Perks & Pains of Pregnancy (According to Tired Mom)

I'm pretty sure this is my last pregnancy (unless God decides to undo whatever it is exactly that the doctor is going to do to my insides with this last c-section that will hopefully prevent pregnancy). So, I've been waxing nostalgic about all the things I will miss, and all the things I won't miss about being pregnant. I'll break it down into two categories for easier reading and all that:

Perks:

I love food, it's no secret. But, when I'm pregnant food tastes about 10 times better, especially if I happen to be craving that food that week. I also love the way food smells when I'm pregnant since I can smell so much better. I give myself treats every day, and I just love them. Eating while pregnant is like eating after you have been hungry for a long time, and finally get to eat, except it is like that almost all the time for me while pregnant. I seriously don't know how I've only gained 23 lbs (so far) with this pregnancy. Food tastes and smells so good! (hold on, I"ll be right back, I need to eat something).

Alright, I'm back. Mmm mmm food, one moment again. Alright, I'm really back! I love also that I crave different foods at different times, and that they are mostly healthy foods with this latest pregnancy (kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, fresh salad greens, etc.).

I love the joy I feel when I can start feeling the baby move. It's the most magical feeling in the whole world to me. It's like I suddenly become Gandalf or Dumbledore and I have this wonderful new ability. I'm using those two wizards because they were not just magical, they were the ultimate in magic. This kind of magic is how I feel when the baby starts kicking. There's a baby growing in me! What could be more wonderful?

The Second Trimester! They don't call it the honeymoon trimester for nothing. Energy, happiness, the morning sickness goes away (for me), feeling the baby; it's all a wonderful life at that point.

Of course, the big finale at the end where I get a baby is the best part.







Pains:

Morning sickness is the worst feeling in the world for me. Being sick for about 8 weeks straight is my own personal version of hell. I would rather do just about anything rather than be nauseous, and it just seems to drag on and on (gradually getting worse). This time, it went on for two more weeks because of the severe summer heat. Every day it would get over 95 degrees (which was all summer practically) I would feel sick as a dog. I was getting pretty ticked toward the end of the morning sickness. this time, but, as usual, it did eventually subside.  I don't even get it that bad! I rarely puke, just have the all day nausea and weakness. I really feel sorry for the 7 times a day pukers!

The mood swings/weird hormones/ and sensitivity in general. I hate the days where I feel like the hormones are in control and there's nothing I can do to stop them. I also can't watch scary or violent movies because that stuff just bothers me to the extreme when I'm pregnant. We are talking PG-13 and TV stuff people! I don't know why I only have this when I'm pregnant.

The last 2-3 weeks are the worst, but the last trimester can get uncomfortable, to the extreme. Especially when I "over do it". Which, can be very subjective when I'm pregnant as I never know what is the tipping point between getting lots done, and doing so much that I can barely move without feeling like my whole body is going to fall apart the next day. This week was a prime example. I did all my usual exercise, except I replaced one day of exercise with raking leaves, and I did 3 hours of stock up shopping (for things  we like to stock up on for after the baby is born) the next day. I was so sore! Words cannot describe the full body soreness I had. Which leads me to the next part.

"Uncomfortable" is usually a word people use when their shoes are too tight or they have been sitting too long and their bottom goes numb. Pregnancy takes "uncomfortable" to the highest degree and leaves you there. It can be a whole body, 24/7, never ending feeling for the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy. I will never use the word uncomfortable again without thinking of the last few weeks of pregnancy. It was more so with Danger Boy, and not nearly as bad with Miss Mayhem for some reason, and Kid Catastrophe was somewhere in the middle. I think Miss Mayhem having a smaller head (although still a 9 pounder like the others) may have helped.

 C-sections suck and I have had to them with all four. Enough said.

Here's hoping baby #4 is more like Miss Mayhem for the final weeks! Hey, feel free to share your own perks and pains.

Adventures in Pregnancy

 

30 weeks already!! This photo is actually from 28 weeks pregnant, but Tired Mom (me) is now at 30 weeks. Teague is a calm little baby so far. He reminds me more of how Kid Catastrophe was in the womb. Danger Boy and Miss Mayhem were similar (super active) pregnancies as well. I have had many adventures so far with this pregnancy. Including: an abnormal ultrasound, that then turned out normal when a Level 2 Ultrasounds was performed. I have also had sciatica and pelvic pain (re-occuring since this is the third pregnancy I have had it) which is mostly cured by pregnancy yoga. Yay for healthy ways of dealing with pregnancy pains!  I have declared this my healthiest pregnancy so far since I have also been able to keep running so long! 30 weeks and still running 2-3 times a week. I was only able to last until 28 weeks with running with Miss Mayhem. I attribute it to keeping more fit overall with 3 strength workouts a week, plus gaining less weight this time around due to the doctor putting me on the diabetic diet right away (although I my blood sugar is testing normal for now). Everyone keep their fingers crossed that my blood sugars keep testing normal!

SUPER BUSY

We've been very bus lately! Getting ready for Halloween  has been fun. We already picked out all their costumes, but I have not gotten pics of Miss Mayhem in her clown costume yet. If you can't tell, Danger Boy will be Batman and Kid Catastophe will be a cheerleader. The older kids decided to decorate for Halloween too. That was really fun. We just headed to the dollar store, picked out a bunch of fun stuff, and the older kids did almost all of it on their own. Yay for a fun day off from school activity!

Miss Mayhem is potty trained now, with only occasional accidents. She has become quiet the nudist since she learned to take off her clothes though. Demon Cat #2 is protecting her from all nudity related dangers in the above picture. Today she got very angry and kept yelling "STUCK!" because I put her in a button up dress that she can't remove. That's right Miss Mayhem! The clothes are supposed to be stuck on your body!

Miss Mayhem VS The Pottty

My baby girl is becoming my big girl, and one more step in that journey is learning how to use the potty. She loves to sit on her Blue's Clues insert for the toilet, but she is not as enthusiastic about the potty chairs.

Another one of her favorite parts is using the sink to wash her hands afterwards!

We mostly use the bare bottom method for potty training, which means some days Miss Mayhem just chills out naked! We are slowly transitioning to her Dora panties (she loves Dora!) and hopefully then on to pants and everything (with colder weather coming).

The best part of this adventure is how much Miss Mayhem likes the process! She has very few accidents after 3 weeks of training, and she is still so happy each time she goes to the bathroom on the toilet. Her only problem area seems to be outside. She does not like to use the outside potty chair, so accidents happen more often outside.

Tired Mom especially loves how she claps and says "yay"! each time she goes. Such a happy potty training experience for everyone!

News on the Newest Adventurer- It's a Boy!

The baby is doing well at 19 weeks AND we found out its a boy! Vance has named him Thing 4 for now.

Miss Mayhem and Tired Mom have been left to their own devices this week as the older kids go back to school. Miss Mayhem has adjusted really well to the new schedule!

A toddler and her bear off to see the world!

It is a little harder to play on the seesaw without brother or sister :(

But the zebra is no problem! 

The End (of the summer reading program)

Babaloo was the last show put on by the summer reading program. The program went out with bubbles and music this year! All the kids got in on the bubble action, before the music started.

I actually got a side picture of Danger Boy smiling too!

Kid Catastrophe had more fun with the bubbles than the music, but it was all good fun!

Miss Mayhem even got in  on the bubble action, although she did hang back from the crowd of kids.

Miss Mayhem actually sat still for parts of the music!

Then, Babaloo did something really surprising, and gave 2 year old Miss Mayhem a pair of sticks and let her bang on the bucket drums with all the other kids! Tired Mom was a little  worried about them at first, but Miss Mayhem did fine.

 

He threw bean bags into the audience to get the kids to participate in one of the songs.

At the end, he brought out a machine that flung toilet paper all over the kids! This was also silly willy fun fun for all the kids

This was a great last show for the summer reading program!

 

 

 

 

 

Tired mom forgot her camera for the "finale" which was when they give out two prizes for all participants, feed everyone pizza, and have a drawing for more prizes. KC and DB both won one of the drawings, and brought home an extra prize for doing double the required reading! Good job Danger Boy and Kid Catastrophe!

Reptile Extravaganza!!!

I was so glad I remembered to grab my camera because Danger Boy got to hold the alligator this year at the library reading program show today! The Reptile Experience is one of our favorites, but he usually picks bigger kids to hold the reptiles. I guess Danger Boy was finally big enough this year to hold one of the biggest things he brings!

I turned a corner while I was chasing after Miss Mayhem and I saw this! I was so happy since every year Danger Boy throws his hand in the air wanting to much to be the one to hold the alligator. I think this is the 3rd of 4th time we have seen this guy.

And, to add to our family's enjoyment, Kid Catastrophe got chosen to be one of many kids who held the Reticulated Python he brought with him (albino).

I was a little worried Kid Catastrophe might scream or freak out, but having a brother who is into the creepy crawly has toughened her up.

While the older kids were busy holding reptiles, Miss Mayhem discovered how much fun it is to take her own picture! I

She even smiled for a few of her own shots. How cute is that?

And, even cuter!

 Unfortunately, Tired Mom took the camera away and Miss Mayhem had a few toddler moments because of that. She was keeping Tired Mom on her toes most of the show by running around and causing her usually amount of mayhem!

Raging Readers!

The library reading program has started up again! We visit the library once a week to record our books in the reading logs and to watch the weekly program they put on.

Miss Mayhem is doing her part in the reading program by pulling random books off the library shelves while they put on their programs (and the older kids watch)

The older kids get a big kick out of watching the programs the library has put on. Zoo animals, clowns, and scientists have shown up so far. Next week- reptiles!

Miss Mayhem mostly tries to escape from Tired Mom and run into the stage area of the shows (in the pit at the base of those stairs). She's only made it all the way once!

This is a pic of the scientist guy distributing bubbly stuff to all the kids.

Miss Mayhem also enjoys the attendance prizes that the kids can win in the weekly drawings. Both kids won sunglasses the last time!

Also- Holy adventures in a water park with Danger Boy and Kid Catastrophe! The older kids were finally strong enough swimmers that Tired Mom felt comfortable enough to take them to Raging Rivers. Danger Boy got to ride all the rides, but Kid Catastrophe was still a few inches short for the giant swirl pool ride.
      
Kid Catastrophe was reluctant to go on the water slides at first, but Tired Mom pushed her down the first small one (on a tube) and after that she was hooked! She did manage to flip a tube about an hour after we got to the park and hit her head going down a slide. Did I mention how she got the nickname Kid Catastrophe, and why it's stuck with her all these years? She was little gun shy after that, but after going down a few times on Tired Mom's lap, she went on her own again.


Danger Boy was not afraid of anything! Tired Mom was not sure she wanted to go on the swirl pool ride a second time since it was a rougher ride, but Danger Boy was all for it. Danger Boy did not even mind that he went in the water at the bottom head first one time. He was all for it no matter what. Kid Catastrophe was a little bummed to wait at the bottom, but we only went on it twice in four hours, so we did not make her wait too much. 

We mostly rode on the long blue water slide as it was the smoothest ride and the most fun. Although, it was the hardest climb to the top! We also spent lots of time in the wave pool enjoying the ocean like waves over and over again. All in all, so much fun for Tired Mom and the older kids and definitely an experience we will have to repeat over and over again at least once every summer. After checking out the toddler section, Tired Mom might even take Miss Mayhem next year as well!

Miss Mayhem on Life

 Miss Mayhem says:

You must always look cute when smearing food all over the tray of your high chair. It makes Tired Mom go "AW!" and makes Paranoid Dad do this cute growly thing. Fun for everyone!

 In the garden, you must always wear you cutest hat and sun dress.  You spread your arms like this to make sure everyone knows how very very cute you are.

Relaxation is a very important part of life. A soft chair, a comfy pillow, and a good thumb will help you along with this.

 Did I mention how important the thumb is?

 When you loyal fans insist on taking your picture, try not to be too surly, even if it is the 50th picture of the day! Enough already mom!

Accessories are a very important part of any outfit. Leis, ruffly skirts, sunglasses, and spakly shoes all add flare. Shirts are entirely optional though.

Never forget to smile at everyone and say Hi! and Bye, see you! as well. Maybe someday everyone can be as happy as a toddler like me.

Last Day of School, Bittersweet!

Ah, the last day of Kindergarten for Kid Catastrophe, and Danger Boy was a little over a week ago. So sad to say goodbye to Mrs. B and Miss T! We will miss both of them for different reasons.

Mrs. B was so nice to my little tender hearted girly girl. She kept me apprised of any "crying" incidents as Kid Catastrophe has a hard time keeping back her tears and her feelings are very easily bruised. The start of the school year also take some adjusting for her (it did in preschool as well). Despite dealing with her emotions, Kid Catastrophe still very much loved going to school everyday. She would often tell me about all the things she needed to tell and show Mrs. B when she got to school. Mrs. B's clothing, hair, and other attributes were often discussed in our home as well. She must have been a sensitive teacher for my little sweetheart to love her so much. Kid Catastrophe was also worried that Mrs. B would miss her and the other kids this summer.

Miss T was our youngest teacher yet for Danger Boy, and methinks Danger Boy had his first teacher crush this year. He would often talk about Miss T being a very pretty lady (something he has never said before about anyone that I know of). He also liked to talk about her being married soon (this summer). Miss T told us how helpful DB was in class (he gets that compliment often) and what a joy he was to have this year. Danger Boy always does well in school, but he does not enjoy it as much as KC seems to.

We will miss both these teachers!

If You Can't Reach Us, We're Outside....

It's that time of year again! The time of year where where Tired Mom spends several hours a day on yard work and gardening while the kids play (and sometimes help). We have no answering machine, so the phone just rings and rings when we are outside. 

The lettuce bed is already overflowing, the squash seedlings have popped up, and the little tomato plants are all planted. The bell pepper seedlings that were started indoors are starting to harden off outside. The kids are working on some marigold and sunflowers they are growing from seed (marigolds also keep away harmful insects, along with scattering orange peels and planting some lavender).

This was a fun pic that Paranoid Dad took. Danger Boy may be making the point that yard work is MURDER!

   

 Kid Catastrophe is showing off the mask she made during a library craft day. We are also going to be doing the Library Reading Program again this year.

Miss Mayhem begs to play outside all the time, so there will be no complaints about our outdoor lifestyle. She screams "TOY!" and points at the front yard every time I try to make her come inside from a car ride somewhere before going outside. The older kids are most helpful by playing with Miss Mayhem as she wanders all over the yard. We will check in when we can, but if we don't it's because we are outside!

MISS MAYHEM IS TWO YEARS OLD!!!!

Once again, who let another one of my children age another year? It just does not seem possible that Miss Mayhem should already be TWO YEARS OLD. Sigh. Miss Mayhem has definitely been living up to her name the last few months with her constant toddler antics. She seems to be taking a page out of Danger Boy's playbook with her constant urge to run into the street. Tired Mom is often very tired indeed at the end of a long day chasing after her active little toddler. Miss Mayhem has also taken to crying not just when hurt, but also when she's mad. She gets mad at least once a day. Toddler moods are often mercurial though, and she usually snaps out of it pretty quickly. This is a picture montage of Miss Mayhem's second year of life:

 

Random thoughts by Paranoid Dad (or the wife made threats about my lack of posts)

My kids are great...

The Easter Bunny ;) brought them candy. I got, w/o solicitation, 3 Kit Kat bunny ears, lots of Mr. Goodbar minis and a Krackel mini. (KC had- again- w/o solicitation actually already advised me days before that I would be getting some of her candy when the Great Spring Fertility Beast thumped by.)

I started an Escrima class at the YMCA. In order to facilitate Tired Mom's Saturday AM recuperation sleep, all three kids had to come with daddy and go to the Y childcare. No complaints, no crying. In fact, one of the ladies advised that Danger Boy was helpful and courteous. W00t. (Right, Miss Mayhem did not have a lot of choice or chance to balk as she was woken up right before we left so she may have been dazed.)

Danger Boy can tell you what individual martial arts go into making Kajukenbo. (He even did it for my instructor at my last promotion.)

Kid Catastrophe can- w/some help- tell you where Kaju and TKD are from geographically. (One requires Paranoid Dad to do a bit of hula and mention Lilo and Stitch. The other requires reference to a sister from church from the Republic of Korea.)

Miss Mayhem toddles up and bangs against/hugs me when I come home. Usually has her thumb in her mouth.

When the DB and KC are on vacation and staying up in their room a bit more in the AM, they will wave at me and blow kisses from the window when I go to work. (Oddly, Stoic was at least at the window in a similar manner the other day, but w/o the wave. It still seemed like "Bye, Dad" to me though.)

MM charms people where ever she goes and people are especially impressed with her fearless jump in the pool skills.

MM also appreciates a soft furry animal. She will gratefully rub her head against said cat or dog and love it.

Yup, they are great.

Dangerous Rivers, Crazy Wind, and Other Adventures in a Nearby State Park

Danger Boy, Kid Catastrophe, Miss Mayhem, and Tired Mom crossed the mighty Mississippi River in search of adventures! And, a State Park that Tired Mom had a hankering to explore since she had just learned of its existence a few hours before. So, the super family crossed this bridge.
In search of this trail in particular (but we made several other stops along the way, and afterwards). This State Park was only about 15 minutes from our house (still amazed I had never heard of it). It seems that the trail I was in search of was only made 8-9 years ago, so that might account for that.
We saw fields and fields of this particular kind of yellow flower all over the park. I think it might be native to the Missouri area, or a particular kind of goldenrod I read about once (called Ohio goldenrod).
Confluence Trail leads to Confluence Point, which is a really beautiful place where the Missouri and Mississippi River meet up. It's kind of a scary place too though with two raging rivers meeting at the same point, and in general looking like the kind of place a toddler could drown very easily. So, Miss Mayhem got to stay in the jogging stroller in order to preserve Tired Mom's nerves.
Danger Boy and Kid Catastrophe had a great time throwing rocks and sticks in the water, and looking at the tumultuous waters, which were made even choppier by it being a very windy day. The picture below was taken right at the exact moment when Kid Catastrophe's hat almost flew into the water, and Tired Mom had one of those "heart attack" moments where I knew Kid Catastrophe was going to trip over her own feet and into the water trying to get after it. Because, you know, Danger Boy is the one getting as close to the edge as possible, but Kid Catastrophe is going to be the one to fall in! I managed to scream something "mommish" at the top of my lungs (which I can't remember, I probably blocked it out) and Kid Catastrophe did not fall in. We left shortly after that, I can't imagine why.
In the below picture, you can see where both rivers meet (Mississippi on the left, Missouri on the right) and the little island ahead of the confluence.
After driving back the 4.3 miles of gravel crap road we had to drive to get to Confluence Trail, we visited the bird sanctuary area. We mostly saw geese, which Danger Boy was told he would not be able to pet and that geese could be mean if you got to close to them. He still spent a good 10 minutes trying to sneak up on some geese so he could pet them. He finally came back to me and said dejectedly, "Mom, you just can't pet geese." You think?

Kid Catastrophe and Miss Mayhem did not seem as interested in the geese. Miss Mayhem was pretty obsessed with the gravel on this part of the bird sanctuary area. This might have been because I had not let her out of the stroller before then. She was mad with freedom!
They had these lookout binoculars near a trail called Two Pecan Trail. Too bad we did not see any birds in this area to look at through them!

There were several areas/trails that went right by the river (which was another reason Miss Mayhem stayed in her stroller while we walked trails).
My favorite trail was the one that started here at the marker for Ellis Island (peninsula) that juts out into the Mississippi River. It started out as gravel, and then turned into a lovely wide mulch path. I think I will go back soon and go trail running on it. It was gorgeous!
Here's a great picture I took of the mulched part of the Ellis Island Trail.
After 3 hours of exploring the State Park, Miss Mayhem took a nap in the stroller (on the Ellis Island Trail, our last stop before going back home). It was funny that one of the reasons Tired Mom got a wild hair to get out of the house and explore was because Miss Mayhem had refused to take a nap, and would have been a real bear the rest of the day if we had not gotten out and done something!