Men need to tread carefully around pregnancy hormones

Any men out there...take this as a warning!

There I was, in the middle of a very busy morning when my husband called and said "Come get me, I'm stranded."  Ok, fine.  I ask him how I get there and he says to take I-ABC to Exit Number A.  Great, sounds easy enough. 

So, I get to where the exit is, and there is no "Number A" option.  Just the Number.  I get off and drive through a Wildlife Perserve...thinking..NO WAY.  I was supposed to be going to a mall to get him.  So, I call him.  This leads into an entire hour of me trying to explain to him that No, there isn't a Mall right off the highway, nor is that town name you mentioned on the sign.  He said "YES, it's right there?  Anyone can see the huge Best Buy there!"  So we argued back and forth.  He insisted finally that I was not on the right highway, because the exit he told me was where all the stuff should be.  What?  Hello!  I know what highway I am on...YOU told me the wrong exit, Dear!  He insisted he told me the right exit, but I was on the wrong highway.  He very irritably told me he WAS right, and I should learn to follow directions better and pay attention to where I was going.  "I just went that way this morning.  I know what I am talking about, Shelley!"  So I took a really deep breath because I was on the verge of crying and having a breakdown.  I *hate when people think I have no clue what I am talking about.  It bugs me.  Bah humbug, lol.  Finally I calmly asked what I should expect as I came to the exit.  I then calmly said goodbye and I would drive down a few more exits.  He insisted I would just be wasting gas, I needed to get on the right highway.  Sure, whatever dear.

I drove down two more exits.  Guess what.  There was the town name on the sign, with a VERY different exit number...and it was exit B.  Ha!  Once I had the right exit number, it was very easy.  I insisted that he apologize to me.  He also gave me lunch.  ::grin::  You better, there, buddy.  Making a pregnant lady think she has lost all her marbles.  He hates to be wrong, too.  I enjoy knocking him down a peg or two a couple times a year.  =)

Officially one day overdue

Alan Robert is officially late.  Just pray he doesn't come Thursday.   I was awake for hours last night worrying about it.  I am sure I will cross the hurdle if it happens...I shouldn't be stressing myself over it.  I still am, though.  Anyway, he is pretty typical for my boys...never in a hurry, always working on their own time.  It's no big deal to me.  I would just like for him not to come Thursday ;o)

I have been taking pictures of various things and as soon as I charge the batteries in my camera and get dh to help me, I'll download and then the entries will start flying with updated pictures. :o)

It's the little things...

That are a little slice of heaven.  We need a new filter for our air conditioner, so we can't run it right now.  Now, we haven't had an airconditioner for like 11 or 12 years, lol, so we have the assorted fans and stuff.  We were looking forward to the air, though.  Anywhos, we found a sliding screen door and some screens in our basement today.  Until now, we have had to keep the windows closed because the only two screens that were in, the cats pushed out.  Anywhos, dh put the screen door in and a screen in the window across from it, now I have a wonderful cross breeze.  I am a much happier Mommy tonight :o)

A better day

The kids have been better today.  Jake has been an angel.  Well, except for he just told me he was going to cook dinner himself since I hadn't done it.  :-\  I can't fault him, I haven't felt like doing anything at all today.  Everything hurts.  I'm looking forward to going to bed.  Pretty pathetic, lol.  I am thrilled though, that Jacob has not called any names or hit anyone today.  That is always a good thing.  Have a great Memorial day weekend, all.

SAHM challenges

Am I the only SAHM that feels like this?  I received a phone call today from Jacob's new school.  They said they see I registered Jacob for Kindergarten, but they did not see him scheduled to be screened on the third of June.  I asked her what screening, and they said it was just to see where he was at in his development, yada yada yada.  I didn't bother to tell her she could just look at his school records and IEP from preschool.  Anyway, she wanted me to come in at 8 am.  I told her I would have to bring my other two children, and she replied with "We ask that no one brings their other children."  Ok, so what do other SAHM's do when they have one or two school age child(ren) and one or more still at home?  I face this all the time.  I miss out on so much because I can't bring the younger child(ren) with me to stuff like this.  The lady insisted I find a caregiver for my other children.  Hello, I stay home with my children so I can give them the care they need.  I am it.  Period.  I don't have a back up day care plan.  I don't have someone I could or would drop my children off with.   They are my children, this is why I stay home.  Just how I feel.  Nothing wrong with working or anything...we just can't afford it and I would rather not work.   All of this just brings out the old misplaced anger I felt for years and years when my Mom passed away.  Everyone always asks if my Mom is coming to help with the baby, etc. etc. etc.  I usually change the subject.  My MIL is wanting to come help this time, and I am very appreciative and excited.  Anywhos, it just seems that in the area I live right now, most people expect SAHM's to have friends or family just begging to help with the kids everyday.  To say the least, I can't make the screening on the third, and she said they would do it once school started.  I say go for it.  Or just read his flipping file.  I'm sorry.  I'm venting.  This has been one heck of a day.  It was much easier living in a Military community where it was expected that child care would be a problem.

Random news

Let's see.  Baby news.  He's still happily playing bladderball.  I'm still 1 cm.  Nothing is happening.  I will most likely still be pregnant when I go in on June 2nd.  Alan is going to be away June 2nd and 3rd.  Murphy's Law says I will go into labor Thursday after my appointment.  Alan has instructed me to call his cell phone at the first contraction, then drive immediately to the hospital so I don't get stuck at home with three kids and have the baby at home.  I am to walk the hospital until I feel like checking in.   Alan will get there as soon as he can.  At least we have a plan, lol.

Other work news for Alan.  He has been made Officer Recruiter.  This means he has to go away for a month this summer for training.  Oh, joy.  <sad face>

Let's see.  Jacob had another outburst today, which I don't even want to get into.  I was so hurt and upset, when he fell asleep in the car I let a few tears fall.  It was a challenging day.

That's about it on this front.

 

"I love you, Mommy"

My 28 month old just started coming up to me yesterday and saying this spontaneously.  My heart just melts each time he throws his little arms around my legs and says those beautiful words.  :-)

My poor little girl

She came out of her room and tried like twenty times (no exaggeration) to tell me something.  It took me all twenty times to figure out that she was saying "The blankie is rolling."  Of course, I had no clue what that meant.  So I was frustrated, and she was nearly in tears because she was obviously upset by whatever it was.  So I finally got smart and had her take my hand and show me.  She took me into her room and her blanket on her pallet (her bed is drying from an accident), had rolled down.  I know that is uncomfy, and she couldn't get it fixed on her own.  It's a big, heavy blanket.  She scowled at me and told me it was about time.  Poor little girl.  It sure didn't help that I was really frustrated, too, because I just couldn't understand what she was saying.  :o(

Baby update

Well, I will be 39 weeks tomorrow.  Baby seems to be doing well, and so far I have avoided the u/s to see if I should be induced for baby's size.   The doctor told me last week that since going overdue and going naturally works for me, he will let me.  Who knows what the doctor next week says. 

I have been doing that lovely cramping thing and as of last check, have achieved an entire centimeter, lol.  Last night in the middle of the night, the contractions started.  They are still coming.  Very irregular.  Anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes apart.  (That is just a guess, I haven't been timing them.  I'm not into that timing thing.  When I cry, I know it's time, lol.) Just uncomfortable, not really painful.  Pretty annoying, really.  Alan wants me to hang out pregnant until June 2.  It works with his work schedule, lol.  We shall see. 

Wow...

Can I stay in bed today?  Please?  My kids are running around screaming and waving their arms...they will not calm down for anything...it's raining so no outside...time to hit the mall. 

I would rather be in bed snoring.

Brick walls

I keep crashing up against brick walls.  I'm tired and cranky and over 38 weeks pregnant.  Dh took our vehicle for new brakes yesterday.  They probably used everything they had to get us stopped two days ago, lol.  The mechanic was shocked they did get us stopped.  Anywhos, half of my to do list was in our vehicle, so I couldn't get it done.  Alan couldn't pick it up last night, so I still won't have the stuff today.  Bummer.  I tried to make some phone calls to accomplish some things...but my insurance company kept kicking me out of the system.  What is up with not being able to talk to a human on the phone anymore?  Very frustrating.  I am trying to find a Ped for the new baby.  I have no clue how this works in the civilian world.  This is one time I wish we were near a base.  The other place I tried to call to set stuff up for baby Robby, their computers were down, so the human couldn't help me.  How ironic.

Now, here it is after 4 am and I am wide awake.  Dh's alarm got me up at 2:30 am.  I was just drifting off to sleep again when our dog started her howling/whining, so my unhappy self had to get up at 3:30 to go feed her sorry butt.  She settled right down, but I obviously couldn't.  Hmmphf.  Evidently dh getting up extra early threw her off.  I need to get her an alarm clock.

 

Wake up call

So, today was challenging.  Yes, I think challenging is a fitting word.  Jacob started the name calling at breakfast.  As the day progressed, it just kept getting worse.  He slapped me upside the head, so I sent him to time out.  He was standing on his stool yelling "Mommy is a stupid idiot!  Mommy is a Poopy butt-head!"  I am very proud of myself.  I never once lost my temper.  I just calmly told him that namecalling is not acceptable and gave him more time in time out.  I then promptly went to the other room and lavished attention on the other two kids.  That got his attention.  For a little bit, anyway.  I finally said enough is enough and loaded the kids up to go vacuum the van.  Yeah, a waste of gas, but it got us out of the house.

Sure enough, all three kids were asleep instantly.   So I got myself a drink and drove for a while.  The radio was on, I was finally starting to relax.  I was on the highway, and suddenly I had flashbacks of living in California.  The lane I was in went from 65 mph to a complete stop in 15 seconds.  My heart was in my throat...I threw on my flashers and stood, yes stood, on the brake.  I realized I was going to stop fine...then I thought..."What about the guy behind me?"  I looked in my rear view mirror and panicked.  It was one of those bulk grain trucks.  Big and heavy...coming at me fast.  I saw him pull his emergency breaks and the smoke and the air and all flying out from behind him...he stopped...just in the nick of time.  My heart was in my throat as I sent a silent thank you that the truck driver was an excellent driver. 

About ten minutes later, I was off the highway and was stopped at a red light.  I glanced in the backseat at my sleeping children.  That is when it hit me.  My daughter was so vulnerable back there...asleep and at the mercy of anything that would hit us at a high speed.  Tears just started flowing down my cheeks as the "what ifs" floated around me, taunting me.  My boys would have been a lot safer where they were sitting...but Alexia would have been in a lot of danger.  I had to pull over to calm myself.  Yes, the children are frustrating at times, but I would never want anything to happen to them.  I would shrivel up and be nothing. 

I was a lot calmer the rest of the day, even though Jacob kept up his name calling and hitting me.

Still lost in Mommyland

We had a very relaxing weekend.  Dh had the weekend off.  His boss is currently taking the heat for that one from the bigger bosses.  :X  On Saturday we went to dh's marital arts tourney.  He placed first place for sparring.  Way to go, Tigger!  We then went grocery shopping.  That went pretty well considering the kids were worn out and cranky.  Sunday I lounged around the house while dh mowed the lawn.  The baby countdown is almost finished.  Can you believe I am 36 weeks as of yesterday?  I am waiting for my appointment on Wednesday to see if my doctor is still talking induction.  If he holds to his word, I will either get an ultrasound Wednesday, or schedule one for next week.  Only time will tell.  I am not really a huge fan of inductions, but if the baby is over 8 or 9 pounds like he thinks, well...that's another story since I still have four weeks of baby gaining weight to go, lol.

The kids are all doing ok.  Aidan is catching a little cold.  I have been calling him my little Sneezy-bug.  Alexia has a rash on her leg.  I took her to the doctor and his first thought was shingles.  However, a.) You have to have chicken pox before you can get shingles b.) Alexia has not had Chicken pox.  Only the shot.  The doctor is unaware of any data or studies linking the shot to shingles.  c.) Alexia is only three years old..so it seems kind of odd for her to get shingles on her leg.  So, he is grouping it under some general name for skin infections.  Falli something.  I can't read his handwriting and he told me...but you know how those big long medical terms kind of float around your brain but never sink in.  Anywhos, she is on meds, and I have to watch the rest of the family because it is contagious.  Oh joy. 

So nothing really new here...just kind of floating along waiting for baby to come.  I need to stop floating and get things ready for baby, though.  Oops.