Quite an imagination on this kid!

Leanna has her older daughter Lynn and she just had her new baby that she didn't have time to pick a name for yet. Lynn wants to name the new baby Madeleine-A-princess-queen. But Leanna figured that she wants to name her Marina Serena Alley.
But tonight Leanna was being pushed in a wheelchair(mop bucket) by her brothers because in the parking lot after she had her baby she tripped on a rock and a car ran over half her leg. The new baby fell out of her arms but luckily Lynn caught the new baby. Leanna is now wearing a cast on her leg. There is much much much more to this story but I can't type as fast as Leanna's mouth goes, and frankly it gets a little confusing!!

New motto

I think this shall be my new motto for this time in my life:

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your "perfect" offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in

Leonard Cohen

Couldn't resist

Yet another post on passing judgement on large families.......

Live in the Moment

Just a newspaper article I liked, about how things that seem so important now in the long run aren't so big. (re:parenting)

Timmy really enjoyed the glue

One bath was not enough to get all the glue out of his hair. I don't know if you can see, but the top of his head was PLASTERED!

It's been a fun week

*Me and the kids have a cold/caugh

*I'm hoping Jacob doesn't catch it, or at least not bad!! He's too little!

*I had to say no to Maree' coming over this weekend because we're sick and I'm not taking a chance-Jacob's already fighting off getting the cold he doesn't need to be exposed to unfamiliar germs now. I did not win points for that decision.

*My Mom and sister came over and helped clean my messy house while I was sick-THANKS!

*Leanna and Justin had fun with clay

*Mommy had fun with medicare people

*We found a tic on Leanna's head-oh joy!!

*So we got to take a trip to the doctor's office-she needed her physical anyway

* They didn't want to do any tests for the tic this time(she first got a tic when she was 2 1/2 ) just said to watch the site where he was for a bullseye rash

*The kids discovered how much fun glue is.....when you pour it......on your head.

*So far I've lost 25 pounds since giving birth (but still look pregnant) : (

*We had catalytic converter trouble with Tom's van

*Local youths decided to "beautify" Tom's van

We got Jacob's birth certificate already-that's fast!

Tom's cousin Rebekah had her baby, Jack Henry, on her Mom's birthday (July 26)

The 4 types of Grandparents

Interesting.......I rarely see people this black and white though, I think of people more as mixtures of the types. Anyone want to name which type they are or think they may one day be??

A verbal picture of life right now

What it's like around here now:

Our normal schedule is a little out of whack. I spend so much time holding, feeding, burping, and changing Jacob that it throws off other things. He eats a lot right now. For example, I'm about to go put someone to bed but then I have to feed then burp, then change the baby. Quite a bit of time can pass before all that's done. It'll take a bit til things get predictable again.
I'm still a little bit in a fog. Although I feel soooooooooooooooo much better now that the baby's out, my body is still sore and very tired. ( I love that I can bend over again!!) I still can only do so much cleaning and running around before I have to stop and rest. They don't call it labor for nothing! Actually breastfeeding good in that respect, it forces you to sit for a bit. I think from all the hormones being stirred up from giving birth, my face is out (the hemangeoma in my cheek). That's a little painful, it means it's hard to smile and I can't open my mouth all the way.
We're still sleeping in later and ironically, while Jacob's been waking only a few times a night to eat, it's Justin who's been loudly waking and driving his father CRAZY. Tom's schedule is off too, although I think it's just because he's been staying up too late and then he can't fall asleep. When he finally does start drifting off is usually when Justin wakes up. Fun ensues.
The house is still a wreck. Timothy's taken to pulling off his diapers after he poops. And occasionally for no reason (hasn't gone #1 or 2). If we don't realize the diaper is off he sometimes leaves some aromatic surprises. The other night Justin had fallen asleep and peed and I had cleaned that one up and was sitting feeding the baby when Timothy pooped on a kitchen chair. That left Tom to clean it and let me tell you he was NOT happy about it!! In fact, if I hadn't just cleaned up another mess I think he would have made me do it while feeding the baby! (Again-yeah, it's gross but this is still the man who picks up the dead animals and kills and touches all kinds of bugs and gross stuff at work? I don't get the utter disgust for human fluids.....) Justin's also picked up Leanna's fear of going ANYWHERE alone. That is a huge pain in the butt. He won't go upstairs alone, he won't go to the bathroom alone, etc. etc.
But as I said, the baby is very sweet, and he's a good baby so far. He more than makes up for any of these annoyances!!

At one week

(Sorry, I tried to post this yesterday and blogger wouldn't cooperate!)


Jacob was born one week ago. His siblings still adore him. They get mad at me for not letting them hold him more. All three sing their own made up lullabies to him. He's really sweet so far. Of course it's way too early to tell, but we are keeping our fingers crossed that this will be our mild child, the one that takes after my side of the family in temperment!!

For those who've expressed concern......

For those of you who have expressed concern over the wefare of my children's tiny fingers as they write their names(there are a few of you):

Leanna's full name=23 letters (4 names)
Justin's full name=20 letters (3 names)
Timothy's full name=19 letters (3 names)
Jacob's full name=24 letters (4 names)


So as you can see, only 5 extra letters for the longest name. It'll build character, writting those extra 5 letters. And you can always use initials for a legal signature. I don't usually write my middle name unless the paper specifically requests it. Their names have more meaning than just "oh I liked the name," not that there's anything wrong with that. I like it when there's a story behind the name.

Jacob Quinn Maximus

Born: July 17th, 4:50 PM

Weight: 8 lbs, 6 oz

Length: 20 1/2 inches

Hair & Eyes: Brown, blue (so far)

Extra info: Born with a knot in the umbellical cord and not one but two sacs were around him. He was well protected in there (probably a good thing considering how often his older siblings banged into my belly). Leanna got to see the placenta like she wanted, actually we all did. Tom didn't get to catch the baby-he was big and the birth was fast so the midwife didn't want to take chances.

Extra extra info: the pills I took were not some labor inducing drug, like I originally thought. They were blue cohash, a homeopathic medicine.

We're havin' a baby!!

The kid's on his way out soon.......the head keeps getting lower and lower and I'm three centimeters dialated. I had sporadic contractions this morning. We have a choice to make, I can take some pills and have the midwife strip the membranes and we'll have a baby that day. I am so anxious to have the baby already. But that just feels really strange to me. Kickstarting nature is one thing, actually chosing is another. I'm not sure what I am going to do. It feels wrong to pick the day. But then again, I honestly think this baby is ready to come out, something, probably me, is holding him back. Everytime I've had the bad contractions I've rushed around trying to get things ready for him to come out and I end up stressing out. Not really conducive to labor. I'm really hoping that I am in early labor already and he'll come out tonight/tomorrow on his own so I don't have to actually make the decision. That is still a possibility.

BIRTHDAY WISHES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANNY SUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, your kids and grandkids

Secondhand smoke and behavior problems

Yeah, I know, another one on smoking. They've linked the MOTHER's smoking to behavior problems in kids, but this one says the link is there with kids exposed to secondhand smoke as well:
Children of smokers, as well as of women exposed to secondhand smoke, were much more likely than the offspring of non-exposed women to have externalizing behaviors, which include "acting out, getting in trouble, being aggressive, breaking rules," Gatzke-Kopp noted.
Scientists believe such behaviors are controlled by the brain's dopamine system, which has been shown in animal studies to be damaged by fetal smoke exposure.
"Evidence suggests that the dopamine system in the brain gets over stimulated during pregnancy," Beauchaine noted in a statement. "As a consequence, children who were exposed to smoke in utero have colic and are hard to soothe as infants. As toddlers they are overactive and oppositional. Later on they are irritable, inattentive and low on pleasure."

I find that interesting because my kids have been accused of being hyperactice and they are hard to discipline (meaning to teach to behave). Leanna and Timothy in particular are oppositional! Justin was/is colicky, which I believe is partly just his personality but maybe exaggerated by the secondhand smoke? (Or the lead exposure? wherever it comes from?). I really think a number of factors combine to make my kids on the difficult side. I don't mean that it's all bad, they are naturally very curious and very creative and those things sometimes combine with the negative traits, making trouble. I get very frustrated by this though, because I think it often looks as though my children aren't diciplined, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE! My Mom recently commented that she thinks I'm getting better at discipline. I'm not really doing things differently. Maybe it's because she's around more since she's not working so she sees more of it? Maybe it's because she HEARS me yelling more (though that's not a good thing, in my opinion) because I lose my patience quicker than before. I used to be the most patient and calm person. Really!! Now I'm alone long long hours with just me and the kids and I get worn down so much easier. I've also picked up my husband's bad habbit of yelling loudly. I hate when he does it but I find I've unfortunately picked it up myself. It really does nothing but teach the kids to yell loudly when they get mad also. And I think in the long run it makes you less effective. It's something we have to work on.
Anyway, my point is that a study like this makes me wonder if the secondhand smoke isn't a contributing factor in their behavior. Not the only factor, just one of several. I certainly acknowledge that I am not perfect and often don't react as I should. I'm a work in progress too. Either way, it's interesting to note that even if the mother isn't smoking herself the secondhand smoke can still cause problems, mental and physical, for the children.

Chatty women?

Last night for reasons I won't get into here, we were having a conversation with a moron. He started making his usual sexist-my-wife-always-nags-me-and-never-lets-me-do-anything comments. Then he started the comments about women just generally talking too much. Luckily I was aware of this new info:

Women don't talk more than men do. Old husbands' tale: Women use three times as many words a day as men do. New data: Recorded sampling finds no significant difference. Critique: All the participants were college students. Bonus reports: 1) "Men tend to talk about things … whereas women tend to talk about other people." 2) Men talk more to wives and women; women talk more to and about kids. "Earlier attempts to measure the verbosity of the sexes relied on self-reported data." Human Nature's theory: Men don't notice how much they're talking. (For Human Nature's take on men, women, and the joy of punishment, click here. To talk about which sex talks more, click here.)
For a better sumation: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6269204.stm

So ha!!
My sidenote: I've noticed that when my husband talks on the phone to one of his fellow contractors or employees he's as chatty as any four year old girl!

Maybe??

I feel kind of normal today. I mean, you know, it still hurts to bend over and my stomach still dances around and all......but I don't feel as unenergetic as usual. So you know, if I don't post for a while it could be because the baby was born. But who knows, it could just be a good day?

(Many women have a spurt of energy before labor begins. For me, it's not an energy spurt, but a leveling off where I feel normal again.)

Girls and even baby girl clothing

Exasperation rises as suggestive clothes for girls spread from teens to toddlers......I've noticed this trend myself. I'll take this opportunity to remind anyone who buys gifts for Leanna-no Bratz or immitation Bratz dolls or products please. They are suggestive and wear a lot of makeup and also I personally find them ugly. Some girls who play with that stuff may be fine, but there are so many great toys for kids that don't have a sexual aspect to them. Just my two cents.

Another bad music link

Sorry for all the links, but someone added a link to an old Dave Barry column on bad songs. It's from 1993 (and I actually remember reading this one in the paper). I'm a Dave Barry fan, so I had to add this one.

PS. He also mentions that song Timothy that I've never heard that my Mom insists on singing off key without remembering all the lyrics......I really have to hear that song some time.

PPS. I was exploring some links on the bottom of the Dave Barry page and found one where people submitt songs that get stuck in your head, titled, MOST ANNOYING SONGS, and #2 is the Beatles' YELLOW SUBMARINE.

free e-cards for "when you care enough to hit send".

This one is only for a few of you who I know will find this site humorous. It's on the profane side-older people likely won't appreciate it.

Most Annoying songs

Rolling stones has a thing where you can leave your suggestions for most annoying song ever. I think it's amusing reading.

Complaining

Sorry I'm not posting much here lately-just kind of killing time until this baby is OUT!! I don't feel like doing anything! It's just extremely uncomfortable at this point. My lower back is always hurting and I often get pain in my hips because the joints loosen to prepare for birth. Bending over is painful, I can't lay on my back (or stomach naturally), even rolling over to the side in bed or getting up from laying down is a big chore! Getting up from sitting is hard and it's uncomfortable to stand at the sink to wash dishes because my belly hits the sink and my arms have to stretch so far to wash them. The kids are constantly hitting or bumping into my belly and I can't stand that! Leanna asked me last night if I"ll have more room again on my lap after the baby comes out. When I walk it feels like a ball of lead is in my belly. I went to the WIC office today and the bank and even that little walk just drains the energy out of me. I was really hoping to give birth now, but I have to concentrate on NOT doing that until the midwife comes back-July 4th. She has a backup doctor, but I want to give birth with her there. Last week she checked and I'm a centimeter dialated and the head is right there, so it could be any time.