Grandparents Day!

Grandparents Day!  A long standing tradition at our local elementary school.  I guess that makes sense since half of the school is being raised by their grandparents (not so far from the truth, sadly).  Not my kids, though.  In fact, their grandparents are nowhere near. 

Last year I skipped out on the monumental talent show/assembly that is the highlight of the celebration.  "Why should I go," I thought, "I'm not their grandparent."  But, with two kids in the program this year, one of whom is extremely sentimental (Cael), I packed up the younger two and we went.  NEVER AGAIN!

2 wiggly (and bored) kids. 2 HOURS LONG. Only 2 minutes worth of appearances from the children of my womb.  Like I said....."NEVER AGAIN".  I'm surprised the students themselves didn't mutiny.

Anyway.

One good thing that came out of it......Little red's artistry.  Introducing.....

Grandma G.

 

Grandpa G.

 

Grandma H.

Grandpa H.

Now, while his renditions are not exactly spot on, he did a pretty good job of capturing the essence of it all.  he he he......

 

End of the year morsels

You know when it gets to the end of the school year and your kids start bringing home loads and loads of useless papers?  Yeah?  You do?

Then you know how tempting it is throw the whole thing out.  Or my usual...."Is there anything in there I need to see?"  Gabe always answers with a bored, "No" and, just the opposite, Cael seems to think it ALL is worth saving.  Forever.  (now that is another story).

So glad I didn't.....

There were some goodies hidden in the stack this year.

A short paragraph as part of Gabe's "Autobiography" titled "My Fabulous Family",

"My family is a weird one.  My brother Cael likes to get out of work by saying, 'I need to use the bathroom'.  I am the biggest one-upper ever.  My brother Isaac collects everything.  My brother Kian breaks his toys (sometimes).  My mom is a neat freak, but my dad is normal."  

Silly, but refreshingly truthful.

And from Cael's writing assignment "The Best Day Ever",

My three cousins from Utah came to visit in April.  I was excited that they came.  My cousins X and A and I played Mario Brothers.  We didn't play the video game.  We pretended play.  I was Mario.  X was Luigi.  A was Bouser and Toad.  We had lots of fun.  They left after one week.  I was sad.  This summer I get to see them for 3 1/2 weeks.  by Cael G
 Such sweet sweet love.  He really does LOVE LOVE LOVE his cousins.  Especially X (born 3 weeks apart)

I find myself with extreme mixed feeling about school ending.  I am ready for them to be home for the next few months but am not all that excited about them being home for the next few months.

Such is the life of a mother with school age children.  Sigh...

 

15 weeks...15 pounds

15 weeks...15 pounds. 

Never before have I gained this much weight this early on in pregnancy.  Of course, I've never had a pregnancy where I was forced to eat every 1.5-2 hours, without fail, in order to keep from experiencing severe nausea for the entire first trimester.  I really started hating food and the fact that I had to eat it there for a while. 

Good news, however.  All that is behind me and I'm once again experiencing a desire to eat food and in a far more moderate manner (besides the Cheetos yesterday).  I've only gained 1 lb in the last 2 weeks so perhaps it really is slowing down like I hoped it would.

In the beginning I also had zero drive to exercise.  That was a newbie for me too.  Perhaps it's a VERY good thing I taught aerobics 3 times a week to keep me somewhat accountable.  Now I'm only teaching 2 days a week but am feeling a little more motivated to keep things going.  I went for a walk/jog Wednesday morning pushing around 130+ in a jog stroller.  It felt SO good.  I'll have to do that more often, sans the extra weight if possible.

I had to laugh hard last week when I opened up my "14 week" Baby Center e-mail and read this: 

"The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad."

A "TAD"!

Baby #5--15 weeks

 HARDLY!!  He he he...

Rob and I have been throwing around some names.  Funny....only little girly ones, though.  We are both secretly...okay, not so secretly...hoping this little one is a girl.  Though, without a doubt, we will be very happy no matter the outcome.  After all, we know boys.  We can do boys.  A girl would be a whole new (exciting yet scary) territory for us.  But....one can hope until proven otherwise, right?
 
We are pretty set on "Ruth" for a middle name.  That one's been decided for about 10 years now.  Both of us have grandmothers by that name, it's my mother's middle name, his aunts name, his sister's middle name....you get the idea.

As far as first names go, here are a few that have not been downright vetoed by one or both parties.  However our like/love of them is decidedly varied at any given time of day:

Aberlee or Aberly or Aberley (after my favorite gymnast of all time Annabeth Eberle)
Leora  (my paternal grandmother)
Elenor (Elly or Ella or Nora)
Leona
Cora
Katie
Maja (Swedish spelling for Maya)
Millie

Not that we actually pick a name, for sure, until the baby is here and we get a good look at them, but it's nice to go in with some ideas.

The boys have chipped in on the naming game as well. 

Here's Cael's contribution:

A list he compiled at school with the help of his friends/classmates.

 Isaac's contribution:  Liam for a boy and Liama for a girl (I visit teach a girl who has a 1 year old named Liam and my boys LOVE HIM to death!)

Gabe has said:  Josh for a boy

Kian says:  "Baby in yours tummy?  Can I go in your tummy?"  or "Can I go in there?", as he lifts up my shirt.  P.S.  He's convinced it's a boy.


So that is it.  What do you think?

Time for your input.  Any ideas?

P.S.  Keep in mind we have a pattern (although not on purpose).  It goes
Gabriel-Hebrew,
Cael-Gaelic,
Isaac-Hebrew,
Kian-Gaelic,
So we figure Ruth is Hebrew and we could come up with a Gaelic/Celtic/Welsh/Scottish (you get the idea) first name.  Thus fulfilling the pattern.

Ready.....GO!  Let's see what you can come up with.
  

Belly comparison:
Ha ha....same shirt and all....

#4 16 weeks

#5 15 weeks

And Now For a Little Belly Comparison....

10 weeks---baby #4 (Kian)

 10 weeks and 5 days---baby #5  (???)

Huge difference, right?  Emphasis on the HUGE!

Last chance to weigh in folks?

What's it gonna be?

#1  Twins

#2 The "curse of the fifth"

What's your take?

 

The Real Story--Announcing Baby #5 (and maybe #6)

Alright, so I realize today is April Fools Day and I realize that anything I say will be questioned.  I'm not usually a practical joker, but today I couldn't help myself.  This morning I posted this on FB.  

Went to the Dr. late this morning. In TOTAL SHOCK right now! 12 weeks, and we'll find out just how prophetic mi Rigoberto actually is. Totally willing to take whatever we get but kinda hoping for something missing between their legs, if you know what I mean. We were already talking girly names last night on our trip home from Spokane. SO EXCITED!!!!!!

 Okay...so while not ALL of this is true (including the ultrasound pic--courtesy of Google), there is some foundation to this information.  So here's the real story.

4 weeks ago, I hesitantly took a pregnancy test...and it came up positive.

Day of Positive Pregnancy Test (4.5 weeks)--Baby #5

 Deep Breaths Melanie.  Deep Breaths.

So much HOPE yet so much hesitancy.  It's hard for the two to co-exist peacefully.

I immediately fell to my knees and thanked my Heavenly Father for this little blessing.  I assured him that although my head has been wrapped up in the twin girls prophecy for years now, I was more than willing to let that go for one healthy baby....whatever the sex....just as long as, this time, things could work out and I would be able to cradle this little one in my arms when its time came. 

"Well, those lines are really dark," are the words that came out of Rob's mouth after looking at the little white stick.  A true testament to the many faint-lined pregnancy tests we've had in the last 22 months that have resulted in loss.

True to form we prepared to keep this little secret to ourselves.  It's just easier that way.  But I couldn't do it.  It was eating me alive.  I just didn't think we should do it alone this time.  We needed help.  We needed support.  We needed prayers.  So we told our families.  Best. Decision. EVER!

Unfortunately, because of my extremely large mouth, and a rapidly growing 5th baby (10th pregnancy) belly, I have had a really hard time keeping it to myself.  Sigh.  Too many people know, including you now.  It makes me feel vulnerable...and scared....and yet, not.

We're certainly not out of the dark but are weeks past the point I miscarried the last four.  Add that to the fact that I am sicker than I have EVER been, we feel hopeful this little one is thriving and will continue to do so.

Because of my "high risk" of loss, I have already been in to see the doctor, twice.  I've had two internal (aka wand) ultrasounds (now those are fun), have heard a heartbeat, and have a beautiful picture of the little blob.

Ultrasound @ 5 weeks 5 days--Baby #5

It's not much but it was relieving to see/hear anyway.

"So...there's only one in there, right?" I asked.  Doctor's response, "Oh...it's too early to tell at this point."  Yeah, he's totally abreast of Rob's "twin girl" prediction and my unfounded "hopes" of it actually happening.  He doesn't think it's all that unlikely and is totally on board with us (until proven otherwise...he he)  "I've heard weirder things, he said." 

Because there is only one outer sac (chorion) seen in the pic, if there ARE twins in there, it would be what is called a Monochorionic (same placenta) and either a Diamniotic (each has it's own amniotic sac) or Monoamniotic (share an amniotic sac) pregnancy.  In either case, they would be identical.

Hah....how cute would it be to have identical red, curly haired little female Gillespies running around. 

Sadly, both of these are really rare...so I'm not holding my breath.  Rob....now that's another story.  He's still holding on to the idea with gusto.  Won't let it go until we have further evidence it's just one  (oh..and he REALLY wants a girl this time.)  It's so cute.  :)



As for me, I'm just "grateful" to be feeling extremely sick, a testament to positive things giving me more and more HOPE by the day.

I'm growing HUGE so very fast and am too sick to even think about trying to "hold it in".  I realize it's my 5th but, sheesh.....look at this thing...... (taken today)

7 weeks and 5 days--Baby #5

compare it to my last pregnancy at 7 weeks......

Now you know why I feel like such a whale already.  He he he...

So there you have it.