my day that I never wear make-up and I've been known to go every 3 days or so without washing my hair!

The answer that I scream in my head during these first few weeks YES! YES!  This is the LAST time I'm going through this awful feeling...you bet this is the last one!

But then...ask me that same question when I'm in my fifth month of pregnancy, and a little belly is sticking out, and I'm in some trendy maternity clothes, and I can feel the kicks and small movements of the sweet new life inside...

Or ask me when the baby is born and I'm hugging my new baby to my chest....

Or ask me when I have a sweet 4 month old who is laughing and smiling at all the things his familiy is doing to create laughter....

Or ask me when I have a wobbly 12 month old, learning to walk, and trying very hard to chase after all her older siblings....

Or ask me when I have a 14 month old who says "ma ma" for the first time...

And the answer will always be, "Gee, I hope not!" 
And I'll really mean that.
Because it's all just too much fun, and so special, and always always such a blessing to our family.

But don't ask me that question during my first 3 months when I'm feeling so yucky.  I am not to be taken seriously during this time, lol.

Oh, and also don't ask me that question during the crowning stages of the birth.  The answer at that time will always be, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!   YES!  THIS IS THE LAST ONE! "    I like everything about labor, except that last stage!  I'd gladly skip that part if I could....but....it's the most important part, lol.

Christmas Present

I guess I forgot to mention this baby's due date -- December 25th!   I can't believe I'm actually due on Christmas Day.  Well, it will be a Merry Christmas, for sure :)   But now I'll have to be sure to get all my Christmas shopping done in October or November....and I'm such a last-minute shopper, so this will be a stretch for me.  Hmmmm....I envision a lot of online shopping this year!

Feeling Yucky!

The pregnancy sickness is kicking my butt.  I'm wondering if this is what everyone else feels like in their first trimester?   Did you ever go for a very long time without eating...to the point where you feel nauseated from the lack of food in your stomach? and it's so bad that you feel light-headed and want to sit down all the time?  Well, this is how pregnancy sickness feels to me. I always feel like there is nothing in my stomach.  The ONLY thing that makes me feel better is eating.  When I am eating, I feel fine!  But as soon as I take my last bite...I can count to 60 and then there is that awful feeling again.  Ugh.  It's the act of eating that makes me feel better, not food in my stomach. What am I supposed to do?  eat all day long?  I could do that.  But then I'd gain about 25 pounds in my first trimester!  And "nibbling" on things doesn't help.  A cracker here and there doens't help.  Having food in my stomach doesn't even help.  It's like my stomach is lying to me.  "I'm empty! I'm empty!" it's screaming at me, although I know it's not true.  It's just a trick to get me to eat again.  Because I always have that nauseating empty feeling.  Ugh.

There is nothing really fun about the first trimester of pregnancy.  The way I see it, there's no reward in it.  You don't look pregnant, so there's no comments like "how cute!" your belly looks or anything like that.  You don't get the joy of feeling the baby kick or move around.  None of your clothes fit you all that great, and everything is too tight but yet you don't "look" pregnant so you just look "fat" without explanation.  Ugh, I just really don't enjoy the first three months of pregnancy.

The only perk for me is that I have an excuse to skip helping with the dinner dishes, and instead can go straight to the couch! I can be grouchy or snap at someone and no one takes me seriously because they know I'm just not feeling well.  And when Rich is home,  I can pretty much stay in bed all day.  Yes, he lets me sleep as much as I want...and oh, how I love that!  Yesterday, for example, I got up at 8:30...went to my book club at church, got home at 12:00, ate lunch (that he made for me) and climbed back into bed.  And I stayed there until dinner.  I came down for dinner (that he made) and went right back to bed.  Then at around 9:00pm I tucked the kids into bed, read a few pages of A Wrinkle in Time to Avery, Alex and A.J., and then I climbed right back into bed, where Rich and I watched the movie Seven Pounds -- and that was pretty much my day!  Rich, on the other hand, was busy.  He took Audriana and Afton to and from school, he ran the kids around to their various sporting practices, he took Aislynn to and from preschool, and he took the kids to the pool once in the afternoon, and again after dinner! Two times to the pool?  I never do that.  (part of me thinks he did this to skip the bath time, lol...because doesn't soaking in the jacuzzi right before bed take the place of  a bath?)  In any case,  I soooooo appreciate him during my pregnancies!  He's always such a help.  I think part of him feels guilty that I have to go through all the pains of pregnancy for almost 10 months, while his job to making this baby is pretty much done the day of conception!  And that part is fun for him!  LOL

Ahhhh...here we go again.  And I just love it, even though I complain.  I was in the kitchen with Rich last night, and I was leaning over the kitchen island, whining about how nauseated I felt, and he just looked at me and laughed and said, "Do you know how many times I've heard you moan and groan about the first trimester?  I know you hate the first trimester!"  and I just rolled my eyes at him.  If he felt what I felt everytime we are expecting, I'm quite sure we would only have one child.  No way would he endure this yucky feeling all day long -- more than one time!

Mother-Daughter Weekend, Mother's Day, and #10

Okay, where have I been? 

Sorry about the delays in posts -- but sometimes life is just like that, you know?  Like, there's nothing more that I would rather do than sit at the computer and play around with my blog...but sometimes life just doesn't give me the time.  All kinds of reasons and excuses...but I won't get into that now.

Instead, let me share with you the wonderful time that I had with Avery two weekends ago.  It was an overnight Brownie field trip at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.  At first I almost didn't go. My reason? The baby.  Aria, at 21 months old, still doesn't sleep through the night unless I am next to her.  (Yes, I know she's very spoiled. But it's never a problem unless I'm not there, and I am always there, so it's never a problem!)  Well, I decided that she's just going to have to deal with one night away from mom.  (I did feel sorry for Rich, though!  He was up with her from 3am to 5am -- the time she woke up and realized that I wasn't there, and then she refused to be consolled and stayed awake two hours)

I will say I have no regrets, because Avery and I had the BEST time together!  It just so rarely happens -- just me and her together for a weekend -- and it was so special.  Here are a few photos of our fun time:

The camp was called the Roar & Snore...and we actually did hear the lions roaring at night! 

 It's a very strange thing to be woken up by that sound just right outside your tent!  They sounded so close!

and here are the lions who made all the noise ... sleeping...tired after being up all night roaring

Avery took this picture of a cheetah stretching on a log

Avery's best friend Emily camped with us

Brownie Troop 151

checking the map to see where to go next!

And who is this?  This is Winston!  He was a fun guy to watch.  He always looked so grumpy, though.

Well, I guess I'd be pretty grumpy, too, if hundreds of people stared at me everyday!

(Our tour guide assured us that he isn't grumpy -- his face is just like that. 

Hmmmm. I guess it's true that I've never seen a  gorilla smile!)

Avery used her own money to buy "Spots" the giraffe.  What is it with kids and stuffed animals? LOL

Mother's Day came and went and would you believe I didn't take pictures?  Afton made me a cake, the kids made me cards, Tony got me a $25 gift card, and Rich was told by me NOT to buy me anything, because I'm shopping around for a new camera and that's going to cost a pretty penny, and so that is going to be my Mother's Day gift and Birthday gift combined.  (I'm thinking of either the Canon 40D or 50D -- thoughts, anyone? suggestions?  still doing my research.)  Anyway, the day was spent in our motorhome at the beach.  The kids rode their bikes, played ball with Rich, played in the sand (it was too cold for the water) ... and me?  Well, I slept in the upper bunk of the motorhome.  And slept.  And slept.  Didn't even go outside once. I felt yucky and tired and just didn't have the energy to enjoy the day much.  Even though it was a joyful day.  I slept the day away.

Any guesses why?  Oh, I'm sure you all know why. 

I'm pregnant!

And although I'm very excited......the morning sickness, which really should be called All Day Sickness, has hit me hard.  So, I've been going to bed when the kids go to bed.  I've been sleeping during the day when Rich is home.  I have been lying around instead of cleaning and doing laundry.  And I've been away from the computer.  Which, of course, explains why I haven't done a post in so long.  I'll do my best to keep up to date with my blog, but....if I end up missing for a few days or weeks, well, now you'll know why :)