We're in Visalia right now. We came Friday night. The weather has been great. Yesterday we went to Rotary playland and storybook land in Fresno. The kids all loved it. And they've been playing in the backyard most of the rest of the time. We'll stay until tomorrow afternoon.
I went to LDS Family Services on thursday. I made an appointment to get some help with Aaron. Some days he's ok, but some days are so bad. I just wanted to get some new ideas for things to do to help. I met with Paula Wood. I think she'll be very helpful. She gave me a great idea for a system to work with all the kids to help them get along better. And it'll help with the tantrums. We'll intruduce the system Tuesday night when we get back. It's great timing too because school gets out this week and I hope it'll help with fights and arguments while we're all home together. Then Wednesday I have another appointment to take Aaron to. She's going to talk to him about his tantrums and help him work on them too. I hope he's interested in talking to her. And I hope she can help without having to go too many times. I don't want to take Aaron to counseling really, I just want some advice for us. Plus it's quite expensive.
Here's the system. Each kid gets a bucket. Then every couple of hours when there's been no fighting or tantrums or anything, they each get to put in a blue chip or marble or something. If they tantrum or fight, they get a red one. Then whenever they want me to do something for them or they want a snack, they'll pick a chip out of their bucket and if it's blue they can have it, but red means no. So they have an incentive to have more blues in their bucket. And then I think when they all get a certain amount of blues in their bucket we'll go to the park or to ice cream or something. It seems like a good system. Kind of a lot of work for me, but if it works, it'll be worth it.
Aaron finished preschool and t-ball this week. Danny has a few more games left. Danny and Rachel have a day and a half left of school and then they're done too.
Bob got another job this week. He's doing some programming for a company in Henderson. He'll work there on Fridays. We're hoping after a little while they'll let him just work from home. He thinks he'll like the work. And it'll help us save up money faster. I can't believe how blessed we are with opportunities. Just a couple of years ago, money was soooo tight and stressfull. We had zero savings. But now we've both been able to work extra and we've been budgeting really well. It's not like money has just appeared, we've had to work for it, but we actually have a chance to buy another house sometime in the near future; one with a bigger backyard and a little more space for 5 kids.
I think I felt the baby kick this week. I have another appointment in a week and a half and from there I get to schedule the ultrasound. The kids were asking about it the other day. Danny wanted to know if they could go. I said I think it might be a little crowded but we'd show him pictures. Aaron said he wanted to go when I lay on the table and see the baby. I couldn't believe he remembered that. We took him with us to Seth's ultrasound. He was so little. That's when Bob and I both thought it was a girl and Aaron was absolutely sure it was a boy. Aaron wasn't surprised when he was right. So we might let them go if they still want to when the time comes. I think we'll just get a babysitter for Seth because he'd be the only one that would be difficult in that little room.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
May 23
I've been having trouble breathing for the last week and a half. I feel like my lungs just don't expand enough, kind of like at the end of pregnancy. And then half the time when I take a deep breath to feel better, that still doesn't work and I end up with a headache and feel like I'm suffocating. I thought it must just be related to my pregnancy even though I'm not big yet, but my OB said it wasn't. So they sent me to urgent care and then to talk to my regular dr and then to the ER. They thought it might be a blood clot in my lung, so I had to do x-rays and a ct scan. I wasn't happy with that because that's risky for the baby. But it turned out they couldn't find why I can't breathe. The ER dr said it probably is just some weird reaction to my pregnancy. So it's uncomfortable, but I think I'm getting more used to it and I hope it'll get better soon. And I pray that the radiation from those tests didn't affect the baby.
We told all the kids this week about the baby. They were all so excited. And we've started telling other people. It's fun for it to be more real.
School is almost out and things are winding down. Baseball is almost done. We're getting excited for a change of pace and for all the trips and fun things we have planned.
Bob and I went on a date this weekend to a Chinese buffet. Bob picked it out. It was gross. Danny had his first pack meeting. He was really excited about it.
We told all the kids this week about the baby. They were all so excited. And we've started telling other people. It's fun for it to be more real.
School is almost out and things are winding down. Baseball is almost done. We're getting excited for a change of pace and for all the trips and fun things we have planned.
Bob and I went on a date this weekend to a Chinese buffet. Bob picked it out. It was gross. Danny had his first pack meeting. He was really excited about it.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
May 16
Bob and Aaron are in Virginia. They left on Tuesday and get back on Tuesday. Seth was supposed to go with them. I'd been thinking of all the freedom I'd have with kids in school all day. But Monday night when we started getting things out for the boys to go, I just couldn't do it. Seth had to stay home with me; I'd miss him too much. So Bob and Aaron have been having a great trip. Aaron has loved getting so much attention. And Bob's liked getting to spend time with Aaron without tantrums. It was probably good too because Seth has been getting a tooth this week and he's been a little grumpy, which is not how he normally is.
Danny, Rachel and I had a Harry Potter movie party on Friday night. We watched the 4th movie together. They hadn't seen it yet and we thought it would be a good time while Aaron was gone. We made treats and ordered pizza. They thought it was great.
I had another OB appointment this week. I heard the heartbeat and got to see an ultrasound. It was fun to see it look more babyish than the last times when it was only a few weeks. I think I'm going to switch back to my old doctor, Dr. Kelly. I went to her with Seth and she was really good, but she does surgeries, not appointments on Fridays. So I went to her partner instead so I could go while Bob is off. But I really don't like her. She's a little pushy and doesn't listen to me. So I'll just have to get a babysitter over the summer and in the fall I can take Seth with me if I need to or there's a lady in our ward who babysits if I need.
It was stake conference this weekend. The adult session is always so great. And it's so nice to be able to listen and not have to chase anyone at the same time. The first thing they talked about was marriage and they read a statement about how men aren't supposed to have vasectomies. Bob had suggested that he get one next year because he doesn't want to have any more babies after this one. So I was glad they said something. I guess he won't be doing that.
And I don't feel as final as I thought I would with this baby. Maybe I'm not far along in my pregnancy yet. I remember at the end with Seth and then right after I delivered him I wanted four kids to be enough. It never really felt enough, but I didn't want to have to be pregnant again. And I barely got pregnant with this one--I hadn't really even convinced Bob yet, but he said he would have come around. Bob seems pretty set on no more than five, though. And I don't know if I can handle six. I guess I could though if that's how many Heavenly Father has for me. We'd definitely have to have a bigger house, and a new car. I just thought it would feel more final already.
I'm working more on websites. I have some big projects to get done before the baby. It'll be nice to save up some money too. And Bob got another programming contracting job with a company in Henderson. So he can do a little work on Fridays. We just would really like to be able to make enough money to have a down payment on a bigger house while home prices are still so low. We bought while the market was high, so it seems only fair that we should get to buy when it's low now to even things out.
Danny, Rachel and I had a Harry Potter movie party on Friday night. We watched the 4th movie together. They hadn't seen it yet and we thought it would be a good time while Aaron was gone. We made treats and ordered pizza. They thought it was great.
I had another OB appointment this week. I heard the heartbeat and got to see an ultrasound. It was fun to see it look more babyish than the last times when it was only a few weeks. I think I'm going to switch back to my old doctor, Dr. Kelly. I went to her with Seth and she was really good, but she does surgeries, not appointments on Fridays. So I went to her partner instead so I could go while Bob is off. But I really don't like her. She's a little pushy and doesn't listen to me. So I'll just have to get a babysitter over the summer and in the fall I can take Seth with me if I need to or there's a lady in our ward who babysits if I need.
It was stake conference this weekend. The adult session is always so great. And it's so nice to be able to listen and not have to chase anyone at the same time. The first thing they talked about was marriage and they read a statement about how men aren't supposed to have vasectomies. Bob had suggested that he get one next year because he doesn't want to have any more babies after this one. So I was glad they said something. I guess he won't be doing that.
And I don't feel as final as I thought I would with this baby. Maybe I'm not far along in my pregnancy yet. I remember at the end with Seth and then right after I delivered him I wanted four kids to be enough. It never really felt enough, but I didn't want to have to be pregnant again. And I barely got pregnant with this one--I hadn't really even convinced Bob yet, but he said he would have come around. Bob seems pretty set on no more than five, though. And I don't know if I can handle six. I guess I could though if that's how many Heavenly Father has for me. We'd definitely have to have a bigger house, and a new car. I just thought it would feel more final already.
I'm working more on websites. I have some big projects to get done before the baby. It'll be nice to save up some money too. And Bob got another programming contracting job with a company in Henderson. So he can do a little work on Fridays. We just would really like to be able to make enough money to have a down payment on a bigger house while home prices are still so low. We bought while the market was high, so it seems only fair that we should get to buy when it's low now to even things out.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
May 9
Today is Mother's day. Bob has worked really hard to give me a nice day. I slept in and woke up to eggs and bacon and sausage and biscuits. The kids and Bob all made nice cards for me. Bob got me flowers and a hot air popcorn popper that I've been wanting. He took care of Seth the whole time at church. He made lunch and now he's busy making me cookies. He's so wonderful!
I'm not really sick at all any more. And a lot less tired. But I've been having other new symptoms like a bad taste in my mouth and not being able to breathe (I always have that at the end, but I don't remember having it this early before.). I think I'm 12 weeks now. I'm going in for another appointment on Wednesday. They didn't check for the heartbeat at my last visit and I just want to make sure everything is ok since my symptoms are so different than other pregnancies. I'm usually sick until about 16 weeks. I don't really have any memory of being sick with Rachel, so maybe it means this one is a girl. But I was also nursing while I was pregnant, so that might have made a difference too.
Bob and I went to the temple friday night. We went to 3 baseball and tball games and a practice. I drove my last turn for the carpool of the school year this week. That was a good feeling. We also went to the kids' end of year dance festival at their school.
Bob leaves with Seth and Aaron for VA on Tuesday night. I'm excited for the freedom I'll have, but I know I'll miss them a ton.
I told Aaron about the baby on Monday. I was really tired and needed a nap that day because I got up at 5 to go to a spinning class. Aaron's really been effected by my pregnancy the most because he's home with me all day and he's mostly the one I've been too tired or sick to play with. I think that's been what's setting off his tantrums lately. So I told him I had a secret, that we're going to have another baby. He was super excited. He hopes it's a boy. I thought he'd want to share the news with the other kids at fhe that night, but he didn't want too. He wants to keep that secret for a couple of weeks, he said. And he has. I thought he'd slip up or get too excited to share when the kids were playing together, but he hasn't. He seems to really like having this information that the other kids don't have. So we're letting him keep the secret for a little bit. I think we'll convince him to share the news when he gets back from VA. We can't wait too much longer, I'm already looking chubby. Pretty soon it'll be obvious.
Danny and Rachel have been changing Seth's diaper this weekend. I offered Danny 10 bonuses ($1.00) yesterday to change Seth's soggy diaper. I thought it'd be good for him to learn. He thought it was great--especially the easy money. So he did it again this morning, but after the first time, wet diapers are only worth 2 bonuses. And Seth was just poopy and Rachel offered to change him. She did a great job and wasn't grossed out at all. She earned 10 bonuses. This is going to be a nice system, but a little expensive!
I'm not really sick at all any more. And a lot less tired. But I've been having other new symptoms like a bad taste in my mouth and not being able to breathe (I always have that at the end, but I don't remember having it this early before.). I think I'm 12 weeks now. I'm going in for another appointment on Wednesday. They didn't check for the heartbeat at my last visit and I just want to make sure everything is ok since my symptoms are so different than other pregnancies. I'm usually sick until about 16 weeks. I don't really have any memory of being sick with Rachel, so maybe it means this one is a girl. But I was also nursing while I was pregnant, so that might have made a difference too.
Bob and I went to the temple friday night. We went to 3 baseball and tball games and a practice. I drove my last turn for the carpool of the school year this week. That was a good feeling. We also went to the kids' end of year dance festival at their school.
Bob leaves with Seth and Aaron for VA on Tuesday night. I'm excited for the freedom I'll have, but I know I'll miss them a ton.
I told Aaron about the baby on Monday. I was really tired and needed a nap that day because I got up at 5 to go to a spinning class. Aaron's really been effected by my pregnancy the most because he's home with me all day and he's mostly the one I've been too tired or sick to play with. I think that's been what's setting off his tantrums lately. So I told him I had a secret, that we're going to have another baby. He was super excited. He hopes it's a boy. I thought he'd want to share the news with the other kids at fhe that night, but he didn't want too. He wants to keep that secret for a couple of weeks, he said. And he has. I thought he'd slip up or get too excited to share when the kids were playing together, but he hasn't. He seems to really like having this information that the other kids don't have. So we're letting him keep the secret for a little bit. I think we'll convince him to share the news when he gets back from VA. We can't wait too much longer, I'm already looking chubby. Pretty soon it'll be obvious.
Danny and Rachel have been changing Seth's diaper this weekend. I offered Danny 10 bonuses ($1.00) yesterday to change Seth's soggy diaper. I thought it'd be good for him to learn. He thought it was great--especially the easy money. So he did it again this morning, but after the first time, wet diapers are only worth 2 bonuses. And Seth was just poopy and Rachel offered to change him. She did a great job and wasn't grossed out at all. She earned 10 bonuses. This is going to be a nice system, but a little expensive!
May 3
Bob gave me a blessing for the baby and Aaron because he's been having a really hard time again.
- Comfort
- My sickness and tiredness will continue to get better
- I'll be able to exercise and take care of my body and be healthy to provide what the baby needs
- I'll be able to help Aaron see his value and importance and know he's loved
- I'll be guided in those moments when I need to calm him down and he'll open his mind to listen
- I'll be able to give him and the other kids the attention they need.
- I'll be able to take care of needful things but keep family as my highest priority
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May 2
Danny was baptized yesterday. We're so proud of him. He's such a wonderful boy. My mom and dad and Dustin, Kristal and Casey came. and Linda and Trina. We left the younger kids at home for lunch so it was just a special time for Danny. He requested that we got to Red Lobster for his lunch-he loves seafood and wanted to try lobster. He loved it.
The baptism started at 4:00. Everything went great. He said he felt the spirit then and he was happy. He plans on teaching family home evening on Monday so I look forward to hearing what he has to say.
After the baptism we all went to Uswirl--the kid's favorite ice cream place. He got a few gifts--a CTR tie and a book for him to write his memories in and Rachel made him a new pillow case. Sandy and May from next door came. We were so glad they could make it. They seemed to enjoy it, although it was a little crowded and there was a lot of shuffling of rooms because it was a stake baptism and there were several kids being baptized this month. Danny and I plan to go over and talk to them about it later today.
Aaron has been having a bad week for tantrums. I don't know what sets him off. Everyday has been a real struggle. I tried to see if it was his diet because he is a picky eater and likes a lot of snacks. So I talked with him and he's been trying hard to limit his sugar and make healthier choices. He was pretty cooperative. But this weekend with everyone here, he just ate what he wanted. I'm interested to see when we get back to it this week if that has any affect on his tantrums. He had so many tantrums all weekend with everyone here too.
I've been feeling so much less sick and less tired this week. It just keeps getting better. This is much earlier to get better than with other pregnancies. I don't really have any memories of being sick with Rachel, though, so maybe it means this one is a girl.
The baptism started at 4:00. Everything went great. He said he felt the spirit then and he was happy. He plans on teaching family home evening on Monday so I look forward to hearing what he has to say.
After the baptism we all went to Uswirl--the kid's favorite ice cream place. He got a few gifts--a CTR tie and a book for him to write his memories in and Rachel made him a new pillow case. Sandy and May from next door came. We were so glad they could make it. They seemed to enjoy it, although it was a little crowded and there was a lot of shuffling of rooms because it was a stake baptism and there were several kids being baptized this month. Danny and I plan to go over and talk to them about it later today.
Aaron has been having a bad week for tantrums. I don't know what sets him off. Everyday has been a real struggle. I tried to see if it was his diet because he is a picky eater and likes a lot of snacks. So I talked with him and he's been trying hard to limit his sugar and make healthier choices. He was pretty cooperative. But this weekend with everyone here, he just ate what he wanted. I'm interested to see when we get back to it this week if that has any affect on his tantrums. He had so many tantrums all weekend with everyone here too.
I've been feeling so much less sick and less tired this week. It just keeps getting better. This is much earlier to get better than with other pregnancies. I don't really have any memories of being sick with Rachel, though, so maybe it means this one is a girl.
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