Friday Favorites

I can't even think of anything that went on this week... wasn't I going to start writing things down? I guess I forgot, just like everything else. 


1. I took Bud to the big city to see the back specialist on Monday. His spine is just about as straight as it can get (a big change from its previous 27% curvature!). We'll try to squeeze a few more months out of his current brace before he really outgrows it, and then Bud will get 3 months off from wearing anything. After that, we'll do an x-ray to see how his spine has held its position. 


AND, I managed the 4 flights of steps at the hospital without going into labor (or yelping in pain from my sciatica)! 


2. Rophone and Bud got to have a lunch date on Wednesday. Big is a huge daddy-hog, so it's good that Bud got some time alone with his dad. 


3. I am still somehow managing to keep up with the laundry and dishes, and even got the fridge cleaned out this week! I washed and folded the baby stuff, too-- it's getting closer!


4. Pen got 2nd place in her middle school's spelling bee! 


5. Rophone didn't get selected for jury duty. I think not being chosen for jury duty is one of the few instances where it feels good to be told that you're not what someone had in mind. 


Nothing too exciting this week, I guess we'll see what next week brings. 

Pen Can Still Spell!

Some of you may remember when Pen won her elementary school spelling bee last year. She did well in the regional bee, but not quite as well as she had hoped. So much depends on the luck of the draw, and it just ended up that Pen was eliminated when she was given the only word used the entire day that she didn't know. Frustrating for her, to say the least. 


So, this year, Pen was determined to win her middle school spelling bee so she'd have a chance to redeem herself at regionals and make it to the national bee. She studied for hours, wanting to be sure she was prepared. She wanted it so badly. 


I would love to say that she won, but I can't. She did a fabulous job and took second. Obviously, Pen can still spell. 


The word that she missed was 'apocalyptic'-- which she at first spelled correctly in her head, and then at the last moment second guessed herself and ended up getting it wrong. It didn't help that the guy reading the words couldn't provide a country of origin for some reason and kept messing up the definition. 


To make things more frustrating, her remaining opponent then sealed the victory by spelling 'flamingo'. Maybe it's just me, but one of these words seems a tad more difficult than the other. Once again, Pen was eliminated by the only word used that she didn't know. Bummer. 


If the other girl had won with another word that Pen didn't know, I think Pen would have felt that she had done her best and that the other girl was more deserving. There would have been some comfort in that. But, as it stands, Pen once again feels like she was defeated by the luck of the draw. 


All I know is that we're proud of Pen and her fantastic spelling ability. I am so impressed by her determination and dedication to do well. Disappointment sucks and can be hard to swallow, but I think it will just serve to make her work even harder to attain her goal next year. We love you, Pen. Good job, and good luck next year!

In Training

I have decided that the whole nesting thing is kind of like training for a big athletic event-- it's all about timing so you peak at the right time. If you nest too early, then by the time you have the baby everything looks like it did before you nested. But, if you leave it until too late your body might protest and not be up to the task. 


Right now, I'm struggling to maintain the places I've already nested into fabulous-ness while I begin to attack the things I still have left to do. My body is beginning to protest. My Braxton Hicks contractions are really up there in number and intensity when I try to get things done, and my sciatica is trying to beat me down. I feel like I'm running out of time. I can really tell that it's getting closer to the big event. 


I think I need some carbs. 

The Ball Player

It's that basketball time of year again. Ginger is playing for her second year, and I think she is enjoying it even more this year than last. It sure is fun to watch her play. The girls all seem to be picking up the rules of the game, but there is still plenty of double dribbling, running with the ball and overly aggressive defense to keep us entertained. 


I am still waiting for one of my kids to have that competitive drive that comes in handy in athletics, but they all seem to be more content to just be along for the ride. At least Ginger is having fun and enjoying the scenery. 


She has a great look of intensity, though. The twisted tongue helps.

Ginger loves to take the ball down the floor, and is learning not to pick up her dribble before she has someone open to pass the ball to. 

She's also getting a lot better at defense, too, keeping her body between her opponent and the hoop. Way to bend those knees and move your feet, Ginger!

I am so glad Ginger decided to play again this year. Hopefully she'll keep it up. 

Way to go, Ginger!

Friday Favorites

I'm so glad it's Friday! Even though Monday was a holiday, this week seemed to drag. 


1. The long weekend was great, although it flew by. Having a lot to do will cause that to happen, I guess. 


2. Rophone cleaned and organized the garage on Monday-- what a fabulous man. I Freecycled a few things that we are tired of hauling around with us every time we move. It just feels so good to unload.


3. The boys both have new car seats. Hooray for safety! (I saw two little kids, maybe 3 or 4 years old, riding standing up in the cargo area of a minivan yesterday. C'mon, people!)


4. A friend came to visit me yesterday. I'm really glad she made the effort to come by because it was fun. 


5. We got the baby a new outfit to wear home from the hospital. It's teeny. I can't believe we're having another little baby, but I can't wait to see her in it. 


6. I had an ultrasound today and everything looks great. It appears that she has big hands and HUGE feet, just like her sister Pen.


7. I'm still sleeping better with my new pillow than I ever have at this point in pregnancy. I may not be getting 8 hours anymore, but usually make a good, solid, 6 or so (as long as Big leaves me alone, that is). Getting sleep makes a huge difference.


Well, maybe not that much of a difference. I think I'd like a nap. ; )

Genetics

I find myself just assuming that this baby will look like Rophone.


I was a totally average sized baby at birth. According to Rophone he was on the large side, pushing 9 pounds. The two children who take after me in their coloring were average sized babies and the two who have his coloring were a little large-- 8 lbs  8 oz and 8 lbs 13 oz. And this baby seems to be running a bit on the side of big. 


Not only that, but the two that look the most like Rophone were very active in the womb, and this baby is, too. This baby is crazy active. Watching my belly morph and bounce is just about the best entertainment around. 


If I'm right, then maybe I know what to expect when this baby comes out. The kids who look like Rophone are notoriously bad sleepers (I'm talking not sleeping through the night until a year old), have blood sugar issues (if you don't keep them fed, look out!), and tend to think it's funny to disobey. 


I really love all my kids, and I'm lucky that the ones who look like Rophone are also hilarious, outgoing, charming, and tend to obey better later (like they got it all out of the way early on), but I find myself kinda hoping the kid looks like me. 


I'm 39. I need my sleep. 


P.S. And, just for the record-- they may look like Rophone, but I'm pretty sure they're acting like ME!

34 Weeks!

I can't believe I'm 34 weeks! We will have a new baby girl to tote along (and diapers to change!) before we know it. I tried taking a picture of myself to mark the occasion. It's actually pretty tough to do it well-- I kept turning my body toward the mirror a little so the big-belly-effect was lost. Then I noticed that the boys' dirty handprints on the mirror really showed up in the photo... oh, well. You get the general idea. I'm big.

Then the other Big thing in my life decided he wanted in on the action.

This kid has no idea what he's in for when the baby comes. I've got my fingers (and everything else) crossed, hoping the transition goes well. Amen.