Fishin' With Dad

Getting to spend time with just one kid at a time has seemed so precious......I guess becuase it is starting to feel like we have too dang many kids hangin' around us! And they ALL want time alone with mom and dad. I do think, though, that it is important. Because life is always so hectic, fast-paced and passes us by at the speed of light so it's best to do what you can whenever you can.....even if it isn't planned. Last Saturday the girls went to a movie with a friend and Reese was feeling pretty special not only to get to go fishing with dad, but that mom was actually going to go fishing, too.

He did have a bit of luck and is reeling one in in this photo. Mom enjoyed watching and taking picutres and dad was in charge of getting the fish to bite. We all had a great time and I was reminded of the compassion my little boy is made up of and it most certainly tugged at my heart strings......The breeze got a little chillier and he asked me if I had a jacket for him and I said no, but that he could have my sweatshirt if he wanted it. He turned around and looked at me, surveyed the situation, asked me if I just had short sleeves on under it and said, "no mom, I don't want YOU to be cold". Now please tell me, please, that this part of him will never change....

Reese's Turn!

We have been blessed with some beautiful weather, though today it is windy. Anyway, Reese has been practicing baseball a lot. And when he's not practicing baseball, he's running around kicking the football. I have made myself put my video camera in a very handy place because this little boy is growing up way too fast. For a kid who barely said a handful of words at the age of 2, he sure has made up for it. And there are too many video ops that I have let pass me by. But this weekend I was sure to get this on tape.....for Uncle Mark, who will be helping disect his swing in the near future, for Mr. Patrick, who I know would love to be pitching to him (you wont hurt your arm but you better have quick reflexes!)....for the college scouts in the year 2023....and for me. To never forget my little boy before he grew up...

Today's Science Lesson

We did science today and I thought it might be interesting to show you a typical science class...



The blue bottle is our first experiment....didn't quite work. We were finishing up studying air pressure and today was our first experiment with chemical reactions. What better (and easier on mom) than some old baking soda and vinegar. It did the trick and trying to explain this to the kids is another challenge. Esepcially when Reese always has his 2 cents worth to get in. Take a look.



The commentary by Emma was not prompted at all. I was just trying to get the lesson across. I don't know, do ya think?

Buck Up Little Camper

I have reached the home stretch, I do believe. They call it the 35/5 mark on the coolest of pregnancy websites. That means 35 days left or 35 weeks along or 5 weeks left or something along those lines. I thought weeks 37-40 were miserable but I am slowly remembering it is more accurately the final 7 weeks that are miserable. Lots of discomfort and some pains, belly turning rock solid and plenty of pitty parties for myself. Only I'm usually the only one attending.

Yes, it's time to suck it up and just ride this journey to the end. My husband helped me realize this, actually. It wasn't exactly a pleasant lesson, but one I needed, nonetheless. I was getting all tied up in all the aches and pains and fatigue and added pounds and extra pimples and not liking much of this pregnant thing at all. Though he didn't exactly say it to me this way (he is a smart man), it's time to buck up. I know that I am lucky. I am extremely lucky. I am truly blessed not only to have this child growing inside me at all, but also to be so relatively healthy and able to even endure all of this. I am lucky to be getting jabbed in my ribs, my hip bones, and out my belly button. I am lucky to be sharing this with my kids who can understand and appreciate and have true wonder and awe with what is happening before their eyes. I am lucky to have a husband who puts up with a roller coaster of hormones, emotions, tears and moods and then finally to know when I need nothing short of a kick in the arse to suck it up and hoe the road ahead of me. Thank you, honey. I didn't know it then, but I know it now. That's just what I needed... I love you more than you will ever know.

CJ

Yeah, wow, big. Still 5 weeks to go? I am tired, moving slower, trying to be as healthy as I can possibly struggle to be. And most of all, excited as all get out to meet the baby! Been thinking about names a lot:
Girls: natalie or gabrielle or gabriella

Boys: kayce, gage, jaiden, ugh! need more suggestions!

Too tired to think of anything else to write. My brain, like my legs---out of commission!