Devanie.com

Nesting setting in & Sick kids again.

We started our 3 week break with runny noses, coughs and fevers. Zach’s I think are mostly from teething, he’s got 2-3 coming in now. Hailey and Sierra probably from school. I’ve kept them home(Nathan has been working at home)while they watch TV or make paper books, and I head out while Zach is taking his morning nap.

Yesterday I had to run to Costco with Aunt Suzie, and today I took the Jeep to get the oil leak looked at. We will have to replace the rear gasket valve cover and it will cost about $150.00. It drips about 1-2 times a day and hasn’t affected the way the car drives, but the garage floor needs cardboard to keep protected, so we are going to get it taken care of before it gets any worse.

Tomorrow the kids may be staying home with Daddy again while I get my 36.5 week pre-natal check up done. Hopefully they will be feeling better by Friday because I’d like to take them out somewhere to have some fun.

I played Cootie with them yesterday and today I taught Sierra some tactics while playing pool with the tiny pool table we have. She picked things up pretty quick, and is still trying to master holding the Que steady. Hailey always grabs paper in her spare time and writes stories, poems, draws and cuts out books.

I got the Game/Book Closet organized Finally!! Since we moved in 3.5 months ago it’s just been a pile of boxes so I’ve finally cleared out about 6 or 7 big boxes and I think it’s ready to be used.

My next nesting chore is the Storage room. That is going to be a nightmare. I don’t have enough shelf room, and where I do have shelf room – it is full of boxes that need to be taken down and then they will need to find a home when I start loading the shelves with food storage – cereal boxes, fruit snacks etc. I hardly know what’s in the grocery bags anymore because I just drop them off and run out.

Maybe Zach’s nap tomorrow while the cleaning lady is here will prove productive. If I’m not too sore from today’s endeavors.

3 Week Break.

So for those of you who think a winter break of 1 week is tough count your blessings that it’s not 3 weeks in cold mushy muck.

I’m going to try to make the most of it with the three tots running around my legs though. It will be hard knowing I have a baby coming anytime now. (Last night I was in terrible laboring contractions for 2 hours and considered a trip to the hospital, but figured I could eat drink and try to relax. from 1-3 I was up and finally around 3 the constant but not regular contractions subsided, leaving me with a sore belly but able to rest- I think I was just dehydrated, that happened when I was preg with Sierra.)

We are planning a couple things:

So far a trip to Salt Lake City to visit the Salt water taffy place and the Barrel of Candy store to get red licorice flavored taffy and creamsicle taffy and who knows what else we will have a hankering for.

I’d like to head up to Ogden, UT to visit a Dinosaur Museum that should be tons of fun for the 3 kids.

A trip to the Zoo would be OK, but it’s cold and I have no idea if the animals will be out or not or if I will be able to walk it and take care of the kids on my own with Nathan working. – It may have to wait til summer.

Saturday we headed out to Ihop for lunch and dinner in one and I felt like staying out of the house for a bit. So Nathan took us to Antelope Island which may be a good place to do a lot of Lay/Leavitt Family reunion stuff for the Get-Together this coming July – which I need help figuring out all the dates for. Hailey is being baptized on Sat July 7th, So I’m thinking – July 3rd to Sunday July 8th. We can Celebrate Independence Day together, Camp out on Antelope Island for a night or 2 – $12/campsite night and make a Day for Lagoon Amusement Park $ day price ?. I’ll be checking out some other cool places to go and hopefully find a few other fun cheap things to do. Of course I’ll be looking for a great spot to get pictures done and have a picnic.

Diaper Cake?

Well, it is yummy if you eat the chocolate stuffed around the diapers!

Today some of the Moms threw an in-class baby shower for Hailey’s teacher. She is due on the 10th I’m due on the 26th of March. She’s really hoping she will deliver much sooner than later so she can use a lot of the 3 week off-track break that just started today. This will be her baby #2.

Last night Hailey, Sierra and I made her gift. A Diaper cake. Size 1 pampers cruisers about 42. Stuffed it with candy bars and added ribbons and a rubber ducky to top it off.

When we gave it to Mrs. S she seemed very impressed with it. She had never seen one. I had to make sure I snapped a few pictures of the fun festivities. I had Zach running around and Sierra chasing around but I was able to get a few very blurry shots.

I’ll upload when I can. . .Nathan just wore himself out with kids while I edited and wrote this. So I’m back on kid duty. . . . . . .

Anyways, the kids got to play a guessing game. One of the moms wrote a baby item on a paper the class was split one side had to guess what the other side was describing. They were pretty easy things to figure out like pacifier, diaper, baby wipes. The 2nd graders had fun playing that game. What state do you know has in-class, student included baby showers??? Pretty cool. All the baby showers I go to or host no kids are allowed so Hailey got to actually see a baby shower and play the games.

Baby Aurora.

I had a check up for the pregnancy today.

In the pictures the blue shirt is Hailey’s size 7/8 which may or may not fit her because she’s small but I needed to get her some T-shirts for summer just around the corner.

The outfit next to the blue shirt is a preemie baby outfit that Aurora will fit into when she is born and Hailey used to fit into preemie when she was born. Just to give you a little comparison.

I’ve been thinking lately that my belly is feeling small at this point and I asked for measurements. Today I feel really small too which seems weird to me. And many people say I seem small to be having a baby in 4 weeks.

I’m almost 36 weeks so my belly should measure 36 inches from bottom to top(not around) The measurement has been spot on for weeks and now I’m measuring at 34 inches – which is a little small. So we did an ultrasound. 2 weeks ago the ultrasound measured her weight at 4.14 oz She has gained weight in 2 weeks she is now up to 5 lbs 2 oz. According to the machine. So she is still doing well. I have been concerned about her movements since she isn’t as wiggly as her 3 siblings, so he offered an NST (non-stress-test) to make sure her movements were OK. I declined because she had moved 3 times since I laid on the table. I’m not all that concerned. Really, it just seems weird to have a calm baby. We are due for another terror of a child so I’m assuming this is the Peace before the storm. Hopefully she won’t cry 3 months straight like Zach did.

Hailey was born at 6 1/2 pounds which is 6.8 Zach and Sierra we both right by eachother at 7 1/2. Dr. Meek says she will be more like Hailey when she is born and Hailey wore preemie clothes for 1 month or more. (I took the liberty after the appointment to grab a couple preemie outfits for fun)

I also had an exam and I’m 2cm dilated and 50% effaced already!!! Dr. said there is a good chance I will be in the hospital right by the induction date(possibly delivering on my own) – hopefully not before because I don’t want to miss Disney on Ice on the 17th. And if this baby is really small I don’t mind her gaining a few more ounces on the inside.

Dr.called the hospital to schedule the induction for 6:30 AM on the 19th. I told him, I’d be done by 9:30 am, He shook my hand and made it a deal.

The nurse took some blood 2 weeks ago when I was extremely sick and it came back with low iron. She was going to give me some huge iron supplements. I told her that I was really sick and my diet was very poor at the time they took my blood and that I have been nauseous lately. She took the iron and put it aside and said if I wanted I could get some over the counter. I reassured her that I was fine. Now that I’m feeling better and eating better. I never take pre-natal vitamins because they make me sick. She told me the iron would do the same thing as big as it is.

I have thrown up 2 times int he past 2 weeks. and held back and gagged a few times. It’s usually popcorn and soda from the movies. And I gag almost every morning when I’m brushing my teeth. This morning the gag was worse and productive. I felt sick for a couple hours even after that.

I can’t wait to be done having pregnancies – the babies are fine but I can definitely do without the pregnancies. I want to meet Aurora soon. I’m excited to hold another teeny tiny little bundle again.

According to countdown we have 25 days to go!!

Grocery shopping is going well. I’ve spent a lot this week but saved even more! Plus almost everything I got has a Box Top for Education that I can sell later.

Nathan is still plugging away at work. Doing the dishes every day, and he has taken on role of Laundry Duty. It’s so helpful because I never know what days with this pregnancy I will be flat out on my back, unable to do much. I’m sure I’ll be able to take back the laundry when Aurora is born or just a few weeks old. I think Nathan enjoys doing laundry and dishes because it’s work that can actually give him a sense of accomplishment. His office job is like one of my run-on sentences, they never stop and just stack up. Hummmm, I’m sure I could have used a better analogy. He does a great job like a perfectionist when he folds laundry or stacks up dishes, and that makes us both feel good.

I feel like I’m chasing a kids to or from school all-day long.

I have a pile of groceries in the storage room that needs to be put away, so we can walk into the storage room. But in about 15 minutes I’ll have to load up the car with kids, and pick Hailey up from school. – I do get to leave the kids with Nathan sometimes. Like during Zach’s morning nap when I have to get Sierra. Having Nathan home for all those trips has been a tremendous help.

We are having a really hard time liking where we moved to.

Every church newsletter, school publication, news story, or photography ad in our city has many things WRONG with it. Grammar, spelling, actually making any sense at all. It’s just not up to par with what we want for our kids. I know I do not have the best grammar or punctuation – Hailey is better than I – But I can totally blame Nevada’s education 10-20years ago.

Today I was watching the news and the reporter was at the State Capitol talking about how the legislators had a lot of money for education but because the Democrats and Republicans have different ideas of where the money should be allocated, now it’s just sitting there. He also said, “Of the 50 states in the USA ours is 51st for good education”. . . . . . . .51st?!!!!!!! IDIOTS!!

Calgon take us all away!

Surprise Baby Shower!!!

This time I wasn’t the hostess.

I was truly Surprised!

Thanks Grandma, Susie, Kathy, Alice, Joe and Nathan!

We had a great time.

I walked in thinking I was probably late for Girls night out because I was about 10 minutes early for our 7:00 greeting. They all said no, they just got there too! I walked around the corner and Kathy yelled Surprise!!! Sure enough there were the rest of the girls for girls night out and a cake, flowers and a pile of gifts for Baby Aurora and I!

Grandma and Kathy brought dinner to Susie’s, we had Bajio Mexican food and for Dessert Coldstone Ice cream, Ice cream cake, and a white sheet cake with pink frosting that said, “Hurray! It’s Almost over!” Loads of food. MMMmmmm!

I shoved my camera into my purse before we left and I handed it over to the girls to take pictures. – I’m regretting it now because I look so stinking BIG and I’m wearing a color that closely resembles the sofa, so I don’t know if I blend into the sofa or, if I AM the sofa! I’ll post them later It’s 12:34 AM and I just got home but wanted to blog since Nathan is up playing Battlefield 2142 with his brothers anyways – so it was sort of a Boys night out too since the kids were all in bed and the wives were occupied. We should do that again and again!

We ate dinner, opened gifts, took pictures – but missed the most important one with ALL of us in it, Played Boggle – Kathy won, but we will have to do a re-match when I’m done bearing and raising children. . .hum. . .That will be. . .NEVER. . . So Kathy, Congratulations on being a quick, smart, whipper snapper! After the Game we had dessert. Then Kathy, Grandma and Alice left, Susie and I looked through coupons and decided to watch a movie. At Christmas time I bought all my Sisters-In-Laws in my state “The Devil Wears Prada”, but never watched it myself. So I took the opportunity to watch it. It was worth the late night, I liked the movie.

What a fun night! Needed! And totally unexpected! I didn’t think baby #4 would get anything since I have already had 2 girls and still have a bunch of their clothes.

Now the only things I really need are:

~A baby Monitor/video combo with a portable screen
~Snap n go stroller since the last one broke.

Tight Squeeze.

The garage is a tight squeeze wether Nathan believes it now or not. He has to believe it by now because he pulled the Jeep out for a quick run to the school to get Sierra while my belly was aching (he was doing a very nice favor for me-and for him that’s when things go wrong and they do all the time!).

We now have a shattered passenger mirror. Thankfully the whole thing didn’t break off and the movement mechanism still works. Now Objects in mirror are closer and there are MORE than they apprear! =)

Now I get to find a time to get it replaced. And get the oil gaskets replaced.

Picture may follow eventually.

Hailey’s Diorama

This week Hailey came home with a 3-D diorama. She did a report on Sea Turtles earlier in the year.

Her teacher was very impressed when Hailey made a moving part to her diorama and how she figured out how to do it. Hailey said, that she was the only one in her class of 24 that made a moving diorama. She made and extra long, blue like the water, sort of tail on the sea turtle, cut a tiny slit into the side wall and you can move the turtle around in it.

She’s always been an arty smartie!

Valentines Day.

We exchanged gifts this morning. I got 3 LB heart of hersheys chocolate which ended up also helping decorate our dessert cookie pizza. I gave the girls each a new outfit and Nathan gave them each a little box of chocolates. They went to school and had their valentines parties. I sent them each with a vase of flowers for their teachers. – Hailey made the vase the gave back to her teacher as a surprise. Her teacher said, “Oh thank you it’s just wonderful” She just really liked it. She said it was the first time her teacher Mrs. S gave her a hug because she liked it so much!. For a moment it was a little hard for hailey to give up because it was hand painted – a stained glass sort of plastic craft vase they had done in school. But it was her idea in the first place and I had already arranged flowers in it so I wasn’t going to let her give up on it. I told her her teacher would be very surprised. And I see that she was. Thank goodness!

We gave Zach a Gymboree bubble kit.

In the morning I had the cleaning lady clean for 2 hours instead of 3 and asked that she just make a big impact in that 2 hours. It turned out OK. She cleaned the bugs out of the front porch light – now people will think we are home because they will be able to see the light =). She also swept and cleaned 2 of the 4 bathrooms. And took out the trash to the curb. I got to talk to Nathan quite a bit this Valentines day he’d come out of his office here and there for a few minutes and we would discuss his next great business idea, and then one or the other of us would have to go. But it was really nice to have that quality time with him today and have him working from home for it.

Uncle Joe offered to watch Sierra and Zach while Suzie and I went to a movie this afternoon and we would have Nathan pick Hailey up from school. It was some sort of a gift to Suzie for Valentines worked out in my favor as well. While I was with her I was able to get Nathan’s car Registered! So he got a $118.00 set of license plates for Valentines Day. I had also given him a shirt that said, “No Whining” and has the red crossed out circle around it- with all the girls around him it will be a good reminder for them to stop whining all the time – including me I guess. I gave him another shirt that said “Don’t bother me, I’m watching the game.” I also got him a movie “Fun with Dick and Jane” – cuz we think it’s pretty funny. And some milk duds and popcorn for a movie party with me sometime. Suzie and I went to the mall before the movie started and grabbed Chik Filet for lunch, she tried to run an errand to the phone store, we went and saw “The Pursuit of Happyness” which I think was just a really good show for anyone to see. Then on the way home we stopped by the pizza place here that makes Heart pizzas for Valentines day for $4.99 I bought one for us and one for Her family. The lie was so long. But it was fun to be there with Suzie I tried calling in my order while I was there and after about the 5th call they finally picked up and got my order so by the time I got to the register they were pretty much ready for me.

I grabbed my kids from Joe’s place and headed home to make our dinner and dessert and have out Family Valentines party. We got home around 5:30. Zach fell asleep in the car. Later he woke up in time for dinner. And he got to play in his Gymboree bubbles Nathan made them while I snapped pictures. It was almost like snow the amount of bubbles poured out.

I got the camera rolling again finally!

I also have to say, I’m still the luckiest wife around because I have Nathan and we love each other VERY much!