Less Than Six Weeks To Go

Yay!  Less than six weeks to go!  And then I'll have my hands even fuller than they were previously!  I now have a non-stress test weekly, where I sit and click a clicker each time I feel a kick, while they monitor heart rate, including contractions when they begin (so far, I just have a few Braxton in the evenings).  I also have an ultrasound every two weeks.  Don't get me wrong--I love seeing the little peanut.  However, everything just seems so overwhelming lately, and I'm just so tired, I wish I could just go to the hospital and have her already! 

I'm also now on insulin.  Yay.  Insulin.  (Do you hear the sarcasm?)  I check my sugar four times a day and give myself an injection (gulp!  forgot mine tonight--better go do that!) twice a day.  She's already weighing over 4 lbs, which is a bit large for now.  I gained too much weight last week--I hadn't gained in what seemed like months and then BOOM!  Three lbs in one week!  Ok, I must cut back on my "snacks"--I do control the amount of my snacks, but for some reason, I'm always hungry this pregnancy!  Last pregnancy, I got full with half of a plate of food.  Perhaps this little gal will nurse better once born as well. 

Now, what have I gotten ready for the baby? Well, she does have a dresser drawer now (not to sleep in or anything :P ) and I bought my first pack of diapers.  I'm thinking of going with cloth because I've calculated it out-- I will spend at least $2000 over the next three years on diapers.  That's a lot of cash.  Plus, I'm not happy with any of the disposable diapers--Laeah leaks through them all, name brand or not. I can just see my mother's face when I explain how she'll need to change cloth diapers.... :/

Speaking of babysitters and work--I was offered two classes for spring--2 hours and 45 minutes apart.  What would I do for all that time, with a 5 week old baby waiting for me at my mother's house?!  Previously, my classes had almost always been back-to-back.  This schedule would even require me picking up the older two from school before getting back to the littles.  Not happening.  I said I'd teach the first class, but not the second.  I think my children are worth the small income sacrifice. 

Speaking of the older two--I still haven't decided what to do about school next year.  I still don't know that I'm ready to take on homeschooling with Lovely, and yet I feel it coming.  This year is more difficult, so she comes home so tired, and then has a lot of homework that she breaks down doing all the time.  I thought she was back in the flow of school, but lastnight proved me wrong.  And, I don't care for the 4th grade teacher choices.  However, Lovely and I butt heads to no end, and she would miss the friends she's made.  She doesn't have many homeschool friends, and girls can be so particular (and sometimes mean), that I'm afraid of her making close homeschool friends as well....Otherwise, Snugglebug loves school and can't get enough of it.  Go figure.

Snugglebug's Fall Party

Here's one of the crafts I created for the kids:

The leaves say "fall."  S cut the boards, drilled holes & sanded them.  I cut twine and tied them to the holes.  Then, I got leaves from the dollar store and cut holes in them.  I made mini-sponge letters on popcicle sticks so kids wouldn't be quite so messy while painting.  Lastly, I had the kids glue pre-cut (by me) felt pieces, squiggly eyes, and pom-pom noses to create a scarecrow face, and then glued it on top of another leaf, made to look like a collar.

Above is candycorn gourd bowling.  Baskets and plastic gourds from the dollar store.  I cut & glued the candycorn to mark player positions.

Ring-Around the Scarecrow.  I added one more from last year. Scarecrows, rings, and pumpkins from the dollar store.  I cut a hole in the pumpkins and filled them with rice to make them sturdy.  Bought the real gourds at Meijer.

Gourd Bowling

Pin-the-nose-on-the-scarecrow.  I drew, colored, and glued this bad boy.  Snugglebug thought it was creepy, though, without a bottom half.  Oh, well!  The kids enjoyed it!

Baby Babble

This little stinker is almost 11 months old.  This little stinker refuses to say "mama," "mommy," or even "mother."  

However, her vocabulary is quite extensive for her age and includes:

Dada

Snugglebug (only her real name)

Lovely (only her real name)

Hi

Hi, Dad

Bye, Dad

Yeah

I did it 

(yes, she put all three words together and totally creeped out Lovely & me)

Grandma (sounds like aaa-ma)

Bottle

Personally, I think she's showing a stubborn streak and refuses to say my name on purpose. 

She now claps all the time, takes a few wobbly steps toward furniture, throws toys, and stacks two blocks (so long as she can knock them over afterward).

Here is the cover of a small story for Snugglebug's fall craft day.  I drew the leaf based on something I saw on the internet, and then the kids were to illustrate each page.  Snugglebug's book turned out really cute, so I was happy with craft day.  I'll have to post pics of the other crafts I came up with later.  

Happy Fall!