Prego Update

I went to the Dr's this morning for what I hoped was the last time before I have the baby. I have been having fairly regular contractions all week long, especially in the evenings, and other symptoms that lead me to believe my body is preparing for labor/delivery soon. To say I was discouraged at the Dr's though is a bit of an understatement, as I really hadn't progressed from the last two weeks. I know that dilation and effacement aren't an end all or even a set in stone determination of when a baby will come (just a point of reference really), but it was still frustrating all the same to have really not made changes. I guess my body doesn't like to gear up much for labor/delivery. With Emilio I went into the hospital at 2 cents. The only reason they kept me was because his heart rate was dipping. He was born after 30 arduous hours of labor. With Gabi, my water broke and I went in only being a 2 as well. They allowed me to try and labor through the night, but by morning I was only at a 3, so they started Pitocin and she was born 2 hours later.
I'm still holding out that I'll go into labor naturally in the next few days.

My Dr. is working both Saturday and Sunday, so either one of those would be fine too. If not, I'll be going back in next Tuesday (one of my two due dates, tomorrow is the ultrasound due date) and get a stress test done on the baby and get checked again. If I haven't had the baby by Wednesday morning, then an induction is scheduled. I really don't want to have to go on Pitocin, but I know that I was able to handle it with Gabi, and hope it would speed things up again for this one. We shall see. I'll keep everyone posted. In the meantime, I appreciate every one's prayers.

I found some t-shirts that may be suitable for me in these last few days. Here's a looksie, some are teetering on rude, but funny all the same.
Check out this one or maybe this one (I've had a lot of these from people this time around). This one might be good, or how about this one? I guess I'll hold out and save the money, but they did give me a laugh.

Green Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We made green pancakes (although it is hard to tell with the whole wheat in them) with green sprinkles today for breakfast. We hope everyone has a great day, and doesn't get pinched!



My little leprechaun with whip cream on his nose!

Rainy Day Fun

This afternoon I took the kids to their neighbor friend Logan's 2nd b-day party at a play gym. It was such a nice day to have this activity since it is so rainy, and it allowed the kids to bounce and run out some of their energy. They had a blast on the trampolines, balance beams, uneven bars, etc. They enjoyed the treats too of course!

My little monkey being goofy

Gabi had so much fun bouncing

Check out his form!

Peek a boo


Hoarding all the balls

Chasing bubbles


Caught ya with a mouthful of cupcake

Just hanging around

Taking a break

Little poser

Bro & Sis on the horse

Alarm Clock Success??? and other updates

So, just updating on the alarm clock post last week. Not sure yet if it really is a success or not? Saturday morning Emilio was still getting up too early. I told him that if he couldn't obey the alarm clock rule that we'd just take it back to the store. He responded with, "Fine, just take it back, it doesn't work anyway." Well, well, well.
Since then we haven't had a problem though, and here's why....daylight savings! Usually I'm not a big fan of losing an hour, but this time around, it does seem to trick the kids into sleeping longer (probably since it is still dark outside in the mornings now too). Anyway, they've both been waking up around 7:30 lately, which is just FINE with me. :) We'll see how long it lasts, right?

As far as other updates go,
We are just thankful for each day that John has a job. His law firm in Seattle and New York have made some lay offs and the work has been slow. We have confidance in our Lord though that He'll take care of us no matter the circumstances that come our way.

Our little one could arrive anytime since I'm 38 weeks along now. Since we didn't find out the sex of our baby, it makes his/her impending arrival all the more exciting these last few days/weeks.

I had a bought of food poisoning or a bug over the weekend and early part of this week. Not fun at all, especially when you feel like porky pig.

We've had snow this week which has been kind of wierd. I think most people are getting ready for spring to get here. We have daffodils and tulips coming up in our yard and they just don't look quite right buried under snow and ice.

John has Spring Break next week, so we are looking forward to having him home in the evenings after work! It really will be such a novelty, and so nice to enjoy being a family of 4 before #5 arrives.

Leaving you with a few pix of my kooky kiddos dressing up this week. Emilio said I needed to put them on the "log." He meant BLOG of course!

Gabi as a Princess Piggy (of course) and Emilio as Batman

The kids love to dress up. Gabi has several princess outfits she's been given for b-days and Christmas, but Emilio only has his old Halloween Spidy and Batman costumes, and a few things we've pieces together to make a pirate. He makes do, but wishes we had more boy options.

Alarm Clock

The last three mornings Emilio has been waking up between 6:15-6:30 a.m. This ultimately results in Gabi also waking up early because he's been too noisy, or complaining about what to do. I feel strongly that I don't want to just put him in front of cartoons right away, so I knew we needed to come up with a plan. You see, this is my "Mommy Sacred Time," in the mornings. I use the time from 5:45-7 a.m. to take a shower and get ready for the day, have a prayer and bible study time, and check my emails too. It makes for a much better "Mommy" through the day (especially since I have my kids from wake-up until bedtime with John being so busy) if I get up early and get these tasks accomplished. When I'm arguing with Emilio about finding something quiet to do during this time, I'm wasting my time to get these things done, and become more frustrated by the minute.

Yesterday I took the kids to the store and we picked out the cheapest, most inexpensive (and on sale I might add) digital alarm clocks we could find. Emilio picked a gray with blue one, and Gabi picked a red one (I figured she isn't too young to start learning the "new" rule either). Emilio was excited about it, as he's starting to recognize most of his numbers and thought it was cool that he has an alarm clock like Mommy & Daddy. I made a little post it and put it on his alarm clock yesterday during rest time (he's long gone given up naps, but I still require him to have a rest time where he can play quietly in his room each afternoon....mean mom, I know). He did ALRIGHT with that, although made several visits to me asking how much longer it would be. Last night, I put on a new post-it that said 7:00 a.m. for his morning wake up time.

Of course, he came traipsing in here around 6:20 this morning, but quickly said, "No Mommy, I just have to pee quick." So, I gave him a hug after he was done and sent him back to his room to wait until 7. Around 6:55 a.m. my bathroom door opened and he said with a exasperated look on his face, "you know what Mom, this alarm clock takes FOREVER!" I silently giggled inside and encouraged him he only had 5 more minutes. At 7:00 a.m. on the dot, he promptly returned to my room with a big grin and said, "It's 5:30!" (he meant 7....I guess we need to keep working on those numbers :) Anyway, we'll see how this tactic works with early wake ups. I really need to nip it in the bud before baby arrives in the next few weeks because I'm really going to need that solitude time, or maybe sleep in time at first, to keep my sanity.

Frazzle Brain

This morning I did my grocery shopping with Gabi while Emilio was in preschool. I usually go to Winco every other week to shop for two weeks worth of groceries. I supplemant in between at Safeway when we are out of milk, and other basic items. Now, Winco is not close by and it isn't the classiest of grocery stores (I'd LOVE a Trader Joe's close by, but the closest is at least 35 mins away), but it has the best prices. I save so much going there and navigating the huge, BUSY store and packing up all the groceries myself (and that's a workout these days). Anyway, I got through the line, packed up the majority of my groceries (sweaty at this point I may add) and when the cashier rung up my items and announced the outcome, I started searching through my purse. I dug down deep and then had a sinking feeling when I realized I did not have my wallet!!! I had left it in the swimming bag from the night before at Emilio's lesson. Uggghhh! Thankfully the store printed out my receipt and said they'd hold my cart in thier fridge until I could return. I felt like such a frazzle brain! It wouldn't be so bad, but I did the exact same thing last week when I went out with my girlfriend's for dinner....forgetting the wallet in the swimming bag again, forcing a friend to cover my dinner (I did pay her back by the way). Thanks Tina! Ugggh, someone's head is not in the game these days. . .MINE!
I ended up heading home, making up sack lunches (to eat on our way to the grocery store), picking up Emilio from preschool and then returned to the grocery store to pick up my items. It all worked out in the end.

Today's frustrations reminded me of a Shel Silverstein poem (we've been reading a lot of these lately as my kids love them). Loser

Mama said I'd lose my head
If it wasn't fastened on.
Today I guess it wasn't
'Cause while playing with my cousin
It fell off and rolled away
And now its gone.

And I can't look for it
'Cause my eyes are in it,
And I can't call to it
'Cause my mouth is on it
(Couldn't hear me anyway
'Cause my ears are on it),
Can't even think about it
'Cause my brain is in it.
So I guess I'll sit down
On this rock
And rest for just a minute…

(you can guess that the illustration to this poem shows a headless man sitting on a rock that looks strikingly like a head!).

Warren & Julianne's Wedding

This weekend we attended our friend Julianne's wedding at the World Trade Center in Seattle. The wedding ceremony was very sweet, and we all had a blast dancing the night away, especially the kids!
My sis in law Emily was a beautiful bridesmaid.
Emily's sister Jenna was the maid of honor, and my nephew Marco was the cute ring bearer.
Julianne & Warren
Emily & Eloisa
My bro Michael and his family
Us!
Emilio & Gabriela
John & I
Dad & Mom
Nana & her granddaughters
My handsome hubby and bro.
My Daddy & I
The newleyweds
Emilio kissing my belly
Mom & Rhonda (Emily's mom)