18.5 weeks and counting

I suppose I could have settled for just "18 weeks" in the title but why would I do that?  I'm going to count every second of every day I've bypassed with this pregnancy.  It's a great accomplishment, yes?

Anyhow....thought I'd post a few more pics.  For posterity (and curiosity's) sake.  No worries, the dirty mirrors are also part of it.  These types of things MUST be documented for future generations.

 
And, also for posterity's sake, proof that I do actually shower and get dressed every once in a while (despite what MOST of my children's memories will most likely recall someday).

 P.S.  Ultrasound coming SOON!  I'd tell you when, but I don't want to.  :)  Yep, I'm that mean.
 

4th Grade comes to a close

If there is one thing the kids school likes to do more than anything at the end of the year, it's party hardy.  I think the whole last two weeks were just a free-for-all.  Oh....except those hours and hours Gabe spent after school re-doing class work I thought he could have done better on had he put forth more effort the first time.  OUCH!  At least he got it done and his grades reflected the belated hard work put in.

Anyway....

We were able to enjoy many many fun activities with him.  Including but not exclusive to...

A recorder concert.  That's right...he is now a master at Beethoven on the recorder.

4th Grade Track and Field Day

400m run and the long jump
(other events not captured because of a dead battery)

and

Frog watching
(aka frog pestering)

Our old window well friend survived the winter and is still with us.

and we got a new friend..that ended up leaving us because he is NOT trapped in our window well and was sufficiently spooked by children pocking him with sticks (against strict orders not to).

 All in all a good end to a good year.

I can't count on both fingers and toes how many times this child exclaimed in pure amazement, "WOW!  I can't BELIEVE how FAST this school year has gone."  

To which I add, "or how slow the summer is going to creep by."  

THE END

 

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