HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

How are you?

Today is my first day back to work (sniff sniff...tears.... :( )

The little man in the one picture devouring his hands is Remiel!

He was my little 7-11 boy (born July 11th)
a beautiful home water birth
weighing in at 8lb 4oz and being 19 1/4" long :)

He is my long and lanky one.

If you look at the other pics you'll see

Boy (child#6) with long hair :) lol still growing it out for "locks of love"(almost 4) holding Remiel (almost 3 months)
Boy (child #5) with grin on his face holding my GRANDBABY(only 1month!!She's gonna give Remiel a run for his money! :)


The summer was an eventful one! Many blessings....many trials too though.
My husband spent a week in ICU for heart issues and then a week later my grandbaby was born -
She was a "lazy breather" at first and she went to the local hospital for observation...they blew out her lungs (perforated them and collapsed them both) by "bagging" her too roughly (forcing too much oxygen in too fast). This sent us on a two week trip to the children's hospital ICU.

As you can see - she's doing wonderfully and is happy and healthy!! Praise God!!
but it was a ROUGH road!!

So....that is a quickie update with pics for you dear ones!

I'll post again real soon!!

with all my heart~
Michelle!!

And the list goes on

9 days and counting (but really - knowing that this baby has the most stubborn parents in the universe...probably a few extra days)

the belly casting was done last night - such fun but wow is it hard to hold still in one position for about 45 minutes.
I plan to paint it with a batik look and a little swimming turtle (since we're planning a water birth) and then put all his "stats" on it when he arrives :)

I have the water cooler set up...


I am going to the second Chiropractor appointment today....


I am down to the weekly Midwife appointments.....


The Jacuzzi is all set up and ready to go......


what else? what else?


Why is it that at night I can NOT sleep and think of a ton of stuff.

Daytime...I'm in a fog (probably from lack of sleep right?? :)

Well gang - that's all for now...

Keep me in your prayers :)

THANK YOU!! :)
MICHELLE

So here I sit - with 10 days left till I am done with work and 16 days till my due date.
Having lots of back pains.
I am sitting on my labor ball as it seems to be the only thing that makes me even a bit comfortable :)
Sure does freak people out though to come into the office and see me sitting on a huge ball.
They all get this panic look on their face and say "are you okay?" I'm half tempted to say "oh I'm fine - I'm in labor" they'd probably RUN AWAY :)

I have heartburn to end all heartburn -even the "organic heartburn tea" is not helping - nor are the tums & rolaids - or really anything else I've tried. :(

My cankles have cankles - you know...all the end of pregnancy fun that you just endure and know "this too shall pass"

I peeked at a few birth videos on youtube and was crying at lunchtime - not so much a "panic what have I gotten myself into" type of feeling...more of a "wow...yeah I remember THAT...it's hard work but so rewarding" type of feeling :) OH and hormones of course I'd cry over anything at this point.

I need to check a few last things off my "to do" list and then we're all set to go :)
I REALLY want to try to get up to see the Chiropractor at least two times more....
I need to set up my "nursing station" as I call it with the water dispenser, lactation cookies (they're pre-made and in the freezer) and comfy chair.
I ordered a belly casting kit (which hopefully arives BEFORE baby decides to :)
and I'm gonna try to add a few frozen meals to the freezer - this of course is very active thinking and by the time I get home from work - I'm not VERY ACTIVE :) So we shall see!

Will try to keep you updated :)
Blessings and Love to you all
With all my heart~
Michelle

Swollen feet are sexy right???

My swollen feet and legs (aka "cankles") are sooooo uncomfortable. :( I'm going to spare you the
photos....

I know it's all part of the package at the end of pregnancy - but I can't help but
whine a little ;) Thank you for indulging me and listening to that!!

I am down to 4 weeks till the due date (which means probably 5 weeks till the birth)

AND COUNTING :)

I think that I'm about as prepared as I can be.....

I've been "nesting" for a couple weekends now - My hubby said "you nest and I get the 'Honey do list'!" To which I replied..."Ah yes but I give birth so we're still not even" ;) lol

Everything is washed....put out....folded....cleaned....and perhaps "ready" for this baby boy's arrival.

My daughter is helping get to the things I can't quite do - ie. cleaning out the pantry, really scrubbing down the fridge etc...

I keep thinking I should cook some meals ahead, but really my husband is such an awesome cook I hate to miss out on his cooking by having mine warmed up :)

Oh...the other "whine" would be heartburn. Sigh. Even water gives me heartburn. I've resorted to taking baking soda in water a couple times when I couldn't sleep (I know..the sodium isn't good...but we're talking DRAGON FIRE heartburn!!!)

I know it's been seldom at best that I get a chance to check in with you guys....but I DO want to say hello & let you know what craziness we've all been up to.

I hope to get in another blog post or two prior to the birth....
and then maybe some baby pics :)


Much love!
~with all my heart ~
Michelle

Just was sitting here (amidst many braxton hicks)...down to 6 more weeks of work and 7 more weeks (although probably more like 8 knowing that my kiddos never arrive early)of pregnancy. What a blessing this pregnancy has been. This weekend we are having a "family" party - it's listed as a family shower...but that sounds weird! lol


Our 18 year old son got married this winter and they are expecting a baby girl in August..
Our 21 year old daughter is getting married this October.
We are excitedly awaiting our baby boy around the 4th of July!

So it's a double wedding shower, double baby shower!

I read a friend's blog and she was telling some of the "marriage advice" she has learned over many years of marriage.
This got me thinking....what are my "RULES" of a good marriage?
Here goes -

1. NEVER EVER threaten divorce. It is just hurtful and scaring to our hearts -and it even causes doubt in our own minds.

2. Love even when they are at their worst - because WE are often at ours!

3. Know that WE are not perfect and do NOT expect them to be!

4. Strive to tell them how much you love them (even in those bad times...and there WILL be bad times!)

5. Have sex. Work on keeping it exciting and even when it's something you think "REALLY? NOW? CAN'T I JUST SLEEP?" do it. It's important. It keeps your hearts tied to each other.

6. Do little things for each other. Sometimes you can do BIG things - but every day you can do SOMETHING!!

I tell my kids - It is NOT all just flowers and candy. You WILL wake up one morning (or perhaps many in a row) and look at the person next to you and think "UGH! Really? Forever?" but it's having the strength to LOVE through those times....till it all circles back around to flowers and candy and giggly love. That's marriage! That's commitment!!!
That is TRUE LOVE!

So...how bout you? What are your "rules" or "advice"??

Wait...WHAT day is it?

I find myself - OFTEN - having grand plans for things and then waking up and it being over.

I woke up this morning thinking..."But I wanted to do a wondeful pancake breakfast for my gang for Valentines day....I wanted to get the boys each a balloon and a card to tie to the end of their beds so that they'd see them when they first woke up....I planned to do something special...I don't know how it's now the day after!"

Do you do that? I mean...seriously - there are still things I'm thinking of that I had wanted to do back at the Christmas holidays! :)

I had wanted to do a birthday party for our littlest at his pre-school. (I was down with the flu)I even often pre-buy stuff (like the birthday hats and plates and cups that are STILL sitting in my closet) and it's a swift little guilt kick when I see them a month later (after the event has passed)

Maybe I should come up with a day each year that we bring all that out - and party. For no reason other than I either got too busy, sick, pregnant, tired or just plain forgot - and it NEEDS to be used up. it NEEDS to be brought out and quit haunting me in my closet!

I can think of things I fully intended to do with my daughter (who is now 21 and probably a bit beyond the age of most of it).

I try try TRY to get more organized - but often find that it takes me SOOOOOOO much time trying to organize, and list, and pre-menu, and grocery shop etc. etc. etc. that I don't have any time left.

The other night I was stressing (and I mean STRESSING) about doing a grocery list and STILL having to grocery shop. The family was out riding on the golf cart having a WONDERFUL time. They kept coming in and asking me to join them. Finally I put down the list and just joined in. I kept thinking - I can be (what I think is) A GOOD MOM or I can be A FUN MOM.

Do I really have to choose?
Isn't there a way to be both?
Does it require getting up at 4am and going to bed at 11pm to attempt it? (because really I don't think I can exist on 5 hours sleep!! :(

So - I'm 20 weeks pregnant now - and I worry that I'm gonna be neither a good OR a fun mom - and that even this little one will be doomed to a life with a less than acceptable parent! (is it hormones?)

How do YOU balance it?
(I'd love to know any and all secrets!! :)

Thank you for reading - thank you for commenting - thank you for "listening" to me ramble :)


~with all my heart~
Michelle

On December 31st - New Years Eve - My husband and I celebrated our 27th anniversary! I can't even believe so many years have gone by. When I stop and think of all that we have been through, all that we have accomplished - all that we have survived...I suppose it COULD feel like 27 years :)

But I am simply so thankful for the time we've had together.
I am so thankful for the love and yes even the arguments!
I am so thankful for the blessings we have had and yes...even the trials -
because it has made us stronger. It has brought us closer.
Now I understand why they say "older and wiser"!! lol

We have a HUGE year ahead in 2013~
Many surprises in store!!
Can't wait to tell you more - SOON!!!!!!!
Hopefully with PICTURES :)

Happy 2013 gang!!
May you be truly blessed beyond all measure!