Week 13!

TECHNICALLY
Yesterday afternoon, I went to Drew and Dawsyn's school to volunteer in their classrooms like I do every Thursday. At the end of the day, when the kids were supposed to be leaving, the principal came across the speaker and asked that all teachers hold their students in their rooms until further notice. Of course, Drew was freaked out by this. We eventually found out that an "off-duty" police officer was in the parking lot with his gun visible and parents reported it, thus causing the confusion. Anyway, as we were getting ready to leave, we found out what the issue was and Drew stopped dead in his tracks and said, "Technically, I think we should have been under a lockdown, I mean I honestly don't feel that just keeping us in the building was the safest plan if someone had a gun, I don't care if he was a cop". The teacher and I just looked at him in disbelief, as he was very upset about this. I'm sure his teacher thought he was cute, but I just kept thinking about Barney Fife and "citizen's arrest, citizens arrest!!!" I love my little rainman!

UPDATE ON TIE-BREAKER
I had my first of the ten ultrasounds yesterday. The tech was wonderful and answered all of my questions. She said that so far, everything looked fine. The baby was measuring a few days ahead of schedule, putting my due date at November 26th. He/She was curled up in a little ball, but then would stretch out for a few seconds. At one point, the baby put it's little hand up by its mouth and you could count every finger! Amazing. She asked me if all five of my kids were planned and I said that none of them were. I explained that with my poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, my cycles are always off. She said that she sees women all the time for ultrasounds who have PCOS and that they are lucky to have one child. She said that most of them go through an awful lot of treatment and never have success. She couldn't believe it when I told her mine were all natural. She said, "you've never had help?" I just smiled and said, "Not unless you count my mom's Novenas and rosaries!"

IS IT JUNE YET??
After this weekend, I am definitely ready for Summer. We went to the drive-in, swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's and got our flower beds all done. We are sun-burned, wore out, and exhausted, but it was great.
Drew and Dawsyn learned to swim for the first time this weekend. Ok, so it wasn't actually swimming, neither of them are ready for the Olympics, or even a large bathtub, but they did get in the 5 foot pool with no water wings, floaters, life rings, life jackets, or any of the above (all of which Drew would try to wear at once last year to keep him extra safe, by the way). They got in, and realized they could reach the bottom and still keep their head above water, which was important so they could hear what was going on, as Dawsyn so astutely noted (yes, Dawsyn, and the whole breathing-thing might be a plus as well!). They even made it a few feet by doggy-paddling across the pool a little ways, so this was a huge accomplishment. Drew then proceeded to reread the safety warnings on the pool ladder just to insure that he hadn't broken any rules. He hadn't, but found at least 5 that he was sure Grandpa had.
My Dad turned 51 on Sunday, we had a great day, but then tested his age on Monday by having him come over and work in our yard. I don't know what it is about my dad, but he definitely set any other men in my life up for failure. The kids were playing around the yard and Shawn decided to fix our fence which had blown down two years ago. Mom was also very busy weeding, she has to be sore today! So, since I am pretty useless to any physical labor except growing a baby right now, I sat and watched the proceedings. It pretty much went like this: Shawn starts on fence, Dad plants the kids sunflower house. Shawn still on fence, Dad plants "Pumpkin Show" for Dax (they just planted pumpkin seeds, but Dax is convinced that "Pumpkin Show" is going to grow in our backyard--if any carnies start sprouting out of the ground, I am going to have issues). Shawn--fence, Dad is now fixing the swing-set. Shawn--still on same peice of fence and I think he is undoing whatever he spent the last hour doing, Dad is now "improving" the swingset (Tim the toolman Taylor anyone?). Shawn starts to put the fence back on for the second time, Dad is now setting up the water slide for the kids, then moves rocks, and puts lattice up around our front porch. At this point, I missed something because Shawn had at least moved onto the second piece of fencing. (Sigh). He may be 51, but he can work the 31 year old computer programmer into the ground. Don't get me wrong, Shawn is a wonderful man, and a really good provider. He would just rather sit at a computer and tell you what was missing in your code, then put a fence back together. In the end, we had a great day, a lot got done around the house, and Shawn even put the fence back together!!!

Week 12!

Now that we've made it to the second trimester, I guess it's OK to move onto maternity clothes. I'm really not sure how I was getting by without them to begin with! We did the race for the cure on Saturday in Columbus. It is always so touching and such a great thing to be a part of. Apparantly, we also made the news. My sister-in-law, Emily called to say she saw us. We also had the girls' recital this weekend. They did such a good job. It was a little crazy, but we made it through the weekend. The girls got a perfect attendance award at the recital. We have been so busy, I didn't even know they hadn't missed a class. I guess we just kept plugging along! At their football/cheering this weekend, they really got into the cheers, but, as you'll notice in the picture, so did Dax! Many people think Dax will be the great athlete in the family. He is really aggressive, and has no fear. He loves to get right into the sports, but he also loves to cheer right along with his sisters. So, at this point, it really could go either way. (Sigh) Oh well, I guess if it gets him a scholarship, we can live with our "athlete" being the top of the pyramid! Besides, "he don't mess around, he don't mess around, he don't mess around, he just gets down-Huh-uh!" (He really likes that cheer!)

Week 11!

FIRST REAL APPOINTMENT

On Thursday, I had my first real doctor's appointment. Shawn decided that since this is our last (the doctor just laughed and said, "I think I've heard that before"), he would take the day off and go with me. When I got up to the window to pay my copay, I noticed a note on my chart that said, "Weekly ultrasounds starting now". Needless to say, this threw me. When the nurse brought me back she explained that my bloodwork didn't come back the way they would like it to. I need to go back to explain. Around Valentine's Day, I got very sick. I just woke up in the middle of the night with a really high fever one night.   The fever just kept getting worse, until reaching 104degrees about 4 days later.  I really didn't have any other symptoms.  I just felt horrible with chills and aches from the fever.  I finally decided to go to the doctor and he sent me immediately for bloodwork.  My white bloodcount came back at a 1.  The doctor really thought I might have lymphoma.  The next day, I woke up with this really odd rash all over my arms and legs and my joints were all swollen.  Then, they started thinking I might have Lupus.  It was a very scary few days for my family.  Finally, they decided that I just had an odd virus and my blood levels started to go back to normal.  Anyway, about a week later, I get a call from the school nurse.  Apparantly, Drew broke out in an odd rash at school.  I took him to the doctor and she said it was "Fifth's Disease".  I realized then that it is exactly what I had.  She said that sometimes children don't get the fever, but adults can be really affected by it.  So.... back to my appointment.  When I got my initial bloodwork, I mentioned the Fifth's Disease to the doctor.  He decided to test me for it.  It seems that when I got the bloodwork done (about 6 weeks into the pregnancy) I still had the Fifth's Disease in my system.  This can cause anemia in the baby.  I have to get weekly ultrasounds for the next ten weeks to see if they baby is anemic.  If it turns out the baby is anemic, then he/she will need a blood transfusion in utero.  Apparently, there are only 10 doctors in the world who do this surgery.  The good news is, the doctor does not think it will come to this and feels we are just taking the necessary precautions.  We are trying to stay positive and just thinking that we get to see the baby a lot.  On a brighter note, when he did the ultrasound, the baby has grown arms and really long legs and was moving all around.  I don't care if it is your first, fifth, or fiftieth, you never get over the entire miracle of the whole thing!

MOTHER'S DAY
Yesterday was Mother's Day. It was the first time that Drew and Dawsyn really got into it without a lot of prodding from Daddy. Drew "interviewed" me so he could write about my life. It was so cute. He asked me to sit down at the kitchen table and answer some questions. He wtrote the numbers 1-31 on a piece of paper. He then, very seriously asked me, "OK--what is your favorite memory from when you were one?" This went on for all of the years. When we got to year 23, he said, "Mom, I gotta tell ya, I'm a little surprised that you haven't mentioned me yet!" I just laughed and explained that he was born when I was 23, so he is my best memory from my 23rd year. I could tell he felt much better then. Shawn and the kids got me a gift card to Old Navy so I can get some maternity clothes, which I am needing very badly! Dawsyn made me a beautiful bracelet, using the "J" letter magnet that hangs on our Fridge and an old hair ribbon. Of course, just like every proud mom, I wore it to church for all to see! :) Dax brought me breakfast in bed, ok--he really just carried up a tray and a spoon, but it's the thought, right??? Delaney was very proud of signing her own name to the card--in lower case letters, I might add! We went to church (only a slight mishap when we were pulling out of the driveway and suddenly Daxton's head pops up between Shawn and I in the front seat and he yells, "Hey--don't drive yet!" because we hadn't hooked him in yet. (Poor kid is raising himself!). We went to church--Father Steve called up all pregnant ladies to get a blessing at the end of mass. We hadn't told people in church that I was pregnant yet and the looks on people's faces when I walked to the front was priceless! The young people shook their heads, thinking we have obviously lost it and the older people smiled sweetly because we are "such good Catholics".
After church we had a cookout at mom and dad's. Cassie, Josh, CJ, Carl and Judy were all there and the kids were so excited that their good friends, Kaylor and Isabella got to come see thier bunnies. This should be our last crazy week of activities and then things should slow down--hopefully then we'll remember to buckle Dax in his seat. Hey--at least we had all four kids in the car, right????

Week 10!

DASH, THUMPER, KYLIE, and CARAMEL

We decided to add four more members to the family. Luckily, these get to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house. On Sunday, mom and dad took the kids and let them each pick out a bunny. Mom mentioned to my dad a few weeks ago that she would like to get bunnies for the kids. Well, you only have to mention things once with my dad! If their is a project to be done, he will do it. I don't know how he will ever retire! And.. he doesn't do anything small. He got a huge rabbit hutch, totally resided it (if there is ever a tornado, we are all going to run out and hold onto the rabbit hutch), painted it and he even built a rabbit run so the kids can play freely with the bunnies. They are loving it. The only problem is they want to be there all the time (thinking this might have been part of mom's plan). The other problem is that our intense one (aka Dawsyn) cries every night when she has to leave them!!!! She says she wants a zoo in her house--little does she know how very close we are!

DON'T BLINK

Dawsyn had her Daddy/Daughter dance on Friday. I took her to get her hair done, then we went to Godmother Angie's house to get dressed. When she was all ready, she came walking down the stairs and Shawn was waiting for her at the bottom with a corsage and charm for her charm bracelet. It was all very moving. I thought to myself, I am going to blink and she will be going to her first prom. I could tell she felt like she was in a fairy-tale and was just floating on air. She was Cinderella and Shawn was her prince charming. Anyone ever notice that the mother of the princess is either dead, evil, or asleep in those fairy tales??? Do you want to know why??? It's because while Prince charming (AKA Daddy) and the Princess are at the ball, the mother is in the parking lot of the soccer field with a screaming two year old, hungry four year old, and struggling to push soccer cleats onto her seven year old's feet. She then maneuvers the soccer equipment bag over one shoulder, the two year old on the other hip with his leg positioned over the much-too-big-for-this-far-along pregnant belly, grabs the four year old by the hand, hopes she has taught the seven year old enough to dodge through the parking lot on his own, just to get to the field, uload everything she is carrying, except the much-too pregnant belly of course, and gets ready to fill in as coach for Prince Charming. At this point she is hoping that "kick the ball towards that net" constitutes coaching a soccer game since she has never played and those who know her well, know that back when she was the Princess, she used to strike out at T-ball!!! She takes a deep breath, tries to gather herself together, when the tornado sirens go off. People start blowing whistles and yelling, "Get off the field!". Not a problem--up goes the equipment bag, the two year old, grab four year old hand and try to talk the seven year old down from the edge because he knows what a tornado is and is totally freaking out the whole way home! You know you are officially a mom when, instead of getting in the car and driving home as quickly as you can, you drive towards the storm because now that soccer got cancelled, you can get some pictures of Prince Charming and the Princess at the dance! In the middle of a tornado, putting the other children at risk , but hey--a small price to pay for an awesome scrapbook page, right? I think those fairy-tale queens got a bad rap!