Scratching

There is scratching coming from our walls. Very. Loud. Scratching.
Matt was first convinced it was Houdini. Only, there is no way for him to have gotten in there. I think it's a rat.
I'm disgusted. I'm freaked out. I, quite frankly, don't know what to do. Do we call housing? Do we call the exterminator? What do we do?
When I was growing up, we had scratching and thumping in the walls. It ended up being a big ole rock chuck who was stealing our cat food and living in the wall. We caught it with a fishing net when it came out from the hole it was using to access the wall, and were going to take it to the lava beds to set it free. It escaped before we could take it. We saw it once, in our yard, after that.
I doubt we have a rock chuck. I don't even think those live here. Maybe we have an armadillo..but I highly doubt it. I'm thinking a rat is much more likely. GROSS.

More pictures

Pictures galore

Just a ton of pictures from our park day, yesterday. I have more to upload, but am going to take a break for now!

Hello Hello

No luck catching Houdini yet..but he keeps stealing food, so we at least know he is well! Tonight, we are on to yet another plan of attack!
I am pleased to announce that I passed my last 3 hour glucose test with flying colors! WOOHOO!! I hadn't heard anything about it, and was really sweatin it. I figured they were being nice and letting me enjoy the holidays before breaking the bad news to me. But no.
Matt has had all week off, and doesn't go back to work until Wednesday. It has been so fun having him home, I so don't want him to go back to work. It will all be ok though, because we will have to start school up again. Can't play all the time, now can we? But, it's been fun while it's lasted.
Yesterday, we went to a park we hadn't been to before, and took lots of pictures, I'll have to upload them and get some on here.
Today, Matt is spending some quality time with Dillon and Collin. I'm home with Matthew and Zachy, so need to get going.
I just wanted to update on Houdini.

Houdini...the hamster that is sure to be the death of me!

OK, so his name is really White Spot, but I'm renaming him Houdini.
The hamster can escape out of anything. At first, it was easy to find him, he always went to the same closet.
The week before my mom came, he got out of his cage overnight, and was nowhere to be found. We had told Dillon that if a week went by and we couldn't find him, we'd assume he was dead and get him a new hamster. Dillon was certain Houdini was in the cat's tummy.
Well, over a week went by, but my mom was here, so we didn't do anything. One night I was in the kitchen and he went waddling past me, behind the fridge. We were able to catch him and put him back, safe and sound.
Not even a week after that, Dillon was holding him. Some time later, he says to me, "Can I move the couch to get my hamster?" I thought the hamster had been put away a long time before. Of course, he was no longer under the couch.
Since then, we have not been able to find Houdini. I think that was last Thursday.
We put carrots in the kitchen, in various locations to see which one he would take, to try and give us some idea of where he might be. No such luck, he takes them all!
Last night, we decided to try leaving his cage out on the floor in the kitchen, hoping he might find his comfy bed too irresistable to leave!
The silly thing took ALL the food out of his dish, and evidently is stashing it somewhere. How I wish I could have seen his cheeks full of all that food!
We have searched high and low and cannot, for the life of us, find him. At least we know he is alive and thriving! I told Matt, tonight is stakeout night, and we will be watching all night till we find him!

They say your blood gets thin

Today it is in the 50s and VERY windy. I am FREEZING!!! Two years ago, 50s would have felt great. Not now..I am soooo cold. BRRRRRRR

Feliz navidad

Sea World fun

We went to Sea World when my mom was here. The boys wanted to get a little wet during the beluga whale preshow. By the way, Collin wasn't into getting wet, the kid in the yellow was just a little girl who also wanted to get wet!

Busy Bees..that's us!

It seems like it's been awhile since I've done a real, true update. And I was kind of thinking of doing a year in review type post, but we'll see.
Last week we were so busy with my mom and stepdad visiting. We had a great time and hit Sea World and the Riverwalk. Dave even took the eldest 2 boys down to Corpus Christi for a day at the beach. They had a blast! He even built them a campfire on the beach and let them cook their own lunch. They climbed sand dunes and played in the Gulf. It was over 80 degrees that day, so it was perfect for them.
Last weekend, the 16th, Dillon was baptized. He had worked so hard on all his studies and was so anxious to be baptized. Matt sang the song, 'I wanna be just like you' and dedicated it to the boys. He had made a video to go along with it with loads of pictures of the boys. Of course, I cried like a baby the whole time. He sang that song way back when Dillon was dedicated, so it was extra special.
The day started out really rocky though, and I was afraid I wouldn't make it to church, but there was no way I was going to miss it. Zachy got very sick at about 4 that morning. He was breathing so hard and fast and loud. I thought he must have pneumonia. We couldn't get him awake enough to get him to stay propped up to try to help his breathing. And he was shivering fiercely. At that point, he wasn't hot at all. I finally decided to give him a breathing treatment, and that helped a bit. But shortly after that, he was burning up. His temp was 104.9. This went on the rest of the morning, but after another breathing treatment, tylenol, and motrin, he was improving. We took him to church and he slept through the whole service. Which was quite nice, actually, I was able to focus all my attention on Dill, where it belonged. Zachy woke up after church was over, and ate a good lunch, and did great from then on. It was totally wierd.
Matt's song, will always be a highlight of the day. You see, the lyrics talk about a man wanting to be like God, because his son wants to be like him. It was moving the first time Matt sang it, but really, his heart wasn't right with God at the time. This time it meant so much more, because his heart is right with God.
This has been a wonderful year, spiritually, for us. I can't believe how our lives have changed since this time last year. It feels SO good to be equally yoked.
Matt and I were in charge of the Christmas program we had last night. And I say, "and I" loosely, because Matt did all the work, and he deserves all the credit. We just seem to come as a package deal. It turned out so good, and exactly how I had it pictured. It is always good to reflect on the true reason of the season. I am glad to have it over though. What I did do, was stress about it. That was my job! Now we are free until this summer when VBS rolls around again. And we were told last night that we have officially been nominated to run the Christmas program next year. Thank goodness there's a whole year till that!
I had a drs appointment last week, with my regular OB and was surprised to learn that I am already down to bi-weekly appointments. I can't believe how fast things are going right now. On Tuesday, I'll be 28 weeks...12 to go. Crazy. It sure changes things when you are pregnant through the holidays! Time flies!
This hasn't turned into ta review of the year, but my boys are all doing a 3-D puzzle and I think I'm going to go join in the fun.
I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, and enjoy your time with your families. Matt has all of next week off, and I plan on enjoying him immensely.

Ultrasound yesterday

My u/s went really well yesterday.
We were finally able to see that her lip is INTACT!!! And her nose as far as we can tell, but that one is a bit trickier!
Also, they did the echo, and as far as we can see, her heart looks great.
The doctor said we could repeat it later, but really, I'm ok now. I will have them do one when she is born. Not to mention that yesterday's set me back $100. Wasn't expecting that. Oh well.
Anyway, she is such a wiggle worm, and the doc kept giggling, which is so unlike her. She said, "I try and grab a picture and she moves"
She is sooooo cute. I want her now. Well not really, cause she only weighs 2 lbs 4 oz. So she can bake.
I am so frustrated with pictures though, I have yet to get a really good one. I did get a good one of her lips and nose, but that's it. Oh, and her other lips!! Matt looked and said, "oh, I guess that's pretty obvious" FINALLY HE COMES TO HIS SENSES!!!!

For all you nursing mothers out there

I stole this link, but it is GREAT!!
For all you nursing mommies out there! Gina, this is especially for you!!
YAY BOOBIES!!

Run down on the hospitals

OK, so we toured the methodist hospital last night. And I am so glad we did. I do NOT want to deliver there.
As far as the labor and delivery rooms go, they are both quite equal. Except for the fact that there are a gazillion at methodist. However, baptist seemed a little homier and peaceful. There were signs everywhere at methodist saying that videotaping was not allowed. At baptist you aren't allowed to videotape any medical procedures. But there were signs in the halls, on the doors, by the nursery, everywhere..saying it wasn't allowed. Which makes me suspicious.
Anyway, at methodist, after the baby is born they take the baby to the nursery. Because that is "the ideal environment for the baby". And they keep the baby there for 1-3 hours. Ummm, last time I checked, the ideal environment was with the mommy. As soon as we heard that, Matt and I were like, "nope, we won't be delivering here" At baptist, they do all of the weighing and measuring and bathing in your room. The pediatrician will even come see the baby in your room, your baby never has to go to the nursery.
As if that weren't bad enough, we went around the corner to find yet another nursery, where you are encouraged to send your baby so you can have a break and sleep. I wanted to scream. The nursery was full of babies. It was like being in the 60s. We were the only veteran parents there and I could see the glee in these ladies eyes when they were being encouraged to leave their babies there for as long as the want. I do NOT want to be at a hospital that is so not attachment friendly.
I could be overly sensitive. When Zachy was born, I wanted nothing more than for him to be in my room, with me. And he couldn't be. And there were other, perfectly healthy babies, in the nursery, crying for their mommies. I wanted to go bang on their doors and say, "listen, you have been given a gift, you have a healthy baby that you can keep with you...NOW DO IT" So yeah, it bugs me to see so many babes away from their moms. That is NOT natural. It is not the way things were intended to be. And it shouldn't be encouraged!! Makes me mad, can you tell??
Anyway, based on these things, I will be begging my dr to let me deliver at baptist, and I will not be letting my baby out of my sight. That's the way it was intended to be.

Time for an attitude adjustment

Sorry I've been MIA again, I'm slacking big time. I just don't feel like anything is worth writing, life has been pretty boring!

Anyway, I've been kind of hating Texas for awhile now, and the other day I realized that it isn't worth it. It's stupid, in fact. Why do I hate Texas? Because it isn't Idaho. But what about Idaho do I miss? I don't really know. I've realized that people change, even if we went back, it would never be the same. So there is no sense living in the past and wishing I was somewhere that I am not.

So, I've decided to embrace San Antonio. To make it home. If we have to be here 3 more years, I might as well enjoy it, right? That's my new goal, to make this home. I have wonderful friends here, probably better than the ones in Idaho, as crazy as that sounds. Because they are my friends, and they didn't become my friends through the process of knowing my mother.

My daughter is going to be born here. I will forever have a link to San Antonio. My daughter will be a native Texan. How wierd that sounds! And it will be ok.

Everything will be ok. It will be better than ok. It will be great. This will be home.

Belly Pic

I have several pics of the kids that I need to upload and put here. But it's all time consuming, so for now, here you go. Me at 24 weeks.

I'm still alive

I'm so sorry I disappeared for so long. I have been battling a terrible sinus infection. And boy howdy did it knock me out. I was so exhausted. I don't know if it was a combination of being pregnant and sick or what, but I was out of it.
Strangely, I was the only one to be sick. Thank goodness for that!
It's been so long since I wrote, that I don't even know what to put in this entry. Maybe I'll do another random thought entry, cause I know you all love those.

~We celebrated thanksgiving at home, just us. It was nice. We put up our christmas tree and all our christmas decorations. After all, thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season. HA! I would have had the tree up after the halloween decorations came down if I didn't think it was a bit much.
Our meal was yummy, if I do say so myself. I wasn't going to do the whole turkey and fixins meal, but Matthew insisted that I did. I'm glad he did, actually. It all turned out really nice.

~At my last drs appointment, my dr wasn't there. I saw a midwife instead. She said that she's known my peri for 20 years and has never known her to be wrong in her sex determinations. Not that I was really doubting, but I think it helped Matt to hear that. He is finally accepting that there might be a little girl in there, after all!
We also discussed the two hospitals that my dr delivers at, and she told me to take tours of both before my next appointment and then discuss the pros and cons with my dr. And of course, there are pros and cons to both. We'll see what happens. We already toured the baptist hospital, and we go next week to the methodist. We got to see a brand new baby who was being looked over in the nursery. Matt and I both thought that he was incredibly pink. It's amazing that the memory that sticks out most is the memory of Zachy. I don't really remember if my other kids were as pink as this baby, but I can tell you that Zachy was no where NEAR that pink.
I was lightheaded through a lot of the tour. Could have been cause I was sick, but I was only lightheaded in certain areas, so I think it was just the overwhelmingness (like that word??) of it all. After the tour, the guide took me to the NICU, just to show me that it exists and is functional.

~Last week, Zachy had his appointment with the new cardiologist. He was ok. A good cardiologist, just not very personable. I was so spoiled in Idaho! Anyway, he was diagnosed with bradycardia (slow heart rate) and sick sinus syndrome (basically a very irregular rhythm). Right now his energy level is really good, so we just leave him be. But he said he wouldn't be surprised at all if somewhere down the line he needs a pacemaker. He also said it is impossible to predict when that might be, but as long as his energy level is high, we're good. He continues to be seen once a year, with a holter monitor yearly. Once he hits about 5, they'll start doing exercise tests on him to see how his rhythm is.

~My mom is leaving today for their vacation. They'll visit family in Ohio and then come down to see us. They should be here around the 13th! The boys are so excited. It will be nice to have family down again. They'll stay for about a week, and we'll do our big Christmas celebration while they're here.

~A few weeks ago, Matthew and I were on our way to a store when he told me, "Mommy, last year I was pretty sure that there was no santa, but then you showed me that thing on the computer that shows you where he is, so now I'm not so sure" So, we discussed it and he decided that santa probably isn't real. He is beyond excited to be in on the secret and can't wait to help stuff stockings! Two days later, he lost a tooth. The next morning he sat down by me and said, "I have to tell you something. Last night I saw daddy, I know there isn't a tooth fairy. But is there an easter bunny??" It was so funny. He's growing up so fast.

I can't think of anything else worth writing right now, so I'll just close here.
Tomorrow I hit 24 weeks, time for a belly shot!

Celebs

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

OK, not really..but since it NEVER looks like Christmas here, I can start any ole time I like!!
I have officially finished all my shopping for our extended families. Everything is ordered and on it's way to it's destination.
I even shopped a bit for Matthew and Matt. So, all I have left is the boys and Matt. WOOHOO!! That feels GREAT!!
I have my Christmas cards and am debating writing a letter. This year has been so boring for us, that I think I might just leave it out this year. Less work for me. And as soon as I get them done, I can start on my Christmas baking. And when that's all done..I can start on my baby announcements!! YIPPEE!!
Some of you have asked what we want for Christmas, and I've said baby stuff. To help everyone out (and because it's so much fun!!) I'm going to go to Babies R Us tomorrow and register. Then y'all can just look online there and get an idea of what we need. Doesn't that sound like fun??
Matt has the day off tomorrow..what fun!!!
It's about time for my Christmas music to come on the site!!
Wow, I just looked at my ticker, and by Christmas I'll be in double digits! Time's flyin!!

More pictures

New Song

OK, so I haven't gotten to my Christmas music yet!
This is my current favorite song. Why? Well because I can just picture my Matt singing this when his baby girl gets married. Makes me cry every time!

Artist/Band: Heartland
Lyrics for Song: I Loved Her First
Lyrics for Album: I Loved Her First
Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each others face
So much in love your alone in this place
Like there's nobody else in the world
I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl
Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it still hard to give her away
I loved her first

How could that beautiful women with you
Be the same freckle face kid that I knew
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights
And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But its still hard to give her away
I loved her first

From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first

Ultra sound yesterday, and a pic of the family

So yesterday I had my ultra sound. It went like this.
She put the wand on my belly and looked at the screen.
Her, "Did you already know you are having a girl?"
Me, "well that's what you thought we might be having last time"
Her, "this baby is definitely a girl!"
So, there you have it. A BABY GIRL!!! FOR US!! WOW!!!
Everything that she could see looked good, but the stinker had her hands in front of her face the whole time so we couldn't see if there was any clefting. And her heart is still too little to know much about other than having 4 chambers.
She weighs 14 ounces now...and is cute as a button already! I can't wait to meet her!
I go back in a month, and hopefully we'll see her face that time!
Awhile ago our church had a church directory made where Olan Mills came and took pictures. Of course we had to buy some.
Here's the family pic. It is really centered better, but it is an 11x14 and wouldn't fit all the way on my scanner.