A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home just this moment.
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 94+ hours (of 1000)
Spring is one fickle lady this year. One day it will be 70's and sunshiney and the next it's low 40's with rain. Everyone's allergies are out of control but even still, you can feel that brighter, warmer days are on the horizon. We got a perfect day on Saturday and the non-sick kids spent the entire day free playing outside and getting properly filthy. Grey spent about 4 hours on a blanket under the shade of the wild cherrry 'swing' tree resting and trying to recoup from feeling so sick for most of the week. We still haven't transplanted the seedbabies though because our nights are dipping down into the 30's and if we transplant and they die I will honestly cry. The forecast looks good after this weekend though, so we're hoping to do it next week!
Reading Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward and starting (and loving!!) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, a borrow from my coworker bestie Renee (thank you!). I also ordered The Last Kids on Earth first three books for Grey in an effort to get him to make up this last marking period worth of AR points!
Feeling appreciated on Mother's Day and being so grateful for the mommas in my life who has inspired and supported me all my life (especially my own mumma). My mumma and sisters met for a just girls brunch at Franklin Street bar and grill on Mother's day morning. It was so lovely and then we were surprised by "our men" who had a climbing rose bush for each of us delivered to our table and the bill covered! They all came to our house afterwards to be showered in hugs from the kids and I got surprised again by gifts for the new baby girl (very cute outfits, wipes, baby shampoo, and even new sandals for me!) - thank you guys so much! Kitty even gave me and baby girl a Reiki session that I spent the whole time visualizing her birth and holding her and looking at her in the little hospital bassinet. Kitty said when she was over my belly all she saw was bright yellow happy light! Gigi and Pappy came over later and Brandon went full on hibachi chef for dinner for us with chicken, steak, and shrimp with stirfry veggies over Jasmine rice. Everything was delicious and I was so grateful to get to spend the day at home with all my babies and all these incredible mommas.
Happy to receive pictures via text while Brandon chaperoned the girls' marathon fun day events this week. He got to attend half days in a row to help with games and kid corralling at the school. The girls were so happy to have him there.
WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS. no kidding. This week has been a true test to my soul. Between the normally expected craziness (my last week of full time teaching while being 38 weeks pregnant. Spring sports are in full swing, B volunteered twice at the kids' school this week and had a board meeting)…We also had a series of unexpected and unfortunate events occur.
- First, we lost Sheila's keys on Monday and had a car swap fiasco after school in between games.
- Then, Red had a viral fever for 4 days and wasn't sleeping well, was super clingy, and was throwing up a little bit. After a trip to the Peds we were informed he's cutting his molars, so yay.
- Meanwhile, Grey came home from school on Tuesday and took a shower and fell asleep (never has done that). He missed school on Wednesday and was thankfully virtual on Thursday and by Friday he displayed to us a considerable size bullseye rash under his armpit (um, what?!). We tele-medicined his symptoms and were prescribed Lymes antibiotics and by Saturday he had a face full of tiny red rashes (also a sign of Lymes) and was completely exhausted, puking, and dehydrated.
- In the meantime, Rusty threw up twice on Tuesday night and by Wednesday afternoon at school I was literally moaning with stomach pain and nausea. I barely made it home to go full blown stomach bug for the next 24 hours with a 38+ week pregnant belly (super enjoyable).
- By Saturday, the stomach bug had claimed both Brandon and Violet too with the same symptoms of exhaustion, vomiting, and diarrhea for 24 hrs.
Repeating like a mantra with B, "We're almost there. Who knows where 'there' is going to be, but it's NOT going to be here and that is comforting" HAH. whatever gets us through this next week.
Being eternally grateful (as always) for the people who squeeze in when we are flailing in the water. Miss Hannah showed up on last minute notice so Reddy could stay home from daycare on Tuesday (thank you!) My mom was able to stay with all the sick boys on Wednesday who were all home from school/daycare while also tidying up and doing several loads of laundry and then my Dad stopped to pick up the girls for Gem's soccer game so Brandon could stay home with pukey me and the other sick kids that night. (thank you!) Heather brought us homemade chicken noodle soup on Saturday after she heard about our stomach bug plague happening (thank you!), and my parents dropped off dinner on Saturday night that was enough to last and get us through a few nights (thank you!) We got so many check in texts and calls from our family and friends about all our craziness (the stomach bug, Grey/Lymes, and Baby#6) - thank you! It's been a wild week and we literally would not have made it out without support, patience, and grace from our family and friends!
Feeling almost thankful (albeit completely uncomfortable and miserable) that the baby girl didn't come out this week because we were in the midst of a vomitous disaster. Maybe she knows better than me - let's get through this illness first before we bring a new baby home!
Sending prayers of peace and comfort to my best friend Kate and her family. (love you).
Having my last baby doc appointment because next week, she's just getting kicked out! All is fine with both of us. I got my Covid test scheduled and the details I need for my induction on Wednesday. Unless of course she decides on her own to come before that. Either way, I feel relieved to know that by next weekend, we will all be accounted for here out in the world!
Starting every phone call I make with family and friends, "Hi, no, this is not about the baby...."
Giggling over Red's new haircut. The back of his head had so much thin, wild, and long hair. It was really ridiculous. So B got him set up on a little stool on the bathroom counter and buzzed him. He actually looks adorable (and older like kids always do after a haircut).
Sporting with two soccer games for Rusty this week (he missed another one due to the stomach bug), two soccer games and team photos for Violet, and two soccer games for Gem this week too. She was asked to be on the tournament team which she is super pumped about and I'm good with it because there are only three local tournaments in June and that feels doable with a newborn. Grey had two baseball games this week but missed one because he was so sick on Wednesday evening (a sign of how bad he felt because that kid hates missing sports). He also decided to skip the all-star try outs which I'm totally cool with because those are non-local tournaments and they go on all the way through July! He said he'd rather go fishing, camping, and swimming - so yeah, that's totally fine with me dude!
Teaching in my last week of school for the year! Advice to pregnant teachers out there, I definitely was overly ambitious thinking to hold out until nearly the end. This week 38 teaching has been brutal (actually week 37 was pretty brutal too). It doesn't help that it's also the end of the school year too, so students are all a little wacky. But at least (for me) it was state testing week, so my classes were mostly sparse this week and I was able to get fully organized and prepared for the week and two days that I'll miss for the school year in all. Spanish 1 took their final, Spanish 2 got to watch a movie when they were here (big testing week for them), Spanish 3 finished their novel Felipe Alou by watching the baseball movie Sugar, and Spanish 4 worked on their piñata when they were here (Senior field trip). After my stomach bug incapacitation on Wednesday night, I finally put up the white flag and just called the school year for myself. I took my last available sick days to start my maternity leave two days earlier than planned because I am full out of steam.
Prom Planning: which is next Saturday (!) I ordered the rest of the decorations, finished up handing out tickets for last minute permission slip returners, and reconfirming/checked in with all the vendors (venue, dj, photographer, caterer). We got prom dress up week (next week) approved by the principal, finishing a Prom FAQ doc for students, and planning our decorating day (Friday 05/21). If this babe does end up coming because of induction day - that means I'll probably be getting home from the hospital on decorating day....so because I'm an insane person, I'll probably stop over that evening to check in on my prom committee kids and hopefully at least make an appearance at prom the next day. Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly and beautifully and these kiddos get the prom they deserve after not having one in 2020 and suffering through this crazy school year we had.
Making a huge meal on Sunday for Mother's day (B made everything!) Besides his Blackstone grilling main course, he also made brussels sprout salad, purchased a chocolate/strawberry cake, and Gemma made these delightful whip cream filled pastries with caramel on top (all on her own!). During the week, we had meat sauce spaghetti, meat & cheese sandwiches, ordered in Fox's pizza, leftover night, and roasting hot dogs over the patio fire on Friday night (first fire dinner of the summer!)
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