H1N1-free (hopefully)

We finally got our H1N1 shots for the kids yesterday. I had mine at my last OB appointment a week ago. I had to bribe the kids with a trip to McDonalds afterward, and they all "willingly" walked into the health clinic. Mason went first and was very brave, till he got poked. Then he screwed up his face, let out a wail, and then realized it wasn't so bad and hopped off the chair. Not even a tear was shed. Drew was next and I had to man-handle her to keep her in the chair. She screwed up her face and let out a wail, and like her brother, decided it wasn't so bad and hopped off the chair. Not a tear was shed! Then poor Darcy got her shot in her leg because the nurse thought she had pretty "meaty" legs (sorry Darcy!) and she let out a wail and then decided it wasn't so bad. 3 shots and 3 tear-free kids. I was tempted to skip McDonalds since they weren't that traumatized but then I fugured we would have tears for real. I didn't have the heart to tell them that we have to repeat this whole ordeal in 28 days when they get their second dose! I am extremely grateful that we all stayed healthy prior to the vaccines and hopefully this nasty bug will pass us by.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. We love to decorate and usher in the next few months of too much candy, commercialism, and "I WANT THAT!" This year Drew and I found a picture of a jellyfish in a magazine for creating your own "easy" costumes. I'm sure it would have been easy if I had made it without 3 kids all over me trying to be helpers, all while suffering through the worst of my itchy rash. That's what made it fun though! After all the money and time spent on it I vow never to make another one. Whatever Wal Mart may charge is money well spent in my book. It turned out cute though and she got lots of comments on it, including "what are you supposed to be? Strawberry shortcake?" Come on people! Mason's Darth Vader outfit held out, through 2 months of constantly adorning his body, night and day. I was afraid it just might not last but the costume made it and I told him he could wear it to shreds now if he wanted to. He hasn't put it on since Halloween! Darcy was a cozy little monkey with the cutest tail but she chose to sit in her stroller all night so no one got to see it. For the first time we dropped in on Trunk-or-Treat at the church. I always thought the kids were more interested in the fun of knocking on doors and not so much the candy but I was wrong. They have been stuffing their little bodies with candy every time I turn around. I don't put restrictions on it, when its gone, its gone, which it looks like tomorrow will be the last of it, but I do make sure they scrub those little teeth. I have to keep up my illusion of being a good mom. Mason tired out and skipped the last few doors Drew was still knocking on as we made our way home to an empty bowl of candy on the front porch. We had to break out the good candy bars for those who came a little later. I was hoping to save the chocolate for myself.

Here are our creations. Both our pumpkin masterpieces and our beautiful children! Check out Darcy, she looks like she just saw a ghost!

This is my guy. I was going for Darcy's favorite new expression, open mouthed and wide eyed at a new discovery, but he looked more like he needed to vomit so I obliged.

Here is our family represented in pumpkins. And if you ask Drew, the one I carved looks like me lately, always with my mouth open yelling at my kids.

Getting ready to carve! When I grew up we had one pumpkin and my dad always did the carving. I'm starting to think that isn't such a bad idea.

And of course the annual "painting" of the cookies. Mason downed them as fast as we could get them frosted. That is one of my favorite parts, making cookies.

On another note, it seems we have made it through the first wave of sickness hitting our friends. I don't know how that's possible but I am extremely grateful. All three kids have had a cough but that's as bad as it got. Last Friday I took the kids to the health center to hopefully get us all an H1N1 shot, and I was assured as I filled out the paperwork that there would still be shots left. We stood in line for 35 minutes, in the cold and wet, and they finally told us they were out. Gee thanks. I was more than frustrated because of the able bodied men I had watched get their shots in front of a pregnant woman with 3 kids under 5, the highest risk groups. They said they were supposed to get more in 2 weeks so if we are still healthy by that time I will probably try it again. Wish me luck.

Fall Fun

Saturday we headed out to Sauvie Island to the Pumpkin Patch! It was a beautiful day and also a Saturday so we were in quite a crowd. They had a few tractors making runs out to the pumpkins so we didn't have to wait long to search for the perfect pumpkins.

Drew and Mason hiked around the field with Paul looking for just the right pumpkin to call their own. Darcy and I stayed in our little area since she STILL isn't walking! Holy cow, girl! You are 15+ months old! Get a move on! So she crawled around in the pokey field and probably hated every minute of it. Sorry Darcy, its your own fault!

She looks extremely thrilled as you can see. We were able to find pumpkins for everyone, navigate the kids' maze, and climb the hay pyramid and laugh as Drew tried to give Mason a boost and then jump for the top herself. Paul eventually gave in and helped them up. It was pretty funny though. Drew saw the "Field of Screams" entrance and thought she would like to visit a haunted house this year. This from the girl who woke me up last night because she had a bad dream about her stuffed hippo. Not gonna happen Drew. She's a bigger scaredy cat than I am.

Our porch is now being guarded by 5 orange spheres. Too bad they weren't there a few nights ago when someone tried to get into the house. I woke up at 3am to knocking on the back of the house and then the sounds of someone trying to open the sliding door. I was pretty well knocked out so I didn't realize what was going on really until I heard a knock at the front door and the sound of the doorknob being turned. I was so scared! I just laid there and tried to be as quiet as possible, but of course I had to use the potty so I was stealthily crawling to the bathroom to avoid the huge window we have there. The thought didn't even cross my mind to call the police till about a half hour later. I finally fell asleep and dreamed an appliance delivery guy was delivering ugly cream colored appliances at 3am and Paul said we had to keep them. I need to work on my emergency management skills I guess.

The major rash I talked about in my last post has finally gone away I think. I only had to use my medicine for 5 days thankfully. I still am pretty itchy but it is much more manageable than before with the rash. I still have no idea what caused it.

Here is my young Jedi after a long day of fighting the dark side. Even though he is the dark side, literally! This poor costume is on Mason's body morning, noon, and, night. Luckily we haven't had any major accidents with the light saber yet.

Drew is doing great at school. She comes home with those darn Mustang Award stickers a couple times a week. She says its for standing quietly with her hands to herself in line, or on the rug at reading time. I am proud of her but also wish she would live a little! Jeez girl, cause some mischief! I was a little brown noser/teacher's pet when I was her age and I remember how some kids used to make fun of me. I guess I shouldn't fault her for her obedience, and I should enjoy it with this kid because I can pretty much guarantee her little brother will not be receiving the awards quite as often! But, that's what makes life fun I guess.

FRUSTRATION!

For the past 4+ weeks I have been SUFFERING through a horrible rash. I contemplated posting pictures but decided no one really wants to see that. Just picture your entire upper body (neck and arms included) broken out in such a dense, red rash that it looks like the worst sun burn of your life. That was me. Now imagine the worst itching you have ever experienced, multiply it by ten, and the fact that there is no satisfying the itch, and there you have my life for the past month. AHHHHHH!!!!! My OB scared the life out of me by suggesting it was my liver malfunctioning, which can lead to serious complications or even stillbirth. So for a week I was freaking out about it, waiting for the call from my doctor on my blood test, until I had finally had enough and called them to find out the results, which were thankfully negative. But I still itched! I saw a dermatologist who took a look at me for 2 seconds, wouldn't listen to a word I had to say, and diagnosed it as being allergic to something I wasn't allergic to before. Use this expensive lotion, throw out all products at home and get all new stuff. And use this steroid cream even though you are pregnant. Can you tell I am not thrilled with my doctors at this point? I left his office sobbing. I went to Wal Mart to get the prescription filled, sat there for 45 minutes, asked 3 times if it was ready, and finally a lady pokes her head around the corner, "Oh, didn't anyone tell you? We don't have enough of the product so we have to order more. Come back tomorrow." AHHHHHHH!!!!!! I left the store sobbing. The next day I finally got my prescription at 4 and the pharmacist practically screamed at me not to use the product because I am pregnant. I left the store sobbing once again. After a call to my OB's office and my sister who had been on steroids her whole pregnancy, I felt that I could safely use the product if I use it sparingly. That night though, I gave Benadryl a try to see if it really was an allergic reaction. Nope! I woke up itching and sobbing for 2.5 hours because I couldn't get back to sleep. That was par for the course for many nights actually. For the past 3 days now I have been using the ointment and the major redness has gone away but the underlying itch is still there. I don't know what happens when I stop using the ointment, hopefully soon, but I do know I can't survive 17 more weeks of this horror. My poor kids and husband already had to deal with a cranky pregnant mom/wife, and this has just been a hundred times worse. Sorry guys! And I have been a hermit, much more than usual ;), because I can't move without wanting to rip my skin off and run screaming away! Hopefully things will settle down now that the major rash is being taken care of. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I will gladly listen to them. They ruled out the most common pregnancy rash, PUPPP, so we have no idea what this is. Hopefully this too shall pass and I can look back and laugh about it (yah right) but I wouldn't wish this condition on my worst enemy.

Another Daughter!

We are having a girl! Still due February 3, 2010. Looks healthy, with all her parts, and she is quite cute, if I do say so myself. Look at that profile! I love the little nose. And her little feet are just too cute. What a blessing ultrasounds are. I stress myself out for the first 20 weeks, wondering if the baby is OK with all their parts in all the right places. I love that first glimpse of the little thing, all put together in a little package. And it always gives me a sense of wonder that that little functioning body is actually inside me! What a miracle.

We were surprised by the announcement that this is a girl, since all of us but Mason were sure that it was a boy, but we have readjusted our thinking and are excited to welcome another little girl into our family. All except for Mason, who is now disappointed that it isn't a little brother. The questions now are do we come up with another "D" name, and will she be a mini Drew or a mini Darcy? We are excited to find out in just 20 more weeks!

First Day of Kindergarten!

My baby is all grown up! Drew started Kindergarten last Thursday and our lives will never be the same. I kept telling myself I was ready for her to go, that I would enjoy not having to referee her and her brother for 3 hours a day, that she would be just fine without us, that she loves to learn and this will be the best place for her to do that. Well, I still believe all those things, but I also realize that I will no longer be the most knowledgeable person in her world, she will find others to confide in, she will learn things from others that I have tried my darndest to shield her from, and if she's anything like her mom, she will have her first crush when she is five. Heaven help me, I don't know if I am ready for this!

The night before school started she was an emotional roller coaster, giggling hysterically one minute, bawling about nothing the next. I knew she would probably be like that the next day and I was right. She did great as we stood in line to leave for class, a little nervous, but not crying and clinging like many kids there. I, on the other hand, turned into a mess. I was trying to hold it together and not let her see me cry, but as soon as that line started moving I grabbed Mason and Darcy and we took off, with me sobbing all the way home. I pulled it together in time to pick her up 3 hours later though!

She met us at the door with a scowl and I knew it was on! She immediately started crying about not getting to ride the bus, but I think that was just what she chose to focus on to let out her emotions. She "didn't want to talk about it," how her day went, but she did manage to say she really liked her teacher and the kids. As soon as we got home she shut herself in my bedroom and locked the door. I gave her 5 minutes to herself and then made her open the door for me. We snuggled a bit and after I tickled her a bit she opened up a smidgen more, but that was an emotionally draining day for my Drewsy. The next day after we picked her up she was flinging attitude left and right and was picking a fight with every little thing anyone said. So I had to remind her who was in charge and threaten home school if she didn't pull it together and come home with a better attitude. We will see how she does tomorrow. Hopefully this will only last for a few days and then she can really get into school and enjoy it.

Here were the kids waiting in line on the first day. Mason really wants to go to school now and asks everyday when he gets to go. I was hiding my face behind the camera so Drew wouldn't see me cry!

Hot Summer Fun

Swimming lessons started last week for Drew and Mason. It was perfect timing. Last week was beastly hot and there is no place better to be (other than in my nice, air conditioned house) than in the pool. Darcy and I were sweltering, sitting pool-side the first lesson, but we found out that a parent/tot class takes place at the same time as the older kids' lessons. Darcy and I have been in the pool every day since! She doesn't enjoy it quite as much as I hoped she would but it beats sitting in the muggy heat. Drew loves the lessons. She is doing great and she swam on her own on her tummy today. Pretty good for a beginner I think.

Mason isn't as thrilled. For days leading up to the lessons he would carry his suit and towel everywhere so he would be ready. Well, now the only way I can get him in the pool is to bribe him with the promise of ice cream on the last day of lessons. It has been a good experience for him though. The first day he tried to do whatever he wanted to do, till the teacher got in his face and told him to listen to instructions. He has held onto that pool wall ever since! He needs the instruction and discipline from outside sources and I am happy to see he will actually respond well to it. I think he really is having fun but he won't admit it.

Darcy is exhausted at the end of lessons. They cut right into the middlle of her nap time. Here she is tired and soaking wet after she gets out of the pool.

And here she is nice and dry after a few minutes in the dryer! I actually caught her in there today as I was doing laundry. Darcy will be 13 months old in a few days and is still showing no signs of a desire to walk. This is driving me crazy. I thought she would be an early walker so she could keep up with Drew and Mason but I guess not. She buckles her knees everytime Paul and I try to get her to walk. Crazy girl. I guess she likes to be held more than asserting independence.

We went to Tillamook this weekend for a small get-away. Paul told me it was to save me from myself, so I wouldn't be on my feet all day canning and drying fruit and making pies two days in a row. I think it was a bit of self-preservation on his part too, since he was in charge of the kids all the previous day and they wore him out. We visited the Cheese Factory, the beach, and the Air Museum. That was a really neat place. The kids were afraid of the mennequin so they stood on the other side of Paul for this picture. They got to sit in some airplanes and pretend they were the pilots, and Mason was very concerned about the blimp with aliens painted on the outside. It was a memorable place for the kids.

Here are my tired babies as we arrived home. I am so glad they all fall asleep well in the car!

We went to Sauvie Island Farms for some peaches and came home with 74 lbs! I canned 21 quarts, which will hopefully keep Drew fed through the winter. She downs these like crazy. I lightened the syrup a bit this year without telling her so we will see how well she likes these. The ones I have made in the past have been way too sweet for me but she loves them. I also made 4 pies and froze 3 of them. We ate one and there are enough peaches left for one more pie I think, which we will probably eat right now too! I LOVE peach pie. As I was canning tonight I heard a pop and one of the bottoms of a full jar of peaches cracked off in the boiling water bath. Luckily the jar didn't shatter so there wasn't a glass mess to clean up, but all the jars got to take a bath in sticky peach water. What a mess. The thought of fresh peaches and pie always makes my mouth water, but as I am staring 74 lbs of peaches in the face I always question just why I think I need to do all this work. In the end its worth it? I have also been drying 18 lbs of apricots. Yummy!

This is my little garden. Corn, peas, green beans, yellow squash, and cucumbers are planted here. I have two pots of tomatoes growing on the patio and 2 cauliflower plants among my shrubs, but they aren't doing very well. I don't know if its location or what. This is the first year I've tried cauliflower and I doubt I'll try it again. The heat of the past two weeks took a toll on my pea plants so they have been removed and the green beans are spreading out all over. Fine with me, I love fresh green beans.

I am feeling well, happy to be moving into the second trimester. I saw the little baby on an ultrasound a few weeks ago because we couldn't hear a heart beat from the outside. There it was though, just hanging out with a little fluttering heart! I always appreciate that first evidence that there really is a baby in there!