A Good Influence

I went to a church from 1st/2nd grade until I was a freshman. I grew up around some amazing people. Some of those people are now back in my life thanks to social media. (Fine. Facebook. I'M TOO OLD FOR THE TUMBLR.)

MANDY
There was a girl a few years older than me with beautiful red hair and the voice of an angel. Seriously, everyone stopped in wonder when Mandy sang. I sang in the children's and youth choirs the whole time we attended this church. I watched Mandy sing countless solos and could not even feel envy because she was so amazing. Mandy unknowingly pushed me to continue singing and take lessons to hone my voice. In high school, I nabbed my own fair share of solos. Now we comment back and forth on our statuses about kid antics and other minutia. I wonder if she still sings.

BRANDON
Brandon was a force of nature. He could sing. He could act. He could bring you to hysterical tears with a funny story. I don't think he has ever met a stranger. Even if you were 4 years younger, he still made you feel important. He taught me to put aside my comfort zone and step into the spotlight. I learned that I could stumble on my lines and still get laughs. I still have scars from when Brandon ran up behind another boy at the water park who was talking to a chaperone and pantsed him and HEY NOW I KNOW THAT BOYS DON'T WEAR ANYTHING UNDER THEIR SWIMSUITS. I love reading his travel stories and seeing the pictures of fun places he's been. It looks like many others have seen how dynamic and fun Brandon can be as your friend.

ASHLEY AND HEATHER
Ashley and Heather were both my age. I think they have been friends and both attended that church since the beginning of their lives. Both were (and still are) gorgeous, talented and brilliant. They were good friends who honestly cared about others. Now they are grown women each with a little girl. Those girls are also friends and remind me so much of the girls I grew up with. I'm grateful to still call them friends.

SHANNON
Oh dear. Where to begin? Shannon was my best friend. Only a year older, she went before me and I followed her like a little sister. I'm the oldest in my family and a big sibling was something I never got to experience. Shannon gave me that. She started high school and band first and told me how cool it was. We went to my first concert together. (Audio Adrenaline and DC Talk. 90's kids, REPRESENT.) I still remember her advice to all of the other girls going on "Date Night" at church camp. "You're going to be sitting next to this boy during dinner and service. CLEAN YOUR EARS." I'm thrilled to know that she'll get to pass down this essential knowledge to her little girl.  I love hearing about her homeschooling adventures with her boy and girl. I feel so blessed that she is back in my life.

Thank you. Thank you for what you taught me, what you shared with me and for friending me again.

Hot Diggety Dog

Sophie: "You wanna hot dog?"

Me: "You want a hot dog for dinner?"

Sophie: "A hog dog!"

Me: "OK, we'll get you a hot dog."

*beat*

Sophie: "Hot dog?!"

Me: "Yes, Sophie. We're getting you a hot dog."

*beat*

Sophie: "Hot dog?!"

Me: "Yes, Sophie. I just ordered your hot dog."

*beat*

Sophie: "But...hot dog?"

Me: "Sophie, the hot dog is in the front seat. We're going home and you can eat your hot dog."

*beat*

Sophie: "Hot dog?!?"

Me: "SOPHIE. Walk into the house and I will put the hot dog down in front of you and YOU CAN EAT THE HOT DOG."

*go inside. put hot dog on the table in front of child.*

Sophie: "...NOPE."

Not one bite was eaten by the girl.

If you will excuse me, I'm going to go replace my brain with a toothpick model of Mount Rushmore.

Lord, give me peace...

...but hold off on giving me strength or I'll fling my kids off of a mountain.

Gideon has a bad case of the Whiny Butt. He's in my lap now, lamenting that which is life. There is nothing worse than an existential three year old.

Sophie keeps asking every 30 seconds about her burrito. IT'S IN THE OVEN. Nothing I say can convince her that I am making dinner right this very second. She thinks that I'm telling her that she can't have them so she keeps giving other suggestions. "Hot dog? Chicken? FRIES?!? FOOOOOOD!!" OH MY COW, INNAMINIT!

Milly has been in a pick-me-up-put-me-down mood all day. She wants in my lap and then squirms until I put her down. Then she collapses into a heap of tears to let me know how horrible I am for putting her dooooooown!!! However, she also keeps balancing her sister's shoe on her head and it's really funny.

The newest little monster has decided that I'm going to be sick whenever I eat carbs. But! That's all I'm craving. Apples and creamy pasta are the biggest wants right now. After nearly fainting from a migraine earlier, the doctor told me to quit eating so many carbs and protein load instead. So I'll be trading my beloved chicken sorrentino for cheese and beans or steak. No tortillas! No chips! NO CANDY RIGHT WHEN CANDY IS ON SALE FOR HALLOWEEN.

I'm feeling better after some protein bars and water. I have medicine for the headaches. I'll eat bean and cheese burritos tonight and then make an inventory of the kitchen. There's only an hour and a half until bedtime. Friday is Date Night with the kids in Parent's Night Out. There is hope. There is a silver lining.

There is a carb-free cheesecake recipe.

Wowsers

Pregnancy dreams have been psycho lately. I dream vividly about the weirdest things. It's exhausting. I wake up feeling like I just filmed an action movie.

Sophie has been getting out of bed and terrorizing the living room. She gets up quietly so I can't hear her. I'm too busy waltzing with Harrison Ford in my dreams to notice that my little girl has gone into the living room and emptied the tissue box. I just wake up to a path of destruction and an "innocent" monkey on the couch.

Gideon just got moved from the AM class to the PM class with his sister. Yesterday was a little rough as he almost fell asleep in class. His schedule will get adjusted and he'll be fine. Big Sister is a Little Mama, however. She answered for him every time in class and tried to help him do everything. Their teacher has already said that they'll have to separate them but that it's perfectly normal. She loves our two little mooks.

Ben will be in Austin for a week again during the last week of September. This leaves me alone with three monsters thirsty for blood and crayons. The first two days he'll be gone are Fair days so I can't even get rid of them for a few hours. PLEASE PRAY.

While cleaning this morning, I nearly filled the dishwasher with oatmeal instead of detergent. I have a serious case of The Dumb.

The youngest is at MDO, the oldest are dressed and watching Movers, the dishes are cleaning, the crockpot is full of pot roast and the clothes are washing. Praise God for modern appliances.

Riding the Bus

They're waiting on the bus. It's so much fun to walk them to the stop sign and wait to see their eyes light up when they see it!

My Love

To the man who makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on Earth.

To the man who laughs hysterically at my silly jokes.

To the man who tells even more silly jokes and makes me laugh hysterically.

To the man who gets up with the kids when I'm sick and makes their snack, takes the Boy to the bus, picks up my medicine and takes a work call while changing the Movers episode for a really picky Girl.

To the man who thinks that Date Nights are incredibly important and makes it a priority.

To the man who looked at me with wonder and happiness in his eyes when I showed him my teeny baby bump last night.

To the man who patiently explains geography answers, baseball rules and why Douglas Adams is the superior sci-fi writer.

Ben, you are amazing and I am blessed to call you my friend, my husband, my partner, the father of my children and my geek.

Roundup

Oh my gracious, I have a blog. I'll get back on track with a never-done-before bullet point post!

• Sophie and Gideon have been going to the sensory gym for the last month. They are settling in and learning to follow directions. Sophie has learned how to flip backwards! Gideon jumps on the trampoline with no help! This is going so well and I'm excited to see what else they learn.
• Sophie and Gideon have also been accepted into the PPCD classes at our local elementary school. Gideon will go to the morning half-class and Sophie will go in the afternoon. Both will ride the bus back and forth to the school. They start on Monday. We'll go to Open House on Wednesday night so they can meet the teacher and see their classroom. I get to buy school supplies on Thursday! I'm way too excited about school supplies, first day outfits and bus routines. OK...I'm half excited and half sobbing every 30 minutes. MY BABIES!!!
• I've called an ABA therapist to see if our insurance will pay for behavioral therapy. She says that the kids would go for 2-4 hours a week at the least. WOW. Let's schedule that around school, Milly's MDO and the kids' new gym times on Wednesday. She's also looking into getting speech therapy approved, too. That's another 45 minutes a week. My weeks are starting to fill up.
• Milly will go back to South Garland Baptist's MDO in September. She'll go on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-2. I had originally looked for a 4-5 day program for her but I changed my mind. There's not much time before Milly is no longer the baby of the family. I want some time with just her before that change.
• Milly will also start ECI on Wednesday. The ENT said that she's not hearing well and will need ear tubes. The ECI therapist will do speech therapy. Maybe she'll learn to say Mama again!
• Ear tubes. Milly needs them. Gideon will go to the ENT after this last round of antibiotics for another ear infection. Sophie had her first ear infection after her tubes. There's a good possibility that 2 or all of the kids will need tubes. OY.

Then there's the new baby!

HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU?
6 weeks, give or take. According to Baby Center this means that his/her heart is beating. That makes me all fuzzy.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
Grumpy, weepy, happy, sleepy...your basic dwarf moodiness. Add in the migraines, caffeine withdrawal and "morning" sickness and I'm a treat to be around.

ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER TIMES?
I'm experiencing dizziness and vertigo for the first time. It's bizarre! I'll be going about my normal business when spots will suddenly blur my vision and I'll sit down hard. The doctor has said that it's normal and to eat more protein rich foods. It also helps if I move slowly and take a few minutes to move around and get my blood flowing.

NEXT DOCTOR APPOINTMENT?
September 6th. I'll have my first ultrasound and she'll probably take some blood. My doctor does an ultrasound at every appointment. It's nice to see that little peanut every time I go in.

Go about your business. I'm sure I'll be back eventually to post pictures of Sophie and Gideon's first day at school.