Halloween doors await you

Cassidy and Braden like to make their own craft projects.  They have spent much of the past 2 weeks on an ongoing Door Improvement Project.  The fact that I let them even do this makes me feel like a nice mom, because when I was growing up my dad did not allow us to place Scotch tape on painted surfaces.  He said it would ruin the paint.  

Now, I don't know if the tape has changed, or the paint has changed, or if that was just my parents' excuse they used to keep us from putting junk all over the house -- but in my lameness I feel like I'm giving my children something I never had. (Seriously, it's not like I bought them a pony...)

My favorite part of Cassidy's door is the sign in the center that says, "Beware!  Candy awaits you." Cassie told me a few days ago, "Do you know why that is funny? It's because candy isn't scary. Get it??"  My eight year old has grasped irony.

First off, I'll have you know Braden colored the moon and sky in the ghost picture all by himself.  I highly doubt I ever had the patience to make a nice looking coloring page like that when I was his age. I'm not, and never have been, what you'd call an artist OR patient. 

I like Braden's door because so many things Await You.  Bats.  Mummies.  Gosts.  (Yes, gosts.)  And, in copycat-brother fashion, Candy too.

No Blues for Me

Last weekend we had a sighting of the Vomit Comet at the house.  Up at 4 a.m. Sunday morning to feed Rachel, used the bathroom, saw a deep dark shadow in the sink...when the lights were on, it turned out to be a gift from my son.  So I got to scoop it out into the toilet with a paper cup and then disinfect the bathroom in the middle of the night.  No sense waking Nathan.  (Bright side:  Braden made it to the sink, took care of his bid-nazz, and went back to bed with no carpet trail or coming into our room to wake us up.  He was repeatedly praised in the morning.)  At wake-up time Cassie went downstairs, got breakfast for Becca and herself, got all ready and dressed for church, then came to me and said her stomach hurt.  Take off your church clothes, get a bowl, and lay on the couch, I told her.  Of course by this time Nathan had left for his PEC meeting with the bishopric, so he missed her puking episode too.  I had cleaned it up by the time he got home.  The two of them recovered after a lazy couch and nap day, and went off to school on Monday.  All Monday morning Becca complained of a tummyache, and by 3:20 that afternoon she had thrown up in her bed during her nap, and I had to strip the bed, wash the sheets, bathe her, and change her clothes.  Of course, Nathan had just left to go pick up the afternoon carpool at the elementary school!  

It boggles my mind, that on a weekend+day off work, with three children throwing up in succession, he managed to miss every single time!!!  I was lucky I didn't experience the baby blues after this pregnancy.  What with the triple throw ups and the person from our neighborhood who was supposed to bring us dinner one night and forgot (the kids had sandwiches and we ended up with 9 p.m. takeout) I think I might have been one depressed lady.  I'm very grateful that the stomach bug passed over Nathan, Rachel, and me.  That would have been awful!  As it is, I was able to laugh at what a bummer of a first weekend home with a new baby it was.

I'm not as think as you Spoiled I am

The Best Baby Ever may have left many of you with a false impression.  Rachel did indeed sleep through the night on her fifth day of life, but she did not continue the practice.  After that she was still getting up once a night, so it did turn out to be a fluke.  However, last night she slept from 11:00 p.m. until 6:45 a.m.  So either I'm going to get a good night's rest every five days or so, or pretty soon she'll start getting consistent.  I vote for consistent, if I get to pick.

Other musings on having a newborn --

I feel like I smell weird.  All day, even not long after showering, I feel like I smell stale.  I think it's the breastfeeding that makes me feel like this.  Nathan insists I smell normal.

We had a family gathering last weekend, and we took a large family picture since everyone was there.  I saw the pictures, and I certainly do NOT want a copy this time.  I know I need to lose 20-25 pounds, and I know I am only 5 days postpartum in the picture.  But how is it that needing to lose 18% of your body weight makes me look fully twice as wide in a photograph?  Can someone explain to me the physics behind that?

The kids have the day off school today.  They're all in the backyard with neighbor friends, on Halloween, making a leaf pile to jump in, and it's 70 degrees out.  How perfect is that?

Rachel's Photo shoot

My SIL Kara is dabbling in photography, and she agreed to do a little photo shoot at the house. Didn't they turn out great?!?  FYI, she's thinking of getting into the biz on the side, so I'll refer you if you want a low-key, relaxed sitting for way less than studio prices!  

(Click on an individual photo to see a larger version.)

This 'baby nest' was made with a boppy pillow, all the decorative pillows and shams from my bed, and an afghan made by Nathan's mom.

Documenting the wonky toe for posterity...

(note the curve and miniscule nail on the second toe on the foot on the right) 

For as many sans-diaper shots as we had, I was surprised we didn't have any accidents!

Hiya!  Karate baby.

I'll take Look-alikes for $500, Alex

Another poll:  does the new baby look more like me or Becca?

Baby Brenda, age 2 weeks

Baby Rebecca, age 1 day

Baby Rachel, age 5 days

A Septuagenarian has her say

I'm just here to say that my Grandma Shirley (pictured in the green shirt) rocks.  I called her yesterday to thank her for the baby gift she sent.  We chatted for a few minutes, but then she told me she didn't have long on the phone because her ride was picking her up to go stand in the picket line in support of California's Proposition 8.  My grandma, the political activist.  She's awesome!!!!!

(Yes, this is Photoshopped...but she's still pretty cool, even if her photo didn't make the AP newswire.)

The Best Baby Ever

Rachel slept through the night last night.   Five days old, and she went from 11 PM until 6 AM.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Rachel at the Hospital, Pictures Galore

What a cute face to see!  Even now that she's been home for a few days - her eyes seem permanently shut like that.  She likes things dark.

with Grandpa Belliston, who came to the birth

Grandma Belliston watched her get born too.

My mom thinks this looks like one of those newspaper photos whose captions read: "Russian woman gives birth to 18 pound giant baby!"  

Aunt Katie (my sister, who took all these pictures - thanks Kate!)

Braden was so cute when he first saw Rachel.  His eyes were full of excitement as soon as he saw her.  After getting a good look at her in the bassinet, he came over to me, put his head on my shoulder, and said, "Mom, she's the cutest person in our whole family.  She's so pretty."

Where did your giant tummy go Mom?

I could not get over this hair.  I knew she had a lot of hair right when she was born, but since it was wet, we didn't even come close to getting the full effect in the delivery room.  I gasped and then laughed when Rachel came back from her first bath.  It does lie down more flat than this when you comb it, but it likes to stick up on top still.  Nathan gave her a fauxhawk after her bath last night.  Maybe tomorrow we'll see what happens with those little velcro curlers.

Rachel LOVED getting in her car seat for the first time.  

The Fourth Birth Story: Rachel

Disclaimer to my brother and any squeamish folks:  this post contains the words 'dilated,' 'membranes,' and 'epidural.'  If you don't like those or associated words, then skim the text and just look at the pretty pictures!!!

After a few weeks of evening contractions and wondering, "Is tonight the night?" tonight was never the night.  We ended up doing it the modern (my mom says cop-out) way and had an elective induction scheduled for Monday morning at 7:00 a.m.

This is me two weeks before at 37 weeks pregnant.

This is the morning of my induction.  My 39 week belly seems to look smaller than it did two weeks before, but I'm guessing it is because the baby dropped/lightened over the weekend.  I have no excuse for the puffy face.  Oh wait - yes I do - I am pregnant.  Plus I had to get up at 6 a.m. to get ready and be up to the hospital in time for our appointment.

The baby in all her glory.  

We arrived at the hospital a few minutes later than 7:00 (I'm normally punctual, but at this point, I didn't care.  They weren't about to send me home for a 15 minute penalty.)  Because in my previous pregnancies things had really gotten moving once my water broke, my doctor agreed to come in and break my water at the very beginning rather than waiting to see how the labor progressed first.  So I had AROM (artificial rupture of membranes) at 7:40.  At this point, before any real labor contractions to speak of, I was 3 cm and 70 % effaced.  Debbie, my RN, started 4 mu of Pitocin at 8:15.  (I ended up staying at 4 mu of Pit the whole time, which is pretty low.)  The contractions were starting to hurt a bit, so since the anesthesiologist was in a c-section, I asked for a dose of fentanyl.  Mostly it achieved making the room look fuzzy, but it must have helped with the contraction pain, because I didn't have trouble waiting until he came in at 8:40 to place my epidural.  

Now, I'd been told by my doctor that the anesthesiologist that day was the best at the hospital and that he gave very heavy, 'Dead Leg Specials.'  That did not turn out to be the case for me.  I ended up able to move and feel my legs the whole time and towards the end I did feel a little contraction pain, but not enough to make me upset with him.  An hour after he placed the epidural I was in a little pain in spite of pressing my magic button, so they had to call him to come redose me at 9:30.  At that time the nurse checked me and I had progressed to 5 cm and 90% effaced.  Ten minutes later I felt a lot of pressure and, having had 3 babies before, knew to call my nurse and ask to be checked again.  This time I was complete with just a small anterior rim, but since my doctor's office is 25 minutes away from the hospital, we called her and she headed over right away.  Strangely enough, after four children, I've never heard any number higher than 6 cm!  It's always, "You're a 5 or 6 cm," and then shortly afterward a surprised (and sometimes panicked,) "You're ready!"

This is about 9:30, right about when I am completely dilated and just waiting for the doctor.  See the smile?  See the eyes, free of panic?  Hear me singing praises to the Epidural?  This is also just minutes before I got the teeth-chattering shakes.  My sister took a video, but I won't post it because I look too weird.

The doctor finally arrived at 10:15, to greet a crowning baby!  As I laid in the bed waiting for her, I kept feeling more and more pressure and wondering if she would make it before the baby fell out in the bed.  I chose not to say anything because I didn't want to freak out my dad, who was in the room and who had instructed me, "I would like to come to the birth if I am still invited, but please make sure nothing scary or bad happens.  I don't think I could handle that."  After 7 or 8 pushes, the baby arrived safely at 10:17 a.m!  Start to finish, just around 2 1/2 hours of labor.  Can you believe it?!?!  

I wish I had a prettier cry-face.

The baby's pretty cry-face.  She was a loud girl, right from the start!

Rachel was pretty blue when she was first born, so she got her Halloween mask a few days early.  (It could be because she had a loose nuchal cord.)  She's the only one of our kids ever to get more than just blow-by oxygen, and her Apgar scores of 8 and 8 were the lowest of all four kids.  Hope that's not a sign of things to come...

Dad had a bad cough and cold on Rachel's birth-day, so he had to wear a mask too.  At least it covers up the fact that he refused to shave that morning!

Everyone was making fun of me because I was (I admit it) 'charting' the times that everything happened during the birth.  I used the back of the folder they gave me and wrote down the times of all the events.  Luckily the birth was short, thus so was my homemade chart!

Rachel Ana Toone

(middle name is pronounced ah-na)

born Monday, October 20th

10:17 a.m.

8 lb 10 oz, 20 1/2 inches long

We are so happy Rachel is finally here.  She is healthy and we are blessed!

This is Why I Rock

I look nothing like the lady in this picture - but I feel strong and powerful!  I get to have a baby in two days, and I exercised five days a week for my entire pregnancy - my last workout session was yesterday.  I am so proud of myself, I can hardly stand it.  I rock.

Sidenote that has nothing to do with my Rockitude:  When I woke up this morning the top of my uterus (the fundus, for all those who know what that is) was 2-3 inches lower than it was when I went to bed.  I've heard and read about lightening and pelvic engagement, and was pretty sure I noticed it 3-4 weeks before Rebecca was born, but I have never seen an overnight change like that!!  The bonus is that my sucker-punch soreness from last week has been gone all day.  I asked Nathan to look at me in profile and see if he noticed a difference, and he said, "Yeah.  Totally.  (pointing) You have a big bump..."  "Really?" I said, peering down to try and take a look.  "Yeah, it's right above your bladder and it goes all the way up to above your bellybutton."

Smart aleck.  (After he finished sassing me he did admit I looked different though.)

Washer Woes

I don't think we were meant to own appliances.  Many of you who know me well know that in the first 5-6 years we have lived in our house, we've replaced our washer and dryer, refrigerator, and dishwasher, all of which we bought brand new when we moved in.

Over the past month or so our two year old, fully-researched-in-Consumer-Reports-before-I-bought-it washer, has been making noises during the spin cycle.  First squeaking.  Then rattling.  Then horribly loud knocking and grinding.  I kept thinking, "It still works and washes.  Maybe I'll just wait until it breaks all the way and then get it repaired."  But the noises this week were so bad, and I realized I'd be uber-bummed if it broke right when I brought the new baby home or right when somebody threw up and I was trying to wash it all away, so I called the repairman.

My only two year old, fully researched, good quality Kenmore washer probably didn't have anything but just a loose part that needed reattaching, right?  OH HOW WRONG.  It had a faulty basket drive, which cost $250 to fix.  The repairman told me that I 'really did' buy a good washer (he bought the exact same one for his own home) and that I was one of the Lucky Ones to get one of the "occasional, unavoidable lemons."  

On the bright(?) side, he looked at the rest of the washer's mechanical guts, said they looked like they were in great shape and that I should have many future years of washing without problems.  Great to hear, just not after charging a whole "Do You Know What Else I Could Buy With Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars?" worth to the Mastercard.

The Ultimate Sadness...

Is that Smith's grocery stores are no longer accepting competitor's pharmacy coupons.  I used to fill our monthly prescriptions, use the RiteAid $30 transfer coupons, and end up with more than $100 of subsidized groceries every month!  Two days ago I was told that as of the end of the week they will no longer honor them.  Talk about the ultimate sadness.

Well, that, and that the baby hasn't come yet.  (I'm trying to see the good side - I have a sinus infection, and every day she doesn't come is one more day for me to kick it.  The problem is, I wake up every morning and I still have my cold...)

The End is even more Nigh

Whether I go into labor or can have my induction, today was my last doctor's appointment.  Nothing too exciting.  Still 2 cm and -2 station, but more effaced, at 80%.  Just like last week, it's progress, but it's not impressive.  I asked to have my membranes stripped, but she said that they had already separated from the cervix on their own.  That, plus her statement that I was 'very soft' made it kind of sound like maybe I'll go into labor on my own soon...I sure hope so!!  Her guess at the baby's size was high 7 to low 8 pound range.  My guess, based on how big and uncomfortable and sore I feel, is that she weighs about 30 pounds.  I've been seeing shooting stars occasionally over the past week and a half, so we drew blood work just to be safe and rule out PIH.  I'm sure everything is fine.

The top of my ginormous belly has been sooo sore this week.  I feel like I've been sucker punched a couple of times.  I mentioned it to some friends, and no one except my fellow shorties even knew what I was talking about.  My doctor said only her short clients complain about this and said she thinks that overall her shorter patients are the most uncomfortable of all.  Ha!  Vindicated!

Washed all the sheets and bedding today.  I don't feel like I'm nesting, but I do feel like getting most everything done that I can ahead of time.  It boggles my mind that I have any sort of interest in washing sheets, yet I have no desire to decide what to have for dinner tonight.  Do you suppose there are many types of lazy, and select versions can co-exist in the same person at any given time?

Nathan brought me fresh strawberry cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory on the way home from work yesterday.  Holy moly, it was good.  It's a good thing we don't live closer to that place.  Maybe I'll go eat some of the leftovers right now.  Maybe I'll have that for dinner, and the kids can eat canned soup.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  :-)

Nathan No Likey

Normally I love all things generic - especially generic medicine.  Because really, why pay more for something required by the FDA to work exactly the same as the one with the fancy packaging?

Well, Nathan has had a cold for a week or so now, and he gave me a reason.  He insists that the Wal-Mart version of The nighttime sniffling sneezing coughing aching stuffy head fever so you can rest medicine tastes like Liquid Satan.

So I had to buy him this:

Kid Tag

1.  What is something Mom always says to you?

Cassidy:  Do the silverware job.

Braden:  I love you.

Rebecca:  Don't.

2.  What makes Mom happy?

C:  When I don't lie.

B:  When I don't tell lies.

R:  Finding my other clip.

3.  What makes Mom sad?

C:  When I do lie.

B:  When I tell lies.  (I swear they answered these questions in separate rooms!)

R:  Nothing.

4.  How does Mom make you laugh?

C:  She is funny.

B:  When she tickles me.

R:  Nothing.

5.  What was Mom like as a child?

C:  My dad.

B:  A good kid.

R:  Like, what's that name again?

6.  How old is your mom?

C:  29

B:  29?

R:  9

7.  How tall is your mom?

C:  I have no idea.

B:  I have no idea.  Like, maybe, 50 inches or something like that.

R:  Uhhh, 90.

8.  What is your mommy's favorite thing to do?

C:  Blog.

B:  Work on the computer.

R:  Start a Dora game.

9.  What does your mom do when you're not around?

C:  Go on a date with my dad.

B:  Stay home.

R:  Play something on the computer.

10.  If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

C:  Her jam.

B:  For making jam.

R:  Food.

11.  What is your mom really good at?

C:  Typing.

B:  Making food.

R:  Working on the computer.

12.  What is your mom not very good at?

C:  Sometimes being patient.

B:  Putting Christmas lights up.

R:  Not playing something on the computer.

13.  What does your mom do for her job?

C:  A mom.

B:  Nothing.

R:  Cleaning jobs.

14.  What is your mom's favorite food?

C:  Fruit.  Candy.

B:  Chocolate mousse cake.

R:  Chips.

15.  What makes you proud of your mom?

C:  She's gone through four pregnancies.

B:  That she is tough to have another baby.

R:  Going to the bathroom.

16.  If your mom were a cartoon character, which one would she be?

C:  Sleeping Beauty.  What?  You sleep a lot.

B:  Minnie Mouse.  Because she's a girl.

R:  I want you to be Mickey Mouse.  How do you spell Mickey Mouse?

17.  What do you and your mom do together?

C:  Shopping.

B:  Go out to ice cream.

R:  Play a game.

18.  How are you and your mom the same?

C:  We both have brown hair.

B:  We both have brown hair and brown eyes.

R:  Good.

19.  How are you and your mom different?

C:  She has brown eyes.

B:  I'm a boy and she's a girl.

R:  I don't know.

20.  How do you know your mom loves you?

C:  She takes us out to ice cream.

B:  Because she kisses me and hugs me.

R:  She tells me good night in bed.

I tag whoever wants to play -- plus Kara, even if she doesn't.

Just grapes and sunshine

Who would have thought that buying THESE would get cheers, hoorays, and cries of, "Thank you, Mommy, thank you!"

Yes, friends, 14 tiny raisin-filled boxes, which cost me all of $1.33, thrilled Braden and Becca to the ends of the earth.  

You'd think I had bought them each their very own ice cream factory.

Tut, Tut, it looks like rain

When you have a birthday umbrella, it is compulsory that you use it to go outside and get the mail during the very next rainstorm.

I don't see any puddles in this picture, but it sure makes me want to find one and splash in it!

A Pumpkin for Becca

We're not in a joy school group this year because Rebecca won't start kindergarten for 3 more years, but luckily a nice friend of ours invited us to go on their neighborhood preschool field trip.  It was lots of fun, especially since there was a group of around 20 little girls and boys from our area.  We got to do a hayride, pick a pumpkin, learn about the vegetables the farm grows, and play on their way cool slides made from stacked bales of hay.

Riding the Cow Train at the pumpkin patch.  Not too accurately named, because the majority of the cars on the Cow Train were pigs.

I was lucky she wanted a small pumpkin this year.  I don't think I could've helped her haul around a large one!

She looks like a new mom, staring in wonderment at a newborn baby.  At least I didn't waste the $4 I spent for her admission to the pumpkin patch!

The tractor driver stopped in the middle of the vegetable fields, went out and picked corn, carrots and onions, and brought them back for the kids to see.  It was really cute to see them get so excited about the straight-from-the-ground vegetables.  Rebecca knows that we can grow tomatoes and peppers and zucchini in our home garden, but sometimes I wonder if she thinks there's a produce factory for everything else in the back room of the grocery store.

Don't you love her stylin' Boys' Size 8 jacket?  We got to the pumpkin patch and it was much colder and windier than it had been at our house.  Luckily a nice friend of ours offered her son's extra jacket from the back of her car.

The End is Nigh

It won't be long before I'm in a room just like this one...

Doctor's appointment today.  For all the contractions I've been having this week (2 separate nights of 5-7 minutes apart for a few hours), I was going to be really disappointed if I hadn't made any progress...I'm still 70% effaced and -2 station, but, sigh of relief, I am now at a "good 2 cm."  I'd sure like to be more, but I'm cool with progress.

The doctor's office called to put me on the hospital's induction schedule today.  I'm still hoping -- but not planning, because you set yourself up for disappointment if you plan -- to go into spontaneous labor beforehand.  We shall see.  Nevertheless, one thing is sure.  Baby, baby, here you come!

Once and Future Four Eyes

This is Braden as a 2 year old, 'borrowing' my dad's glasses.  Maybe his subconscious somehow knew he was destined for a pair of his own one day.  

Braden in the car on the way home from picking up his glasses:  "I think there might be a few people at school who will make fun of my glasses."

Me:  "Will that bother you, or will you just tell them to leave you alone because they help you see better?"

Braden:  "Nah.  I'm old enough to just not worry about them.  I won't care."

Political Musings

If McCain wants to guarantee that we will not raise taxes, but we will be the peacekeepers and ethical interventionists worldwide and that he will buy up all the bad mortgages all at once, where is the money going to come from?  From not raising taxes?  Oh yeah - from eliminating earmarks.  Ha.

If Obama says that 'we went to the moon in 10 years without knowing how we would do it, and just by setting the goal we made it happen' and insists that the same thing is possible regarding energy independence...I think he trying to say, "If you Goal it, the technology will come."  Now, I'm all for goal setting, but ... How is it that he says things like that, but when asked how he would fix the woefully mismanaged entitlement programs of Medicare and Social Security, he claims it is a really tricky problem and he can't really set a time on how long it might take to fix.  It doesn't even take a scientific invention to fix those!!!!!

I don't like my choices.  Just as soon as one of the esteemed senators vocalizes a good idea, I am sure to completely disagree with the very next idea from his mouth.  Maybe I should pick the one who likes me best.  I mean, to John McCain, we're all "friends."  To Obama, we're just "folks."   Or pick the one who is coolest!  That's how people voted for the Student Council in school.  If Utah wasn't such a nothing electoral state maybe I could pick based on who handed out the best bribe-candy at the door on the way into the school-I-mean-polling-place.  If only campaign promises were worth more than a plugged nickel.  Why did I want to be a grownup in the first place?  Oh yeah, so I could make my own decisions.  Dang.

Braden Can See Better

Braden said I am not supposed to blog about this because, "It will make me feel jealous."

"You mean embarrassed?"

"Yeah, embarrassed.  You can put my picture on there, but don't say anything about it."

"OK."

This is me, not saying anything about Braden getting eyeglasses that he uses at school, around the house, and for reading.  I'm not going to mention that he doesn't have to wear them to play outside or play sports.  I'm also not saying anything about how cute he is.

Kids say the Darndest Things at Italian Restaurants

Why is it that the crowded lobby of a restaurant is the place that a 3 year old chooses to ask:

"Grandma, do you have a long bottom?"  I quickly clamp my hand over her mouth.

I whisper in her ear, "No." and remove my hand from her face.

Louder this time:  "Grandma, is your bottom like my bottom?"  

I reclamp her mouth, look up at my mom, who hadn't quite heard and is asking Becca to repeat the question.  I tell her, "Just say yes!"  Thankfully, Becca accepted her answer and there was no more talk of bottoms at the Olive Garden that night.

Almost Alternative

A few months ago Nathan and I decided to create Facebook profiles and see what all the hype was about.  A few days afterward, Nathan mentioned some confusion about his page.  

He told me, "I don't know if I like Facebook too much.  Every time I log on to my home page there are all sorts of ads for gay themed groups and products."  I replied, "That's weird - I haven't noticed anything like that on mine.  I wonder if it has anything to do with one of the settings you selected."  He was skeptical, but together we logged onto his page to take a look.  

He was a little bit sheepish when I pointed out that in trying to fill out his Personal Profile so that it was obvious he was happily married and not trolling for dates, one of his preferences was marked I Am Interested In: Men.

Nathan changed it, posthaste.

Eye like it, Eye love it

I took my kids for their first checkups at the eye doctor yesterday.  Our optometrist is very friendly and kind to children, which made for a great introductory experience.  Even 3 year old Rebecca exclaimed, "Mom, the doctor for my eyes was Suuuper Nice."  In fact, Cassidy was quite dismayed when told that you generally visit the eye doctor once a year.  "But Mom, he was sooooo nice!  I was hoping I would get to see him again much sooner than that."

The other funny thing was how impressed all the office staff were with my children.  I will admit, they were very good, especially considering we did all three appointments at once and were there for almost 2 hours.  But the ladies at reception went on (and on and on and on) saying, "Oh, your children are SO well behaved!"  "What a nice job you have done raising such polite and pleasant kids."  "I sure hope your new baby is a beautiful as your other two girls!"  Even the doctor commented on what nice children they were after the last exam was complete.  Now, I'm not one to hold back credit where credit is due, because like I said before, I was very happy with them - and they got to have ice cream after dinner that day, which doesn't usually happen on a  weeknight.  However, I did think more than once, "What kind of hellions do you usually have come through here?!?!?!?"

Tagged

10 Years Ago I.....

1.  Went to the corn maze on a date with a bearded guy named Dave (A first for me - the beard, not the Dave.)

2.  Was up to my eyeballs in tests & homework:  my fifteen credits included Doctrine & Covenants, Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, Human Development, and Pathophysiology

3.  Got woken up at 2:30 a.m. one weeknight by my roommate.  It went like this:  

"Brenda, do you have a car?"  (You can tell we were oh-so-close if she didn't even know my transportation status.)  

"mumble-groan...Yes."

"Can I borrow your keys so I can take my fiancee home?"  (Her fiancee, who ate our food, fought with her constantly, was there after BYU curfew frequently, and was a general nuisance.)

"now awake enough to to be irritated and incredulous...Noooo."

"Well, would you get up and drive him home then?"

"probably sounding like I what I thinking about her right at that very second...No!!"  And I rolled over, not feeling at all bad about it, because I had 8 AM class in a few hours.

4.  Stayed up just late enough, studied way too much, went on lots of dates, had way too much fun, and generally enjoyed the simultaneously most fun and busiest and best semester at BYU.

5.  Met Nathan.  He sent me more than one a day emails from USU campus in the two weeks in between meeting and our first date.  It took him longer than I thought it would to ask me out, and I kept asking 'My Married Guy Friend' who sat next to me in Biochem, (whose name escapes me even though I can still picture his face - weird) "Why this guy was sending me all these emails without asking me out?"  More on this later.  I'm hoping to compile a post about how we met, but I keep putting it off, because I know it will be long.

5 Things on my to-do list for today.....

1.  OB appointment.  Meh.  (For all these annoying cxns, you'd think I'd be 5 cm or something.  I was better than last week, but not significantly.)

2.  Not on the list, but I took Becca to play at the park for about an hour because she was so nice and well-behaved at the doctor's office.  I guess I ended up doing this instead of baking cookies to welcome our new neighbors.  Well, that and I fell asleep for an hour and a half this afternoon while trying to watch a Tivoed episode of Oprah.  Oops on all counts.

3.  Drive Cassidy and her two neighbor friends to Activity Days this afternoon

4.  Quit forgetting to touch up the scratch on the van from when Braden closed the garage door while the back hatch was still open.  Not actively angry, but still not happy about that one.

5.  Not watch the VP debate in protest.  (I may cave, but right now I am firm in my principles.)  I'm so sad that The Office got pre-empted for that.  Why Thursday?  The actual real candidates did their debate on a Friday last week.  Friday, night of totally missable shows.  What gives?

5 Snacks I enjoy.....

1.  Cookies (said with a Cookie Monster voice.  Anyone else sad that this means nothing to today's generation of children?)

2.  Dry cereal by the handful

3.  Sweet, firm, crisp grapes

4.  A piece of toast

5.  Candy, of course, any type but black licorice

5 Things I would do if I was a millionaire.....

1.  Buy a bigger house with a whole unfinished basement for lots of awesome storage - and a maid to go with it.

2.  Get Nathan a convertible.  Get myself a fun little around town car and a new van or crossover SUV.  (Hey, we're millionaires right?  We would still need a family vehicle, and that's just not right that my big splurge would have to be a minivan.)

3.  Go on a cruise or fun trip with our parents.

4.  Go somewhere far away just us - either Italy or Mexico.  

5.  College funds for the kids.

I know he would like this one.  Maybe not blue though.

5 Places I have lived.....

1. Utah

2. Texas

3. Utah again

5 Jobs I have had.....

1.  Copy center attendant

2. Sears Telecenter scheduling appliance service at their 1-800 number.  (Thank you for calling Sears Home Central.  My name is Brenda.  How may I assist you?)

3.  Training Table table busser for 5 weeks while I waited for something better to come up.  Worst.  Job.  Ever.

4.  Super Target associate in Softlines.  I put away clothes from the fitting room and organized clothes on the racks.  Hey - it bought my food my sophomore year of college.

5.  Registered nurse in Labor & Delivery and the ER.  I liked L&D better.  If I ever went back to work that is what I would do.

Good old Target.  You haven't lived until you get to stay till 2 a.m. cleaning and closing up shop during the holiday shopping season.  Talk about incentive to stay in college.

I'm not in the mood to figure out who to tag.  I tag anyone who reads this and is looking for something to post because they just realized their last like 4 posts have all been about the same topic.  (Mine's been pregnancy.  Sorry, all.)

Today I have a favorite child

And it is NOT the baby.  I have been contracting every 10 minutes for 2 or 3 hours at a time the last 3 days, but never enough to take me in to the hospital.  It's wearing on me.  I think she has set up shop inside me and will never be born ever.  I wish patience was one of my virtues.  I'm not even near my due date, and yet, every third day I feel like crying for about 20 minutes.  Then it passes, and I move on.

Yesterday Cassidy commented, "Mom, you said that you were going to get HUGE by the end of being  pregnant.  But, you're not.  Your belly is big, but it's not near as big as you said it would be.  (Gesturing a few inches from the belly border)  This is how big I thought you were going to be!  I think you still look just regular big."

Keep talking, sweetheart.  The favorite child trophy is yours.