What Happened to My Feet? AKA 31 Weeks of Pregnancy

Time keeps on ticking by and I find myself with just over 9 weeks until my due date. Of course, a due date is the only day of the year I can be sure I WON'T deliver. Bailey and Nolan were each four days late, so I'm not going to fool myself into thinking it's time to pack my hospital bag at 38 weeks!

That said, my doctor did tell me that I am "ahead" in the upward growth of my uterus. This means I'm carrying higher than I should be based on the number of weeks I've been pregnant. Does this mean anything in terms of my projected delivery date?  Probably not. I personally think the only implication is on my increasing inability to get good, deep breaths. Many days, I just feel like I need to stretch out so that the baby isn't up in my ribs!

Generally speaking, I feel pretty good. I always start the day feeling great, but downgrade to "pretty good" by mid-afternoon. This is largely because I can't tolerate much food and yet I'm not always successful in eating just the right amount to fill my stomach without that one extra bite that's going to result in a feeling like I've just gorged on the largest Thanksgiving dinner you've ever seen. But we're not talking about Thanksgiving dinner; we're talking about a Smart One. I've been trying to eat little bits at a time to mitigate this feeling. Feelings of hunger betray me sometimes, so this is an ongoing struggle.

The baby is extremely active, which is fun sometimes and annoying sometimes. 3 a.m. is when the movement falls into the annoying category. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I'm carrying quite high so the kicks and jabs tend to be aimed at my ribs most of the time. No matter where he kicks me, sleep is getting a little more elusive. I AM thankful that I do not feel the pressure so many pregnant moms feel when they carry low (knock on wood).

I continue to take Body Pump and Zumba classes and do other cardio exercise 4-5 days a week. I know I'm not working as hard as I used to, but I feel good about my activity level and I'm staying within the guidelines provided by my doctor. I'm not supposed to let my HR get above 140. I negotiated 150 since I find that a brisk walk gets me to 140 pretty easily. I've also continued to do core exercises like crunches on the stability ball or incline bench. While it's perfectly fine (as long as I don't lie flat on my back), I do feel like my belly could just pop while doing them one of these days. :-)

I don't really have any cravings and have continued to try to eat the same healthy meals and snacks I was eating pre-pregnancy. Again, I'm not always successful and partake in a few indulgences here and there. Overall, though, I think I've done a pretty good job not letting myself go crazy just because I'm pregnant. I hope that my exercise and eating habits will contribute to an easier road to lose pregnancy weight than I had with the other kids. I will say I'm not looking forward to stringently monitoring my food intake, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

The kids are getting really excited. Bailey told me a few days ago that we really need to have a family meeting to take care of this whole name thing. Ha, ha! She repeatedly reminds me that she wants to go to the hospital with us, even if we go in the middle of the night. It's a really fun experience, as she's old enough to understand what's going on and want to play a big role in the process. She even asked if she could be in the room during the delivery. I'm not sure about this, as I think she'd be traumatized! Nolan seems excited, but he's also much more passive about the whole thing. I think he will do just fine as long as someone continues to pay attention to him (in his world, this means shooting hoops with him a minimum of 2 hours a day!).

That's it for now. I'll post more as I get closer to the big day!

The World According to Nolan

This little interview project wouldn't be complete without including little Nolan. I had to tailor some of the questions due to unfamiliar words and concepts. Regardless, I think you will enjoy his responses!

1. What do you like about being a kid?

Getting to play and watch movies and getting put to bed at night.

2. What do you like to do for fun?

Shoot hoops, of course!

3. Tell me about a funny time in your life.

It was funny in that movie when the kids called their grandpa Fartie instead of Artie. (*Note: This is from Parental Guidance.)

4. What do you love most about your sibling?

That she does things for me and helps me sometimes. I love her.

5. What is the nicest thing you've done for someone?

(*Note: He thought a LONG time before answering.) I can't remember, but ask me again tomorrow. I'll try to do something nice today.)

(*Note: Then he suggested I ask about the naughtiest thing he's ever done.) At my old school, one time I ate someone else's corn dog even though I brought my lunch.

6. What do you think makes a person good-looking?

When they look like my mom. (*Note: Awwwwww.)

7. Name two things you like our family to do on the weekend.

Shoot hoops and eat at Whataburger.

8. What is the grossest thing you can think of?

Eating poop. (*Note: The kid has a point.)

9. What do you think your wife will be like?

She'll be like Phoebe because she WILL be Phoebe.

10. How many kids do you want to have when you grow up?

 (*Note: He put up all 10 fingers, so I asked him if he really wants 10 children. He corrected me, saying he'll have 10 and then 10 more. Ummmm, okay. Perhaps Phoebe's last name is Duggar.)

11. How old is your mom?

65 (*Note: Ouch!)

12. What does your mom do for work?

She makes dollars to put in the bank so we can buy things. (*Note: A pragmatic answer.)

13. What do you like best about your mom?

That sometimes she stays home and spends time with me.

14. How old is your dad?

69 (*Note: At least we're both in our 60's!)

15. How strong is your Dad?

I think he's stronger than anyone except the Hulk.

16. What does your Dad do for work?

He helps sick people.

17. What do you like best about your Dad?

That he plays with me and gets me popcorn at Target.


Oh, man. I love that kid.

Nolan is doing very well in Pre-K. I hate to use the phrase, "much to our surprise," but frankly that shoe fits! As many parents who have a daughter first would agree, Nolan has not historically displayed the same kind of interest in academics as our firstborn. It's hard not to compare, but his teacher (who adores him, by the way) has been quite complimentary of Nolan's intellect and social skills. This makes me happy and carries me through the frustrating moments when he tells me he "forgot" his ABC's.

That said, Nolan is still a little ornery boy. He's been in trouble a few times at school for play fighting (at least we think they were playing), running in the classroom, and throwing things. Each time we get the news from his teacher, we have a talk about the issue at home. It never fails that Nolan's version of the story will include his role as trying to convince the other boys that what they're doing is wrong. Yeah, right....

As you can tell by some of his answers, Nolan is a little love bug. I'm not kidding when I say that he tells me he loves me 15 times each day. He hugs, he kisses, he pats me on the back, and most days he expresses appreciation for things we do for him. Of course, just like most kids, he will turn on us in a second when and if he doesn't get his way! :-) 

We continue to work on a few things, including eating and crying. Relative to eating, he has a new excuse every day for why he can't eat his dinner. Some of his excuses include not being able to chew, his legs hurt, he only liked carrots last week but not this week, it's too spicy (he will inevitably say this about something incredibly un-spicy) and he's still full from lunch. He often stalls by deciding everyone around the table needs a hug or that he needs to go to the bathroom (and then we hear him bouncing the basketball in our bedroom). Now, don't get me wrong, the kid can and does eat certain things but the pool of approved food items is small and most fall within the "junk" category. Jason still feeds him sometimes just to get dinner over with since he's usually sitting at the table long after everyone else is done. I sometimes fear he will go to kindergarten next year and ask his teacher to help him eat his lunch.

Relative to crying, our little Nolan cries about anything and everything. On one hand, he is so happy most of the time and has a smile that can light up a room. But, in a split second he will get incredibly upset about who knows what -  his pants not "going the right way", that it's bath time, or that we're "not listening" (which is his favorite thing to say when we are saying no about something). Usually, his crying jags are short-lived, but they definitely get old. Before his 5th birthday, we were on the countdown to "no crying at 5!" but, alas, my efforts to empower my big boy have not yet worked. Hopefully he will grow out of this before the new baby comes. Perhaps we can pass the crying torch?

Finally, Nolan is a superb athlete. Just like his dad, he seems to just "get" any sport he tries. And he's committed to getting better, which is something I'm not sure you see in a lot of kids his age. Right now he's playing soccer and basketball, but wants to play baseball and run track (who knew a 5 year-old could run track?) soon. Particularly with basketball, he wants to practice non-stop. He watches Kevin Durant do layups and then sets a goal of trying to perfect his own shot to be just like Kevin Durant. This is really fun for Jason! I enjoy watching him excel in sports, but it's a bit of a challenge sometimes when he scores 90% of the team's points each game. At first, all the parents cheer and clap, but by point 18 or 20, the cheers and claps have dissipated and you can tell the other parents are over it. :-) Jason reminds me that he's not doing anything wrong by being good....and he passes when he needs to and listens to his coach....but I still feel like some of the parents may secretly hate us. :-)

In closing, we are blessed to have Nolan in our lives and can't wait to see how he uses his talents in the future!

The World According to Bailey

Since time goes by so quickly and I just as quickly forget what's going on in the here and now, I thought I'd take the opportunity to document some things about each one of the kids. I've seen several parents interview their kids to capture fun anecdotes, so last night I prepared and asked Bailey the following questions. I've typed her answers exactly as she provided them to me.

1. What is your happiest memory?

When I found out my mom is having a baby. Not Nolan, but the new baby.

2. Why do you like about being a kid?

Being young because you have a lot of time until you get old and die.

3. What is one word that best describes you?

Weird!

4. What advice would you give your parents?

That I don’t lie ALL the time. (*Note: As you may be able to tell, we're having an issue right now with those little fibs to get out of trouble.)

5. What do you like to do for fun?

Roller skate.

7. Tell me about a funny time in your life.

Well, one time Mrs. Dobbins made a fart noise with her mouth when she didn't like something someone said, but no one knew it was with her mouth. It was really funny.

8. What do you love most about your sibling?

He likes most of the things I like, except foods. That kid is strange.

9. What is the nicest thing you've done for someone?

One time when we were at the nursing home, I helped a man hold his cookie so he could eat it because he was having a hard time with it.

10. What do you think you will be doing 10 years from now?

Getting all A’s in high school.

11. What do you think makes a person good-looking?

Their eyes.

12. Name two things you like our family to do on the weekend.

Go see movies and shoot hoops.

13. What is the grossest thing you can think of?

Someone eating bugs.
14. What do you think your husband will be like?

He will be a loving person.

15. How many kids do you want to have when you grow up?

3

16. How old is your Mom?

36 (*Note: Ahem, I am not 36 until April 26, thank you very much!) 

17. What is your Mom's favorite color?

Red.

18. What is her favorite TV show?

The show where the women scream at each other. What's it called? (*Note: She means the Real Housewives!)

19. What does your mom do for work?

Helps people with marriages and having babies. (*Note: I'll take it. This explanation is probably just as good as the one others in my family would give.)

20. What do you like best about your mom?

That she’s having another baby.

21. How old is your dad?

39

22. How strong is your Dad?

VERY

23. Where does your Dad work?

Well, right now he works at school and some hospitals for school. And at home.

24. What is Dad's favorite TV show?

That show about digging gold. (*Note: Gold Rush)

25. What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?

Go to movies or go roller skating.

26. What do you like best about your Dad?

That he’s good at every sport.

Well, that was fun.

As I've said before, Bailey is growing up and it's both exciting and scary - for us and for her. She's on the cusp of asking questions that will be the end of some of childhood's magic (SANTA), and has already asked some that are the beginning of her journey to adolescence (SEX). To be honest, I think I handled the latter much better than I will handle the former!

She does very well in school, loves to read, and each of her teachers thus far has shared with us how helpful Bailey is in the classroom, particularly with students who need additional help with their work. I think Bailey takes pride in helping her teachers. Actually, I think she likes helping others in general, as she looks forward to volunteering at the Food Bank, visiting nursing homes, etc. If only we could figure out how to make this work the same way at home!

Bailey is well-liked by her peers, but Bailey is like me in that she does better with one or two good friends into which to invest her time. Many times, though, she matches herself up with the social butterfly type who is a little bit invested in a lot of people, as opposed to a lot invested in a select few. This has yielded a few teary conversations about friendships. I know that this is all a part of the learning process, but I feel for her because I remember those same emotions from my own childhood.

This is also the time when kids start to be concerned about how they look. Bailey hasn't expressed too many concerns just yet, but she did make a passing comment this week that she hates her full lips. Jason and I both reacted with incredulity as this is a feature of hers we, 1) don't know how she got since neither of us have full lips, and 2) think is one of her best features! But, of course, she doesn't care what we have to say on the subject. I'm sure this is just one of many complaints to come in the future.

As for activities, she continues to play basketball and soccer, and she dances jazz and hip hop.  We had a great soccer season as we decided to play her in her own age group (U8), so now she's the oldest kid instead of the youngest. This, coupled with getting on a great team with a great coach, was a good move and she gained a lot of experience and skills. In basketball, she plays co-ed, which we're not sure we like at this age, but she is holding her own against those aggressive boys. She even scored 17 points at her last game! Finally, she loves to dance....it's yet to be determined whether she'll stick with it long-term like I did, but she does well and enjoys it for now.

Finally, this is no surprise if you know her personally, but Bailey is extremely headstrong. This is challenging for us in terms of dealing with back-talk and an otherwise "know-it-all" attitude most of the time. I recently started trying to give her piano lessons and each and every lesson is torture since she's always right and I'm always wrong. :-) This dynamic is something we're working on as a family, but can sometimes overtake our days because we often feel helpless to effectively communicate with her about contentious issues. Parenting ain't easy, folks! While I definitely do not like this part of our journey, I do try to remember that hopefully being headstrong will benefit her when peer pressure starts to enter into the picture!

I guess that's it for now about little Miss Bailey. We love her so very much and know she's going to be a wonderful big sister to the new baby!!

Never Getting Back Together

Yep, this happened. Taylor Swift would be proud. Or not.

I'm Baaaaack!: New Year, New Blog Name, New Posts

What can I say? I've been busy for the last, ahem, 2 years!

I stopped writing here because I was asked to contribute to another blog and simply didn't have the time or the brainpower to manage both responsibilities. Long story short, my friend who asked me to write for said blog is no longer the editor, so I reluctantly relinquished my writing responsibilities. As much as I loved writing on a regular basis, I wasn't interested in a non-paid gig for a non-friend. That said, I really have no current excuse not to resume posting family updates here, so I've pledged to resume maintaining this blog.

I realize there is a problem with the small lapse in time. Never fear, for I have the perfect solution.....a beloved Top 10 list!!

Top 10 Things You've Missed Over The Past 26 Months

10. Bailey has teeth. The last time I posted, she was fairly toothless. Now, she has most of her adult teeth (in the front, at least), which corresponds with a more mature look about her.  She continues to be one of the tallest kids in her grade, despite being one of the youngest. 

9. Nolan is no longer a baby. Lots changes between 3 and 5 years of age! Nolan is a rambunctious little guy who attends Pre-K, loves watching movies (over and over again) and is extremely loving. The first picture below is from his first day at Pre-K. The second illustrates his little personality (and mine, perhaps). The third is him listening to music in the car on the way to church, and the last is from his Superhero birthday party.

8. We went to Disney. While we've taken several small trips (Dallas, San Antonio, Houston), Disney is our most recent big adventure. Best. Trip. Ever! We can't wait to go back in a few years when Jason is back in the working world.

7. My office moved downtown. After working in the same location for 12 years, this is somewhat noteworthy in my world. A large oil and gas company purchased our building and all the tenants had to move out. It was a challenging process to find a 37,000 sq in a new building, but we finally did it and moved in stages last summer. We are now the sole tenants of this building in Bricktown. It's a cool building with a lot of character.

6. We got a puppy. A casual mention to my boss a few years ago that the kids wanted a puppy for Christmas resulted in a new family member. Oliver is now a 10-pound Maltipoo. Jason can't believe we have a small dog, but he is just the right size for the kids and he doesn't smell or shed.

5. Nolan has finally realized his dream of playing "real" sports. He's been waiting so long to start soccer and basketball (and would play anything else we let him)! We have enjoyed watching him put his natural athleticism to good use. He's now obsessed with Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma Thunder and recently attended the Thunder basketball camp. The first and second pictures below are from his first season. The third includes some members of his current team. The last two pictures were taken at the Thunder basketball camp he attended last month.

4. Jason had his 20-year high school reunion. Talk about feeling old! Regardless of age, we had a blast with good friends in San Antonio. The first two pictures below were taken at Jason's high school. He had fun touring the school after all this time. The third picture is of Jason, his friend Sergio, and the Cox and Flores kids. Finally, we had some good Mexican food (and shared a giant drink!) one night. 

3. Jason and I had our 10th and 11th wedding anniversaries. Even though Jason likes to joke (hope it's a joke, at least) that it's been "11 years of h-e-l-l", we're still going strong and enjoying life! We don't look too shabby, if you ask me.

2. Jason closed his wireless business and went back to school to get his BSN so he can save lives for a living. He spent two semesters getting his prerequisite courses out of the way, has one semester of OCU's nursing program under his belt, and has just started his second semester. While it's difficult for him and for us, we are so very proud of him! The following picture was taken at Jason's induction ceremony at the beginning of his first semester.

1. We're having another baby! Call us crazy given #2 on this list, but we realized we simply aren't done growing our family. The flip side of this is connected to #5, so we needed to get moving on said family growth. We are super excited to be having another little boy, and can't wait to meet him in mid-April. Here are a couple of belly pics. The first is at 22/23 weeks and the second at 26 weeks. 

Well, that's it for now. It's good to be back. 

Kendy

Kid Updates

Time sure does fly! Nolan is about to turn 3, and Christmas is right around the corner. I'm coming to terms with it...slowly!


Most moms share my feeling of being totally enamored with my children (I mean, they are enamored with their OWN children, not mine...smile). Bailey, as my first born, will always hold such a special place in my heart and I continue to watch her grow up so beautifully. Nolan steals my heart every day, and I find myself falling more and more in love with that little guy. Here are a few updates on each of them:


Bailey
-She is reading and writing so well! I particularly love reading her "story prompt" pages from school. I think they are so telling about her thoughts and feelings. For instance, I now know that she thinks it's a really special moment we share when we make cookies together. AND she thinks my cookies are the most delicious EVER! I won't tell her that some people make cookies from scratch rather than spooning already-made dough onto a sheet and cooking!!

-I've always known she is a bit more like me than Jason. From the emotions to the bossiness to the need to be right all the time....yep. Lately she's become very hard on herself when she can't master a skill the first time. I try to calm her down and tell her that it's not important for her to be perfect at everything, especially the first time.....all the while remembering how hard it was for me when I wasn't good at something as a child.

-She is toothless as she's missing her two top front teeth. The big teeth are nowhere in sight, but I have my suspicions that things won't be pretty once they grow in, so I actually prefer toothless. We are saving money for the orthodontist. :-)


Nolan
Having always been a great sleeper, we are now facing 1) extreme nap reluctance, and 2) a refusal to sleep in his own bed or, when we win, needing to sleep with the light on. I blame Halloween for the latter, as he fears monsters. Sometimes a sweep of his room to slay the monsters helps, and other times he's just plain scared. He does reassure himself by offering, "Monsters are NOT real, momma." Sometimes, however, there's a bit of a question mark at the end of the statement, rather than a period.

-He's a man of extremes. Sometimes he's the most lovable kid you've ever seen, offering kisses, hugs and effusive "I love yous." Other times, he snubs people without batting an eye. Further, he's learned the art of hurting your feelings on purpose, sometimes saying "I don't love you" with a devilish grin. He'll change his tune when you act sad, though.

-His speech is getting a lot better and we can carry on a fairly good conversation with him. There are still times, however, when we're stumped and this leads to major frustration and potentially a temper tantrum. He'll say "I can't say something" when he isn't able to articulate his thoughts or when we don't understand him.

-Most people comment on how high pitched his voice is. I don't notice it as much, but he does sound a little like Mickey Mouse. :-) I think this is so funny since people have always commented on how LOW and raspy Bailey's voice is.

-His forehead scar doesn't seem to be fading a bit. Most days it doesn't bother me because I can put it all in perspective....it's such a tiny minor thing compared to so many other things in the world. But, I do hope it fades as he ages because it's pretty noticeable and still quite red.


That's it for now....here's a pic of the kids from our recent family pictures!

My Little Singers

As you've noticed, I've been MIA. My excuses are: 1) The camera I bought after my old one took a dip in the ocean is hateful to me.....I have to resize every picture before posting and it takes forever. I attempted to post pics from Bailey's birthday (August!!) and got frustrated! 2) I've been writing for another blog, http://reddirtchronicles.com and this has taken up quite a bit of my free time.

Here are a few recent videos. The first is Bailey at the Justin Bieber concert. Second is Bailey singing in church (it's short, as I first tried to video on our other camera), and the last is Nolan trying his hand at the same song (not in church!).