Monday Musings: Travis Edition

What has Travis been doing this summer?

1. Not going to sleep until midnight. The child doesn't sleep. Even when I was pregnant with him, I told the doctors, "Oh, there's no need to do fetal kick counts, he NEVER STOPS MOVING."

2. Sneaking out of the bathtub and getting a bagel and getting back in the bathtub. With the bagel. Don't worry. I was watching him the whole time.

3. Always taking off his clothes and trying to run nudey around the house. David "camped out" in the living room the other night with the rest of the kids, so Travis slept with me in my bed. I put in Wiggles for him so he could watch it while I dozed off. The next morning I went to wake him up and I saw a diaper laying on the floor. Suspicious. So I pulled back his blanket and that little stinker had taken off his clothes and diaper and was sleeping without a stitch on. At least he didn't wet the bed.

4. Stealing Dad's soda.

At least he put the cap back on.

5. Expanding his vocabulary from the ordinary "stupid" to also include "dummy" and "shut up".  These are his words of choice especially when he's mad. We are slowly working on cleaning up his little act, because we certainly don't allow the other kids to say those things, although someone must have at some point and he just latched right onto them.

Hiding his face in shame. Or peek a boo.

He can be a real sweetheart. Sometimes he just comes right up to me

and says, "I wuv ooo!"

Frugal Friday!

Isn't it nice to get something in the mail besides bills? (Or junk mail for

the people who used to live in your house?)

These are free samples that I sent away for and received in the mail this week:

4 trial size cleaners and 4 shop towels from Sam's

Trial of Dove deoderant (which came at a wonderful time since Travis decided to crumbled mine the day before.)

It usually takes just a second to request a free sample, and most will arrive in the mail in just a matter of four weeks or so. I didn't get a picture of my Target beauty bag, but that came last week. It was a nice blue cosmetic bag (which I gave to Brittany who uses it as a small purse) and several samples and coupons.

Happy Birthday!

I can't believe my oldest child turned 17 on Saturday!!

It hardly seems possible, but it is. Brittany will be a senior this year and I will be graduating my first baby from high school next spring. Where does the time go? Definately the older you get, the faster the time goes.

She has turned into a beautiful young lady who has common sense, good judgement, a sweet personality and makes friends whereever she goes. I'm so proud of her!



35 Week Pregnancy Update

     Well, I am 35 weeks today. That means I probably have 6 or 7 weeks left til the baby comes, but if the baby came early I wouldn't complain. I'm just hoping that the baby decides to come on its own at some point so that I won't need to be induced this time.

     I found out just a few weeks ago that the doctor I had been seeing, and had also delivered Travis, wasn't going to be able to deliver me this time. He delivers at two hospitals, one already doesn't do vbacs and the other just decided they aren't going to either. So, what's a mother like me to do? I've had EIGHT vbacs already! I could've stayed with him and had a c-section again (absurd) or switch doctors.

     So, I switched doctors. To the very LAST doctor in the area who delivers vbac. I had an appointment with him on Tuesday. He seems to be okay, but I really liked my other doctor. I'm not sure why God would have me switch. I'm not really happy about it, but thankful that I have someone to deliver me.

     Now, I did have other options. I could plan a homebirth. But, David is not comfortable with that, and the fact that I've had a c-section before puts me at a small risk for uterine rupture. The risk is small, and the fact that I've had eight vbacs would indicate that my risk is really miniscule, but I would rather just not take a risk at all. If my uterus did rupture, I would prefer to already be at the hospital where the fastest care would be ready and available.

     Or,  I could go into labor, and just show up at the hospital and refuse a c-section. But, my babies are stubborn and 3 out of the last 4 needed to be induced. I felt like if I waited it out like that, then the stress of wondering whether or not I would go into labor would not be good. I know there are some more natural induction methods, some of which I have tried before, and some are not safe with a previous c-section. Again, the uterine rupture thing.

     I have always delivered in a hospital. This will be the 7th time with a doctor, and three were with midwives. This doctor seemed okay, and actually spent probably at least half an hour talking with David and me. I can't say for sure he's a Christian, but definately was pro-large family. Maybe I had just a little sour attitude at the fact I had to have another exam, because I was a new patient there and my records hadn't arrived from the other doctor's office. I hate exams. Of any kind. Personal space, you know?

    But, the baby is doing fine, which is the most important thing anyway. I have been walking on the treadmill 4 or 5 miles a week, and some weights and squats afterward. I feel healthier, but I am still putting on the pounds. I've gained almost 50 gasp pounds. I am planning to watch my sugar intake for this last few weeks, and see if it really makes a difference with the baby's weight. I would prefer NOT to have another ten pound baby. So, I'm trying to keep it at 20 grams of sugar a day. Well, I was at 15 with breakfast this morning! That's with 2 scrambled eggs, 2 whole grain waffles with a little butter and a small glass of milk! No syrup even! It was the milk. Do I have to give up milk?

    Well, I guess I could for 6 or 7 weeks. So, really I can have protein, vegetables, no fruit, no milk, no yogurt, and whole grains. That's about it.

     This is going to be rough.

     In other news, we had VBS last week, a stomach virus this week and over 100 degree temps for a while. Fall, where are you??

Here is my 35 week belly.............

Monday Musings: Awesome Edition

Tristan, who's 7,  tells me all they time, "Mom, you're awesome!" or in various forms, "Mom, do you know how awesome you are?" "Mom, you're googley awesome", "Mom, you're just plain awesome." "Mom, every nano-second you are awesome!"

So, today, Tristan:  "Mom, do you know how many times I've told you you're awesome?"

Me: Probably googley times.

Tristan: "At least googley times, because even when I was in your stomach I was saying it, only in my mind."


I love this kid.