Sometimes I just don't know what to say about the pictures I took. It seems boring to just give a one-line description of every picture. But my brain is so fried! I had 4 custom covers to finish this week--double my usual. And I swear I get a little stupider every day from this pregnancy. I have to rely on other people to finish my sentences like 10 times a day because I can't think of simple words like "stairs" and "dishwasher."
Thankfully, I only have 2 weeks until my due date and I'm hopeful I'll go into labor before that. I've been having sporadic contractions for a few days now, more at the end of the day when I'm tired than earlier. I've been having braxton hicks contractions for months and months, but I'm guessing these are the real deal since I'm so close to my due date. Who knows though? I could be crazy and have to be induced on my due date. :)
The kids had never watched the movie "Babe," and it's one of Steve's favorites, so we bought it off Amazon and watched it as we folded clothes one night. Jules was more into it than other movies we've watched and Steve was in heaven.
"Mom, I snaking!"
I've been so busy with covers that we've been going out to eat more than usual. I was feeling the need to treat the kids one night, so Steve and I conceded to take them to Golden Corral (buffet food). We were surprised to find the building completely remodeled from the last time we went. It looked a lot nicer, but the food was about the same. :) The kids loved it and I ate more than I should have.
Jules decided she didn't like the cookie on her plate, but was very upset by the suggestion that she let Yahyah (Emilia) eat it.
We took the kids to the Bean Museum one Saturday. It must have been two Saturdays ago. I thought Jules would love it and the other kids would enjoy it reasonably well. I think I was just in a bad mood that day, so my opinion is probably biased, but I thought it was kind of a boring trip. Haha. Jules had the most fun watching an animal planet video they were showing on a screen. The rest of the stuff she was pretty ambivalent about.
Jules found some Lego hats and hair a while ago and spent two days sticking them on her fingers and being very proud of herself. Because of that, she asked her daddy to play "boys" with her. He made a cave/slide out of her blankies being tucked into the back of the couch and they played for a good hour. Her little bum sticking out from under the cave was cute, too.
I got around to organizing bathrooms at some point. I made the kids help me and we cleaned out under the sinks and the closet in the kids bathroom, plus the cupboard in the kitchen with vitamins and headache medicine, and a couple shelves in my closet (since we don't have shelves or closet space in the master bathroom). While we were organizing, Jules found the portable potty training seat I'd hid from her. She thought it was excellent portable seating. But when she started to use it as a necklace and a hat, it was put on a high shelf again. Gross.
Jules usually wants to stay in her PJs in the mornings, but one day, she said she wanted to get dressed. So I told her to go get some clothes out of her drawer. She came back with two shirts and no pants and refused to believe that she couldn't wear two long-sleeve shirts. So I put one over just her head. She stayed like that for a couple hours. But then I had to take it off so we could run to the grocery store and it cracked me up that she threw her arms in the air and yelled, "I'm free!" once it was removed. Haha.
The kids had dentist appointments. I was Jules' first one and she did awesome. She was skeptical about the cleaning part, but she eventually let the technician get the spinning toothbrush in her mouth. The new office we go to has TVs on the ceiling that they play netflix shows on. So Mira and Jules watched while they were waiting for the dentist to check them.
The Friday before Valentines Day, the kids had their school parties and wanted their hair done. I thought they turned out cute. :)
This past weekend, Megan, Cari, and Febe came from Colorado for a visit. They got to stay at our house over the long weekend and the kids played and played and played. Exactly what a cousin visit is supposed to be. Megan and I played games each night and my parents and Alison came out most days.
Saturday, my friend Gina threw me a baby boy shower, so we all went together to it. There was lots of yummy food, including a cheese and cracker tray, GLUTEN FREE cookies and peanut butter brownie bars, and an adorable cake. Plus she got a gorgeous balloon arrangement and a game for everyone to play. Just enough people came to make it fun, safe for COVID gatherings, and to eat the food and chat with. I got to see some old friends from North Dakota, too, which is always a treat.
We also did a 1000 piece puzzle one of the days. It was all old cereal boxes. I love doing puzzles with my family.
I told the girls to go get ready for bed one night and they were gone for a while. When they came up, Mira had her back to me and Cecily said, "Mom, Mira has something to show you." Then she turned around and I saw this. I laughed out loud. Kids are super fun sometimes.
Jules is still fascinated with Octonauts and her ocean animals she got for Christmas. I came out to the kitchen one morning to find that she'd fixed up all the hurt creatures by laying them out on the floor and covering them with the dishrags she's still fond of.
It snowed! We desperately needed snow. We still need more, but this was great. Steve went out on his lunch break one day and helped Cecily and Mira build a snowman. And they went sledding at least three times and were diligently helping the neighbor kids build a fort. Sadly, it all melted within a couple days.
Since I'm at an "advanced maternal age," the doctor's office wants me to be in for a non-stress-test twice a week, plus an ultrasound and regular check-up once a week. At my last ultrasound, the tech said she'd found fluid near the baby's heart, so the doctor had me go to a maternal fetal medicine specialist to have them look into it more closely. The MFM office did another, extremely thorough ultrasound and said they thought it wasn't concerning, probably just a very slight difference in how big that area of his heart is. The benefit of having to go to ANOTHER appointment was that they did a 3D ultrasound and I got to see his sweet face in 3D. He's so cute! (He had his umbilical cord in front of his mouth, so that's what the squiggly thing is right there.)
This is how Mira decided to read scriptures during family scripture study time one night.
I also had to do a bunch of shopping this last week because we didn't have enough 0-3 month warm clothes. So Megan and I shopped at Kohl's (she works there now) and I went to DI with Jules one day. Then we had to reorganize Jules' closet so we could fit all of her clothes and his and new blankets and bibs and all that in there.
Cassie came to stay overnight again last night and Steve and I watched 3 BBC 3 Musketeers episodes this week. We usually don't watch that many because we're trying to spread them out and savor them because we enjoy them so much. We really enjoy that show.
Now I'm sleepy and I think I'll go take a nap. We me luck in delivering this kid soon. The next time you hear from me, there will probably be some happy news and lots of pictures.
