Final Blog for 2009-Stream of Consciousness Style

Today the screaming and crying on Josiah & Elizabeth's part, and the disobedience on Isaac's part, made me want to lock them in a padded room, put my New Balance on and run far, far away.

All in the same day I can feel like running away, crying for joy, crying for help, despairing, the elation of a tender moment of brotherly love when Isaac hugs Josiah good morning and then comes over to kiss Elizabeth and tell her he loves her, the frustration of having to "put out fires" all day long to keep the kids from melting down, and the sweetness of watching them sleep peacefully each and every night when I check on them before going to bed myself. Ah, the beauty of motherhood. That's what it's like when you have 3 under 3.

One thing that gives me total satisfaction is that after Keith returned from a two-week trip to China for the second time just before Christmas, my mother told him that she has a new respect for me. My kids stress her out.

On a positive note, this has been the best visit to Grand Rapids we've ever made. Because we've been here for the entire week, there was no rush to run around and fit all of our visits in. I truly wish that Keith and I were from the same town, so that all of our family were in the same place. I really wish we saw more of Keith's family. I really want my kids to know them. I don't just mean Keith's mom, dad, and Nana's, I mean aunts, uncles, and cousins too. Everyone.

It's been so long since I've blogged, will anyone even read this? Is anyone even following my blog anymore?

As usual, I haven't met a single New Year's resolution for 2009. One of them was to lose weight. I'm not making excuses, but I did get pregnant and just give birth 2 1/2 months ago. Another was to read at least 2 books a month. Again, I was doing quite well with that one until Elizabeth was born. I'm still in the middle of a book called Floods Upon the Dry Grounds. It isn't that it's not a good book. I literally get no time to read at all. I have almost finished the December issue of (How to Be a Bad) Parents magazine, however. I remember one of my resolutions being to come up with a house cleaning schedule. Yeah, right. Also, to get caught up on my kids' scrapbooks. Whatev.

Resolutions for 2010? I will carry over the resolutions to get in shape and read an average of 2 books per month. Why? Because my weight has reached an all-time high while my fitness level has reached an all-time low. Also because I love reading and I believe that it's important to read to learn new things. I will always strive to keep a clean house-no need for a resolution there. I am giving up on scrapbooking temporarily though. My friends who scrap are just now doing their 6-year-old's baby books. I'm letting go of that one.

What else can I say besides I love my husband, I love my kids, I love being a stay-at-home-mom and a housewife, and I'll never give up on being the absolute best mom and wife there is in the whole wide world.

A Promised Post

Promised a friend I'd blog soon-so here goes!

Elizabeth is now 1 month old. She is a pleasant little baby. I could use some longer sleep stretches at night, but I won't complain. She sleeps between feedings, what more could I ask for? She is also still wearing her little body harness for her hip dysplasia. Another ultrasound is scheduled for 12/11.

Isaac is such a big boy, but still not interested in potty training at all. He loves music. In fact, he and Josiah are enrolled in a Kindermusik class right now. It's so funny to see how all of the girls in the class do exactly as they're told, and all of the boys are totally marching to the beat of their own drum. Such a contrast! But they love it. Isaac's favorite toys right now are the vacuum cleaner (the real one), the lawn mower (the real one), and pretending that some of his toys are vacuums and/or lawn mowers. Oh, and anything Josiah is playing with automatically becomes his favorite toy too. Occassionally he pretends his wagon of blocks is a tiller too. Also, all he ever wants to do is go to PappyGa's (my parents' house). He throws major fits when it's time to come home. Breaks our hearts. Finally, he's been dealing with night terrors. He wakes up screaming, we find him stnading in the middle of his room, but he's not fully awake. I've delegated dealing with night terrors to Keith since I'm already up 3 times a night with Elizabeth. We pray for him. Supposedly it's something he just will grow out of and never remember.

Josiah is in full "cherub" phase. He says many words now like amen, vacuum, milk, cheese, apple, blankie, pumpkin, money, please, and thank you. He also loves music as I mentioned above, and he's a pretty good dancer too! His half-birthday is coming up at the end of the month so he'll be 18 months old. Loves his little sister, still terrorized by his big brother.

I have no time at all for anything, let alone reading. However, I am currently in the middle of a book called Floods Upon the Dry Ground, which is very good, just have to find the time to finish it. Also, Keith and I are in the middle of a book called Sacred Marriage which we were reading for our Homebuilders group for it got postponed. We continued reading anyway. It's really great, we just struggle to find the time for reading.

Lots of good shows on TV that we watch though! We never miss The Fringe, The Office, and Stargate Universe. When we can though we catch House and Lie To Me on Monday nights, NCIS on Tuesday nights, and then Flash Forward comes on before The Fringe on Thursdays. In 2010 new episodes of 24 and Lost will begin. Don't know how we'll fit it all in!

Two things to leave you on...the first is that motherhood can be lonely, and make you feel quite alienated at times. Don't ask me why but sometimes I actually feel lonely when I'm up in the middle of the night feeding Elizabeth. The second thought is that childrearing is bringing me closer to God than anything else has ever before.

That's all I can put together for now! Until next time....

My Birth Story-Before I Forget

On Monday October 12 I had contractions about every 10min. apart all day long, beginning around 10am and never really stopping. They never picked up in intensity or frequency though, even though I did all of my laundry, aerobics, and rotated some toys from the downstairs to the upstairs and vice versa, and I had a lot of false labor in the weeks leading up to this, so I just made a mental note and figured I'd be talking about it with my midwife in two days when I went back for my next prenatal visit. I showered and got into bed around 10:30pm.

I was awakened by much stronger contractions at around 11:30pm. Keith heard me breathing through them, so he woke up too and I labored in bed with him for about an hour. He was great. He prayed with me and sang Amazing Grace to me. I then decided we'd best wake my parents up as my dad was going to stay with the boys. Keith made the call while I went to the bathroom. While in the bathroom my contractions went from 8 min apart to 3 min apart. I had difficulty calling the midwife as I couldn't exactly talk very well during a contraction. Thankfully my parents arrived quickly. Keith did a great job gathering all of my stuff for the hospital. He even put my shoes on for me. I climbed in the back of my mom's van and we were off! Not really sure what time it was at that point, but I'm guessing about 1:30am.

Because it was the middle of the night there was no traffic, and we got all green lights. I only know this because the van pretty much never stopped. I was facing backwards in the very back seat of the van, looking down the whole time, breathing and groaning through the longest and strongest contractions. I do remember telling myself not to panic, that this was normal and natural. I also remembered reading that it's more helpful to let out deep, low-pitched groans than high-pitched shrieks. Hence the groaning. I also recalled one verse that's always so inspirational to me. It's 1 Corinthians 9:24. "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."

We arrived at Forbes ER and I must admit, it was the best service I'd ever received in any ER anywhere. They wanted absolutely nothing to do with me! So they called a nurse from labor and delivery right away. At this point I could barely stand, and I was still groaning and breathing through contractions that seemed to have no end or beginning. They all ran into one another. I got into a wheelchair, but couldn't sit. I was kind of kneeling sideways, but bracing myself on one of the footrests so I wouldn't fall out when they wheeled me up. I don't know what time it was, I'm guessing around 2am.

They had a nice new LDRP suite ready for me right away. I never looked up at anyone's face. I just stripped and got up on the bed, still kneeling. The midwife wasn't there yet, so the nurse checked me and I was complete, but my water hadn't broken yet. Because the midwife hadn't arrived yet they didn't want me to push, but I had to. Luckily she arrived about 5min. later, broke my water, and we were ready to go! I tried pushing on all four's, but didn't really like it. So I did flip over onto my back to push. At this point, the contractions weren't so bad, but I was surprised (I don't know why) at how much it did hurt to push her out. That really stings!

I don't know how many times I had to push, but I think it was only about 15min. or so. Then baby Elizabeth was born at 2:44am! She was delivered by Gretchen Cohen. She weighed 6lb. 13oz. and was 20in. long. She looked, and still looks, very much like Isaac. She's also the first baby that seemed to recognize my voice as soon as she was placed on my chest. She seemed to calm down when I talked to her. Her full name is Elizabeth Marion Victoria Drudy because we couldn't narrow it down to just one middle name. Well, I think Keith could have, but I couldn't. Marion is my middle name and my grandmother's (maternal) first name. Victoria is Keith's mom's name. And actually I got the idea to name my daughter Elizabeth from the heroine in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett, not from the Elizabeth of the Bible, even though my boys have Biblical names.

Our hospital stay was very nice. We did want to go home a day early, but Elizabeth was jaundiced. We actually had to be readmitted a day after going home so she could go under the bilirubin lights. I would definitely recommend Forbes for labor and delivery. The suites were spacious and homey, the nursing and housekeeping staff were so very friendly and helpful. The food wasn't terrible after I emptied my salt packet onto it, but who goes to the hospital to eat, ya know? Everything was great there.

So I finally got my natural childbirth! Not that I really had any choice. It was definitely too late for anything. I will say though that Keith mentioned to the nurse that I had intended to go without any drugs or IV's and I did confirm that to the nurse that I didn't want anything. So I didn't even try to get out of the pain! I will say to all of my friends that went without epidurals all along that if for any reason they ever did get an epidural, they will be AMAZED at the difference! You barely feel a thing with an epidural, and you feel EVERYTHING without. However, though Keith and I are not planning on having any more children, if I do get pregnant again in the future, I would go with a natural childbirth again. I prefer laboring mostly at home, and it was great not being hooked up to any IV's or anything. The pain is stupendous, but it's only temporary and quickly forgotten.

Elizabeth will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. As of last Thursday she was up to 7lb. 8oz. already. She's nursing like a champ. She does ok at night too. She definitely wakes up to eat, but she sleeps in between which is nice. The boys are doing great with everything too. They actually seem to like Elizabeth, which I was very pleased with! I was nervous about that. They haven't acted jealous at all so far, and they're as cute as ever!

I also want to say...what would we do without our family? I don't know what we would've done without my parents nearby to take care of the boys. Keith's mom and sister came to town as well the weekend Elizabeth had to be readmitted. What a blessing. And we've received so many gifts and meals and well-wishes from so many people. It's wonderful!

Still Pregnant

I finished Baby Catcher last Thursday I believe. Loved it! Reading it made me want to become a midwife. I recommend it to anyone who is pregnant.

I am also still pregnant. 39 weeks. I am mentally prepared to go to at least 41 weeks as I absolutely do not want to be induced.

Haven't started a new book yet. I have two books about breastfeeding and one about natural birth control that I checked out at the library. I also have a few books in the Hitchhiker's Guide I need to read to finish the entire Guide. I am currently reading a book called Simply Christian by N.T. Wright for my mom's group. It's very dry, abstract, and philosophical. I'm not really getting a whole lot out of it. I've also been working my way through the Psalms, Proverbs, and Job simultaneously. Just decided to do that out of the blue while Keith was in China.

I'm Still Pregnant

38 weeks today, seeing the midwife weekly now. Last week I was 1cm dilated, 60-70% effaced. I'm also losing weight (I'm down 3.3lb since last week) which I think is another sign that we're near the end. I am, however, still pregnant for the time being.

On a very positive note, Keith and I have finally decided on both a boy name and a girl name! So we are prepared one way or another, FINALLY! My hospital bag is packed. The nursery is ready. I have diapers, nursing bras, etc. I even got a sample container of formula in the mail the other day, though I am hoping I don't have to deal with bottles and formula at all with this baby.

I also finished Mind Over Labor, which is about using mental imagery and relaxation exercises to better cope with the pain of contractions. I'm optimistic. My intention is to do this without an epidural this time because I've never had an uncomplicated one.

Well I have lots of laundry to do today so I'm going to hop to it.

Keith is Home!

I survived his first two week trip to China! And so did he, though he's still struggling with some serious jet lag. He brought back the neatest things for us, best of which is the pearls! Mine are the prettiest-a pearl necklace with a pendant and long pearl earrings. He also got pearl jewelry for our moms, my niece, and his sister. My second favorite is the loose-leaf jasmine tea and the chinese teapot. It's so quaint, and the tea is really good! For the boys Keith brought adorable matching Chinese-style pajamas, and rubber stamps too. There were some other things too that I can't remember now, but those were the best!

It was so interesting hearing Keith talk about what it was like there. I was especially intrigued by the food customs, being a dietitian and a bit of a foodie. For instance, when they would dine, everything would be served family style, but there were no serving spoons. Everyone would help themselves using their own chopsticks-something that would be so taboo here!

Anyway, he's home. I'm 37 weeks pregnant. My hospital bag is packed. I'm reading two books that I wished I would've read in my second trimester. The first is Baby Catcher, which is just a collection, or a journal, of one midwife's experiences. The second is Mind Over Labor, which is about using relaxation and mental imagery to better cope with labor. I only wish I would've started them sooner because I worry that I could go into labor any day now without having time to practice any mental imagery or relaxation techniques. Of course, there's no telling how soon I may go into labor. Isaac was born at 37 weeks though. Josiah came at 39 weeks & 2 days. My point is, it's going to happen at some point in the next 3 weeks, 4 at worst.

Well the boys are both melting down behind me as I try to blog. So I'd better wrap this up. Josiah is saying new words everyday. He says "button" like bellybutton, only he points to his diaper instead of his button. So cute. Isaac is such a big boy. He loves this Wee Sing cd we have. There are 73 very short (like 15-30 second) songs and rhymes, and he has just about all of them memorized. In addition, he can do the fingers for some of them like the Eensy Weensy Spider and Where is Thumbkin.

All right, gotta go. It's bedtime for the boys anyway.

Book #17

I finished Shepherding a Child's Heart this afternoon. This book was recommended to me by so many people that I had to read it eventually. It was very good, and gave me a clearer understanding of what to discipline for, as well as how and why to discipline. I have to admit though, I'm pretty overwhelmed, and always have been, by the task of teaching my kids about Jesus, the Gospel, etc. I'm probably not much different from any other Christian mother. My guess is many parents are intimidated by this task. My excuse is that my parents are great people, but they are not the ones who led me to Christ. Other than my mother taking me to church and Sunday school, they didn't provide any example of or direction for living a life of faith. I didn't even really learn what it meant to give my life to Christ until I was an adult. Of course, I greatly desire to instruct and nurture my children early on in the ways of God because I hope they can avoid most of the poor decisions and resulting misery I experienced, especially in adolescence. I just hope they don't have to walk the same road I did.

Actually, even though the chapters regarding the toddler years were most relevant to me, for obvious reasons, I enjoyed the chapters on the teenage years as well. This was partly because of my miserable teenage years, and because of my niece Mackenzie, who is turning 15 next month.

I've already begun reading Baby Catcher, which is a wonderful journal-type book of a midwife. Now that I'm about to give birth to my third baby, I want to become a midwife-definitely a career I NEVER thought of when entering college. Will I ever become one? Not anytime soon that's for sure! I've just grown a sincere and enormous amount of respect for this profession, coupled with a sincere and enormous amount of love for the whole miracle of childbearing, and having some personal experience under my belt too! After Baby Catcher, or maybe even simultaneously, will be Mind Over Labor, as I am 36 weeks pregnant tomorrow and running out of time to read such things!

Can't Sleep

I just spent the last hour lying in bed looking around the dark bedroom. I decided to stop wasting time and get up and do something.

So here I am!

Tonight I finished Life, the Universe, and Everything in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I can't remember how many I've read now. That might be book #16. I have to look at my list.

Next, I think I'll try to finish Shepherding a Child's Heart and then send Keith to China with it. He says he can't read books on family and childrearing like I can, but I'd really like for him to read this one. He'll have plenty of time on the plane. When it comes to my kids, I just want to get it right. You know how two people can read the exact same thing and come away with two totally different interpretations? I'd like for him to read this one with me.

Tomorrow Josiah is 15 months old!

Where We've Been

Well, we've basically just spent the entire month of August being sick. That's all. One thing I guess I wasn't prepared for when having children is that when someone gets sick in the household, by the time in circulates through every member living in the household and re-infects the person it started with, initiating the cycle all over again, it's been about a full month.

Keith started it. He suffered with a bronchitis-like cough for three weeks. He refused to go to the doctor, which is just as well. Weeks after Keith got all better, I got it. Bad. After a week I decided to go to the doctor because I wasn't sure about doing Albuterol breathing treatments and taking Robitussin every four hours around the clock while pregnant. Doctor said the breathing treatments were ok, and he gave me zithromax. While the Albuterol always helped, the antibiotics did nothing. I suffered with it for a full two more weeks. In the meantime, the boys both got it. Isaac had these symptoms last year, and his pediatrician mentioned asthma, so I didn't waste any time giving him Albuterol and getting him to the doctor. Turns out, she didn't prescribe anything for him except more Albuterol, which is fine. Josiah got it too, and is still recovering two weeks later. However, at the same time, the boys both got colds, fevers, and diarrhea. The fevers and diarrhea lasted one solid week in the midst of all the runny noses and coughs. The colds they were kind enough to pass on to me and Keith, so all four of us had that to deal with on top of everything.

Finally, though, three full weeks after getting sick, I'm beginning to feel better! So is Isaac. Keith seems to be fine. Josiah is the only one still dealing with a really productive cough and a very runny nose.

Being sick has put my reading on hold. I'm still working on Life, the Universe, and Everything. I also bought Shepherding a Child's Heart and Bringing up Boys. I think I read the first two chapters of Shepherding a Child's Heart, but that's it.

Keith leaves for China soon. I'm already having bad dreams about it and wondering what in the world I'm going to do without him for two weeks.

Isaac and Josiah are as sweet, and as bad, as ever! They love doing puzzles. Josiah is learning new words all the time. I think his latest is "all done." Isaac "reads" certain books to himself, which is adorable. He is such a helper too. He loves to help me with everything. Both of the boys have been given the chore of putting their own dirty clothes in the hamper, which they both love. Josiah has also gotten the knack of throwing things in the garbage, whether they belong there or not. It's such a tremendous blessing and privilege to raise these kids.

I am 33 weeks along in my pregnancy. I am big and uncomfortable, but doing well. It feels like the baby is running out of room in there for sure. I can't wait to have it so I know if it's a boy or a girl. I think Keith and I finally settled on our name choices, but we aren't telling anyone. Also, last time I blogged I think we were working on Josiah's new room. Everything is all done and looks great. I wish we had hardwood floors everywhere. I think that's one of those things I'd have to go back to work to save up for. Not going to happen anytime soon. Now I think I'm going to wait and see if I have a boy or girl to do anything with the nursery because if it's a boy, I don't need to do anything. If it's a girl, I will have to do some painting, but only beneath the chairrail.

The Week So Far

Home improvements are moving right along! The spare bedroom (Josiah's new room) was painted Sunday, as I think I mentioned before. On Monday, I was pretty sore and tired in the morning. We stayed home all day and played outside a lot in the morning and afternoon. That evening I began painting the upstairs hallway and stairway as soon as Keith was done with his workout. I needed Keith's help cutting in the ceiling in the stairway as there's absolutely no way I could reach it, nor could I see how I could use a chair or ladder on the steps even if I weren't pregnant. He also helped me with the second coat just to make things go faster. I absolutely love the color I picked!

On Tuesday we had some trouble with our electricity going out during the day. Normally this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but I was making a roast in the crockpot. I had the roast all seared and the pan deglazed (sp?), etc., and then the power went out so I couldn't turn the crockpot on! It came back after about 45 min., but went back out again twice that day. I was able to cook the roast, and it turned out delicious. My laundry was held up a bit, had to restart the dishwasher, and since I'm great with child I don't do that well without air conditioning. But I made it! Tuesday evening we went to Lowe's right after dinner to buy all of the trim, baseboard, and hardwood flooring for the upstairs. We chose and engineered, lock & fold hardwood flooring over solid hardwood. I greatly preferred the solid hardwood, but Keith was unwilling to do the extra work of having to nail it down, nor was he willing to pay the extra fifty cents per sq ft. It is the upstairs we're talking about, so it's part of the house that really he and I only see. When we do hardwood floors on the first floor, I will insist on solid hardwood, 'cause that's just the way I am.

On Wednesday I had my 30-week prenatal appointment with my midwife. My good friend Sarah so graciously watched Isaac and Josiah for me, as my parents were not home. All went well. When she checked the baby's heartbeat it had hiccups! I never heard that before! It was kind of cute. After picking up the boys, we stopped at Wendy's drive-thru for lunch (something I NEVER do, but it was tasty), ate lunch at home, and then it was naptime. When Keith came home he immediately began installing the hardwood flooring upstairs, and I was on my own with the boys all night. We had dinner, cleaned up, took a very long walk, and then I put both of them to bed. I was very exhausted by then, so even though I told Keith I would start painting the trim last night, I didn't. He did finish installing the floors though, and it looks great!

This morning we dropped Maggie off at the groomer's for a bath and a manicure. The farm is right next door to the groomer, so we stopped for some peaches, zucchini, and onions. From there we went to the post-office, and then to my parents' to pick tomatoes out of her garden. There weren't as many tomatoes as I thought there would be though. I got a few. I did get about 5 good-looking green peppers, so I may make quinoa-stuffed green peppers soon. I've never had much luck with regular ground beef stuffed green peppers. The quinoa stuffed ones I made a while ago turned out great so I think I'll try those again. We do have an excellent hot sausage stuffed banana pepper recipe. Hmmm...maybe I'll do a stuffed pepper blog soon.

The boys are napping now. I did begin painting the trim as soon as I laid them down. I only got 5 pieces done because that's all I can reasonably fit on the saw horses. I'm going to go check if they need a second coat, or if I can take them off and paint 5 more before Keith gets home.

Gotta love home improvements!

I haven't started any new books yet. I haven't made it to the bookstore or the library, so I'm likely going to just start the next book in the Hitchhiker's Guide.

Book #15 and The Baking Day

Just finished book no. 2 in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, entitled The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. There were a few parts in this book that had me almost rolling on the floor in laughter. I'm looking forward to finishing the remaining books in the Guide, but I'm going to put a non-fiction in between each of them. The problem is, I have to go buy one! Or get one from the library. I'm interested in reading either Shepharding a Child's Heart or Bringing Up Boys next. I did go to Borders over the weekend, but I bought The Reader, which I'd planned on reading at a later time. Shouldn't be too much trouble to go to the library tomorrow.

Last Thursday, the day we had our friends over for dinner for Omaha steaks, I had a baking day. After my zucchini blog, I was inspired to try that chocolate chip orange zucchini bread recipe again. I have to say, after baking it this time, that I think the chocolate chips are totally out of place in this recipe. I also made an orange glaze to drizzle over top of the loaves, but I made too much of it and it made the loaves way too sweet. I was not impressed. I also made chocolate chip banana bread (always a crowd-pleaser), and homemade brownies, not from a boxed mix. They were great! By the way...Omaha steaks...totally overrated!

Remodeling has begun on the spare bedroom, which will be Josiah's new room. Keith also decided to do the hallway upstairs as well. Keith ripped out all of the baseboard and trim, closet doors, etc. He puttied (sp?) all of the holes, built bulkheads to install new, shorter closet doors in both the spareroom and the closet, and tore up all of the carpeting and padding in the hallway right down to the plywood. I have to say, I already think the plywood is an improvement over the carpeting that was there.

Yesterday I spent the majority of the day after church painting the spare bedroom. I chose a light tan/beige color called Lynhurst Gallery Beige. I admit, it's a bit darker than I would have liked for a toddler's room, but once it all dried it really looked great. For the hallway, which I am painting this evening, I chose Lynhurst Timber, which is darker than the color in Josiah's new room.

Tomorrow we will head on out to Home Depot for hardwood flooring, trim, and closet doors. The trim and closet doors will be painted an ultra-white semi-gloss. I'm excited to pick out the hardwood flooring, but discouraged at how expensive it is! We're also toying around with the idea of installing hardwood on the steps, with a carpet runner down the middle. I hesitate only because we have such small children who are or will be just learning to go down steps. Isaac has already taken one spill down the steps, top to bottom, and while he didn't get hurt, it was still upsetting. I can't imagine how bad it would be falling down hardwood steps. But can we install a carpet runner ourselves? Or do we have to pay a professional? Bottom line is, in the end, it will look ridiculous to have a nice, freshly painted hallway and stairwell, nice new hardwood floors in the hallway, and the old crappy carpet running down the steps. We shall see. We shall see.

Random Things

Everytime I see a mascara commercial on television it makes me want to scream, "CAN WE PLEASE BAN FALSE EYELASHES FROM MASCARA COMMERCIALS?!" I mean, come on! Could they possibly be any more blatantly misleading?

Now that I've got that out of my system, let's move on to potty training. I have officially washed my hands of potty training. I'm pullin' out. Isaac, in the phase traditionally referred to as "the terrible two's," threw tantrums almost everytime over just going pee on the potty. I decided to stop taking him to the potty and let him lead the way, but he was happy to just pee his underpants. Furthermore, he would hold his #2 for so long that when he did finally have to let it out (which would not happen until nap time or bed time, when he had a diaper on) it would hurt so bad that he would scream an ear-piercing, high-pitched scream at the top of his lungs. I mean, it would make your blood run cold. The climax was about a week ago when he was up in the middle of the night every 2 hours trying to hold it in, screaming at the top of his lungs.

If you read anything on potty training, they always list signs of developmental/physical readiness, and then they discuss volitional readiness, in other words, the child's will. Isaac most assuredly displays all signs of developmental and physical readiness. He just doesn't want to do it. So, we're back to diapers. I still ask him if he wants to sit on the potty before baths, and he always does, which is good. Other than that, I am taking a strict potty training hiatus for, well, I don't know how long. We'll see.

One thing to remember when kids are so little is that there is a wide range of what's normal for the different ages and stages. For instance, it's normal for a baby to walk at 9 months, but it's also completely normal for them to not walk until 15 months. Likewise, it's perfectly normal for a toddler to potty train at 2 years, as well as it is normal for them not to potty train until 3 years. Isaac got off to an early start, but it proved to be too much stress for him. Maybe our hiatus will only last another week or two, maybe it'll last until his 3rd birthday in January. One thing I'm sure of is that he must take the reigns from here on out. No more nagging on my part.

Ahh, now that I've got that out, what else can I move on to? How about our day thus far?

My day sort of began around 6:30am, when I think I heard Josiah starting to wake up. I tried to convince myself it wasn't happening, without success. At 6:45 I got up, made my bed, took my shower and got myself ready for the day. Then I proceeded into Josiah's room. It was a dark, rainy morning, so I was pretty disappointed he didn't sleep later, but oh well. We had places to go anyway.

After changing Josiah's diaper we went downstairs and started getting breakfast ready. I turned on the weather channel to see what the forecast was for the day (rain all day), and then did something I don't normally do. I turned on Fox News. Normally the TV stays off all day, but I just felt like having it on for a change. I caught Dave Ramsey, who I used to love to listen to on the radio, answering some financial questions. Next was Tucker Carlson talking about the ridiculous politically correct standards textbooks are being held to these days to completely eliminate gender altogether. For example, instead of saying "congressman" they have to say "member of Congress," instead of "chairman/chairwoman" it's "chair," instead of "caveman" it's "cave dweller." Now, I've always said my decision to homeschool has little to do with any opposition to the public school system. After all, Keith and I both went to public schools our whole lives and turned out fine, for the most part! :-D It's more like a calling that I feel I have, and an ideal learning situation I'd like to give my children. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disgusted by the lunatics that call the shots and this kind of absurdity that's happening in public schools today.

So anyway, while preparing breakfast, Isaac woke up screaming, which never happens so I was alarmed. We (Josiah & I) went straight upstairs. Not sure what Isaac was so upset about, but he wanted to cuddle with me right away. Perhaps it was a bad dream. Another diaper change (this one for Isaac) and we were officially downstairs having breakfast.

I would like to ask, does anyone have any unique breakfast ideas? I feel like the boys might be bored with Kix or Wheat Chex, toast or English muffin with jam, fruit, and milk every morning. The problem is Isaac is allergic to peanut butter, oats, eggs, and sesame, which leave a lot out. He also isn't wild about bacon or sausage. He does like pancakes and waffles of course. Josiah pretty much eats whatever you put in front of him. I think Isaac is going through a phase, most likely a terrible two's thing, because he used to eat everything in sight too. Anyway, I bought them some Eggo blueberry waffles to shake things up a bit. Just wondering if anyone else had any good ideas out there.

Our mornings are pretty military-like as far as the routine goes. After breakfast I clean up and do dishes while the boys play. Then it's upstairs to brush teeth and get dressed. Normally I would lay Josiah down for his morning nap after this, but I've decided to experiment with taking away his morning nap to see if he'll sleep later in the morning if he gets less sleep during the day. (Did that make sense to anyone?) We had a little bit of shopping to do nevertheless. I put all of the laundry away, and then we were back downstairs, getting ready to go out the door.

Our first stop was a nearby farm for some fresh eggs and peaches, and whatever else they had. Turns out, they didn't have any eggs (big bummer) so we just bought peaches, zucchini, garlic, and yellow beans. Next stop, Community Market. We're having our friends Jess & Phil & their daughter Jenna over for dinner tomorrow-Omaha Steaks' filet mignons and burgers, the promotional gift from Roomful Express when we bought our new kitchen and dining room furniture. Phil's birthday was Sunday so I thought I'd make some homemade baked good to celebrate. I decided on homemade brownies, which I've never made before, and I had to go to the store for a few things. I'll let ya know how they turn out!

I dropped the groceries off at home, put Maggie in the van, and headed for my parents' house for a visit, which is where I'm blogging from right now. It's a rainy day, so we've played inside for the most part. Isaac is getting really good at doing puzzles, and he did about 3 of them after lunch. Josiah's good at puzzles too, but he preferred to watch Sesame Street instead.

That's our day so far.

Zucchinis and Things

A short time ago, my friend Sarah commented in her blog about a large zucchini she'd harvested from her garden, wondering what she was going to do with it. My mind went back just a couple of years, when Isaac was still a baby, when I had what I called a Victory Garden! I called it this not really knowing what I was talking about. Victory Garden is a show on PBS, and according to my mother the term refers to gardens that people planted after World War II, which makes sense. I called it a Victory Garden because it thrived! I had collard greens, roma and grape tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, and zucchini. That summer, we made two batches of salsa, had homemade bruschetta more than once, never ran out of food for Buddy-girl (the iguana), and had zucchinis coming out of our ears! I actually took some of the produce into work to give away, in addition to giving away a zucchini or two to my friend Dana and our next door neighbor.

Needless to say, I had to find things to make with our many zucchinis. My favorite thing to with zucchini is to grill it with chunks of onion and orange bell pepper (orange bell peppers can get expensive, green peppers work just as well they just don't lend as much color to the final presentation). This became a frequent side dish. I would quarter the zucchini and slice the onion and pepper into 1-2"cubes, mix the together with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl, then place the mixture onto 1-2 large sheets of aluminum foil, seal them up (sometimes I had to wrap another piece of aluminum foil around them). Keith would then place them on the top rack of the grill. They only took about 10-15min. to cook. I like my cooked vegetables to be very tender, not crunchy. This method of preparation would work beautiful with yellow squash and eggplant as well.

Man cannot live on grilled zucchini alone, however. Another favorite thing to do with zucchini is to mix it into pasta, like a baked ziti with roasted vegetables mixed in. Following is a recipe I got from watching Giada on Everyday Italian on the Foot Network. Don't be afraid to simplify this recipe, and cheapen it. Some of the ingredients can be expensive. I have made this recipe using simple Giant Eagle brand shredded Italian cheese, and leaving out the red peppers and summer squash, and it still turned out great. I've also made it with my own homemade sauce and with Prego. However, the original recipe is a hit!

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

2 red peppers, cored & cut into 1" wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
2 summer squash, quarter lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
4 cremini mushrooms (or baby bella), halved
1 yellow onion, peeled & sliced into 1" strips
1/4c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. salt, divided
1t. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1T. dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence (I don't even know what hers de Provence is, I just use Italian seasoning)
1lb. penne pasta (whole grain works as well as the white)
3c. marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1c. grated fontina cheese (a Danish cheese to be found in the yuppy "cheese from around the world" section of the grocery store)
1/2c. grated smoked mozzarella (see note after fontina cheese)
1 1/2c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4c. grated Parmesan, plus 1/3c. for topping (fresh is always better, but Kraft will do)
2T. butter, cut into small pieces

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2.) On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2t. salt, 1/2t. pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15min.
3.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta & cook for about 6 min. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
4.) In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2t. salt, & 1/2t. pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce & the ingredients are combined.
5.) Pour the pasta in a greased 9x13" pan. top with the remaining 1/3c. Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden & cheese melts, about 25 min.

Again, while watching the Food Network, I found yet another zucchini recipe. This one is different, and interesting. You'll have to try it for yourself and see. All I recommend is do not use marinated artichoke hearts. They really change the taste of the filling. Also, you may need to pre-cook the zucchini boats before you fill them, depending on their size, to get them nice and tender. Again, I prefer very tender, not crunchy, cooked vegetables.

Turkey-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1lb. cooked lean ground turkey
1/3c. fat-free sour cream (you could use regular, I just chose the fat-free)
1/2c. coarsely chopped artichoke hearts in water or oil, but not the marinated kind
1/4c. plus 2T. grated Parmesan, divided
1t. dried oregano
1/2t. salt
1/4t. ground black pepper
2T. seasoned dry bread crumbs
Orzo Pesto (my favorite part!), recipe follows.

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.) Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop seeds from center of each zucchini half, making 4 long canoe-like boats. Set aside.
3.) In a medium bowl, combine cooked ground turkey, sour cream, artichoke hearts, 1/4c. Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, & black pepper. Mix gently to combine. Spoon mixture into zucchini boats. Sprinkle bread crumbs & remaining Parmesan over filling in boats.
4.) Bake zucchini boats 10-12 min., until top is golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve with Orzo Pesto.

Orzo Pesto

8oz. orzo pasta (dry, uncooked, by weight)
jar of prepared basil pesto

Cook and drain orzo according to package directions. Toss with desired amount of pesto and serve.

The final recipes I made with my zucchinis that summer were zucchini breads. I'm not going to post any recipes, though, because I find zucchini bread recipes to be a dime-a-dozen. I have a "normal" Paula Deen zucchini bread recipe in my recipe box that calls for 1t. lemon juice. However, I didn't have lemon juice when I made it so I experimented with 1t. anise extract instead, which turned out delicious. I also have a chocolate chip orange zucchini bread recipe I liked. One thing I personally did not care for in some of the other recipes I experimented with were raisins in my zucchini bread. I love raisins alone, but I'm not wild about them in baked goods. Just a personal preference of mine.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed my zucchini monologue. I did try a garden again last summer, but since Josiah was born in the beginning of summer, I never had much time to tend it, and it didn't work out. My zucchini never even sprouted. I did get onions and peppers (green and jalapeno), but very few tomatoes. The garden became overrun with weeds, particularly one weed, technically a tuber, known as nut grass. There is no getting rid of nut grass. So Keith planted grass in my garden area this summer, and it took beautifully. Next summer the plan is for Keith to rent a sod-cutter at Home Depot and cut out another garden box in a different location in the yard. I love gardening, and I would love my children to get involved in it and excited about it like I do.

Book #14

Just finished Writing From Home by Susan Richman, a compilation of the writings of homeschooled children. Chapter topics ranged from setting up a writing environment in your home, to poetry, to reporting research, and fiction, and everything in between. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is homeschooling or considering it.

Stay tuned...if I ever get around to it I have a blog in my head entitled "Zucchinis and Things," inspired by a question (probably a rhetorical one, but nevertheless) my friend Sarah made in her blog about what to do with the wonderful zucchini she picked from her garden. If you're looking for zucchini recipes, this blog (if I ever do it) is not to be missed!

Mackinac Island and Book #13

I absolutely loved the horses.

A view from Fort Mackinac, including the Mackinac Bridge in the distance.

Our very Victorian bed and breakfast, The Inn on Mackinac.

A week ago at this time Keith and I were making the uphill trek to Fort Mackinac for a fresh deposit of colonial fur trade and War of 1812 data into our knowledge bank. Our much-needed and long-awaited getaway began last Thursday when we had delicious stuffed pork chops for dinner at my parents-because I hate cooking the night before a road trip-bathed the boys in GaGa's tub, put them to bed and headed back home to do some last-minute packing and enjoy a nice fire in the backyard, just the two of us! Friday morning we said one last good-bye to the boys and we were on our way to Mackinac!

This was my first trip to northern Michigan. Keith, being a native, had been there several times. The ride was nice and uneventful, and a little longer than I expected (9 hours). The whole process of parking our car at the dock, catching the ferry, and then getting a porter to take our luggage to our bed and breakfast was seamless. Though, I must admit that in my old age I do not like boat rides! The ferry was 16 minutes long, which was fine, I just don't like boat rides anymore. They make me queasy. We arrived around dinner time, unpacked, freshened up, and took a stroll down Main St. to find some sustenance.

The whole island is so adorably quaint. No vehicles allowed, so all trasportation is done on foot, bicycle, or horse and carriage! The purpose of the trip was to celebrate both our 3-year anniversary-and there's a little inside joke to that reason-and our birthdays which both fall in July. We were there the entire weekend, cathching the first ferry off of the island Monday morning, and by that time I really wanted to get back to the boys anyway.

We went to Fort Mackinac, the McGulphin House, Biddle House, Blacksmith's Shop, Beaumont Museum, Mission Bark Chapel, and another old church (that I can't remember the name of!) all Saturday morning. The Biddle House was my favorite of all because the young ladies working inside could actually show me how to use the spindle to make yarn out of wool, how to crush corn for cornmeal, and how to cook on an open hearth, like Little House on the Prairie! I enjoy learning about how people did the practical things like cooking before the industrial revolution.

I knew there would obviously be a lot of walking on this trip, but I was not prepared for how my body, at 27 weeks pregnant, would handle all of the walking! I've never had such low-back aches before! So we decided to do the carriage tour around the island that afternoon. One of my favorite things about that was how the tour guide would identify all of the wildflowers we passed along the pathway. I'm into that kind of thing.

Sunday, my birthday, we decided to rent bikes and see the entire perimeter of the island. This was definitely my second-favorite activity of the weekend. The perimeter of the island is entirely flat so it was a very easy trek, and I had no back pain because I was sitting! We had the bikes for 2 hours, going around the island twice for a total of 16.4 miles. I know that sounds like a lot, but when you're biking on flat land, it really isn't that difficult at all. Only one minor event...I fell off of my bike! I was trying to change gears and apparently I wasn't doing it correctly. Well, my chain fell right off, the bike stopped dead, and I promptly fell directly off of it! Fortunately I landed quite plainly on my side, not my stomach, and I only sustained a couple of scrapes and a bruised thumb.

After lunch we saw more sights on foot, including the Butterfly House and Fort Holmes, which is the highest point on the island. Each evening, after dinner, we wandered in and out of a few shops, but always ended up at an ice cream shop! In addition, our bed and breakfast served chocolate chip cookies at bedtime, and always had coffee, tea, and hot cocoa available in the lobby. So after we waddled back to our room each night we enjoyed a hot beverage of some sort and cookies. There was also a spa pool, which can be most accurately likened to an oversized jacuzzi only the water isn't as hot, which felt wonderful on my aching back every night. Of course, Sunday evening we had to buy 2 1/2 pounds of fudge too (some for us, some for my mother) as this is one of the main things Mackinac Island is famous for!

While there, I decided to take a break from non-fiction and re ad something totally mindless and entertaining. That's how I ended up with Book #13, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. You don't have to be a fan of sci-fi to appreciate this kind of light humor! My favorite character by far is Marvin the depressed robot. Now this is the first of six books in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The next one is The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. This morning, however, I began Writing From Home by Susan Richman. This is a collection of writings by homeschooled students. I'm well into the second chapter and so far it's wonderful! It makes me even more excited about homeschooling.

Finally, I will leave you with a few quick notes about what's been going on in our home lately. I am about to enter my 3rd trimester. We are just now beginning to work on the spare room, making it into Josiah's room. I will also have to somehow make the nursery gender-neutral as I have no idea what I'm having this time and wouldn't be at all surprised whether it's a boy or a girl. What I mean is I have absolutely no inclination as to what I'm having. Josiah said the word "go" last Tuesday. He also began saying "ball" while we were away last weekend. Isaac has suddenly found an interest in drawing with his markers, and it just warms my heart to watch him scribble and name all of his colors out loud. Both of my boys are so amazing.

Book #12

Just finished up Having Your Baby With a Nurse-Midwife. If you've already had a baby with a mdiwife, you need not read this book. It is best for women, and couples I guess, who are considering their options or wanting to learn more about midwives specifically. I'm definitely a fan of midwives, and if a first-time mother-to-be asked me for a tip the first thing I'd tell them is that if they're healthy they don't need an OB. They're much better of with a midwife.

Now I do believe I need a break from reading about childbirth. The plan is to read Writing From Home by Susan Richman next, and then I'm going to find a completely mindless and entertaining work of fiction. I'm actually thinking of reading He's Just Not That Into You. Yes, it was a movie. I never saw it, but the trailers looked cute. Then I found out it was a book and decided I would read the book someday.

By the way, I love our new pediatrician. It was such a different atmosphere from where we were before. Josiah received a clean bill of health once again, praise God.

What Happened With Our Old Pediatrician

Following a previous blog post, a couple readers were wondering what happened between me and the pediatrician I had been taking the boys to.

How to make a long story short?

Well, when Isaac as born we really liked Dr. Ubinger. He seemed knowledgeable and down-to-earth. I did feel somewhat rushed when asking my questions at each visit but, hey, doctors aren't exactly known for their people-skills. The trouble began when I started asking questions about the vaccines. Let me remind everyone that both of my boys have had all of their vaccines. All I was doing was asking questions. With each question it was obvious that Dr. Ubinger was stiffening up and clearly annoyed that I was even entertaining the thought of debating this issue.

One day a friend loaned me a video on vaccines that was very alarming, and I decided to hold off on further vaccines until I investigated some of the claims made in this video. When I brought up some of the claims made to Dr. Ubinger at Josiah's 6 month well-baby visit he dismissed it all as "crap," literally, and just gave me another handout of AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) guidelines regarding vaccines. I wasn't satisfied.

Before his 9-month well-baby visit I called ahead and asked the nurse to have all of the package inserts for all of the childhood vaccines ready for me so I could read them (at home of course). I also began checking out some of the references from the video I watched. It turned out some of the references' websites were hacked into or expired, which didn't look good. However, the doctor who made the video maintained her website quite well and I was able to find what she said would be on there. I still insisted on holding off on the vaccines until I read more, which totally pissed Dr. Ubinger off. I also showed him a chart that I'd found on the website detailing very clearly which vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells, their manufacturers, and an ethical alternative if one was available. This really sent him over the edge. His response was hostile and unprofessional. He said it was all crap, and that he didn't know where it came from, referring specifically to the allegation that some vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells. "Just because you found a detailed chart on the internet you think it's true?" was one of the things he said. He also kept repeating, "You have to decide who you're going to believe." Finally he told me if I didn't get on board with the vaccine schedule I'd have to find another doctor. I shrugged my shoulders and said ok, but I wish I would have walked out of the office.

So I went home and shared with Keith what had taken place at Josiah's visit, and I began reading those package inserts the nurse had so kindly given me. It didn't take me very long to decide who I was going to believe. First of all, let me say that the package inserts blew enough holes in the arguments made on the video I watched that I ultimately decided the benefits outweighed the risks. That was all of the investigating I needed to do. However, for the MMR, chicken pox, and Hep A vaccines, right in the first or second paragraphs of the package inserts, it clearly states that they are propogated in human embryonic lung cells and/or human diploid cells. I knew what this meant, but I'm not a microbiologist so I took it one step further and called the manufacturers (Merck and GlaxoSmithKline). All it took was one phone call to each for them to confirm what I already knew. These human embryonic lung cells and human diploid cells came from aborted fetuses. So who was I going to believe? Dr. Ubinger? Or the people who make the vaccines? Um, lemme think.

The decision to change pediatricians was not taken lightly. I truly do not expect doctors to know everything under the sun. It was his response, his attitude toward my questions, that upset me so badly. I prayed about this and discussed it with Keith for weeks before I decided to look for a better match for my family. I even spoke with one of the pastors at our church about it. It's not that Dr. Ubinger didn't know some vaccines were indeed made with aborted fetal cells, it's that he dismissed it all as crap and told me if I didn't believe him I had to go elsewhere for care. Well, that's just what I decided to do.

Listen, the bottom line is I am Isaac and Josiah's mother, and Keith is their father. WE are the decision-makers for our children, not some doctor. Whether we choose to get every vaccine under the sun for our kids, or to withhold all vaccines forever, it's OUR decision. No one else's. Doctors can give us their advice, but they can't tell us we're full of crap, our kids are gonna die if we don't vaccinate, or that they won't see our healthy children because we question the necessity or the ethics of vaccines. Dr. Ubinger's words "You have to decide who you're going to believe" and "If you don't get on board with the vaccine schedule you have to find another doctor" were the ultimate insults. Not that he didn't know how some vaccines were manufactured.

Sorry for the marathon blog.

Josiah's 1 year well-baby visit is tomorrow with a new pediatrician that I've heard good things about. I'm looking forward to it.

I Can't Believe It's July Already!

This summer is going by so quickly! And the weather has been, well, kind of crappy! Normally the temperature is in the high-80's, low-90's by this time, I think. We've only had a few 80-degree days all summer so far!

Our 4th of July weekend was spent in Grand Rapids. Even though it was rushed, it was one of the best trips I think I've ever had there. I picked Keith up from work at 4pm on Thursday, and we arrived at his mom's house at about 11:30pm.

Friday morning was a little rough because the boys had hardly had any sleep the night before. They were very miserable and exhausted. In the morning we went to Big Boy for breakfast to see Keith's mom. From there we visited cousin Kimmie and Vijay and their new baby boy, Carter. So cute! Finally we went to Nana Drudy's. Unfortunately, shortly after arriving at Nana's Josiah started melting down. We were only able to stay for about an hour and a half. After a very short afternoon nap, the boys just played in Wella's (Keith's mom's) backyard until we left after dinner to visit our friends Troy and Denise and their 4 kids. It was so nice to see everyone again!

Saturday was much better for the boys. They got much more sleep than they did the night before, and we did much less visiting. We just hung out at Wella's all morning, Josiah took his morning nap, and then we drove to Keith's dad's at noon for a 4th of July cookout. The original plan was to have a pool party, but it was so chilly! Everyone still had a great time though, and the boys were in much better spirits. We stuck around his dad's until after 5pm, then headed back to Wella's. Again, the boys just played in the backyard. Keith's mom and stepdad had some family over for a cookout as well, so we chatted with some aunts and uncles. Soon enough, though, it was time to pack our bags and start getting the boys ready for bed.

Did I mention I hate fireworks? Not the "professional" kind you see at Disney World, or when Monroeville Mall lights them off for the 4th of July, but the kind people set off in their driveways and blow their foot off with. Yeah. Well, Wella's neighbors across the street were just having a grand 'ole time setting off m-80's in the street. Isaac was so scared he jumped into Maurh's arms. I just wanted to punch those people.

Anyway, we got the boys into bed at a decent hour (8:30-9'ish), then Keith and I were able to take a short walk outside. I love the cool night air. We didn't want to go see the fireworks in downtown Grand Rapids because were thought the boys would probable be scared, and they needed to get in bed anyhow. There will be many more 4th of July fireworks in the future.

Keith woke me at 4am Sunday morning to get read to leave. This is really the best time for us to travel because the boys will sleep in their carseats until after 7am when we stop for breakfast. By then the trip is almost halfway over. They did great on the way home.

As always, it's great to come home from a road trip and get all unpacked and organized, showered, rested, etc.

Book #11 and Exciting New Developments

A couple of days ago I finished Henci Goer's A Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. I would definitely recommend this book, or something like it, to every pregnant woman whether it's her first or her fifth pregnancy. Unabashedly (sp?) pro-natural childbirth, the author systematically reviews the medical literature and the pros and cons of almost every childbirth intervention from C-sections to IV's. While I really wasn't suprised by the information given in this book, it was a little sickening at how nonchalantly the majority of OB/GYN's handle the complications of their own interventions. Also, I truly cannot complain about the OB/GYN's I've seen in the past. Both of my prior pregnancy/childbirth experiences were very positive, but I could see a clear difference between the OB's and the one midwife at the practice, and I strongly preferred the midwife. I understand the differences between the obstetric model and the midwifery model better now. I firmly agree with the midwifery philosophy that childbirth is not a hazard to my health or a medical disaster waiting to happen, rather, that it is a natural process that my body was specifically designed for.

I'm still not 100% convinced I can do it without an epidural though! :-) I know the potential complications of epidurals, but I also know I couldn't handle labor without them the first two times. However, because my labor stopped and Josiah's heartrate immediately dropped as soon as I got my epidural with him, I've decided that if I'm already 8 or 9cm dilated when I get to the hospital this time I'm doing without. I've told Keith, my mom, and both of the midwives I'm seeing now the same thing, so they can remind me what I said when I'm writhing in pain!

Couple exciting things for Isaac...he pooped on the potty all by himself on Monday! He got 10 Smarties and a juice box, and we called daddy, Wella, Pappy, and GaGa to tell them right away. Of course, he hasn't done it again since, but I believe in him! Also, he slept in his toddler bed for the first time last night and did great! He slept all by himself all night long!

We finally sold all of the furniture we wanted to sell, and had the yard sale we needed to have, so our house is less cluttered now and we're better prepared to get Josiah's new bedroom ready and make room for baby #3! We also bought new dining room furniture (table, chairs, buffet and hutch) and new kitchen table and chairs. I can't wait to have them delivered! This will be the first time I've ever had nice, new, matching dining room and kitchen furniture!

Josiah is as wonderful as ever, waving bye-bye, clapping, blowing kisses, saying "uh oh," and doing "so big!" He'll have his one-year pictures taken next week at Penny's, followed by his first haircut! He's so adorable. Also, I finally got his medical records transferred from his old pediatrician to a new one, and we just made his one-year well-baby appointment with the new one today! I was so worried the old pediatrician wrote something bad about me in his chart so that no one else would ever see Josiah! That relationship definitely spiralled downward fast. I'm so relieved.

Keith had his yearly review last week, and came home with good news, ok news, and bad news. The good news was that he had an excellent review and got another raise. Yay! The ok news was that he will not be travelling to China in October (when I'm due to give birth). The bad news is he does have to go to China for two weeks in September AND December! One week in Japan was a little tough, two weeks in China in the final weeks of my pregnancy when I will be largest and most uncomfortable, then again when the baby is only about 6-8 weeks old will be a whole new ballgame. But I'm up for the challenge!

Book #10 and the Toy Rotation System

One of the books Mary Pride referenced a lot in All the Way Home was The Truth About Diet and Drugs During Pregnancy: What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know by Gail Sforza Brewer and Thomas Brewer, MD. For me, this was more of a historical look at how doctors used to manage swelling during pregnancy. I really don't think anyone prescribes low-salt, 1000-calorie diets anymore for pregnant women who gain more than 24 lb. Apparently, however, this was quite a common practice, along with prescribing diet pills, diuretics, and blood pressure medications for what we today term pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, as recently as the 1980's. The original copyright for this book is 1977, revised in 1985. Its aim is to enlighten women and encourage them to educate themselves on pregnancy nutrition and not blindly follow the doctor's every recommendation. It also highlights the fact that physicians need not take a course in nutrition to graduate from medical school; a fact that, sadly, is still true today I'm afraid.

While this book was interesting, because I do not believe such things are common medical practice anymore, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to another mom-to-be. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me most people, men and women, physicans and non-medical people alike, know that a pregnant woman needs a balanced diet including all of the food groups, a prenatal vitamin, and should not be on any kind of calorie-controlled diet, or taking any diet pills.

Now, for the best idea I've had all year...the toy rotation system! The clutter of toys in our house was getting out of control. It was absurd. Yet, I didn't have the heart to throw away or donate any toys yet. I guess I want my kids to be old enough to decide which toys they're ready to part with, without me forcing them to part with something. They actually do play with just about everything they have. So, I decided to just keep out a few toys in the family room, and put the rest away where they can't see them. This idea actually stemmed from something I read in the Duggar's Twenty and Counting book. We have a rubbermaid container that's functioning as a toy box in the family room right now. I chose a few (probably about 4-5) toys for each of them to keep in that rubbermaid container, plus 1 "big" toy for each of them (Isaac's tool bench and Josiah's Laugh & Learn Home). I also left out Josiah's Retro Rocket (something he can ride on), and Isaac's weedwacker. Those would be medium-sized toys. The rest of the toys (the giant blow-up thing filled with balls, the Thomas the Train tent, all of the cars/trucks/buses/fire engines, etc. are currently hiding in the spare room. The boys haven't even noticed I put anything away. Well, Isaac hasn't said anything at least. They're perfectly happy to play with what I've left out and my family room isn't a disaster zone at the end of the day. My plan is to rotate toys about once a week so that they don't get bored playing with same things, nor do they "miss" any of their other favorites. They still each have toys in their bedrooms too. I am not depriving them in any way. Just keeping my sanity.

Book #9 and A New Pregnancy Symptom

Just finished All the Way Home by Mary Pride last night. It was a fantastic read about every aspect of being a family. I got Keith to start reading it. She's a big homeschooling author too. This is another oldie but goodie, copyright 1989. Some of the info in the chapter on childbirth is a little outdated, but for the most part is remains relevant. This is a great book not just for stay-at-home moms but for fathers too!

I never realized how many feminist notions had gotten into my head before reading these last two books!

And the new pregnancy symptom is that I cannot drink any caffeinated beverage without experiencing very painful cramps. This is disturbing because sometimes I would just about kill for unsweetened ice tea. Plus monthly mochas are such a treat. It's milk, water, and juice for me from now on.

Go See Star Trek!

Keith and I went to the movies last night for a belated anniversary date. We saw Star Trek and it was AWESOME! I have never seen a single episode of Star Trek, the series, but the trailers for this movie looked cool and I knew Keith liked Star Trek. I highly recommend seeing this movie. I didn't feel "lost" at all because of never watching Star Trek on TV. It was one of the fastest two hours I've ever spent in a movie theater.

Just don't see it in IMAX without taking Dramamine first. As soon as we walked into the theater I was dizzy. Within a half an hour after that I thought for sure I wouldn't make it to the end of the movie without vomiting. It was such a good movie, though, that I endured to the very end! And then I was sick for the rest of the night. Oh well. I'd still say it was worth it!

Book #8

It's only taken me a month, but I finally finished What's a Smart Woman like you doing At Home? As I've mentioned before, there are so many quotes I want to take from this book. It was a real encouragement reading it. I never even realized that I may have been apologizing for being a stay-at-home mom when people have asked me what I do in the past. Never again. I feel that in the future I will have such solid responses to inquiries like that.

It's an old publication, copyright 1986, but if you can find it in a bookstore or library, or if you see it at a garage sale, pick it up! It's worth it!

Next will be either Mary Pride's All the Way Home or Susan Richman's Writing From Home.

By the way-Keith came back home safe and sound! But he brought foreign germs home with him and now me and the boys are sick as dogs!

Thank God For the Internet

Keith has been in Japan since Saturday. I was teary-eyed and miserable for two days, but the internet has been such a wonderful blessing. I never thought much of it until this trip. However, not only have Keith and I been able to send instant messages to one another, but we can also turn on our webcams and see each other, AND we can call each other's computers and HEAR each other! While we're looking at each other! This is all new for me. I know this technology has been around for a long time, but this is the first time I've had any use for it. It has also been great for Keith to be able to see and hear the boys, and vice versa. We are picking him up from the airport tomorrow-and not a minute too soon. I can't wait to see him again.

Mother's Day (which also happened to be our 3 year anniversary) was good and miserable. Keith took care of me before he left by sending me 2 dozen multi-color roses (beautiful!) and a new fancy-schmancy camera! It's one of those semi-pro ones. I had been complaining of the poor quality of our 5 or 6 megapixel cameras and said someday I wanted to splurge on one of those really nice ones. Well, Keith surprised me with just such a camera on Friday before he left. Now I just need to learn how to use it to the best of its ability.

Otherwise we've been doing well here. I finally found a dress for me and an outfit for Isaac for a wedding in 2-3 weeks that we're in. It's tough finding nice dress pants/shirts/ties for a 2 year old. Basically no one carries them. Not even JCPenney or Macy's. The outfit I found was at Sears, on clearance, but the tie didn't match the colors of the wedding. So I found a black tie on clearance at Penney's, and then dress shoes and socks at Payless. All in all, his outfit cost about $50, which is still more than half of what mine cost! I found a cute black maternity dress on clearance for $19.99! Of course, I'll spend a lot more than that getting my hair and nails done. Oh well.

My reading is very slow-going. I'm not sure why. I have been working on the Bible study we're doing in moms group called The Power of a Woman's Words. My moms group breaks for the summer though, so maybe my reading will pick up then. I'm still working on What's a Smart Woman Like You Doing at Home? There are so many quotes I want to take from this book. I do recommend any woman who stays at home with her children in any capacity, even if only part-time, read this book. It's an old publication, from the '80's. Hopefully it's still in print though, or can be found at a library. It's been very encouraging.

Almost forgot-Keith and I are selling our living room furniture. We just never use it, and we're going to convert the living room into a library/study instead to make better use of the space. So, if anyone is looking, or knows someone who is looking, let me know! The furniture is only about 4 years old I think, and barely used. The fabric is ivory/light beige in color, the wood is like a light oak, and I'd say antique in style. We are selling a couch (seats 3), chaise lounge, square end table, coffee table with glass center, and hemispherical end table, including a matching table lamp. Again, if you know anyone who is interested, pass the info along, or let me know. We are willing to be flexible on the price too. We just want to get rid of it.

17 Weeks & My Jeans Are Pretty Tight!

I don't think I'll be able to wear non-maternity jeans much longer! The couple pairs I wore the last few days were pretty snug, and downright uncomfortable when I sat down! It seems my little baby bump has popped out overnight! Oh well. I'm now 17 weeks along in my third pregnancy and everything is going great. I feel wonderful! I do love being pregnant after the first trimester. I've heard the baby's heartbeat twice now and it's beautiful. My 20 week ultrasound is scheduled. I'm not even tempted to find out the gender!

Interestingly, I am experiencing symptoms with this pregnancy that I never have before. The first is faintness in the mornings. It's happened at least three times now where I've felt light-headed, gotten tunnel-vision, and could hear my own heartbeat. I haven't passed out, I always catch it in time to sit down with a glass of ice tea or something. It's just weird. I've never been that kind of person who gets even a little bit faint. The second is headaches! They're very manageable though, and probably have more to do with my back and neck than with pregnancy. If I just exercise at least every other day, I don't get them! I also don't get back or neck pain when I exercise. The last is called chloasma, which are brown spots across your face. They're supposed to go away after birth, and I hope that they do. They're pretty subtle, but I notice them.

Keith is doing wonderfully. He leaves for Japan soon for almost a whole week, so I will miss him a great deal. I'm not stressing out about it, though, because he told me he has to go to China for like a month at the end of the year. That will suck. So I'm using the Japan trip to try and prepare myself.

Isaac continues to be a very skillful singer of songs. He also loves to pray before naptime and bedtime, as well as before, during, and after meals. He's got the Lord's prayer memorized, but he'll never recite it on command. You just have to be lucky and catch him saying it while he's playing. He is beginning to recognize some letters, I think, and he definitely knows the difference between letters and numbers. Colors and shapes continue to be hit or miss. I think he just doesn't care about them.

Josiah is going to walk any day now. He is 11 months old now and we've caught him on several occassions taking a step or two from one piece of furniture to another. The trick is to put things in his hands so that he can't hold on. Yesterday he had a Nilla wafer in each hand when he did it. He also waves "hi" and "bye," which is adorable! He eats mostly regular food now and very little baby food. Still hates bottles. I'm still trying to get him used to sippy cups. I'm also weaning him off of the pacifier for sleep. For right now I've just stopped giving it to him at night. I still let him have it for naps.

Up until a few days ago it's been unseasonably warm here in the 'Burgh. We (the boys and I) have spent a lot of time outside playing in the yard and going for walks. Keith has done a bit of yard work. I did pull weeds once. The last few days have been very rainy though. The next time we get one of those beautiful days again I am taking the boys to the zoo.

Right now I'm reading a book called What's a Smart Woman Like You Doing at Home? It's been encouraging for me as a stay-at-home mom. It's pretty old though, copyright 1986. It was loaned to me by the wife of someone Keith works with who has 8 kids, and she homeschools them all. Well, the oldest two are in college, so I guess she's homeschooling the remaining 6 now. After I finish the books she loaned me I hope to read some books on childrearing like Shepherding a Child's Heart and maybe a Dobson book like Bringing Up Boys.

Book #7

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar

My mom loaned me this book because she said it had some homeschooling advice in it. I have to say that after reading this book I love the Duggars! I used to always say that I didn't like Kate Gosselin (of Jon & Kate Plus 8) but I could relate to her more than to Michelle Duggar. That is no longer true. The long skirts (the the 18 kids) threw me off, but I actually have way more in common, as far as beliefs, values, and principles go, with the Duggar's than I ever will with the Gosselin's. So I've switched allegiances, so to speak.

What I found to be most encouraging was the information they gave on how they raise their children, young & old, and their frugality. They actually live what I believe when it comes to having no debt. I mean, I firmly believe in living debt free, yet I'm willing to have a mortgage. They truly owe no one anything. That is admirable.

I think I'm going to read some books on staying at home/homeschooling next. One of Keith's friends from work has 8 kids and his wife homeschools them all. I gave her a call to talk to her about it and she loaned me a few books. I figure I better read them and get them back to her as quickly as possible.

One piece of really exciting news...Keith & I are going on a weekend getaway to Mackinac (sp?) Island this summer! My parents are going to watch the boys. We're staying at a bed and breakfast. It looks so quaint. I cannot wait!

Book #6

I finished 1984 by George Orwell while on vacation. Definitely a great classic! I have to admit though, it took a couple of days to fully absorb the ending, for it to really sink in. Also, I was expecting more parallels (sp?) to today's political climate and didn't find very many. Then again, they could've gone right over my head.

Next up is the Duggar's book Twenty & Counting.

Also, while I'm at it, vacation was great except for the boys being so sick all week. They both had terribly runny noses and coughs all week long, fevers off & on, and Isaac had some GI issues I won't go into detail about. The climax of all the illnesses was actually yesterday when we were in North Carolina, driving home, about two hours away from where we were going to stop for the night, when Isaac vomitted all over himself and his carseat. So that was a drama, getting that all cleaned up. Then he continued to be sick for the rest of the evening, and when he did it again at 1:45 am, we just decided to pack up and leave for Pittsburgh then. He's still having GI troubles today.

Back to vacation though...the resort we stayed at was beautiful. We were there with Keith's dad, stepmom, brothers and sister, and his sister's two kids, Austin and Dominik, who Isaac absolutely adored. We got to do lots of swimming. Isaac is fearlessly suicidal in the water! We did have one really chilly day, when we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom. It was so cold though that I fear we made the boys' coughs and colds worse that day. The next two days we went to Universal and Islands of Adventure-LOVED both parks! Only downside was I couldn't ride very much because I'm pregnant. Also, Isaac wasn't tall enough for a lot of the rides, and I couldn't hold Josiah on my lap on many rides either. It was still great though. The parks are beautiful and cute, and I can't wait to go back when I'm not pregnant to ride The Hulk and The Mummy, among many other things! Islands of Adventure does have a section called Seuss Landing, which was so adorable, and Isaac could ride everything! Josiah even rode the Caro-Seuss-el! A big thank you to Keith's dad and Roxanne for inviting us along!

Oh my goodness, how could I forget?

Keith won an award at work, for all of his hard work! It's equal to about half of his net pay! I am so thankful for God's favor, which so clearly rests upon that man! My husband! God is so faithful. He provides every time! Every time I start wringing my hands about money, and start wondering if I should pick up some kind of part-time work, God comes through, reinforcing His desire for me to raise my children. He is marvelous!

Quick Question

Does anyone know how to properly store potatoes? Everytime I buy a bag, whether russet, Idaho, or redskin, they grow a million of those disgusting looking "things" sticking out everywhere. Are those things called ears, or spuds? At any rate, what am I doing wrong? Why do they go bad before I can use them? I'm talking about 3# or 5# bags, not 10#. I used to store them in the fridge, then I tried the kitchen counter, then I tried the pantry. I get the same result every time. Am I supposed to use them all up in a week? What am I doing wrong here?

Anyway, still reading 1984. It's slow-going because I've also been reading about Universal Orlando, Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM), and Magic Kingdom. Yes, yes, I know I've been to Disney at least 15 times, but I haven't been there as a toddler or preschooler in about 25 years. I've actually forgotten about most of the rides that are geared toward small children (like Isaac). This is the first trip I'll have to forgo my favorite adult attractions and head for the kiddie stuff! I'm looking forward to it! I've also begun a new Bible study with my mom's group called The Power of a Woman's Words. Call me what you want, but I truly love Bible studies!

Isaac is getting more molars too. I wasn't expecting that. He's also napped two days in a row now.

Josiah loves to self-feed, as he loves to put everything in his mouth. He's also echoing Isaac a lot, I noticed. It's really cute.

More next week, as we get ready for our vacation!

A Fresh Word

I've recently blogged about feeling restless. It went a little deeper than that. I'm ashamed to admit now that this restlessness had stretched into the realm of motherhood to the point where I didn't even want to work on letters, numbers, or colors with Isaac. I just trudged along through the basics of taking care of the boys day in and day out: changing diapers, preparing bottles and meals, reading books (though I didn't even want to do that anymore), singing the same songs, naptime, baths, bedtime, etc. I really felt like I was in a rut, that I wasn't cut out for being a stay-at-home mom. I began to reconsider my thoughts on homeschooling thinking, "I'll never survive if I don't send these kids off to school!" I started to feel guilty that I was just doing enough to "get by" as a mom to these boys. I began feeling anxious, and a little depressed, that I would be adding one more to the brood this fall.

So what changed?

I went to church alone today because the boys had a rough night sleeping last night, but it was my turn to work in the nursery. Believe me, as soon as I realized it was my Sunday in the nursery, I got a really bad attitude about the whole thing. I mean, a really bad attitude. But I went. I took a seat in the very back row because, going along with my bad attitude, I had worn simple jeans and a sweatshirt. I figured I wasn't about to get dressed up to work in the nursery. Of course, as soon as I walked in worship had already begun, and it's impossible not to get caught up in that wonderful atmosphere of worship at Covenant. Already my heart began to soften.

Next was prayer and annoucements. We prayed for one of the pastor's grandson in Germany in need of supernatural healing, as Bishop put it. I almost began sobbing immediately. I just can't even hear about another kid who is in the hospital or seriously ill or anything like that ever since having children of my own without getting emotional. My defenses continued to come down.

It was also announced that there would be a workday this Saturday in preparation for a soup kitchen, food pantry, and clothing ministry to be started at the church. When I resigned from my position at West Penn to devote my life to my family, I thought it'd be a good idea to use my skills as a dietitian in some volunteer efforts, should any arise. I thought of food pantries in the area as a place to possibly start. This announcement that my church may soon run a food pantry really piqued (sp?) my interest. Now I was actually getting excited.

Then I made my way to the nursery. There were actually more adults than children in there for some reason today. I spent most of my time talking to a woman named Robin who has a son just a few months younger than Isaac. Just the womanly commradarie (sp?) that was shared in the nursery today helped to transform my attitude in a big way. But I still wasn't there yet.

Cynthia, the lady who runs the nursery, offered to let me go home, as she obviously had plenty of help, and the service was almost over. I gladly accepted! Keith told me before I left that he intended to take the boys to my parents this afternoon so I could take a nap (remember, the boys did not sleep well last night and, therefore, neither did I). Feeling somewhat rejuventated, however, I decided to call him to make sure he didn't want me to come to my parents anyway. He left it up to me, so I decided to stick to my original plan, kind of. I was still going to lay down, but after I spent some time in prayer.

As I mentioned before, I'm keeping a small prayer journal for my kids and my niece and nephew, and I started rereading The Power of a Praying Parent as a sort of a prayer guide. At the end of each chapter in that book, the author gives five scriptures one might use in praying for their child(ren). Two verses completely melted away my bad attitude and even gave me a newfound energy and purpose as a stay-at-home mom. That is the power of God's word! They are...

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:3

Children are not a misery, a curse, or a burden, as I've been feeling they are lately. They are a gift and a reward!

They will not labor in vain,

Or bear children for calamity;

For they are the offspring of those blessed by the Lord,

And their descendants with them.

Isaiah 65:23

I do not labor in vain! I am not bearing these children for trouble or misfortune! We are blessed!

My week so far

My face is terribly broken out, & I just downed about a 1/3 of a container of rainbow sherbet. Hope it doesn't make me sick. Oh, yeah, I haven't been sick for about a week now. This morning was tougher, but I think it's because I woke up so early.

Monday is laundry day here at my house. It proved to be a very productive day too, as I was able to get all of the laundry done in one day. I didn't have it all folded & put away until last night, but that's beside the point. Isaac loves to "help" with the laundry, which just means he has to come downstairs with me every time I put another load in. He also likes to play with the caps that I use to measure the detergent & fabric softener. I throw them in the wash with every load, so they're perfectly clean when they come out. It's not like I'm letting him play with sticky gooey caps.

Both boys took wonderful naps on Monday, which is a blessing because Isaac has begun to give up his naps I believe. If we're at my mom's I don't even bother trying to lay him down anymore. My new rule is if he isn't alseep in like 45 min., I just get him out of his crib.

I made chicken & biscuits with french style green beans for dinner on Monday. Delicious! Isaac practically cleaned his plate. Oh, I almost forgot, for lunch on Monday I made grilled cheese & tomato soup and Isaac licked his bowl of tomato soup clean! It's no surprise that he ate his sandwich, but I was a bit surprised that he ate every last drop of soup! That's a first.

Monday was bath night and Keith is really great at helping me with baths. Basically he takes one boy and I take the other-yet another comfortable little system that will completely break down when no. 3 comes along! I can't remember what I did after bedtime. I haven't done a whole lot of reading lately. I have been reading a bit about Universal Studios Orlando because we're going there in less than 3 weeks!!! I also began rereading The Power of a Praying Parent, and keeping a prayer journal, not only for my children but standing in the gap for my niece and nephew as well.

Tuesday (yesterday) I went to my moms group-which I love! I stopped at McDonald's on the way home (something I rarely do) to pick up lunch for me & my parents, as I was going straight to their house. I know it sounds weird, & disgusting, but McDonald's little hamburgers were one of a few things I could get down when I was really sick. Feeling a bit more adventurous yesterday, however, I opted for a quarter-pounder without cheese over the little regular hamburger. No fries. Just an unsweetened tea (another pregnancy thing). I got Isaac a hamburger happy meal but, don't you know, that kid just doesn't like McDonald's-Praise God! He had a few fries, and all of his Hi-C orange drink, that's it! He also does not like macaroni & cheese or chicken nuggets. Am I blessed or what?

After lunch my parents pretty much had the boys occupied, so I started going through some old books from when I was growing up. I had always remembered this story my dad read me when I was little about a swan that spun bolts of fabric. Well my parents finally found that book in a box in the attic Monday night! It wasn't a swan, it was a crane, and the name of the book is The Crane Maiden, by some Japanese author. I am happy to report that the book is once again in my possession, along with several others from my childhood! I am still looking for a book called The Olden Days though. I hope we never sold it at a yard sale or anything. My mom saves everything (literally), so I'd be surprised if it wasn't in another old box somewhere.

Anyway, Isaac was playing with my mom in the basement so I laid Josiah down for his nap & then left to go grocery shopping. As I was taking all of the groceries upstairs Keith came home. I had just planned on having leftovers for dinner, so he started heating everything up while I went back to my mom's to get the boys. We had dinner, took a walk outside (the weather has been fabulous), talked to some neighbors, then it was bathtime again. I called last night a bonus bath as I usually only bathe them every other night. But Josiah got his 9 month pictures taken at Penney's this am, so they had to have baths last night.

This morning I woke up at 6 to get showered before the boys woke up, which is why I felt a little crappy I think. My mom watched Isaac again while Josiah got his 9 month pictures taken. The pictures turned out beautifully. I spent more money than I wanted to of course. We got back to my mom's, had lunch, then came home, and it was nap time. Thankfully, again, both boys are napping!

Book #5

I finished Atonement last night. For the very first time in my life, I'm going to say that the movie was about as good as the book. Don't get me wrong, the book was very good. But the movie pretty much covered it all! The movie did not deviate from the book much at all. For the first time the book was kind of ruined because I'd already seen the movie. The novel was every bit as sad as the movie was too. In fact, when Keith & I walked out of the theater I didn't even know if I could call it a good movie because it was so heart-wrenching & tragic. I don't know if I'll read any more books from this author, Ian McEwan, unless they're highly recommended.

Next I'm going to read 1984 by George Orwell. This is one of Keith's favorites that he's been dying for me to read ever since we got married. I don't know why but I finally have an interest in it-probably because of today's political climate. I may read the Duggar's book at the same time too. I haven't decided yet.

Restless in the 'Burgh

I was telling Keith last night how terribly restless I am lately. It's probably cabin fever. I feel like I must have a change of scenery. I'm so bored with the same old same old routine, day after day. I just can't describe it. Along with this feeling comes the same itch I get from time to time for a smaller church. I love CCOP. Bishop Garlington is such a gifted leader, and the worship is second to none, but it's such a huge church. I actually told Keith that I'm in the mood to go back to my old Lutheran church I grew up in. I know I could never go back to a non-Spirit-filled church again, but I'm just craving a more close-knit congregation. I go through this from time to time. We have no intention to leave CCOP. Every now & then I just get so sick of the mega-church. I long for a women's Bible study that meets once a week, or a simple pot-luck dinner or something. I'll go to church on Sunday, it'll be wonderful, and I'll be completely over it. As far as the cabin fever goes, I'm just looking forward to our Orlando vacation coming up in a few weeks!

Isaac & I are sitting here watching Sesame Street. I see so many repeats I can't believe it. I mean, they play shows that they just played last week sometimes! Sesame Street has been on since the 70's or something. How could they ever play the same episode twice?

Here's something really cute about Isaac...he says the Lord's Prayer! Well, I begin each phrase and he finishes it. So adorable, it makes me want to cry!

I thought for sure Josiah would be walking by now, but he isn't. I guess crawling satisfies his need for mobility, so he doesn't have any interest in walking right now. He stands on his own really well, & walks along holding onto furniture, but he won't take one step independently toward anyone or anything. One thing he does do already though, that's really bad & dangerous, is climbs the stairs! Who ever heard of a baby that climbs stairs before he can walk! I really gotta keep my eye on that kid!

I should mention that I had my ultrasound yesterday and it looks like I'm 9 weeks along, which was my first guess. Estimated due date is Oct 11! I was surprised ( I don't know why) at how tiny the baby is! I always got 12 week ultrasounds, & I could see arms & legs and everything! Yesterday I could make out the heart for sure, beating very nicely, and the head & rump, & I think there were legs too, but the arms were just little buds! To be honest, it still had some resemblance to a tadpole! It's amazing to think how much it's going to develop in the next 3-4 weeks!

I've made lots of progress in Atonement over the last couple of days. I think I have just over 100 pages left. Then I'll be onto either the Duggar's book Twenty & Counting, or 1984.