Missing Princess

Dropped off the Princess for kindergarten roundup this morning.  Though she was very excited, she cried last night in anticipation of next year and of missing me.  I didn't cry--at least not in front of her.  But now, an hour after I've dropped her off, I am keenly missing her.  The house seems empty, though it is still full with the others.  There is a definite void.  I know she is in good hands.  I saw Mrs. Ogren and Mrs. Irwin and she was greeted very enthusiastically by Mrs. Lenhoff, so I know she is safe.  Still, I am counting down the time to when I can get everyone bundled up and in the car so that I can go pick her up from school.  It's only until 11:30--I can manage.  I am worrying about her, though.  Is she remembering to be kind and loving?  Is she remembering to say please and thank you?  Are the other children being kind to her?  She also has a bit of a snuffly nose, and I forgot to give her tissues.  I forgot to remind her to obey and raise her hand.  Despite this, she'll be OK.  I know she will.  My Princess is a survivor.  I've prayed she'll have discernment today, to know how to handle the situations she finds herself in through the day.  I hope she has fun.  I can't wait to hear about her day.

I also can't wait to have her back home--to hear her running around and playing, making up games like "baddick to bodick" (this is the best phonetic interpretation of the name of it I can make).  I don't understand the game, but she and Bubba play it frequently. 

I miss her.  Sweet Princess.  I love you.  More than you'll ever know.

Oh Bubby

After a really nice weekend (trip to Sioux Falls to the World Market and the Zoo), we accomplished some things with the house.  Last Monday Ed came and took down paneling and up up dry wall in the living room.  He also put insulation between the dry wall and the other piece of paneling, mainly to deaden the noise in the play room.  After multiple trips back to mud and sand, we were finally able to prime and start painting this week.  Fortunately, things worked out that we weren't trying to paint on Monday night as poor Bubby was clearly bothered by something.

He went to bed OK, but took a long time to fall asleep--and when he did, he only slept about 45 minutes before he woke up screaming and crying about his ear.  I rocked in the chair with him, I slept on the floor by him for hours, and finally at midnight gave him some ibuprofen and brought him to bed with Stu and I.  The pain killer helped him sleep.

Tuesday morning he told Stu he was all better, so I wasn't sure what to make of his night time crying.  Then nap time rolled around.  He fell asleep in under 5 minutes (very unlike him), but woke up after 1/2 an hour screaming and crying about his ear.  This was not like our Bub.  Fortunately, I was able to get him in yesterday afternoon--and as I suspected, ear infection.  Always the left ear, just like his daddy.  Amoxicillin for ten days.  So happy for medicine to relieve my Bubby's pain and make him better.

Love you, Bubba Joe.

Princess and the Pea

So last night while reading books for bed, T3 (or the pea, in this case) was kicking pretty excitedly.  I was pretty sure that the kids might be able to feel it if they could be patient enough.  So I got the Princess to hold her hand very still and got Bubba to quit wiggling for a minute.  The Pea kicked obligingly, and suddenly the Princess whipped up her head with incredible excitement in her eyes and a beaming smile.

"I felt it!!!!  I felt the baby kick!!!!!" she yelled excitedly.  Quiet for another few seconds, and she was rewarded again with a little kick.

Meet your big sister, little pea.  Princess, meet your little sibling.  It was a great moment.
(Bubba was too impatient to wait--maybe wouldn't have been able to recognize the kick even if he had waited--but not to be left out screamed excitedly that he, too, had felt the baby.  Soon, little man--soon I'm sure you will.)

Loved that moment for the Princess.  I hope she never forgets it, that miracle of God's love in that unborn baby.

Hello, little alien

Had our ultrasound yesterday to get a look at T3--and of course we got a print of the requisite "alien baby" photo.  I know it's fun to see the face, but this time our tech Mary got a photo that showed the lens of the baby's right eye.  It looks like a laser eye, ready to blast.  Of course, it is the cutest laser eye ever as it belongs to our unborn child. And it's the cutest alien baby in the world, because it's ours.  Still, ultrasound pictures are most precious to the mothers who can finally equate those bumps and prods with the actual foot or hand they watch on the screen.

Our little one was practicing acrobatics, and was rather annoyed at being disturbed and prodded.  Flipped from breech to head-down to transverse in the space of five minutes.  Little stinker.  And the big question every asks, did we find out the gender?

Nope.  And because we had told her that we didn't want to know, she didn't even look (which I'm sure prevents any inadvertent slips of the tongue).  Ideas?  Rooting for a girl for sentimental and practical reasons.  Sentimental, so we can use the middle name Mardell.  Practical, because our girl clothes from the Princess will cycle perfectly since both should  be July birthdays.  My only concern at this point is that the baby actually measured on target.  I'm not used to this.  Normally they tell me that the baby is big and I know to expect delivery early.  This one measured spot on to the day.  20 weeks 1 day.  Exactly the numbers according to calculations.  We'll see if T3 makes an early entrance or not, and if it's as big as the other two were.

Kick me baby, one more time

Though I've felt flutters and kicks for a while, last night was the first time I could feel a kick through my belly.  I LOVE that.  Love feeling the baby rolling and moving around in there.  It's my favourite part of being pregnant.  I won't love the huge, uncomfortable stage so much, but I love that rolling and kicking.

Things remain busy here.  The Princess got to go to a tea party with the twins, which she loved, and we took her and Bubba to see Gnomeo and Juliet on Saturday.  Bubba's first movie in a theatre.  Great time!

Princess drew a picture of me yesterday--my belly resembled a ball, because I am big, and so that people could roll me around.  How thoughtful.  Love that girl.

Flutters

So I'm 17 1/2 weeks.  For the past week I've been patiently and intently paying attention to my belly, waiting for those first movements.  I've thought I've felt a few, but honestly, it could have been gas.  :)  Just because this is the third doesn't mean it feels the same.  Last night, however, I know that I was finally feeling baby for sure.  This is my favourite thing about being pregnant--the movement.  I want to walk around all day with a secret smile on my face because this little human and I are connecting.   Though the positive pregnancy test gives knowledge to the head, the flutters, the heartbeat, and the ultrasound give knowledge to the heart.  It's real before these things, but hearing the baby's heartbeat for the first time is an amazing experience.  With the Princess I heard it at 7 weeks because of the early ultrasound, with Bubba I heard it at 10 weeks, but this one I had to wait until 14 weeks.  With the Princess I felt movement at 18 weeks at a CM retreat at the Lakes, with Bubba I was 16 weeks and we were in Omaha, and this one finally at 17 1/2 weeks.  There's nothing like these first flutters.  I treasure them and will hold them tightly in my heart.  These first flutters are mine and mine alone as their mother.  Later kicks are big enough for others to feel, but these are my first real moments with my children.  I love you, sweet children.

Party Time!!!

Last night I successfully hosted a party.  Wow.  I never consider myself a great hostess--always worry about guests having fun.  After having actually won a Free Flavour Friday event from Coffee-mate, I had to just do regardless of my insecurities.  And I had a blast. I wanted to invite so many people, but it turned out perfect with the number who were able to come.  Ok, so one couple (good friends) didn't catch the time right and were half an hour early and I hadn't even showered yet--didn't even a bra on yet!  But they just laughed and chatted with my sweet husband while I got ready, which I did in record time.  One couple had to leave early because he works for the DOT and had to go out and clear roads. 

All in all, however, it was a great night.  Didn't use the poker set that came with the kit, but we played Catch Phrase and Cranium.  It was nice to sit and visit over coffee when the games were done, and the kids did pretty well playing on their own.  I felt really good at the end of the night when Christi and Ethan shared that this was the ONLY non-church invitation they had had in four years--I suppose the hazards of being a pastor, but I was glad I had invited them and that they had been able to come.  It was a good night.  Makes me want to win another event!!!  (the only downside to the evening--Bubba decided to use the toilet on his own since I was busy, which is OK, but one time he completely missed the target and I had to mop the floor and change him in the middle of Cranium!!!! Oh, my little guy.  Love you, Bubba.)