Our Five Ring Circus: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Great Escape

Within hours of posting about Lexie and her beloved hamster, the unthinkable happened.

I'm not exactly sure what I yelled, but it brought Lexie running into her room, and woke Dylan up. Lexie burst into tears when she realized Toby was gone, and ran from the room sobbing. Dylan and I immediately began searching the house.

To be honest, I didn't feel very optimistic about the outcome of our search. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystick. He literally could have been anywhere, including the basement, garage, or even outside!

Dylan and I spent the next hour tearing the house apart, as Lexie sobbed, and the 9 month old baby that I watch crawled along behind me. Finally, I stood up, near tears, and pleaded with God to help me find Lexie's hamster.

I know that seems silly, but to Lexie, it was like a missing family member. Her cries over her beloved friend were heart-wrenching. I walked into Lexie's room, unsure of where to begin. My eyes landed on her rose petal cottage sitting in the corner, and I pulled it out from the wall.

There was Toby, not even 2 feet away from the dresser his cage is on! He walked toward me, stretching, and blinking his sleepy eyes, and I scooped him up. I think I was just as relieved to see him as Lexie was!

As Lexie held her little buddy, I brought out my trusty duct tape, and taped the caps on Toby's cage, and Dylan's hamster's cage. Hopefully that stops any future escapes!

This entire escapade was over by 9 AM. I joke that life in my house is always an adventure, and I'm beginning to believe that!

I'm so happy that we were able to find Toby, either by luck or divine intervention! Secretly, I was very upset that he was missing. I'm quite fond of the little guy! Lexie was beyond happy that her hamster was back, and peace was restored in our house!

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Birthday Pool Party

Yesterday, this beautiful girl celebrated her 12th Birthday! I can still remember her as a toddler. It's hard to believe that she's almost a teenager!

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We were invited over for a cookout and swimming!

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When it was time to eat, have cake, and open presents, everybody jumped out of the pool. Everybody, that is, but my little fish!

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We knew we had to get her out before she fell asleep!

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No problem...she cheered up at the sight of the cake!

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We had so much fun celebrating Audrey's birthday!!!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Perfect Pets

It's no surprise that Lexie is in love with her pet hamster, Toby. He is, after all, super cute and cuddly!

Lexie is wonderful with him, but has been a bit possessive. Toby is supposed to be Dylan and Lexie's shared pet, but she took over, and he lives in her room. Toby has been her constant companion!

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Dylan was feeling a bit left out, especially since his hermit crabs died. My dad had promised him a frog when he graduated from Kindergarten, but the pet store didn't have an appropriate frog for him. Instead, he came home with a hamster of his own!

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Frank (although I think Franka, ahem, would be more appropriate) is a tiny ball of fluff!

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Toby looks like a giant next to him (her)!

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Even though I now have two habitats to clean, they are surprisingly low maintenance, and the kids love them! There aren't many squabbles over who gets to hold the hamster anymore. I have two happy hamster owners!

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Monday, June 27, 2011

34 Weeks!!!

At 34 weeks, my doctors will no longer put me on bed rest (though I still have to stay off my feet as much as possible) and will deliver the baby if I go into real labor. Phew! I made it! I'm starting to nest like a crazy woman. Dylan was born 1.5 weeks from this point, and Lexie was born 4 weeks from this point. Either way, I'm feeling the time crunch! On the flip side, it feels like this pregnancy is almost over, and while it's been difficult, I really am going to miss certain aspects of it, like feeling Nugget move and hiccup!

DATE:
June 27, 2011

How far along:
34 weeks!

Total Weight Gained:
I've gained 8.5 lbs back.

How big is baby? Nugget weighs 4 3/4 lbs, and is almost 18 inches long!

How baby is growing: Nugget's fat layers — which will help regulate the body temperature once he/she is born — are filling her out, making him/her rounder. Nugget's skin is also smoother than ever. The central nervous system is maturing and the lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor (I have), you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. (Great news! Dylan was almost perfect at 35.5 weeks!) babycenter.com

Maternity Clothes: I'm still wearing my regular pants, which may be too big after I deliver! I'm wearing regular shirts, but they have to be a longer length. Dresses are easy right now!

Sleep: It's getting much more difficult to sleep. I spend a lot of time trying to get comfortable, wake up frequently to use the bathroom, and wake up feeling sore.

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week:
Buying the take-home outfits (adorable!) and setting up the bassinet in our room!

Movement: Nugget is still very active, mostly after I eat breakfast, and between 8-11:30 PM. He/She sleeps all night, though! Nugget usually gets hiccups twice a day, often lasting for 10 minutes or longer. The movements are really strong, and not quite comfortable anymore. It seems like there is always a little baby limb poking out of my belly!

Food Cravings: I haven't had any cravings yet. I eat a lot of fruit, salad, and cereal!

Food Aversions:
Macaroni & Cheese and soup. I normally love these foods, but haven't wanted them at all during this pregnancy! Lemonade still makes me really nauseous.

Morning Sickness:
I still take Zofran everyday in an attempt to control the morning (all day) sickness.

Gender:
It's a surprise! We've had the names picked out since I was about 6 weeks along, but we're starting to rethink the boy name.

Symptoms:
Strong and frequent braxton hicks contractions, pressure, difficulty finding a comfortable position at night, very mild leg cramps while sleeping, numbness in hip when Nugget presses against a nerve, and mood swings (beware...I have a temper right now)!

Exercise: I walk 4-5 days a week, but I'm not allowed to do more than that.

What I miss:
Feeling comfortable and nausea-free!

What I'm looking forward to:
Continuing to prepare for Nugget's arrival, and finding out if baby is joining team pink or team blue!!!

34 Week Picture:

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Playdate

I'm posting over at The Life of Rylie & Bryce, Too today! Stop on by!

In other news, I managed to check two things off my preparing for baby to do list today: buy a take home outfit for a boy (no luck on the girl outfit) and buy a mattress for Lexie! This was celebrated with a trip to Starbucks! We may not have made much (any) progress on our bedroom today, but that's okay. We'll get it done!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sure Signs

Of Summer:

Catching lightning bugs after dark!

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Of Preparing to add another baby to the family:

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Of a little boy growing up:

Dylan had another perfect dental exam and cleaning today! His 6 year molars are completely through, so they sealed them, and he has 4 wiggly teeth!!! (Stock up on ones, tooth fairy!)

Of Nugget's impending arrival:

The OB handed over my records today to take to the hospital with me! After reviewing my case, they will no longer try to stop my labor if it happens! He said it's highly unlikely they'd be able to anyway. Even though Nugget will most likely stay put for a few more weeks, I'm officially in panic mode!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The End of the Season

Last night, Dylan's second year of baseball came to an end! We aren't going to miss the rushed evenings and dinners eaten on the run, but we are going to miss watching our little boy play! It was so hot and humid out, the air so thick that it was hazy, but the boys played their hearts out. After the game, the team enjoyed cookies, and received awesome trophies and souvenir balls! Congratulations to Mars Navy on a great season, and a big congratulations to our little man! We are SO proud of him!

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Dear Dylan,

Your second year of playing baseball just ended! This was your first year playing coach-pitch. We moved you up from T-Ball early, hoping it was the right decision. I'm so glad we did! You learned so much this season. We have watched you improve, and watched your confidence build, with every game you played!

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Daddy, Lexie, and I attended every game. We didn't want to miss a single moment, and had a great time cheering you on! Even little Nugget got in on the excitement, happily kicking for his/her big brother!

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I can't even explain how proud we were of you! You were one of the youngest on the team, but you held your own! The older kids may have been more experienced than you, but you tried your hardest every time you were on the field, and played so well!

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Fielding always seemed boring to you, but we watched your skills continuously improve. By the end of the season, you were paying attention to every play.

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With each game, you hit harder, ran faster, and caught more balls. Your face would light up every single time you got an out, and you'd flash us a big grin and give us a thumbs up! You loved playing the game, and you were fierce!

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After you'd score a run, you'd run to the bench with a huge smile on your face. You were met with a supportive team and a proud family.

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You weren't too cool to hug your baby sister, and were so proud to introduce her to your teammates.

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You weren't too cool to smile for pictures. Well, maybe you were at times...

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...but just so you know, I'm going to continue to snap away. I want to capture each and every special moment. One day, I will look back on these pictures and tear up with pride and love for my baby boy.

Last night, your daddy filled in as 3rd base coach. You were so excited, and I think he may be doing some coaching next year! ;)

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Dylan, you played so well this year! I hope you remember how much fun you had, and I hope that you continue to attack life with the same determination that you had when running home.

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You were so lucky to have great, supportive coaches to teach you the game, and extremely supportive teammates that cheered you on. Congratulations on a season well played!

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Don't ever forget that the reason you play baseball is because it's fun! We love you so much, buddy, and we're so proud of you!

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Love, Mommy

P.S. We're really looking forward to watching you play next season! ;)

Monday, June 20, 2011

33 Weeks

Nugget may be here in about 4 weeks! Three different doctors have predicted that I'll deliver around 37 weeks based on my history, rate of dilation, and strength and frequency of these contractions. I'm giving it an extra week, though. ;) They predicted the same for Lexie, and I made it to 38 weeks with her. Either way, Nugget will be in my arms before I know it!

DATE:
June 20, 2011

How far along:
33 weeks!

Total Weight Gained:
I've gained about 5 lbs back.

How big is baby? Nugget weighs just over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark.

How baby is growing: Nugget is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his/her skeleton is hardening. The bones in Nugget's skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap. babycenter.com

Maternity Clothes: I'm still wearing my regular clothes. I actually have to use a belt with a few pairs of pants (I lost some weight in my hips/butt), but I need to wear my longer shirts.

Sleep: It's difficult to find a comfortable position, so it takes me a while to fall asleep. Once I fall asleep, I sleep well until I wake up to pee (not bad-once or twice a night).

Best Pregnancy Moment of the Week:
The signs of Nugget's impending arrival showing up around the house! I also started to go through Dylan and Lexie's baby clothes, and I wish I could use everything!

Movement
: Nugget is very active. It definitely feels like I have a 4 pound baby dancing and kickboxing inside of me!

Food Cravings: I haven't had any cravings yet.

Food Aversions:
Macaroni & Cheese and soup. I normally love these foods, but haven't wanted them at all during this pregnancy!

Morning Sickness:
I still take Zofran everyday in an attempt to control the morning (all day) sickness.

Gender:
It's a surprise! We've had the names picked out since I was about 6 weeks along, but we're starting to rethink the boy name.

Symptoms:
Strong and frequent braxton hicks contractions, pressure, shortness of breath at times, difficulty finding a comfortable position, occasional bleeding gums while brushing teeth, very mild leg cramps, numbness in hip when Nugget presses against a nerve, tiredness, and I keep pulling my abdominal muscles.

Exercise: I try to walk 4-5 days a week, but I'm not allowed to do more than that.

What I miss:
Feeling comfortable and nausea-free!

What I'm looking forward to:
Finding out if Nugget is a boy or a girl! Not much longer!

33 Week Picture:

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Father's Day Weekend

We actually had a relaxing Father's Day weekend! We didn't have any plans, and Dylan didn't have a baseball game. It was so nice not to HAVE to do anything!

We did leave the house briefly on Saturday, but most of the day was spent in our backyard. Grant wanted to work on a project outside, and the kids were more than happy to help. They pitched in, and before long, the hillside was cleared and Grant had a nice wood pile for a fire.

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Of course, once the project was completed, it morphed into a critter catch.

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Grant found this cool moth, right out of the cocoon! It was huge!

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Dylan was interested in finding something a bit more creepy.

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Grant found just what he was looking for!

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After a long afternoon of hard work, we were all tired. We ended up spending a relaxing evening at home. For once, we were able to eat dinner when we were ready, and relax on the couch instead of running around! We definitely took advantage of our rare quiet day!

Grant had a good Father's Day! He got to sleep in, the kids spoiled him with gummy candy and pictures that they drew for him, I made him brunch, and then he got to relax at home for the afternoon.

I didn't get to see my dad, but I think he was too busy enjoying his new Kindle from all of us! We stopped by Grant's parent's house for a bit to give Grant's dad his present.

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Grant ended his day by having a big fire with the kids, his brother, and his friend. It was Grant's first fire of the summer, and he's looking forward to more!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad and to the wonderful father of my 2.9 amazing kids! I love you both so much!