Jack and Joey

Isn't it October yet? I mean, my decorations have been up for.ev.er! And as I glide around, straightening my house, I smile while admiring my decor, because it makes me SO happy. I can hear the birds chirping outside my open windows, the geese conversing as they fly south, and I wonder how on earth we can still be in September.

But then I catch myself, and I realize I am living in the future, and not enjoying this delicious September weather, and the morning walks with Beth and Katie hugging, and Adrienne and I laughing about our dreams, or some odd weird thing.

Remember how Jeffrey's car died on me while I was trying to get to Salt Lake City, and the drama that then ensued? Well, since then I have been driving him to work every day, which I really don't mind, because I do like getting up early. I have found I get a whole lot more done when I do. Before the babies wake up and begin their mess making rituals. A few days ago, Jeffrey found the perfect car. It is orange on the outside and black on the inside, and honestly, it makes me so happy. I have named it Jack the Pumpkin King. Because, hi. The perfect autumn color, and the perfect autumn car. He doesn't like the name, but has yet to come up with a better one, so Jack it remains. This means I no longer have to get up so early, but I try to anyway.



It is lovely having the kids back in school, and having our schedules again. Beth loves the one on one Mommy time, and I love my Beth time. She is the happiest child I have ever encountered, and is so fun to be around. Everything is a game to her. Last night as we were all getting ready for bed, Beth decided she wanted to play with Jeffrey's alarm clock, which usually results in a lost alarm clock. Jeffrey saw Beth by his alarm clock, and started to chase her, which made her squeal, and run as fast as her little legs could carry her, holding the clock out in front of her. Keith, Faye, and I cheered Beth on as she squealed and ran, with Jeffrey chasing after her. As luck would have it, little Bethy's legs tried to go faster than they were able, and she tripped, sprawling across the floor, still clutching the clock, and giggling madly. Jeffrey scooped her up and took back his clock while she giggled and did her best to keep it away from him. She makes me laugh so much!

I really need to get back to blogging regularly. I am just so tired lately. By the time we are finished with homework, chores, dinner, and reading, I am ready to go to bed before the kids are! Last night we were all in bed before 8:00! It was wonderful, and honestly, something we do quite often anymore. I am in bed just as early, if not earlier than my little ninos. And I guess now is as good as any time to let the cat out of the bag. The reason I have been so tired lately is growing another human is just hard work!

Yes, that is correct, we are working on child #4!

sorry, it is upside down. 

I guess this means I really need to stop calling Beth my baby, which is such a hard habit to stop! I really enjoyed not telling a soul until Beth was born, last time. It was such a great joke! But with as infrequently as I blog, I probably should make note of it at some point. Especially since I realize that this little one will probably want to read about its growing life as I am experiencing it, and I do regret not blogging about my pregnancy with Beth, although it truly was a great and epic joke!

Before I was pregnant, I would get tired around 3. My day would just be done by 3, and that is the way I have always been. Morning person, you know. But now, I am so tired by about noon. I have to make dinner early in the morning, otherwise we have cereal, or sandwiches, or it is a fend for yourself kind of evening. I just don't have the energy after 12:00. And this is why bedtime has begun to be so much earlier for all of us. I am ready for bed, usually around 6:30. I count down the seconds until 7:00 when we can begin bed time. Luckily for us, we finally completed our Harry Potter collection (for some reason, we were missing book 3, which is my favorite, and that makes it so odd that it was missing. I always just thought it was in one of my boxes of books, but when we moved to Moon Hollow and unpacked all of our books, it was missing.), and the kids and I really love bedtime now. They gather in my bed with me (I of course am in pajamas long before either of them are) and we read. I love doing the voices, although Dumbledore hurts my throat, and I am so glad when he doesn't have very many lines. We read until I begin to drop off, and I send the kids off to their beds. Jeffrey tucks them in, and I am long into the land of nod before he ever makes it back to bed. But I really don't mind, because... baby!

My little joey will be joining us on or around March 20, 2016 which just happens to be the first day of Spring! That makes me so happy, although truth be told, it will probably be before that day, as is the pattern of my other babies. I am rooting for March 17th as having a little Leprechaun will be an absolute delight! My kids are already so in love with St. Patrick's Day, it would be just one more thing to celebrate. I am so happy and excited for this! And Jeffrey is too, which is a first. All the other pregnancies he didn't take well. He stressed and hemmed and hawed the whole 9 months. The moment he saw that little chubby face, though, on all of them, he was completely smitten, and has been a slave to them ever since! With this baby, though, he has been excited and not stressed about it at all. It has been wonderful! I sent him a picture of the first ultrasound, with the included due date after my first appointment, and he said he was so excited, it was like it was the first time. It makes me giddy knowing that he is actually excited this time around. It is such a different experience, and I am enjoying every second of it. Although truth be told, the reality still hasn't set in. I mean, I am at the really awkward stage of beginning to show, but not yet being obvious so it looks like I just went on a doughnut binge which is why my clothes aren't fitting any more. But I don't mind. It is awkward, but seriously, the knowledge just makes me glow and happy all over!

Whew! It feels so good to finally get this out. I have been deliberating on how and when I was going to spill the beans on this one for a few weeks now, it is such a relief to just sit and write, and let the words fall out of me.

Okay, my thoughts thus far. I have not been crazy sick, but I have felt nauseous a lot. Which is good. As much as I hate that feeling, I have been so grateful for it every time. Because it meant that things were working. My last pregnancy I was only sick for about two days, and then all tiredness and sickness went away. My body was producing enough HCG that the uterus was still growing, but the baby had actually quit growing and died around 7 weeks. I miscarried at 12 weeks. So, every sick moment has been a blessing to me. True to form, I didn't throw up much, which was common with my other pregnancies. I am crazy moody, though. I get sad over ridiculous things. I cry from oil change commercials. I listen to Brian Regan and the laughter turns into tears that I can't explain. This leads me to believe that this little munchkin is a boy. I was crazy emotional with Keith, but didn't feel much different when I was pregnant with the girls.  Keith is really hoping for a boy. He has desperately wanted a brother since I was pregnant with Faye. When I was pregnant with Faye he used to ask me "for a little brother who can play with me, who can already talk and play." I think he just wants us to adopt his best friend Avery. Faye, of course wants another sister, because girls stick together, you know. And Beth has no idea. I think she will be over the moon to have a real living baby in the house! She has taken to baby dolls like no other child I have seen. She loves all things baby. On Friday my friend came by with her 2 month old daughter, and Beth wanted to hold her the whole entire time! It was adorable! I just love my little goober of a girl, and am excited to see how much love she gives to our new sweetie. What a lucky woman I am, to have soon to be 4 adorable little bobbins running around, filling my house with messes, laughter, and chatter! They are some of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.

I have been so much better about letting things go and not expecting so much of myself, lately. I am quite proud of that, actually. This is a huge step for me, to be able to let things go and not stress over missing something, or making things huge and extravagant. I am learning my limitations, and I am beginning to be okay with it. I am still planning on doing an October 1st party, although it will probably be SO much more tame than it has in the past. I am thinking doughnuts, cider, and movie is all. Keith has requested that we watch Hocus Pocus this year, which I am in love with that idea, of course. I also plan to let the kids do the majority of the Christmas decorating because I really need to let go of more things.

And so, that is my news for the day. We have two new additions to our family. Lovely Jack the Pumpkin King, and my little joey who makes me so tired and deliriously happy!