She Knows

Tonight I realized that Aulora most definitely knows that I am very outnumbered. Julia has been sick all week so I've been playing nurse to her. I was studying with John David and I was nursing Joshua. I thought Aulora was playing with her dolls right there in the bedroom. When I peeked in she was not there. I looked down the stairs. No there either. I went in my bedroom and saw the bathroom door was open. Uh-oh. Then I saw the potty lid was open. Double uh-oh. And then I saw her. Wet sleeves, water dripping from her fingers, a delighted smile on her face. I'm pretty sure Julia's doll was about to get a bath. Mommy came just in time.

The Angry Mob

A couple of days ago John David was on the phone with Daddy and was asked how Julia was doing. She's been sick a lot lately so her mood hasn't always been the greatest. Well, he looked over at her and then told Daddy, "Julia's an angry mob!" He just rolled on the floor laughing at his joke, all the while Julia had her hands on her hips and was stomping her foot saying, "I am NOT an angry mob!" It was just too funny.....

Brothers

I'm telling you - John David LOVES his brother. He told me yesterday that he just wanted to squeeze him so tight because he loves him so much. I told him that's the way that I've always felt about all my babies. I hugged him really big and said I was glad he was finally big enough for me to squeeze tight! He was smiling big.

A Book, A Bobo, and a Beautiful Boy

John David read Joshua his very first story yesterday - "Green Eggs and Ham". Joshua thought his big brother's rendition of this Dr. Suess classic was just fabulous. He hardly moved an inch, he was so captivated.

This is what we found Monday morning when we woke up. Apparently, Joshua's bobo has some growing to do before his diaper will stay put.

Daddy took this picture of his little man to show some people. I think we're going to keep him.

A Little Sad

I cried on Tuesday as I put Aulora's pajamas on. It's hard to know that she is not my baby anymore. All the sudden she's so big in every way. Since I can't lift her or carry her yet, she has been going to mother's day out on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Sandy. So she leaves in the morning, then has a nap and isn't up until about 3 or 4. I miss her! I'm used to her being my little buddy and now things are just different. I ache to pick her up and squeeze her. John David puts her in her crib at night and gets her out in the morning for me. Things will settle down and I'll get to do those things again, but right now it really makes me sad.

I know I have enough love for each of them, but sometimes I worry that there's just not enough me for all of them...sigh.......

Since this post is about sad stuff, I'll stick this in there too - I cried on the way home from the hospital. I also cried before we left as we were waiting to get discharged. It was over. I know that sounds so silly. Here I had a baby boy that was only 2 days old and I was crying because it was over. But it was all of the pregnancy that was over. My big belly. All of the anticipation of delivering a new baby and meeting him for the first time. Over. And if all goes as planned, it's over for good. So it was a sad thing.

I think I'm ok now though. I'm busy enjoying the things that aren't over. Like tiny baby feet and sweet baby breath. Teeny diapers that don't stink even though they're dirty. Cuddling 2 little babies in my arms at the same time in the rocking chair. Taking naps with 3 babies at the same time in my bed. Wonderful, precious times......

The Pot

Before Joshua was born, we decided to have a contest to see who could guess his weight the closest without going over. Everyone had their guesses and put money in "the pot". John, however, did not merely guess. He mathematically calculated the weight based on previous babies and how long I carried them versus how long I carried Joshua. Do you know that he was exactly right? 7 pounds and 12 ounces. So it seems that if I had carried each of my kids full term, they would have all been the same as John David - 8 lb 9.5 oz. Interesting.....

How things are.....

After so much has happened, it's hard to know where to start with this post. I guess I'll start at the beginning and go with the flow.....

Last Friday morning we had to be at the hospital at 10:30 so they could prep me for the c-section. All the night before I was so sick and coughing violently. I REALLY did not want to reschedule anything though. From the time I got up until the time I was in the prep room at the hospital, my body felt soooo much better. I have no doubt that prayers were being said and I'm so thankful for every one of them!

The c-section this time around took longer, due to all the scar tissue they had to cut through and also because Joshua was bigger than Aulora was. He was 7 pounds and 12 ounces and Aulora was only 5 pounds and 4 ounces. Even with a spinal, I felt like a whole football team was running and jumping on my stomach and punching me. It did NOT feel good!

When they showed me Joshua for the first time it was really strange because he looked so different from all our other babies. And his hair was red! He was and is perfectly healthy and scored a 9 out of 10 on his apgar test. There weren't any complications on his part or mine. My doctor did say that we had made a very good decision to get a c-section because my uterus was in no shape to have gone through labor.

We got to come home on Sunday afternoon. I was glad to get home, especially since the a/c didn't work in our room at the hospital! I was so hot most of the time. Plus the constant in and out of all the nurses doesn't allow for much sleep.

The first night was rough since my milk hadn't come in yet. I think it was almost 5:00 before I get any sleep at all. I was crying right along with Joshua! We finally made a small bottle since we knew he was hungry. He drank just a tiny bit and then fell asleep. By the time he woke up again my milk was in! Thank you, Jesus! The last two nights have been great.

John David has been absolutely thrilled to have a baby brother and he wants to hold him every chance he gets. He's really doing a good job. Julia has been sick so she still hasn't been able to hold him. In fact, she was so sick I wasn't even allowed to be around her and that was really breaking my heart. She's well enough now that although she can't be around Joshua much, at least I can be with her now.

Aulora has taken everything incredibly well. She points at Joshua and says baby and then she likes to poke him. She hasn't been jealous at all and her behavior has been wonderful. I couldn't ask for more!

More later.......

Joshua's Birth

Joshua Clay Sullivan

We are home now and doing great. Everything went perfectly!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for us! I'll post more later.......

Just an Update

We're still going in tomorrow morning to meet Baby Joshua. Although I'm feeling better than I did yesterday, I still feel pretty crummy. Mostly a very sore throat and coughing, which I'm sure will feel fabulous after a c-section. I'm also incredibly emotional today. It's amazing that I have any makeup still on my face! Overwhelmed (in a good way and a bad way) is probably the best way to describe how I feel. I could really use everyone's prayers. Thanks!

A - sorry I didn't get your call. We were in the middle of a belated birthday dinner for Steve. He just turned 21! I'll either call you myself or have John call you tomorrow to let you know that everything went ok. Love ya!

Sick

He's still in there. I haven't posted today yet because I woke up feeling horrible. I hurt everywhere and have a fever - it feels like the flu. Yuck. If I don't get better quick, we may have to postpone the c-section. Uhhhh, my parents are coming all the way from Colorado to be here. This is not good......

Big Mouth Kids

Something funny happened last week that I had forgotten about until I just told John a little while ago. One of Sandy's piano students has 2 brothers that are John David's friends. They were playing together during lesson time and since I was at the desk I could hear their conversation. I should mention at this point that they are black.

John David: Hey, why is your hair so different than mine?

Them: Huh?

John David: Why does your hair feel like that? And why does it look so different than mine?

Them: (amid much laughter) Because we're black! We have afroes! (No, I do not know how to spell that word and neither does spell checker.)

All three of them thought that was so funny and they had a good laugh all together. It was so cute and innocent.

At least that moment of absolute honesty wasn't embarrassing. On Sunday, John David asked a young, first time mom why her baby's head was so huge. Granted, he does have a very big head, but it was still such a horrible moment! I quickly tried to recover by saying that it must be because his brain was so big and that John David should only hope to have such a big brain. The mom laughed and seemed fine. She's pretty easy going so I don't think she was offended.

Then there was Sunday afternoon in the car when Sandy was dropping kids off at their homes. One little girl had come to church for the very first time and apparently comes from a rather poor family. When they pulled in front of her house Julia wanted to know why her house was so ugly. I wasn't there to enjoy that little gem of a moment. Sandy got to have that one all to herself.

How in the world do you teach your kids to keep their BIG MOUTHS shut???

A Good Day to Make Up For A Bad Night

School started at 10:00 today and the roads were too bad for John to travel. What a great day! The fireplace is going, laundry is being done, Aulora is content, Joshua is still in there, I have a good book to read, the beds are already made, and the dogs are at the groomers. =) No worries today!

On a different note, I had a horrible dream most of last night. We were at church and I lost Aulora. I searched and searched and could never find her. Most people were too busy talking or doing other things to help me look and I just kept crying and running inside and outside trying desperately to find her. It was awful. I know that I had that dream because I really am concerned about how I'm going to keep up with 4 kids when we go somewhere. Obviously, at this point, Aulora would be the one most likely to get away. I bought a puppy dog backpack/leash at Walmart yesterday. It's super cute and hopefully it will work. We tried it out last night though and she lost her balance and knocked her head on the door frame. Poor baby. I guess we need some practice.

Ok, Maybe Not

They sent me home. Hmmmm.....I have to say, I'm not convinced they are right about me not being in labor. This isn't my first child. I'm having contractions and I think I know the difference between wetting my pants and my water leaking. Either way, that's ok. I still have stuff to do. =) I've already been grocery shopping and now I'm starting a birthday dinner for John's mom (much against her wishes). That's all I know for now......

Joshua Today???

I'm not sure, but I think my water has been slowly breaking starting during the night. I'm supposed to go to labor and delivery to get checked now. If it turns out to be nothing then I guess I'll post again this afternoon to say so. Otherwise, if I'm missing in action in blog world, you know where I am. =)

Cheeto Girl

Aulora loves her Cheetos. I wasn't too smart for giving them to her after washing her carseat cover though.

Cheetos + Aulora =
MESSY
(but happy)

Very False Labor

I thought I was going into labor much of last night while I was trying to sleep. Trying would be the key word in that sentence. My stomach kept hurting and I couldn't get comfortable. It turned out that I just really had to go potty. Apparently, a very full bladder makes for a very uncomfortable pregnant girl. That's all.

Stinkin' Parking Place

I am soooo NOT good at parking. I've never been good at it and I'm not holding out much hope for the future. I am especially horrible at pulling into the first space of a row right after you turn the corner. I can't go down the neighboring row because someone else might get to the good space before I do. So I have to go for it. No matter how much I back up and straighten (or try to) it's just hard. Last week I absolutely could not get off the curb next to this space at Target. I think I spent a good 5 minutes trying to park better, but it was no use. I'm sure everyone in the lot was staring and no doubt laughing at me too. When it was all said and done, both my passenger side tires were on that stupid curb. You would think I could have fixed it, but you would be wrong. It's just my lot in life - I can't park.

The First Daddy Daughter Dance

This is probably a video that only grandparents will appreciate, so unless you are pretty bored, you might want to skip it. It's really not that exciting. John dances. Later, Aulora comes and joins him. That's all. I just wanted to have it in the future. =)

Celebration of Nine in a Row

Last night we celebrated John David's 9 happy faces in a row. (His streak did finally end at 12, I believe. He's back on another good streak though.) We had lots of fun playing games and winning tickets. It was too cold to go outside for go-karts or bumper boats but the boys did play lazer tag. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that because I was busy chasing the girls. =)

Lover Boy

I was informed yesterday that Julia called one of friends "loverboy" at school on Tuesday. Sweet Jesus, help us! I don't know where she heard that - really, I don't. The raciest nickname John and I have for each other is "Baby". She told John David that she likes this boy and wants to kiss him. Good grief, she's four years old. FOUR YEARS OLD! So once again, Daddy and I explained how she needs to save all her kisses for when she gets married one day. Other than that, she can kiss Daddy and John David (and of course grandpas and uncles). She giggled and said, "Ok."

I think we're in for a very long ride......

Oh What Fun It Is To Plunge.....

I don't know if we had extra big pipes in SA or if there are extra small pipes here, but I've plunged more toilets in the last couple of months than I had in all the years we lived in our house. Julia especially has the gift of clogging the potty. She uses soooo much toilet paper and just doesn't understand when to stop. I've tried explaining it to her, but it's just not getting through.

Tonight, she came upstairs to go potty. I came up to check on her and to see if she needed help. If only I had come sooner.....

I opened the door to find her standing mostly naked on the water covered floor. She pointed at the toilet which was filled to the brim with water. Aulora was at my heels trying to go in and it was already close to bedtime. We were supposed to be getting a bath and getting right in bed. But no.

I plunged and plunged. My arm hurt and my feet were getting wet. Gross. Even for a non-germo like me. No matter how hard I tried, I could not undo the damage. I called for John's dad to help me since John wasn't here. He came up and like any man he plunged away so hard that water was flying everywhere. I know it had to be done, but ohhhhhh. It was almost more than I could handle. My only consolation was that it was not yucky water at this point.

We had to use a bucket to empty some water out of the potty. The water was poured into my clean bathtub. Cringe. The clog was finally cleared. We got mops and cleaner and scoured the floor. Of course then the potty had to be cleaned and the bathtub too since it was the draining spot and also where the mops were squeezed.

I think it was only about 15 minutes past bedtime when the mess was finally done. Julia was sitting on the bathroom counter with her dirty feet in the sink during all of this. I washed her feet, ran the bath water and put the girls in. Then it was John David's turn. Poor guy - he got to use the girls' water since we were short on time. He didn't seem to mind.

I was exhausted when the last one was finally in bed. Whew. Who in the world installed the teeny tiny pipes for this house??? That's all I want to know......

Denial

Is it bad to still be in denial about having a baby when said baby is coming in less than 9 days? I'm thinking yes, that's bad. I know everything will be fine, but seriously, how is this going to work? I absolutely cannot imagine living somewhere without the help of grandparents in the coming months. If that were the case, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go anywhere for at least a good year or so. I would have groceries delivered and the kids wouldn't take any lessons and John David would just have to hitch a ride to school because who wants to put FOUR little kids in the car in the winter early in the morning???

BUT, as it is, we DO live with grandparents. So thank you, Jesus, we're going to make it. It's going to be more than ok. And we'll even still eat home-cooked meals! Now that's a wonderful thing right there. When we do move out, I'm not sure if I'm even going to remember how to cook.

Soooo ---- less than 9 days. Wow. The chest is filled. The bed is ready. The hospital bag for the baby is ready. (I'm procrastinating packing mine.) The to do list is pretty much done, although I think of a couple more things that need to be added to it daily. Yesterday I bought a bouncer seat. I think that's what it's called. Would you believe we've never even had one of those before? It just didn't seem necessary, but this time it does. I found a great one at a second hand shop and it looks so totally comfortable. It reminds me of those big circle shaped chairs with the huge circle cushions that were so popular in the 80's. It's all washed and ready to use. Bottom line, for the first time since John David, I think I'm actually going to be ready. Except that I'm not because I just can't grasp the fact that I'm about to have another child. I still have a baby. I still change diapers and make bottles. Wow. Next Friday is going to be surreal.

I know this isn't going to sound the way it's supposed to but I'm going to say it anyway. At this point (I know everything will be different the moment I first see him) I feel like I could give this baby away and not be in great mourning. Not because I don't want him, but because I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that I'm going to have him. That's sounds so horrible! This is just so different than I've ever felt with my other kids. I'm not prepared emotionally, I don't think. Denial, I'm telling you. Flat out denial.

I will say that while driving in the car today one of my worship cd's was playing. I don't know the actual name of the song but it's a very familiar one to me since I listen to it all the time. Today I really listened to the words though. One of the lines goes something like,

"Standing here, in Your presence, thinking of the good things You have done."

I immediately thought of each of my children. They are most certainly good things He has done. Everyone of them is such a sweet blessing in our lives in their own way. I know that this little boy we get to meet next week is one more good thing. We didn't plan him but God did. God is wise in His ways and knows what our family needs. He will help me when I need help (which I'm sure will be often) and give me every tool I need to be the mommy and wife He wants me to be.

Thank God for the good things in our lives. There are so many material blessings to be thankful for, but they don't even compare to the rich blessings we've been given through our little ones. I can't wait to meet this newest one. In that instant I know every reservation and every last bit of denial will fade away.

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

Yesterday, at Target, we were checked out by a female who was most certainly not into guys. She was super nice and I had no problems with her. Julia, however, felt the need to blurt out exactly what was on her mind.

Julia: "Hey, he talks like a girl!"

Me: "Because she is a girl, you Silly Goose." (already very embarrassed by now)

Julia: (intently studying "the girl") "You need a haircut!" (What she meant was that this girl had VERY short hair and she needed a hairdo to make it long.)

Me: "She already got a haircut, Silly. I would have short hair too if Daddy liked it, but Daddy likes long hair." (insert nervous and mortified laugh here)

The checker was still nice through all of this and never missed a beat. I, on the other hand, got out of there as soon as possible. I just love moments like those.....

Before You Can Crack Any Jokes....

I just thought about something regarding my last post.....

I AM the bigger person.

My Sincerest Apologies

Apparently, I caused the Cowboys to lose today. I'm sorry. Really I am. I wanted them to win. But, according to my husband, it was my fault they didn't.

I got home early in the 3rd quarter. I was tired and my back was hurting so I got comfortable on the couch. I watched the game. I asked my usual ignoramous questions (although I think they're getting slightly more intelligent sounding) and cheered and booed at the appropriate times.

Sometime during the 4th quarter my eyes got sleepy and I dozed off. I became the worst bad luck charm ever at that point. I think it doesn't count when you go to sleep if you're pregnant and hurting. I also think their loss had more to do with some horrible dropped passes than with my little nap, but whatever. I'll be the bigger person and apologize.

I'm Sorry......

Especially for Davus

Although our family is comprised of devout A&M fans, Julia had been straying towards the dark side - that would be the Texas Longhorns. We know the only reason she has been doing that is because of her grandpa's evil influence on her. However, we are proud to say that on Saturday, Julia voluntarily put on this hat and showed proper allegiance to the one true team. Way to go, Julia! We're so proud of you!

On a sidenote, our kids love steak. Do you know why? Because Longhorns are yummy! Daddy also has a nice leather wallet with the A&M logo in one corner. It's a really cool wallet because a Longhorn was killed to make it. Those Longhorns are really handy!

My Monkeys in Their Element

Today we went to a birthday party at a gymnastics place. The kids had so much fun and I had lots of fun watching them. It was hard to get pictures of them because they were constantly moving - that's my excuse for the pictures that turned out blurry.

The gym offers a weekly class for kids 6 and up that's a combination of gymnastics and karate. Think big karate kicks while flying through the air on the trampoline. How fun would that be for John David??? We're thinking about it. The gym is about a 10 minute drive away (I know - big deal) BUT the YMCA is across the street from our neighborhood and I know they have some classes too. So we'll figure it out this week.

This is such a new phase in mommy-hood for me - school and lessons and friends coming over and other big kid things like that. Fun stuff, I think.

Life......Easier

Holy cow! Life just got so much easier tonight. Why didn't I do this before??? I took a baby gate and put it upstairs on our side of the balcony so Aulora can't even get close to the steps. Although she has the stairs mastered, it's not usually convenient to have her going down whenever she wants. Now I can keep her upstairs AND out of the bathrooms. So perfect.....

The Donut Girl

I don't think I've mentioned that John is tutoring a high school girl whose family owns and runs a donut shop. Every time he comes home from their session he has a box of donuts with him. For awhile, we were slightly worried they were paying him in donuts. Then after a few weeks they handed him an envelope of money and said, "Oh, tank tou por tutoring." (That's my best impression of how they talk.)

He tutors another guy who works at a BBQ place. Unfortunately, he doesn't come home with a box of beef after those sessions. =(

Sleeping Angel

These are a couple of pictures from Aulora's nap today. She has always been an easy baby, and I would have to say that she is still pretty angelic. Bedtime is around 8:30 (same time as John David and Julia) and she normally sleeps until close to 9:00 in the morning. Then she naps for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I told you - angelic.

A few days ago she woke up and decided to really show off her personality, I guess. It was funny how it seemed to happen overnight. She was pointing at us and "talking" - sometimes you could actually tell what she was saying. I don't mean one word here or there. I mean whole sentences. It was comical. She was really telling us what she did NOT like. All of that lasted about 2 days and now she's back to her normal self.

She still eats baby food, takes bottles (although mostly just 3 times a day), and loves Ritz crackers, cheetos, and pizza. She acts like she wants big people food but most of the time she won't actually eat it if we offer it to her. Hopefully, she's not following in her big sister's footsteps when it comes to eating! She's wearing a solid size 12 months and sometimes an 18 months. She weighs 22 pounds and has mastered the stairs here. She can go both up and down really fast. Maybe one day I'll catch it on video since it's pretty funny to see.

She can say "Julia" very clearly and delights in calling her sister's name. She cannot say "John David" quite right and usually resorts to "Bubba". John David and Julia both get her very excited and whenever they come home or go to bed or anything else, they want to see Aulora and hug and kiss her. She usually receives love from Julia better than her brother, probably because John David is not quite as gentle and soft spoken (although, in his defense, at least he doesn't shriek Aulora's name in a super high pitched voice when he sees her - why Aulora doesn't find that annoying I'll never know).

Learning and making animal noises is a favorite thing now (she does bear, lion, and dog the best) as is playing peekaboo with towels over our faces. She pulls the towel off your face and your job is to do something really funny. It's always a game to see who can make her laugh the hardest.

I combed her hair in pigtails for the first time last Sunday and absolutely loved it. I didn't know how she could get any cuter, but I guess I figured it out! =)

Tonight, for the first time, she crawled into her baby bed all by herself. I think she climbed onto her chair and then went headfirst into her bed since the side was lowered down. She was only pleased for a minute or two and then she was fussing to get out. Funny girl.

Her favorite toys are:
1) anything Julia has
2) phones (real and working - never a toy one or an old non-working one - she knows the difference)
3) remote controls
4) dollies
5) Julia's panties. I don't know why she is obsessed with panties. I'm just thankful she only gets the clean ones and that she doesn't get mine. =)

That's all. I just wanted to record some of what my littlest baby (for now) is doing these days.....

Our Little Home

Here's pictures of our bedrooms and bathrooms. I never knew 5, almost 6 people, could fit so nicely into two bedrooms. We also have a small living area/office but I didn't take any pictures of it. I wish I had some before pictures too. These rooms were inhabited by young adult guys for quite some time and, uhmmmm, you could tell. =) Not anymore!

Notice the door beside our bed - it opens to a walk-in attic. So cool! It's been a lifesaver to have an attic right there. We are able to have a bookshelf right inside with our books, besides some extra storage space.

We're so blessed to have family who is letting us stay with during this transition. Thank you, Mother and D, for all you've done for us! =)

10 Going on 30

John David has really been doing well in school. We got his report card and he made very high 90's, S's (the highest letter grade), and then one B. His one lonely B was in citizenship, poor guy. He's still learning all of the social aspects of school, I guess. He was sad a couple of days ago because one of the boys in his class started a club only for kids who had Webkinz. So now he HAS to get a Webkinz so he can have friends again.

A goal was set long ago to get 9 (no, I don't know why it wasn't 10) happy face days in a row. Every time he would get close he would come home with a warning of some sort. Tuesday was the big day. Day number 9 if he could follow the rules all day. John and I talked about it on the way to pick him up, wondering if he did indeed do it and what he would be feeling like if he didn't.

He got in the car and from his expression we could tell that he did not have a happy face. He was pretty sad and felt cheated, as the lunchroom lady did not treat him fairly (according to him). Right before we got out of the car I told him to hand me his notebook so we could see exactly what his warning was for. He pulled it out and looked at it. His eyes widened and a big smile appeared.

"It's a miracle! I got a happy face!" He was so happy! Somehow, by God's grace apparently, he got his 9th happy face. His reward is to go to the "Plex". A place with lazer tag and go carts and stuff. Happy, happy boy.....

By the way, he has decided that if he can get 30 happy faces in a row we will go to Hawaii. Daddy did not argue. So I guess I can only hope that his behavior slips at least once before he reaches 30. Such a sad thing to hope for.....

Almost Done.....

The bedding is done. The chest is filled. My to do list is getting smaller. The doctor says it all looks good and there are no changes. His head is VERY low so I go to the bathroom a lot. I lost 2 pounds this past week - it's gotta be the stairs. The c-section is scheduled for January 25th at 12:30. So he'll have a birthday no later than that day. I would be starting to rest easier except for the fact that I'm getting too big to be comfortable. Crane, anyone?

I'll post some pictures soon......

My Official Girlie Girl

Ok, it's official. I am the mother of a total girlie girl! We had our nails done on Monday and then yesterday she had her first ballet lesson. Actually, when we got there, we found out it's a tap dance, creative movement, and ballet class. So we have to get some tap shoes this week. To say Julia was excited about the class would be quite the understatement. I can honestly say that yesterday was a day I had been waiting on for a long time. Seeing her in those little pink ballet shoes and leotard was just so stinkin' cute! We're going to get some kind of skirt or tutu this week too. I was under the impression they weren't allowed, but now I know. So much fun....

My Babies

Here are some pictures that were only possible with my new camera. It takes the pictures so quickly - it's great! I missed lots of good pictures before because of my slow camera. Aulora's eyes were almost always closed. So hurray! I have a new camera! =)

I suppose it won't be long at all and there will be 4 little faces in all our pictures.....

Matching Girlies

Aulora wore pigtails for the first time today! The girls were also wearing matching outfits they got for their birthdays so it seemed like a picture day. The problem was that it was windy and Aulora was less than interested in saying cheese. So we didn't get much but I'll share what there is.....

Playing Outside

We've had a streak of beautiful warm weather the last couple of days. Yesterday, we spent some time outside playing with new Christmas things that have pretty much just sat around because it's been so cold. We really had a lot of fun! The house here sits in a circle so it's perfect for playing.....

Shopping Spree

Sandy had some Kohl's cash that expired today - $70 worth. (Sorry, I'm not trying to rub in the fact that I now have a Kohl's to shop at, but.......nanna nanna boo boo - I have a Kohl's to shop at!) Anyway, she gave me the "cash" and sent me out to get what I wanted. I absolutely did not want any more maternity clothes. That just seems silly at this point. So I shopped for some normal things for after I'm no longer the beached whale I've become. Of course, I couldn't really try anything on, but I bought things I think will work. If they don't, I can exchange them for something different later. All I know is that it felt so great to shop for some normal clothes! And thank the Lord that the style is big and flowy and kind of prego looking anyway. That really helps.

I ended up with 4 new super nice tops - one that is actually a short dress but since I'm so tall, it's going to be a top. =) I love the slightly retro print and built in belt. It's by Candies and I couldn't resist when I saw it. I think it will look nice with my new bag, jeans, heels, and a baby in my arms. =)

Gran is Home

John's mom, Gran, just came home from the hospital. She's been there since Monday morning and it has certainly been different around here. For one thing, there hasn't been much cooking going on. =) I've been totally spoiled with not cooking now that we're here. I help a lot in the kitchen and do a lot of clean-up, but the cooking mainly falls to her.

She will still have to take it very easy but at least she's home now. The kids were really missing her and I know she was anxious to get home. Welcome home, Gran!

THE Diaper Bag!

I finally got the diaper bag I've been wanting! Wendy turned me on to this brand of bags and said they were great. I saw them in the local boutique and had to agree. It's tan corduroy but then laminated so it will stay clean. You can't really tell from the picture, but it's a great size and has all kinds of pockets and things to stay organized. This is now going to baby number 4 and this will be the first time I've ever bought THE bag I wanted. I found an incredible deal on a brand new one on Ebay and it came in the mail yesterday. Yea!!! I'm a happy girl. Now I'm just waiting on the bedding......

Boring, Boring, Boring

I had my 8 moth check-up yesterday and I'm happy to say that I have nothing exciting to report. Nothing. No dilating. No contractions. No big weight gain or loss. Plenty of amniotic fluid. Etc, etc. Boring, boring, boring. But boring is exactly what I needed this time! I've had my share of early babies and unexpected, sudden c-sections. Granted, I'm still 3 1/2 weeks away from my due date and plenty could happen, but so far it hasn't. So yea!

Last night John bent over backwards to make sure we could eat wherever I wanted. He was even suggesting places he doesn't like but that I do. I was surprised but he explained that it could be the last time I got to eat at those places for a good while. I realized he was right - any day could be the last day before my little guy comes. When I went in for my 8 month check up with Aulora I had no idea that I would be holding her later that same day. Whew - that's some good incentive to make sure things are constantly in good order and caught up. Laundry done. Bathrooms clean. Beds made. Clean underwear on. All that important stuff.....

I made a big to do list this morning - some of it for John, some for me. Some things to be done today and some a little later. Anyhow, not a single thing on that list got done today even though I've been busy working all day long. Obviously, I should write down some of the things I did just so I can cross them off. That will make me feel better.

Aulora is sick today. I took her to our new pediatrician - Jesus Ucol. Insert lots of "going to meet Jesus" or "see if Jesus can make us better" jokes HERE. Anyway, he was a little wacky professor kind of strange, to say the least. Very nice, but different. She has an upper respiratory infection so she has not been very happy today. Poor baby. Daddy's about to be home with the medicine though.

Speaking of Aulora, she has learned to give kisses and it is the sweetest thing ever. I LOVE IT! What a sweet, sweet girl. Time to go give her medicine.......

Chips for the Poor

We decided to celebrate the New Year with some fine dining at Taco Bueno tonight. John's mom was admitted to the hospital yesterday for some serious asthma issues, so that's why there were no black-eyed peas here today. (She's doing much better now. Hopefully, she'll be released in a day or two.)

Anyway, at Taco Bueno, Julia was sitting beside her Uncle Matt. He had some chips that she thought looked really yummy. He was generous for a while, but he was running low and started trying to keep her away. Daddy whispered in her ear to tell him, "Share with God's people in need." Julia put her own spin on it though and leaned over to Matt and said, "If you don't share with me then you're making the devil real happy."

She earned a good laugh, and, if I'm not mistaken, a chip or two for her cleverness. Funny girl.....

Christmas Day

Here's some pictures from our Christmas Day here at John's family's house. My old camera is on the fritz and, although I did get a new camera from Santa right before our day began, I didn't know how to use it very well yet. So the pictures aren't that great but it's what I have.

John David's big present was a really nice basket ball hoop and ball. John stayed up past 4 am putting it together. Poor Daddy. =( The hoop is in the driveway now - not in the living room. And I do know that the silly picture is sideways. For some reason, slide.com keeps making it sideways.

Julia got a Barbie Jeep. I still haven't seen her ride it outside even though she did get to do it once or twice. It's been cold and she's been sick. Soon though..... A funny thing Julia got that she was super excited about was a big box of macaroni and cheese like you would get at Sam's. I wish I had video of her opening that one!

Aulora got a push car that she really likes and also a chenille chair. Soooo cute! It's in their room now and pictures of that will be coming soon. Aulora really liked everything Julia had and Julia really liked Aulora's main present from us - the Backyardigan's Circus. Silly girls.

John got a really nice chair massager. I think we've all appreciated that present! I've always thought those were silly, but I'm a believer now. It really feels like someone is sitting there massaging you!

Pictures of my family's Christmas will come later when I get them from my Dad and brother. I didn't have my new camera yet.....