Yesterday...Part Two

After posting my blog yesterday I got my kids a healthy nutritious lunch of cinnamon toast crunch (all the bread was frozen) and since I was on the verge of a breakdown cereal was the best I could do. I kept telling myself just hang in there till 12:30, take Emma to school, come home put McKenna down for a nap, let Todd veg in front of a movie and then you can crawl back into bed. Only that wasn't really how my day was originally planned...I have been dying to get my hair cut and colored for weeks. I was having huge anxiety about being stuck in a hospital bed with two inch roots and bushy eyebrows (can't find the tweezers). So, I booked an appt. with Tami to get my hair done at 1:00, then following that a NST (non-stress test) at my doctors office at 4:00.

After wrestling in my mind about my scheduled day and my pure exhaustion, I ended up on the floor having that good cry I talked about. Only it wasn't the replenishing 'I can carry on' kind of cry, it was the 'I'm going to die if I have to carry on' kind of cry. Emma came in and gave me a big hug, then McKenna hugged me from the backside. Todd came in to pat my back, it felt a little more like being beat to death, but they were all trying to be so sweet. So, I picked myself off the office floor and decided to do the unthinkable...I had to cancel my hair appt. and NST. I needed sleep. I had one problem...I didn't have any time to compose myself before calling Tami. You know when you try and sound fine then someone asked how your doing and you fall apart, well that took all of about two seconds to happen. Through my bawling I explained that I was just too tired to come and I couldn't make my appt. I don't think Tami understood anything I said, but said she would call me later. Just then Ken called to check in...I am of course still bawling and now I don't even try to fake it. He says, I'll be home in 15 minutes. OH, HALLELUJAH! That meant that I could put McKenna down for her nap, Ken could take Emma to school and I could get in bed. That is exactly where Ken found me, still bawling, when he came home. I cried myself into a very restful 2 1/2 hour nap, while Ken took care of the home front.

Eventually, Ken had to get back to work, so he left with Todd watching a movie, McKenna still taking her nap, and me still curled up cozy in bed. About ten minutes later McKenna woke up from her nap. I felt so much better after my nap, except my body was ultra stiff and sore. I slowly made my way into McKenna's room purposely postponing having to lift her out of her crib. Just when I was about to...I heard a "HELLO" from downstairs...Oh, another HALLELUJAH! Tami was here!

Tami had come to rescue me. She stayed for the rest of the evening taking care of kids, doing dishes, and dinner, cutting the boys hair, and yes, I even got my hair done after all. I got the cut and color I have been dreaming about for weeks. Now after Ken paints my toe nails I can go to the hospital a happy woman.

So, anyway after that long story I just wanted to say THANK YOU to my wonderful husband and an angel sister. And to all my great friends that I know I could have called. It was just one of those days when picking up the phone seemed a monumental task. Yesterday was another good example to me of the Lord's tender mercies. And thanks to my great friend Shelly, you were my angel last week, when you showed up out of no where to take my kids. That was another day the Lord put all the right people in my life at the right time, thanks for listening to the Spirit.

Today I am happy to report that I am doing much better, there has been no screaming or crying out of me as of yet and it's almost 10:00 am. Things are looking up!

I'm Screaming!

Okay, not literally, but I want to. WARNING! The following are the ranting and ravings of a very pregnant, emotionally unstable, hormonally challenged, mother of six. Consider yourself warned.


Why is it that all HELL breaks loose the minute you step into the shower, pick-up the phone, or finally sit down for a much needed rest? Someday I want to be able to get into the shower alone (with no children) and enjoy the carefree feeling of the warm water. But, it is not to be. Trauma, screaming, messes, noise, and catastrophe is what I get when I get in the shower. I want to SCREAM, did I mention that already?

My doctor put me on bedrest again until this baby comes. Are you kidding me? Bedrest and six kids is an impossible combination. Yesterday I tried to lay down for ten minutes before I gave up, seeing that there was no way that my little people were going to leave me alone. It was pointless. Today I am exhausted, my body aches, my nerves are fried, and did I mention I want to scream? You may be asking yourself, well how is it you have time to blog? Trust me, I don't know. I do know however, that if I attempted to lay down, talk on the phone, or take a shower they would swarm me like flies. Plus, here at the computer I can yell at them when needs be.

I can tell Todd is up to something, he is quiet...which means danger. I just heard him take a garbage sack up to his room-probably his way of cleaning the cars I asked him to pick up. Hmmm....I wonder where I will find those later, stashed in the closest, or way under the bed? Do I care right now? No. Because at the moment-no one is screaming. Scratch that, McKenna is now screaming to get out of her high-chair......Hang on...... Okay, I'm back. After pain stakingly lifting myself out of this chair and waddling to the kitchen, McKenna is now satisfied with more cinnamon toast crunch. But, to be honest it was worth the trip, because I got to see her darling little chubby hands sign 'more'. So cute. Speaking of chubby hands, mine hurt. They are swollen and typing is not fun. Wah, you say. Hey, I deserve to wine every once in a while, back off!

But,now I must go. I must carry on my motherly responsibilities. Lunch must be made-life must go on. Oh, joy. Well on the bright side, I no longer feel like screaming, I'm too tired. But, a good cry may do the trick.

Ken's - Beautiful Sight!

Ken has always wanted to have a garage to park his vehicles in. On Saturday he got the garage cleaned out enough to put both cars in....And oh, he was so happy.

This morning after he left for work he called me to say that there was frost outside on all the other cars, but not on his! His was snuggled nice and cozy in the garage...frost free.

I don't know about you, but when I was growing up we stored everything but cars in the garage. Our garage was carpeted with green shag carpet. It's where we put the extra frig. and freezers, my dad's work bench and all his tools, it was the pantry, along with all the food storage, it stored the unfinished craft projects, the Halloween box, the canning jars, the vacuum cleaner, and much much more. The only thing I ever remember being parked in the garage was my dad's motorcycle for a short time.

So, Ken and I have always had a different understanding of what the proper use of a garage should be. Luckily we have just enough room for both vehicles AND the "stuff" I think should be stored in a garage.

I have actually come around to Ken's way of thinking. Shhh.....don't tell him! It will be nice not to have to scrape frost and snow off the windows. Keep in mind I grew up in Portland, Oregon...we didn't get snow. Ken grew up in Helana, Montana...there all fluid in your vehicle would freeze, leaving it very difficult if not impossible to start your car. Thus, came the need to park in the garage.

*Just a side note* Once while visiting Montana in November, we left a few pop cans in the car (parked in the garage) the next morning it looked like confetti all over the inside of the car. The pop cans had exploded! Cold! Freezing! Yikes!

Okay, so anyway Ken has finally got his garage, and is a very happy giddy man. :) And I can't help being a little happy and giddy for him.

D.A.R.-What could it stand for?

Thanks for the guesses everyone, they were all great suggestions. Well maybe not all of them, but definitely most. One of you however, was exactly correct. Exactly except for the spelling. My sister-in-law, Julianna, is apparently gifted with physic ability. She was the first one to guess and she was correct. Our newest little man will be Daric Allen Roberts. Daric is the middle name of Ken's oldest brother, Todd. He past away as an infant. Allen is both the middle name of Ken's brother Tim, and my brother Craig. Therefore, Daric will be named after three of his uncles.

Pregnancy Update

Today I am 35 weeks along. Only 5 more weeks to go, which hopefully really equates to 4 weeks. This little guy is on the big side, but probably not as big as our 10lb. 6 oz. Todd. However, I'll bet he'll weigh in at around 9 lbs. We settled on a name...the initials are D.A.R....any guesses? Shhhhh.....if you already know what it is. I am feeling big, fat, and ready to explode, but other than that I'm good. My doctor has me on blood pressure medicine, which seems to be working well. I am feeling lots of braxton hicks, but since my body doesn't know how to kick my babies out early I'm sure I'm in for the long haul. I am hoping to convince my doctor to induce at 39 weeks. Look at me, I think that's fair!

Todd's Birthday!

I have some catching up to do. Todd turned 4 on October 5th. Here's a recap on the big day, and an update on his speech development. Todd's birthday was the Sunday of General Conference so we had a nice quiet day at home watching conference and eating cake.We ate one of our favorite dinners; Hotdogs, hamburgers, fresh fruit, chips, and corn. Corn on the cob would have been better, but I couldn't find any!We had cake and ice-cream. Then we hid his gifts for him to find. After opening presents we went out to the backyard to play with his new toys.

Todd's speech still has a long way to go, but he has made a lot of improvement. He is trying so hard. Just a few weeks ago he began making a few sounds (B-P-D) that we have been working on for years without success. Now he can make them almost effortlessly in isolation. If he tries to put them together in words he still struggles to articulate each sound, but he is getting better. Ken and I feel that he will most likely require at least one more surgery, but we are very optimistic. Todd is such a fun, good boy. He has settled down a bit this past year and has become a lot more manageable. He is still a challenge and a handful at times, but he is making good progress. To which I am so grateful for. He still attends a special education pre-school two days a week, his teacher reports that he is an angel and behaves perfectly, unlike last year when he beat up any one that came too close. See progress...yeah!

Mommy and Daddy are very proud of you, Todd. And we love you very much!

More House Pics...

Okay, I said I would post pictures of the inside of the house since we moved in. It's hard to get a good picture, I'm not thrilled with any of these, but oh, well. And I didn't pick up anything so you get the real lived in look!

This is the front room. This is the office. Here's another picture of it from the other side. It shows more of the entry. The next pics are of the laundry room. This room gets used alot! It has made washing and folding so much easier, but the putting away part still needs work.Here is the messy kitchen.This is the "Kids Corner" of the family room.And this is any other family room picture taken this morning. The kids had some of their cousins sleep over and this is cartoon time...AKA-Quiet time for mom.