The End (Beginning) Is Near!

Thought I would take a few quiet morning minutes to get to my neglected blog.  (And then the phone rang!!)

Anyway,  tomorrow is the BIG day. I will be induced sometime between the wee hours of the morning and the early hours of the morning!  I overdid it yesterday... I went on a big and necessary cleaning spree--well not all of it was NECESSARY but I did tackle a big job that I had been avoiding for a while and just couldn't stomach anymore--cleaning our tub!  Today I am catching up on Laundry so that the pile up that will inevitably happen over this long weekend with new baby isn't so bad.

Now that I'm a lightly seasoned Mom and getting in to well-oiled routines, I am so interested to see how the experience of a new born in the house will play out.  Will I still be motivated to swipe and swish my bathroom daily?  Will I be able to muster the energy to make beds every morning?  Will I shine my sink at night?  Will I be motivated to shed the baby weight in time for my brother's end of Summer nuptuals? I have such high hopes, but I have to remember not to let the thin streak of perfectionism pervade.  I mean between hormone fluctuations, midnight feedings, and chasing after three other little ones during the not so lazy, hazy days of summer...Well...I know I don't need to be hard on myself.  I'm also thankful that I have a handful of helpful offers for play dates and other help that I will not turn down, despite the nagging voice that says "YOU should be able to handle it all yourself!"  One thing I've learned over this past year is to open myself up to idea of girlfriends.  I have been so lucky to have fallen in with a group of women who are eternally caring, sympathetic, fun and refreshing. (Some of them even got together and threw a little surprise "sprinkle" for me!!)

Despite a cranky 2 year old this morning, I plan to enjoy today. My last full day of pregnancy, My Oldest's last day of Kindergarten.  A day for last minute preparations (like packing everyone's bags--hospital bag, and the kids' bags). A day for little surprises like "ice cream for lunch!"   A day for memories--Jordan's Kindergarten program this evening!!  And a night for no sleep as we anxiously await the call from the hospital to come in for the induction. 

I can't wait to introduce the newest member our family--celebrate all that is new.  And to experience the effect of multiplying love--celebrate all that stays the same.

I am so blessed, and so thankful, and so happy, come what may!

Happy Is As Happy Does

Well...trekked off to Borders today with the girls in search of the next book that I want to dive into:  The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  It is on our list for book club, so it may be an upcoming selection this summer, but whether or not our book club joins in, I want to read the book.  It is basically a memoir about the year in the life of a woman who makes being "happy" her project.  As we move through the book we learn more about her journey and perhaps begin to cultivate a journey of our own!  I checked out her blog last night, but figured I better start reading the book before I decide to give this new "kick" a try.

My own thoughts on Happiness?  And this is basically drawn from life experience (all 32.9 years of it!):  Is that to be happy, you need to BE happy.  It's about being grateful, accepting where you are in your life (whether it's challenging times or easy times), changing what needs changed, submitting to what cannot be changed, changing mental chatter from the negative to the positive, and changing ACTUAL chatter from negative to positive.

I have been reflecting a little over the past couple of weeks on a few things, how much more "at peace" I feel because I am clearing out the clutter in my home and finally realizing how to "do my job:"  this thing called "stay at home mom."  I spent a lot of time procrastinating from school age on and it's translated into putting off tomorrow what should be done today.  Hence overstuffed closets and pantry and drawers and dust bunnies and laundry pileups and babies who grow too quickly!

While clearing my clutter--well actually Jim came across it in HIS decluttering project--we came across a sketch book from when Jim and I were dating.  I loved looking through it because it reminds me of one of my happiest times with Jim.  One year for my birthday, Jim enrolled us BOTH in an art class at the community college.  It was the best gift EVER.  I give him all the credit in the world for coming up with this most amazing and perfect gift--I'm not quite sure how he knew to do it.  But anyway we took this little non-credit course together once a week for 6 or 8 weeks or so.  Even though he never claimed to be an artist--neither do I--or even claimed to LIKING to draw, the fact that he sat through the class with me and did his assignments and was just there spending time made it so wonderful.  I still smile when I think of it and smile when I look at what I created. 

I haven't drawn anything beyond a little crayon sketch or a fleeting picture on the magnadoodle in these last few years and it is something I miss...when I look at these pictures I get the urge to pull out the pencils and doodle a little and since I don't have a pile of stuff falling on my head when I open the closet door, maybe I can find some time to do a little of this or that again.

This is not something from Art Class...it's from college days--when Titanic was all the rage--It's probably the best portrait I've ever drawn though...

This was our first homework assignment: draw a chair.

Another homework assignment: draw a room.  This is the living room in my first apartment--the drawing is probably nicer than the real thing looked!

This was an in class assignment. I remember saying to Jim that we could hang it on the wall of the nursery for our first born son.  Well we never hung it in a nursery (and we never had a son!)

Here's another in class assignment I think...some tiger lilies...the problem is that even though it was a three hour class, I had trouble finishing my assignments within that time frame (I guess the perfectionist in me would come out).

Thanks for letting me share with you...it's been fun...now off to make dinner and give my husband a smooch.

The Waiting Game

Well...I'm coming in to the home stretch! I will probably only be pregnant for another 2 weeks at most.  I'm feeling fine, except that this little one has her foot jammed in my ribs 22 out of 24 hours of the day it seems!  I had a doctor appointment this morning and everything looks good. We will most likely schedule an induction for May 27th.  Jordan will be finished with Kindergarten (I can't believe it!!) and Ava will be done with preschool...we will be making our way into the nice long Memorial Day weekend and we can ease into a normal summertime routine.  Yeah right!  The best laid plans...

I don't feel super huge this time around...I think the cooler weather is actually helping with that.  I'm less motivated by the end of the day and unfortunately when I wake in the morning, instead of feeling refreshed, I feel like I was hit by a car sometime in the night!  But I'll take it all to hold a new little bundle in my arms in just 14 days or less!

I haven't taken one of these in awhile...It's me at 37 weeks 4 days!

To give you an idea of what I've been putting off though...we still need to get a new carrier/car seat for the baby...she still doesn't have a stitch of clothing (I got rid of all my newborn stuff...So she has nothing as of this minute until she fits into 6-9 month clothes).  I don't have my bag packed--or the girls for that matter (they will stay with my parents). We still haven't signed the contract to put our house on the market (that happens today though). I don't feel like doing much but lay around...we have overdue library books in the house, again! 

Jumping to something new:  I am finally getting down to potty training Olivia...She will be 3 in July so I thought I should really put in some effort.  We started this weekend and she is really doing wonderfully!  She has done #1 AND #2 on the potty we've gradually worked up to being able to hold it for at least 30 minutes between potty trips and she is very proud of herself.  I was leery of driving with her to the doctor appointment today while she had her big girl underwear on...so I brought the potty chair with us--thank goodness for the mini-van--we had room for it!  She did great.  She still has had an accident or two during the day, but they have been my fault.  I ignored the timer a couple of times.  It was funny because on the first day she sat on that potty 14 different times and each time, she peed a little.  My goodness little girl!  But it has actually been fun because she has been so successful with it. We clap and sing songs, give high fives and hugs and I can really tell she was ready for it!  I'm nervous for when the baby comes...hoping that Grammy and Pappy can keep up with her while I'm in the hospital and hoping that she doesn't regress when the baby comes home. I keep encouraging her by telling her that she will have to show "Chloe" how she goes on the potty now and what a great big sis she is going to be. I hope it's enough. She isn't as stubborn as Ava, so I think it should be okay!

Alright. I'm boring myself a little here....just had a minute and thought I would post and since this is my world right now, well...this is what you got!

I Painted My Nails For Mother's Day

The last time I painted my nails was about 2 weeks ago, before that it had been almost 8 years ago when I did my nails for my wedding...and I don't know if it really counts because I had them done at a nail salon and they were acrylics...

I usually paint my toenails in the summer time...but I had a big toe injury weeks ago and my toenail on my right big toe is now missing (it's so gross looking...although it has gotten a little better. It's going to take SOOO long to grow back.  No big toenail for sandal season...and it doesn't help that flip flops are the only shoes my puffy pregnant feet actually enjoy) ...plus, I can't reach my toes comfortably now AND I can't really see my toes at this point either. On a side note, when I was pregnant the first or second time, my little sister Lindsey treated me to a home pedicure. She helped me soak and scrub my feet and she painted my toes for me.  It was the BEST. I recommend that if you know a woman who is very pregnant at the height of sandal season that you do this for her...if you're queasy about touching toes then send her to a salon to have it done...really it was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has done for me and I loved it so much because I couldn't do it for myself without strange contortions and much pain...

Anyway, I never paint my fingernails. I'm a nail biter.  Really a nibbler. I don't bite my nails down to unattractive nubs but they are fairly short.  I usually nibble when I am bored.  Usually in front of the TV. I don't really think about it...when my mind is wondering my nails go to my mouth.  I hate this habit of mine.  It annoys me more when my husband points it out to me.  I usually think, "I'm doing it 'cause I'm bored...so instead of pointing it out, let's DO something!!"  But I don't say that aloud.  I just get annoyed.  

So, I've been super busy the last few weeks.  Too busy to watch too much TV and too busy to bite my nails. and they actually look kind of nice right now! I don't want long nails, they just get in the way, but I like the length they are now.  My prenatal vitamin has helped them grow strong and being too busy to nibble has made up for the missing toenail--kind of.

My friend Melissa gave me a little bottle of Barbie Pink polish shortly after Valentine's day...very thoughtful of her.  I painted my toes with it right away and the girls' fingers too!  Well, when the nails started to grow I pulled out that Barbie Pink and went to town. I felt pretty and if you know Barbie Pink--you know that it's a flashy little color--perfect for toes, but perfect for mommy's fingers too! I thought well, maybe it would pull attention from the gnarled toe down there...the one that had a Barbie band aid on it for a week or so.

On Saturday night I decided that I would give the girls mani/pedies.  (I never clip their toenails and fingernails and they were pretty ragged--I'm a bad mom).  So I pulled out the nail clippers and files and the nail polish and everybody got fancied up for Mother's day.  I painted my fingernails too!  I chose a more neutral color.   I felt pampered a little bit.

It's funny how something so little that takes about 5 minutes to do for yourself can make you feel so good.  Mommy's worth it...I recommend painting your fingers or your toes OR both today!  It's something for YOU to enjoy and smile at every time you look at them.

Granted the girls have already chipped their polish, but I know the memories of these little beauty things we do together will stay with them all their lives.  They get so excited whenever I suggest anything like this--painted nails,  new hairstyles, a little lip gloss, even smearing smelly lotion on their hands or legs...anything "girly" they love...and I know they love it more when Mommy does it with them.  One of the many reasons that I do adore having little girls.